The “clean girl aesthetic” is a trend that embraces the inner basic pumpkin-spiced-latte girl in all of us…the girl that social media wants us to strive to be, perfectly put together without seemingly any effort…Arriving early and still somehow fashionably late whilst sipping a homemade iced matcha latte. It’s the vibe of a slicked-back Olaplex bun with no flyaways and a perfectly dewey fresh tan…you get the picture. In line with this trend, there have surfaced some wild 10-step skincare routines along with one-hour “no makeup makeup routines”…you know the routine you do when someone says “you look so great without makeup” and you think to yourself, “wow, if only you actually saw me without any makeup.”
The problem is that generally, these things take a lot of effort… and I am a lazy, messy girl by default. I am always trying to cut corners with my appearance and yet still somehow still expecting myself to look and feel my best. I have slowly become the opposite of the old middle school me - the 13-year-old who woke up 2 hours before school to straighten my hair and cake my face with three inches of Maybelline foundation. But there are some principles even a girl like me can take away from this trend - looking more put together with just a little bit of extra effort…and using aesthetics services to do it! Here are some of the things I do to look more put together “naturally” and achieve a more toned down “clean girl aesthetic.”
A basic skincare routine. -
If you don’t have one of these, well the best time to start was yesterday, the second best time to start is now. The base of looking and feeling beautiful is tending to your skin. I have seen some pretty elaborate skincare routines and, as a licensed esthetician, I must admit they are impressive. But unless it genuinely brings you joy to obsess and spend your entire paycheck on your skincare, then there are just a few things you need:
For the AM:
A gentle face wash (non-comedogenic).
Toner - your skin has a ph of around 5.5 that it needs to maintain to stay healthy and a toner will balance out your skin ph. Not only that but a good toner is my personal best tip for a hydrated and dewy look. You’re not going to want to skip your toner in the morning! Bonus freshness with more applications throughout the day, especially in the summer!
Vitamin C - don’t overthink this. Just try one out and go from there. I like most of the middle-range Vitamin C serums that range between $25-50. Vitamin C is a skin protector and antioxidant that will work with your sunscreen to protect you from the sun and other free radicals.
A good moisturizer fit to your skin type.
Finish it off with a sunscreen of at least SPF 30. And I’m talking a good amount of sunscreen…like a lot. My favorite is Elta MD. Don’t forget to reapply every 2 hours. It’s not enough to just apply in the morning.
I like to add a tinted moisturizer or a tinted sunscreen on top mixed with a few sunless tanning drops…makes you look naturally contoured and bronzed!
For night time (PM)
Keep everything the same except switch out the vitamin C serum for a serum that addresses your skin concerns & lose the sunscreen…and voila! A clean girl skincare routine. What you definitely don’t need is an expensive under eye cream. Most creams have the exact same ingredients as moisturizers, so I just take mine and pat it under my eyes with my ring fingers.
Eyebrow/lash tinting & lash lifting-
Now that we have the base covered, what about lashes? For me, lash extensions are just too much commitment even though my blonde lashes point south. I’m the girl who always could add another coat of mascara and curl my lashes just one more time before I leave the house… I mean I am seriously addicted to my lash curler. To help with this, I love to get my lashes lifted and tinted. And if you haven’t tried this yet, you are seriously missing out! This is the ultimate no makeup-makeup hack that brings out any eye color and makes them pop with absolutely no additional effort (which is the best part). Usually a lash lift will last about 6 weeks!
Eyebrow tinting is a GAME CHANGER. Completely changes the way my face looks and it’s way cheaper than microblading...even though it looks the same! My blonde brows have the tendency to blend right into my face and get lighter the more I am in the sun. But even if you already have dark brows, the tint will fill in the gaps and create natural shadows that will make your eyebrows look effortlessly filled in (even though you literally did nothing)…me likey.
Sugaring your arms -
This tip is kind of random but for me, there is nothing better than having moisturized and glowing arms. And God knows I love a glowy shoulder. Shoulders are such an underrated part of the body that are so beautiful and can make you look totally put together. Accentuate with a glowy body oil or moisturizer and you will be good to go!
A whipped moisturizer that smells decadent. -
I personally don’t have a huge issue with most fragrances and part of being a clean girl is smelling like one! I gravitate towards products that smell amazing because they trigger memories and evoke happy feelings in both you and the people around you. I mean is there anything better than walking into a room and people commenting “wow you smell amazing!?” I love anything vanilla. But play around and find your signature scent! I love to use a whipped butter all over any part of my body that is going to be visible. Sometimes I’ll mix it with a light shimmer to reflect light! Top it off with a complimentary perfume and you are good to go!
So there you are - my hack on the “clean girl aesthetic” using actual aesthetics to cheat my way into effortless beauty. Comment below any tips or secrets you have on how to minimize the time you spend getting ready while looking effortlessly put together!