How Zara Larsson’s MUA Makes Pink Eyeshadow Chic, Not Costumey

Nov 06, 2026 - 08:05

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How Zara Larsson’s MUA Makes Pink Eyeshadow Chic, Not Costumey

pink eyeshadow hero image.jpg Half Magic

Zara Larsson has proven that her influence as a pop girlie is never ending—and that all comes down to her bubbly energy and playful fashion choices.

The Swedish singer's Y2K-inspired stage looks consisting of bold colors and light-catching shimmer aren't complete without her equally fun makeup looks.

While she's not one to shy away from color, at the Billboard Women in Music event, Zara's makeup artist Ernesto Casillas wanted to create a "softer, feminine, but...still somewhat colorful," eye look that could transition from the red carpet to the stage.

Casillas exclusively shared with E! how he created Zara's "Malibu Barbie" eye look.

If pink eyeshadow feels too punchy for regular wear, Casillas told E! exactly how he makes it look chic rather than costumey.

"I had fun by using pinks, just more wearable pinks," he said. Think "frosted champagne pinks on the lid, maybe a little blush on the crease."

Another key is to craft your preferred shape using more neutral hues. Casillas suggests "A pinky brown eyeshadow through the crease, just to softly contour it. But I wanted it to be a little more pink. So I dipped into a little blush, and softly went over the crease, just to warm it up even more."

Morphe ChromaPlus Eyeshadow Trio

This affordable three-pan palette has everything you need to recreate Zara's look, including a warm brown crease color, soft pink lid shade, and shimmery topper.

Morphe ChromaPlus 12-Pan Eyeshadow Palette

For more variety, you can opt for this 12-pan palette packed with highly-pigmented shimmers and metallics in addition to blendable matte transition shades.

Morphe Cheek Thrills Multi-Finish Face Trio

To add a little extra punch, Ernesto suggests lightly dipping a shadow brush into a bold pink blush to deepen the crease. This monochromatic trio includes a satin and velvet powder plus a luminous balm. Apply it to your cheeks for a cohesive look.

"I knew she would be on stage, so I knew to play up, glossy and frosty textures, because the light will pick up all that beautiful shine on the eyelids, on the cheeks, and on the lips," shared Casillas.

To amplify Zara's subtle pink eyeshadow, he made sure to add shimmer at the center of the lids, along the cheekbones, paired with a glossy lip.

Half Magic Eyeshadow Singles

Intensify a soft pink eye look by adding a shimmery topper to the center and inner corner of your eyes. This one from Half Magic offers an intense color payoff in just a few swipes.

To bring the whole look together, Casillas added a few lash clusters from Lashify to define Zara's cat-like eye shape.

"I placed [the Stardust style] on the outside of her eye, because she likes a very feline eye shape. So I did that to accentuate her shape," he said. "Then I did the spike, [using] the Cherry Stax across the entire eye to give her a dolly look."

Lashify Stardust 16mm Gossamer DIY Eyelash Extensions

Lashify's individual clusters allow you to customize your perfect fake lash. Available in several colors and lengths, concentrate them on the outer ends of the eye to produce an elongated effect.

Lashify Smelly Bond Extra Strong Clear Underlash™ Adhesive

Pair Lashify's clusters with their powerful long-hold adhesive with a barely there feel.

Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Gloss Luminizer

Fenty Beauty's iconic gloss bomb in the bestselling shade FU$$Y is the perfect finishing touch to your Zara-inspired look. It delivers a “your lips but better” wash with a hint of light-catching shimmer.

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