What Are the Best Pride Makeup Ideas for Beginners?

June brings colorful flags, parades, and celebrations worldwide. Pride Month honors the LGBTQ+ community and their fight for equality. It’s a time when people show support through art, fashion, and yes makeup.
Makeup has become a powerful tool during Pride. It helps people express who they are inside. Bold colors, rainbow designs, and creative looks tell personal stories. They show solidarity with friends and family. They celebrate love in all its forms.
Never tried Pride makeup before? Don’t worry. You’re not alone. Many people feel nervous about trying something new. This guide will walk you through everything step by step.
You’ll learn simple methods that work for everyone. No fancy brushes needed. No professional skills required.
By the end, you’ll have practical tips to create your own Pride look.
Ready to get started?
Understanding Pride Makeup Basics
Pride makeup lets you wear your support and identity on your face through color and creativity.
What Is Pride Makeup?
Pride makeup uses bright, meaningful colors to show support for the LGBTQ+ community. Think rainbow stripes across your eyelids or flag colors on your lips. It’s about being bold and showing who you are.
The best part? There are no rules. You can:
- Use any colors that speak to you
- Mix and match different flag designs
- Go subtle with one accent color
- Create full rainbow looks
Tools and Products to Start With
You don’t need expensive makeup to create amazing Pride looks.
Here’s what works best for beginners:
Eyeshadow palettes – Look for sets with bright colors like PURE PIGMENT PALETTE or VIVID BRIGHT. These give you multiple shades in one compact.
Glitter and eyeliners – Add sparkle with glitter pigments. Colored eyeliners help create clean lines and shapes.
Bold lipsticks – Products like LIP LAVAS give you vibrant lip colors that last. Pick shades that match your chosen flag.
Best Pride Makeup Ideas for Beginners
These five simple looks will help you create stunning Pride makeup without stress or complexity.
1. Easy Rainbow Eyeshadow
Create a colorful eye look using just three shades that blend smoothly together.
Start with red, orange, or pink on your inner corner. Add blue or purple in the middle. Finish with green or yellow on the outer edge. Use a fluffy brush to blend where colors meet.
Don’t worry about perfect blending. Visible color sections look great too. Try drugstore palettes like NYX Brights or Morphe 35B for affordable options.
Pro tip: Pat colors on instead of swiping. This gives you more control and brighter results.
2. Glitter Lids and Cheeks
Add sparkle to your look with safe glitter that catches the light beautifully.
Apply primer or glitter glue first. Then pat glitter onto your eyelids using your finger or a flat brush. Add some to your cheekbones and cupid’s bow for extra glow.
Choose cosmetic-grade glitter only. Craft glitter can hurt your eyes. Brands like Lit Cosmetics and NYX make safe options in rainbow colors.
Remove with oil-based makeup remover to avoid irritation.
3. Bold Lips, Minimal Eyes
Let your lips do the talking with bright colors while keeping everything else simple.
Pick one statement lipstick in red, hot pink, or purple. Apply it cleanly using a lip brush or straight from the tube. Keep your eyes natural with just mascara and maybe some concealer.
This look works for anyone nervous about eye makeup. It’s also perfect for wearing masks since your lip color shows when you remove it.
Try liquid lipsticks for longer wear during events and parades.
4. Monochrome Pride Look
Use one color family across your entire face for a cohesive, polished appearance.
Choose pink, purple, orange, or any color you love. Use different shades of that color on your eyes, cheeks, and lips. Light pink eyeshadow, medium pink blush, and hot pink lips create beautiful depth.
This technique teaches you color placement without overwhelming choices. Multi-use products like lip and cheek tints make this even easier.
Glossier Cloud Paint or similar products work on both lips and cheeks.
5. Pride Flag-Inspired Eyeliner
Draw small flag designs using colored eyeliners for a subtle but meaningful look.
Use thin eyeliners to create tiny flag stripes on your eyelid or under your eye. The bisexual flag uses pink, purple, and blue lines. The trans flag needs light blue, pink, and white.
This works great if you’re not comfortable with eyeshadow yet. The lines don’t need to be perfect. Slightly wobbly lines add character.
Practice on your hand first to get the motion down.
Expressing Yourself with Confidence
Pride makeup is about celebrating who you are and feeling comfortable in your own skin.
Freedom to Experiment
There’s no wrong way to do Pride makeup – it’s all about what makes you feel good.
Your makeup should reflect your personality. Want to try blue lipstick? Go for it. Prefer subtle rainbow eyeshadow? That works too. The LGBTQ+ community celebrates differences, and your makeup can too.
YouTube creators like Nyma Tang and Manny MUA share helpful tutorials. TikTok has thousands of quick Pride makeup videos. Watch a few to get ideas, then make the looks your own.
Supporting Inclusive Brands
The brands you buy from matter – choose companies that support the LGBTQ+ community year-round.
Many makeup brands now create Pride collections and donate to LGBTQ+ organizations. But some companies only show support in June for sales. Look for brands with consistent advocacy and diverse representation in their campaigns.
Bodyography actively supports LGBTQ+ causes and features diverse models. NYX has Pride collections with proceeds going to community organizations. Fenty Beauty celebrates all skin tones and identities.
Conclusion
Starting your Pride makeup experience doesn’t require perfect technique or expensive products. It just needs you and some color.
Grab that bright eyeshadow you’ve been scared to use. Try the glitter sitting in your drawer. Mix colors that make you smile. Your first attempt might not look like Instagram photos, and that’s completely fine.
Pride makeup celebrates who you are inside. It shows support for your community. It spreads joy and acceptance wherever you go. Some days you might want full rainbow eyes. Other days, just colorful lips feel right.
The LGBTQ+ community fought hard for the right to be visible and authentic. Your makeup can honor that courage while expressing your own truth.
So pick up that brush. Choose your colors. Show the world your beautiful, authentic self.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wear Pride makeup if I’m not part of the LGBTQ+ community?
Yes, allies are welcome to show support through Pride makeup. Just be respectful and understand that you’re celebrating a community’s history and ongoing fight for equality.
What if my Pride makeup doesn’t turn out perfect?
Perfect technique isn’t the goal – self-expression is. Even professional makeup artists had messy first attempts, so don’t worry about making mistakes while you learn.
How do I make my colorful makeup last all day?
Use an eyeshadow primer before applying colors and finish with setting spray. Blot lipstick with tissue and reapply for longer-lasting lip color.
Are there Pride makeup looks suitable for work or school?
Absolutely – try subtle rainbow eyeliner, one colorful accent on your lips, or small glitter details. You can show support while following dress codes.
What’s the best way to remove glitter makeup safely?
Use an oil-based makeup remover and gentle cotton pads. Never rub or scrub glitter off, as this can irritate your skin and eyes.