Bring Pride To Your Beauty Look With Our Most Colorful & Creative Inspo
Looking to display your LGBTQ+ pride wherever you go? Well, there are a number of ways you can celebrate through your beauty look. The traditional rainbow pride flag is, of course, a great go-to when it comes to your hair, nails, or makeup — especially since the multicolored symbol has played an important part in the community since queer artist Gilbert Baker first designed it all the way back in 1978.
One of the reasons the rainbow design is so popular is that it not only celebrates those who identify within the LGBTQ+ community, but it's also used as a way of promoting security for those who may never have felt safe, and a sense of community for those who may have never felt accepted.
But, equally, it doesn't always have to be all about the rainbows. Just like there are many ways to celebrate pride in your own way, whether you're out or not, there are a number of different ways you can show your support with a range of colors and designs on your body! With that in mind, we've collected some of the most stunning beauty looks on the internet that celebrate the LGBTQ+ community — in all different colors — to inspire you to hit the hair salon, grab your makeup, or treat yourself to a manicure.
Bring a bouquet of pride
How gorgeous is this bright and colorful floral-inspired makeup look? We'd recommend giving this one a go with face paint and using a really small and intricate brush to get the flowers right, but if you're struggling to paint on your own face and don't have anyone around to give you a hand, a flower stamp could work just as well and make things a little easier. Just make sure you're only using products designed to be put onto the face (you don't want to cause a breakout or get any irritation). While this design puts all the red and pink flowers over the nose, the world really is your oyster when it comes to putting your own twist on this look. You could experiment with different color placements (why not create a rainbow stretching from left to right?) or even change the positioning of the flowers to put them just on the cheeks or over the mouth.
Send a message
Where better than to send a message about your beliefs than on your nails? Moving away from the rainbow theme (if that's just not for you), writing anti-hate messages and words of support for the LGBTQ+ community as nail art could be the way to go. With this look, which was inspired by the delicious candy hearts, you can personalize it as much or as little as you want, choosing your own colors and messages. You'll need to write legibly on a very small space, so it's probably best to have this one done in a nail salon or grab a friend who's had some practice with intricate nail art brushes. Struggling to come up with slogans you could use to make this your own? "Born this way," "pride is for everyone," and "out and proud" are just a few different important phrases you could proudly sport on your hands.
Rock the rhinestones
We can't get enough of how gorgeous this bright rainbow makeup look is, mixing bold shadows with matching rhinestones. The pop of hot pink under the eyes really makes them stand out, while taking the shadow all the way up past the brow bone shows off that unwavering confidence. Adding the rhinestones in a color that matches the shadow gives this makeup look an extra spark of glamor (which never goes amiss when it comes to pride, let's be honest).
Just remember to always be careful when it comes to sticking things to your face. To be on the safe side, use stick-on gems that have been specifically designed for the skin — there should be plenty out there available from your favorite cosmetic store — and, if you're struggling to make them stick, try a little eyelash glue to help them hold, as it's been specifically created for use around the eyes so should limit irritation.
Tip off the world to your pride
For those who want to show off their pride, but also keep things just that little bit more understated, rainbow tips could be for you. This look isn't as out there as the bold makeup, but it still makes it very clear that you're proud of who you are and/or proud of the community you support. Of course, a nail artist will be able to recreate this colorful look for you with ease, but if you're looking to save a few pennies — or you're just feeling extra creative! — get your hands on a nail art brush set to make this design easier. To make sure the lines are super sharp, you could use some nail tape to create the first block of color, then, once that's dry, peel it off and line it up on the other side to create the second block.
Show your love with your locks
Showing off your pride doesn't have to be confined to just your makeup or your nails. Oh no. Why not go super bold and show it off via your hair? Now, we know, this one's pretty out there so it won't be for everyone — and that's totally fine! — but if you are looking to go super bright and super daring, then rainbow locks may well be for you. You'll always want to leave something like this to a qualified hairdresser, as hair dye can have terrible side effects on the skin if every precaution isn't taken. That's true even if you're only intending to go for a semi-permanent dye over a permanent one. Something like this can be a long process too, as it usually involves stripping the hair's color and then dying over the top. But, no matter how long it keeps you in the salon chair, boy, is it worth it.
Nail it with pride
An easier way to show your pride in your nails is to bring the rainbow with each nail. This one's super easy to do at home — as long as you've got plenty of colors in your nail polish wardrobe, of course. It doesn't involve a whole lot of tricky nail art or extra steps that will take a lot of time and focus to complete, as all you'll need to do is paint one full color on each nail, so it's a quick but very effective idea. To really show off your confidence and pride, go super bright and extra glossy with each nail to make it all pop. You can do this by adding a glossy top coat, which most brands have available. If you did want to put an extra twist on things though, why not create a full-on rainbow on an accent nail, which could be anything from your ring finger on each hand to your thumb?
Wear your trans pride on your face
If you're looking to be a little more specific when it comes to Pride, incorporating one of the many LGBTQ+ flags into your beauty could be the way to go. This makeup idea, inspired by the trans flag, is absolutely gorgeous and oh-so creative at the same time. We adore the way the blue can be seen around the lips, turning the idea that lip color has to be all about pink or red on its head. As for the eyes, the blue and pink lines almost emulate a rainbow, with stars on either side just underneath the brows, which means you can leave the actual lids a little more understated. There aren't many ways you can shortcut this look, though, so you'll probably need to have a few practice sessions on yourself or someone else before you step out wearing it.
Show your trans pride on your locks
Another bold hair look to try, this stunning design is pretty on the nose when it comes to spreading love and support for the trans community — and we absolutely adore it. This style will take some upkeep due to the designs being literally shaved into the head and the vibrant pink and blue dyes used, which are, of course, inspired by the colors of the trans flag. But even though you'll have to keep up with some re-growth and roots, we think it'll be worth it to show your unwavering support with a style as bold as this. Creating something this unique is more than likely going to take a professional's touch in order to make sure you get the effect you're looking for, so we wouldn't recommend trying to give this one a go yourself outside of the salon. And don't forget your patch test when it comes to dyes!
Put some pastel into your pride
Another nail look we absolutely adore, this one is far from basic but also puts a bit of a twist on the rainbow theme. If you prefer lighter, pastel shades on your nails, then why not incorporate that into the rainbow pride flag by ditching the super bright colors for something a little more demure? This nail look still packs quite the punch as it mixes the super popular glam chrome nail trend with the LGBTQ+ rainbow symbol, as well as being super sparkly at the same time. What more could you ask for? There are ways to tweak this design depending on how you prefer your manis to look. You could change around which color goes on each nail or even incorporate a few other shades into the design. This manicure will also look just as good on shorter nails as it does on longer ones, which makes it a super-inclusive idea — exactly what we like to see during Pride month.
Bring it with the brows
Looking to put a twist on pride makeup? Then why not focus on the brows? Though many LGBTQ+-inspired makeup looks tend to focus on the eyes and the eyelids when it comes to bringing the color, we adore the way this design is focused a few centimeters above them, to do something a little different. Using pigmented and matte eyeshadows that were likely applied using a brow brush, the community's rainbow is firmly on display. But that doesn't mean the rest of this look is boring. It also brings shine with silver glitter from the corner of the eye, plus purple and blue liner (which both feature in the bisexual pride flag) in the water line, to bring even more color. If you wanted to take this idea one step further, you could add some extra glitter to the cheeks or the lips, though the bold purple/pink lipstick here may be added to complete the colors of the bisexual flag.
Blend the rainbow
For those who don't want to go quite so on the nose with a rainbow look, this could be a great alternative. It features a range of gorgeous colors all blended together, which is what the rainbow pride flag is all about, but shows them off in a less in-your-face way. The stunning white dots and linework elevate this look even further (white represents simplicity and purity) as does the addition of the 3D butterfly. Traditionally, butterflies have been used to represent the idea of transformation and freedom, which is why they're such a great animal to pair with a celebration of the steps forward the LGBTQ+ community has taken over the past few decades. Just remember that you'll probably need to have longer talons to be able to fit this much nail art onto your hands!
Show your support in strands
When it comes to putting your pride in your hair, there are a number of very bold ways to go, but we think this is the perfect blend of being out there but still a little understated — at least compared to some of the other looks we've seen! If you want to dip your toe into the world of rainbow hair but aren't quite ready to take the full plunge, why not start with rainbow strands instead? This design is a stunning way to add a little color to your locks without it taking over your whole head, since the rainbow just peeks through underneath. Although having the majority of your hair a dark brunette will really help the vibrant shades to pop, this look will work with pretty much any hair color you could imagine, from blonde to black.
Dot it in rainbows
These are rainbow nails, but they're not basic. The design is understated yet still bold, which is why we totally love it. If you like your nails to match your outfits, this is a solid idea because the main part of the nail is painted nude, which makes it easy to match with whatever you're wearing. To do this look at home, you'll need a few different colors in your arsenal to create the rainbow dots, but you don't have to do every color you see here. If all you have are three different color shades to play with, that will work too! The best way to create round dots like these, and get them perfect every time, is to dab a little polish onto a surface and then dip the end of a hairpin into the color, creating perfect circles to put on your nails. Always make sure the base nude coat is dry before you start adding your dots.
Bring pride with a bang
We can't get enough of these bright and bold rainbow bangs. The metaphor of the hair literally parting to reveal the bold and beautiful rainbow, the true beauty that's inside, makes this look even more beautiful, and the curled strands of rainbow on either side of the face just give it that extra glam alongside the blue hues. This one will take quite a while to achieve, so you'll want to head to a salon to make it happen with a professional at the helm (and you'll probably want to read our tips on what to ask a hairdresser before you get there). You should also be prepared for quite a lot of upkeep to make sure the colors stay fresh and your roots don't show too much, which could mean a few visits to the salon. But those are some pretty minor drawbacks to getting such stunning hair that really shows off your pride.
It's all about the glitter
What screams pride more than rainbow glitter? Exactly. Nothing. That's why this nail look is ideal for those looking to put their LGBTQ+ community support very much on display. This look is actually more easily achievable than you might think, even if you're looking to do it at home by yourself. To recreate this stunning glitter mani, we suggest putting two or more colors on our nails and then going over it with a glitter top coat. That will work to blend the two together and give you a chrome effect, the hottest mani in 2023, which means you'll be showing your support and fashion sense at the same time. Total win-win, right? If you want to give this look even more of an edge, you could opt for a holographic glitter top coat to bring a little extra sparkle.
All about the stars and rhinestones
For those who aren't a fan of the rainbow aesthetic or just want to show LGBTQ+ pride in another way, this makeup look is a gorgeous alternative. This particular look uses the colors of the bi flag (that's pink, blue, and purple) on three separate stars around the eye, but you could use whatever colors you like to best represent yourself. Each star has been coupled with small stick-on rhinestones in the same color, which adds some gorgeous sparkle, and we love the subtle eyeshadow underneath which seamlessly blends together color without distracting from the main part of the look. This design opts to keep the lips a little more simple with an understated yet lustrous gloss, but you could do whatever you want, from adding some of the box colors to a more demure lipstick.
Celebrate everyone
Pride is all about inclusion, and this nail look screams that concept from the rooftops. Of course, we don't have to tell you that a love heart symbolizes love (duh!) and each nail uses the colors of a different LGBTQ+ flag. Although you can do the design a little smaller if you have shorter talons, this one will probably look best on longer nails, so you can really make the most of the vibrant design. But no matter how many heart-shaped rings you can fit onto your nails, we love the way you can really celebrate everyone's individuality with this look and make sure as many people as possible feel seen. Just remember that you're going to need a steady hand and a bit of practice to get it to look this neat. With five different designs on each hand, it's a fabulous way to show your pride and inclusivity.
Heart eyes
Pride-inspired makeup doesn't always have to include a rainbow color palette, and this look sure proves that. The LGBTQ+ community is all about love and acceptance, and what demonstrates that better than love hearts? This stunning makeup look is all about love. The pink elements are extra poignant as the color has so many different ways of being interpreted. Naturally, it can represent love, while it's also known to represent romance, playfulness, and even passion. To recreate this look, we'd recommend using something like pink face paint or pink eyeliner (just make sure whatever you use is made to be put on the face) with a heart-shaped stamp to make sure the symbols are perfect. And don't forget to put some color over your eyebrows to really bring all that pink to life! Not only will this look show off your pride, but you'll also be oh-so on trend with the Barbiecore obsession everyone seems to have this summer.
Show off your rainbow hearts
If you love the idea of colorful hearts to show your pride, but don't want to go too big (or like to do your manis at home and would prefer a simpler design) glitter hearts are a fun and super cute way to put your pride on display. The light pink base works as the perfect background for the sparkly design and tones things down just a little, while the different color hearts form a rainbow that's inclusive of everyone. This design is easier to achieve than you might think, as all you have to do is make use of the hairpin technique to create perfect hearts every time! This idea could also be customized depending on how you identify, as you could opt to use the colors from one individual LGBTQ+ flag or incorporate several of them onto your nails. Of course, though, the rainbow encompasses everyone on the LGBTQ+ spectrum.
Swirling in pride
We can't get enough of this gorgeous nail set, which appears to have been inspired by the transgender flag (pink, blue, and white). Another one for those who maybe don't want to go down the rainbow route, this is a beautiful and super glamorous alternative to support the community in a slightly more subtle way. The design itself, however, is anything but subtle and lets the world know that you're bold and confident. Stiletto nails make this look more easily achievable, as it gives you more space to work with, but we think this concept could easily be adapted onto smaller nails if you like to keep your manicure a little shorter. The rhinestones can also be personalized, so you have as many or as few as you want. But we can't imagine why you'd ever want to dull your fabulosity with fewer rhinestones ...