A Step-by-Step Guide to TikTok's Clean Makeup Look

If you’re on the beauty side of TikTok, chances are good you’re familiar with the clean girl makeup aesthetic. This viral trend—which features glowy skin, flushed cheeks, and glossy lips—is all about accentuating your natural beauty. It’s meant to be effortless, but chic and put together, too—sort of like no-makeup makeup, but with a touch more oomph.

One of the things we love most about the clean girl makeup look is that it creates the illusion of effort without requiring a ton of time to execute. It embraces a minimalist, less-is-more approach, using just a few key products to give you that natural, healthy-looking glow. If you’re interested in learning how to upgrade your everyday makeup routine, keep scrolling—ahead, we’re sharing an easy clean girl makeup tutorial perfect for makeup pros and newbies alike.

What Is Clean Girl Makeup, and Who Created It?

The clean girl makeup trend is a minimalist look that highlights your natural beauty. Fresh, dewy-looking skin, glossy lips, and flushed cheeks are key elements of the look. If there’s eye makeup, it’s minimal–usually just a swipe or two of mascara and subtle eyeliner.

While not attributed to a single creator, this clean girl aesthetic makeup emerged from a collective shift towards embracing natural makeup. Its appeal lies in its versatility, making it the perfect choice for makeup enthusiasts who want to look put together with minimal effort.

How To Do Clean Girl Makeup

TikTok’s clean girl makeup prioritizes natural-looking skin and minimal products. This doesn’t mean skipping makeup altogether—instead, it’s about choosing the right products to emphasize your natural beauty. Ahead, we’ll share how to get the look, plus details on our favorite clean girl makeup products to add to your routine.

1. Cleanse your skin

Before reaching for any of your makeup products, you’ll want to ensure you’re working with a clean, bare canvas. Start by washing your face with a gentle facial cleanser, such as the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Radiant Smoothing Cream Cleanser, to remove dirt, excess oil, and other debris. The vitamin C-infused formula gently cleanses and exfoliates to remove impurities and help promote a brighter, more radiant-looking complexion. To avoid drying out your skin, we recommend cleansing with lukewarm (rather than hot) water and gently patting your skin dry when you’re done.

2. Apply serum and moisturizer

Serums can be incredibly useful for addressing specific skin concerns, such as dryness or dullness. After washing your face, apply a few drops of a hydrating serum, such as the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum, and pat it onto your skin. This lightweight formula hydrates and plumps the skin, leaving it with a fresh, dewy glow. Use it alone or layer it beneath a brightening serum, like the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift 12% Pure Vitamin C + E + Salicylic Acid Serum, which contains vitamin C and helps target uneven skin texture and tone.

Finally, finish off your skincare routine with moisturizer to help lock in hydration. The L'Oréal Paris Bright Reveal Vitamin C Glow Moisturizer, 72H Hydration (pictured below) is a great pick for all skin types, and provides long-lasting hydration without a heavy or greasy feel. If it’s daytime, we suggest opting for an SPF moisturizer, such as the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Triple Power Moisturizer SPF 30, instead. It combines pro-retinol, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C with broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen to help shield your skin from damaging UV rays.

3. Create a slicked-back bun

Applying makeup immediately after skincare can result in pilling, so you’ll want to give your moisturizer at least a few minutes to absorb before starting your clean girl makeup routine. While you wait, smooth your hair into a slicked-back bun—the sleek hairstyle is the perfect accompaniment to fresh, girly makeup. Brush your hair to remove any knots, then work the L’Oréal Paris Elnett Anti-Frizz Slick Back Hair Styling Cream throughout your strands before smoothing your hair back into a neat low bun.

4. Prime and apply foundation

For the first step of your clean girl makeup routine, skip the heavy foundation and even out your complexion with a dewy foundation or skin tint instead. Start by prepping your skin with a lightweight primer, such as the L’Oréal Paris Prime Lab Up To 24H Pore Minimizer, which helps minimize unwanted shine while blurring the look of fine lines and pores.

Next, reach for a hydrating base, such as the L’Oréal Paris Lumi Le Glow Skin Tint. This water-based skin tint provides lightweight coverage and contains light-reflecting pearls to give your skin a healthy-looking glow. If you’d prefer something even sheerer, the hydrating L’Oréal Paris True Match Hyaluronic Tinted Serum (see below) is another great option to try.

5. Brighten your under-eyes

While this step is totally optional, reaching for an under-eye concealer will instantly make your eye area look brighter and bring the whole clean girl makeup look together. If you want to skip foundation, applying under-eye concealer is a great way to refresh your complexion without all-over coverage.

Dot the L’Oréal Paris True Match Radiant Serum Concealer underneath your eyes using your finger or a beauty sponge. The caffeine and hyaluronic acid-infused formula provides medium coverage and helps to minimize the appearance of puffiness and dark circles (a must if you’re going for a fresh-faced clean look).

Editor’s tip: Powder is often associated with heavy makeup looks, but the right formula can visibly brighten and blur your complexion without weighing you down. If your skin looks dull or you tend to get shiny by midday, dust a little bit of the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Blur-Fection Longwear Loose Setting Powder under your eyes—over your concealer—and along your T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin).

6. Add color to your cheeks

Next up is blush, a key component of the fresh-faced clean girl makeup aesthetic. To add a subtle flush of color, dot the L’Oréal Paris Lumi Le Liquid Blush on your cheeks and nose. Start with one dot per cheek and blend the pigment out with a brush, sponge, or even your fingers. If you want to amplify your flush, add another dot of blush to each cheek for a rosy-looking glow.

After blush comes highlighter—one of our favorite clean girl makeup steps for giving the skin a lit-from-within radiance. To make your skin glow, swipe the L’Oréal Paris Lumi Le Glass Highlighter Stick onto the high points of your face. Opt for one of the dewy shades for a fresh, hydrated look, or use one of the glowy shades for a hint of shimmer and shine.

7. Brush up your eyebrows

Clean girl makeup calls for brows that appear natural but well-groomed. To keep your arches in place, you’ll need a clear brow gel—one that provides hold without any added tint. For that, we recommend the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Up To 24HR Brow Lamination. The long-lasting formula (inspired by professional brow lamination) offers up to 24 hours of lift and hold with a non-sticky, residue-free finish.

8. Add a coat of mascara

Next, tie together your minimalist girlish makeup look with a coat of mascara. For a wide-eyed effect, we recommend using the L’Oréal Paris Paradise Big Deal Buildable Washable Mascara. It provides buildable volume and length and resists clumping (no matter how many coats you apply).

For an even subtler look, you could try a brown mascara, such as the L’Oréal Paris Extensionist Washable Mascara in True Brown. The slightly softer shade will provide definition without the harsh contrast of pure black (it’s an especially flattering option for those with fairer skin or light hair).

9. Perfect and finish the lips

Last (but definitely not least) in our clean girl makeup tutorial is lip color. Start by lightly lining your lips with a lip liner, such as the L’Oréal Paris Paradise Blurfiller Blurring Lip Contour (pictured below). The creamy formula allows you to define your pout for a fuller lip look that still feels natural. After outlining your lips, add a wash of color with the L’Oréal Paris Paradise Hyaluron Lip Tint Stain Serum. The pigmented formula starts glossy, then sets to a hydrated stain that stays put. We suggest opting for a pinkish-nude shade, such as Nude Espresso, for a your-lips-but-better look. If you want to add more shine without layering on more color, swipe on the L’Oréal Paris Paradise Plump Ambition Hyaluron Lip Oil as needed.

Clean Girl Makeup for Different Skin Types

While the clean girl makeup steps remain largely the same regardless of your skin type, it’s a good idea to select products that align with your skin’s needs to ensure the most flattering finish. Ahead, we’re sharing some tips to keep in mind.

Oily skin

If you have oily skin, you should prioritize oil-free products to prevent your clean girl makeup from sliding off. Using an oil-free skin tint helps maintain a fresh finish without excess shine throughout the day. You should also set strategically by using a small amount of translucent powder on areas where you typically get oily, such as the nose, forehead, and chin. Avoid any face makeup that’s overly dewy or glossy, which may make your skin look slick rather than hydrated.

Dry skin

If your skin leans drier, adequate hydration is a must to achieve a fresh-faced finish. Start with a hydrating face primer, such as the L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Makeup Blurring Face Primer Infused with Serum, to nourish your skin and lock in moisture. Then, apply a lightweight, hydrating foundation to help even out your complexion. For an even dewier finish, consider mixing a few drops of the L'Oréal Paris Lumi Glotion All-In-One Glow Enhancer & Tinted Moisturizer into your foundation before applying it. The shea butter-infused formula helps hydrate the skin while adding luminosity for a fresh-faced finish. You can even use it alone in place of foundation on days when you only need the slightest hint of coverage.

Acne-prone skin

Clean girl makeup isn’t just for blemish-free skin. However, to keep your makeup looking (and feeling) its best, it’s a good idea to stick with non-comedogenic products that won’t exacerbate your acne. The L’Oréal Paris True Match Hyaluronic Tinted Serum is a great option for a hydrating, lightweight base that won’t clog your pores. If you need additional coverage, use a lightweight concealer to spot-conceal blemishes. This technique allows you to achieve an even-looking complexion without the need to apply tons of foundation to your entire face.

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Photo courtesy of L’Oréal Paris