Are freckles the latest trend? French Vogue declared it so back in 2018 and credited Meghan Markle with getting the ball rolling. At this point, the ball’s not just rolling, and it’s picking up steam and inspiring women to accept their freckles and their natural complexions. 

At a time when diversity is being embraced, and self-love is a mantra, accepting your freckles and facial “flaws” is a wonderful treat. It’s become such a trend that those without freckles are looking to fill in the gaps by creating their own freckles. Here’s how you can make the most of your freckles or get the freckled look.

How to highlight freckles

If you have freckles and have been hiding them for years, it’s time to let them shine. The following tips will give you a freckled face that will leave those unblemished gals wishing they were you.

♦ Skip the medium and full-coverage foundation. Heavy foundations just cover freckles, and you don’t want that. Instead, go for a sheer foundation or none at all!

♦ Focus on hydration. Moisturized skin makes freckles look bright and glowy.

♦ Use sunscreen. People who naturally have freckles, tend to be more prone to sun damage and skin cancer, protecting your skin is imperative. 

♦ Use warm-toned lip and lid colors. Feature the warm brown tone of your freckles by accenting it on your lips and lids.

How to fill in freckles

When the freckle fairy came, you only got a couple, which didn’t seem like a bad thing— until now. Now you want more freckles, and these tips can help you achieve that look.

♦ Highlight what you have. Use the above tips to make the most of your natural freckles.

♦ Draw some. There are several ways to draw them in. Eyebrow and eyeliner pencils do a great job, or you can be adventurous and use a splatter technique with a toothbrush and liquid eyeliner. Try to get a look that matches your existing freckles.

♦ Tap your freckles. Tap the fake freckles with your finger pad a little bit to soften the edges and make them blend in with your existing freckles.

♦ Finish with powder. Use a finishing powder to set your fake freckles in place. The last thing you want to do is rub your face and expose the fakes.

How to create facial freckles

You used to love your flawless skin, and now it seems blank and bland. Are the following tips your key to a cute freckled face?

♦ Start smooth. Start your facial art with your normal moisturizing and sunscreen routine and then add foundation, so you have a nice, even canvas.

♦ Choose your method. Whether you’re going to use liquid eyeliner, pencil eyeliner, eyebrow pencil, or some other tool, pick what works best for you or mix and match.

♦ Study freckle patterns. Look for people with natural freckles to emulate. You want your look to be realistic and believable. Remember, natural freckles tend toward the asymmetrical. 

♦ Tap and blend. Tap the freckles with your fingers or a brush to soften the edges and help blend them.

♦ Set with powder. Use a finishing powder to set the look.

More permanent freckles

Love the freckled look but hate applying it? There are some more permanent options.

♦ Henna dye. Purchase a few different brown shades of henna dye or mehndi and play around with dotting to get the right look. Henna will last anywhere from a few days to a week. Try using it on the back of your hand first to get the right shade and technique and to test for allergic reactions.

♦ Tattoos. If you can find a tattoo artist in your area that specializes in freckles, this might be your solution. Tattooed freckles can look just as natural as real ones, but because the dye used to create them is the same dye used in microblading, it’s not permanent. Your tattoo freckles will typically only last a few years–just the right amount of time to ride the wave of this trend. 

To put it simply

From those who were blessed with a face full of freckles to those who are willing to withstand a little pain to get the look tattooed on, freckles are it this season. The look is fresh and youthful, which is what everybody wants.

One thing to remember when accenting real or fake freckles is that less makeup gives the look more drama. Moisturizing is also key. Using a great Retinol Moisturizer will keep your skin from dulling and will help freckles shine. 

Freckles also happen when your skin is sun-damaged. You never want to expose yourself to the sun in the hopes of getting freckles because that can potentially lead to skin cancer. In fact, just the opposite, protect your skin by wearing a quality sunscreen every day.