6 Ways To Nail The "No Makeup" Makeup Look

The holy-grail goal of makeup is to look like you're not wearing any—like you woke up with a dewy complexion, long lashes, and rosy lips. Since that can be a tall order if you're, you know, human, we put together these tips for an easy, no-makeup makeup look that'll leave everyone wondering where you got your glow.

Skip the foundation
Nothing's less natural than cakey foundation. Go for a do-it-all BB cream instead, which combines the benefits of a moisturizer, sunscreen, and foundation in one tube—but goes on without a trace. Or consider a CC cream, BB's even lighter relative. Put a few drops into your palm and warm it up by rubbing it gently with your ring or middle finger before applying, suggests San Francisco-based makeup artist Emily Kate Warren. "The heat of your palm melts the formula so it has a more liquid consistency and sinks into skin more easily when you put it on," she says.

Opt for subtle mascara.
Super pumped up, fanned out lashes have their appeal, but they're far from natural-looking. Instead, try a long-lasting lash tint. These products aren't as thick as mascaras, but they do darken lashes to provide smudgeproof definition for up to 24 hours, or until you gently wipe them off with makeup remover.
One to try: Hard Candy Lash Ink 4-Day Lash Stain ($4, walmart.com)

Use under-eye concealer sparingly
Use concealer under your eyes to hide circles and redness, but don't cover the whole area. Dab lightly under your eyes, blending away from your lids and toward your cheekbones, which provides thicker coverage only where you need it most (closer to your eyes).


MORE: The Secret To Making A Concealer Actually Conceal

Choose cream eyeshadows
Swap your go-to powder for cream, which blends better and allows your skin to peek through, explains Heidi Evora-Santiago, owner and creative director at Damali NYC. Plus, creams usually have silicone or other oils to prevent the product from settling into creases. Pick a neutral shade that's close to your own skin color but slightly brighter to make your eyes pop.


MORE: 9 Tips For Younger-Looking Eyes

Line your eyes (but just a little)
Go light on the eyeliner.
Liner draws attention to your eyes, distracting from imperfections elsewhere, says Kim Soane, Bobbi Brown's global artistry director, who suggests lining your upper lids with a color one shade darker than your eye color: navy for blue, olive for green, and chocolate for brown. The darker tone contrasts with the light in your eyes—but since they're the same shade, it won't look too severe. Instead of drawing a thick line, try this: "Just work the liner tip between the roots of the lashes to add definition," says Jemma Kidd, a makeup artist in London.


Keep your lip color neutral
Choose a lip color in a shade close to the color your lips turn after you rub them with your finger for a few seconds—the nearly-natural hue will keep you from looking washed out. And take it easy with matte lipstick or super shiny gloss—either finish will make it obvious you're wearing product. Instead, go for a tinted balm, which provides sheer color while keeping lips hydrated.