If you’ve scrolled through TikTok in the last year, chances are you’ve encountered the clean girl makeup look. It’s effortlessly cool, effortlessly elegant, and (thankfully) effortlessly easy to recreate.
The aesthetic is all about luminous skin, soft brows, a touch of blush, and glossy lips—nothing too heavy, just a glowing version of your best self. It’s the beauty equivalent of “I woke up like this,” but with a little help from your favourite products, of course. Think: fresh, dewy, and oh-so-easy.
While the clean girl look is a vibe year-round, it’s especially ideal for summer. Unlike the full glam looks that often dominate in cooler months, the clean girl style embraces the beauty of minimalism and lets your natural skin shine through, while still giving you that polished, glowing finish. Plus, it’s ultra-low maintenance, meaning you can spend less time blending and more time enjoying the sunshine.
The only flaw in the social media-led trend is that the products touted as “must-haves” can be… a tad pricey, to say the least. Thing thing is, the trend is anchored in the old adage that “less is more,” and the notion you need expensive items to make it work for you is totally untrue.
Scroll on for our edit of affordable, Cosmo-approved dupes for cult clean girl beauty products.
shop: clean girl beauty staples
COVERGIRL Clean Invisible Foundation
$24.95
- Blendable formula spreads easily & melts into skin for even, buildable coverage with a natural finish
- Kind-to-skin foundation won’t clog pores, evens complexion and smooths skin’s texture for seamless coverage that looks natural, fresh and healthy
- 100% natural origin pigments and only simple, clean ingredients – that work
- Vegan, clean & fragrance free
COVERGIRL Clean Fresh Brow Filler Pomade Pencil
$21.95
- Triangular pomade pencil for filled and shaped brows
- Up to 24HR wear, waterproof, sweat-proof, smudge-resistant, transfer resistant
- Infused with Browcare ingredients, Vitamin E, Hyaluronic Acid and Squalane. Clean vegan formula formulated without Parabens, Mineral Oil, Talc, Fragrance
- Paddle-shaped kabuki brush to blend and soften pigments.
All images photographed by Natalie Koval; Styling and production by Paige Victoria Leigh; Makeup by Brooke Low; hair by Michelle Dube.
