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If you’ve been loving the natural, glowy, clean makeup look, then the clean girl makeup aesthetic is for you. This trend focuses on natural, minimal makeup, and many fans also lean toward ‘clean’ makeup brands. But what makes makeup ‘clean’? There’s no official or regulated definition, but brands that use the label usually leave out ingredients such as parabens, phthalates and synthetic fragrance. Get that glowy skin and radiant skin with our best clean girl makeup tips!
Key Takeaways
- Clean girl makeup is about hydrated, glowy skin and minimal, natural-looking makeup.
- Start with skin prep, then a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher; the SPF in a skin tint alone usually isn’t enough.
- A skin tint, spot concealer, fluffy brows and cream blush and bronzer finish the look.
- “Clean” beauty has no official definition, so read ingredient lists rather than relying on the label.
Clean Girl Makeup
Skin Prep
To start, skin prep is the most important step for a smooth, hydrated base. The best way to do this is by using a moisturizing serum. One of our favorites is the Vino source-Hydra SOS Intense Hydration Hyaluronic Acid Serum from Caudalie. It’s designed for all skin types and targets dryness, redness, and uneven texture.
Another great one is the Triple Peptide + Cactus Hydrating + Firming Oasis Serum from Youth to the People. It’s formulated to target the look of fine lines and loss of elasticity. Follow up with a gel moisturizer such as the Glow Recipe Plum Plump Moisturizer to lock in the serum and provide extra moisture to the skin. Gel moisturizers are great because they absorb fast and don’t make your skin oily.
SPF
Sunscreen is one of the most important parts of your routine. It protects your skin from UV rays, which can cause aging and even skin cancer. Our go-to SPF is the Glow Screen from Supergoop. It has broad-spectrum SPF 40 and doubles as a glowy primer. It gives a dewy and glowing finish, perfect for achieving the clean girl aesthetic.
Skin Tint
Skin tint is the best way to get a flawless look with minimal makeup. Skin tints help even out skin tone without feeling too cakey on the skin, so you can achieve that “No-Makeup Makeup look”. The Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturizer from Saie is super hydrating with hyaluronic acid, pansy flower, and licorice root extract. It also has SPF 35 for extra sun protection. Another tinted moisturizer that we love is the Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer from Nars. This formula is lightweight, hydrating, and also contains vitamin C for brightening. While both of these skin tints have SPF, most of us don’t apply enough tint to get the full SPF on the label, so apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher first, and reapply about every two hours when you’re outdoors.
Concealer
We all love concealers to help cover up our dark circles, but this concealer takes it one step further. With ingredients such as caffeine and pink algae extract, the Revealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer from Kosas is designed to double as a daytime eye treatment that targets the look of dark circles, puffiness, and dullness. It also contains hyaluronic acid and peptides to give your skin a hydrated and plump look. We also love the Radiant Creamy Concealer from NARS. It works perfectly with their tinted moisturizer and has a long-wearing formula for great coverage all day long.
Fluffy Brows
Fluffy brows or feathered brows are the way to go for the clean girl aesthetic. A clear brow shaper gel is the best way to achieve this, our go-to is the 24-HR Brow Setter from Benefit. This brow gel has a lamination effect that helps shape and tame your brows. If you want to add a bit of color to your brows, the Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel is a great option. This long-lasting formula gives your brows a fuller and thicker look.
Cream Blush and Contour
We can’t have a clean girl aesthetic without a sun-kissed, blushy face with the help of a creamy blush. Cream contour and blush are the perfect way to add a flush of color while keeping a radiant finish. The Soft Pop Blush Stick from Makeup by Mario is a cream stick blush that leaves a radiant color on the skin. Our favorite part of this product is that it is dual-ended, with a brush on the other end to help blend out the color. For a sun-kissed glow, we love the Sun Melt from Saie. This creamy, lightweight bronzer blends beautifully into the skin leaving a velvety finish.
Conclusion
Finish off your clean girl look with a moisturizing lip gloss for glossy, juicy lips and some setting spray to have your dewy skin lasting all day long. Of course, no clean girl aesthetic look is complete without minimalist gold jewelry like the chunky pair of gold hoops and a slicked-back hair look with a trendy clean girl aesthetic claw clip. Enjoy this beauty and makeup trend!
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What is clean girl makeup?
Clean girl makeup is a minimal, glowy look: well-prepped skin, a sheer skin tint, concealer only where needed, fluffy brushed-up brows, cream blush and bronzer, and glossy lips.
Who started the clean girl makeup?
No single person started it. The “clean girl” look took off on TikTok around 2022 as a polished update on the no-makeup makeup trend.
What is the clean girl trend?
The clean girl trend is a polished but effortless style built around minimal, dewy makeup, slicked-back hair and simple gold jewelry. TikTok is closely linked to its popularity.
Sources
- American Academy of Dermatology – How to select a sunscreen
- American Academy of Dermatology – 5 common sunscreen mistakes and how to avoid them
Kourtney Anderson is a freelance writer for Successible Life and one of its most prolific contributors, covering makeup looks and techniques, skincare routines and ingredients, hair care and beauty shopping guides.
