I’m a Beauty Editor—These 4 Summer Beauty Trends Are Growing Traction, While These 2 Lose Steam

French-Tip Pedicures

I move through the world with tunnel vision, focused solely on what everyone around me is doing with their hair, makeup, and nails. I’m not staring for no reason, strangers! I’m collecting data! It’s my job, as a beauty editor, to really look at the beauty trends people are wearing. Sure, I scope out runways and celebrity red carpet looks. But the real test of what is actually making its way onto real people is to, you know, look at real people.

Lately, I’ve been compiling a list of trends as they start popping up—and there are a few contenders that early adopters are really going hard on. The overarching theme right now for summer beauty trends? The unexpected, actually. When the world goes right, beauty seems to go left. From shimmery bold lip finishes to demure nail looks to vintage-inspired curls, the trends right now feel like an amalgamation of a few decades. And if 2026 has been anything, it’s been a nostalgia run.

Ahead, I’m breaking down four looks growing major traction right now. And also, while we’re here, there are two I haven’t been seeing much lately that we can probably knock off trends lists for a while.

WHAT’S IN

@paintedbyjools

In an economic crisis, we’re reaching for the little things that can make us feel a bit more put-together and rich. And that’s exactly why French-tip pedis are popping up. It’s a simple look that’s clean and elegant, complementing every pair of sandals you match it with. It’s also a bit hard to DIY, which naturally makes it feel a smidge fancier. I’m a big fan of the square shape—it’s fresh and doesn’t add any extra bulk—but a squoval is favored too.

Highlighted Cheekbones

@paintedbyesther

2016, thank you for bringing highlighter back to me. I haven’t really been doing highlighter as of late—we’re all so focused on dewy foundations and cream blushes that highlighter felt excessive. It wasn’t “clean girl.” But as a wave of 2016-esque beauty trends comes back to us, highlighter seems to be the one sticking. It somehow has gone so full circle that it looks futuristic, not like a callback to the times of Snapchat filters and matte liquid lipsticks.

Shown here on Manon Bannerman, it’s like a beam of light directly on her cheekbones. It makes her eyes look brighter and her cheekbones higher (if that’s possible). Powder highlighter is the best way to get such a metallic sheen (we <3 E.l.f.’s Halo Glow), but if you’re afraid of glitter chunks, try a cream highlighter stick, like Dior Backstage Glassy Glow Stick Multi-Use Stick Highlighter Balm. A dab below her brow bone is also a nice touch to bring everything together.

Side-Parted S-Waves

@alexandraafrench

Gen Z single-handedly bringing back the side-part feels like karmic retribution. They’re favoring it over middle parts these days, including Cosmo cover girl Olivia Rodrigo. But I’m really seeing it paired with an old-Hollywood wave. S-waves, also as they’re called, are polished and glossy, but not too defined. Usually, these are brushed out for more volume and an overall shape versus a tight curl. Dare I say, it also fits the vibe of looking expensive.

The vintage look pairs well with Olivia’s recent style, a nod to glamour while also feeling modernized. To create these curls, use a 1- or 1.25-inch curling iron and curl in the same direction on each side. Pin each curl to your head as soon as you release it from the iron to set them in place. Then, once everything is cool, brush your hair out with a soft boar-bristle brush. Finish with a lightweight hair oil to add mega shine.

Frosted Lips

@alexandraafrench

The collective obsession with Y2K fashion surely signifies a return to frosty lips, right? As much as I love a tinted lip balm, I’m itching for stronger lip looks that feel current and cool without bothering my lips (sorry, matte lipstick). And frost, naturally, commands attention.

Plus, we’ve nailed down the formula in the 2020s. Forget chunky glitters. These new ranges are packed with micro shimmers for an all-over shine, but they don’t feel dry or settle into lip lines. My TikTok’s been inundated with videos of people testing L’Oreal Paris Ballerina Shoes lipstick, a shimmery cool-toned pink that’s practically plucked from early-2000s magazine pages. But my favorite is MAC’s Dazzlelips Crayon, which comes in a range of neutral and bright shades to add pearl to whatever lip color you want.

WHAT’S OUT

Perfectly uniform waves

Sometimes called “Utah curls,” these smooth waves are often worn by your favorite Mormon Wives in Salt Lake City. They’re soft and feminine, no piece of hair left undone or out of place. But it feels obvious now. The individualistic nature of beauty these days means no one wants a look that’s so curated. It could also be an F-you to the tradwife beauty standards we’re all a bit sick of in 2026.

In its place comes a mermaid wave that is far more realistic to the vibes of gallivanting around the beach: tousled texture, a mix of curl and wave patterns throughout, and a gritty matte feel that looks like it all came from a day spent in saltwater.

Sharp Contour

Maybe it’s the GLP-1 effect and everyone is savoring all the volume in their face. Or it’s an influx of new bronzer launches that focus on warmth, not sculpting. But I rarely see a hyper-sculpted cheekbone these days. Occasionally, for a full-glam look, I’ll contour a little with my go-to Haus Labs Contour Stick, but it gets blended away so much that you barely notice it’s there. Instead, I’m seeing more vibrant shades of blush, dusted all over the face to create shadows and dimension.

Why trust Cosmopolitan?

Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with eight years of experience researching, writing, and editing hair, makeup, nail, and fragrance stories.

Beth Gillette

Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.