The No-Mascara Makeup Look That’s Sleek and Kinda Addictive

I would never even consider a look where no mascara is involved. After all, my whole interest in makeup started because I was trying to come up with ways to accentuate my eyes so that people wouldn’t notice my nose or my large pores.

The thing is, focusing on every single area on the face, base makeup, eye makeup, cheek makeup, and lip makeup, can be incredibly time-consuming and overwhelming. And mascara, in particular, can make your makeup look more dramatic, sometimes more than you want. It’s one extra step that, while essential for some, can feel like a lot when you’re going for something simpler.

That’s when I decided to try the no-mascara makeup trend that I’ve seen floating around. Skipping mascara altogether and just focusing on the face! As it turns out, the finished look is surprisingly fresh, and it gives your entire look a softer, more natural finish, even with a full face of makeup. It keeps everything clean, sleek, and effortlessly youthful.

If you’re curious about how to achieve this fresh, no-mascara makeup look, below are the steps I follow to create a soft, put-together appearance without the need for dramatic lashes.

Skin

When you’re skipping mascara, your complexion becomes the most attention-drawing area, which is intimidating, especially if you’re like me and have insecurities like large pores. I take my time with skincare and give my face the attention it deserves, so it doesn’t let me down a couple of hours later.

I apply a toner, Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2, which is to sweep off skin flakes and make my skin smoother. This also helps my upcoming products to apply and absorb better.

Then I apply my recent obsession, the Moisture Surge Active Glow Serum, which is a makeup-friendly lactic acid and vitamin C serum -click here to see why I love it! And it leaves my skin super soft and radiant. This is actually so hydrating that it feels like a liquid moisturizer.

Then, of course, I finish my routine with my moisturizer, the Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator, to seal everything in. This is another makeup-friendly formula, which is important for me because I don’t want my foundation to sink into my pores.

All these 3 complement each other, so I don’t experience any skincare pilling either. These steps have been working out great for me because my makeup stays smooth and crease-free all day.

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Complexion

After skincare, base makeup is the most important step. For the no-mascara makeup look, I stick to low-medium coverage foundations so that I can build, blend, and experiment freely. High coverage can be a little too high-maintenance, whereas I’m going for effortless.

Since I want my foundation to move with my skin, I reach for my natural makeup favorite, the Even Better Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 15, and I apply it the best way I know how: by mixing it with my liquid bronzer, the Sun-Kissed Face Gelee Complexion Multitasker.

This combo is actually what turned me on to this no-mascara makeup look because it gives me the perfect flattering base. No redness, no discolorations, just enough warmth to look fresh and dewy without looking overly done.

I put some foundation and liquid bronzer on the back of my hand, and I mix the two to get a nice, even consistency. Then I apply it all over my face with a flat foundation brush.

I apply a tiny bit of concealer under my eyes to brighten the area just a little bit. I realized that this look doesn’t require a lot of concealer either, which is probably because there’s not much going on around the eyes, so even a tiny bit of concealer is enough to freshen up the eyes.

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Bronzer

Most days, I skip blush and just use bronzer. I simply apply the Sun Kissed Face Gelee on the outer edges of my face to warm up the skin, and a little bit below the cheekbone. It adds subtle definition and that healthy, sun-touched look without taking away from the natural vibe I’m going for.

I just prefer to keep my warm, bit of bronzey look without adding a lot of colors into the mix. I’m mostly using the colors that are already present on my skin, which is why no matter how much makeup I’m wearing, it still looks like my skin.

That being said, if you love blush, go for it. When I’m using blush, I prefer a liquid blush formula that mixes in with the liquid bronzer for a seamless, overall glossy look.

Eyebrows

Since there’s no eyeliner or mascara, the eyebrows do the heavy lifting here. It’s the only area that needs definition, but a little bit of it is enough. I keep mine fluffy, brushed-up, and a bit undone, not overly tweezed or perfect.

I use a brow gel, and I like that it gives that slightly wet look while holding everything in place. I skip filling in because again, I don’t want a lot of definition in that area.

On a side note, if you have scarce lashes or really short lashes, which I assure you doesn’t even matter with this look, and you can’t let go of mascara, try curling your lashes. That’s the only definition you need, trust me!

Lips

Again, I don’t want to bring too many colors into the mix, so I keep my lips simple and soft too. Most of the time, I prefer a lip tint topped with a little gloss without too much shine. This goes well with my overall look when the lips aren’t competing with the rest of my face for attention.

I prefer this for daytime to keep the natural, fresh vibe going. But you can try a bold matte look, which would look amazing on a date night. Think super smooth skin with a fake tan and bold matte red lips, which is pretty close to that effortless French girl makeup.

The Look

The image on the left is with my bronzer, and the image on the right is when I applied a tiny bit of blush just to show you how it looks with a bit of color. As you can see, my eye makeup, or lack thereof, doesn’t look out of place or faded or faint.

The focus is on my skin, face, and cheeks. My hydrating, illuminating skincare pays off because my face looks glowy from within as opposed to shimmery from a highlighter, which I’m not using. My foundation doesn’t look cakey or heavy, and it’s seamlessly blended with my liquid bronzer.

The best part is that this look stays put all day without fading! No powder or setting spray needed! And since there’s no mascara, I don’t have to worry about smudged, messy mascara, flakes, or darkness under my eyes.

The no-mascara makeup look is all about embracing the idea that you don’t have to rely on fluffy lashes or false lashes to look fresh and put together. You can skip mascara completely and still look wide awake and polished. I know I do!

Read Next: Clinique Even Better Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 15 Review