Pride events, particularly the Pride month of June, are such special times in the year. Not only because we're celebrating and commemorating what it means to be LGBTQ+, but also because it's a time for those within the community to all come together and freely express their individual creativity amongst many other like-minded individuals. When it comes to makeup, the one rule for Pride is that there are no rules. Whether you want a bold and dramatic look, a colourful rainbow flag inspired eyeshadow, or a more sultry statement look, there are no limits as to what you can do.
We've curated some of the best Pride makeup looks to inspire your mind, along with product recommendations on how to achieve them. In our selection of Pride makeup ideas, we've included both simple and more elaborate looks, so no matter your preference or makeup artistry skills, you'll be able to replicate or adapt a look to suit you.
Rainbow Pride eye makeup look
It wouldn't be Pride without flying the Pride flag! If you want to try a classic colourful look that reflects that you share the values that the flag represents, a rainbow eyeshadow might be the perfect thing for you. It may look intimidating at first, but it's not as difficult as you may think.
Step 1: You'll first need to create your base. If you use foundation, carry out your routine as normal before applying the eye makeup. (Tip: cover your face with paper whilst applying the eyeshadow to prevent eyeshadow dust falling onto your base. Alternatively, apply base makeup last if you prefer!)
Once your base is applied (note that base makeup is not a necessity for this look), apply eyeshadow primer to your eyelids. We recommend using Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadow Primer (£29.99). This will stop any creasing, and help your makeup last longer.
Step 2: Take a palette or two that covers each colour of the rainbow (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet). For a bold and highly-pigmented look, we recommend using the Anastasia Beverly Hills x Alyssa Edwards Palette (£31.99) alongside Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill in Green Viper (£12.99). You will need two eyeshadow brushes for this look. On the right eye, imagine your eye is divided into three sections. Apply yellow to the inner corner first, then orange to the middle, and red to the outer eye. Make sure to bring the colour above the crease, and don't clean your brush in between colours as this will help to create seamless blending. Bring the red out into a winged shape to create a more dramatic look by feathering your brush outward at a 45 degree angle.
Tip: If you struggle with creating a wing, use a piece of paper or washi tape to create a sharp guideline.
Step 3: With an eyeshadow blending brush such as the Chanel Les Pinceaux (£30.00), blend the sharp lines between the colours with gentle strokes to create more of a gradient. Use this brush to add a more blended colour to your lower eye just under the waterline.
Step 4: Take your secondary brush and apply the darker colours to the left eye in the order green, blue, indigo, and violet, and follow the above steps, merging indigo and violet into one section.
Step 5: Finish off your look! Once you're done, add mascara, brows, glitter, or whatever you like to complete your Pride flag makeup look. (Don't forget the setting spray!)
Dramatic Pride Makeup
If you're going all out for Pride and need a dramatic makeup idea, this look is for you. You'll need a full makeup kit for this one, including highlighter, bronzer, false lashes, and lip liner. If you want to save more when refreshing your makeup collection, check out our clearance deals section, which has got everything you need to create a full face of makeup.
Step 1: Go ahead and prep your skin with serums, moisturiser, and primer, apply your foundation and concealer. You will need high coverage products for this look. You should also do your eyebrows at this stage. Once this is applied, take a translucent powder and apply it anywhere on your face that you experience creasing (under eyes, forehead, chin). Let it bake for 5-10 minutes before wiping off the excess dust.
Step 2: Whilst your makeup is 'baking', you can make a start on the eyes. You will need a gold and green eyeshadow to start with. We recommend the Chanel Ombre Premiere Powder Gold (£24.99) & Giorgio Armani Green Viper (£12.99). Apply the yellow by packing it into the inner corners of your eye and into the middle, and the green to the outer section. Bring the colours just above the crease, but not too far (unless you have hooded eyes, in which case you can bring it up a little further to ensure it's visible). Apply the green to your under eye below the lash line, and yellow to the inner corner of your lower eye. Make sure to bring the green out into a wing from the bottom and the top. Don't worry about this being seamless, you can tidy it up with some concealer later.
Step 3: Blend the colours where they meet to create a gradient. Apply a black colour using either eyeliner or eyeshadow with a thin brush just above the crease, and at the outer corner of your eye to create a graphic wing. We recommend the Clarins Ready in a Flash Palette (£24.90), as this contains a softer black and the subtle pink shade you'll need to finish the look.
Step 4: Apply the pink shade just above the black graphic liner you created, and blend it up to the eyebrow to create a sharp effect.
Step 5: Finish off the eye by adding mascara and false eyelashes, you can also further define the graphic line with a liquid eyeliner. A good option for this step is to use the L'Oreal Volume Million lashes set which contains both mascara and eyeliner.(£16.99).
Step 6: This Pride makeup look owes a lot of its drama to harsher and more defined lines around the lips and as contour. The BellaPierre Contour & Highlight Duo (£12.99) is a great option to easily create defined lines. Take the contour end and create a line just under your cheekbone, bringing it back towards the top of your ear. Then above the cheekbone, add highlighter. Blend the contour out just a little bit, so that it is still well-defined but not out of place.
Step 7: Create a show stopping glimmering highlight with the L'Oreal La Vie en Glow highlighting palette and drops (£14.99). Adding a little bit of highlight to your chin and just above your cupid's bow.
Step 8: Finish the look! The main focus of this look is the eyes and cheek contour. We recommend that you use lip liner to overdraw your lips and a sheer gloss to finish the look. The colours you choose are completely up to you and all depend on how dramatic you want to go!
Graphic eyeliner look
While Pride is synonymous with bright colours, we realise that this isn't everyone's aesthetic. For those who want Pride makeup ideas that are more sleek and sultry, a graphic eyeliner look may be for you.
Step 1: Apply your base however you feel comfortable, the focus of this look is the eyes. Add your contour and brows in at this stage before moving onto the eyeshadow.
Step 2: Apply your chosen eyeshadow primer to your lid (as above we'd use Anastasia Beverly Hills). Take your favourite dark eyeshadow shade and apply it to the eye, the blue shade from the Chanel Les Ombres Quiet Revolution Palette (£41.90) works very well with this look. Apply the shade all over the eye, including below the lower lash waterline, and create a tapered wing at the outer corners by sweeping gently outwards.
Step 3: Blend out the eyeshadow to create a smokey look, we want the shadow to be soft as we're going to create the desired sharpness with eyeliner.
Step 4: Take a white liquid liner such as the Lancome Plume Liner in Blanc (£14.99), and outline around the eyeshadow colour you applied to the upper lid. Make sure to create a sharp wing, and bring the white into the inner corner of the eye. You can add further wings for a feathered look if desired. It may seem that this look requires a steady hand, but try not to overthink it. The speed of the sweep is key to ensure your lines are seamless, so just go for it!
Step 5: Apply a white shadow to the inner corner of your eye to help with blending and create a more seamless look.
Step 6: Use a glossy lip stain to create a beautiful finish that lasts the whole day. It's up to you which colour you choose to use, a dark shade would work well, but to create more of a colour pop we'd use the YSL Vernis a Levres in Corail Hold Up (£24.99).
This makeup idea is easy to recreate, while appearing complex and you can experiment with many different colour schemes. Try a pink shadow with a red liner, or a black shadow with a green liner. The possibilities are endless!
Simple yet bold Pride makeup
If makeup isn't usually your thing or you don't have the skills or tools required to create an elaborate makeup look, a simpler style can still be extremely effective. This look is easy to create, all you need is eyeshadow! We've added in a couple of extra bits just to create some detailing, but they aren't necessary to create a bold look.
Step 1: As with the other looks, apply your foundation and concealer base as usual, if you use it.
Step 2: We recommend using eye primer just to prolong the longevity of your makeup, but it's not entirely necessary. Otherwise, take a pigmented bright shade of your choice and apply it all over your eyelid, bringing the colour right up to your brow bone. We love the pink look as pictured and think the Dior 3 Couleurs Palette in Rosy Pink (£44.99) has some beautiful pigmented shades.
Step 3: Apply mascara to create more drama. As we've used pink we recommend using pink mascara too, such as the Dior Pump 'N' Volume in Coral (£17.99), but black will work just fine
Step 4: Add a lip colour, to keep the focus on your eyes we'd use a muted or natural colour in a matte finish. The Mac Matte Brown Lipstick in Soar (£17.00) is ideal for this, but choosing a colour that is closer to your natural lip shade will also work well.
And that's it! Each of these looks can be customised to suit your personal style, and of course they're not limited to Pride events, you can sport these makeup looks any day of the year.
Create your perfect Pride makeup look at Hogies
There are no limits when it comes to makeup, and it truly is a great way to express yourself and let your inner artist shine. At Hogies, you can create the makeup look of your dreams with our extensive range of discounted cosmetics, including eyeshadows, lipsticks, and much more.