Throughout the Odyssey press tour, Zendaya and her longtime makeup artist Ernesto Casillas served one showstopping look after another — from goddess-like glowing skin to soft pastel-blue eyeshadow.
But for the New York premiere, they went in a completely different direction. This time, one thing stole the spotlight: a natural, sun-kissed glow.
"The base is always the same: beautiful, healthy-looking skin, plenty of bronzer, radiance and subtle contouring. For this press tour, though, we decided to play a little with color," Casillas told Harper's Bazaar. "Since Zendaya wore a lot of white, it inspired us to be bolder with color. Sometimes a piece of jewelry gave us the idea, other times a tiny shade in the outfit."
At the New York premiere, Zendaya arrived with virtually no eye makeup at all. No statement eyeshadow, no mascara — just that warm, sun-kissed glow doing all the work.
And it made perfect sense. Both of her looks — a nude evening gown and a strapless white dress with feathered detailing — sat in soft, neutral tones.
"The goal was to make it look like she had beautiful, sun-drenched skin — as if she'd flown just a little too close to the sun. We wanted the makeup to be very minimal," the makeup artist said.
If you've never dared to try makeup without mascara, Zendaya's look might just be the nudge you needed.
The glowing skin was the whole point
While the eyes stayed completely bare, the skin was given a lit-from-within glow, finished with a fresh flush on the cheeks and a natural lip.
According to Casillas, it all comes down to proper skin prep. He started with a hydrating balm, then mixed a skincare essence into the foundation for a lighter, more see-through finish.
"That made the whole effect so much more natural and radiant. I worked it in with a sponge, in very thin layers," he revealed.
If you love this soft, luminous approach, you'll want to explore more about the no-makeup makeup trend and how to build glow that lasts all day.
How to get that sun-kissed flush
One of the biggest secrets of this look was layering two cream blushes. A warm, brownish shade went where the sun would naturally hit — the cheeks, the bridge of the nose and the forehead — then a brighter red tone landed on the apples of the cheeks for a fresh, healthy flush.
"I softly blended the shades onto the temples and chin too, so it really looked like the sun had kissed her face," Casillas said.
The trick to a natural finish, he explains, is to build several thin layers of everything rather than applying a lot of product all at once.
He completed the look with a glossy pink lip that added instant freshness to her lips.
Zendaya's hair stayed understated too: a loose, long braid with a few face-framing strands. Across the promo tour for Odyssey and the latest Spider-Man, she proved once again that clean, pared-back beauty can be far more striking than the most extreme makeup.
Drugstore alternatives for Zendaya's look
You don't need to splurge on Prada products to get a similar effect. Here are the affordable drugstore alternatives that can recreate the glow:
- Maybelline Instant Anti-Age Eraser concealer
- NYX Buttermelt Bronzer
- Biodance Micro-Dual Serum toner
- L'Oréal True Match Plumping Tinted Serum
- Essence Juicy Bomb lip balm
- Benefit Play Daze blush
How to recreate the makeup step by step
- Hydrate your skin thoroughly.
- Use a lightweight foundation or a tinted serum.
- Skip the eyeshadow and mascara completely.
- Sweep a warm, brownish blush onto the tops of your cheeks, the bridge of your nose and the edges of your forehead.
- Add a reddish-pink blush to the apples of your cheeks.
- On your lips, use only a glossy balm or a pink lip gloss.
- Keep the finish very sheer, as if the sun alone had tinted your face.
For an even more natural effect, you can mix different tints so your lips and skin pick up a hint of extra color almost invisibly. It's a brilliant idea for summer, since blush and bronzer applied this way won't slide off your face.
This look is a perfect example of how the 2026 skin-first trend keeps winning: the focus isn't on dramatic eye makeup, but on healthy, glowing skin and soft, sun-kissed color.
Can I really recreate Zendaya's look with drugstore makeup?
Yes. According to her makeup artist, the effect comes from technique and layering rather than luxury products. Affordable concealers, tinted serums, cream blushes and a glossy lip balm can achieve a very similar sun-kissed glow.
Why did Zendaya skip eyeshadow and mascara?
The goal for the New York premiere was a minimal, natural look that let her sun-drenched skin take center stage. Her neutral-toned outfits made the bare-eye approach feel effortless and cohesive.
What's the secret to the sun-kissed flush?
It comes from layering two cream blushes — a warm brownish shade where the sun naturally hits, and a brighter red on the apples of the cheeks — all built up in thin, blended layers.
Is this makeup style good for summer?
It's ideal. Applying tints and cream products in thin layers helps the blush and bronzer stay put, so the look holds up better in warm weather.
