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Exeter | Style > Beauty

How To Achieve The No Makeup-Makeup Look 

Idman Ismail Student Contributor, University of Exeter
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Exeter chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

The phrase “no-makeup makeup look’ has taken oversocial media these past few years and today I am going to help you create it. The importance of this look is to maximise your natural beauty, creating the illusion of wearing no makeup on in the first place. This routine consists of 3 key products and 1 secret ingredient.

  1. Conclear 

Conclear is your best friend for this look. Use a small amount to cover blemishes, dark circles or redness. Be careful not to get carried away with this, as we are trying to achieve a light effortless look. 

Tip – Let your concealer sit for a few minutes before blending it out, this prevents creases, creating a more blurred effect. 

The best drugstore concealers : 

  •  Elf Hydrating Camo 
  • Nars Radiant Creamy concealers

High end concealer:

  • Hourglass Vanish Airbrush concealer 
  1. Blush 

Respectfully, blush brings life back to your face and adds a warm glow. A key part of this particular makeup look, is took look as if your naturally blushing. Again, don’t over do it, we do not want any blush blindness over here. 

Research the best blush technique for your face shape. The two major methods: 

1. Apply the blush along your cheekbones – especially if you have a round face. 

 2. Apply it to the apples of your cheekes – particularly if you have a oval face. 

There are various different types of blush – liquid, powder, cream. Choice whichever feels the best on your skin, making you feel more confident.

 The best liquid blushes : 

  •  Elf Camo Liquid Blush 
  • Huda Beauty Blush Filter. 

The best powder blushes : 

  • Mac Powder Blush 
  •  Elf Primer Infused Matte Blush. 

The best cream concealers: 

  • Elf Putty Blush 
  •  Refy Cream Blush.
  1. Highlighter

Highlighter accentuates your cheekbones, nose and cupid’s bow, making the skin look brighter and more radiant. When combined with blush, it creates a gentle glow, that is key for this makeup look.

Tip –  If you have a cool skin tone, use a silver highlighter and if you have a warm skin tone use a gold highlighter.

Top picks :

  • The Revolution highlighter – the most affordable and effective
  • Huda Beauty Glow Obsession Palette – though a little pricer, does not disappoint. 

The Secret Ingredient? Your base

The key to having good makeup is to have a good canvas to work with, invest in quality skincare that feels good for yout skin type. Pay no mind to what’s trending, trends come and go but a good skincare routine will have you set for life. 

PS – if your struggling to create a skincare routine, I have a Step-by-Step Guide to Skincare – your-step-by-step-guide-to-skincare

All in all, the no makeup-makeup look can be quite simple when broken down and is about owning your natural beauty. I hope this guide was helpful – and remember less is more.

XOXO, Idman

Idman Ismail

Exeter '26

Hi, I’m Idman Ismail, a BSc Psychology student at the University of Exeter. Formerly Fashion Editor and now Beauty Editor for Her Campus Exeter, I love writing about beauty trends, self-expression, and all things wellness. I love helping girls become the best version of themselves and fully step into their "that girl" era.