Want to go faux-natural? These beauty pros provide all the tips & tricks you need
While we’re the first to celebrate a full-on glam make-up look, when the weather gets warmer, we find ourselves rethinking our beauty routines in favour of something more low maintenance. Enter no make-up make-up, where we enhance our best features via a less-is-more approach. We’re talking fresh, glowing bases and sunlit flushes of colour across the cheeks and lips – a look that promises an elevated version of your natural self and is achieved with minimal products.
But if you don’t have the deft eye of an expert, fear not, because we’re here to help in your quest for pared-back perfection. We’ve roped in some of our favourite beauty insiders, from journalists to make-up artists, to give us their tips and tricks, and ultimate product recommendations, that are sure to inspire your own creativity when it comes to natural beauty. Fresh finishes, glossy textures and sun-kissed shades – we’re coming for you.
Meet Jazzria Harris
'I’ve worked as a beauty journalist for more than five years and in that time, I’ve (very luckily) tested and tried a lot of products. I love the feeling you get when you find something that just works for you, whether it’s the perfect shade of lipstick or an amazing foundation. It’s a treat to share these finds with other people!’
What does a natural make-up look mean to you?‘
'For me, natural make-up is about looking like your best self. It means glowy skin, a light flush of colour on the cheeks and a subtle lip.’
Prime
‘I have dehydrated skin, which becomes oily throughout the day so a primer is a must in any routine. I love the Benefit The POREfessional Face Primer, £29, as it contains hyaluronic acid to moisturise while still creating a smooth base – and it really helps minimise the look of pores. I simply apply it with my fingers after my skincare routine and allow it to sink in before moving onto my base.’
Base
‘For a natural make-up look, I always go for a dewy base to ensure my skin looks glowy and radiant. I swear by Urban Decay Stay Naked Weightless Liquid Foundation, £29.50, applied with Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, £9, for a flawless finish. It provides a medium coverage, which still allows my skin to show through while hiding any blemishes. After foundation, I apply Nars Creamy Radiant Concealer, £24.50, to my under-eye area to help brighten dark circles for a fresh look.’
Cheeks
‘I’ve recently fallen back in love with blush, especially when I want to achieve a more natural look. Powder blushes are my go-to as they give a strong colour payoff and last all day. My current favourite is MAC Powder Blush in Melba, £20, as I love how the peachy tones work with my skin tone. I apply it to the top of my cheekbones, pulling the colour towards the apples of my cheeks.’
Lips
‘I made it my mission a few years ago to find the perfect nude lipstick and now there’s a few I always reach for. Anastasia Beverly Hills Satin Lipstick in Praline, £21, is my go-to for the everyday as it’s a warm nude tone and doesn’t feel too heavy on the lips. If I want a glossy finish, I love to add a slick of Maybelline Lifter Gloss in Stone, £6.99. It not only gives a high-shine look, but makes my lips look plumped up.’
Eyes
‘For a natural look, I avoid eyeshadow and instead go for just a slick of mascara. I always use Shiseido ControlledChaos MascaraInk, £25, when I want to achieve a soft, fluffy lash. It’s super black, but doesn’t leave the lashes looking overloaded or clogged.’
Meet Mira Parmar
I’m a freelance make-up artist, hair stylist, content creator and all around lover of beautifully natural, glowing skin. Beauty is my passion – you can make it whatever you want it to be and there are no rules.’
What does a natural make-up look mean to you?
‘A natural make-up look to me is where you can still see natural skin underneath. It’s just an enhanced version of yourself. I love seeing skin, freckles, imperfections etc – we are all human and seeing real skin is so important.’
Prime
‘Moisturising and skincare is key for great make-up application. I always say if you have a great base under make-up, then everything that follows looks flawless. I’ll start with the Bobbi Brown Illuminating Moisture Balm Bare Glow, £46 – it’s perfect under-make-up and is great for nourishing the skin. I’ll follow with the Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Face Primer, £30. It smells so good, is packed with vitamin C and helps give the skin a beautiful glow.’
Base
‘For a natural make-up look, the texture of your base needs to be dewy and fresh. I prefer coverage to be buildable as it gives me the option of wearing less or more. I’m absolutely loving the No7 HydraLuminous Moisturising Foundation, £14.95 – it’s packed full of skin-loving ingredients. I’ll then go in with a good concealer. I adore the Bobbi Brown Skin Corrector Stick, £26. It’s easy to use, offers great inclusive shades and blends beautifully.’
Cheeks
‘I’m a big fan of a blush; it brightens your whole face and gives such a healthy warmth to the skin. It can give the illusion of cheekbones, too, making it a double whammy. For me, cream blushes rule. They blend beautifully, look natural and you can use them as a multipurpose product on lips, eyes and cheeks! My natural look must-have is Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush in Petal Poppin, £21 – it’s just gorgeous.’
Lips
‘I tend to stick with a nude or clear gloss for daytime wear, which works well with natural-looking make-up. A great everyday nude is Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lipgloss in Nudestar, £9. It’s super smooth, vegan and comes with that telltale tingle that can help make lips look fuller. If you like a bit more of a pop, then the e.l.f Glossy Lip Stain in Basic Beige, £6, is brilliant for long-wearing, sheer colour.’
Eyes
‘I love a bronzed lid. It’s such a minimal, easy look. Simply take your bronzer and swipe across the eyelids… it’s as easy as that! Mascara and an eyelash curler are my go-to products, too. I love a mascara that’s buildable and that separates – L’Oréal Paris Lash Paradise Castor Oil Enriched Mascara, £11.99, is brilliant for this. It glides on, lengthens lashes and is extra black in colour giving natural looking lashes’
Meet Ateh Jewel
‘I’m a beauty journalist, broadcaster and diversity advocate and have been in the industry for more than 20 years. I love the transformative, playful and magical power of beauty. Beauty speaks to the invisible things I love, such as creativity, self-esteem and power.’
What does a natural make-up look mean to you?
‘I love a no make-up make-up look and natural means looking like you – with the volume turned up! It’s about fresh, dewy, radiant skin and the way a soft contour, juicy lip colour and some bronzer, blush and mascara can make you feel fabulous.’
Prime
‘I love using moisturiser to make sure my skin looks and feels hydrated ahead of make-up. I love Olay! The new Olay Vitamin C + AHA24 Day Gel Face Cream, £34.99, has a great texture and is super hydrating.’
Base
‘I use Clinique Even Better Glow Light Reflecting Makeup in Sienna, £28.50, which is a great option.
Cheeks
‘I love a cream blush, such as Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush in Daiquiri Dip, £21, as it melts into the skin and looks really natural. I love cooler-toned pinks, corals and berries as they pop on my skin.’
Lips
‘I’m a 90s gal through and through. As it’s the era of the Lancôme Juicy Tube, I’m team gloss all the way! I do think a new generation matte is also delicious, but my heart is always with a natural-looking, shiny lip, such as MAC Lipglass in Ruby Woo, £16.50.’
Eyes
‘I love using Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer in Mocha Mami, £27, on my eyelids as it makes me look polished and natural. I also love a super-black, va va voom volumising mascara. I love Lancôme Lash Idôle Mascara, £24, and Max Factor False Lash Effect Volumising Mascara, £11.99.’
Meet Silvina Neder
‘After a career in market research I became a model, actor and influencer in my fifties. My goal is to inspire women to accept their age, embrace their natural beauty, their wealth of experience and empathise with both themselves and others in order to create lives they love. I think that beauty shows following self-knowledge and self-acceptance. We’re all beautiful if we’re happy in our own skins. And certainly age helps a lot to achieve this.’
What does a natural make-up look mean to you?
‘Make-up that I can wear anywhere, anytime. Something that smoothes some tiredness signals, or little time marks, but still shows my features, my age and does not conceal who I am.’
Prime
‘Any good make-up starts with healthy “feeling and looking” skin, which isn’t possible without a good moisturiser – my skin is very dry, so I really need it. No7 Lift & Luminate Triple Action Day Cream, £27.95, does the job. I like it, because it deeply hydrates while still feeling light on my skin.’
Base
‘When it comes to creating a natural look, I prefer a tinted BB cream or moisturiser. The No7 City Light Tinted Moisturiser, £12.95, is amazing for creating a more natural look and feel. It also has an SPF, which is great for protecting against UV rays. As I have Middle Eastern roots, I have very pronounced dark circles, which become even darker when I’m tired. A very light liquid concealer helps with this. No7 Lift & Luminate Serum Concealer, £13.95, is the one I reach for. It’s undetectable.’
Cheeks
‘I used to choose pink shades, but recently, as I haven't been in the sun for long, I’ve found myself moving to warmer colours to flatter my complexion. Another recent change is swapping powder blushers for multipurpose lip and cheek creams. I love Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Fresh Melon, £23.50. It comes in loads of lovely colours and the texture is so luxurious.’
Lips
‘I like to feel nothing on my lips, which is why I get on so well with the multipurpose products. They take minimal effort, feel comfortable and give a subtle flush of colour.’
Eyes
‘I love a shimmery look and like to opt for something that looks subtle and really enhances my complexion. I actually use the No7 Shimmer Highlight Palette, £14.95, on my lids. The colours are beautifully natural and I can use lighter or darker colours according to the finish I want to achieve. I finish my look with a great mascara. I adore IT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara, £23. It enhances my lashes without looking over the top.’
Meet Emma-Jade Stoddart
‘Beauty has always held a special place in my heart. Growing up, my sister and I would rifle through my grandma’s dressing table, swirling on her Estée Lauder powders and experimenting with her latest lipsticks, totally in awe of make-up’s transformative powers. In our teens, my sister became my make-up artist and would paint on my face ahead of every party or social gathering, teaching me application tips along the way. Now, as a beauty journalist, I have access to the latest and greatest products, as well as advice from beauty’s biggest names – both of which have only increased my adoration for make-up tenfold.’
What does a natural make-up look mean to you?
‘To me, natural make-up is as much a feeling as it is a look. I gravitate towards featherweight formulas that melt into the skin, delivering a fresh-faced finish that never feels heavy. As for the look, I’m after ‘my skin but better’ results with a flush or rosy colour and a slick of balmy highlighter that creates a healthy-looking, natural glow.’
Prime
‘My go-to primer, which also acts as my moisturiser, is Bobbi Brown’s Vitamin Enriched Face Base, £46.50.The rich texture, blended with shea butter and vitamin E, helps hydrate and cushion skin without feeling greasy. I like to warm a pea-sized amount between my fingertips before pressing it in.’
Base
‘When opting for a natural make-up look, I like a base product that combines the power of a serum with the coverage of a foundation. L’Oréal Paris Skin Paradise Tinted Glow Cream Moisturiser, £10.99, ticks all my beauty boxes. It has a creamy consistency that seamlessly blends in, blurring pores and concealing blemishes, while leaving behind a dewy, barely there finish. Loaded with skin-loving ingredients, such as aloe vera and witch hazel, I find it hydrates my skin, too. Where I need a little more coverage, usually around my nose and on my T-zone, I spot conceal using Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, £24.50.’
Cheeks
‘Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Fresh Melon, £23.50, is my formula of choice. It has a buttery texture that melts into the skin to impart a rosy tint of colour that instantly perks up my complexion. Whether I’m tired or rundown, this blush can totally transform how I feel (and look). I apply it along my cheekbones towards my temples, which has a lifting effect – try it!’
Lips
‘I like my lips to have a balmy, glossy finish when creating a natural make-up look.To me, it’s the perfect finishing touch. I’ll opt for formulas like Nude by Nature Sheer Glow Colour Balm in Coral, £18. The super-sheer balm conditions and hydrates (thanks to mango seed butter and vitamin E), while adding a shot of juicy colour.’
Eyes
‘I’ll apply Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer, £29, all over my lids for a wash of sun-kissed colour. Next, I’ll take a small, thin eyeshadow brush and run a little bronzer just beneath my lower lash line, which helps define and open my eyes. My lashes are naturally long, so occasionally I’ll forgo mascara in favour of a quick curl – or I’ll apply two coats of MAC Extended Play Lash Gigablack Mascara, £20, which boasts a super-skinny brush that deposits just the right amount of pigment for a natural-looking flutter.’
Et voilà, the beauty insiders on their natural make-up looks. Whether you’re inspired to purchase multipurpose products like Silvina, or are interested in trying a foundation skincare hybrid like Emma-Jade, there’s definitely a trick or two here that’ll better equip you with your own approach to no make-up make-up.
