I was a bit surprised at first that despite all the elaborate eyeshadow and contouring trends out there, people were more interested in learning how to do a no-makeup makeup look.
But honestly, it just makes sense. Having that natural flawless glow without looking and feeling like you have a wheelbarrow load of makeup on your face is indeed a beautiful thing. Not to mention, you save bucks because you only need to apply a minimal amount of product, and we could all do with saving a bit more.
If you’d like to learn how to create a natural no-makeup makeup look, read on for my 10 tips and tricks, and watch the video tutorial at the end of this post to see the steps in action.
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STEP-BY-STEP NO MAKEUP MAKEUP TUTORIAL
1. Skin Care & Prep
Good skincare is key to achieving a flawless natural makeup look. I can’t stress enough the importance of a good cleanser and moisturizer as part of your daily routine. I have a combination of oily skin so the Olay Regenerist Detoxifying Pore Scrub Cleanser is an important part of my daily skincare routine. You may need to experiment with different cleansers before you find one that works for you.
A gel-cream moisturizer is usually suitable for all skin types because it delivers instant hydration in a lightweight formula. But as someone with a combination of oily/dry skin, I really appreciate a moisturizer that hydrates but doesn’t weigh down my skin or make it greasy throughout the day. Most drugstore skincare brands such as Neutrogena, Burt’s Bees, Simple, and Cetaphil carry this type of moisturizer. For the drugstore, I personally love the Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream.
For high-end, brands like Clinique, Drunk Elephant, and Kiehl’s have great gel-cream moisturizers.
2. Go easy on the foundation.
For natural-looking coverage that’s not cakey, apply only a light layer of foundation. The Maybelline Fit Me Foundations are affordable and provide beautiful sheer coverage when applied conservatively. Go with the Dewy+Smooth formula if your skin is on the dry side and Matte+Poreless if you have oily/combination skin.
You can also opt for a tinted moisturizer or BB/CC Cream instead of foundation since their formulas tend to be more lightweight. The L’Oreal True Match Lumi Glotion is a great drugstore choice for a tinted moisturizer. And remember, if your base makeup product does not contain sunscreen with at least SPF-30, make sure to apply a separate sunscreen beforehand.
For high-end BB Creams, the NARS Pure Radiant or Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizers are highly rated. These provide SPF-30 broad-spectrum sun protection so you’d be killing two birds with one stone.
3. Use concealer under your eyes.
For a more rested appearance, brighten the under-eye area using a liquid concealer. Choose a concealer that’s one or two shades lighter than your complexion. The Maybelline Fit Me Concealer is affordable and works beautifully.
4. Use setting powder to set your foundation and concealer.
A setting powder sets your foundation and concealer in place so it doesn’t start to break up or crack. It also shields your makeup from outside elements like heat and humidity. But like everything with natural makeup, you want to use it sparingly. Setting powder tends to make you look cakey if overdone.
I always recommend the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder because it’s lightweight and does an excellent job of setting makeup. Although a bit on the pricey side at $40 a pop, it’s definitely worth the splurge.
5. Use a warm-toned bronzer.
Using a warm-toned bronzer that is similar to your skin tone helps you achieve a natural sun-kissed look. My favorite bronzer is the Becca Cosmetics Sun Lit Bronzer in the shade, Bronzed Bondi.
For quality drugstore bronzers, I love the Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer and Milani Baked Bronzer in the shade Soleil.
6. Jazz up the eyes without overdoing it.
Brows
For a natural eye look, keep it simple by defining and darkening your brows. Darken with the L.A. Girl Shady Slim Brow Pencil and set them in place with Ardell Clear Brow Sculpting Gel.
Use bronzer as eyeshadow
Did you know bronzer can work as eyeshadow? Skip the eyeshadow palettes and instead blend some warm-toned bronzer into your crease and over your lid for a pop of color and dimension.
Clump-free mascara
Even for everyday makeup, there’s no denying the appeal of full feathery lashes. Make sure to use a mascara that doesn’t clump up and apply two layers at most to avoid the dreaded tarantula lashes. My favorite mascara at the drugstore is Covergirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara.
7. Use blush for a pop of color.
For a natural flush of color, choose a blush shade that’s fun, flirty, and not too bright for your skin tone. Corals and peaches are great for light to medium skin tones while burnt oranges look beautiful on darker skin tones. MAC Sheertone Blush in Gingerly (high-end) and Milani Baked Blush in Rose D’Oro (drugstore) are naturally toned blushes that look great on most skin tones.
8. Apply a highlighter for that sunlit glow.
Gold or rose gold highlighters can mimic the natural glow of sunlight on your face. But apply lightly as highlighter pigments can be very intense and too much shine can defeat the natural effect you’re going for. A good highlighter from the drugstore is the Maybelline Master Chrome Highlighter in Molten Gold.
9. Choose lip colors that are close to your natural skin tone.
Nudes, peaches, mauves and dusty rose lip colors are best for a natural look. L’Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick in Radical Rosewood looks beautiful on most skin tones. For a bit of shine and dimension, go over your lip color with a clear or nude lip gloss. Nyx Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee is a must-have lip gloss for me! For a natural makeup look, try to avoid lip glosses that are too shimmery as they can take away from the natural texture of your lips.
10. Set it and forget it!
Set your makeup with a setting spray to dissolve residual powder and give your makeup that natural skin-like finish. Go for Urban Decay All-Nighter Setting Spray or MAC Prep+Prime Fix+. May I suggest the coconut scent for the natural island beauty in you?😉