Minimalist makeup is a trend more and more people are gravitating to. Creating a simple makeup look is great for both your wallet, sanity, and complexion.
For any of my old school “Full House” TV show watchers, I will never forget when Aunt Becky told the girls that the trick to wearing makeup is to make it look like you aren’t wearing any at all. Boy, was she right!
While it is fun to do some artsy, colorful, and bold makeup looks, using makeup to enhance your natural beauty is key.
This is where your minimalist makeup look comes in. Today, we will be looking at the ins and outs of a solid minimalist makeup look, and how to cut down on your makeup collection.
How to Reduce Your Makeup Collection
If you enjoy doing your makeup, you probably have a rather large makeup collection. It can be easy to purchase the latest neon glitter eye shadow, but realistically, how many times will you wear that before it expires?
There are a few simple things that you can do to cut down on your makeup collection right now, including:
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Look for expired makeup. Depending on what type of makeup it is, most makeup lasts 6 months to 1 year.
You can usually find a date of manufacture on the bottom of most makeup, and it usually tells you the shelf life as well!
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Much like clothes, if you find you have a certain product that collects dust in your collection, consider pitching it.
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Try to focus on the basics that you need for your makeup routine and try to stick to that.
Some people prefer foundation, while others prefer a tinted moisturizer. Take some time to decide what products will be your staples and make a list to stick to.
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10 Minimalist Makeup Tips
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Start With a Good Base
A good base for your makeup is crucial for a flawless, minimalist makeup look! Plus, clearer skin may mean you can skimp out on a foundation and go even lighter with your look.
Make sure you have a solid general cleanser, makeup remover, and moisturizer to start. You may have to go through some trial and error to find products that work with your skin type, and our skin changes as we age, so the products you use now will certainly develop over time!
Try these Eco-Friendly and Reusable Makeup Remover Pads, they are perfect for all skin types.
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Try Going Makeup-Free For A Day
It can be hard to go from wearing makeup to wearing nothing. However, going makeup-free for a bit can help to let your skin breathe and gets you comfortable with the idea of cutting back on the amount of makeup that you use daily.
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A Good Bronzer is Key
Bronzer can either make or break your look. You want to most likely get a solid matte bronzer to help contour your face while giving yourself a natural look. A subtle shimmer can help to give you a dewy, glowy look, as well.
We love this All Natural Ingredient and Eco-Friendly Bronzer.
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Everything is in the Eyebrows
Eyebrows are super important in framing the face. When you go for a more minimal makeup look, a defined, heavy brow can look harsh depending on the person.
You may have to lighten up on your brow by lightly filling it in, just using a gel, or consider brushing your brows up for that natural thick, bushy brow look.
We love this all natural brow gel by ILIA
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A Natural and Simple Mascara
Not that everyone wants dark, spider eyelashes, but for bolder makeup looks, these can be used. It’s unlikely that you will be using falsies for your minimal makeup look unless you want them.
So, consider getting a really good mascara that won’t clump up, but rather lengthen and define your lashes.
My go-to is this All Natural Vegan Mascara by Tarte
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For the Lips
There is so much you can do with your lips for a minimalist look. Minimalist doesn’t necessarily mean totally natural, so you can keep your whole face pretty neutral and spice up your lips with a bright color!
You can also go the natural look and decide if you want matte or shiny nude lipstick/gloss. Sometimes a tinted lip balm or some clear lip gloss will look perfect for your look as well!
Some recommendations I have for natural looking lips can be found here .
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Always Remember SPF
Regardless if you are doing a minimalist look or not, using a good, non-goopy SPF is crucial! Remember that even if it’s not sunny out, you are still getting hit with UV rays.
So, get in the habit of putting sunscreen on your face, neck, and ears daily before leaving the house. This helps to prevent your skin from aging, and can also help create a good base for any foundation or creams you plan on putting on.
I love this SPF by THRIVE
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Know Your Skin Type
Something to think about when creating your makeup look is what finish you are going for based on your skin type. If you are pretty oily, it’s a good idea to go more matte, as your skin will balance you out throughout the day.
Whether that be through foundation, powder, or a setting spray. Those with more dry skin tend to go for the dewy look, which can be achieved through the methods described previously.
Anywhere in the middle and you can decide based on preference! Another option is going more dewy and glowy for summer and matte for winter.
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Define Your Eyes Naturally
Sometimes pencil or liquid liner can look too bold for a minimalist look. To help soften up your eyes and give that natural look, try using a brown/grey eye shadow and a tight, angled brush.
Apply to the top lid close to the lash line. This will help to define your eyes without a bold look.
I recommend this pencil liner by Well People.
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Stick to the Essentials
To help prevent yourself from product overload, aside from your absolute essentials, for every product you purchase, tell yourself that you must rid yourself of one too!
Minimalist Makeup Benefits
Having a minimalist makeup look and collection allows for less physical and mental clutter. You can also get more accepting of your natural appearance.
It allows you to work with your features and enhance the beauty that you already have!
Some other benefits include that you don’t have to necessarily keep up with trends and your makeup routine shouldn’t take you very long.
Do you want to minimize your makeup collection yet?
While it’s nice to have fun and glamorous makeup looks, they aren’t practical for most people every day.
Save the glitz and glamor for a few occasions throughout the year and establish a minimalist makeup collection and routine that you can use every day to make your life easier and enhance your natural beauty. Share your thoughts in the comments below!