“No makeup” makeup is one of the most popular makeup looks, and it has been for the past several years. The purpose of this look is to enhance your features, not hide them. It’s for you to look as natural as possible while still wearing makeup. With the pressure to succumb to glamorous beauty standards, the “no makeup” makeup look appealed to many women. Although something called “no makeup” makeup sounds like it should be simple, many find that it takes the same amount of time. (It can also be just as expensive.) Brands like Glossier and Milk, which are known for natural products, tend to be on the pricier side. Keep reading to find out what to know about the “no makeup” makeup, and what you actually need to achieve the look.
THE RISE IN POPULARITY OF THE “NO MAKEUP” LOOK
The “no makeup” makeup look is popular amongst celebrities like Alicia Keys, Hailey Bieber and Gwenyth Paltrow. One search on YouTube shows that tutorials for this look constantly rack up tons of views, especially with top YouTube beauty guru’s, like Desi Perkins and Carli Bybel, making videos of their own. This makeup look can be found on major fashion runways, including Chanel’s latest couture show.
Celebrity makeup artist Mai Quynh says, “Glam and heavy makeup for daytime became such a trend.” The departure from the usual carved and contoured makeup is what attracted many to this refreshing look.
CRITICISMS OF THE “NO MAKEUP” LOOK
The “no makeup” makeup look is not going anywhere. It is only growing in popularity as it is frequently viral on TikTok, and with warmer weather approaching, a lighter makeup look like this will only getting more popular. Despite its popularity, there are some misconceptions and criticisms that come with this look. Just because this look sells itself as being as natural as can be, doesn’t mean the its easy to achieve. The key to this look is blending, and making everything look as seamless as possible. Achieving this look can be more difficult than a full coverage look because, “embracing and enhancing instead of hiding and distracting may require even more effort than you’re used to…”
This look also has many people wondering how achievable it really is. Is this a look for all, or an excuse for brands to sell products with low payoff? Because this look is low coverage, a lot of people do not find this look to be universal, since not everyone is comfortable with the base they have to work with. Another criticism is the makeup’s price point. You do not need to splurge to achieve this look, but the most popular brands associated with trend do not come from the drugstore. This leaves beauty lovers wondering if the payoff is worth the price.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO GET THE “NO MAKEUP” LOOK
If you’re interested in trying this minimalist makeup look, these are the products you need:
Hydrating Primer- With this look, the skin comes first. You’re going to want to prime your skin before you get into your makeup routine. A hydrating primer is a great choice because hydration is key to leaving your skin looking a radiate. A great choice is E.L F’s Hydrating Face Primer, designed to leave you face moisturized and your skin bright while ensuring your makeup stays in place.
BASE
What you choose as your base is completely up to you. Celebrity makeup artist Mary Phillips recommends, “[Using] a foundation with buildable coverage so you can apply to areas that need more coverage without overdoing the whole face.” You can ditch the foundation and go bare, or choose a BB cream or skin tint for some more coverage. If you’re looking for a light option, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Natural Skin Perfector is a great choice. This tinted moisturizer contains SPF 50 and comes in 20 different shades. Laura Mercier claims this product will blur imperfections with a hint of coverage. You can also mix this into your usual foundation to make it more lightweight.
LIGHT CONCEALER
Just because this look is natural doesn’t mean we can’t conceal some areas. Feel free to conceal any blemishes or spots if you need it, but remember to use a light coverage concealer that will easily melt into your skin. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer is a beauty world classic, and its easily blendable formula makes it a good choice for “no makeup” makeup concealing.
BLUSH
A pop of color goes a long way in a “no makeup” makeup look. This is where blush comes in. Glossier Cloud Paint is a “no makeup” makeup staple. This gel cream is user friendly and easily buildable with a lightweight texture. This product is also known for being very pigmented, therefor a little goes a long way. While the cloud paint is typically used for the cheeks, many use this product as a lip tint as well.
HIGHLIGHT
Highlighter pulls the natural look together, and tops it off with a much needed glow. While some highlighters pack a glittery punch, pick something subtler like RMS Beauty Living Luminizer. This highlighter is ultra-sheer and claims to give a lit-from-within, natural grow. RMS’ luminizer also does not dry out due to its coconut oil base. Tap it onto the high points of your face with your fingers for seamless blend.
BROWS
For this look, the eyes remain simple. Apply your mascara as usual, but this time don’t pick up that brow pencil. Instead of perfectly carved out brows, this look is perfect for a simple brushed brow look. While filling brows can take a very long time, this step can get done in just a couple swipes. One of the best brow pomades on the market is the Glossier Boy Brow. Boy Brows shapes and grooms your brows, while securing them in place. Like other brow gels, Glossier’s will not crust or flake. Running a gel through your brows can make you look put together, without having to fully fill them in.
SUBTLE LIP
Finish your look with something subtle on the lip. Lip oil, stains and glosses are great options for this natural face. NYX Cosmetics #THISISEVERYTHING Lip Oil contains hydrating almond, rosehip and jojoba oil to moisturize your lips. NYX offers five sheer lip oils with different tints of color.
