14 Unique Music Festival Makeup Looks to Try

Coachella is kind of like Halloween or New Year's Eve. Weird comparison, I know, but bear with me. You see, each year, it comes around in April and presents us with another opportunity to broaden our makeup horizons, to play with color and texture, and most importantly, to break out of our day-to-day beauty routine. Just like the edgy characterized makeup of Halloween or the ample glitter eye shadow of New Year's Eve, it offers us a chance to do something outside of the status quo. Consequently, we don't want to squander this music festival opportunity with our everyday eye shadow palettes and nude lipsticks.

That's why we do research each year to put together a list of the best festival looks that we can re-create for ourselves. There's a unique look for everyone, whether you subscribe to the less-is-more approach or you prefer the brightest, most eye-catching colors and shapes. Trust us: these 14 makeup looks won't leave you feeling bored or uninspired—quite the contrary, in fact. You'll want to pack your desert beauty bag and hit the road to Indio. From us to you, happy Coachella.

Makeup artist Sarah Novio is responsible for one of our favorite makeup looks of 2019. Her use of color and shape is incredible (which is why her Instagram is definitely worth checking out). The teal and pink color combination looks amazing all on its own. It's even more impressive when applied in a graphic half-moon shape above each eye.

Next is another look by Novio. This time it involves a timeless Coachella classic as far as we're concerned: eye glitter. Instead of applying it just across the lid, shake things up and apply it both above and below the eye. Not only will this draw extra attention to them, but it will also disguise dark circles (it's an unintended, yet appreciated, by-product of the look).

If you subscribe to the saying 'more is more,' this look is for you. Painting your eyes, all the way around, with a one-dimensional vivid hue is sure to make you a music festival show-stopper. Here, makeup artist Carly Fisher used the bold blue color in NYX's Off Tropic Hasta La Vista Eyeshadow Palette ($20) to get this powdery and opaque result.

Makeup artist Ruthie Barone shows us how less can really be more with a thin, graphic stripe of metallic green liner. This reminds us of the time Kendall Jenner wore editorial green eyeliner to the People's Choice Awards last year. It was simple and striking—just like this look.

Ruthie Barone is is also the mastermind behind this cool-girl mismatched eyeshadow look, which we're planning on trying ourselves. It's unusual and eye-catching (and what better time to do unusual and eye-catching that than a music festival?). We like the fact that this look encourages us to play with different colors and textures.

Why not diverge from the bright neon glitter that's so pervasive at music festivals and opt for something a little darker and grungier? All it takes is the right glitter (in this case, it's Marc Jacobs See-quins Glam Glitter Eyeshadow $28) and some kohl eyeliner.

Another look meant for the minimalistic girl, this one involves a sporadic spattering of tiny graphic shapes being painted on the eyelids with eyeliner. Between you and us, though, we might forgo the use of eyeliner altogether and opt for Milk Makeup's Tattoo Stamps ($12) instead. 

Similar to the look before it, this one, which is worn by Brittany Xavier, involves placing tiny temporary tattoos all over the eyelid and brow bone. The temporary tattoos in question are Violent Lips Minis ($10), and they can be used on the lips or eyes (or both).

This is music festival makeup we're talking about, which is we wanted—nay, needed—to include a '60s-inspired flower child look. This one comes courtesy of model, actor, and makeup artist Walker Ash. The trick, it seems, is to pair flowing waves and flower pins with a soft, simple, and diffused pink makeup look. Are you going to Woodstock or Coachella? It doesn't matter when you're wearing this look.

We'll be honest. We've had this makeup look saved on Instagram for months, although we think now is the perfect time to try it out for ourselves. It seemed that celebrity makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes used Huda Beauty's new Matte and Metal Double Ended Eyeshadow ($25) to achieve this super saturated result.

Another makeup look we love from Katie Jane Hughes is this ochre-colored one. It has a little bit of everything; there's bold color, cat-eye liner, and even a little glitter, too. We're obsessed.

Makeup artist Bianca-Vania Baranda created this festival-ready makeup look, which consists of a smokey eye (with a blinding inner eye highlight) and a tiny row of jewels placed underneath the brow. To replicate this look, try using lash glue to place individual jewels or sequins onto the skin.

Here's another look from makeup artist Carly Fisher. We like the fact that it's not centered around a single feature (like the eyes). Instead, it's all about framing the face with color. This one is sure to make you look like a spritely desert nymph (and yes, that's a very good thing).

We're going to go ahead and coin this makeup look 'space-age mermaid.' Makeup artist Nisha Van Berkel used Lemonhead LA's Midnight Society SpaceJam Glitter ($28) to achieve that studio 54-approved chunky silver sparkle effect. We're truly and thoroughly in love with this makeup look.