IS THE “CLEAN GIRL” MAKEUP LOOK HERE TO STAY?

The 78th annual Emmy Awards arrived with a bang of bare skin. A culture of natural makeup is upon us, and stars like Zendaya and Elle Fanning are leading the movement with simplistic looks.

It typically starts with a nude eyeshadow, a standard coat of mascara and a heavy emphasis on the blush and lip duo. The glamorous, star-studded and dramatic makeup look seems to be a thing of the past, especially with Zendaya’s makeup artist, Ernesto Casillas.

According to Vogue, Casillas has been doing Zendaya’s simplistic, yet chic makeup look for her last public events, making it clear that the signature, natural essence is his handiwork. 

According to Variety, Zendaya’s Emmy look consisted of a flawless and glowing base, likely brought on by a cream highlighter and skin-like foundation and a reddish-pink blush to soften the entire look. 

For the eyes, Casillas’ simplicity was almost extraordinary, blending the blush from Zendaya’s cheekbones to her brow bone, while applying a feathery lash combination to draw more attention to her subtle glam versus a dramatic eye.

Ayo Edebiri and Elle Fanning’s makeup artists also had the intuition to emphasize a dewy makeup look over extravagant glamor. Edebiri’s makeup artist, Dee Carrion, told InStyle how she aimed to create warmth in her makeup look, making it dewy and fresh over heavy and saturated. 

For Fanning, her natural beauty was only enunciated when her makeup artist Erin Monroe decided to highlight her soft features with three main products–a blush, bold lipstick and highlighter. Fanning’s bold lip and soft pink cheeks created a soft, whimsical look, amplifying the “clean girl” look that so many makeup artists at the Emmys adopted.

Whether it’s a personal preference or a desire for a more efficient makeup look, the “clean girl” look may be here to stay.

Gucci and Chanel Autumn/Winter ‘26/’27 decorated their models with an emphasis on certain features, like a bold eyeshadow with no mascara or a defined cheek and lip combination. 

The Emmys kept the trend going, and now the concept of efficiency over maximalism is a hot topic up for discussion.