We love experimenting with trendy new makeup looks as much as the next beauty enthusiast, but not every occasion calls for a complex, multi-step routine. Sometimes, you just want to look put together and polished (without spending too much time in front of the mirror).
For those days when you’re seeking simplicity, look towards this list of 10 easy makeup ideas for inspiration. These simple makeup looks are ideal for everyday activities, whether that be work, school, or your weekly grocery run. And, none of them take very long to complete (consider that a bonus for busy mornings). Find your everyday makeup inspiration below, plus a few must-try tips for nailing your easy makeup look.
Makeup means different things to different people. Some people prefer to use makeup to conceal blemishes and enhance their natural beauty, while others see makeup as an opportunity to play with color and unleash their creativity. When deciding which look you should wear on a day-to-day basis, you’ll want to consider the weather and the occasion—as well as your preferred approach to beauty.
Special occasions, for example, often call for more dramatic, glam looks, while barely-there, easy makeup looks are great for lazy weekend days (especially in the summertime). But ultimately, what makeup look you choose is up to you—we always encourage doing whatever makes you feel your most confident.
After you decide on your desired makeup look, you’ll want to pick the right products and tools to complete it. While the specific products you’ll need depend on the look you’re after, we’d recommend keeping the following essentials on hand:
Other products you might want to consider stashing in your everyday makeup bag include highlighter, brow gel, and setting spray (the latter of which can help ensure your look stays in place throughout the day). Finally, don’t forget the tools—a beauty sponge and a set of makeup brushes are a must for achieving a smooth, even makeup application.
If you need some help coming up with cute makeup looks that work for everyday activities, keep scrolling. We’re sharing 10 of our favorites—plus tips on how to achieve them—below.
No-makeup makeup (also known as “clean girl makeup”) is perfect for days when you want to look put together but don’t want to spend more than a few minutes on your makeup. The key features of this effortless look include dewy skin, natural-looking lashes, and subtly flushed cheeks.
Get the look: Start by evening out your complexion with a sheer, radiant-finish foundation or skin tint, such as L’Oréal Paris True Match Hyaluronic Tinted Serum. This hyaluronic acid-infused formula is lightweight and hydrating—and it helps smooth the skin over time (we love a multi-tasker). If you have oily skin and want something that can help control shine, try the L'Oréal Paris Infallible Up to 24H Fresh Wear Foundation in a Powder instead: It offers a natural-looking, full-coverage matte finish.
After applying your base, tap some blush onto the apples of your cheeks for a natural-looking flush. Finish your five-minute makeup look with a swipe of brown mascara and a layer of tinted lip balm for a hydrated, subtly-tinted pout.
A smoky eye may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of simple eyeshadow looks, but it’s great for everyday wear because you don’t have to be super precise with your application. For daytime, we recommend swapping out the classic dark gray and black shades for softer hues like taupe, light brown, and beige.
Get the look: For this look, you only need one eyeshadow palette: L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Pocket Palette Eye Shadow in Boudoir Chrome. Start by applying the lightest brown shade onto your lid, blending it up toward your crease. Then, darken the crease with the deeper brown hue and blend well for a soft, smoky effect. You can end here, or use your finger to tap the shimmery champagne shade onto your brow bone and inner corner for a brighter, more wide-awake look.
Once you’re satisfied with your shadow, define your upper lash line with your favorite brown eyeliner (we recommend L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner in Brown Denim) and add a coat or two of mascara to complete the look.
Make your eyeliner the focus of your makeup look by tracing your upper and lower lash lines (and waterlines) with a vivid jewel-toned liner. The unexpected pop of color makes for a high-impact look that requires little effort to nail.
Get the look: For this look, you’ll want a waterproof eyeliner that will hold up without smudging or transferring. We suggest using L’Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner. It offers intense color payoff and comes in a range of vibrant shades, including dark blue and vibrant turquoise.
Rocking a bold lip color is one of the simplest ways to create an easy makeup look that can take you from day to night. Red lipstick is, of course, classic, but don’t be afraid to experiment with other shades, too—purples and oranges are especially playful.
Get the look: The lips are the focus of this simple makeup look, so you’ll want to keep the rest of your makeup fairly low-key. Define your eyes by tracing your upper lash line with liquid eyeliner, such as L'Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Precision Felt Waterproof Eyeliner in Black. When you get to the outer corner, flick the liner toward the tail of your brow to create a small, subtle wing. Then, add a coat of L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Panorama Waterproof Mascara for soft, full lashes (sans clumping or flaking).
Finally comes the pièce de résistance of your look: the lipstick. We recommend using a long-lasting lipstick like L’Oréal Paris Infallible Matte Resistance Liquid Lipstick. It comes in 12 bold shades and delivers up to 16 hours of smudge- and transfer-resistant wear.
Match your blush to your lipstick to streamline your morning makeup routine. This trick takes the guesswork out of picking shades and simplifies your routine, but it also creates an effortlessly cool monochromatic effect.
Get the look: To create this cool makeup look, dust a vibrant blush onto your cheekbones (we love the summery vibe of L’Oréal Paris Infallible Up to 24H Fresh Wear Soft Matte Blush in Fearless Coral). Then, apply a matching lipstick to create a monochromatic effect. Try L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Intense Volume Matte Lipstick in Le Coral Irreverent—it boasts a powdery matte finish and won’t feather, bleed, or migrate as you go about your daily activities.
Just a few swipes of mascara can transform a basic makeup look into a seriously stunning one—but with minimal extra effort. Full, voluminous lashes also have the benefit of making you look more wide-eyed and awake, which is never a bad thing.
Get the look: For a bold lash look, reach for the L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Washable Mascara in Blackest Black. Its clump-resistant formula creates volume and length for soft, full-looking lashes. Use the wide part of the brush to coat your upper lashes as usual, then hold the brush vertically and paint the mascara onto your lower lashes. If you want to mix it up a bit, you can also achieve this wide-eyed look with a colored mascara in an unexpected hue shade like purple or cobalt.
The so-called “strawberry girl makeup” look is one of our favorite easy makeup looks because it’s subtle enough for daytime but glam enough to rock on a date night. Plus, the soft, sunkissed look is super easy to achieve with products you (likely) already have—all you need is a glowy base product, some blush, and a high-shine lip gloss.
Get the look: While you can achieve strawberry girl makeup with a matte base, we think it looks best when the skin looks dewy and fresh. As such, we recommend swapping out the full-coverage foundation for a glowy tinted moisturizer, like L’Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Glotion Natural Glow Enhancer. Apply the hydrating formula to your entire face (and decolletage!), for a radiant look with a hint of pigment. Then, use a fluffy blush brush to sweep L’Oréal Paris Infallible Up To 24H Fresh Wear Soft Matte Blush in Confident Pink onto the apples of your cheeks, dusting any excess blush onto the bridge of your nose for a sunkissed effect. Finally, complete the look with a tinted lip balm or gloss, such as L’Oréal Paris Glow Paradise Balm-in-Gloss with Pomegranate Extract in Angelic Daydream.
Winged eyeliner is timeless and flattering—but if you want to update your everyday makeup look, consider playing around with your liner placement. A double wing, inverted eyeliner, or even negative space liner (more on that below) are all easy to achieve but bold enough to make a serious statement.
Get the look: Negative space eyeliner looks complicated, but it’s actually super easy to achieve. Start by tracing your upper lash line as you would for your go-to liner look. Extend it toward the tail of your brow to create a wing, and fill in any gaps as needed. Then, create another line, this one directly above your natural crease, and connect it to your wing. Done properly, you should be left with an exaggerated wing shape that’s totally bare in the center. For clean, sharp lines, we recommend using a liquid liner for this look. Try the L'Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Precision Felt Waterproof Eyeliner in Black or give your look a colorful twist by opting for the Blue shade.
While we often associate French makeup with bold red lips, the reality is, French women often favor a more subdued, fresh-faced look. This chic makeup look utilizes a few key products to accentuate your natural features and give your skin a healthy-looking glow. The end result gives off a polished, effortlessly glam vibe—which, ultimately, is what the French girl aesthetic is all about.
Get the look: You can skip the foundation and concealer for this simple makeup look—all you need is mascara and a bit of sheer lipstick or gloss. Start by defining your upper lashes with a coat of L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Panorama Washable Mascara in Black Brown, using the flexible spoolie brush to coat your lashes from corner to corner. As that’s drying, drench your lips in hydration with L’Oréal Paris Glow Paradise Balm-in-Lipstick with Pomegranate Extract in Rose Mirage. The weightless formula is packed with lip-loving ingredients and provides a buildable wash of color for healthy-looking lips.
Simple makeup looks don’t have to be boring (that’s the theme here). One of our favorite ways to elevate a basic everyday makeup look is by swapping the neutral matte shadow for one that has a bit of sparkle. To make this shimmery look work for daytime, we suggest keeping the shimmer on your eyes and taking a less-is-more approach with the rest of your makeup.
Get the look: You can create this look with any shimmery shadow you like, but for daytime, we’d recommend sticking with softer, airier shades. L’Oréal Paris Infallible 24 HR Eye Shadow in Always Pearly Pink stuns on fairer skin tones, while golden hues like Amber Rush and Bronzed Taupe are gorgeous on those with medium or darker skin. Tap the shadow onto your lid with your finger for a soft, diffused effect, cleaning up any fallout with a clean makeup wipe. Add mascara to your top lashes, and finish the look with a clear lip gloss or hydrating balm.
Keep these application and prep tips in mind so you can nail your makeup looks in a flash.
Begin with a clean canvas by washing your face with a gentle cleanser such as L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Radiant Smoothing Cream Cleanser and applying moisturizer suitable for your skin type. Be sure to incorporate SPF during the day. For a speedier routine, try L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Collagen Expert Day Moisturizer with SPF 30 to combine your moisturizer and SPF steps into one.
If you’d like, you can follow up your moisturizer with a primer. If you’re concerned about your makeup creasing or nestling into your fine lines, try L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Blurring Face Primer Infused With Serum. This ensures a smooth base for makeup application and helps makeup last longer.
For a natural-looking base, opt for lightweight formulas such as tinted moisturizers, BB creams, or sheer foundations. These products provide coverage while still allowing your skin to breathe. If you’re working on too few hours of sleep and tired skin, reach for L’Oréal Paris Magic Anti-Fatigue BB Cream—it helps counteract the visible signs of fatigue for a fresh-faced, natural-looking finish.
You don’t need to apply concealer all over. Instead, concentrate your application only on problem areas (like dark circles or blemishes) and blend the pigment well for a soft, natural-looking finish. Keep in mind that with concealer, a little goes a long way. We suggest opting for a medium-coverage formula like L’Oréal Paris True Match Radiant Serum Concealer to help ensure a seamless, skin-like finish.
Whether it's foundation, concealer, or eyeshadow, blending is key to achieving a flawless look. Use makeup brushes, sponges, or your fingertips to blend products seamlessly into your skin. (If you need tips, check out our article How to Blend Your Makeup the Right Way).
If you're short on time, focus on enhancing one feature that you want to emphasize. This both cuts down on the amount of time you’ll spend doing your makeup and helps ensure your simple makeup look doesn’t get overpowered by competing products.
For example, if you choose to emphasize your lips, pick a bold, vivid lipstick (try L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Reds Of Worth Satin Lipstick With Saturated Color in Successful Red) and keep the rest of your face bare. Or, pair your graphic eyeliner look with sheer lip gloss to ensure the focus remains on your eyes.
One of the easiest ways to simplify your makeup look is by using products that perform double (or triple) duty. Our aforementioned Lumi Glotion, for example, hydrates, illuminates, and primes your skin, combining three distinct steps into one—which is why it’s a staple in our simple makeup routines. You can even try using your lipstick as a DIY blush in a pinch for a monochrome makeup look that requires just one product.
For a simple eye makeup look, sweep a neutral eyeshadow shade, like L’Oréal Paris Infallible 24 HR Eye Shadow in Iced Latte, across your lids for a subtle wash of color. Define your lashes with mascara to open up your eyes without the need for eyeliner.
Groomed brows can instantly elevate your look. Use a tinted brow gel or pencil like L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Definer Mechanical Waterproof Eyebrow Pencil to fill in sparse areas and shape your brows for a polished appearance.
To ensure your makeup lasts throughout the day, mist your face with setting spray once you’re done with your makeup routine. This will help keep your look in place and minimize the need for touch-ups throughout the day. Try L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Spray and Set Make-Up Oil-Free Setting Spray—it’s non-comedogenic and won’t settle into fine lines throughout the day.
When in doubt, less is more. Stick to a minimalist approach with just a few key products to achieve an easy, effortless makeup look. Remember, the goal is to enhance your natural beauty, not to mask it.
Next Up: How To Apply Makeup for Beginners
Photo Courtesy of L'Oréal Paris
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