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Faux Freckles Are Having a Major Moment on Pinterest

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Put down the foundation. Pinterest's latest trend has nothing to do with covering up — instead, more people are adding faux freckles to their complexion. Think about it: This is an easy way to look sun-kissed without risking UV damage to your skin. There's something both youthful and effortless about a face full of freckles. Here are six of the most popular ways to get the look for yourself:

1. Draw Freckles the Right Way

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The trick to faux freckles is making your spots look as natural as possible. "I see a lot of people doing it with eyebrow pencils or eyeliner, and you can tell that it doesn't look real," explains Chantel Jefferies. But the way that I do it, everybody gets so confused and can't believe they're fake. Jefferies starts off by using her eyebrow brush to sprinkle dots of brown powder randomly over her nose. She then takes a stippling brush and taps the powder to set the freckles in place. Check out the full tutorial right here.

2. Enhance Natural Freckles With Makeup

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You may be lucky enough to be naturally blessed with freckles, but that doesn't mean you should just let the tan spots be. Add makeup that compliments your freckles to make them stand out even more. Start off with a sheer foundation or tinted moisturizer — heavy makeup will only cover up freckles. Next, apply a bright shade of blush and finish with highlighter to really bring attention to your cheeks. Avoid any brown shades or bronzer (they'll only blend in with your complexion) for pinks and reds.

3. Glitter Freckles

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Sparkly makeup isn't going anywhere and searches for "glitter freckles" are up 85% to prove it. Try Jefferies' faux freckle technique the next time you're going to a concert or festival, and just swap out powder for finely grained glitter. You'll shine even brighter than a disco ball.

4. Star Stickers

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No need to worry about glitter fallout if you use shiny stars to fake freckles instead.

5. Combine Stars and Glitter

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Star freckles is definitely a bold beauty look to try, so you may as well go all out with the rest of your makeup. Generously apply glitter shadow to your lids as well as around the outer corners and below your eyes to get this look. I suggest using Stila's Magnificent Glitter and Glow Liquid Eye Shadow—it's one of the brightest glitters I've tried so far.

6. Freckle Tattoos

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Looking for a more permanent way to fake freckles? "Freckling" is a form of cosmetic tattooing that involves speckling freckles across the tops of your cheeks and nose using semi-permanent ink. “When they are freshly done, [the freckles] will appear swollen, almost like bee stings,” explains Gabrielle Rainbow, a Montreal-based cosmetic tattoo artist. “The swelling will go down within a couple hours, and you'll be left with your cute, fresh freckles. Over the course of one to two months, the color will soften dramatically and look more natural. They will fade naturally with time, and if you wish to keep them, you can always get the color boosted whenever you like.”


More ways to use Pinterest to hack your beauty routine:

  1. The Most Popular Mascara on Pinterest is REALLY Good
  2. These Natural Beauty Products Are Blowing Up Pinterest Right Now
  3. This Essie Shade Is the Most Popular Nail Polish on Pinterest

Now, watch this woman's lips transform into a beautiful garden: