June doesn’t just mark the official start of summer—it’s also Pride month. The first-ever Pride march was held in June 1970, and in the decades since, the parade has grown from a single-day event to a month-long extravaganza celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community (often, with rainbow-colored clothing and bright pride makeup). Whether you’re a part of the community or simply want to stand in solidarity with your LGBTQIA+ friends, a pride makeup look can be a great way to tell the world exactly where you stand in the fight for equality. Plus, the more-is-more approach to color (and glitter) is downright fun.
If you’re looking for pride makeup ideas to show your support this June, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we’re sharing some of our favorite bold, bright, and confident rainbow-colored looks to wear with pride all month long.
Why Is Pride Important to NYX Professional Makeup?
At NYX Professional Makeup, we believe that everybody, regardless of their gender identity or sexuality, should feel free and safe to be who they are and not face discrimination. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case, which is why it’s so important to stand as an ally and advocate for equal rights, representation, and opportunities for all. Since launching our Proud Allies for All initiative in 2020, we’ve raised more than half a million dollars to support LGBTQIA+ groups and programs. We’ve also provided training for more than 2,000 allies and supplied thousands of meals to LGBTQIA+ youth at the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
It’s also important to feel safe and confident in celebrating who you are—which is precisely what Pride Month is all about. Attending events, donating (when feasible), supporting LGBTQIA+ creators and businesses, and, yes, even donning rainbow Pride makeup are among some of the ways we show our support for this worthwhile cause.
11 Colorful Pride Makeup Looks to Try
Whether you’re looking for colorful pride makeup or favor a more subtle (but still playful) approach, we’ve got the inspiration you need to shine all month long. Find 11 of our favorite Pride makeup ideas—and learn how to create them at home—below.
1. Shimmery golden eyes
This gilded gold look is big, bold, and indisputably glam—making it a natural pick for all those Pride parties you’re going to be attending this month.
Start by applying the glittery gold shade from Ultimate Shadow Palette in Paradise Shock to your lid, extending the shimmer toward your brow for maximum impact. Darken your crease with the palette’s matte brown shade, and blend well.
Next, line your upper and lower lash lines with Vivid Rich Mechanical Pencil in Always Onyx. Once you reach your outer corner, flick the liner toward the tail of your brow to create an exaggerated wing (you may need to re-trace your line if you want a thick, bold wing). Clean up any shadow beneath your wing with a cotton swab dipped in makeup remover, then pop on your favorite false lashes to finish your eyes.
Because the eyes are the focus of this glitzy Pride makeup look, we recommend keeping the rest of your makeup simple. A bit of blush, some contour, and lip gloss (we suggest Fat Oil Lip Drip in Scrollin) make for the perfect finishing touches.
2. Bright rainbow eyeshadow
Rainbow Pride makeup is made to stand out—this unapologetically bold and bright eyeshadow look practically ensures all eyes will be on you at your next Pride event.
To create this vivid look, you’ll need the Ultimate Color Palette in I Know That’s Bright, as well as a couple of eyeshadow brushes and your favorite black liquid liner (we’re partial to the Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner).
With a fluffy shadow brush, apply the palette’s yellow shade to your inner corner. Then, tap any excess shadow off the brush and sweep it into the palette’s tangerine hue, placing this color on the center of your lid. Complete your top lid by applying the palette’s vibrant red shade to your outer corners. Then, blend the border between each hue to create a soft rainbow gradient.
Next, move on to your lower lash line. Using a small brush, apply green eyeshadow to the area by your tear duct. Then, place a blue shadow along the center of your lower lash line and complete the rainbow by blending a purple shade onto the outermost corner of your lower lid. Blend again until all of the colors melt into one another.
When you’re satisfied with your work, use your liquid eyeliner to create an exaggerated wing along your top lash line. Add mascara, if desired, and hit the parade.
3. Smokey rainbow eyeshadow
If neon brights seem a little too bold for your liking, you can put a twist on the rainbow eyeshadow tutorial outlined above by swapping out the brighter shades for softer, more subdued hues. Our Ultimate Shadow Palette in Paradise Shock is ideal for this, as it features several rainbow-adjacent hues (including peach, teal, and chartreuse) that you can use to customize your look to your liking. We suggest placing the matte gold shade in your inner corner, the peachy-orange on the center of your lid, and the salmon shade at the outer corner, then smoking it all out with a clean blending brush. You can then apply the palette’s chartreuse and teal shades to your lower lash line to complete the smokey muted rainbow effect.
4. Negative space rainbow wing
If eyeshadow isn’t your forté but you still want to rock rainbow makeup for Pride, eyeliner can’t be beat. For this graphic look, we suggest grabbing our Epic Wear Waterproof Eyeliner Sticks in the shades Pink Spirit, Cosmic Yellow, Emerald Cut, Turquoise Storm, and Graphic Purple.
Draw a short green line along your upper lash line that extends from your inner corner to about a third of the way across your lid. Then, continue the line with the blue liner, ending just before you hit the outer corner. Finish lining your upper lash line with the purple liner, then extend the line toward the tail of your brow to create a wing shape.
Next, place the tip of your pink liner at the very end of your wing and draw another line mirroring the shape of the first, this one just above your natural crease. About a third of the way toward the center of your lid, put down the pink liner and continue the line using the orange liner. Finish your graphic wing shape by connecting this above-crease liner to your inner corner with the yellow eyeliner. When all is said and done, you should have an exaggerated wing shape in all of the colors of the rainbow, with negative space on your lids.
5. Graphic Pride eyeliner
Your Pride makeup doesn’t have to be rainbow-colored to make a statement—and this graphic, ‘60s-inspired look is proof.
Start by applying a thin layer of Bare With Me Blur Tint Foundation to your face to help even out your complexion. Then, add a natural flush of color to your cheeks with Wonder Stick Blush, using the darker shade to help sculpt and define your cheekbones.
When your base is set, you can move onto your eyes. First, create a classic black wing using Vivid Matte Liquid Liner in Black. Then, trace another wing immediately above the first with the same eyeliner in White. Next, draw a curved line just above your crease with Vivid Brights Colored Liquid Eyeliner in Had Me At Yellow and connect it to your double wing.
While your liquid liner is drying, trace along your lower lash line with a black eye pencil. Extend it outward at the corner of your eye to create a reverse wing parallel to the first. Before moving on to your other eye, fill in your lower waterline with a lemon-yellow waterproof eyeliner, such as Epic Wear Waterproof Eyeliner Stick in Cosmic Yellow. Add mascara, then finish your bold Pride makeup look off with a coat of nude gloss (we recommend Fat Oil Lip Drip in Follow Back).
6. Pride flag eyeshadow
The classic Pride flag is a rainbow—but it’s by no means the only Pride flag that can inspire your Pride makeup look. If there’s a specific community you identify with, look up the colors of the community’s flag and create an eyeshadow look incorporating those colors. The specific shades you’ll need to create your look depend, of course, on the flag you’re looking to recreate, but we’re certain you’ll find the hues you need in our collection of palettes, eyeshadows, and eyeliners.
7. Pastel Pride cut crease
The cut crease is a statement makeup look that involves applying one eyeshadow above your crease, then “carving out” your crease with concealer and applying a different shade to your lid. Done properly, the graphic look should create a sharp contrast between your lid color and crease color.
To adapt this glam look for Pride, start by applying a pastel pink eyeshadow to the area above your natural crease. Use a fluffy eyeshadow brush to blend the pigment upward and outward, stopping just beneath the tail of your brow. Then, darken the area just above your crease with a slightly more pigmented pink or purple eyeshadow. Extend the color out slightly to create a soft wing-like shape above your crease.
Next, grab a full-coverage concealer like our classic Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Contour Concealer. Using a small, flat brush, carefully apply the concealer to your eyelid, taking care not to extend the concealer past your crease. Once the concealer dries, pat Ultimate Glow Shots Liquid Eyeshadow in Blueberry Baller onto your lid to complete your cut crease Pride makeup look.
8. Glitter eyes and lips
Pride is, at its core, a celebration—and as far as we’re concerned, there’s nothing that says “party” quite like glitter.
Start by snagging your favorite shade from our Ultimate Glow Shots Liquid Eyeshadow lineup and apply it to your lid. You’ll get plenty of pigment and shimmer, plus up to 12 hours of fallout-free wear. Then, draw an exaggerated wing along your upper lash line using a coordinating shade from our Vivid Brights Colored Liquid Eyeliner collection. If you want even more sparkle, you can use lash glue to adhere individual rhinestones to your brow bone or around your outer corners.
Once you’re satisfied with your eyes, go ahead and move on to your lips. Swipe on your favorite long-lasting lipstick, then add shimmer with Butter Gloss Bling in the shade of your choosing. This glitter-infused gloss boasts the same formula as our classic Butter Gloss Non-Sticky Lip Gloss—but with plenty of sparkle added in for good measure. Highlight your cheekbones and Cupid’s bow for one last jolt of shimmer, and get ready to shine all day long.
9. Floating eyeliner
Embrace your artistic side with a floating eyeliner look worthy of any Pride gathering. To start, apply your favorite primer and brighten your under-eye area with a hydrating concealer, such as our Bare With Me Concealer Serum (you can also use this lightweight serum to help camouflage any dark spots or discoloration threatening to steal the show). Next, use Vivid Brights Colored Liquid Eyeliner in Blue Thang to draw a thin, curved line just above your natural crease. If you find that it’s too thin with your first swipe, you can build up the line to your liking by going over it again. Once you’re satisfied with your floating liner, brush up your brows with Thick It. Stick It! Brow Gel to help open up your eyes even more. Complete the subtle yet statement-making look with a sheer hydrating lip balm, such as Fat Oil Slick Clicks in Main Character.
10. Monochrome makeup
For an easy Pride makeup look sure to turn heads, color your lids, lips, and cheeks in various shades of the same hue. For this tutorial, we’re opting for pink, but you can easily adapt the look to work with any color you like.
Start by applying a bright pink eyeshadow to your lid, blending the pigment upward and outward for a soft, diffused effect. Highlight your inner corner and brow bone, if desired, then darken your lashes with a coat or two of mascara.
Next, use Wonder Stick Blush to contour your cheekbones and add a flush of natural-looking color (if you’re not sure how to contour with blush, we break it all down in our blush contouring article). Lastly, move on to your lips. Fill them in completely with Fat Oil Click Stick in #Thriving for bold color and up to 12 hours of hydration. If you favor a glossier look, you can layer a lip gloss or oil—we love Fat Oil Lip Drip in Supermodel—over your balm for added shine.
11. Ombré lips
If you’d like your lips to be the centerpiece of your Pride makeup look, this bold two-toned lip look is for you.
Start by lining your lips with Line Loud Vegan Longwear Lip Liner in Saw a Ghost Pepper. Use your finger to blend the color toward the center of your lips to create a soft gradient and eliminate any harsh lines.
Next, apply Smooth Whip Matte Lip Cream in Pom Pom to the center of your pout. Press your lips together slightly to help blend the lipstick with the liner—done properly, you should be left with a pink-and-purple ombré lip look. You can leave it here, or top your two-toned lip look with clear gloss for a high-shine finish.
Pride Makeup FAQs
How do you make your Pride makeup last all day?
As with any makeup look, the longevity of your Pride makeup look hinges on how well you prep your skin, as well as the products you use. Whichever Pride look you decide to create, we suggest starting with a makeup primer, such as Blur Screen SPF 30 Primer. It blurs imperfections, helps grip makeup for up to 18 hours of wear, and provides SPF 30 protection against UV rays (a must if you’ll be celebrating Pride outdoors). You’ll also want to choose long-lasting, waterproof makeup formulas when possible, and remember to always set your look with a setting spray like our Marshmellow Matte Setting Spray. Even with proper prep and a perfect application, you may still need to do some touch-ups to keep your makeup looking flawless in the summer heat—that’s normal. Fill up a bag with the essentials and keep it on you as you celebrate for easy on-the-go touch-ups.
What should you use as a base for colorful Pride makeup?
What you use as your base makeup for Pride depends on what look you’re going after. Full-coverage foundation may be ideal for more glam looks, while a subtler skin tint (or even just concealer) is great for those seeking lighter coverage. Regardless of what base products you use (or don’t use), it’s important to always prep your skin with makeup primer—ideally, one with sunscreen. This will help ensure your makeup stays put as you dance, march, and party the day away.
Next Up: 12 Trending Eye Makeup Looks to Try This Year.
If you have a Pride makeup look you’re proud of, we want to see it. Share a pic on social and share the love by tagging us at @nyxcosmetics.
PRODUCTS USED
BLURSCREEN SPF 30 PRIMER
A blurring primer sunscreen with no white cast and up to 18h makeup wear.
Vivid Brights Colored Liquid Eyeliner
Transfer and fade-resistant colorful liquid eyeliner
Fat Oil Lip Drip
Hydrating tinted lip oil gloss
Bare With Me Blur Tint Foundation
Blurring tint foundation in 24 medium coverage, matte shades
FAT OIL SLICK CLICK
Lightweight, buildable pigmented balm in click up packaging available in 12 shades.
.jpg?sw=270&sfrm=jpg&q=70)
.jpg?sw=270&sfrm=jpg&q=70)
.jpg?sw=270&sfrm=jpg&q=70)
.jpg?sw=270&sfrm=jpg&q=70)
Ultimate Glow Shots Liquid Eyeshadow
Liquid Shimmery Eyeshadow
ULTIMATE SHADOW PALETTE
Pro-Level 16 pan Palette
Wonder™ Stick Blush
Dual-Ended Cream Blush Stick
