Natural-born redheads and those with year-round freckled skin are having their moment in the beauty spotlight as of late.
We’re not exactly sure whether Hailey Bieber’s ‘Strawberry Girl’ make-up look kick-started the trend or simply sent it skyrocketing – either way, it seems as though faux freckles paired with a blushed nose bridge are here to stay. The controversy, however, lies with how these delicate freckles are applied.
One popular method of applying faux freckles is by using henna for a semi-permanent effect. Though this seems like a brilliant idea in theory, henna won’t dry to match your natural skin tone. Traditional henna leaves behind a distinctly orange-brown hue, which may look perfectly realistic for some – and incredibly strange for others.
The next level up from henna is getting freckles permanently tattooed on your face. For a trend that’s only been around for under a year, we’re not so sure about making a life-long commitment to faux freckles just yet.
Nevertheless, people have been flocking to tattoo artists in troves requesting both natural and rainbow freckles – the latter of which consists of a variety of bright and bold colours. We’re all for expressing ourselves with permanent body art, but we can’t help but think that rainbow freckles simply look like very strange pimples. Don’t come for us.
We are, however, in full support of the movement towards using cosmetics to achieve a freckled, sun-kissed appearance without leaving the skin exposed to dangerous levels of UV. High-factor sun cream has become an integral part of our daily skincare and anti-ageing routines – gone are the days of frying in the sun in the hope that red, terrifyingly blotchy skin will somehow turn into a tan.
With the advent of faux freckles, no matter how overcast and drizzly the weather may be, we’ll all look like we’ve managed to bottle our very own personal sunshine. Paired with a natural no-makeup/makeup look, faux freckles work to elevate our features when applied mindfully, while subtly lifting downtrodden skin to imbue it with a just-back-from-holiday glow.
When you think about it, the beauty practice isn’t entirely dissimilar from when the Victorians used to decorate their faces with dark velvet patches in a variety of shapes and sizes. Freckles serve as cosmetic decoration, whether real or not, which has resulted in the creation of dedicated faux freckle cosmetics.
Various brands have even developed freckle ‘stamps’ which offer a range of different shaped freckles which can be easily inked onto the skin. Gen Z-ers even use Starface Patches as more of a statement accessory than as a spot treatment.
While some may re-purpose old eyebrow pencils and eyeliners to do the trick, others have outgrown the temporary fix and are on the hunt for a dedicated freckle pen. We’re here to help you find your perfect match. Shop our top picks below.
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Utan Pen
The exact freckle pen that Hailey Bieber uses in her viral Strawberry Makeup TikTok, Utan’s dermatologically tested, multi-use faux freckle pen is taking the beauty world by storm – and for good reason.
Enriched with manketti oil, mint and vitamin E, the Utan pen is suitable for even the most sensitive skin. The instant freckle pen develops to match your natural skin tone and lasts up to 48 hours. It also doubles up as a fantastic natural lip liner, and can even be used to fill in your eyebrows.
Buy now £18.00, Utan
Lottie London Freckle Tint
High-street beauty brand Lottie’s freckle tint may be the cheapest available, but you certainly wouldn’t be able to differentiate it from more upmarket products. Available in two shades, the temporary skin tint comes as a liquid with a delicate, pointed brush tip for precise application.
Buy now £6.95, Feel Unique
Nabla Freckle Maker
With its slightly thicker than usual, highly flexible silicone brush tip, the Freckle Make by Nabla offers freckle enthusiasts the opportunity to go big with their application. The water-based, weightless formula is kind to the skin, cruelty-free and vegan.
Buy now £14.50, Beauty Bay
Jason The Freckled Boy Faux Freckle Marker
A brilliant option for darker skin, The Freckled Boy by Jason Wu is a game-changer. Infused with rose water for enhancing that glowing, sun-kissed complexion, the brand recommends waiting a few minutes before softening the product with your fingertips or a beauty sponge.
Buy now £16.50, Beauty Bay
Patrick Ta Major Dimension Precision Gel Liner
With one dab of the Patrick Ta Precision Gel Liner, you’ll get rich, highly concentrated pigment which offers a smudge and sweat-proof finish when dry. While technically marketed as an eye product, the liner is available in an array of neutral shades for perfecting your natural, faux-freckled look. Just make sure to blend as you go, so that the liner doesn’t dry before you can smooth out the finish.
Buy now £19.20, Cult Beauty
Freck
A travel-ready option for those who can’t go without faux freckles when abroad, Freck’s original paraben and phthalate-free formula is available in this miniature 1.35ml bottle.
Buy now £14.45, Beauty Bay
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Pen
With nine different shades ranging from cool to warm tones, you’re sure to find your perfect match in the beloved Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Pen. Designed for applying micro-strokes which mimic brow hairs with ease, this pen is also the perfect tool for applying a constellation’s worth of subtle freckles with ease.
Buy now £23.00, Cult Beauty
Lime Crime Freckle Pen
The only freckle pen we’ve come across which has a magenta colourway, the Lime Crime Freckle Pen is a fantastic piece of kit for those who have been weighing up the concept of getting rainbow freckles permanently tattooed but would like a test run first.
Buy now £13.00, Lime Crime
Verdict
If Hailey Bieber is using it, best believe we are too. Our It-girl approved top pick is most definitely the Utan Pen.
