What happens when you mix skin that looks almost wet, with candy-pink statement eyes, and toss in a lil’ hyper-feminine Y2K pop influence? You get Zara Larsson’s signature playful glam.
We’re so obsessed with her look that we slid into the DMs of Dubai-based British MUA Chelcie Coulthard (@chelciecoulthardmakeup) to get the deets on how to recreate Zara’s shimmery look for the summer season.
Skin Prep
You might think the key to Zara’s radiance comes from loads of powder highlighter, but that’s not the case. To get that glossy, lit-from-within complexion, deep hydration is an absolute must followed by layering lightweight glow products.
Product Recs: Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter, Dhs240, ae.charlottletilbury.com.
Foundation and Base
Zara is a glowy girl, so skip anything overly matte or full coverage. Opt for a radiant light-to-medium coverage foundation. Apply the base in thin layers starting at the centre of the face to make the skin look fresh. Powder only goes on the T-zone for dimension and glow.
Product Recs: NARS Light Reflecting Foundation, Dhs260, bloomingdales.ae.
Blush
After a soft sculpt cream bronzer high on the cheekbones and temples to get Zara’s lifted effect, you need to follow it by sweeping pink blush slightly upward to connect to the eyeshadow.
Product Recs: Cheek Thrills Multi-Finish Face Trio in Après Ski, Dhs81, ulta.ae.
Highlight
Strategic highlighter makes skin look luminous instead of greasy. Apply to the tops of the cheekbones, bridge of the nose, inner corners of the eyes, and across the collarbones.
Product Recs: Kiko Milano Kind By Kiko Highlighter Face Stick, Dhs79, kikocosmetics.com.
Eyes
To get the hero feature of Zara’s looks, start with a soft pink base through the crease. Layer brighter pinks onto the outer corners and press shimmer onto the centre of the lid and inner corners for max reflection.
Product Recs: Ulta Beauty Collection Solar Flare Gel Chrome Eyeshadow in Nebula, Dhs51, ulta.ae.
Glitter and Shimmer
Use your fingertips to get Zara’s ultra-reflective sparkle by pressing shimmer onto a tacky base and applying to skin. This helps minimise fallout and gives you a Cosmo ME-style editorial finish that still feels wearable.
Product Recs: Too Faced Disco Crush High Shine Glitter Eye Shadow + Face Sparkle, Dhs115, sephora.ae.
Lashes
To flatter the dramatic eye makeup, do a soft, elongated wing liner. Focus the look on the outer corners of your lashes and avoid adding too much volume overall.
Product Recs: MAC Cosmetics Extended Play Gigablack Mascara in Black, Dhs100, maccosmetics.ae.
Brows
Keep the brows soft to balance out the boldness of the eyes. Brush brows upwards and fill in sparse areas softly. Avoid oversculpting and the Insta-heavy aesthetic.
Product Recs: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz Pencil, Dhs150, sephora.ae.
Lips
For Zara’s glossy nude-pink lips, start with a cool-toned nude-pink liner and softly blending the edges. Layer lipstick and gloss to create a reflective finish that balances the drama of the eyes.
Product Recs: Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Lip Luminizer in Fu$$y, Dhs120, sephora.ae.
Love the look but wanna tone it down just a bit? For a night out, apply shimmer closer to the lash line for a softer wash-of-color effect. Swap the candy tones for a warmer bronzed pink shades. Don’t apply too much product too quickly. Blending is way more important than intensity and keeps the look chic rather than theatrical.
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Next, check out Hindash’s Heat-Proof Makeup Playbook.✨