Sydney Sweeney’s Faux Freckles Are As Adorable As They Are Easy To Recreate

It might be the dead of winter, but that doesn’t mean all those beach-favorite beauty tips is suddenly irrelevant. There are plenty of reasons to incorporate warm weather tricks and tips into holiday season looks, and Sydney Sweeney’s wearing approximately three dozen of them in her new cover shoot for British Glamour. Fresh-faced and gently sun-kissed with straightened hair and a large smattering of faux freckles, Sweeney looks more like she just finished her first day of a tropical vacation than posing for a December photo session. One of social media’s favorite trends of 2023, her endorsement will surely keep it going through next year, too.

You’ll notice the adorable drawn-on spots on the actual cover shot, but to fully appreciate how lifelike and well placed they are, it’s critical to take a look at the excellent behind-the-scenes closeups taken by Sweeney’s all-star glam team. “Fresh skin and faux freckles for the win,” her makeup artist, Melissa Hernandez, shared on Instagram along with a three-photo carousel that really shows the speckles off. “My fave kinda glam.” The bulk of the natural-looking pigment is concentrated across Sweeney’s upper cheeks and the bridge of her nose, with some extras scattered around her mouth and lower face to simulate the sun’s actual effects.

The rest of Sweeney’s relaxed, sunny look followed the freckles’ lead, concentrated on a natural, second-skin finish across her face, some warm blush for vibrancy, and just enough dark mascara to define her upper lashes. Celebrity hairstylist Glen Oropeza created Sweeney’s pin straight style for the cover shoot, remarking over on his own Instagram that this is his “favorite glam ever.” Considering just long he and the Anyone But You star have worked together, that’s really saying something.

To get Sweeney’s faux freckles and make them look realistic, they key is in placement, size, and what’s applied over and under them. Using a designated waterproof pen, create clusters of three and five dots at a time across the face, then gently press them with the pad of your finger. From there, take the still-damp ink on your fingertip and stamp them elsewhere — this will make them look softly faded, just like the most real deal.

If you’re over the blistering cold and 4 p.m. sunset, this summery trend could be just the thing to help you make it through.