Natural-looking, understated makeup has its place—but it’s hard to top the joyful quality of bold, bright makeup. There’s something about an unapologetic pop of color that makes everything feel more fun. Fortunately, we have plenty of colorful makeup worth adding to your lineup. Here, we’re showcasing some of our favorites, from colorful eyeliners and eyeshadows to shiny, saturated lipsticks that make a serious statement. Discover them all—and find some ideas to inspire your next bright makeup look—below.
Bright Eyeliner Must-Haves
Epic Wear Waterproof Eyeliner Stick
Make a statement by swapping out your go-to black liner for a vivid, unexpected hue. The Epic Wear Waterproof Eyeliner lineup includes a slew of bright shades, including soft lavender, bright turquoise, and shimmery coral. Plus, the liner’s creamy formula is waterproof and offers up to 36 hours of smudge- and transfer-resistant wear.
Vivid Brights Colored Liquid Eyeliner
If you prefer liquid eyeliner, we suggest giving Vivid Brights a try. The easy-to-use formula glides on without skipping or tugging at the skin and delivers intense color payoff in a single swipe. There are nine shades to choose from, including both soft pastels and more saturated brights (we’re especially fond of the pure hot pink shade Don’t Pink Twice).
Bright Lipsticks and Glosses
Fat Oil Slick Click
Nourish your pout and embrace color with this lightweight tinted balm. The silky formula provides up to 12 hours of hydration with a non-sticky, high-shine finish. Plus, the pigment can be built up to your liking. Swipe one of the bold hues onto your lips for a soft flush of color, or opt for a couple of swipes for a brighter finish. You can even pair the nourishing formula with lip liner for an extra pop of color.
Duck Plump Plumping Lip Gloss
Turn up the intensity with this ultra-glossy plumping lip gloss. It’s available in 16 high-pigment shades (plus two transparent options) and delivers maximum color payoff while helping to make your lips look bigger. For a vivid lip look, try Peach Out (a vibrant, glossy orange shade) or Bubblegum Bae (an in-your-face electric fuschia hue).
Smooth Whip Matte Lip Cream
If you favor matte lip looks, consider reaching for our Smooth Whip Matte Lip Cream. The full-coverage formula comes in 24 vibrant shades, from classic hues like pink and red to unexpected colors like blue and teal. Swipe it onto bare lips for bold, smooth matte color, or pair your favorite shade with a coordinating lip liner for a defined and colorful lip look.
Colorful Eyeshadow and Palettes
Jumbo Eye Pencil
You don’t have to be an eyeshadow pro to master a bright eye makeup look. Our Jumbo Eye Pencil is super easy to apply, thanks to the creamy, pigmented formula and chubby crayon tip. Choose your favorite color out of the lineup—there are 16 vivid options—and sketch the color onto your lid. Then, blend out the edges with a brush (or your fingers) for a wash of vibrant color. Bonus: You can also use this multi-purpose pencil as an eyeliner or pair your favorite hue with powder eyeshadow for an even bolder look.
Ultimate Glow Shots Liquid Eyeshadow
When you want to lean into your glam side, reach for Ultimate Glow Shots. These easy-to-apply liquid eyeshadows are jam-packed with shimmer for an ultra-luminous, radiant (but not glittery) finish. Plus, the vitamin C-infused formula offers up to 12 hours of comfortable, fallout-resistant wear. We’d be hard-pressed to pick a favorite shade out of the lineup, but if we had to, the reddish-pink Raspberry Rave and springy Kiwi Killa would definitely make the cut.
Ultimate Shadow Palette
No list of colorful makeup would be complete without a callout to the iconic Ultimate Shadow Palette—specifically, the I Know That’s Bright palette. This 16-pan pro palette contains a rainbow of ultra-vibrant shades, from neon pinks and oranges to glittery greens and electric blues. Grab an eyeshadow brush or two and experiment with your favorite color combinations to create a colorful eyeshadow look that’s uniquely you.
Bold, Bright Blushes
Buttermelt Blush
When you think of bright makeup, you probably imagine colorful lipsticks or bright eyeshadow—but blush can make just as much of a statement. For a bold spin on your usual base, swap out your go-to blush for Buttermelt Blush. This high-pigment powder blush comes in 12 vibrant shades that deliver up to 12 hours of bold, fade-resistant wear. You can’t go wrong with any of the colors in the lineup, but for an extra bright blush look, try All The Butta—you can’t get much more vibrant than electric fuschia.
Wonder™ Stick Blush
Those who prefer cream blush formulas should snag Wonder Stick Blush. This dual-ended blush stick features two blush shades: a darker hue for sculpting and shaping and a lighter shade for a just-flushed glow. If you need help determining the best blush placement for your face, we recommend checking out our article How To Apply Blush and Flatter Your Face Shape.
How to Create Bright and Colorful Makeup Looks
If you’re looking for creative ways to put your bright makeup to good use, keep reading. Ahead, we’re breaking down four colorful makeup looks we can’t get enough of.
Bright Monochrome Makeup
Shading your cheeks, lips, and lids with various shades of one color creates an eye-catching look that’s both vibrant and harmonious. You can use any color to create a monochrome makeup look, but we’re especially fond of using bright colors like orange or pink (for this tutorial, we’ll be focusing on the former).
Start by applying the matte orange shadow from the Ultimate Shadow Palette in I Know That's Bright all over your lids, blending the color past your crease for a soft, diffused effect. Leave it matte, or use your finger to pat the palette’s metallic coral shade on top for a shimmery effect.
Next, dust Buttermelt Blush in Sooner The Butta onto your cheekbones. Use the coordinating Buttermelt Blush Brush to blend the tangerine-hued blush toward your temples for a vibrant sunkissed effect. Finally, complete your look with a peachy lipstick or gloss, such as Duck Plump High Pigment Plumping Lip Gloss in Peach Out.
Doll Blush with Bright Blush
For a fresh-faced look that features plenty of bold color, nothing beats bright blush. For this doll-like look, you’ll want the pinkest blush you can get your hands on (we suggest Buttermelt Blush in My Butta Half). Apply the candy pink hue to the apples of your cheeks, taking care not to blend it too far outward—you really want the focus to be on your cheeks (rather than your cheekbones) here. If there’s any excess blush left on your brush, you can tap the smallest amount onto the bridge of your nose for an extra pop of color.
Once your blush is set, coat your upper and lower lashes in black mascara. The more you put on your lower lashes, the more doll-like your eyes will appear. You can even pop a little bit of white eyeliner onto your lower water line to make your eyes appear bigger. Tie the girly look together by swiping a baby-pink lip color, like Fat Oil Slick Click in Clout, onto your lips.
Colorful Smokey Eye
Put a playful twist on the classic smokey eye by swapping the neutral hues for more vivid shades. Start by grabbing the Ultimate Shadow Palette in I Know That’s Bright. Apply the matte teal shade to your entire lid, blending the color outward to create a soft wing shape. Then, use a small buffing brush to sweep the same teal hue along your lower lash line. Take care to blend it well to nail the smokey effect.
Next, load up a clean eyeshadow brush with the palette’s matte green shade and buff it into your crease for dimension. You can also press a bit of the green shade into your inner corner for an additional pop of color.
Last but not least, grab a coordinating eyeliner—we suggest Epic Wear Waterproof Eyeliner Stick in Turquoise Storm—and use it to trace your upper lash line. Once you get to the outer corner, flick your liner toward the tail of your brow to create a colorful wing that frames your vibrant smokey shadow.
Bright Ombré Lips
If you want your lips to be the star of your colorful makeup look, consider ombré lips. This trendy technique involves blending two hues together—like purple and pink—to create an eye-catching gradient of color.
Start by lining your lips with an eggplant-hued lip liner, such as our Suede Matte Lip Liner in STFU. Then, use your finger to blend the color toward the center of your lips. Next, apply a brighter purple lipstick or gloss to the center of your pout. We love Smooth Whip Matte Lip Cream in Bday Frosting for a matte lip look, while Duck Plump High Pigment Plumping Lip Gloss in Pink Me Pink is ideal for those seeking an ultra-glossy, high-shine finish. Once your lip color is on, lightly press your lips together to help blend the pigment for the perfect ombré effect.
Next Up: 12 Trending Eye Makeup Looks To Try This Year.
If you have a bright makeup look you love to rock, we want to see it. Share a pic on social and tag us @nyxcosmetics.
PRODUCTS USED
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Buttermelt Blush
High pigment buttery soft powder blush. Fade & transfer resistant with up to 12HR wear.
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Fat Oil Lip Drip
Hydrating tinted lip oil gloss
Slim Lip Pencil
Natural-looking long-wear lip liner
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Duck Plump High Pigment Plumping Lip Gloss
Plumping gloss with spicy ginger in 18 shades
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Ultimate Glow Shots Liquid Eyeshadow
Liquid Shimmery Eyeshadow
ULTIMATE SHADOW PALETTE
Pro-Level 16 pan Palette
Wonder™ Stick Blush
Dual-Ended Cream Blush Stick
