Beauty
Skin First: Why No-Makeup Makeup is the Look of Now
We are in the age where filters reign and glam is just a swipe away. It might sound ironic that the biggest trend in beauty right now is looking like you’re not wearing any makeup at all. But here’s the thing — the “no-makeup makeup” look isn’t about skipping makeup altogether. It’s about allowing your real skin to shine, enhancing your natural features, and wearing your confidence as your best foundation. Think less cover-up, more glow-up.
Welcome to the era of skin-first beauty, where the look is breathable, radiant, and all about your natural skin.
Skin Makeup
What Exactly is the No-Makeup Makeup Look?
It’s the makeup that doesn’t scream makeup. You know those faces that just look fresh, hydrated, and perfectly toned? That’s the art of subtlety — strategically placed highlighter, a dab of concealer, a brushed brow, and maybe a hint of tinted balm. It gives off that “I woke up like this” energy (even if you didn’t).
This trend is more than just a moment. It’s a shift prioritizing skincare awareness, wellness, and the desire for authenticity. With more people embracing their natural textures the freckles, pores, fine lines and all — the no-makeup makeup look fits perfectly into a culture that’s done with hiding and is all about highlighting.
Glowing skin
The Skincare-Makeup Fusion
Today’s beauty enthusiasts are knowledgeable about skincare. They’re scanning ingredients like pros, investing in serums, and treating their skincare routine like sacred self-care. So when it comes to makeup, heavy foundations and full-coverage matte finishes are no longer a thing. Why cake it on when your skincare game is strong?
Lightweight products — like tinted moisturizers, skin tints, and BB creams — are stealing the spotlight. They even out your complexion while letting your natural skin breathe and shine through. The secret sauce? Hyluronic acid, niacinamide, and other skincare-infused ingredients now found in makeup formulas, making the line between skincare and makeup deliciously blurry.
Breathable Makeup
How to Nail the No-Makeup Makeup Look
If you’re ready to become a pro on this look, the goal is to enhance, not erase. Here’s your cheat sheet:
- Start with Skin: Hydration is not a thing of choice. Start with a dewy moisturizer and SPF. If your skin looks fresh, you’re halfway there.
- Prime with Purpose: Use a lightweight primer to smooth texture and keep your base in place without suffocating your skin.
- Tint, Don’t Paint: Swap your foundation for a tinted moisturizer or skin tint. Apply with your fingers or a damp sponge for a seamless finish.
- Conceal Lightly: Dab a creamy concealer under the eyes or over any redness — just enough to lift, not mask.
- Brows and Lashes Matter: Brush up your brows with a clear or tinted gel. Curl your lashes and use a brown mascara for a soft, natural definition.
- Glow Over Glitter: Opt for a cream highlighter over powder. Tap it onto the high points of your face: cheekbones, brow bones, and the bridge of your nose.
- Blush is Your Best Friend: A soft cream blush adds life to your cheeks. Pick a shade that mimics a natural flush and blend it in with your fingers.
- Lip Love: Finish with a hydrating lip tint or balm. Skip the liner. Just let your lips be lips.
A look you love
Why Everyone’s Obsessed
No-makeup makeup isn’t just practical, it’s empowering. It saves time, feels lightweight, and shifts the beauty standard toward something more real and refreshing. It’s a look that works for school, work, brunch, dates, or Zoom calls. And the best part? It’s totally adaptable to every face, skin tone, and age.
It says, “This is me — with just a little enhancement.”
So next time you’re reaching for your glam kit, remember: your skin wants to breathe, your freckles want to shine, and your natural beauty deserves center stage.
Less is definitely more — and skin is forever in.
check this: Achieving the Perfect No Makeup Look
For beauty fans, the Grammy Awards are one of the best nights of the year for red carpet hair and makeup inspiration. Stars like Sabrina Carpenter and Tyla stepped out looking amazing for the 68th annual awards, complete with the red-carpet mainstays like mermaid waves and pink blush. Continue reading for some of the most notable beauty looks at the 2026 Grammy Awards .
Tyla
Photo: Getty Images
Tyla Grammy beauty look, combined several styles at once. Her long ombré hair swept over one eye with a loose braid and voluminous ponytail, paired with winged lashes and a golden brown lip. She also won Best African Performance for the second time, setting a notable record at the Grammys.
Sabrina Carpenter
Photo: Getty Images
Sabrina Carpenter chose a soft look for her Grammy glam with light mascara, highlighted inner corners, rosy cheeks and lips, a loose low updo, and a simple French manicure Soft shine on the tips.
Miley Cryrus
Photo: Getty Images
Miley Cyrus opted for an ultra low ponytail knotted at the nape with loose tendrils framing her curtain bangs. The undone texture was created with blow drying and diffusing, then styled for movement and smoothed with gloss drops. Her makeup stayed minimal, featuring smudged eyeliner, mascara-defined lashes, neutral tan eyes, and a peachy-pink glossy lip.
Rose
Photo: Getty Images
Rosé debuted a freshly chopped blonde bob at the Grammys, styled in tight ringlets for a more compact look, paired with a pale creamy shade and softly flushed cheeks.
Olivia Dean
Photo: Getty Images
Olivia Dean’s big soft curls were the center of attention at the Grammys, shaped to highlight their natural bounce and movement. Hair was defined with detangling and bonding oil, while makeup stayed delicate with subtle shimmer, precise liner, and luminous foundation, spotlighting natural texture and glowing skin on the red carpet.
Doechii
Photo: Getty Images
Doechii wore a high-set ponytail of flowing curls and warm bronzed makeup with plum tones. Her manicure was subtle, with short French tips.
Hailey Bieber
Photo: Getty Images
Hailey Bieber chose a deep mauve manicure for the Grammys, matching her lip color. Her makeup stayed simple aside from the bold lip, while her hair was styled in a middle-parted updo.
Lady Gaga
Photo: Getty Images
Lady Gaga delivered with re-platinum blonde hair and brows styled in a middle-parted half-up look. Tawny nude eyes and lips with faint brown liner added definition, while a classic black manicure completed her Grammy red carpet look.
Teyana Taylor
Photo: Getty Images
Teyana Taylor wore slicked-back curls finished with flipped ends. Her warm brown makeup complemented the bronze sparkle of her gown, while a matching chrome manicure highlighted the glam.
Tate McRae
Photo: Getty Images
Tate McRae showed off a flexible Grammy look with sharp liner, lush lashes, and smoky tones. Her lips stayed glossy with a pink tint, while her middle-parted hair looked bouncy, with smooth styling and subtle volume.
As Ramadan approaches, brands are introducing limited-edition items, from kaftans to tabletop essentials. One of the trends this year are shoes and bags, which previously had heavy sparkle and green tones but are now designed with a softer shine. Luxury labels are now embracing simple, timeless styles that can be worn well beyond the holy month.
Burberry
Image — Burberry
Image — Burberry
The British label enhances its signature plaid with crystal accents, while Sloane mules, Bridle handbags, and deep-red silk scarves are finished with a crystal detailing.
Celine
Image — Celine
Along with black and grey bags, Celine embraces autumnal burgundy in Triomphe top-handle bags and croc-textured versions. Mixed-metallic cage sandals are reworked with angular heels, gold charms, and silver straps, suited for year round-wear. The collection is finished with wisteria.
Louis Vuitton
Image — Louis Vuitton
Datewood, a rich shade between burgundy and espresso brown, appears in the “Mirage” capsule across classic silhouettes like the Alma and Vanity Chain Pouch. The 6am Mule is also reworked in Datewood, finished with a gold logo charm. In collaboration with Lebanese designer Nada Debs, Louis Vuitton introduces three special pieces: a Bakhoor set, Bakhoor trunk, and a Capucines bag.
Coach
Image — Coach
Image — Coach
Coach’s Ramadan capsule presents a colour scheme of midnight blue. Key items include wallets with blue-diamante logos, quilted top-handle bags with jewelled logo clasps, and crescent moon bag designs with gold stars and starlight stitched.
Dior
Image — Dior
The Ramadan capsule for Dior has bow motifs and burgundy hues. Bags feature across various shapes, while shoes highlight quilted textures and gold finishes.
don’t miss: Fall 2026 New York Fashion Week Dates Revealed: What to Know
This year, beauty is moving toward a careful mix of innovation, wellness and quiet luxury. From fragrance launches inspired by personal stories to treatments that calm both skin and mind, 2026 favors intentional choices, quality ingredients, and meaningful experiences.
Fragrance with Depth
Image — Vogue Arabia
Opening the year, Guerlain marks the final chapter of its Allegoria Absolus line with a new release that draws on desert nights and ancient rituals. The fragrance is a combination of smoky tobacco with warm amber and soft resinous notes, creating a composition that feels intimate. With an emphasis on natural ingredients, it follows the growing preference for scents shaped by culture and context, particularly in the Middle East, where fragrance has long been woven into daily life and tradition.
Wellness Spaces as Sanctuaries
Image — Vogue Arabia
Fitness and beauty continue to merge in 2026. The Riyadh studio offers tranquil, light-filled facilities precisely developed in partnership with London-based architecture and interiors group TR Studio, using thoughtfully designed equipment with curated artworks and a layout designed to encourage you to slow down.“About 73 per cent of the Saudi population is between 15 and 64 years old, and the percentage within that group that wants to stay healthy is on the rise.” Elshurafa says. The message is clear, wellness is no longer just about efficiency, it is carefully designed for relaxation.
The Colour of Calm
2026 color — Pinterest @ Darya
After years of bold, saturated shades, 2026 welcomes a softer visual language. Pantone’s Colour of the Year, Cloud Dancer, introduces a pale, airy white that borders on grey, capturing a quiet, simple mood. On runways and in beauty looks, this shade appears in ethereal lashes, diffused highlights and minimalist details. When used thoughtfully, it offers a fresh airy feel. For those seeking a fun creative twist, Dubai makeup artist Safiyah Cassim, loved by the likes of Nara Smith, Saja Kilani and Zeyne, recommends using Cloud Dancer as a thin graphic liner, “to make minimalism feel iconic.”
High-Tech, Low-Stress Treatments
Image —Pinterest @ 7E Myolift
Non-invasive body and facial treatments remain at the forefront, with technologies designed to deliver visible results without downtime. Advanced micro-stimulation therapies, often recommended by practitioners for their potential to support circulation, sculpting and lymphatic drainage, are typically offered as single-session treatments that also aid recovery and relaxation. These treatments are increasingly positioned as complements to a healthy lifestyle.
Beauty for the Nervous System
Image— Pinterest @ Lia
In 2026, there is growing interest in treatments that support mental wellbeing alongside skin health. Sound-based facials using singing bowls are becoming more common, particularly in high-stress urban environments. By combining facial massage with sound therapy, these sessions are designed to ease tension, restore balance and leave clients feeling calmer and more centered.
At-Home Tools, Elevated
Image —Vogue Arabia
Finally, beauty tech is becoming more accessible. New-generation LED masks with integrated cooling and multi-light therapy bring clinic-level results into daily routines, designed to feel effective, calming and personal.
read this: Reimagining Relaxation: Spa Treatments Only Dubai Can Offer
Pyrinka chopra Jones fires back at speculations about her marriage with Jones
Stefon Diggs Enters Not Guilty Plea in Assault Case
James Van Der Beek Dies at 48 After Cancer Battle
-
Fashion3 months agoJennifer Lopez in Saree at Netra Mantena’s Wedding in Dubai
-
Top Xclusiv3 months agoAriana Grande Brings Vintage Hollywood to the Wicked: For Good Paris Premiere
-
Entertainment4 months agoEddie Murphy Peels Back the Curtain in New Documentary Trailer “Being Eddie”
-
Movies3 months agoThe Devil Wears Prada 2″ Unveils First Teaser Trailer With Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway
-
Fashion5 months agoRahaf Alharbi Glows Like a Golden Goddess in Rami Kadi Couture
-
Entertainment2 months agoChris Evans Returns as Captain America in Avengers: Doomsday, Signaling Marvel’s Next Multiverse Chapter
-
Fragrance4 months agoKayali Launches its First Official Website, Marking a New Era for the Dubai Born Brand
-
Top Xclusiv2 months agoKim Kardashian Tears Up, Says Kanye West Once Accused Her of Faking the 2016 Paris Robbery