Want to know the quickest way to make anything feel fashion-forward in beauty right now? Turn the volume riiight down… then chuck the word 'ghost' in front of it. The trend du jour? Ghost lashes.
Now, before we delve into ghost lashes – one of the most popular makeup looks of summer 2026 (that is, succeeding ballet blush nails) – we must give credit to the trend's predecessor. The term actually originated in the hair world circa 2023, à la ghost layers. But despite its spooky name, the haircutting technique has nothing to do with Halloween and everything to do with its ability to add volume and movement without showing visible layer lines. Invisible, phantom-like, ghost-esque, if you will.
Ghost lashes, however, involve no snipping (praise be), but rather the omission of mascara within your daily makeup routine, making for a minimal yet fresh look. Case in point: Zendaya's glam at The Odyssey premiere in New York City, 14 July.
Stunning, wouldn't you agree?!
That said, Zendaya wasn't the first celeb to sport ghost lashes. Pamela Anderson, Hailey Bieber, Gigi Hadid, and Addison Rae have all worn the minimalistic makeup look in recent months, proving that this summer, we're ditching lashes in favour of fresher eyes. After all, mascara only smudges in the heat!
Now, if you're questioning how on earth you'll look awake and fresh without mascara (and not tired and Panda-like), see to a brightening concealer. Celebrity makeup artist and the genius behind Zendaya's above glam, Ernesto Casillas, revealed that for the occasion, he used the Prada Blurring + Micro Correcting Concealer.
"For the premiere, we wanted Zendaya’s skin to look beautifully luminous and sun-kissed. The makeup was intentionally very minimal, with fresh, glowing skin as the foundation of the look," he says.
To complete the look, Ernesto used Prada Beauty’s Touch Blush in Caffee and Cherry across the cheeks, nose, temples, forehead and chin, "focusing on the areas where the sun would naturally hit."
So, what we're taking from this (because we all want to make like Z, right?) is that we all need to invest in a brightening concealer and park the mascara... for now, anyway.
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Lia Mappoura (she/her) is the Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK, with over four years of experience reporting across the brand's print, social, video and digital platforms. Lia covers everything from emerging trend analysis to viral celebrity hair and makeup moments, making her an expert at spotting the season’s next big beauty look (before it takes over social media feeds).
In 2025, she was named The Rising Media Star at the Love Perfume Awards with The Perfume Shop, recognised for her outstanding digital fragrance content and for building genuine authority within the space. She is passionate about challenging outdated beauty stereotypes, championing inclusive representation in beauty, and educating readers on the trends, products and conversations shaping the industry today. Follow her on Instagram or find her on LinkedIn.
