Key takeaways
- Makeup artist Sophia Sinot used seafoam green, cobalt blue, and violet to create an aurora borealis-inspired eye look, with rhinestones positioned diagonally across Larsson's face as 'stars'.
- Hairstylist Adam Lukacs added sky blue streaks to Larsson's blonde curls, extending the northern lights narrative from her makeup into her hair design.
- Larsson and Sinot have developed increasingly ambitious nature-inspired looks throughout 2026, from animal themes to underwater aesthetics, building a cohesive artistic body of work.
- Larsson called the northern lights look one of her 'top 5' makeup moments with Sinot, prompting fans to request a coffee table book documenting their collaborations.
When Swedish pop icon Zara Larsson took the stage at Way Out West music festival in Gothenburg last week, she gave her home country audience a visual spectacle inspired by one of Scandinavia’s most iconic natural phenomena. Makeup artist Sophia Sinot created an eye makeup design that captured the luminous, swirling quality of the northern lights, complete with rhinestone accents that sparkled like stars across Larsson’s face.
The Aurora Borealis Eye Design
Sinot’s approach to translating the northern lights into makeup relied on a carefully considered color story built from three complementary jewel tones: seafoam green, cobalt blue, and violet. Each shade served a specific purpose in the overall composition.
Base Layer: Seafoam Green
The seafoam green formed the foundation of the look, applied liberally across Larsson’s entire eyelid. Rather than confining the color to the lid, Sinot extended it all the way up to the brow bone, creating a broad canvas of color. The shade also wrapped underneath the lashline, a placement choice that deepened the immersive quality of the design. Seafoam green is cooler-toned but maintains enough lightness to avoid looking heavy on the lids, immediately evoking the pale, ethereal glow of the aurora borealis at its edge, before intensifying.
Depth and Dimension: Cobalt Blue and Violet
The cobalt blue was positioned in the crease, a strategic placement that defines the eye socket and adds sculptural dimension. In the context of the northern lights inspiration, the bright blue represented the more saturated, vivid sections of the aurora—the moment when the lights reach peak intensity and color saturation. The violet accent, placed as a pop in the crease as well, created a bridge between the green and blue, adding complexity to a design that could have otherwise read as two isolated colors.
The Rhinestone “Stars”
What elevated this from a beautifully executed eye look to a complete artistic statement was Sinot’s addition of rhinestones applied as “stars” across Larsson’s face. The crystals began at her temple and traveled diagonally downward toward the hollow of one cheek, which was flushed with pink blush. This directional placement—rather than random sparkle—created a sense of movement, as if the northern lights were actively sweeping across her features. The rhinestones caught light and refracted it, mimicking the way the aurora dances across the night sky.
The Complete Aesthetic
Hairstylist Adam Lukacs understood the vision Sinot had created and added a complementary element through hair design. He incorporated sky blue streaks into Larsson’s blonde curls, creating a cloudlike effect that extended the northern lights narrative beyond the face. The pale blue in the hair echoed the seafoam tones in the eye makeup while introducing the same sky-referencing color that appeared in her hairstyle. Together, the eye makeup, skin preparation, and hair created a fully realized, three-dimensional aesthetic that transported viewers to a Scandinavian winter landscape. The coordination between Sinot and Lukacs demonstrates how makeup and hair must work in concert on stage—a striking eye look can be diminished if the hair overshadows it or contradicts it. In this case, the sky blue streaks supported and amplified the color story, creating a holistic look that felt intentional and unified.
A Year of Nature-Inspired Collaboration
This northern lights design didn’t emerge in isolation. Larsson and Sinot have established an increasingly ambitious creative partnership throughout 2026, with nature serving as a unifying theme across multiple stage appearances. Earlier in the year, the artists explored animal-inspired aesthetics, including leopard print eyes and sparkly cat whiskers that transformed Larsson’s appearance into a wild, untamed look. Underwater themes have also featured prominently in their work, with designs exploring bioluminescent color palettes and aquatic-inspired makeup.
The consistency of the nature theme, combined with the increasing technical sophistication of each look, suggests a deliberate artistic strategy. Rather than moving from concept to concept randomly, Larsson and Sinot appear to be building a cohesive body of work that celebrates the natural world while showcasing the transformative power of makeup and hair.
Fan Response and Cultural Impact
The festival performance sparked immediate, enthusiastic responses from fans and beauty enthusiasts. One Instagram commenter declared, “They’re gonna put yall in the Smithsonian of best duo,” capturing the sentiment that this creative partnership has transcended typical celebrity-makeup artist collaborations. The comment suggests that Larsson and Sinot’s work together has achieved a level of artistry and cultural significance worthy of museum documentation.
Other commenters took the admiration further, suggesting that a coffee table book documenting Larsson and Sinot’s makeup collaborations would be an invaluable addition to beauty literature. This kind of fan enthusiasm—the desire to preserve and celebrate a creative partnership through published documentation—indicates that their work resonates beyond a single performance or viral moment.
The Significance of Performing at Home
Larsson’s choice to honor the northern lights at Way Out West in Gothenburg held particular meaning. Performing in her home country, she drew directly on Scandinavian natural heritage, creating a look that acknowledged where she comes from while celebrating her artistic evolution. The northern lights are distinctly tied to Nordic identity, making this design a cultural touchstone as well as a technical achievement in makeup artistry. For the festival audience, seeing Larsson embody her heritage through makeup and hair design created a deeper connection between the artist and her home audience. It wasn’t just a beautiful stage look; it was a statement about belonging and cultural pride expressed through the language of beauty.
What’s Next for the Duo
Larsson herself recognized the significance of the look, commenting that it ranks in her personal “top 5” of all time makeup moments she’s created with Sinot. This acknowledgment is notable given the volume and creativity of their collaborations throughout the year. The question now is whether they can continue pushing their creative boundaries even further. Based on the trajectory of their work in 2026, the answer appears to be yes. The progression from animal themes to underwater concepts to the aurora borealis suggests a creative partnership that continues to expand its imaginative scope. Whatever comes next for Larsson and Sinot, the foundation they’ve built this year demonstrates that their collaboration is one of the most exciting and visually inventive in contemporary celebrity makeup artistry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What colors did Sophia Sinot use for Zara Larsson's northern lights eye makeup?
Sinot used seafoam green as a base across the lid and brow, cobalt blue in the crease for definition, and a pop of violet for depth and complexity.
How did Adam Lukacs complement the makeup look with his hair design?
Lukacs incorporated sky blue streaks into Larsson's blonde curls to create a cloudlike effect that extended the northern lights narrative from the face to the hair.
Where did Zara Larsson perform this northern lights-inspired look?
Larsson performed the look at Way Out West music festival in Gothenburg, Sweden, her home country.
