Add these to your festival Pinterest board, stat
Words by Olivia Edwardes
Ah, Coachella. Where the long-legged supermodels coexist with the super stylish mortals, as they dance to the top 40 and casually define the festival looks for the rest of the season.
This year we're reposting and recreating festival hair and beauty looks that stray away from Coachella's usual theatrical dress code. Super pigmented highlighter has replaced rhinestones, and adorned braids make flower crowns look a bit dated. Subtle sophistication (courtesy of clear lip gloss, sit-ups, and a fake tanning regime) is the aesthetic of festival season 2019.
We want to look like mythical creatures who have crawled out of the desert – or the Pacific Ocean, if you're Selena Gomez and her hidden fishtails – swaying to Billie Eilish in the field, mojito in hand. Carefree and super groomed; not looking like a sloshed seventeen-year-old who's dumped a bucket of glitter over her head.
The best beauty advice we've picked up from Coachella alums is to stick to one focus point of the face – if you're going to do a dash of colour, keep the rest of your face shockingly neutral for more eye-catching appeal.
'Moving on from the space buns and glitter partings of previous years, this year at Coachella the hair trend that has really stood out is adornment, which is more sophisticated than recent festival trends,' explains ghd ambassador Patrick Wilson. 'I’ve seen that girls want to wear their hair loosely, without it being too structured, so essentially creating a better version of themselves and providing a slight update on how they normally wear their hair.
'Similar to trends that have been seen on the catwalks, for Coachella it was all about embracing the natural texture of each girl’s hair, maintaining movement in the hair using the ghd platinum+ festival styler and adding adornment as the finishing touch.'
Key takeaway: Don't look overdone, but worst of all don't look boring.
Below we've rounded up some of the coolest beauty looks we spied under the California sun this past weekend. Bookmark these before Lovebox/Latitude/Glastonbury, stat.
Maya Jama
The coolest locks at the festival were worn loose, adorned with glitter tinsel strands woven in. The effect is a subtle shimmer that moves with your hair and is perfect for busting a move on the dance floor (field?) to your favourite artists.
Winnie Harlow
You can never have a bad hair day when it's bright pink, like Winnie Harlow at the Revolve party. It might be the only time you can arrive like a stick of bubblegum and fit right in.
Kendall Jenner
Kendall skipped the camp this year and went for a super fresh, glowy beauty look, complete with peach eyeshadow and a slick of nude gloss. We imagine her sophisticated entrance to the festival this year left glitter-goers feeling a bit third form.
Emily Ratajkowski
Unlike last year’s bold, beat faces, this year many stars went for a more natural approach. Bronzed skin, nude lips, and light eyes leave the pow to this year’s colourful outfits. Plus, melting in the sun is kept at a minimum.
Larsen Thompson
A slash of bright green eyeshadow, paired with a sunny California tan, screams high fashion festival. Take a que from Larsen Thompson at the Moshino x the Sims party.
Sandra Shehab
While the majority of festival goers will have billowing mermaid hair blowing in the wind, we find Sandra Shehab's cute, tidy bob totally refreshing. Let's remember Coachella is in the dry heat desert, so really a soft crop is much more practical.
Jasmine Sanders
If you're going for braids, Jasmine Sander's rainbow ropes are a tough act to follow. Paired perfectly with minimal makeup and a monochromatic outfit, Jasmine keeps the focus on her bad gal Rapunzel hair.
Jocelyn Chew
Jocelyn Chew's even tan is a god sent for spray tan inspo on the cusp of summer. Slick with nourishing body oil to look like you've been hanging out in the desert for months.
Olivia Culpo
Olivia Culpo's slick top knot is a safe bet for festival style. The best part is, as you shimmy in the sun, your sweat is only going to make your hair look even chicer.
Danielle Herrington
Danielle Herrington's matching yellow eyeliner and yellow dress is exactly the vibes we're going for this festival season. She kept it crisp by layering black liner along her rim and pairing with clear gloss.
Peyton List
Peyton List is the picture of sunny beach babe with her killer tan and baby pink lipstick. She continues the effortless look with a shell necklace and soft, cascading waves.