Many makeup trends, like fashion trends, are cyclical: What’s trendy now might not be in vogue in a few months’ time. Something that never goes out of style, though, is a low-maintenance, no-makeup makeup look—think glowing skin, pink cheeks, and a touch of mascara for your lashes. Aside from allowing your natural beauty to shine through, no-makeup makeup is a great option for those days when you want to keep it low-key and get out the door quickly. That said, knowing which products to use (and how to apply them properly) is paramount for nailing the effortless, fresh-faced vibe.
Here, we’re sharing a simple five-minute makeup routine, along with a look at the best NYX Professional Makeup products for a natural makeup look. We’ll also arm you with some of our top tips and best-kept secrets for ensuring your skin appears dewy and fresh all day long. So stash your glitter pigments for the time being, and read on to learn how to do a natural, no-makeup makeup look.
What Is No-Makeup Makeup?
No-makeup makeup is a term used to describe makeup that appears virtually imperceptible. Though the laid-back look does involve the use of some makeup products (such as skin tints and concealer), it’s all used very sparingly to help enhance your natural features rather than change them or cover them up. You won’t see any bold colors or graphic eye makeup with this trend—rather, the emphasis is on hydrated, healthy-looking skin, nude lips, and subtly flushed cheeks.
5-Minute Makeup Tutorial for a No-Makeup Makeup Look
The beauty of the no-makeup makeup look lies in its ease: a few products are all you need to help even out your complexion and give your skin a fresh, healthy-looking finish. Ahead, learn how to do a no-makeup look and discover our favorite no-makeup makeup products to use in your routine.
Step 1: Prep your skin
With no-makeup makeup, your skin is the star of the show, so you want it to look its best. After completing your usual skincare routine, apply a makeup primer to help create a smooth, even base for your makeup and ensure your products last. We recommend The Face Glue Gripping Primer—its hydrating, lightweight formula makes for the perfect first step in your no-makeup routine.
Step 2: Use a lightweight foundation
The next step in your natural makeup look: foundation. For a natural finish, we suggest reaching for a hydrating formula with buildable coverage, like our Buttermelt Glaze Soft Glow Skin Tint with SPF 30. The lightweight liquid formula provides a glowy (not greasy) finish and lasts for up to 12 hours. Plus, it’s formulated with broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen to help protect your skin from damaging UV rays.
Step 3: Apply concealer sparingly
If you have any imperfections you want to cover—think blemishes, dark spots, or under-eye circles—do so with a lightweight concealer. For an easy makeup application, we’re partial to Bare With Me Concealer Serum, which has a lightweight texture that’s super easy to apply. The serum concealer (which is infused with cica, green tea, and tremella mushroom) provides medium coverage with a natural finish for a healthy-looking glow. Put it on only where you need it and blend it well to complete your base for a your-skin-but-better look.
Step 4: Add blush and bronzer
Blush and bronzer are the keys to making your natural makeup look appear, well, natural. After all, real skin typically isn’t completely uniform in color. The former gives you a healthy-looking wash of color, while the latter helps warm up your complexion to mimic a sunkissed glow—both of which can take your no-makeup makeup to the next level. Start by lightly sweeping the Buttermelt Blush onto the apples of your cheeks, blending well for a soft, diffused finish. Then, dust the Buttermelt Bronzer along your hairline, temples, and cheekbones for a summery glow. Just be sure to apply your blush and bronzer sparingly—when it comes to no-makeup makeup looks, less is more.
Pro Tip: To emphasize your eyes when you’re doing a natural makeup look without eyeshadow, lightly dust your bronzer along the creases of your upper eyelids. It’ll provide a hint of depth without looking obvious or made-up.
Step 5: Enhance your natural glow
After blushing and bronzing your face to perfection, add highlighter to the high points of your face (cheekbones, cupid’s bow, and the bridge of your nose) to help emphasize your features. For a naturally luminous look, we recommend using a blendable powder highlighter, like the Buttermelt Highlighter. The buttery formula glides on smoothly and melts into the skin for a stunning, lit-from-within finish. Try Bright & Butta if you have fair skin, or reach for Butta Bling to accentuate deeper skin tones.
Step 6: Brush up your brows
Instead of filling in your brows (which may look over-done when paired with an otherwise minimal makeup look), we recommend brushing through them with a clear brow gel, like The Brow Glue. The transparent, glue-like formula dries down to a natural finish and offers up to 16 hours of extreme hold. Use the wand to brush your brow hairs up for fluffy and full brows, or swipe the wand in the direction of hair growth to set your natural brow shape.
Step 7: Swipe on mascara
Next, comb a bit of mascara through your lashes—it’ll help draw attention to your eyes without the need to break out the eyeliner. Both lengthening and volumizing mascaras work well with natural makeup looks, so decide what your lashes need most, and apply one to two coats to emphasize your upper and lower lashes. For an extra-subtle finish, try a brown mascara—the softer hue will define your lashes without overpowering them.
Step 8: Apply a subtle lip color
For the finishing touch for your no-makeup look, swipe a pinkish-nude lipstick or stain onto your lips. The goal here isn't to add noticeable color, but rather, to enhance your natural lip color and tie your look together. For a long-lasting finish, try the Lip I.V. Hydrating Lip Gloss Stain. It’s formulated with magnesium, vitamin B12, and coconut water and delivers a soft wash of color that starts glossy and sets to a soft, stained finish. As far as shades go, we recommend steering clear of anything too vivid or bright. A soft pink like Drippin’ In Rose is a great pick for those with fairer skin tones, while richer brown hues flatter deep complexions well. For the latter, try Mocha Me Wet.
Step 9: Set your look
Last but not least, mist your face with setting spray to help lock your look into place. The Face Glue Setting Spray is an excellent pick for long-lasting wear, as it helps extend makeup wear for up to 24 hours without fading or transferring. If you prefer a glowier finish, try the Plump Finish Setting Spray, which helps extend makeup wear while giving your skin a hydrated, healthy look. And for those who want to keep shine at bay, we recommend our classic Matte Setting Spray, which offers up to 16 hours of hold and oil control for a smooth, shine-free finish.
Next: How To Get “Glazed Donut Skin” With Makeup
We want to see how your no-makeup look turns out! Snap a pic of your beat and tag us at @nyxcosmetics.
Shop Products for No-Makeup Makeup
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Buttermelt Bronzer
High pigment, true-to-skin buttery powder bronzer. Fade & transfer resistant with up to 12HR wear.
Buttermelt Blush
High pigment buttery soft powder blush. Fade & transfer resistant with up to 12HR wear.
THE BROW GLUE INSTANT BROW STYLER
Long-hold eyebrow glue
BUTTERMELT GLAZE SOFT GLOW SKIN TINT SPF 30
A skin tint with a soft glow glazed finish in ten flexible shades
Lip I.V. Hydrating Lip Gloss Stain
Hydrating gloss stain in sixteen shades
Plump Finish Setting Spray
Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray With Electrolytes
THE FACE GLUE SETTING SPRAY
Up to 24h makeup lock and shield, waterproof setting spray
BUTTERMELT HIGHLIGHTER
Butter smooth glowy highlighter in eight shades.
THE FACE GLUE GRIPPING PRIMER
Up to 24h hydrating and gripping makeup prepping glue
