What is the 'no-makeup' look?
A ‘no-makeup’ makeup look is a style of makeup that is artfully restrained, designed to look like your real skin – only enhanced.
Rather than covering your skin texture, a natural makeup look lets your complexion breathe, emphasising your natural features and inherent radiance.
The foundations of a no-makeup makeup look are:
- A sheer, glowing base where your natural skin is visible.
- A healthy flush of colour – rosy cheeks that look natural.
- Gently defined – but not dramatic – features. A subtle lift and tint of the lashes, perhaps a swipe of clear brow gel, and maybe a hint of colour or gloss on the lips.
Why no-makeup makeup works for a glass skin finish
No-makeup makeup and glass skin are a natural fit, since both have a similar objective: to amplify your skin’s natural glow. But more than that, these finishes complement each other perfectly. Dr Richard Betts, Scientific Director for L’Oreal Paris, explains further.
“Instead of covering texture and unevenness with heavy makeup or relying on procedures, glass skin focuses on skincare habits that help skin look plump, calm, and radiant – so makeup becomes optional or minimal.”
In this sense, a glass skin routine sets the perfect foundation for a natural, glowy makeup look, because it gives the skin a hydrated, dewy, luminous finish that doesn’t demand a lot of coverage. Plus, a no-makeup makeup look lets your glass skin really shine, whereas heavy makeup can often flatten the complexion or dull its natural radiance.
Glass skin makeup essentials
Hydration and sheer radiance are the cornerstone of a no-makeup makeup look with a glass finish. So, you’ll want to incorporate a mixture of hydrating, lightweight base products, along with creamy, radiant makeup formulas that enhance glow and add subtle colour to the complexion. Ultimately, we’re focusing on products that melt seamlessly into the skin for a barely-there feel and finish.
Find out which glass skin makeup essentials deserve a prized spot in your beauty bag.
Lightweight complexion bases
Sheer-to-light coverage products are synonymous with natural makeup looks because they don’t entirely conceal skin texture – they just help even out skin tone.
A lightweight foundation or tinted serum is only as effective as the skincare underneath it, so we recommend the Revitalift Filler Glass Skin Liquid Cream to infuse the skin with up to 100 hours of glowing hydration. “The visibly hydrated skin of Revitalift Filler Glass Skin Liquid Cream creates a great base for makeup application,” Dr Betts says.
For coverage, we suggest the True Match Nude Plumping Tinted Serum, which is formulated with glycerin and hyaluronic acid to help visibly plump skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines. We love this serum-infused formula for a glass skin makeup finish because it unifies skin tone like a foundation, while delivering a fresh, illuminating glow that mimics the look of a true skin finish.
Illuminating concealers
You might forgo foundation entirely for your no-makeup makeup look – or turn to concealer for your coverage needs. But whether you’re using a base product first or just concealer, it’s important to apply it in the key areas that need brightening or soft blurring. Remember, we’re enhancing, not masking. And we have just the concealer that’s up to the task – the True Match Radiant Serum Concealer.
Bridging the gap between coverage and skincare, this brightening concealer serum is perfect for strategic concealing that melts seamlessly into the skin without caking. Unlike some concealers – which dry down for a matte finish – this formula preserves your inherent radiance and that enviable glass-like finish.
Cream and liquid glow products
Powders have a tendency to make your skin look matte, but cream and liquid makeup products are ideal for bringing life to your complexion and amplifying luminosity – in true glass skin fashion.
Our top glow-enhancing formulas are the Lumi Le Liquid Blush and the Lumi Le Glass Highlighter Stick. Taking a two-pronged approach to colour and highlight, you can smooth both formulas over the skin for a wash of subtle pigment and radiance that elevates your no-makeup makeup look.
L'Oreal Paris's no-makeup makeup routine with a glass skin finish
Armed with your legion of glass skin makeup products, it’s time to build your natural, glowy makeup routine. From a hydrated, dewy base to glowy formulas and subtle touches of definition, follow our five-step tutorial below.
Step 1: Start with hydrated, prepped skin
Before you can think about your makeup, you have to prepare your skin – and a well-hydrated smooth canvas will make all the difference. A glass skin finish can be achieved through a combination of intense hydration, gentle exfoliation, sun protection, and skin moisture barrier-strengthening habits.
Be sure to cleanse, apply a hydrating serum, and seal in that nourishment with a moisturiser. Follow with SPF and primer, next.
Step 2: Even the complexion with a lightweight base
Instead of masking your appearance with a heavy foundation, we want to highlight your natural features and skin texture. This is where you can reach for your True Match Nude Plumping Tinted Serum to even out skin tone and give you a luminous, dewy finish.
To get that glass-like no-makeup makeup finish, simply apply your tinted foundation with a damp beauty sponge, using thin layers to gradually build coverage.
Step 3: Brighten strategically with concealer
If you have blemishes, discolouration, or redness under the eyes that you want to hide, we recommend using a targeted approach to avoid covering up your natural radiance. Use a small amount of concealer on any desired areas and gently tap the formula in with your finger or a small brush – this will keep you from over-applying.
Step 4: Add glow where light naturally hits
Our cheeks naturally flush without makeup, so when recreating your natural, glowy makeup look, you can add a bit of colour back to your complexion with a small amount of liquid or cream blush. Simply apply to the apples of your cheeks using either your finger or a brush.
For that final glass-like reflection, apply a liquid highlighter or the Lumi Glotion to the high points of your face. Your ‘high points’ are areas where light naturally hits: the tops of your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, your cupid’s bow, and the inner corners of your eyes.
Step 5: Finish with minimal definition
Since we’re aiming for a natural, no-makeup makeup look, keep it minimal for your eyes, brows, and lips. Just a swipe of the Paradise Big Deal Mascara will help brighten and open the eyes, while the Infallible 24H Brow Lamination Gel will shape and set your brows for a clean, fresh look. As for the lips, enjoy a comfortable, plumped-up feel and lightweight hydration with the Plump Ambition Hyaluronic Acid Lip Oil in ‘Crystal Clear 101’.
Need a little more guidance on nourishing your complexion for your glass skin makeup finish? Join us for a deep dive on glass skin and skin hydration, next.
