The Top 6 No-Makeup Makeup Looks
Because it actually takes some makeup—maybe even a few false lashes—to look beautifully bare-faced.
by Catherine Devine
STRONG BROWS
We know what you’re thinking: We didn’t need to wear makeup either when we were 17. But Chloë Grace Moretz’s natural look is still polished—and works past your teens. The key? Her perfectly groomed brows. Just fill in your brows with a pencil, like Lancôme Le Crayon Poudre Powder Pencil for the Brows, then comb them upward with a spooley brush. They’ll be even more striking if you keep everything else simple: Smooth BB cream over your skin to even out your complexion and swipe on a single coat of lengthening mascara.
DEWY SKIN
Gisele’s luminous complexion brings this neutral look to another level. First, apply a sheer base, like Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer—if you have freckles, they should still peek through. We imagine Gisele’s skin might have a lit-from-within glow naturally, but a few strategic dabs of a highlighter, like Revlon PhotoReady Skinlights Face Illuminator, gives us mortals the same result: Dab it on the apples of your cheeks, the tip of your nose, your chin, and above your brows, says makeup artist Wendy Rowe. Lips should get a soft sheen, too. A tinted balm in a rosy shade does the trick.
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FLUTTERY LASHES
Jessica Alba’s long lashes are as flirty as full-on smoky eyes—without all that dark, dramatic shadow. For some premascara lash-lengthening, trace a black gel liner (like Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Gel Eyeliner in Stay Onyx) along the upper lash line; stop when you’re about a pinkie-width from the inner corner. “This look is so clean because there’s no makeup near the inside of the eyes,” Rowe says. “It keeps it light between the eyes and the nose.” Swipe on a few coats of lengthening mascara, such as Maybelline New York Define-a-Lash Lengthening Mascara; or if you feel like really going for it, you could even add in a few falsies—Ardell DuraLash Naturals always work for us.
NUDE LIPS
This might be the easiest no-makeup effect of them all—Joy Bryant’s defined mouth goes a long way to making her whole look naturally polished. Simply trace the edges of the lips with a nude pencil, like Kevyn Aucoin The Flesh Tone Lip Pencil, and blend it in with a lip brush. Swipe on a clear balm, and you’re all set. Bryant finished the look by adding mascara to just the top lashes. “Skipping the bottom lashes gives a more innocent feel,” Rowe says.
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ROSY CHEEKS
Don’t have Kate Bosworth’s God-given cheekbones? Fake them with a soft pink blush. For maximum effect, start with a full-coverage foundation (we like M.A.C. Studio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation) before you swirl a rosy powder blush, like Revlon Powder Blush in Oh Baby! Pink, on the apples of the cheeks. Blend the blush upward and outward toward your ear with a fluffy brush. Finally, pat on a matte pink lip color, such as Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour in Séduisante, with your fingers: “It will have a much softer effect,” Rowe says. “It shouldn’t look precise.”
THE TONED-DOWN CAT EYE
If you have dark skin, like Zoë Saldana’s, black cat-eye liner can define your eyes without looking made up. Using a gel formula (Tom Ford Noir Absolute for Eyes works well), trace a line across the top lashes, winging it out slightly at the outer corners. Brush on a couple of coats of mascara (give the outer lashes one extra layer) and apply a raspberry lip color, like Stila Lip & Cheek Stain in Raspberry Crush. Done!
Photos: Getty Images
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