The best way to describe the playful makeup trend is a mood board of references: Y2K pop-stars, Bratz doll-level full glam, and the graphic makeup details (from bejeweled eyes to graphic liner) of HBO’s Euphoria. Celebrity makeup artists Sophia Sinot and Ngozi Esther Edeme are giving the look a 2026 feel; making their clients’ faces—from Zara Larsson to Olandria—their canvas to play with saturated pigments, gem appliqués, and flashes of iridescent sparkle that prove no finish, color, or adornment is too precious to play with.
For Edeme, the look is all about expressiveness. “Playful makeup to me means breaking as many rules as you can in one go,” she says. “From super vibrant sparkly blush, to extended spikey lashes and shimmer lips the possibilities are endless.” Consider this color-play a spirited rebuttal to the “clean girl” minimalism that took hold, in favor of 2000s Lisa Frank folder hues. However, the shift toward maximalism didn’t happen overnight. Much of the credit, I’d argue, traces back to Doniella Davy, whose work on Euphoria reframed what mainstream beauty could look like. “Sparkle, frost, color and gloss,” Davy says, are key to achieving the look.
Vogue’s Favorite Playful Makeup Picks
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Davy’s now-iconic designs—from the glitter-washed lids of Hunter Schafer’s Jules to the razor-sharp liner and crystal accents worn by Alexa Demie’s Maddy Perez—ignited a wave of creativity that quickly spilled onto TikTok in 2019. I was no different, inspired to jazz up my usual winged liner with perhaps an iridescent blue inner corner like my favorite character (Maddy, of course) and even a few accent pearls. A full pandemic and countless fast trend cycles later, each Euphoria season re-birthed the appetite for Davy’s expressive makeup looks that were just as crucial to the series as cinematography itself. Its effect is fun and instantly recognizable, which gives it replicable appeal that stands the test of time.
What the the last year or so has also made clear is that a well-defined makeup aesthetic can define an entire pop persona—just look at Larsson’s ongoing parade of hyper-glossed, high-impact glam throughout her ‘Midnight Sun’ tour. At its core, the playful makeup trend thrives on a “more is more” ethos, and one that Sinot says once you get comfortable with experimentation, the inspiration keeps building.
“We don’t like to leave any part of the face untouched,” Sinot says of her approach to Larsson’s glam. Here, color doesn’t stop at the eyes—it travels across cheeks, lips, even the bridge of the nose. The effect can be cohesive or deliberately clashing, with unexpected details—colored lashes, loose glitter, rhinestones, even feathers.
For those new to the playful makeup trend, and wanting to try it on for size, Edeme suggests experimenting with bold color first. “Pink looks pretty on every skin tone so play it safe,” she says. “Start with some matte pinks then gradually incorporate some sparkle that will always amp up a look.” Sinot suggests taking it even a step further with juxtaposing complimentary colors. “You’d be surprised how good unexpected combinations can look. When I did a bright green and gold eye on Zara for one of the shows, a hot pink lip would have been the last choice you’d think of, but it ended up looking so beautiful together,” she says. Meanwhile, Davy recommends pulling inspiration from your outfit. “Try matching your eyeshadow to your outfit—let go of whether you think the color will look good on you, and approach it with more feels,” she says. “Let your makeup say something about your mood and put the sparkly eyeshadow on purely because you are drawn to the color.” Davy is also particularly a fan of dipping one’s toe into playful by trying blue eyeshadow, calling it a right of passage into colorful makeup. “We’ve seen [blue eyeshadow] show up in pop culture decade after decade,” she says. “It’s universally flattering because it sits opposite of flesh tones on the color wheel, making it complimentary to all skin tones.”
If that still feels like a leap, a statement color blush offers a more approachable entry point. Take any of Ngozi’s looks done on the likes of Cassie, Tyla, and Olandria. While there’s instances of playfully-colored eyeshadows, and shimmers, others remain absent—but one thing remains central: a blurred, soft matte blush in a bold color. “I love being playful with color on Black skin, with my blush application—it’s my favorite way to whimsy up a look,” says Edeme, referring to blush as her holy grail product. “I love covering a face in it in every shade possible. It doesn’t matter if you feel like it’s too bright there’s always a way to make it work.”
She suggests having a range of shades: one close to your skin tone, one that adds a major pop, and a slightly lighter hue to your bold shade—by layering those three, she creates an ombré ethereal finish. When asked the old “if you were on a deserted island” adage, Sinot has her holy grail flush color: “If I had to choose, it would be a warm, flushed coral pink blush that resembles that signature sunburnt look,” says Sinot, though she encourages experimenting with every color possible, even using eyeshadows to make the color more saturated.
Meanwhile, a bold lip is another gateway. Sinot often plays with dimension here, sketching an ombré effect using multiple liners before topping it with a high-shine, almost iridescent gloss. For something moodier, she’ll flip the formula—starting with a matte base, then pressing shimmer pigments or fine glitter into the center for a subtle flash of light. Ultimately, the charm of this playful approach lies in its refusal to take itself too seriously. It’s makeup as experimentation with no real no rules required. Similarly, Davy says you can’t go wrong with a budge-proof liner and sparkly gloss on top.
“At the end of the day, who really cares? Life is serious enough and makeup shouldn’t be something we feel pressured by,” says Sinot. “I also think there is something really beautiful about treating makeup for what it is; something temporary. It’s freeing to realize that and I think it will allow us to be more creative and human.”
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Meet The Experts
- Donni Davy is a professional makeup artist best known for her Emmy Award-winning makeup on HBO’s Euphoria. She is also the founder of Half Magic Beauty.
- Ngozi “Esther” Edeme is a London-based, celebrity makeup artists. Her roster includes Cassie, Olandria, Tyla, and more.
- Sophia Sinot is a London-based, celebrity makeup artist. Sinot’s roster includes Zara Larsson, Doja Cat, Becky G., and more.
