

No-Makeup Makeup. Sorta.
Create the ultimate beauty illusion without breaking a sweat.
Ah the eternal question: How can I wear makeup, feel pulled together and better than I did with no makeup, without looking like I’m wearing 30 products? The no-makeup makeup look is the ultimate sleight of hand trick.
If I had to give one piece of advice for a truly polished no-makeup makeup look it would be this: keep all of the products within a very limited tonal range, and one that isn’t far from your actual skin tone. Use very little foundation or skip it all together and just use concealer where needed.
Let's break it down step by step.
CHEEKS
For a natural, sculpted look:
- I prefer to use cream bronzers that don’t have shimmer and are very close to your skin tone, and don’t lean orange, so you can seamlessly sculpt the face.
- You can add a touch of blush, but it should be nearly undetectable, just adding the slightest bit of color.
- Use a cream highlighter on the high points of your face; tops of cheekbones, bridge of nose, and on your eyelids, just above the pupils, close to the lashes to catch the light and add soft radiance.
- A little bronzer can go a long way to subtly sculpt the face. Using a large, fluffy brush, dust the perimeter of the face to add warmth and shape. The key to this working? A bronzer with no visible sparkles or shimmer.
BROWS
Never underestimate the power of a well-groomed brow. Filling in your brows adds definition and frames your face effortlessly. Here’s how to get it right:
- Go light-handed—soft strokes create a fuller yet natural effect.
- My preference is a good skinny brow pencil, a brow pen, or a brow powder. In general I'm not a fan of most tinted brow gels because they have too much pigment in them and make the brows look dull and flat. But the Sheer Tinted Brow Gel from KS&CO is tinted AND sheer. It darkens your brows in the most perfect, subtle way while also keeping them in place.
- Be sure to brush them up with a clear brow gel or pomade, so they stay in place through the day. Brushing them up also makes them look fuller.
EYES
The secret to no-makeup makeup eyes? A soft, natural contour that enhances without overpowering.
- A soft taupe eyeliner is your secret weapon. It can create shape and definition in a softer way than eyeshadow.
- If you have more melanin your skin, use a darker, more chocolatey liner to get soft definition without looking like a lot of makeup.
- Draw a soft line in the socket of the eye and blend it out with a dense domed eyeshadow brush for a seamless, shadow-like effect.
- Line the upper and lower lash lines softly, blending well for an ultra-natural finish.
- If that doesn’t feel like enough makeup for you, try a cream eyeshadow in a neutral tone. I prefer the pencil or cream over an eyeshadow though because it feels more like skin, and a powder eyeshadow reads more like makeup.
- Snuggling brown or black liquid liner in between the lashes can make your lashes look thicker and fuller without having to add a lot of mascara.
Pro Tip: Hold the liner vertically and use the brush to “connect” the spaces between your lashes. Don’t apply it from above because you don’t want it to read like eyeliner, coming from underneath makes it easier to apply it in an undetectable way.
LASHES
Mascara is a must, but the goal is to highlight your lashes—not the product itself.
- Use a rich black mascara with a light formula that enhances without clumping.
- Curl your lashes for an instantly lifted, wide-eyed effect.
Pro Tip: Less is more—apply just enough to define your lashes without overwhelming the look.
LIPS
A well-defined lip completes the no-makeup makeup illusion without looking overdone.
- Choose a rosy or warm neutral lip liner that’s close to your natural lip shade but slightly richer.
- Lightly overline if desired—but keep it believable for a naturally full look. Buff out the edges of the lip liner so it doesn't have a hard edge, which looks fake.
- Finish with a coat of hydrating lip balm for a soft, plumped effect.
FINAL THOUGHTS
All in all the look should be soft, no hard lines, a bit of shadow here and there to sculpt the face and make you look polished, rested and healthy but more you than makeup if you know what I mean. Keep it light, keep it tonal and you'll have everyone believing you woke up like this.