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Kim Kardashian's Makeup Artist Shares Her Tips For Mastering the "No-Makeup" Trend

Celebrity makeup artist Ash K. Holm, who works with stars like Kim Kardashian, Ariana Grande and more, shared her tips for creating a "no-makeup" glam look exclusively with E! News.

By Amanda Williams, emily belfiore Jun 01, 2020 4:00 PMTags
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A good glam doesn't always require a special occasion. And according to celebrity makeup artist Ash K. Holm, who has worked with stars like Kim Kardashian, Ariana Grande and Ashley Graham, there's no better time to put on a fresh face of makeup than during quarantine—even if you don't have a Zoom happy hour planned.

"Now is the time to experiment more than ever and I really find myself doing that. I find that when you start to experiment on yourself, it kind of brings you out of this funk of being in quarantine which is really nice because it's just makeup," she tells E! News. "It wipes off. It's not a big deal and whenever you're done, you feel good. You feel glammed up. It's empowering to wear makeup. It definitely makes you turn on. It makes you feel good, so that's something that I've been doing in quarantine is experimenting."

If you're using this time to perfect the "no-makeup" makeup technique, which is characterized by opting for natural-looking products that create a dewy finish, Holm has the easiest tips and tricks for mastering the trend:

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But first, skincare: 

Regardless of the glam look you're trying to achieve, Holm stresses that your skin must be prepped before you can go in with your favorite products. "You really need to know your skin and how your skin reacts throughout the day," she explains. "Less is more sometimes because the foundation sticks better to the skin and I think when we overdo it with skincare it kind of weighs it down and it starts to break up the foundation throughout the day and separate," adding, "You really don't need a million creams on your face to look flawless." 

For those with oily skin, Holm recommends following a simple skincare routine to prevent any excess oil and opting for a product like Murad's Oil & Pore Control Mattifer. "For my clients that are more on the oily side, I'm not going to prep with a face oil," she shares. "I would use a very lightweight moisturizer and keep it really simple in the skincare. And sometimes I don't even use a primer."

And for those with normal to dry skin, she suggests the opposite: "I would prep with a little bit of I would mix a face oil into a lightweight moisturizer. Mix it up make a little cocktail and then put a very lightweight primer." When shopping for products to prep and prime dry skin, Holm is a fan of Elemis' Super Food Face Oil, which she combines with Murad's Skin Perfecting Lotion to deliver a dewy glow to the skin.

Less is more with foundation: 

When it comes to selecting a foundation, Holm suggests choosing a lightweight formula like NUDESTIX's Tinted Cover Foundation that will act as a "second skin for your face." To ensure that the coverage stays natural-looking, she recommends applying thin layers to the areas that need coverage and building from there. For areas that require more coverage, Holm then suggests using a concealer.

"In those areas that you need more coverage like under the eye, if you have rosacea—any redness, a blemish, I would just go in with NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer," she explains. "And kind of just spot treat the rest of your face with a beautyblender or a brush and just get your coverage that way, so you keep your skin light and fresh and then you use the concealer in those areas."

Add some shimmer with a creamy highlight: 

To enhance the skin's radiance, Holm recommends choosing between a crème or liquid highlight to get the perfect dewy glow. "I love going in with Buxom Cosmetics' Luminizer and I use it to get that flawless glow that you can just tap on top of the cheeks. Add to the high points of the face," she says, adding, "You can even wear it on the eyelids and that's going to give you a little bit of a glow."

Choose a crème blush over traditional powders: 

Like your highlight, the formula of your blush is also very important. For Holm, switching to a crème blush formula like Tower28 Beauty's Beach Please Tinted Balm or Kosas' Color & Light Crème Palette creates the perfect natural flush in the cheeks. "One thing that I'm really into right now is instead of using a powdered blush—we all have a powdered blush in our makeup bag, right? It's been everyone's go-to since the beginning of time," she begins. "I think now is really the time to switch it up and use a use a crème blush. What crème blush does for the skin is it makes you look youthful, fresh. It gives you this radiant look."

As for application, she suggests using a fluffy brush to apply the product to the apples of your cheeks.

Not only are crème blushes a favorite for their illuminating effect on the skin, but Holm also loves them for their versatility, adding, "Use that same shade on the eyes, cheeks, and lips. It gives you such a radiant look and it gives you a glow. It'll basically take your skin from dull to fresh and youthful as opposed to powder brush."

Give your eyes a lift: 

To enhance your lashes with minimal effort, Holm gives Buxom Cosmetics' Xtrovert Mascara her seal of approval for its ability to lift, lengthen and volumize lashes by giving the illusion that you're wearing false eyelashes in "literally two swipes." 

"When you wear a thick, heavy coat of mascara like that but you don't have to work for it, it really reminds me of supermodel makeup vibes because, when I think of supermodels, they have beautiful lashes and they don't really do a strip lash or anything like that. I love just a thick layer of mascara to give your lashes a break," she says, noting that the formula is fortified with vitamin E and nourishes the lashes.

Finishing touches:

To spice things up, Holm suggests "replacing your black or brown eyeliner that we all have with a subtle pop of color" such as deep burgundy, navy or dark purple. "You can just do the inner corner, the outer corner; it just is all about having fun with it and adding a little pop of color to your makeup routine," she explains, crediting Marc Jacobs Beauty's Highliner Gel Eye Crayon with being her go-to. 

Murad Oil and Pore Control Mattifier Broad Spectrum SPF 45 PA++++

This lightweight, oil-free SPF moisturizer that minimizes the appearance of pores by 54 percent while delivering 10 hours of oil, shine, and pore control.

Elemis Superfood Facial Oil

This award-winning blend of deeply nourishing and hydrating plant-based superfoods feeds the skin with anti-oxidants and omegas for a healthy, radiant glow.

NUDESTIX Tinted Cover Foundation

NUDESTIX's Tinted Cover features lavender oil and tea tree oil and has a water-resistant barrier that allows for long wear and helps improve skin hydration.

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

This award-winning concealer corrects, contours, highlights and perfects up to 16 hours—plus, all shades are now available in mini size for $13 os Sephora.

Tower 28 Beauty BeachPlease Tinted Lip + Cheek Balm

BeachPlease Lip + Cheek Balm delivers buildable color in a luminous, second-skin finish. This silicone-free formula is made with plant-based ingredients like green tea extract and aloe vera extract to give skin support with every application.

Kosas Color & Light: Crème Cream Blush & Highlighter Duo

This ultra-blendable cream blush and highlighter palette comes in versatile duos of balancing, brightening, foolproof, clean and skin-conditioning formulas. Each duo is available in two levels of intensity for color that complements every mood and every skin tone.

Buxom Xtrovert Lifting Mascara

Get standout lashes with this 12-hour long-wearing, clump-free mascara that plumps lashes in one coat for dramatic lashes that look like extensions. The nylon brush lifts and lengthens, and its spiraled X-shape creates reservoirs that hold the optimal amount of creamy, smudge and flake-proof product.

Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner

Experience the luxury of gel eyeliner with the ease of a pencil! This gel-pot-eyeliner-in-a-crayon delivers intense color and 12-hour waterproof wear and amazing glide in shimmer and matte finishes.

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