If you’re unfamiliar with the ‘clean girl aesthetic’ – a beauty movement popularised by TikTok – this is your sign to trial this universally-flattering trend.
So, what is ‘clean girl make-up’ exactly? Effortless and minimalist, this look is the antithesis of the heavy contouring trends, with a focus on good skincare, a glowing complexion and skin that looks like ‘skin’ (see you later heavy foundations).
The overarching philosophy behind the trend is to embrace natural beauty, celebrate the skin’s natural texture and mindfully consume products. The less-is-more-look is also kinder on your wallet and the planet, as less product is applied.
The trend may have taken off on TikTok, but don’t write this movement off as one solely for Gen Z. In fact, the clean girl aesthetic pretty much sums up the perfect approach to beauty for your thirties and beyond. Invest in good skincare, glowy light-reflecting formulas, and swap cakey powders and heavy foundations for cream products – and expect to look fresher, more youthful and radiant.
If you’re wondering where to start with your clean girl make-up routine, aside from a deep dive into the hashtag on TikTok, we’d like to point you in the direction of Pearl Beauty.
This dreamy make-up brand has been founded by Canadian Beauty Influencer Elanna Pecherle, aka ‘Elle Pearls’, who pops up on my Instagram discover page frequently thanks to her aspirational yet easy-to-follow beauty tutorials. Elle’s personal brand of beauty falls well into the clean girl aesthetic – think gorgeous and glowy, but never too much or overdone.
The Pearl Beauty collection comprises a concise collection of multipurpose face and lipsticks, creamy bronzers, glowing highlighters, eye ‘spotlights’ (beautifully pigmented eyeshadows that enhance and highlight) and setting powders in a range of shades to suit diverse skin tones.
True to the brand name, the highlighters and spotlights have a pearlescent finish, thanks to gorgeously radiant formulations infused with shimmering pigments. Like all good Gen Z brands, the products in the collection are vegan, cruelty-free and contain clean ingredients.
There’s a smart strategy behind the predominant use of cream formulations in the collection: not only are they flattering, but they’re also easy to apply, whatever your level of makeup expertise.
Many of the Pearl Beauty products are best applied with fingertips to warm the product which seamlessly blends upon skin-to-skin contact. There’s something freeing about applying cream makeup, it ignites my inner child and feels playful, like a finger-painting class in the nursery.
Designed to be layered, mixed and blended, you can use the multi-purpose creams on eyes, lips, face and cheeks, combining the shades to create a unique palette that works for you.
I created an easy four-step glowing summer look using just four key products in the Pearl Beauty collection. Beginning with the Creamy Bronzer in shade Light as a contour, I used my fingers to apply where the shadows fall on my cheekbones and either side of my nose. Taking the One Multipurpose Face Brush, I then blended the product into my skin allowing the angled brush shape to maintain the definition of the contour.
With no hint of shimmer (all too often bronzers are overloaded with sparkly pigments) this cream bronzer is perfect for sculpting and defining, whilst adding sun-kissed warmth.
Next, I used my fingertips to apply the truly beautiful Cream Highlighter across my eyelids in shade Glazed; best described as a beautiful warm copper-rose hue with a hint of iridescence. This soft, buttery cream highlighter is just beautiful on the skin and can also be applied to the high points of your face, shoulders and collarbone for a radiant finish – the ideal finishing touch for that slinky summer dress.
I completed the look with a pop of pink using the Girl Next Door Multi Purpose Lip and Face Stick, which has an ultra-hydrating almost balm-like texture that added a healthy flush and sheer wash of colour to lips and cheeks. Finishing with a slick of eyeliner and mascara, the makeup was finished in under ten minutes. The finished look was subtle, and fresh with a healthy glow – the epitome of a clean girl aesthetic.
Quick, effortless, kind to the planet, and your skin – there’s a reason the clean girl aesthetic is trending right now. Minimal effort, for maximum impact – what’s not to like?
