Have you heard of the no makeup makeup movement? If not, let me describe it to you pretty simply — the goal is to appear as if you are not wearing any makeup at all. While it might be presented as something new, it really is not; my grandmother is incredibly glam, but she never wears a lot of makeup. Whether you have heard of this new era in makeup (or not), I am an expert at the no makeup makeup look and below I will happily share how you can pull it off and cut your morning beauty routine in half!
1. Skip the Foundation
I know for many reason this might sound scary, but skipping the foundation is essential to pulling off this look. Hence, why it will be so important to up your skincare routine game. Taking care of your skin by investing in the right products, taking a multivitamin every day, and watching your diet will help give you the extra boost of confidence to go without the foundation.
Now, I realize that there are many women who suffer from acne, scarring or other skin issues. As I’ve noted in prior clean skincare blog posts, there are many natural products that you can try that will reduce (and sometimes eliminate) acne or fade scarring. A lot of the products that you might be using to cover up any acne, scars, or skin issues contain not-so-great ingredients that could actually be making the issue worse! Eek! So, I really encourage you to give your skin a breather and avoid the foundation or (at the minimum) invest in a natural foundation from one of the natural brands mentioned in one of my prior blog posts. And, if there are trouble spots that you simply do not feel comfortable with others seeing, then use a dab or two of concealer – just try to avoid the foundation, if possible.
If the thought of completely skipping foundation gives you chills, I recommend using a tinted moisturizer after you’ve applied your sunscreen. It offers the right amount of coverage. I use Tata Harper’s Illuminating Moisturizer. I have also used Beautaniq Beauty’s Glow Serum in Morning Dew. You might also consider using Cover FX’s custom enhancer drops just by mixing it into your moisturizer to give you a lit from within glow.
2. Minimal Application of Blush and/or Highlighter
For your next step, add a swipe of blush or highlighter that closely compliments your skin tone and the natural rosiness in your cheeks. A light hand with blush and highlighter is always recommended (unless you are in a Broadway show), although you will want to blend it well. Some of you might think that there is not any rosiness in your cheeks, however, when using this term, I am referring to the undertones of your skin. For example, I have red undertones that tend to only come out when it’s swelteringly hot and I’m ready to faint. As such, pink blushes really compliment my skin and highlight those red undertones. I use Antonym’s Certified Organic Blush Powder in Rose
3. Say Yes to Mascara
Mascara really polishes off your face and draws attention to your eyes. It really is an essential step in perfecting the no makeup look. You will want to choose a product that highlights your natural lashes without looking completely dramatic. I prefer W3ll People’s mascara to give my lashes that extra oompf!
4. Skin-Tone Matching Eye Shadow
Next you will want to find a great skin tone complimenting eye shadow to brush over those lids. Since the whole point is too wear minimal makeup, you do not need a really dramatic eye. The goal is to just keep it relatively simple and find something that gives you a nice glow. To do this, I recommend choosing a shade that is about 1.5 times off from your skin tone. For example, I opt for a product that has a tiny amount of gold shimmer in order to highlight my golden brown skin tone. The eyeshadow I use is by Han’s Cosmetics and the color is Golden Glow.
One last point to note, don’t hesitate to skip the eye shadow all together. If you really want to keep the products to a minimum, leave the mascara to do its job and save the eye shadow for another day!
5. Finish with a Fun Lip
To finish your look, opt for a rich lip color. According to the fabulous Coco Chanel, you have to choose between a bold lip and a bold eye – because both at the same time is just too much for your face. So, since you kept the eye neutral (or bare), you will want to go with a bold lip. When choosing a bold color, pick a color that will really highlight the undertones in your skin – such as a rich red or pink.
Another way you can finish off the lip is by choosing a color that is close to your natural lip color; think one or two shades off from your current lip color. Whether you choose a bold lip or a more natural one is a matter of preference and mood.
I love lipsticks, lip glosses, lip stains and everything in between so I have quite the collection to choose from when it comes to playing up my lip. However, at the moment, I’ve been rocking the following shades on repeat: 1944 Paris’ rouge in Brigette, Clove and Harlow’s lip creme in Blooming, and Kosas’ lipstick in Rosewater.
Other Posts You May Enjoy…
- Don’t forget to take a look at this post on natural makeup, which showcases some of my favorite clean, non-toxic makeup brands.