5 Ways To Create Faux Freckles That Look Totally Natural - Byrdie

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11 Easy Ways to Get Fake Freckles With Makeup This Summer

So cute.

By Ashley Rebecca

A seated woman holding a black cat, smiling at the camera

Ashley Rebecca Ashley Rebecca is a NYC-based contributor for Byrdie, where she covers makeup, skincare, and more. She has 20+ years of experience as a makeup artist and has contributed to Byrdie for the past ten years. Byrdie's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 17, 2025 04:25PM

A woman with freckles sprinkled across her nose and cheeks. — @freck / Instagram

For some, each summer leaves them with the prettiest sun-kissed strands, for others, maybe it's a smattering of youthful freckles. If you're in the camp that gets either– or both– consider yourself blessed. While there's always sun-in and professional highlighting treatments for those of us who aren't as highly favored by the sun, there are also several ways to create your own faux freckles– no sun exposure required.

From freckle pens to henna, and even some lesser-known makeup artist techniques, those cute little spots can finally be yours. Read on to learn how to do fake freckles.

woman with fake freckles — @therudiberry/Instagram

01 of 11

Use a Self Tanner

Looking for a long-lasting option that'll withstand multiple face washes, trips to the beach, and dips in the pool? Try creating faux freckles with self-tanner. Use a bobby pin or small makeup brush to dot the self-tanner onto your face across the nose and cheeks. Vary the size and spacing for the most natural-looking frecks. And be sure not to rub, touch, or wet the self-tanner dots while they're drying.

02 of 11

Try a Temporary Freckle Tattoo

Temporary freckle tattoos are an easy way to experiment with freckles without long-term commitment. They are as quick and simple to apply as the temp tattoos of our youth. Try a freckle tattoo kit like this one from Frecklyz.

03 of 11

Experiment with a Freckle Pen

Freckle pens have become as commonplace in a makeup bag as an eyeliner pencil or lipstick bullet, and they make our lives so easy when it comes to creating faux freckles. Freck Beauty created freckle pens that are specifically designed to help you create freckles in a few different shades for different skin tones. To use their pens correctly, all you need to do is dip the brush in the product and lightly apply freckles on the face to resemble a natural cluster. The key with this product is to continue to tap the brush lightly onto the skin until you've created enough freckles to your satisfaction. The more you practice with the brush, the easier it will get. If you add space in between freckles, the better and more believable they'll end up looking.

If you want a more traditional pen application, Beaubble's Berry Freckled Pen is Hailey Bieber's pick for her iconic strawberry makeup. There are also more marker-like versions, such as Colourpop and BodyMark.

04 of 11

Start Stamping

Similar to freckle pens and markers, there are stamp versions that are multi-pronged, such as this one from Tarte. It has five tips that will leave behind perfectly spaced out dots, saving you time and the mental effort of figuring out spacing.

05 of 11

Take a Second Look at Your Brow Pencil

Since brow pencils can be natural in tone, they are a great tool to utilize when creating freckles that blend well with your skin and hair. You want to avoid creating freckles with a noticeable contrast that look out of place on the face. A few different brow products will work for this, yet those with precisely pointed tips are best to create a natural freckle look since they are naturally small. You can use a waterproof pencil with a fine tip, such as this Brow Blade Waterproof Eyebrow Pencil & Ink Stain from Urban Decay. This dual-sided pencil contains a precise pencil and marker that help define and fill in freckles on the skin, not to mention natural, fluffy-looking eyebrows. When practicing with a brow pencil, you can opt to try different-sized freckles to see which ones work best. While you want to avoid anything looking too large, the more misshapen they are, the more they will come off as natural, and no one will be the wiser.

Byrdie Tip

Place faux freckles strategically where the sun would naturally hit your face, such as the cheeks, across your nose, and forehead. This will create a more authentic and sun-kissed appearance.

06 of 11

Opt for Waterproof Eyeliner

If you need something in a pinch and have a waterproof eyeliner (liquid or pencil) in a soft brown or darker brown tone, lying around, that can also be used as a tool to create faux freckles. With waterproof formulas, it's important to keep in mind that once they've set on the skin, they are a tad harder to remove, so precision is key to avoid smearing or smudging. If you're going to try this tip, gently apply the pencil to the skin to create a faint dot and then follow up by pressing a tad harder for the freckle to become more visible. If you're using a liquid eyeliner, press the tip on a paper towel a few times to get the ink flowing and make sure the tip has enough product.

Think of this as your practice run before applying your freckles. Try this technique for a few days to really get the hang of creating the freckle shape and using the product together. While this might take you longer, they will look better in the long run with a little patience. Be sure to keep your hands off your face throughout the day not to ruin any of the freckles you've applied.

07 of 11

Use a Stencil

If the act of creating faux freckles with your own hand-eye coordination is intimidating, don't worry. You can use a stencil to help you know where to place the freckles and utilize it as a guide if you're feeling overwhelmed. This stencil kit from Bronzie is easy to use and will give you the look of freckles in a few simple steps, and completely takes away the worry of knowing where and how to apply them. Place the stencil across the face as directed and use makeup to fill in the areas that are naturally freckle-filled. If you want your freckles to last, apply a setting spray to the skin after you're done to keep everything in place.

08 of 11

Consider Using Henna

Known for creating gorgeous, long-lasting works of art on the skin, henna has been used for centuries in hair and beauty remedies and treatments, and is suitable for use in creating faux freckles, too. Using a kit like this one from Mihenna is ideal if henna is the route you're taking. An organic, ready-made henna paste, moisturizing coconut oil, and a specially shaped cone that gives precise and natural freckles are included in the kit for a freckle application that lasts. Freehand freckles on your face or body by using the cone to apply the henna. Lightly tap the henna after you've applied it to the skin to help set it and keep freckles in place– to avoid getting henna stains on your hands and fingers, wear gloves while you work.

09 of 11

Get Crafty with Stickers

While you don't have to go full Olivia Rodrigo on the cover of her Sour album, it can be fun to create freckles with little nail stickers. Choose cute images such as fruits, smiley faces, or flowers, or for a more blinged-out version, opt for some multicolored gemstones.

10 of 11

Grab a Neutral Shadow Palette

Celebrity makeup artist, Jenna Kristina, says there are many ways to achieve faux frecks, including with eye shadow. "You can use powder shadow with a stiff Q-tip," she instructs. Most eye shadow palettes will have at least one brown shade that will suffice for creating freckles. And because the color of powder shadow will be less pigmented, and therefore subtler than some of the other options, it can help to make the spots appear more natural.

11 of 11

Be Bejeweled

They may be the opposite of natural-looking, but there's no denying they're super fun. Take a page out of Taylor Swift's beauty book and try some sparkly freckles. Swift took to the Chiefs stadium with a smattering of golden speckles across her cheeks and nose, thanks to Fazit Makeup Patches. The brand offers several colors and types of freckles, including stars and hearts.