Featuring: Kass
Summary
Kass embraces the Clean Girl make-up aesthetic, favouring a natural, polished look that adapts to her daily schedule. From concealer and bronzer to subtle eyeliner and mascara, her routine focuses on enhancing her features without appearing overly made-up. However, finding the right sunscreen remains a challenge, with white cast and poor make-up compatibility driving her desire for a tinted SPF that hydrates, adds glow and creates a smooth, radiant complexion.
Meet Kass: The Clean Girl Aesthetic
Kass describes her everyday make-up routine as flexible, depending on whether she is attending school, studying, meeting friends or simply running short of time.
Rather than following a fixed routine, she adapts her make-up to suit the occasion.
Her preferred everyday aesthetic is Clean Girl, characterised by subtle definition, natural-looking skin and a polished finish.
Pull quote: “On a daily basis, it would be Clean Girl or something that’s not too much out of the ordinary.”
A Simple Routine Built Around Natural Definition
Kass begins her morning by cleansing her skin and applying skincare before moving on to make-up.
Her typical routine includes:
- Concealer under the eyes and on individual blemishes
- Contour to add subtle definition
- Bronzer to warm the complexion
- Blush for a natural flush of colour
- Brown eyeliner with a small wing
- Mascara to define the lashes
- Brow products to complete the look
The result is a versatile everyday look that works across different activities without requiring dramatic colours or heavy coverage.
For Kass, the priority is make-up that feels appropriate for school, studying and social occasions.
Moving Beyond Make-Up Tutorials
Although Kass watched make-up tutorials when she was younger, she now prefers developing her own techniques.
She believes that skincare and make-up routines are individual and cannot simply be copied from one person to another.
Different skin needs, preferences and facial features mean that a routine that works for one consumer may not work for someone else.
Pull quote: “You cannot copy and paste a make-up routine from one person to another.”
Instead of relying on tutorials, Kass experiments with products to discover what works best for her.
Her approach highlights the importance of personalisation and individual product suitability within the beauty category.
Shopping Habits: In-Store Discovery and Shade Matching
Kass prefers shopping for make-up in-store, particularly when purchasing complexion products.
Recommendations from friends and experience with products she has used over time help influence her purchasing decisions.
However, she believes physically testing products is especially important when selecting concealer or foundation.
Online images do not always accurately represent how a shade will appear on the skin, creating the risk of purchasing an unsuitable colour.
Pull quote: “You might see it online, think it fits, and then it arrives and it’s too dark.”
For Kass, being able to shade-match products in person remains an important advantage of physical beauty retail.
Sunscreen: The Missing Piece in Her Routine
Despite being comfortable with her everyday make-up routine, Kass is currently struggling to find a sunscreen that works well with her complexion products.
She previously used an American sunscreen that she describes as excellent, but she now finds it difficult to have the product delivered to Germany.
Her replacement sunscreen leaves a noticeable white cast, making it difficult to blend with her make-up.
This creates an additional challenge for a consumer whose preferred aesthetic depends on natural-looking, radiant skin.
Pull quote: “Now I have one which leaves such a bad white cast, and I really struggle to blend it in with make-up.”
Her experience highlights how sunscreen performance can influence the overall success of a make-up routine.
What She Wants From Make-Up
Kass’s dream product would combine sunscreen, complexion enhancement and skincare benefits in one formula.
She imagines a tinted sunscreen that provides protection while creating a naturally glowing finish.
Her ideal product would:
- Combine SPF protection with a subtle tint
- Blend seamlessly with her complexion
- Avoid leaving a white cast
- Deliver a radiant, glowing finish
- Hydrate the skin
- Create a plumper-looking complexion
- Work comfortably alongside everyday make-up
Rather than adding another separate step to her routine, Kass wants a multifunctional product that supports the Clean Girl aesthetic.
Pull quote: “My dream product would be a sunscreen which also has a tint but at the same time gives a glow.”
The Opportunity for Hybrid Make-Up and Skincare
Kass’s preferences highlight an opportunity for brands developing hybrid products that sit between skincare, sun care and colour cosmetics.
Her ideal formula is not simply a sunscreen or a tinted moisturiser. It would combine UV protection with complexion-enhancing benefits, allowing consumers to achieve a fresh, hydrated finish without compromising their make-up.
For Clean Girl consumers, the appeal lies in products that simplify the routine while delivering multiple benefits.
Tinted SPF, hydration, glow and make-up compatibility could therefore provide a compelling combination for consumers seeking natural-looking results.
Key Takeaways for NPD
- Clean Girl make-up appeals to consumers seeking natural-looking, versatile everyday routines.
- Consumers increasingly recognise that make-up and skincare routines need to reflect individual skin requirements.
- Physical retail remains important for accurate foundation and concealer shade matching.
- White cast and poor make-up compatibility can create frustration when incorporating sunscreen into daily beauty routines.
- Tinted SPF products that combine hydration, glow and complexion enhancement represent an opportunity for multifunctional beauty innovation.
- Product availability across international markets can influence brand loyalty and purchasing decisions.
