The Cool-Girl Eye Makeup Trends Taking Over Summer 2026

If you can’t stop thinking about the blown-out eyeshadow at the recent Gucci shows, you’re not alone. Charli XCX has also been sporting a similar blown-out eye look during her current Music, Fashion, Film promo — and it’s ’90s rock star perfection.

“The smoky eye has returned, but it no longer relies on flawless blending or perfect symmetry,” says Briceno. “This version leans into something grungier and more relaxed: pencil worked into the upper and lower lash lines, softened with a fingertip or brush, and allowed to settle in naturally throughout the day or night.” Whether you reach for an espresso brown á la Charli XCX, slate gray, or a Gucci-worthy charcoal black, the smudged-on technique looks even better as it wears.

Bleached brows aren't for everyone — but lightened ones just might be. A longtime K-beauty trick, lightening your arches by one shade helps soften your features while keeping them just as defined.

“Brows are becoming less dominant,” Briceno notes. “The heavily filled, sharply sculpted look is giving way to something lighter.” Paired with dewy skin, a healthy amount of rosy blush, and ghost lashes — as seen on Zendaya at The Odyssey premiere in New York City — it feels even more airy and romantic.

Black mascara might be the default, but there’s never been a better time to experiment with color. Statement lashes have been making a splash on the runway lately, from feather extensions at Chanel's Fall 2026 couture show to vibrant green mascara at Marc Jacobs' Spring 2027 presentation.

“Colored mascara is trending right now because it adds a whimsical touch to what would otherwise be a regular look,” says makeup artist Taffy Dube. For an everyday take, find a shade that makes your eyes pop — like burgundy for hazel and green eyes or navy blue for brown eyes, according to Dube.

To really lean into this summer’s soft-grunge obsession, ditch the dramatic wings in favor of tightlining. According to Briceno, the technique comes down to working an eyeliner pencil into the roots of your upper lashes rather than drawing a line above them. “It subtly shapes the eye and makes the lashes look fuller without reading as obvious eyeliner,” he explains.

From there, customize the look to match the mood you’re going for: extend the liner into the inner corners for a more feline effect, keep it confined to the upper waterline for barely-there definition, or swap black for beige if you’re after brighter, wider-looking eyes.

While baby blue eyeshadow might feel like an ’80s throwback, the finish is anything but. Instead of opaque pigment, this season's take is sheer enough to let the skin peek through underneath.

“It looks suspended over the eye, not packed onto it,” Briceno says. “I keep the edges airy, extending the shadow slightly into the inner corner without adding heavy color in the crease.” That watercolor-like finish makes the baby blue shade feel far less intimidating, even if you typically stick to bronze tones on your lids.

With body glitter making a comeback, it was only a matter of time before the trend made its way to your eyelids. “Light-reflective finishes have a strong presence right now,” says Briceno, who’s seeing wet-looking, pearlescent shimmers rather than visible specks of glitter.

His advice? “Keep the placement simple and allow the finish to create the complexity.” Press a fine champagne, silver, or bronze shimmer onto the center of your lid with your fingertip, then tap whatever's left onto your brow bone and the high points of your cheek for a cohesive glow that catches the light from every angle.

Fluttery, separated lashes have replaced the heavy, clumpy ones of seasons past. “People still want volume, but now it's more about lifted, long lashes than really heavy ones,” says makeup artist Evelyn Ropafadzo. “I’m seeing more people define their lower lashes, too, because it opens up the eyes.”

To keep things soft instead of spidery, stick to one light coat on the bottom and let the formula do the heavy lifting for you. According to Ropafadzo, tubing mascaras — like Urban Decay’s Tube Job or Tarte's Tartelette Tubing Mascara — work especially well because they define each lash without clumping or smudging.

Gone are the days of cat eyes “sharp enough to kill a man.” (Sorry, T-Swift.) As makeup finishes become softer à la blurred lips and watercolor blush, eyeliner is following suit.

Instead of liquid pens, makeup artist Joanna Windram says she’s reaching for “brown eyeshadow smudged along the lash line.” It still elongates the eye area, but the pigment is softly diffused outward rather than ending in a sharp flick. Better yet, a little imperfection only adds to the hazy, lived-in effect, making it "far more forgiving" than a traditional wing, Windram adds.