Creating clean beauty is a standalone style of makeup artistry.
Clean beauty and the “no-makeup, makeup” look go hand-in-hand to showcase a fresh, skin-focused face. The look is soft, complimentary and suitable for all age ranges and skin types.
Here are the key points of the clean beauty look:
Supple skin
Skin is the foundation of your look. Skin that is clean and moisturized with a soft matte finish is my preferred method of preparation for skin that is dry to oily. From there, one can assess additional products or finishing agents to prevent dryness or shine.
Defined, natural-looking brows
Brows are the frame for your eyes. Defining brows in an appropriate brow color adds life and contrast to your face.
Lightly lined eyes
Gently line eyes and use skin tone eyeshadow with mascara to finish.
Flushed cheeks
My favorite colors are peaches and soft berries.
Enhanced skin
Warming up skin with a light bronzer or skin blurring products enhances complexion and adds vibrancy. These products can be applied over foundation and as finishing product.
Try to stay within a shade or two of your natural skin color to give the best
“no-makeup, makeup” look. Avoid heavily highlighted cosmetic products.
Lip color
Lipstick color should be as close to your natural lip color as possible.
Lip tip: Apply color and blot down for a natural effect. If you have a lip color that is matte, blend it down with a gloss or softer lip product for better application. Lip liners are great for natural lip colors.
Skin-focused foundation
Foundation and color correction are an essential part of the
“no-makeup, makeup” look. The end goal is to have skin that looks like skin: Healthy, vibrant and fresh. This means that heavily highlighted products and methods of application that focus more on contouring than color correction should be a secondary attribute to this look.
Using products that emulate your skins natural color patterns is primary. Creating a clean beauty look requires an aesthetic for fresh skin and how products read on camera.
Highlighting and contouring facial features should be done in a buildable fashion with products that have the same finish as the others (soft matte) and used in moderation.
How do foundations differ for clean beauty?
Oil based foundations are my favorite. They blend well, mimic the skins natural moisture barrier and give a fresh, naturally dewy look. They also are wonderful for blending, mixing and are flexible in application.
If you need to set an oil-based (or any) foundation, feel free to use your soft matte skin enhancing bronzer, powder or a favorite setting spray of your choice.
Pro tip: Apply your setting spray to a powder brush and blend the product on your face for an easy, uniform finish.
Water based foundations control oil and balance skin. They also are marketed towards individuals who want to avoid oil. These normally dry to light matte to very matte finish. Skin tints and “BB/CC” creams fit nicely into this category and can be used successfully and produce wonderful results.
Mineral based and airbrush styles of makeup are creative choices and should be applied lightly, with buildable coverage. This allows the product to set and react with your skin so you can gauge how much additional coverage is needed for skin to look breathable.
Why soft matte?
When I begin my initial stages of a makeup application, I work with what I see, then create the effects I need to for the desired clean beauty look.
Lighting and environment make a difference. Soft matte makeup is buildable and resembles natural skin. It’s a fantastic finish and gives the professional and aspiring artist a clean beauty palette and reads beautifully in person and on-camera.
Britni Farber is a makeup artist who works primarily in film and television. She also has a bridal business in Dubuque.
