Rolling Stone India’s Music Festival Make-Up Guide

Music festivals are like colorful canvases where people express themselves freely through music, fashion, and art. It’s a fantastic space to embrace creativity, connect with others, and just revel in the moment. Plus, the energy and vibrancy of such events tend to make for some seriously Instagram-worthy moments!

At such events, attendees often embrace bold, expressive looks! Rolling Stone India has curated a guide for 2023’s festival season that might inspire you.

Never skimp on sunscreen

Makeup goddess or not, it’s 100 per cent crucial to make sure your skin is protected during the long hours spent wandering a music festival.

“My top three favorite ones would be Supergoop, EltaMD, and Beauty of Joseon,” says social media personality and content creator Lemi Tamang. “They’re very lightweight to apply as a base. For sunscreen that you can spray on top of your makeup, La Roche-Posay works perfectly.”

The Nepalese make-up artist has carved a niche for herself in Mumbai, working with A-list celebrities and launching her own makeup line named Pastelbeauty.

Base is key

Namrata Soni is a household name in the Indian beauty scene, and for good reason. With Sonam Kapoor as her muse and 20 years of work under her belt, Soni swears by a good skin-prep routine.

In conversation with with Rolling Stone India, Soni revealed factors that’ll keep your make-up in place.

“Don’t use heavy primers or moisturizers that will block your pores. Use products meant for your skin type,” she said.

These are important factors to consider to make sure all your hard work isn’t in vain.

Play around with placement

Sonam Chandna Sagar is known for creating ethereal looks on her Instagram profile and considers HBO’s Euphoria a worthy lookbook.

“What I often recommend for music festivals is playing with the cheekbone and temple area, with placements of shimmer or neon tones,” she tells Rolling Stone India. “It’s a sure-fire way of enhancing anyone’s features.”

Don’t be afraid of being extra

“I love rhinestones, pearls, and dreads. Be creative! Do a rhinestone eyebrow, feathered lashes, glitter ears. Think outside the box,” implores Soni.

Tamang agrees. “The most enjoyable aspect of a festival is the freedom to create far-out looks. Go as crazy as you want—when else do you get to be this bold? Try bright or even dark lipsticks.”

Simplicity is key, when it comes to application

At a music festival, the bathroom lines are long and the sun is usually out, all giving way to the need to re-apply products with little to no available mirror reflection. Thus, there is a need for no-nonsense products that get the job done in a jiffy.

“I love applying cream products with my hands; they blend seamlessly and look effortless,” says Khushboo Binwani, a young emerging make-up maven working in Malaysia. “I love Nudestix’s All Over Face Color stick as blush and eyeshadow, which can be blended out with your fingers.”

She added, “I also like to use MAC Strobe Cream and Rare Beauty Liquid Highlighters on the face and body to add extra moisture and glow.”

The right finishing spray could make all the difference

To seal the deal, an effective spray could be what differentiates a post-dance sweat fiasco from an unmoved masterpiece.

“A good setting spray can really be a game changer,” says Sagar. “A great recommendation is the One/Size beauty makeup fixing spray by Patrick Starrr.

“It’s the product used by Beyoncé for her tours to keep things looking perfect while she performs.”

Festival no-no’s

Everyone likes bending the rules, but are there any that are smarter to live by even at a music festival?

“I just don’t think black kohl in the eyes is a great look for most Indians,” Sagar notes. “The colour black in this area makes the eyes look smaller and tends to eventually create a panda-eye effect. Even a deep blue or plum kohl could be far more flattering.”

Pocket your favorites

Soni believes in the mini phenomenon: “Always carry your lipstick, a compact powder, or blotting paper to freshen up your makeup. You get the mini versions on the market that are super convenient.”

Tamang also recommends her go-to: “One product that travels with me everywhere is the rice blotting paper from Palladio; it absorbs oil and sets your makeup without ruining it.”