Festival Beauty Trends: Ultra, Coachella, Stagecoach, Jazz Fest, Afropunk, Bonnaroo, Governors Ball and Lollapalooza
Glitter eye shadow, colorful liner, neon hair and sparkling gems — Coachella goers channeled “Euphoria”-inspired beauty looks at this year’s festival in April. More than ever, faces and bodies were covered in rhinestones. They were on hair parts, chests and belly buttons but most framed the eyes with winged crystal jewels, pearl stickers and freckle-like temporary tattoos.
Stagecoach Festival followed, also held at Indio’s Empire Polo Club, where country music fans opted for more natural looks. But first, Ultra Music Festival — and its electronic dance music lovers — kicked things off in Miami in March, followed by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, held April 29 to May 8, and Afropunk Festival, also in Miami, on May 20 to 22 (before heading to Minneapolis later this year).
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Next up, there’s Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee and Governors Ball Music Festival in New York, both in June, then Lollapalooza in Chicago in July.
In honor of the return of festivals in 2022, here’s a breakdown of the beauty trends — and brands offering the looks — seen at America’s most popular music attractions.
Ultra Music Festival
Location: Miami
Open: March 25 to 27
Founders: Russell Faibisch and Alex Omes
The inaugural Ultra Music Festival was held in 1999 on the sands of Miami Beach with an estimated 10,000 concertgoers. It’s grown to attract 165,000 attendees, gathering EDM fans at the 32-acre Bayfront Park on Biscayne Bay. Amid neon lights, with their heart-thumping beats, the likes of Kygo, DJ Snake and David Guetta took the main stage this year.
The Look: Y2K-inspired hair and makeup, with space buns, colorful streaks, oversized clips; frosty eye shadows, and glossy, ombré lips.
The Goods:
ColourPop New Millennium Pressed Powder Palette, $10
NYX Cosmetics Slim Lip Pencil in Y2K, $4
Iggy Azalea x BH Cosmetics Iggy Oral Fixation High Shine Lip Gloss, $14
Supergoop Glow Stick SPF 50, $25
Good Dye Young Poser Paste (washable and transfer-proof hair color), $18
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Location: Indio, California
Open: April 15 to 17 and April 22 to 24
Founders: Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen
Organized by Goldenvoice, the festival’s site — Empire Polo Club — is where Pearl Jam hosted a concert in 1993 as part of their Vs. Tour. The rock band was famously boycotting Ticketmaster at the time, playing in front of 25,000 fans at the-then underdeveloped space. The event showed that the area was well-suited for large-scale concerts and the first Coachella festival was held six years later, over two days in October 1999. It wasn’t until 2001 that the festival began being held annually, then in 2007 it expanded to a third day and a second weekend was added in 2012. After being on hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19, Coachella returned with reportedly 750,000 people in attendance this year with headliners Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd.
The Look: Experimental eyes, glowing and glittery bodies, playful hair and long, bold nails.
The Goods:
Pley Beauty Festival Pley Things (reusable face and body gems), $20
E.l.f. Cosmetics Face and Body Gems in Pearl, $3
Lemonhead L.A. Prisms Designer Glitter, $14
Olive & June Press-On nails, five sets for $50
Princess Polly Recycled Plastic Lelo (Butterfly) Hair Clip Set, $8
Lexie Moreland for WWD
Stagecoach Festival
Location: Indio, California
Open: April 19 to May 1
Founders: Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen
After seeing the success and demand for Coachella, Goldenvoice began producing its “cousin” festival, Stagecoach, for country music fans in 2007. Organized alongside The Messina Group and Moore Entertainment, the event brings together big-name mainstream country stars with rising artists in alternative country, folk, bluegrass and Americana. This year’s headliners were Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood and Luke Combs.
The Look: Natural “no makeup” makeup and hair, stick-straight to tight curls (flowing under cowboy hats).
The Goods:
Coola Organic Makeup Setting Spray SPF 30, $36
Dior Forever Skin Correct Concealer, $36
Jamie Makeup Blighlighter (blush and highlighter combo), $34
K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask, $29 (travel size)
Perk Up Talc-Free Dry Shampoo by Amika, $26
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Location: New Orleans
Open: April 29 to May 8
Founder: George Wein
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation Inc. — a nonprofit — is behind the music festival, contributing up to $350 million a year to the city’s economy, according to the organization. The first Jazz Fest, as it’s known to locals, took place in 1970. There were just about 350 people in the audience, less than the number of total musicians and staffers on site. A celebration of New Orleans and its rich culture, with a lineup of jazz, soul, funk, Caribbean, African, Latin, as well as rock, country, hip-hop, indie, the event has grown tremendously, attracting nearly 500,000 visitors pre-COVID-19. Back this year, Stevie Nicks, Erykah Badu and Lionel Richie were among the performers.
The Look: Red lips, rosy cheeks and natural hair.
The Goods:
MAC Cosmetics Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo, $19
Ilia Multi-Stick (creamy lip and cheek color), $34
La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 60 sunscreen, $25
Bomba Curls Dominican Forbidden Oil, $22
Sachajuan Ocean Mist, $15
Flo Ngala/WWD
Afropunk Festival
Locations: Miami and Minneapolis
Open: May 20 to 22 (Miami) and June 18 to 19 (Minneapolis)
Founders: James Spooner and Matthew Morgan
While Afropunk Festival started in New York at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (in 2005), it’s been held in Atlanta, Paris, London and Johannesburg. This year the event was in Miami, focused on the African diaspora, Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latino communities of Florida’s coastal city, featuring artists Rema, Mavado, ChocQuibTown, Skillibeng, Michael Brun and Prettyboy. The festival is also bringing music to Minneapolis on June 18 and 19 at Sheridan Memorial Park. Performers will include Ari Lennox, Noname, Mereba, Miloe and Evv.
The Look: Hair art, bold lipstick or clear gloss, metallic colors, glowing skin.
The Goods:
PrettyLittleThing hair rings, $15
Kitsch No-Snag Elastic, $6
About-Face Fractal Lip Color, $19
Tower 28 ShineOn Lip Jelly, $15
Patrick Ta Major Glow Body Oil, $52
Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
Location: Manchester, Tennessee
Open: June 16 to 19
Developed by Ashley Capps, cofounder of AC Entertainment, following the cancellation of Hot Summer Nights festival in Knoxville, the first Bonnaroo was held in 2002. (The name is rooted in Creole slang for “best on the street,” an ode to New Orleans.) Hulu will stream this year’s festival, expected to be headlined by Tool, J. Cole and Stevie Nicks — a lineup that reflects the diverse music artists the festival has attracted through the years (including Bob Dylan, Wu-Tang Clan, Stevie Wonder and Red Hot Chili Peppers).
The Look: Boho and unfussy or eclectic and colorful, full of face and body art. Either way, there are hair braids of all kinds.
The Goods:
Pat McGrath Sublime Perfection Setting Powder, $39
Hurraw Tinted Lip Balm, $5
Glamnetic colorful reusable lashes, $28
Inkbox Semi-Permanent Tattoos (lasts up to two weeks), starting at $9
Free People Braid Ins accessories, $16
Governors Ball Music Festival
Location: New York
Open: June 10 to 12
Founders: Jordan Wolowitz, Tom Russell, Yoni Resiman and Robert Spratlen
Started in 2011, the festival — produced by Founders Entertainment — was hosted on Governors Island before relocating to Randall’s Island a year later. In 2021, the festival was moved to Citi Field in Queens, headlined by Billie Eilish, A$AP Rocky, J Balvin and Post Malone (in September). This year, it’s Halsey, J. Cole and Kid Cudi.
The Look: Anything goes — from bubble ponytails and dramatic cat eyes to seemingly bare faces and natural hair. Waterproof makeup is key as it often rains.
The Goods:
Benefit BadGal Bang! Waterproof Mascara, $27
Thrive Causemetics Infinity Waterproof Eyeliner, $22
EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46, $39
L’Oréal Elnett Satin Hairspray, $15
Bread Beauty Supply Hair-Oil, $24
Lexie Moreland for WWD
Lollapalooza
Location: Chicago
Open: July 28 to 31
Founder: Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction
The music festival began as a touring event (a farewell tour by Farrell) in 1991 before settling in Chicago. Selling out every year, about 400,000 people come out for a variety of acts and genres, from heavy metal to hip-hop and EDM. This year’s lineup includes Metallica, Dua Lipa, J. Cole, Green Day, Doja Cat, Machine Gun Kelly, Lil Baby and Kygo.
The Look: Statement-making beauty, from preppy pastels to ’90s Goth.
The Goods:
Bésame Cosmetics Lipstick, $28
Beautycounter Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer, $50
Schwarzkopf Göt2b Glued Blasting Freeze Spray, $11
Too Faced Rainbow Strobe Highlighter, $30
Kate Somerville UncompliKated Setting Spray with SPF 50, $44
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