Working from home has become a way of life for many of us over the last two years – and the best thing about WFH is the chance to skip wearing makeup and have a more relaxed start to the day. We’ve got used to going au naturel, and for many of us, our skin has improved because of it. Certainly the amount of time getting ready each day has shifted over to being a breeze!

If you’ve been embracing a more natural look, then you are probably wondering if you need to adopt a no-makeup skincare routine to ensure your complexion looks vibrant and healthy even when completely bare-faced. Keeping your skin healthy is always important, whether you choose to wear makeup or go au naturel. 

We’re here to guide you through the best skincare routine for when you wear no makeup to keep your skin hydrated, happy, and healthy. That way you can be sure you’ve got the confidence to look amazing without reaching for your makeup bag.

Use a face balm to prevent breakouts

When you first stop wearing makeup, you may be disappointed to discover that your skin is more prone to breakouts at first, while your skin adapts to the change in routine.

To help your skin acclimatise – and to maintain a clean and healthy complexion – regular cleansing with a gentle face balm will help to minimise breakouts and remove everyday dirt to prevent your pores from becoming clogged.

Try not to solve your breakout issue by covering it up with makeup – persevere and your skin will soon start to regulate its oil production and calm any flare-ups.

For everyday cleansing, our face balm with apricot powder leaves skin feeling fresh, clean and soothed. It’s designed to be used as the first cleanse of your no makeup skincare routine as it breaks down impurities and removes pollution and dirt from your pores.

Cleanse with a gentle soap

To achieve flawless skin without makeup, it’s important to use a soap that is gentle yet effective. Take care to avoid harsh soaps which will upset the natural pH of your skin, and opt for an organic, palm-oil free soap packed with natural ingredients to cleanse and protect your skin.

Our duo of chai soap bars create a rich, creamy lather and are created using residual chai spices that softly exfoliate and purify the skin, making them ideal as part of your no makeup skincare routine. Once you’ve tested the duo, you can either continue with the variety or pick out your favourite for your ongoing routine.

Tighten your pores with a toner

A good toner will remove any last traces of contaminants from your skin, tighten your pores and restore pH levels for a brighter look. When you’re first going makeup free, it’s also a great way of feeling like you’re doing something to make your skin ready for the day ahead.

Applied after cleansing, a balancing toner, such as our popular hyaluronic acid face toner, will add moisture to your complexion and calm irritation, thanks to the soothing properties of chamomile and green mandarin water. Formulated with BHA salicylic acids to clean pores and keep breakouts at bay, this toner is a must-have product in your makeup-free skincare regime.

Avoid heavy moisturising creams

If your skincare routine has previously relied on occlusive or heavy moisturisers, it’s time for a rethink. Topical moisturisers that are too heavy for makeup-free skin can trigger breakouts – especially when first adopting a no-makeup skincare routine.

That’s not to say you should ditch moisturiser altogether, far from it. Instead, choose a light, fast-absorbing moisturiser to brighten and nourish the skin. Our multi-award-winning face moisturiser with Vitamin E is suitable for all skin types and is super-hydrating without leaving your skin feeling weighed down or greasy.

Barrier-boosting skincare

The key to glowing makeup-free skin is hydration. Your skin will look brighter and plumper when hydrated, which means fewer blemishes that would usually have you reaching for concealer and heavy foundation.

Boost your skin’s moisture barrier with a face oils that will drench your skin with hydrating jojoba and rosehip oils designed to fade dark spots and hyperpigmentation. Our organic face oil with coffee extract also provides a skin-brightening hit of caffeine for glowing skin. Oils are really important for the short and long term health of your skin.

Use a face oil morning and evening after applying moisturiser as part of your no-makeup skincare routine for 24-hour hydration.

Exfoliate weekly

Exfoliating your skin weekly helps to remove any build-up of dead cells, leaving you with a smoother, more radiant complexion. Investing in an exfoliating facial scrub will help to reinvigorate your skin so you’ll feel confident without the need for makeup. Even if you are reaching for the makeup, perhaps for a special occasion, exfoliating will help foundation look smoother.

Choose an exfoliator from our facial scrub range that suits your skin type to buff away dead cells and nourish your skin:

• Coffee face scrub: herbal blend for acne
• Coffee face scrub: citrus blend for dry skin
• Coffee face scrub: floral blend for sensitive skin

More ‘no makeup’ skincare tips

To fully embrace the no makeup lifestyle, there are plenty of other ways to help you achieve fresh, radiant skin.

• Drink more water to keep your skin smooth and supple.
• Choose foods rich in Vitamin C that can aid collagen production – try adding papaya, tomato juice and oranges to your daily diet for the maximum effect.
• Get your beauty sleep! It’s true that a good night’s sleep allows time for our skin to repair and rejuvenate – aim for eight hours every night.
• Avoid touching your face to minimise the risk of transferring bacteria that can cause a breakout.

At UpCircle, we create natural skincare products to suit all skin types, from acne-prone skin to dry and sensitive skin.  Everything we make is cruelty-free, ethically made, and suitable for makeup-free and vegan lifestyles.

Want to find out the best products for your skin? Take our skincare quiz to help you build your personalised makeup-free natural skincare routine.