Glow up: How-to nail an easy dewy no-makeup look in minutes

Fresh skin, a dewy glow, and a radiant complexion that implies we slept a full eight hours last night. When it comes to our daily makeup, these are things we all dream of. That, and not having to spend all morning in front of the mirror.

But according to skinfluencers and makeup artists the world over, there’s a simpler, faster and better way to achieve the ultimate no-makeup makeup look or rather, your skin but better. And it starts before you even open your makeup bag.

Quenching skin prep

Hydrated, bouncy skin makes the best canvas for a clean look. Before foundation, slough away dead skin cells with an AHA or BHA gentle chemical exfoliator, this will allow your skin to drink in your prepping products. Then, apply a brightening vitamin C serum, a super hydrating moisture cream (bonus points if it contains niacinamide or peptides), a glowy primer and a good quality SPF 50+ fluid. Layer up and leave for 10 mins.

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Image source: MAC available from David Jones

Image source: Bondi Sands available at Priceline, Coles, Woolworths

Image source: The Ordinary available from Priceline

All about that base

Sure, it’s called the no-makeup look but that doesn’t mean there’s no makeup at all. Just less: lighter formulas, applied with a lighter touch. For a beautiful sheer coverage that lets your skin shine through, dampen a beauty blender and pat a tinted moisturiser, BB cream or lightweight foundation into the skin. You can also skip this step and just use a creamy concealer to even skin tone, mask blemishes and brighten your under eyes.

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Image source: Estee Lauder available from David Jones

Image source: Rimmel available from Priceline, Coles

Wake up with cream contour

A little bronzer to the face goes a long way: it makes us look like we’ve spent the past week in the Maldives (instead of our grey office cubicle). When it comes to the no-makeup look, not all bronzers are created equal. For a healthy glow, switch to a subtle cream bronzer or contouring stick, apply along the hairline, nose, under the cheekbones and below the jaw, and blend with a beauty blender.

If you love a flush of colour, a blush cream stick, peachy lip + cheek tint, or even the right shade of lipstick can be melted into the cheeks and eyelids. Extend your blush across your nose for a sun-kissed complexion.

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Time to highlight — not sparkle

For a luminous glow that looks more ‘natural’ than ‘nightclub’, opt for a liquid highlighter. You can mix a couple of drops into your tinted moisturiser for an all-over radiance or dab the product on the highpoints of the face: cheekbones, eyelids, tip of nose, cupid’s bow.

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Put down the eyebrow pencil

It’s no secret brows can make or break a look. And while there’s a time and place for perfectly sculpted brows, a natural fluffy brow is best for a minimal vibe (not to mention, a lot faster to create). Keep it super simple with a clear or tinted brow gel, and brush brows upwards — that’s it. There are countless soap brow products that promise to keep your brows large and in charge all day. Looking for a hack? A bar of soap and a clean spoolie does the trick. If you need a little fullness, use a brow pencil to fill in any gaps with light, upward strokes.

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Image source: Bobbi Brown available from David Jones

Make it your own

You can leave it at that, or you can give it your own spin by experimenting with a creative beauty trend that doesn’t steal the attention away from your clean, dewy canvas. Search your Insta feed for inspo, then go to town. Our favourites? Faux freckles created using a thin, coloured eyeliner.

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Seal it with a kiss

You can keep your lip pencil and lipstick in your drawer for this one — this is a job for our low maintenance lip products. Choose a nutrient-rich, super hydrating and non-sticky gloss or balm that you can swipe on easily, and top-up throughout the day. Remember: the brief is ‘juicy’ everywhere — from your cheekbones to your lips.

Shop now at Coles, Woolworths, The Body Shop, David Jones.

Image source: Burt's Bees Australia available from Priceline, Coles, Woolworths.

Image source: Clarins Australia available from David Jones