'Ghost Lashes' Are Summer's Most Flattering, Low-Maintenance Makeup Trend—Zendaya Shows Why

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—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 adding volume and movement without visible layering. Invisible, phantom-like, ghost-esque, if you will.Ghost lashes, however, involve no snipping (praise be), but rather the omission of mascara from 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 on July 14.Dominik Bindl//Getty ImagesStunning, 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 minimalist makeup look in recent months, proving that this summer we're ditching lashes in favor of fresher eyes. After all, mascara only smudges in the heat!Amy Sussman//Getty ImagesNow, 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 Caffe 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 is that we all need to invest in a brightening concealer and park the mascara...for now, anyway.