The Reality of the “No Makeup” Makeup Look

By Maeve Moynihan, Staff Writer Edited by Sasha Leitner 

It's effortless, it's enhancing, and it requires barely any makeup at all! From beauty rebrands to TikTok Get Ready With Mes, the recent “no makeup” makeup trend has made its way into the beauty community’s everyday routine. Instead of embarking on intense glam, beauty lovers are gravitating towards more natural looks, blurring the line between skincare and cosmetics. This trend is meant to make it seem as if people are wearing no makeup at all, yet it still leaves consumers reaching for their brushes. With this look growing in popularity, is the modern makeup industry enhancing natural beauty, or is the “no makeup” makeup look mimicking what society believes beauty should look like?    

The makeup industry is always changing and adapting with new techniques and routines. More recently, makeup trends have taken over TikTok For You Pages, now filled with “clean girl” routines and “GRWM” (get ready with me) videos. Younger generations tend to turn to TikTok for all things beauty related, from makeup tools to the hottest new influencers. With such large audiences (including a mass amount of Gen Z) TikTok trends easily influence young people and create a standard of what beauty currently looks like.  

As the “no makeup” makeup trend gained popularity on TikTok, users watched step-by-step tutorials on how to achieve the look, revealing all the effort that goes into this "effortless" aesthetic. This minimalist makeup trend is all about looking bare faced but polished, and as close to perfect as one can get. 

The transition from glam to natural not only represents a shift in style, but a shift in the industry. Rather than using makeup as a creative tool of expression, beauty consumers are using it to blend in—and not just in blending a product. “No makeup” makeup, as simple as it may present itself, ultimately requires just as much effort as any other makeup look while creating false beauty standards.

With the rise of the “no makeup” trend, there has also been a growing dependence on beauty products like skin tints, mascara, and concealer. These products are used to “enhance” features that are considered natural on one’s face—glowy, clear skin and long lashes. As consumers move away from darker eyeshadows, intense contour, and statement lips, they’re drawn to products that promise that “effortless” look. Yet, these products claiming to “enhance” these features are an illusion.

If naturalness has to be created, is it really natural? The “no makeup” makeup trends claim to enhance natural beauty, but these looks are not natural at all. Makeup can and has been used as a form of artistic expression. It is a tool for people to make themselves feel put together, but when abused, it can also feel as if one needs makeup in order to feel good, crossing the line from a playful form of expression to a harmful one. 

Promoting the idea of “no makeup” makeup has ultimately had a negative outcome, with people buying and using just as many products as they would for a heavier glam look. It’s also creating a standard where consumers alter their appearance while still claiming to look like their natural selves. In the end, the “no makeup” makeup trend has redefined today’s beauty standards, pushing consumers to blend in instead of stand out.      

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