Our favorite singer-songwriter, style inspiration, and absolute goddess Charli XCX is the perfect person to emulate your “brat summer” makeup after. (Because, in all honesty, she’s been killing every single look she’s worn.) Known for her fearless, edgy style and playful approach to fashion, Charli embodies the spirit of effortless beauty with her iconic makeup choices.
Imagine mascara that delivers dramatic length and volume, creating lashes as striking and unforgettable as Charli’s stage presence. Or, a versatile cream blush that effortlessly doubles as a lip color, giving you the freedom to switch up your look on the go—perfect for those spontaneous summer nights where you don’t get home until eight in the morning.
From the perfect smoky eyes to a dewy, fresh-faced look, these essentials will elevate your beauty routine and keep you looking effortlessly chic. Below, discover how to rock the ultimate “brat summer” look with 15 of Charli’s essentials (and some of our own).
MAC
MAC Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick
Does it get any more brat than a chartreuse-colored lip gloss stick? In all seriousness, this lip gloss stick is one of my favorite discoveries—with the consistency of a gloss sans stickiness, it delivers ultimate hydration and shine.
Charlotte Tilbury
Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Lashes Mascara
Transform your lashes with this high-impact mascara that will make others think you’re wearing falsies. According to her Vogue Beauty video, Charli’s favorite mascara will give you 13x more volume than your natural lash, plus lots of stunning length with just three coats.
Milk Makeup
Lip + Cheek Cream Blush Stick
Elevate your beauty routine with Charli’s favorite versatile cream blush and lip color. This all-in-one formula delivers a seamless, natural flush with a blendable texture. Made with nourishing mango butter, avocado oil, and apricot oil, it’s ideal for long nights in the club.
Glossier
Generation G Sheer Matte Lipstick
Lips that look and feel brat are sheer, just kissed, and the perfect dark cherry shade. Crafted to deliver a gently blurred, diffused lip look, this formula offers sheer, buildable color for a just-blotted effect.
Caudalie
Beauty Elixir Prep, Set, Glow Face Mist
Transform your skincare routine with Caudalie’s natural face mist, crafted to prep your skin, tighten pores, and set your makeup for a luminous, dewy glow. It’s also suitable for all skin types (normal, dry, combination, and oily) and tackles dryness, dullness, and uneven texture with ease.
Charlotte Tilbury
The Classic Eye Powder Pencil
Charli crafts a soft, blendable line with this eye-powder pencil by drawing a thick, messy line on her water line and the outside of the eye, later smoking it out with her finger or a brush. Infused with a blend of oils and powders, it makes for smooth application and easy blending.
Half Magic
Glitterpill Eye Paint + Eyeliner
Glitter is always necessary, summer or not! This eye paint and eyeliner can do a lot, including covering your entire lid in glitter or just a simple stroke of liner. We love this one from Half Magic because of its high payoff pigment and long-lasting wear.
Laneige
Lip Sleeping Mask Intense Hydration With Vitamin C
Chapped lips are not brat—Charli makes sure to keep this lip mask from Laneige on her at all times. Providing intense hydration, this can be worn during the day or at night as a sleeping mask.
Chanel
The City Break Makeup Kit
While it’s not one particular item, Chanel has created a “city break” makeup package with items we deem as very brat. Colorful and bright, two lipsticks, a nail polish, and an eyeshadow will get you feeling your most Charli.
Milk Makeup
Hydro Grip Hydrating Makeup Primer With Hyaluronic Acid + Niacinamide
According to Charli’s makeup artist, Nick Lennon, she uses this primer from Milk Makeup to prep her skin. “Not only does this multi-award-winning formula secure makeup for up to 12 hours, but it also gives skin the dewiest hydrated glow,” says Lennon.
Milk Makeup
Future Fluid Creamy Longwear Hydrating Concealer With Hyaluronic Acid
Nick also uses Future Fluid Hydrating Concealer from Milk Makeup to underpaint her face, making her look as natural as possible. This technique is a method in which you do your blush, bronzer, contour, and concealer before foundation.
MAC Cosmetics
Silky Matte Lipstick
For Charli XCX’s Met Gala look this year, makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench used this color for a 3D, dark plum shade. Brat, but dress it up.
HUDA BEAUTY
Pretty Grunge Eyeshadow Palette
For the ultimate smoky eye, this palette offers a stunning array of brown and black shades that blend seamlessly. With 18 expertly curated hues, you’ll achieve a flawless, dramatic look with ease. Each shade works in perfect harmony to create depth and intensity, ensuring your makeup is nothing short of spectacular.
Gisou
Honey Infused Hydrating Lip Oil
Transform your lips with this hydrating lip oil, which is enriched with honey and bee garden oils for intense moisture and a high-shine finish. Enjoy deeply nourished lips with a glossy, nonsticky feel.
Make Up For Ever
Artist Color Pencil Longwear Lip Liner
A good brat summer is nothing without a long-wear lip liner. This effortlessly creamy, richly pigmented formula shapes and enhances your lips, ensuring a bold, standout look that lasts all day. Perfect for creating that edgy, defined pout with some serious staying power.
