The idea—as seen on an increasing number of runways and worn by a growing number of celebs from Gwyneth Paltrow to Kim Kardashian—is that you’re literally not wearing cover-up of any sort. Even better: It saves you (valuable) time in the morning as you hustle to get ready, costs way less than maintaining a full cosmetics kit, and—the best part—it lets you work what your mama gave you.
1. Drink lots of water
It’s a no brainer, but Patinkin counts staying hydrated as an essential step of your beauty routine. “Think of your skin like a sponge,” she says. “When it’s dry, it’s brittle and rough, but when it’s saturated, it expands, softens, and becomes much more pliable.”
2. Befriend a good exfoliator
Skin looking dull? It might actually be totally healthy, but just covered up with layers of dead cells (gross but true). “Getting rid of those makes your skin smoother and look brighter,” promises Patinkin.
“You don’t have to be rough about the way you exfoliate, and there’s no reason to spend days looking like a phyllo pastry—using a gentle alpha hydroxy acid like glycolic or lactic will give a micro-exfoliation that leaves the skin looking luminous.” She recommends Juice Beauty’s Stem Cellular Resurfacing Micro-Exfoliant ($55) to get the job done.
3. Do some prep before you leave the house
You don’t have to reach for foundation to get that dewy look. The key is getting a handle on any inflammation. “A vitamin C or other antioxidant serum is super important in the no-makeup look,” Patinkin explains. “It reduces the inflammation we get from free radical damage like pollution or other environmental stressors and can actually help to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and sun spots.”
