Being tanned in summer is tempting for many. But for those who really want to stand out, the trend goes even further this time. No more self-tanners and UV booths: what people are looking for now is the sunburn effect!
After “blush blindness” and “strawberry makeup”, which consisted of applying a lot of blush and creating fake freckles, it’s the turn of “sunburn makeup” to go viral. Unlike the two previous trends, which were limited to the face and remained subtle, “sunburn makeup” takes the concept to the extreme.
This new trend invites its followers to outline their jewelry, glasses, tank tops and swimsuits with a good dose of blush, to imitate an intense sunburn. As if you had dozed off in the sun on the beach. You might think that’s exactly what we want to avoid, right? Well, think again! This trend has already accumulated 28.2 million posts on TikTok.
A shooting that went viral
This is the magazine GQ China who is behind this new makeup trend that has become famous on social media. Their editorial shoot titled “Heat Stroke,” published last June, featured men with gigantic sunburns. Quickly, these images went viral on X, reaching 26.1 million views.
Enough to inspire makeup artists and artists, who began to reproduce the look en masse on social networks under the hashtag #SunburnMakeupTrend. Now, this trend is creeping into pop culture everywhere, whether in animation or even in music videos. “Sunburn makeup” has become a must-have. Even in the summer hit Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter, which went viral internationally, we can see this extreme sunburn achieved thanks to the makeup that forms the singer’s name.
A means of expression not without risk
What makes this sunburn trend different from previous ones? This year, it’s taking it a step further by incorporating shapes that reveal accessories that are marked on the skin. Star or heart-shaped glasses, tank top outlines, jewelry chains, etc. The possibilities are endless, and fans of the trend are competing in ingenuity by exploiting the potential of blush, or even lipstick, to the fullest.
All pigments are used to follow the trend, but be careful! Some, ready to do anything to take up the challenge, opt for a real sunburn, then add foundation to the areas where they want to create patterns on their body. Bad idea! In addition to being painful, this can have serious consequences on health. As a reminder, sunburn is a skin burn induced by the sun’s UVB rays. They attack skin cells, cause DNA damage and promote the appearance of skin cancers, as the official website of the French Health Insurance reminds us.
So, protect yourself with sunscreen applied regularly and opt for makeup if you want to follow the trend. In any case, “sunburn makeup” still seems to have a bright future ahead of it this summer!