The minimalist look is one of TikTok’s most popular beauty micro-trends.
It’s been a wild year for TikTok beauty trends. We’ve seen everything from blueberry milk nails to barbiecore, mermaidcore and balletcore (apparently, everything can be a trend when you put the word ‘core’ after it). Among the micro-trends that have dominated social media is TikTok’s ‘clean girl’ aesthetic, with hashtags such as #cleangirlaesthetic and #cleangirlroutine having garnered a whopping seven billion and 43 million views respectively.
So, what is the trend exactly? Brought to popularity by celebs such as Hailey Bieber (glass-like skin à la her brand Rhode is at the helm of the trend), Sofia Richie and Bella Hadid, the clean girl movement is all about looking put together with minimal effort. And although the look is dominating our screens today, it can actually be traced back to the 1990s and early Noughties, when claw clips, hoop earrings and clear lip glosses were staples in makeup bags.
Want to look like a clean girl? Here’s everything you need to know.
Skin
“The ‘clean girl’ makeup and skincare trend is characterised by skin which looks naturally fresh, radiant and glowing but also as if you’re not wearing make-up,” says Nina Prisk, skin and aesthetics expert at Harley Street Clinic Update Aesthetics. “It essentially involves using a combination of topical skincare products and makeup to create a glowing yet natural look.”
The trend, Nina says, has become particularly popular with Gen Zs, who sometimes prefer to nourish skin from the inside out, rather than focusing solely on covering up blemishes with makeup.
“‘A key element of the trend is ensuring the skin is nurtured. Hydration is essential to ensure skin is hydrated and plump, as is ensuring your diet is rich in essential nutrients and vitamins,” say Nina. “Topical skincare is also key to achieving that classic clean girl look — vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and lipid restoration products should all be prevalent within your skincare routine.”
In simple terms, you’re going to want to make sure your skin looks as glowy as possible ahead of applying your makeup. SPF is key to ensuring your skin stays protected throughout the day, vitamin C is a must-have for that lit-from-within glow, a glazing fluid or milky toner will give you the perfect base for your makeup and a dewy mist is a great hack for keeping your skin hydrated throughout the day. Below, shop our clean girl skincare essentials.
Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist, £36.00; spacenk.com, Laneige Cream Skin Cerapeptide, £22.13, spackenk.com, Rhode Peptide Glazing Fluid, £29; rhodeskin.com, Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 30, £23.80; cultbeauty.co.uk, Ole Henriksen C-Rush Brightening Gel Creme, £32; boots.com
Makeup
The key components of the clean girl trend are blushed cheeks (we recommend a cream blush for this as it can be layered to achieve a deeper flush of colour), feathered brows (whether achieved with a brow lamination treatment or a wax-based gel), glass lips (swap your lipstick for an oil or gloss), and flawless skin (you’re going to want to invest in a high coverage, yet breathable, concealer).
Start with a dewy primer for that signature glazed look, then follow with a concealer on any blemishes — you can also add in a BB or CC cream if you need extra coverage. Next, apply blush to the apples of your cheeks and the tip of your nose for a rosy look, before blending out with your fingers — this gives a better finish compared to using a sponge or brush. Next, run some gel through your eyebrows so they look uniform and neat before finishing the look with your favourite hydrating lip balm or gloss.
Saie Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturiser, from £18.90; cultbeauty.co.uk, REFY Brow Sculpt, £12.80; refybeauty.com, Laneige Glowy Makeup Serum, £17.50; cultbeauty.co.uk, Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, £17.60; spacenk.com, NARS Cosmetics Radiant Creamy Concealer, £20; lookfantastic.com, Rhode Peptide Lip Tint, £16; rhodeskin.com
Hair
The clean girl look is perfect for lazy individuals. An essential element of the look is slicked-back hair, which can be easily achieved with a simple hair oil and strong-hold gel, and secured with your favourite claw clip. If you want to take the look up a notch, opt for the perfect bouncy blow-dry courtesy of either rollers or blow-dry brush.
Eco Styler Olive Oil Styling Gel, £2.65; lookfantastic.com, Kitsch Ceramic Thermal Roller Variety Pack, £9; lookfantastic.com, Revlon Salon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumiser, £34.99; boots.com, Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil, £19.60; lookfantastic.com
Accessories
For accessories, stray away from statement pieces and stick to the basics. Gold hoops, claw clips, tote bags and matching gym sets are all essential for looking like the perfect clean girl. You want to embody someone who’s got their life together and has a strict to-do list of going to the gym and running errands (even though you might only be leaving your house to pick up a coffee, if at all).
Mejuri Gold Dome Hoops, £78; mejuri.com, Saint and Sofia Soho Shoulder Tote Bag, £69; uk.saintandsofia.com, Alo Yoga Airlift Advantage Racerback Bra, £46; aloyoga.com
