8 Makeup Looks for Summer Activities

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Fall 2025

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As summer’s yellow- and orange-streaked skies surround us, we look to its natural aesthetic to inspire our next makeup looks. Like the sun in its daytime hours, the three-month season is restless, leaving you to wonder what look suits you best for the many activities you’ll engage in. Rest assured — Elixuer’s got you covered. Whether you’re running to the office or soaking up some fun on the beach, we’ve selected eight makeup looks for you to try during the season of the sun!

Photo courtesy of Thomas Rousseau.

All Natural

The secret to a stunning natural look is achieving a radiant glow and clear-looking skin. “The technique is to hydrate, prime, and choose the right foundation that will make my model’s skin glow,” makeup artist Thomas Rousseau of Colors by Rousseau tells us. “When it’s about outdoor shooting, we don’t want to contour that much, even more when the face already has a good shape and bone structure. I just applied a little … cream blush.” Rousseau also notes the importance of emphasizing the lips. “Never forget to hydrate and put some colour on the lips. Blush can sometimes be your friend for a good natural lip.”

Photo courtesy of Ellie Michel.

Sunkissed

Heading to the beach or going out during the day? This is the time to whip out your bronzers and shimmering highlighters to stand out like the brilliant sun. Ellie Michel — credited for her work in a Savage X Fenty Show — turned her model into a sun-kissed goddess with this makeup look. She incorporated warm tones like gold, coral, and peach for the face. A lovely nude KKW Beauty shade brings out the shape of the model’s delicate lips.

Photo courtesy of Tia Codrington.

Glam

Getting ready for a wedding or a fabulous formal event meant for the elite? The good ol’ glam look never fails to impress. Tatler Asia separates glam makeup into two categories: full glam and so glam. Full glam is dramatic, accenting the face with the addition of highlighter and applying bolder colours to the lid to draw attention to the eyes. A so glam look consists of classic winged eyeliner and earthy or natural-hued eyeshadows. Thick mascara will define the eyes, while contour will accentuate the cheekbones, nose, and jaw. This elegant look created by Tia Codrington of YS Beauty is giving sophistication with a hint of romance.

Photo courtesy of Sonya Elle Dee.

Bright and Colourful

Bright and colourful makeup works for daytime or getting ready for a swim by the pool, beach, or lake. A nice combination of light eyeshadow colours can bring attention to the eyes, complemented by a warm-toned blush. British beauty extraordinaire Sonya Elle Dee excels at experimenting with colour, adding extra flare to her eyeshadow with accents of orange and white to contrast against blue.

Smoky and Sultry

If you’re going on a date, the smoky eye is fitting for these events. Colours like red, purple, or grey add mystery to the eyes. Use dark colours to smudge along the crease and lid to make your eyes pop, especially with the addition of heavy mascara and eyeliner. A soft, neutral colour for the lips suits the look if you want to keep the emphasis on the eyes. A dark red or magenta-coloured lip offers more drama.

Sweet but Subtle

At the office, strict work culture and regulations could limit the amount of creative freedom you’ll have over your makeup. To play it safe, it’s best to stick to subtle makeup looks. So eyeshadow colours, especially neutral ones, are preferred in this case. You can still apply liner and mascara to your eyes in light applications. Being professional doesn’t mean you can’t dabble in your makeup drawer every once in a while. However, if you do, just think about keeping it sweet but subtle.

Photo courtesy of Sonya Elle Dee.

Shine Like a Star

If you’re one of those people at parties who likes to stand out, metallic colours will light you up, and give your face the shimmering look you seek. Some of the best metallic colours to work with include gold, red, and blue. To achieve this bold baddie look by Dee, choose metallic colours of your choice and apply them to the lid after using a base. You can always apply a contrasting matte colour to the upper eyelid for variation. Add liner to the waterline and layer up mascara. You can also add false lashes if you’re looking for extra length.

Photo courtesy of Kat Yachouh.

Active and Ready

Working out is difficult when your face is caked with heavy foundation, shadow, and powder. Makeup artist Kat Yachouh tells us pulling o- a pretty and comfortable look requires minimal makeup. “We used some cooler toned eyeshadows for her eyes, to match her cool undertones, and kept her complexion so,” she says. For her face, Yachouch wanted to “bring some life to it”. Yachouh says, “We used some bronzer and blush to warm up her face.” She also used thin liner that suited her client’s hooded eye shape.

Tashon Daley | Contributing Writer

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