This Rainbow Makeup Look Is All About the Light

Bright yellow, green, pink and purple shimmer across the eyes. The cheekbones catch the same rainbow flash. And then there’s a glossy purple lip that brings the whole look together.

The combination is simple: Ultranova Rainbow Highlighter and Midnight Shimmer Lip Gloss.

The result changes every time the light moves.

Start With the Eyes

The eyes are what make this look feel bold.

Instead of keeping the colors in separate blocks, let them blend into each other. Yellow moves into green, then pink and purple. The shimmer catches different parts of the light as you move.

That makes the makeup look different from one angle to the next.

You don't need a complicated eye shape to get the effect. The color does most of the work.

Then Bring the Color Onto the Cheeks

This is where Ultranova Rainbow Highlighter comes in.

The pan combines orange-gold, yellow-gold, mint green and pink-purple tones. You can pick up one section when you want a more focused color, or sweep across several shades for a more colorful glow.

For this look, we wanted the highlight to be noticeable.

Not just a little shimmer on the cheekbone. The color is part of the makeup.

It also gives the eyes and cheeks something in common, so the rainbow doesn't feel limited to one area of the face.

You Don't Have to Use Every Color at Once

One thing we like about rainbow highlighter is that you can control how much color you actually see.

Use one section of the pan for a smaller pop of color.

Use two or three shades together for a more blended effect.

Or sweep across the full pan when you want the rainbow to really show.

Start light, then build it up. It's much easier to add more than to take it away.

The Purple Lip Changes the Whole Look

Now for the part that pulls everything together.

Midnight Shimmer Lip Gloss brings a deep purple tone with multicolor shimmer and a glossy finish.

Against all the brighter colors on the eyes and cheeks, the purple lip gives the look some depth.

It also picks up the cooler purple and pink tones already sitting in the eye makeup.

How to Get the Glossy Purple Lip

Keep the lip simple. The rest of the makeup is already doing plenty.

1. Start with clean, dry lips. A smooth base keeps the gloss looking even.
2. Apply Midnight from the center. Work outward across the lips.
3. Add another thin layer. Build the color and shine gradually.
4. Check it in the light. The shimmer can look different as the angle changes.

That's it.

You don't need a complicated lip combination when the gloss already brings color and shine on its own.

Why Purple Works With Rainbow Makeup

Rainbow makeup can easily become too busy if every part of the face is fighting for attention.

Here, the purple lip gives the colors somewhere to land.

The eyes bring the bright colors.

The cheeks repeat those colors through the highlight.

The lips bring in the deeper purple.

It feels more like one makeup look instead of several colorful products put together.

Add a Few Small Details

The colorful rhinestones underneath the eyes are another detail that makes this look stand out.

They don't need to be perfectly symmetrical. In fact, keeping the rest of the makeup clean makes the little details more noticeable.

If rhinestones aren't your thing, you can skip them completely.

The rainbow eye and glossy purple lip are enough on their own.

Make It Softer for Everyday Makeup

Love the colors but don't want the full look?

Keep the eyes simple and use just one section of Ultranova on the cheekbones.

You could also keep the rainbow highlight focused on one area instead of sweeping the entire pan across the skin.

Then add a thin layer of Midnight to keep the purple lip glossy without making the whole face feel too dramatic.

Or Just Go All the Way

And if you're doing makeup for a night out, a festival, a photoshoot or simply because you want to wear something fun, there's no reason to stop at subtle.

Build the rainbow eye.

Bring the color onto the cheeks.

Add the rhinestones.

Finish with a glossy purple lip.

Sometimes makeup doesn't need to be practical.

Sometimes it just needs to look good when the light hits.

Ultranova Is the Color Moment

If you want the rainbow effect from this look, Ultranova Rainbow Highlighter is the shade used here.

Its color story moves through warm gold, yellow, mint green and pink-purple, so you can use one part of the pan or combine several shades depending on the look you're creating.

That also means you don't have to wear it the same way every time.

One day it can be a small pop on the cheekbones.

Another day, it can be the main event.

And Midnight Brings the Purple

Midnight Shimmer Lip Gloss takes the look in a darker direction.

The purple base works especially well with the pink, lilac and cooler tones already appearing in the rainbow makeup.

Wear it on its own when you want the color to show, or layer it when you want more shine.

The Finished Look

There isn't really one “right” way to wear rainbow makeup.

You can make it soft. You can keep it focused on the eyes. You can use one color from a rainbow highlighter instead of all of them.

Or you can do exactly what this look does: go bright, add shine, and let the colors show.

Ultranova brings the rainbow. Midnight brings the purple. The light does the rest.