6 Viral TikTok Summer Beauty Trends Actually Worth Trying

Last year, we witnessed how clean girl and food-inspired looks — everything from strawberry girl to espresso makeup — boomed on TikTok and later dominated the entire summer. Well, summer 2024 will be no different.

We attribute beauty’s current obsession with blush and lip balm to these viral TikTok beauty trends’ lasting influence. Whether these trends come to go or stay, it’s the freedom to create and inspire that we love about the TikTok beauty community. The most random ideas can blow up into the season’s hottest trends and ultimately decide what’s hitting the shelves. Take this year’s broccoli freckles for example — did anyone see that coming? Here are six viral TikTok beauty trends for summer 2024 that are actually worth trying.

BROCCOLI FRECKLES

This everyday green is having a major moment this summer as creators on TikTok take food-inspired makeup to the next level with broccoli freckles. It’s exactly what its name says, using broccoli as an applicator to create faux freckles. And does it work? Yes, believe it or not, the result is natural and the application is seamless. It’s as quirky as it is reliable, all you need is a floret of broccoli, a creamy bronzer or concealer of your choice, and a light hand. Now, before any brands introduce a broccoli buds-inspired brush, a freckle stamp or pen will do the trick with similar precision and perfection for your sun-kissed look.

JELLY MAKEUP

Jelly makeup as a TikTok beauty trend isn’t new but we were too busy picking sides between powder and cream. Years after it entered the beauty chats, jelly makeup is finally getting the attention and love it deserves thanks to brands like Milk and Fwee. From blush to lipstick, these products come through with a dewy texture that delivers an incredibly buildable and sheer finish. They feel and look like bouncy jelly on the skin and can be worn on lips, cheeks and eyes — wherever you fancy a burst of juicy color.

BOYFRIEND BLUSH

Just when we thought we had seen it all, there’s a new blush placement beauty trend for summer 2024 going viral on TikTok. Boyfriend blush mimics the lovely flush and warmth of post-sport skin by applying blush lower on the cheeks. Unlike the sculpting effect of sunburnt blush, it creates a more youthful, boyish look with pink-toned blush fluffed across almost the entire cheek. Consider using buildable liquid formulas for easy blending and soft definition.

SUNSET BLUSH

If you’re blush-obsessed and feeling the urge to wear all your favourites, sunset blush is your chance to play with colours and textures. Instead of replicating natural skin flush like other recent blush trends, it calls for a dreamy ombré on the cheeks reminiscent of the golden hours. It looks gorgeous on both glass and cloud skin, and the key is to sculpt the cheekbones and temples with the warmth of two different shades or more. And don’t shy away from going bold with some over-the-top luminisers.

SUGAR PLUM FAIRY

Hailey Bieber dropped her Sugar Plum Fairy makeup tutorial during the holiday season last year, and this trend is reaching its peak this summer with the rise of cool-toned blush. A close cousin of the balletcore and strawberry girl makeup, the Sugar Plum Fairy look is unapologetically girly and flirty. It’s defined by pink to mauve cheeks, shimmery lids and glossy cheeks, along with fluffy brows, fluttery lashes and a clean base, be it dewy or matte. Take cues from the trendsetter herself and layer shimmery eyeshadow with a gloss for more glaze.

PEARL SKIN

If you think pearl skin is an extension of glass skin, you’re half right. Inspired by the milky lustre of pearls, this new viral TikTok beauty trend is a quiet luxury take on glass skin. It’s less wet and aims to achieve a silky, diffused sheen that leaves people wondering whether it’s the sun or just your skin. In that sense, a well-hydrated base is still the key, so reach for formulas infused with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. As for the palette and placement, think ethereal hues like pink, purple, taupe, blue and opal green, and apply them on the apples, cheekbones and the arch above the brow bones.