Why Is The Internet So Obsessed With Cool-Toned Makeup?

The cool-toned makeup trend crept in so quietly and so universally, you might not have even noticed it until your FYP was completely conquered. A makeup artist-endorsed lip liner here, a viral blush shade there, and before long, the look really started to transcend trend—and by now, it’s synonymous with the 2020s. It’s not a craze without context, though. Not only can cool-toned makeup look incredible on absolutely everyone, but it’s also reflective of the decade’s larger cultural trends. 

Created when cosmetic chemists combine unique blends of blue, pink, gray, or purple-ish pigments with other colors, cool-toned makeup can really be thought of in two ways. Complexion makeup, like concealers and foundations, comes in cooler colorways to match certain skin undertones. If your veins appear blue, those shades help neutralize and camouflage, and even things out all over. If applied to those with warmer colorings, those same products can make the face look ashen or dull.

However, the much broader range of cool-toned blushes, eyeshadows, and lip products features shades that complement everyone, regardless of natural undertone. “You don’t have to live in frosty, light shades and pale grays and blue in order to achieve [the] look,” explains Kirin Bhatty, celebrity makeup artist. “There is a whole spectrum that goes beyond just that, ranging into taupes, berries, purples, and beyond.” And really, that’s where the trend truly starts to take shape. Look back on some of the most talked-about makeup products and shades of the past few years—Dior Rosy Glow Blush in Pink, Patrick Ta’s mauve blush duo, or Clinique’s enduringly beloved Black Honey line —and you’ll realize just how massive the cool-toned movement has truly become.

The Trend

Unlike a flash-in-the-pan microtrend, getting in on the cool-toned makeup wave is both incredibly easy and a pretty solid investment. A simple wash of walnut eyeshadow or a berry blush is enough to look totally tapped-in, and those who love to experiment with more editorial styles can use these colors to channel decades past. Bhatty tells Byrdie that the ‘90s are a great reference point to explore if you’re interested in trying the trend. “Search out ‘90s models and their makeup, and you’ll be ready to create your own moment,” she says. No wonder her client roster includes It Girls like Charli XCX, Lily Allen, and Lola Tung. From there, you can even explore a more futuristic aesthetic with metallics and chrome. 

Summer 2025 is when the trend truly began to reach critical mass, as documented by Pinterest’s seasonal trend report. The site saw a staggering 376% increase in searches for cool-toned makeup, while related terms like “blue eyeshadow palette” and “cool-toned dark blonde hair” rose 970% and 843% respectively. A collective craving for icier visuals seems to be all-encompassing, too—how many times did you see a standout cherry red accessory or a butter yellow interior paint color on your feed this year?  

Why Now?

Of course, the popularity of these cooler tones aren’t exactly arbitrary. There are plenty of possible reasons why they’re trending right now, and it’s likely a confluence of several. First, it’s critical to look at what was huge just before this. 2010s makeup is straight-up legendary at this point, and anyone who was there in the trenches can tell you it was all about those warm, toasted browns, oranges, and pinks. But just like ultra-carved-out brows and thick liquid lipstick, that particular color story reached the end of its natural lifecycle at the end of the decade, only to be replaced by its polar opposite. Feather brows eclipsed microblading, “clean girl makeup” edged out the dramatic cut crease, and that infamous Morphe 35O palette full of fiery shadows was tucked into the bottom drawer.

“Fashion and beauty [are] so much about moving on to the next thing,” explains Alex Babsky, celebrity makeup artist to stars like Tessa Thompson and Florence Pugh. “After a prolonged period of making up faces with warmer-toned shades—camels, rusts, ochres—moving on to a cooler palette feels fresh again.”

At the same time, the dawn of the 2020s meant the early aughts were organically re-entering the trend cycle, bringing with them all the aesthetic hallmarks of the time period: think icy pink lipsticks and glimmering metallics. Fast forward a few years, and ’90s-esque smoky eyes, greige lips, and sculpted cheeks a la model Gabbriette became the de facto cool girl look.

Finally, we can trace the cool-toned renaissance back to our focus on contouring. When emphasizing bone structure or shaping features like lips, a gray or deep espresso undertone is critical for creating a lifelike shadow effect. It makes sense, then, that so many of the most popular lip liners of the moment—MAC’s Stone, Make Up For Ever Endless Cacao, Fara Homidi Faun—feature a neutral or cool undertone. 

Get the Look

The fun of cool-toned makeup is in the fact that it’s such a massive, wide-ranging category—anyone can get in on the trend to varying degrees. Embrace it all over, or simply incorporate a touch of blue-red or a chilly mauve. “I love the elegance and polish of a face beautifully made up using entirely cool tones, but equally, I also love the dynamism created when a bold, warm-toned lip stands out against a cool-toned eye makeup,” Babsky tells Byrdie. Ultimately, he says, “the decision comes down to whether you want your makeup to be a statement or a harmony.” One of Babsky’s current go-tos is the Natasha Denona I Need A Nude palette, which features a range of both matte and shimmer cool-toned neutrals with a hint of rose—a great starting point for anyone looking to start experimenting with the trend, he says. 

Still, though, maximizing the look can mean keeping in mind the best shades for you. Fortunately, cool-toned makeup is not a one-size-fits-all sort of trend. “Sometimes, too cool-toned makeup can result in a bluish-gray, almost ashy appearance,” Bhatty cautions. (Which, if you’re going for a gothy, Gabbriette-inspired look, is kinda the point.) “It’s about testing and also making sure that the products you’re choosing have enough depth to bring your skin to life and not leave you looking flat and gray.” She loves the viral neutrals palette from Makeup By Mario, as well as lip products from Westman Atelier, Charlotte Tilbury, and MAC. “Also, Danessa Myricks has some dual-ended shadow sticks that I’m obsessed with.”

Want to dip into the cool waters? Shop some of our favorites, below.