Beauty is getting quieter. At least, so it seems. After years of contouring, full coverage, laminated brows and glass skin, we are moving towards a more nuanced idea of beauty: So called Quiet Beauty. The goal isn’t to look untouched but to make the touch invisible. After more than 20 years working as a make-up artist and beauty expert, I have seen countless trends come and go. What remains compelling is skin that looks like skin. My philosophy of the Flawless Face has always been built around that principle: not perfect skin, but beautifully balanced skin.
I’ll always want to even out colour, soften redness and pigmentation, diminish the appearance of a blemish and enhance the complexion while leaving its texture, dimension and character intact. You could wear a full face, but still seeing fresh skin. What exactly is applied, remains the trick of the trade.
This is what sets Quiet Beauty apart from traditional no-make-up make-up. It isn’t simply about using less. It is about precision, applying a product exactly where it’s needed and leaving the rest of the face alone.
The shift is already visible internationally. Reports show the growing appeal of fresh, less perfected complexions, and the move away from poreless, blurred and polished skin towards visible and healthy-looking skin. Even mascara is being questioned at the moment, with the ghost lash trend embracing barely defined eyes.
Amanda Rijff, Master Makeup Artist, at work creating her signature Flawless Face. From the archives.
This doesn’t mean beauty is becoming minimalist. Color, expressive eyes and playful make-up are returning alongside it’s quieter approach to skin. You don’t need every element of your face to compete for attention. Your skin can be fresh and dewy while color is still expressive. What matters is intention.
Quiet Beauty could be a red lip that sits against almost invisible make-up. Bare lashes with an eyeliner, which I’ve always loved, can make an eye look more modern, while a blemish doesn’t have to disappear completely for a face to look fresh and polished. Seeing the person instead of the technique, is the real mening of a Flawless Face.