This summer, beauty trends are all about softness with a side of shimmer. From airbrushed satin skin that lets your real texture shine through, to chrome nails and mermaid waves made for daydreaming, the season’s biggest trends are all about playful self-expression.
The days of heavy contour and powdery mattes are giving way to looks that embrace light, movement, and individuality. Whether you lean clean and minimal or lean into color and glow, Summer 2025 is about looking and feeling radiant—without losing touch with your natural beauty.
Below, international artists and industry insiders Danessa Myricks, Ngozi Olandu Young, and Theo Turner break down the trends we’ll be wearing on our faces all summer long—and the products they swear by to make it happen.
Danessa Myricks
Controlled Shine and Satin Skin
According to Myricks, the two biggest makeup trends of Summer 2025 are natural demi-matte skin and controlled, strategic shine. “Even though the temps are soaring, no one wants to be oily or overly sweaty. Everyone wants to maintain their natural polish,” she says. The goal isn’t to completely mattify the skin, but to give it that blurred, soft-lit finish that stays put through the heat. That balance comes down to targeted product placement, solid prep, and minimal powder. She encourages focusing on skin-enhancing products that work with your natural texture instead of masking it.
Soft Glam, Reimagined
“Everyone, regardless of their makeup aesthetic, is embracing the sheen, shimmer, and glistening look—not just on the lip or cheek, but even on the eyes,” Myricks says. From high-glam to clean girl minimalism, soft shimmer is having a universal moment. Think glistening centers of the lids, radiant cheekbones, or a subtle twinkle on the cupid’s bow. Myricks says shimmer is no longer a niche element of party makeup—it’s become everyday elegance. To bring it to life, she swears by her Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Radiant and Water Powder Serum for prep, and Colorfix Foils and Metallics to build multidimensional glow.
Airbrushed, Not Flat
To achieve that satin-skin finish without masking texture, Myricks focuses on priming. “Powder as a last step can sometimes dull the skin’s natural elegance,” she says. Instead, she recommends prepping the skin with oil-controlling primers and targeting only high-shine areas with powder at the very end. This lets the skin stay breathable and luminous. Setting sprays, especially those with a blurring or soft-matte finish, lock in the look and refine the final effect without adding bulk.
Why It Works on Melanin-Rich Skin
“Amplifying our rich undertones is the secret sauce,” Myricks explains. “The radiance is already there—you just need the right products and techniques to let it shine.” Her approach centers on products that enhance glow rather than cover it up. When applied correctly, shimmer becomes a reflection of deeper skin’s richness, not a distraction from it.
This summer, Myricks is reaching for the Yummy Skin Glow Serum to build a lit-from-within base, layered with the Yummy Skin Serum Skin Tint for that sheer, buildable coverage that lets the skin breathe. For shine and dimension, she’s all about reflective finishes on both eyes and lips, noting that glossy lids and vinyl lips are her personal summer signature. “I’m obsessed with everything reflective right now—the shinier, the better,” she says.
For beginners looking to dip into these trends without overwhelm, Myricks says, “Never underestimate the power of your fingers. Tap, don’t drag. Start small and build up. It’s the best way to customize your glow.”
Ngozi Olandu Young
Simplicity with a Pop
Young is seeing a shift toward makeup that feels simple and breathable—but never boring. “I’m talking luminous skin paired with unexpected pops of color. Chrome lids, coral lips, terracotta tones—used sparingly but with intention,” she explains. The summer vibe she’s channeling is less about piling it on and more about letting your skin do the talking, with accent colors that feel joyful, seasonal, and smart.
Refined Radiance
Forget glitter chunks. This season is all about light-catching balms, pearlescent creams, and tone-matching highlighters that melt into the skin. “It’s a refined shimmer that enhances, not overpowers,” says Young. The formulas she loves add glow without the grease—giving cheekbones and lids just enough glint to look alive under the summer sun. These are products that work in harmony with melanin, not against it.
Breathable, Not Masked
Young’s approach to satin skin starts with skin itself. “Drink your green juice, hydrate, and exfoliate. Then go in with radiant medium-coverage foundation and a damp sponge to keep it light,” she says. She prefers a hybrid approach—blurring primer in targeted areas, sheer foundation where coverage is needed, and just a dusting of powder in high-sweat zones. The result? Dimensional, polished skin that still looks like skin.
For Deeper Skin Tones
“These trends celebrate melanin’s ability to reflect light,” says Young. “Velvety metallics like copper, bronze, and rose gold look rich, not ashy. Bold shades like berry, lilac, and orange pop without flattening the complexion.” Young emphasizes the importance of letting color breathe. On deeper skin, contrast is your friend.
To keep things efficient and fuss-free, Young relies on a curated summer lineup that prioritizes multitasking products with serious payoff. She preps the skin with the Eminence Organic Skin Care Charcoal & Black Seed Clarifying Oil, which balances oil production without drying out her complexion—a must for staying fresh through hot summer days. Then, she layers on Supergoop’s Proc(tint) Daily SPF 50 for sheer, lit-from-within coverage and sun protection in one step.
For warmth and dimension, Young loves the LYS No Limits Cream Bronzer Stick, which melts into the skin without creasing or caking. On cheeks, she taps in Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Cream Blush in shades like Summertime Wine or Daiquiri Dip for that flush-from-within effect on deeper skin tones. For lips, Olandu mixes hydration with color: Ami Colé’s Lip Treatment Oil in Excellence offers a juicy sheen, while the NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment in Slow Ride or LYS Speak Love Satin Lipstick in Own It delivers bold, wearable color.
Right now, she’s all about soft structure—glossy lids, a brushed-up brow, minimal mascara, and healthy, hydrated skin. “It’s glow without the weight,” she says. “I’m learning to love my skin in every stage.” Her best advice for beginners? “Start with one focus area. A bold lip, a cream blush, or shimmer on the lids. Makeup should enhance, not overwhelm. And if you mess up? Tomorrow is a new face, babe.”
Theo Turner
Minimalistic Chic
“We’re keeping it simple, yet effective,” says Turner. This summer, he’s calling it: minimalistic chic is the vibe. That means soft washes of color, glow-forward skin, and products that multitask. Think skin tints, lip oils, mascara, and artist crayons that do double duty on cheeks and eyes.
Glow, Head to Toe
“This season’s softness and shimmer isn’t limited to the face. It’s body too,” says Turner. Glowing collarbones, shimmering shoulders, and luminous legs are all part of the summer story. His favorite trick? L’Occitane Almond Shimmering Body Oil for that sunlit shimmer. “And don’t forget about the Fenty Beauty Body Lava—it’s back and it’s better.”
The Satin Skin Secret
“Skin prep is the real MVP,” Turner shares. He starts with skin-type-specific skincare, then applies a barrier-creating primer like Milk Hydrogrip or Danessa Myricks Blur Balm to help makeup sit on top without sinking in. Lightweight, serum-style foundations and just a whisper of highlighter give the airbrushed satin finish that stays breathable in heat and humidity.
Empowering for Melanin-Rich Skin
“These trends highlight what deeper complexions already do beautifully: reflect light, radiate glow, and define features without hiding them,” says Turner. The movement toward soft glam, luminous skin, and pops of color is all about honoring our features, not reshaping them.
To execute his signature summer glow, Turner reaches for Chanel Les Beiges Water Tint for fresh, sheer coverage. He layers Dior Forever Glow Maximizer underneath Dior Glow Luminizer for a buildable highlight that looks radiant but never glittery. To finish? Fenty Beauty Body Sauce across shoulders and collarbones. “Glow should be full-body—don’t stop at the jawline.”
Personally, Turner’s favorite summer look is glossy cheeks and lids, paired with fresh skin and just enough shimmer to catch the light. “I’m fully tapped into the body glow movement this year. There’s something powerful about looking lit from every angle.”
For those just starting to experiment with summer trends, his advice is to keep it minimal. “Start with three products. Focus on skin, cheeks, and lips. Once you’re confident, layer and build. You’ll find your rhythm.”