6 best freckle pens to achieve Hailey Bieber’s ‘strawberry’ make-up look
Spotted on TikTok and used by Hailey Bieber, freckle pens give a look you won’t want to miss
It’s official, freckles are fashionable. Whether you’re blessed naturally from your family’s gene pool and want to highlight them, or you need to fake a constellation get on board the 2023 sun-kissed beauty trend with the latest faux freckle pens we’ve tried and tested.
Once upon a time, we’d have covered our freckles up under foundation, but make-up artists such as Katie Jane Hughes or Nikkie de Jager from NikkieTutorials have shown us that they can make a complexion look fresh and youthful. Hailey Bieber has even jumped on the trend, posting a TikTok to help others get her “strawberry” make-up look that includes faux freckles. Just like bronzer, freckles warm a complexion, even when there’s little sun to be had as we go into autumn.
@haileybieber wimk with @kendalljenner on my yt now 💛 @hexclad
From long-stay liquid lipsticks to brow pens and everything in between, the internet is awash with different ways to fake freckles. But for the most realistic finish, we found you should turn to the new crop of pens and markers, specifically designed to dot on and emulate them.
These offer a softer, more natural-looking speckled finish than anything else on the beauty shelves or their virtual counterparts. Simple to use, faux freckle pens should be dotted on the bridge of your nose, cheeks or forehead where freckles naturally form. Pat or blend with your fingertips or sponge for a subtle effect, or leave to dry for a bolder look.
The key is to remember freckles are never uniform in shape or size or where they sit, so it doesn’t matter if you’re not precise. Use on bare skin or on top of your base and set with powder or setting spray if you have a combination or oily complexion for best results.
How we tested
We put the latest faux freckle pens to the test to see how well they fared at faking believable-looking freckles. To make our winning selection the product had to be effortless to use, look realistic in both finish and colour and be long-wearing.
The best faux freckle pens for 2023 are:
- Best freckle pen overall – Jason Wu Beauty Jason the freckled boy faux freckle marker
- Best for subtle freckles – Lottie London freckle tint
- Best high street option – Missguided frecks appeal freckle pen
- Best for darker freckles – Barry M freckle paint
The verdict: Faux freckle pens
Our best buy goes to the Jason Wu Beauty faux freckle marker for its versatility at creating different-sized freckles with as fair or strong a pigment as you’re in the mood for. If you want to try the trend for less to see if it’s for you, opt for the Missguided frecks appeal freckle pen.
