Makeup can make you look and feel beautiful, but it’s all about finding the right balance. Too much makeup can look cakey, whereas too little can make you feel like your makeup is not giving what it’s supposed to give. So how do you get a smooth makeup look? The new TikTok “clean makeup look” trend might just be the solution. What is the clean makeup look you ask? It is a natural, no-makeup makeup look that consists of minimum makeup products and slicked-back, sleek hairstyles.
I’ve been a fan of this makeup style for years– before the “clean makeup look” was even trending on TikTok. I think this natural makeup look can be the perfect way to make a statement while still keeping things simple. It’s built on having glowing skin with simple makeup, frizz-free, clean hair, and a classy outfit. This makes it simple enough for beginners and to be a go-to for your quick everyday makeup routine. But finding the right products and techniques to achieve that glowing complexion in a saturated market can be challenging. With these 6 steps and high quality products you’ll have the cleanest and healthiest looking skin with minimal effort.
Prepare Your Skin for Makeup With Natural Ingredients
Since this look requires very little makeup, skin prepping is one of the most important steps. Nurturing and hydrating your skin with products free of harsh chemicals or synthetic ingredients like parabens and fragrances are the way to go. Go for products made with natural ingredients like aloe vera extract and jojoba oil which will nourish your skin without clogging its pores.
I’m all about wearing a clean makeup look while using clean makeup ’cause I want my skin looking its best– and you should too! Foundations and concealers are great for covering up imperfections, but why not go with something nurturing and healing to the skin in the long run? After all, why use makeup to conceal or cover imperfections if you know good and well that it could clog pores and damage your beautiful skin? Nope, absolutely not! We want our makeup to do more than look good or cover blemishes – it should heal and nourish our skin. I always go for products that help my skin see the best days.
We can wear as much makeup as we want, but if we’re going to commit to achieving a natural glow, why don’t we pick something that can improve our skin texture over time. Slowly but surely, you’ll find you need less makeup because your skin is healthier without it. That’s what I call #CleanMakeupGoals!
Steps for achieving the clean look
Step One: Cleanse
The key to achieving that glowing, natural makeup look is starting with a clean canvas- which means taking care of your skin first. To get started, begin by cleansing your face with a cleanser to remove any dirt or oil buildup on the surface and ensure that your makeup goes on smoothly.
The cleanser I’ve been using over the past few months is Inky List’s 5% Benzoyl Peroxide Cleanser, and I am in love. This failsafe cleanser has saved my skin from acne and blemishes day after day. I use it every morning and evening before bed as part of my daily beauty routine. Not only does it make my skin feel incredibly smooth and look radiant without drying it out, it also prevents future breakouts. It is by far the best cleanser that I have tried – that’s why it’s my go-to cleansing product.
Related: the truth about the inkey list supersolutions 5%: Ingredients and how to use it
Step Two: Apply Eye Cream
Using eye cream in your clean makeup routine is essential. We all want bright and awake eyes, right? I’ve been loving Sunday Riley’s Auto Correct Brightening and Depuffing Eye Contour Cream. It is fast-acting and makes your eyes look instantly more refreshed. It is best to use before you apply your makeup! The cream is made of caffeine and ginseng root – a combo to fight off those fine lines, dark circles, puffiness, and crow’s feet. It also features Acmella Oleracea Extract and Black Cumin Seed Oil which instantly smooths the look of expression lines around the eye area and helps purify the skin.
Sunday Riley’s Eyecream gives an overall clean look by helping you achieve brighter, bigger eyes! I added it to my winter skincare routine and am obsessed with it. Add this one-two punch of hydration and nourishment into your clean makeup skincare-prep or daily routine today!
Step Three: Moisturize
Now that you’ve done the basic steps of your skincare routine, let’s finish off by adding a light moisturizer. An essential step to clean makeup is applying moisturizer. Regardless of whether you go out in the sun or do indoor activities, adding a moisturizer keeps your skin hydrated and glowing.
My moisturizer recommendation is Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Daily Moisturizer. Not only does this oil- free moisturizer hydrate my skin all day long and prevent any dryness or tightness, but it also reduces visible signs of aging like fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots. It contains glycolic acid, lactic acid, and malic acid to keep the skin dewy and refreshed. Again, my love, it’s all about the ingredients! These ingredients gently exfoliate surface skin cells while also supporting cell renewal and hydrating the skin’s moisture barrier.
The Alpha Beta® Daily Moisturizer is one of the best products to use so your clean makeup look won’t start creasing or cracking on you. Keeping your skin healthy and moisturized is key to achieving clean makeup goals; in the end, trust me, you don’t want to miss a step here!
Step Four: Primer
The key to any great makeup look is making sure your base is well-prepared before you start. Apply a thin layer of primer evenly over the face, focusing on areas where large pores or texture is most visible. This will create an even , healthy-looking complexion for your foundation and other products to sit on top of.
Primer with SPF
Using a moisturizing oil-free primer like Supergoop! Glowscreen Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++ with Hyaluronic Acid + Niacinamide Golden Hour, will ensure your foundation stays in place all day long. This primer is hydrating, locks in moisture, prevents dullness and dryness, and wards off fine lines or wrinkles when applied to the skin.
Its lotion consistency is infused with key ingredients such as Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin B5 to help boost moisture in the skin. Along with sea lavender and cocoa peptides, it is a high-performing SPF that works to protect from blue-light damage. Cruelty-free, gluten-free, with a beautiful pearlescent finish that is perfect for bringing out the radiance in both darker and fair skin complexions! It is glorious!
Primer without SPF
If you’re looking for a clean makeup primer to nourish your skin without SPF, MILK MAKEUP Hydro Grip Hydrating Makeup Primer is the best choice. It has an award-winning gel formula with 94% natural ingredients to provide a smooth finish and grip your makeup for up to 12 hours while locking in hydration.
The gel primer is also vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free, providing a fresh, dewy glow. It is made of ingredients like blue agave extract to form an invisible layer, hyaluronic acid and hemp-derived cannabis seed extract for hydration, niacinamide (vitamin B3), and aloe water. With its clear finish that works for all skin tones, you can enjoy clean and silky smooth makeup locked in place all day!
Step 5: Foundation; Go light on the base
Choosing the right foundation can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! When going for a clean makeup look, choose a light coverage foundation that gives you a natural-looking finish. Heavy foundations with full coverage, can appear cakey and unnatural if not applied correctly. With light coverage foundations, less is more, so try using it with your fingers or a damp beauty sponge for a flawless and buildable finish.
Chantecaille Future Skin Gel Foundation is, for sure, my go-to foundation for clean girl makeup and one of the best clean foundations I’ve tried. It incorporates 60% water and a combination of natural botanicals like aloe and arnica to give you that added nutrition your skin needs while you wear your makeup. Not to mention its reflective circular pigments even out uneven complexions, making it much easier to cover flaws! Further, its oil-free gel texture provides adjustable coverage, giving you the right coverage amount at all times. I’m telling you right now, Chantecaille Future Skin Gel Foundation is basically perfection! It’s the only way to go if you’re looking for that natural and flawless skin.
Step 6: Conceal if needed
If extra coverage is needed for blemishes or dark circles, Chantecaille Real Skin+ Eye & Face Stick is the must-have concealer stick. This lightweight and creamy formula feels feathery on your skin while providing the perfect shade-matching ability. It’s easy to apply, even on-the-go. It offers outstanding control for targeted concealing of dark circles under the eyes or all over your face as a complexion corrector.
The best part is that it’s infused with hydrating raspberry stem cell extract and hibiscus extract, which helps reduce signs of aging. Don’t forget that this clean makeup concealer is a great alternative to other concealers since it’s paraben-free, phthalate-free, fragrance-free, and cruelty-free!
Step 7: Eyes, Cheeks + Lip makeup
When it comes to eyeshadow, blush, and lip color, stick with natural shades that complement your complexion. Opt for warm pinks or peaches for blush, soft browns or grays for eyeshadow, and sheer berries or nudes for lips. These shades never go out of style and help create the perfect balance between subtlety and definition when trying to achieve a natural, no-makeup look. Using highlighters with pink undertones will give your face instant shine and life without looking too obvious or dramatic.
Use lip balms or glosses on your lips as they provide just enough color while also hydrating them throughout your day! Westman Atelier Squeaky Clean Liquid Lip Hydrating Lip Balm is one of my favorite clean makeup options, as it provides rich, long-lasting moisture while looking amazing on any skin tone.
I’m very particular about what products I use. My favorite clean mascara is MERIT Clean Lash Lengthening Tubing Mascara, which nourishes and conditions each lash without using harsh chemicals or toxins.
For blush, I swear by Cheek Gelée Happy Hydrating Gel-Cream Blush by Chantecaille for a natural flush that still looks vibrant.
Extra makeup Tips
Clean makeup is one of the hottest trends found on TikTok. So if we’re going to look clean, let’s keep it all the way clean by incorporating clean beauty products that are natural and cruelty- free. While there may be plenty of clean beauty products to choose from, these brands stand out among all others – Chantecaille, Ilia, Merit, Kosas, Westman Atelier, Rose Inc, Milk Cosmetics, Jones Road Beauty, and Lawless. They offer clean makeup options so you can feel good about looking fabulous; only the finest quality ingredients make it into your makeup bag!
Finally, if you’re looking to switch up your beauty routine, Sephora has your back. The clean at Sephora section on their website boasts an impressive range of clean makeup, clean skincare, and clean haircare products that adhere to clean beauty standards — so you can be sure that the items are made without dangerous or potentially irritating ingredients. Whether you’re looking for a new foundation, lipstick, or eyeshadow palette to try, the clean at Sephora section offers plenty of potential choices. So take some time to explore and find something that’s perfect for you!
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