How To Get The 'Clean Girl' Makeup Look 

Simplicity with a little flare and sophistication with a touch of chic Parisian inspiration.

POSTED BY ANNA GRAHAM

The clean girl makeup look has been everywhere lately. From TikTok to Vogue, this trend has taken the beauty world by storm. 

Celebrities like Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez have this trend nailed, with neat-looking hair and makeup that make them look fresh, dewy and perfectly curated. 

Surprisingly, the clean girl look is not too hard to master – it's all about simplicity with a little flare and sophistication with a touch of chic Parisian inspiration.

You'll need glassy-looking skin, glossy lips, fluffy brows and a perfectly slicked-back hairstyle to embody this aesthetic, and we're here to give you all the best tips on achieving these things. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Corey Tenold (@coreytenold)

It All Starts With The Hair 

The clean girl look is embodied by its sleek hairstyling. The pinnacle of the look is a neat bun (almost like a classic ballerina bun) slicked back with hair gel to create a sculpted, model off-duty look. Here's how you can make the perfect 'clean girl' bun: 

  1. De-tangle – The key to getting a perfect slicked-back bun is completely detangled hair. You can't achieve bun perfection without knot-free locks, as they'll appear when you pull your hair back. Use a small detangling hair brush to brush out the outside layer and under layers of your hair, so it looks fresh, neat and ready to go. 
     
  2. Fight The Frizz – If your hair is naturally frizzy, it's a good idea to straighten it or apply some anti-frizz tonic to get it looking smooth and shiny. This will help it to stay in place when you have it in the bun. 
     
  3. Create A Ponytail – Create a ponytail in the middle of the back of your head. Placement is super important for this look, so be careful not to place it too high or low. 
     
  4. Form Your Bun – Twist the ponytail into a bun and secure it with another hair tie, scrunchie, or pins. 
     
  5. Secure The Bun – Use hair pins to give the bun some extra hold. You can also use hairspray, pomade or hair gel to smooth your hair further and create the perfectly sculpted hair look you want. 

Bonus Tip: If you're not a fan of the slicked-back bun, you can achieve a similar look by sweeping your hair back with a claw clip.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Bella 🦋 (@bellahadid)

To Contour, Or Not To Contour?

When it comes to the clean girl skin look, skincare is the most important step. 

The clean girl aesthetic is dewy, fresh and youthful – so it's important to have a base which makes you glow. A dedicated skincare routine can not only better your skin but also allow you a little bit of the important self-care time you deserve, which is a win-win if you ask us!

Take care of your skin by using exfoliators, moisturizers and, perhaps most importantly, SPF. All these things work together to help relieve your skin of imperfections and protect it from environmental factors that could make it look dull. 

When it comes to makeup, you want to keep it light and minimal – it's about enhancing your natural features rather than changing them. The clean girl look is all about a seamless, natural blend. Start with a hydrating primer and follow this with a CC cream or light vitamin-enriched foundation. 

You can top your foundation off with a light contour, highlight and blush – we recommend using cream formulas to seamlessly merge into your foundation with a tool like a beauty blender or makeup brush. The key is minimalism – you're not trying to achieve a hyper-glam, full-coverage look, so try to keep your makeup as light as possible. 

Finish off with a dewy spray to secure the hold and give your skin a glassy appearance. 

Don't Forget To Gloss 

There are a few ways you can play the clean girl lip look; you can opt for a natural glossy lip using a light, high-shine shimmer gloss, or you can go for a Parisian chic vibe and turn to a perfectly applied matte red lipstick.

Application is key for using lipstick in this look, as messy lip looks that draw over the natural lines of your lips will leave you looking less sculpted than you want. It's all about fine lines and curated curves – use lipstick which offers you great control and doesn't leave your lips looking chapped. 

Pro Tip: Lip oil is also great for a touch of natural colour and healthy-looking, glossy lips! They offer a lip tint or stain without the heavy appearance of lipstick. 

Remember: Makeup Looks Are For Everyone!

When approaching any trend, it's healthy to have the reminder that makeup looks are for anybody and everybody! 

Though many of the popular looks you might see from this trend are of celebrities with flawless skin and makeup – it's important to remember that they have entire teams of dermatologists, makeup artists and photo editors to make them look that way. 

Just because the way you look might differ from some of the photos you've seen online doesn't mean you shouldn't attempt a look which you like.

We hope this guide has given you the information you need to get the clean girl makeup look. We're sure you'll look fantastic if you decide to give it a go. 

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