For years, YouTube influencers have taken to the social media platform to show us how to achieve some gorgeous makeup looks! However, these usually involve layers and layers of makeup like heavy undereye concealer, cut creases, and contour. While we still absolutely love these stunning looks, recent trends are all about embracing your natural beauty. The “no makeup” makeup look is just what we’ve all been waiting for. A way to use makeup to hide some of your imperfections while still looking like “I woke up like this.” However, achieving this look is easier said than done. That’s why we found the top 11 easiest hacks to help you achieve the perfect “no makeup” makeup look so you can walk out the door looking like you were born with it.
11 Easy Hacks to Achieve the Perfect “No Makeup” Makeup Look
1. Don’t Skimp On Skincare
Skincare is of utmost importance for any makeup routine, and this look is no exception! Starting your makeup on a freshly cleaned and moisturized face is going to be one of the biggest keys to pulling off the “no makeup” makeup look. Start by cleansing your skin with a high-quality cleanser. We highly recommend this one because it contains vitamins and minerals that help purify your skin while maintaining its PH balance. We also recommend exfoliating your skin 2-3 times a week to remove dead skin cells contributing to splotchy and oily skin. After this step, use a towel to pat your skin dry. Be sure not to rub your face, ever! Rubbing your face with a towel causes a lot of friction and could cause your skin to lose precious collagen and even cause wrinkles. Once your face is dry, apply a light moisturizer and let it soak into your skin for 3-5 minutes.
2. Use A Skin Hydrating Primer
A big part of nailing the “no makeup” makeup look is to have a dewy complexion, so you will want to skip the mattifying primers and go for a hydrating primer instead. Using a hydrating primer will plump up your skin, which is going to help give you a youthful appearance. We love this hydrating primer because it is loaded down with ingredients that are good for your skin, like coconut water and probiotic-based ingredients that brighten and smooth your skin! Apply a dime-sized amount to your skin and let it soak in for 5 minutes before applying anything else.
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3. Use a Brush or Blender
The next hack on our list is going to change your makeup game, no matter your routine! You may have seen this many times before, but if you haven’t tried it yet, you will basically have to achieve this look. You must NEVER rub any makeup on your face with your hands. Not only does it not look natural, but you also introduce bacteria to your face that can wreak havoc and lead to oily skin and breakouts. Instead, you will want to use a quality brush or a damp beauty blender to apply your makeup. Using these instead creates a more natural finish and is so much better for your face! Just make sure you use a brush cleaner to clean them regularly. Make sure to go light on the products, too! The whole point of this look is to look fresh and clean, so start minimally and build only as absolutely necessary.
4. Skip the Contour
I know, I know! This sounds terrifying! However, it is best to shy away from heavy methods such as contouring, even if you’re a pro! You can use a bit of concealer in areas such as the corners of your eyes, the sides of your nose, and the corners of your mouth to give your face a more natural-looking lift. We love this concealer because it isn’t a heavy formula and is super blendable while being long-lasting. You can also add a bit of shimmery bronzer to your cheekbones for a bit of color and to give you a more natural-looking glow.
5. Use an Illuminator
Remember, the key to the “no makeup” makeup look is to go for a radiant appearance. This is where an illuminator comes in. It provides a youthful, radiant glow and a bit of color to really complement your complexion. We highly recommend this illuminator to give you the perfect amount of illumination! Even celebs like Khloe K are raving about it. If you find it gives you too much illumination or if your skin has a lot of texture, you can mix it in with your primer or moisturizer to settle it down a bit.
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6. Go For a BB or CC cream
We recommend ditching your foundation for this look and keeping things on the lighter side with a BB or CC cream. These creams are meant to provide light coverage and even out your skin tone without looking like you are wearing makeup! Which one you need will depend on how much coverage you need. A BB cream is great for simply evening out your complexion and providing a bit of color, while CC cream offers a bit more coverage. If you don’t have many skin blemishes, then we recommend this BB cream! If you need a little more coverage, this CC cream is the way to go! They are both highly rated and work with different skin types.
7. Don’t Use Powder
If you want to look like you aren’t wearing any makeup, you will need to go sans powder! Powders mattify the skin, and they are prone to looking cakey, which is the opposite of what you are going for with this look. Remember, we’re dewy and glowy, not matte and cakey. Instead of your usual powder, opt for a setting spray. There are many different setting sprays that do excellent, but for this “no makeup” makeup look, we recommend this one! It leaves you with a dewy finish and keeps your makeup in place for up to 12 hours!
8. Use a Lip and Cheek Tint
If you have never used a lip and cheek tint before, you may have just found your next fave beauty product! We love these tints because they look so natural and are two-purpose! Win-Win! They only leave a tint, so there’s no residue on our lips or your cheeks. Just pick a color that matches your skin tone so it doesn’t look like you are wearing anything. Think light peaches and pinks. We highly recommend this lip and cheek tint for this look! Here is a quick video tutorial showing you how to use this amazing product!
9. Avoid Cakey Mascara
We recommend getting a lash tint and lift instead of using mascara. This will lift your eyelashes and add color, so you can literally have fab lashes right when you roll out of bed. However, if that’s out of the question, we recommend this mascara because the formula is lightweight, and it has collagen to help condition your lashes. First, curl your lashes with an eyelash curler to give them a lifted look. If your eyelashes don’t curl easily, you can warm it up with a blow dryer first. Just make sure you let it cool down first, so you don’t burn the sensitive skin on your eyelids. You should also aim to have a light hand when you are applying mascara. To do this, hold the mascara wand at the base and lightly brush your lashes upward, slightly away from your lash base, instead of trying to grab all of your lashes in the brush at the base. This will allow you to achieve a wispy, fanned look instead of a chunky mess.
10. Keep Your Eyeshadow Light
When it comes to your eye makeup, you want to keep it as low-key as possible! This means absolutely no winged liner! Actually, you won’t want to use any liner at all. Go for a shimmery eyeshadow stick, or use a brush to sweep your lid with a shimmery bronzer gently! Or, you can use a cheek and lip tint on your eyelids as well to match everything else. If you absolutely must use eyeshadow, go for taupes on your eyelids and a medium brown on the outer corners of your eyes. We love this eyeshadow palette for natural eyeshadow looks!
11. Go For Natural Brows
While voluptuous brows are all the rage, and if you are lacking in the brow department, you may be tempted to fill them to the max! However, going too overboard with your eyebrows will draw attention away from your natural features and won’t blend in with the rest of your natural-looking makeup appearance. To really finish off this “no makeup” makeup look, all you need to do is brush up your brows into a natural-looking position. Use a little bit of clear brow gel to add some definition and set them into place. If you have a lot of sparsity, you can fill them in gently using a brow powder as close to the shade of your natural brow as you can get. Make sure you go light, just enough to fill in gaps. When you’ve finished filling them, go back through and blend out the powder with a spoolie, then brush your brows back up.
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