From professional graphic liner and teal water lines, to amateur face gems and body glitter, music festivals have seen it all. Influencers, celebrities, students, and “WFH” music-lovers arrive donning their Sunday best: flower crowns, body chains, or rainbow braids. But at a festival, everyone knows that you’re never fully dressed without a makeup look to match.
Undoubtedly the Met Gala of music, Coachella attracts dazzlingly diverse crowds to parade around in the dust for two back-to-back weekends – crowds that have become globally renowned and critically observed for their curated renditions of festival attire.
But Coachella-goers’ aesthetic accomplishments don’t go unnoticed outside of Indio, California. They set the tone for a year’s worth of festival trends, whether they’re emulated the following weekend at Stagecoach, or at Gov Ball, Lollapalooza, and Outside Lands later on in the summer.
And while I’m still not over Donni Davy’s “dreamy punk makeup” on Chappell Roan at Coachella Weekend 1, the best festival looks often come from those who are willing to go big because they don’t have to go home: college students.
Even while balling on a budget, college students are not only bringing their untamed, youthful energy to festivals, but are sporting makeup looks that stay put through tears of joy from seeing their favorite artists or post after-party all-nighters. And as festival season starts to pick up and more students gain access to local music events, there’s no reason for us to drop too much of a paycheck on festival makeup when we’re already splurging on a weekend wristband. It’s a good thing we don’t have to!
Beyond their many viral products, like the Fat Oil Lip Drip and one of Alix Earle’s tried and true eye pencils, NYX Professional Makeup has everything you need to get the perfect festival look: bold, bronzy, and most importantly, SPF-backed.
With these five products, you’re getting quality makeup that’s vegan, cruelty-free, and doesn’t break the bank – exactly what Gen Z college students are looking for. NYX Professional Makeup is here to help you, and your beautiful face, weather the (festival) storm!
- Blurscreen SPF 30 Primer
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The only thing better than a base layer of SPF, is a base layer of SPF that doubles as a primer. Blurscreen is proof that primers with sun protection are here to stay.
After all, there’s no better prescription for double-digit hour festival days coupled with sun exposure than Blurscreen, an SPF 30 primer that will grip your makeup for up to 18 hours of wear. At $14 for 30mL, the price point and value of this 2-in-1 product is unbeatable.
The formula is perfectly silky and not at all sticky, with a blurring, natural finish that leaves no white cast on my skin. It’s a water-based primer, so be sure to pair it with your favorite water-based foundations and concealers for a smooth base.
But even with this primer on, don’t forget to reapply sunscreen throughout the day!
- Ultimate Glow Shots Liquid Eyeshadow
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I am a firm believer that a metallic eye will simply never go out of style at festivals. If you’re looking to achieve that quintessential eye makeup look – shimmery, edgy, and colorful – then NYX Professional Makeup’s Ultimate Glow Shots Liquid Eyeshadow is the perfect product for you.
This eyeshadow has the best consistency for shimmer: perfectly smooth with no clumpy glitter specs. The buildable opacity gives you plenty of room to play with just how dramatic of an eye look you want, and because it’s so easy to blend, it’s a beginner-friendly staple.
Once it’s on, you don’t need to think twice about whether it’s going to budge. For $11, this eyeshadow will be the cherry on top of your festival look.
- Duck plump High Pigment Plumping Lip Gloss
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NYX Professional Makeup has several beloved lip products, but my two personal faves are the viral lip oil and their most recent lip gloss release: Duck Plump High Pigment Plumping Lip Gloss.
This lip gloss is for the gals who are looking for the perfect pout, sans filler! With ginger root listed as an ingredient, you immediately feel a spicy, heated sensation upon application – the effects of this product really are all in the name. Duck Plump is as plumping as it is pigmented, making your lips look full and supple.
My advice is to not shy away from the deeper shades! I was initially intimidated by the “Sangria Purple” shade, but was so pleasantly surprised by the color once I tried dabbing it on my lips for a sheerer finish. It turned into a stunning dusty mauve color that is so natural and flattering.
- Buttermelt Powder Bronzer
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This bronzer singlehandedly proved that it’s not me who was fueling my dislike of powder bronzer, but the powder bronzers I’ve been using. In an instant, the Buttermelt Powder Bronzer became my newest holy grail product.
As soon as this formula touches a brush, it turns into exactly what the name suggests: butter. The consistency allows the bronzer to be pigmented without being difficult to apply, which makes this a product that won’t get patchy on you! Because of its gentle shimmer, it leaves behind a beautiful glow that looks best when dusted over cream bronzer.
The packaging is compact and thus fabulous for those who like to tuck a makeup product or two in their bag for a mid-afternoon touch up. And we all know that at festivals, sometimes a touch up is critical to preserve your makeup throughout a long day. With a delicious scent that’s as sweet as tropical sunscreen, NYX Professional Makeup did not come to play with this bronzer.
- Jumbo Eye Pencil
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As one of the internet’s most hyped-up makeup products, I naturally expected greatness from the Jumbo Eye Pencil, but I was not prepared for just how much I’d love it. The hype is truly for good reason.
When I use eye pencils on my waterline, I have always had to use multiple swipes of the product in order to get the pigment to show up, let alone stay on. But with this eye pencil, I only needed a singular swipe. The formula is creamy and beyond easy to apply, making this a no-fuss makeup product – the best kind.
There are 16 shades, including matte and shimmer options, as well as neutrals, pastels, and funky deep tones. This eye pencil is a one way ticket to daring yet chic festival eye makeup, for just $6 each.
Whether you opt for just one or all five of these festival-approved products from NYX Professional Makeup, you’ll be well on your way to festival glam that would leave 2016 Coachella-era Kylie Jenner shaking in her boots. If you know the extent to which she broke the internet that weekend, you’ll know that says a lot.
With not a makeup artist in sight and a few affordable but quality makeup products, we can dust ourselves with bronzer and swipe metallic eyeshadow over our eyes, while setting trends that could last for months. So, get out there and celebrate festival season the right way: covered in glitter that won’t haunt you when you see it on your credit card statement.