Okay, so today I’m gonna spill the tea on my fake sunburn makeup experiment. I saw a bunch of TikToks and was like, “Hey, I wanna try that!” Here’s the lowdown on how it went down.
Step 1: Gathering My Arsenal
- I started by raiding my makeup bag. I grabbed my blush palette (had some pinks and reds), a fluffy brush, and my trusty foundation.
- Then, I rummaged through my mom’s stuff (don’t tell her!) and snagged a reddish-brown eyeshadow. Figured it’d add some depth.
Step 2: Base-ics
First things first, I applied my regular foundation. Gotta have a nice even canvas, ya know? Then, I set it with some powder. Don’t want everything sliding around later.
Step 3: Blush Application – The Fun Part!
This is where things got interesting. I took my fluffy brush and dipped it into the pink blush. Then, I went for the “sun-kissed” areas: across my nose, on my cheeks, and a little bit on my forehead. I definitely built it up slowly. Didn’t want to look like a clown right off the bat!
Step 4: Adding Dimension with Eyeshadow
Okay, so I took that reddish-brown eyeshadow and lightly dusted it on the edges of the blush. This was supposed to mimic that slightly darker, more irritated skin you get with a real sunburn. I made sure to blend it well, so it didn’t look like harsh lines.
Step 5: The Nose Bridge – Key Area!
I focused a little more color on the bridge of my nose. That’s where the sun always hits me the hardest. I used a smaller brush for this, so I could be more precise.
Step 6: Blend, Blend, Blend!
Blending is key, people! I went back in with a clean brush and buffed everything out. The goal is to make it look like it’s naturally flushed, not like I just slapped a bunch of makeup on my face.
Step 7: The “Ouch, I Forgot Sunscreen” Details
For extra realism (or maybe I was just going overboard), I dabbed a tiny bit of the blush on my chin and a tiny bit on my chest. Gotta sell the whole “I spent all day at the beach” vibe, right?
Step 8: The Final Look and My Verdict
So, after all that, I stepped back and looked in the mirror. Honestly? It wasn’t terrible! It looked pretty convincing, especially in natural light. I think the key is to start with a light hand and build up the color gradually. And blending, obviously!

Would I do it again? Maybe. It’s a fun, quick way to add some color to your face without actually baking in the sun. But next time, I’ll probably be a bit more subtle with the eyeshadow. Less “sunburn,” more “glowy.”
What I Learned:
- Less is definitely more. Start with a little bit of product and build up.
- Blending is your best friend.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment! Makeup is supposed to be fun.