makeup

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Vanessa Hudgens dropped some major news at the 2024 Oscars as she walked the red carpet, debuting her pregnancy. The “Sneakernight” singer was practically glowing as she posed for photographs, and while some of that glow can be credited to her pregnancy, it’s also thanks to ColourPop’s Bronze Stix in La Jolla Cove, which is on sale for $7.

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To complete her red-carpet glam, Hudgens relied on ColourPop to give her a radiant look that, along with the bronzer, included the Super Shock Highlighter in Churro and ColourPop’s Bare Necessities eyeshadow palette. Her makeup was further enhanced paired with her form-fitting turtleneck gown designed by Vera Wang.

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Right now, the makeup brand is hosting some of the best beauty deals online, offering 30% off practically everything on the site. You can buy the exact Bronze Stix used by Hudgens online, including other makeup used to create her red-carpet look.

Keep reading to shop the exact beauty products.

Bronzer Stix

$7

$10

30% off

$10

The Bronzer Stix is not only 30% off for a limited time, but will help provide a sun-kissed glow using a creamy formula you can glide straight onto your skin. The brand suggests swiping the product onto your cheekbones, forehead, jawline and chin, then blending it out with your fingertips or a beauty blender for the best results.

Super Shock Highlighter

$6.30

$9

30% off

Add some shimmer to your look with ColourPop’s beloved highlighter. The makeup features a powder texture mixed with pearly, bronze shades that’s buildable so you can easily swipe it on over your foundation.

Bare Necessities Shadow Palette

You day and night looks can be crafted using ColourPop’s Bare Necessities palette. It comes with 30 different shades to mix and match, or you can use the shade Complicated, which Hudgens chose for the red carpet.

The “Breaking Free” singer isn’t the only star to have sported ColourPop, either. The makeup brand has been swiped across the faces of artists including Haim and Becky G. Its popularity has expanded past celebrities and into the entertainment sphere, where ColourPop has collaborated with major franchises including Twilight, Sailor Moon and Naruto.

And, if you’re looking to stock up on more of the brand’s viral products, make sure to snag some freckle pens, which have garnered a cult following for its natural and long-lasting formula.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best press-on nails, refillable lipsticks and powder foundation.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Freckle pens have made it possible for anyone who wasn’t born with freckles to sport the natural sun-kissed look. The versatile makeup trend has been around for years, with celebrities like Hailey Bieber incorporating it into both her minimalist and bold looks. Selena Gomez, meantime, donned fake freckles in her music video for 2017 single “Fetish.”

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The natural aesthetic has continued to garner a large following on social media with countless beauty influencers on TikTok providing tutorials on how to achieve the most realistic-looking fake freckles. Makeup brands have also dropped tools ranging from freckle pens to stamp applicators so you can ditch using mascara or an eyebrow pen to apply the beauty trend.

Below, Billboard Shopping breaks down how to use a freckle pen including how to create realistic freckles and the best freckle pens to stock up on.

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What Is a Good Freckle Pen?

A good freckle pen will have a soft, lightweight tip to help you effortlessly apply fake freckles to your face. You’ll want to make sure the shade is complimentary to your skin tone to create realistic freckles, as the hue could show up too dark or not at all. If you like wearing powder foundation and concealer, the best freckle pens will be buildable, allowing you to layer the formula over your makeup.

How Do You Get Realistic Freckles?

The key to making realistic freckles, according to most TikTok beauty creators, is to take the freckle pen and apply the brush randomly onto your face for the most natural look. Then, use your finger or a beauty blender to lightly blend and spread the formula around your face. Apply another layer to different spots and areas around your face and repeat the process until you get your desired look. Make sure to put freckles in spots that the sun would hit the most and avoid staying in one section or area of your face, as TikToker @peytonliveslife suggests in a tutorial video.

What Are the Best Freckle Pens?

We’ve rounded up some of the best freckle pens that you can buy online, based on our own experience testing them and on top user reviews.

editor’s pick

Lime Crime Freckle Pen

$15

$15

$15

This freckle pen has been loved by Amazon reviewers for its fine tip and color options, including a bold magenta for anyone looking to add some color to their makeup looks. You can apply it onto your bare skin or over foundation thanks to its buildable formula, and shoppers boast that it “lasts all day even without setting spray.” The ingredients are also 100% vegan and cruelty-free.

tiktok pick

Freck Beauty The Original Freckle Pen

TikTok can’t get enough of Freck Beauty’s freckle pen with @peytonliveslife using the makeup tool within the review. You need to shake it before using, but once applied, it boasts a waterproof and long-lasting formula that’s cruelty-free, gluten-free and oil-free. TikTokers are especially obsessed with how it turns out, praising its ability to provide a realistic look.“It’s very, very warm, but once you dab it out it looks so, so natural,” TikToker @cakedbybabyk said in a review video about the freckle pen.

buildable pick

ColourPop Freckle Pen

Even after applying a full face of makeup, this freckle pen will still be able to give you a natural look using its staying formula and felt-tip pen. It comes in a soft brown shade recommended for fair to medium skin tones and comes out with “subtle marks,” according to reviewers (of course, you can always make them darker by applying more color). For those with freckles, one reviewer likes using the pen post-makeup routine, saying “these help me enhance them after makeup.”

budget-friendly pick

HandAiyan Freckle Pen (2-Pack)

Amazon’s under $10 freckle pen is ideal for those who want to try out the trend with a quality formula that’s affordable. You’ll receive two pens in either light brown and natural coffee, or chestnut and dark brown. Both come with a soft felt tip for a simple yet comfortable application. In addition to being a best-selling on Amazon, reviewers note that the shades appear soft, which means you don’t need to spread the freckles out with your fingers.

fiber brush pick

Tarte Freckle Pen

Tarte’s Freckle Pen has a larger shade range, with three options to choose from: light, medium and dark brown to match to your skin tone. What makes it unique from the rest is its flexible fiber brush tip that you can use to splatter across your face or gently tap. The formula is made with vegan ingredients and is waterproof for a more long-lasting look.

stamp pick

Maykoo Freckle Stamp

If using a brush sounds too advanced for you, consider trying out a freckle stamp like this one by Maykoo. Instead of using a brush to randomly spot your face, you’ll dip the stamp into the tub, making sure the applicator is completely covered. Then, lightly press it onto a section of your face. Blend it and then repeat until you get the look you want.Amazon reviewers love its easy application and design, praising “how the stamper has different size points on it” and that the result “makes full coverage makeup seem more realistic.”

skin-soothing pick

Jason Wu The Freckled Boy Freckle Pen

$14

$13.99

What sets Jason Wu’s freckle pen apart from the rest is how it infuses rosewater into its formula to help soothe skin with every application. It comes in a light brown shade, which is suitable for most skin tones, and has reviewers raving over how it’s “perfect for summer time.”To apply: “lightly tap the fine point tip wherever you want faux freckles and dab off any excess. Reviewers also say “the pigment is on point [and] blends beautifully with makeup.”

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best refillable lipsticks, makeup tools for beginners and press-on nails.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. BLACKPINK’s Jennie has a new makeup essential and your bathroom counter is calling. As the global brand ambassador for K-Beauty brand […]

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Ariana Grande is entering a new era that’s leaping into the balletcore trend and all its soft-pink hues. To celebrate the latest stage in her life, she’s teamed up with her makeup brand R.E.M. Beauty to tease a new collection titled Yours Truly, which will be released on the brand’s site Tuesday (Jan. 16) and globally on Thursday (Jan. 18), making it one of the beauty releases this year you won’t want to miss.

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Say goodbye to whatever refillable lipsticks you’re currently using, because R.E.M. Beauty‘s limited-edition collection is serving not only a baby pink lip gloss, but also includes a highlighter and liquid eyeshadow in similar ballet pink colors to help you craft soft, monochromatic looks.

You can’t shop the new makeup yet, but you can sign up to join the waitlist here. Plus, if you’re a new user signing up for updates from the brand, you’ll be able to score 10% off the Yours Truly collection when it drops.

The makeup brand announced the limited collection on Instagram with a photo of the “Yes, And?” singer sporting light pink tights, a mini wrap skirt and a wrap long-sleeve top, which is typically worn by ballet dancers, further showing Grande’s shift toward balletcore. As further proof, the pink shades the collection boasts are similar to that of a ballet slipper that you can see modeled in another Instagram post R.E.M. Beauty posted on Jan. 11.

“yours truly ♡ see you on january 16,” the caption reads, followed by a video of models showing off the new highlighter, lip gloss and liquid eyeshadow.

For Grande, the new collection also represents the ideal tie-in to her beauty routine and music, as well as encapsulates the vibe of what you can expect from her new album.

“I love taking any opportunity I can to marry the music to the makeup, as I think they help bring each other to life in such a beautiful way and always have!” said Grande in a statement on the new collection’s landing page. “My makeup has changed so much throughout the years, and it’s such an important piece of the storytelling puzzle to me. I’m excited to release these new colors that I truly feel capture the energy of the Yours Truly era so perfectly. We hope you enjoy these new, soft, sweet shades that are perfect for driving down Honeymoon Avenue or sipping a pop of pink champagne!”

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best press-on nails, classic lipstick shades and celebrity fragrances.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Halsey just dropped a major new release — and no, it’s not new music. Instead, the “Without Me” singer has a […]