What Zendaya and Jennifer Lopez’s Summer Trend Is All About
Zendaya and Jennifer Lopez’s summer makeup trend combines warm, glowing latte-inspired skin with soft icy blue eyeshadow, creating a wearable celebrity makeup look that feels nostalgic yet modern for parties, dates, and events. It sits at the intersection of classic glam and playful color, giving you a polished but fun style that works for most occasions. If you enjoy celebrity makeup trends but feel unsure about bold color, this is a gentler way to experiment without abandoning your comfort zone. The real caveat: the look depends on careful blending and light-handed application, so you need a bit of patience rather than advanced skill. According to celebrity makeup artist Desirae Cherman, Zendaya and J.Lo’s beauty looks are the natural “evolution of two iconic beauty aesthetics,” pairing latte glow with soft blue washes for summer-friendly sophistication.
Why Makeup Artists Love This Look
Makeup artists describe this Zendaya makeup look as a reimagined nod to disco-era and early 2000s frosty blue eyeshadow, updated with today’s techniques for softer impact. The idea is not a heavy, opaque blue lid, but a feather-light wash that brightens the eyes without overwhelming the rest of your face. Zendaya’s glow leans on latte makeup principles: bronzy warmth, gentle contour, and rosy cheeks to keep the skin looking sun-kissed and fresh rather than flat. Jennifer Lopez makeup follows the same formula, pairing pastel eyeshadow with strong contour and feminine pink blush, finished with nude lips and liner. This combination works across many celebrity makeup trends because it balances color and neutrality: the blue brings the interest, while the nude lip and natural skin prevent the look from feeling costume-like. The gotcha is overdoing either the blue or the contour, which can make the face look harsh instead of radiant.
Step-by-Step: From Fresh Skin to Icy Blue Eyes
Think of this like doing your usual soft glam, then adding a careful swipe of summer color. The most important piece is how you apply foundation and eyeshadow; if those go on smoothly, the whole look reads expensive and effortless. Celebrity makeup artist Desirae Cherman recommends starting with a fresh, radiant complexion and using a brush instead of a sponge for foundation, feathering product into the skin for a lighter, airbrushed finish that lets you build coverage only where needed. Keep that same light touch when you move into contour and blush, so your skin stays natural and not overly sculpted. When you reach the eyes, aim for a sheer veil of pastel or icy blue rather than a solid block of color; that’s what keeps Zendaya and J.Lo’s trend wearable for everything from date night to chic summer weddings.
- Prep your face with skincare, then apply foundation using a makeup brush, feathering it into the skin for a fresh, radiant finish instead of pressing with a sponge.
- Add a strong but well-blended contour along cheekbones and jawline, then sweep feminine pink blush onto the apples of your cheeks to create warm, latte-inspired glow.
- Apply a soft wash of pastel or icy blue eyeshadow over the lids, keeping the color sheer and diffused to nod to disco and early 2000s styles without heavy frost.
- Define your features by perfecting brows and, if you like more drama, adding subtle liner and lashes that complement rather than overpower the blue shadow.
- Finish with a nude lip and liner combo that harmonizes with your natural lip tone, balancing the colorful eyes while keeping the overall look sophisticated and wearable.
Follow the steps in order: the skin has to look polished before the blue makes sense; otherwise the trend can feel disconnected. Take your time blending contour and blush, then build up the shadow gradually. If you load the brush with too much pastel blue at once, it can jump from soft glam to theatrical very quickly. Think of the nude lip as the safety net—when in doubt, keep lips neutral so the eyes remain the star.
Celeb Inspiration and Nostalgic Twists
Zendaya and Jennifer Lopez aren’t the only ones steering celebrity makeup trends toward nostalgic summer glam; pop stars like Zara Larsson are also leaning into color, sparkle, and early 2000s references. Larsson’s looks often build on bold elements like rainbow eyeshadow paired with matching rhinestones and leopard print body gems, plus butterfly motifs that feel straight out of the ‘90s and TRL era. She has been instrumental in bringing back body glitter and body decals, which fit neatly into our nostalgia-obsessed beauty culture. If you enjoy the Zendaya makeup look but want more drama for festivals or concerts, you can layer in stick-on face gems or subtle body glitter, channeling some of that retro pop energy without committing to a full rhinestone butterfly across your face. The key warning here is placement: gems require a steady hand, and too many can distract from the icy blue-and-glow trend rather than enhancing it.
Is This Summer Trend Worth Trying?
If you like a balance between classic glamour and playful color, this Zendaya and Jennifer Lopez makeup trend is worth trying. Their look combines the warmth and glow of latte makeup with soft washes of icy blue, creating a style bold enough for the red carpet but still wearable for date night or a summer wedding. For most people, the biggest thing to watch for is over-application: heavy blue shadow or too-intense contour can make the face appear harsh instead of fresh. Start sheer and build slowly, keeping skin radiant and lips nude so the eyes stay elegant. Tap into gem accents or body glitter if you want extra nostalgia, inspired by Zara Larsson’s colorful, sparkly stage looks and butterfly decals. With patience and a light hand, you can follow celebrity makeup trends while still looking like yourself—only with a cooler, glowier twist.
