Get the perfect natural makeup look (also known as the no makeup-makeup look) is all about finding the balance between glowing I-woke-up-like this skin and a perfectly bushy brow. Contrary to its name, the no-makeup makeup look actually requires a decent amount of makeup and steps but there are certain steps you can live without. Below, we’ve rounded up the key steps to nailing the natural makeup look — feel free to tweak the look to make it work for you.
STEP 1: Prep
Apply a thin layer of moisturizer to prep your skin for makeup. Making sure your skin is hydrated and plump before makeup application is key to making your makeup look like real, natural skin.
STEP 2: Base
Apply a light to medium coverage foundation or BB cream like IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+, stippling it on with a blending sponge or flat brush. This makeup hack for long-lasting foundation will help ensure that your face makeup stays intact from day into night. If you want a seamlessly blended finish, go over your face with a damp beauty sponge to ensure there are no streaks or lines. If you need it, pat concealer under eyes (we recommend Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer). Choose one that is one to two shades lighter than your natural foundation color to brighten up the under eye area and cover up any discoloration and dark circles. For a more luminous look, apply concealer to your forehead, the bridge of your nose and chin — then blend.
STEP 3: Cheeks
Sweep blush onto the apples of your cheeks to give your face some extra color. Continue to blend this out so that the color is not too concentrated in one area. For a natural finish, you’ll want the blush to look soft and diffused like the Shu Uemura Fresh Cushion Blush. Warm up your skin tone with a bronzer of your choice (we like Urban Decay Naked Flushed). Apply this under your cheekbones and along your temples and jawline.
STEP 4: Eyebrows
Spoolie your brows, and fill them in with a brow product of your choice. Powders give a diffused, natural look while pencils are more precise. We recommend the NYX Professional Makeup Micro Brow Pencil for most brows — it makes creating hair-like strokes a breeze.
STEP 5: Eyes
Apply a warm eyeshadow shade to your crease, then swipe a neutral shade across the lower lid. Blend, blend, blend! For this step we recommend a palette with lots of matte brown shades so you can experiment with tones and colors that work for you like NYX Warm Neutrals Ultimate Shadow Palette — it’s perfect for beginners and a quality, affordable option. Apply a single coat of mascara to the top and bottom lashes, being sure to wiggle your wand vertically to get every single lash.
STEP 6: Lips
Finish the look with a pink or nude lip gloss that compliments your skin tone. For this step, give YSL Volupté Tint in Oil a try — it comes in eight pretty shades so you’re bound to find one you love.
