Heading back to class? Sigh. On the bright side, the start of a new semester offers a new opportunity to experiment with back-to-school makeup looks. Think of it as a consolation prize for the end of summer.
While we get that school is about learning, studying, and graduating, that doesn’t mean you can’t look good while doing so. Looking your best is a form of self-care and when you’re on a long (expensive) academic journey, you need as much of that as possible.
If you’re the type to get stuck trying to figure out a makeup look, you’re in luck. We’re taking the guesswork out of back-to-school makeup and showing you 5 go-to looks that will work in any classroom.
Take a look at these simple, school-appropriate makeup looks that will have you looking polished and ready for anything, be it a pop quiz, study sesh, or even a post-study sesh hang.
Soft + GlowingWHO TRIED IT: Jonaira South (she/her), Editorial Intern GET THE LOOK: Ready in a Rush Set Vol. 2 (Lip + Cheek in Werk, KUSH High Roll Mascara, Cloud Glow Priming Foam, KUSH Lip Oil in Green Dragon), Sculpt Stick in Simmer, Hydro Grip Set + Refresh Spray As a grad student, I have night classes so I can spend the day putting more effort into my looks for class. This time, I went for a soft, polished look, which can be made more intense if you want to. I chose a more natural vibe. It was super easy to do with the Ready in a Rush Set, which includes a primer, lip oil, mascara, and our viral blush + lip stick. I started by applying Cloud Glow Primer to hydrate and prime my skin and create a naturally glowing base. I applied my foundation and concealer, then contoured my temples, nose, cheekbones, and jawline with Sculpt Stick in Simmer. After blending the contour out, I applied Lip + Cheek in Werk very lightly to give the effect of a subtle rosy cheek. Next, I lined my lips with a brown lip liner and applied KUSH Lip Oil in Green Dragon.
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Monochromatic PinkWHO TRIED IT: Ella Neve (she/her), Editorial Intern GET THE LOOK: Ready in a Rush Set Vol. 1: (Cloud Glow Priming Foam, Lip + Cheek in Rally, KUSH High Roll Mascara, KUSH Lip Oil in Pink Magic), Sculpt Stick in Toasted, Highlighter in Lit, The first day of school used to be so important to me—I'd get up super early to perfect my outfit, hair, and makeup just to be sure my first impression was exactly what I envisioned it to be. I started with Cloud Glow primer because it is exactly the kind of first layer that keeps my makeup looking fresh all day. After some light concealer, I contoured with Sculpt Stick in Toasted and for a pop of color, I dotted my upper cheekbones with Lip + Cheek in Rally. I feel like that shade in particular really pulls my look together. I use Rally on my lips too because it creates easy harmony on my face. I added our cream Highlighter in Lit to keep up with the dewy, glowy energy, and then a few quick swipes of KUSH High Roll Mascara. And with that, I'm set with a full look that makes me feel confident for any first day. I didn’t forget to leave without my KUSH Lip Oil Gloss in Pink Magic—I'll swipe on throughout the day when I want to refresh my look. |
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Modern MatteWHO TRIED IT: Sarah Y. Wu (she/her), Contributing Content Director GET THE LOOK: Pore Eclipse Mattifying Primer, Future Fluid All Over Cream Concealer, Pore Eclipse Matte Setting Spray. To get this dreamy, soft-focus base, I started with Pore Eclipse Mattifying Primer, then evened out redness and dark circles with two shades of Future Fluid All Over Cream Concealer. I sealed everything with a spritz of Pore Eclipse Matte Setting Spray to enhance the filtered finish and make sure my base was set all day. I love topping off a look like this with a slightly blurred, bright pink matte lip to contrast the clean base. Every time I do this look, the makeup feels light on my face and stays locked for hours—I can easily see this look staying fresh through a full day of classes. |
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Warm NeutralsWHO TRIED IT: Jihan Forbes (she/her), Editorial Manager GET THE LOOK: Matte Bronzer in Blitzed, Infinity Long Wear Eyeliner in Limitless + Outer Space, KUSH Mascara, Lip + Cheek in Muse, Odyssey Lip Oil Gloss in Voyage, Hydro Grip Set + Refresh Spray Shoutout to my PhDivas getting those advanced degrees, serving dissertations while serving looks. This one's for you! On my eyes, I started by blending out a cream matte shadow in a brick red all over my lids. Then, I made the look more intense at the outer corners by blending in a small amount of Matte Bronzer in Blitzed. I lined my lids on top with Infinity Eyeliner in Limitless, then tightlined with Infinity in the shade Outer Space. I added several coats of KUSH Mascara to my lashes to finish off the eyes. I grabbed Lip + Cheek in Muse for blush—I wanted something that would complement the red eyeshadow and this burgundy hue is perfect. Then, I lined my lips with a dark brown liner and swiped some Odyssey Lip Oil Gloss in Voyage to add a little more moodiness to the look. A few spritzes of Hydro Grip Set + Refresh Spray sealed it all in. |
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Bright Eyes, Fresh FaceWHO TRIED IT: Gabriella Sanandaji (she/her), Field Sales Intern GET THE LOOK: Hydro Grip Primer, Future Fluid All Over Cream Concealer, KUSH Mascara, Lip + Cheek in Werk, Hydro Grip Set + Refresh Spray. I’m a recent college grad. When I was in school, it was always important for me to look like I got my full eight hours of sleep, even though most nights I didn’t. My go-to look did just that. This is an updated version of it. I started off priming my skin with Hydro Grip Primer to make my makeup last all day, then used Future Fluid to brighten my dark undereye circles and hide any blemishes. I kept the eyes simple, going in with a dark brown eyeliner from Sephora Collection and KUSH Mascara to widen my eyes. Finally for my face, I used my all-time favorite Lip + Cheek in Werk as a blush and a lip color, then added just a touch of the hue to my eyelids. I love finishing any look with the Hydro Grip Set + Refresh Spray to ensure my makeup stays locked in all day. |
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Bold BrowsWHO TRIED IT: Chaz Acevedo (she/her), NYC Market Trainer GET THE LOOK: KUSH Brow Lamination Gel, KUSH Brow Shadow Stick. Fluffy brows were always part of my default back-to-school look. Accentuating them always helped frame my face and give me the perfect subtle, no-makeup makeup look. I started with KUSH Brow Lamination Gel, brushing all my brow hairs towards the front of my face. Then, using the longer end of the applicator, I started sculpting my brows upward, so each individual hair was evenly coated. To complete this look, I then used my KUSH Brow Shadow Stick in the color Dutch to fill in any sparse areas. Hot tip: Use the spoolie end of the shadow stick to blend in the shade and give more of a seamlessly fluffy brow look. |
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Wing ItWHO TRIED IT: Destiny Gay (she/her), Sales & Education Executive, Southwest. GET THE LOOK: Hydro Grip Primer, Bionic Blush in Infinity, Lip + Cheek in Rally, Color Chalk in Dodgeball and Skip It, Hydro Grip Set + Refresh Spray I started this back-to-school look using Hydro Grip Primer to hydrate my skin and make sure this makeup stays on. I applied Bionic Blush in Infinity all over my cheeks, then I boosted my flush with Lip + Cheek in the shade Rally to add more dimension. I also swiped a little bit of the shade on my lips as an easy hydrating lip color. I added a wash of pink pigment to my eyelids using Color Chalks in Dodgeball and Skip It with Hydro Grip Set + Refresh Spray. |
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