I Can’t Stop Adding Faux Freckles to My Makeup, Here’s How to Do It Yourself
Jas is the former Senior Content Specialist at Adore Beauty. A beauty admirer turned certified addict, she brings a sharp editorial eye and pop-culture pulse to everything she creates. Her words have appeared in The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, and Broadsheet. When she’s not producing viral content or podcasting about skincare, you’ll find her thrifting for vintage treasures or binging Bravo (strictly for research, of course).
As a kid, I hated my freckles.
Just like my pale skin, my freckles felt like a glaring sign of otherness among my mostly sun-kissed friends.
Desperate to fit in, I’d slather on concealer and believed I could exfoliate them away if I just. tried. hard. enough.
Now that I’m older and my freckles have faded over the years, I find myself missing them more and more, especially in the wintertime when they’re nearly invisible.
(Every freckle-faced reader is probably shaking their head right now.)
Then, as with skinny brows and frosty eyeshadow, the internet revived freckles. Albeit faux ones, but sun safe at least!
While freckles aren’t new in the beauty world — emerging in the ‘60s Twiggy mod era before reappearing on runways from the mid-2010s — I never dared to try the trend myself.
That was until about a year ago when I saw a Hailey Bieber GRWM video.
I watched in awe as Hailey (cos we’re on a first-name basis) tapped her lip liner over the bridge of her nose, creating the cutest, perfectly imperfect freckles.
Obviously, I had to try it myself.
Through practice, I've come to discover not all faux freckles are created equal.
There are various application methods depending on the look you're after.
Some people use liquid liner, others prefer an actual freckle pen. I’ve seen self-tanner used as a semi-permanent solution, and recently, I’ve even watched people use broccoli florets to stamp them on. I’m not even kidding.
Did I try it? Let’s just say vegetables are better suited to your plate than your face.
Keep scrolling to discover exactly how I create my faux freckles, with options for both day and night.
How To Create Faux Freckles at Home.
The first rule of faux freckles is that there are no rules.
It’s their unpredictability that makes them so beautiful. You never know where one might pop up.
With that in mind, don't worry too much about symmetry or shape. Just like natural freckles, they vary in size, shape and placement.
A dusting over the bridge of the nose is a fast track to youthful, sun-kissed skin. Faux freckles that follow the curve of the cheekbone deliver a more sculpted look suited for evening plans.
I like to embrace blemishes I’d otherwise cover by turning them into a freckle. It feels like I’m taking back the power from the pimple, refusing to let it ruin my day.
As for the shades best suited to your skin and hair colour, it’s best to opt for brown tones as black may look too harsh and unnatural. Or like dirt. Not the vibe.
The Stamp Method.
What I really loved and still love about Hailey’s faux freckles are the little clusters she creates.
They look so sweet and playful. And the best part? Not a broccoli in sight.
Instead, as demonstrated below by TikTok creator @frenchtouchofmakeup, this method requires a brown liquid liner, setting spray and your fingers.
@frenchtouchofmakeup Le best liner pour ca @freckbeauty #freckles #fauxfreckles#tachesderousseur#freck #frenchtouchofmakeup #pourtoi😊 ♬ In This Shirt - The Irrepressibles
The makeup artist applies dots to the tips of her index, middle and ring fingers. She then sprays her fingers with setting spray, waits a second or two, and stamps them onto her nose and the tops of her cheeks.
If you’re struggling to get enough pigment with this method, you may find using a waterproof liquid liner helpful.
On the contrary, if your freckles are looking a little too faux, go over the spots with your fingers again or use a beauty sponge to gently diffuse them.
I love this method on makeup days. It’s such a fun way to inject youthfulness into a look and helps to enhance my natural features hidden beneath my base products.
The Natural Finish.
As much as I love playing and experimenting with makeup, most days I typically wear little to none.
We’re fortunate to work remotely predominately, so I usually just apply some SPF, blush, brow wax, lip balm and, more recently, a sprinkle of freckles across my nose.
It’s such a fun and easy way to add a little somethin' somethin' to a bare face.
My tool of choice for a natural finish is either a sharpened lip liner or a micro-brow pencil.
Any brown one will do, but if you’re after some suggestions I love these:
- MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Color Pencil in the shade Endless Cacao.
The good thing about using your brow pencil is that it should be shade-matched to your hair colour so it will help make your freckles look au naturel.
To apply, gently press your pencil in the areas you wish to highlight. If you’re struggling to get enough pigment, I find twisting the pencil slightly as you stamp it helps.
You can then use your fingers to softly press the product into your skin to soften it.
If you want to dial up the radiance, follow with a swash of bronzer across your nose.
The Party Proof.
Euro summer booked? Dance floor frequenter? Sweaty soul? You may require something more heavy-duty in the freckle department.
Over the summer, I tried a few different ways of party-proofing my freckles. A few faux fails later, I discovered the best method is a waterproof liquid liner.
You could use a waterproof pencil like the Huda Beauty Creamy Kohl Eye Pencil in the shade Very Brown.
Its budge-proof formula should go the mile, but it has a bigger tip so your freckles will be slightly bigger.
For liquid, I like the Maybelline New York Tattoo Liner Ink Pen Brown.
It has a super fine tip so you can apply a whole cluster of little freckles.
You could use the stamp application method we spoke about above, or just gently press the liner onto your face, moving quickly to stamp them in with your finger to diffuse.
After more makeup inspo and looks to try? Head here next:
