How to Look Amazing in Middle School Without Makeup

Co-authored by Paul Julch, MA

Last Updated: October 9, 2024 Approved

You might not want to wear makeup in middle school, or you might not be allowed to because of your parent’s or school’s rules. However, everybody is beautiful in their own way, and it is unnecessary to wear makeup to look the best you can. Keeping good hygiene, styling your hair, wearing clothes you like, and improving your confidence can make you look and feel good without makeup.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Creating a Hygiene Routine

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1
Establish a skincare routine. Keeping your skin clean and healthy will make you glow naturally without any makeup. Use a facial cleanser to wash your face every day gently. Rinse it off with warm water and pat your face dry with a towel. If you have oily skin, use a cleanser specifically for oily skin. For dry skin, use a cleanser for normal to dry skin.
- Use an exfoliating cleanser once a week to wash away any dead skin.
- Moisturize your face every day with a lightweight, non-clogging moisturizer.
- If you have acne, use a skincare regime for acne and never pop your pimples. ^{[1]
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Even if you can’t or don’t want to wear lipstick, you can still accent your naturally beautiful lips by keeping them healthy. Exfoliate your lips using a lip scrub. Moisturize your lips daily with chapstick or lip balm to keep them soft.

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Your smile is an important part of your appearance. It is also important to take care of your teeth for your health. Brush your teeth twice a day for about two minutes. Make sure to clean your tongue as well as your teeth. Also, use floss and mouthwash daily. ^{[2]
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4
Keep your fingernails healthy. Make sure your nails are dry and clean. Wash them daily and scrub underneath them to remove any dirt. Trim them with clean nail clippers and round them with a nail file. Make sure to remove any hangnails.
- You can apply a protective layer of nail hardener to keep your nails strong.
- When applying hand lotion, rub the lotion into your fingernails and cuticles.
- Try to avoid biting your fingernails. ^{[3]
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- If you want and are allowed to, you can apply a colored polish to your nails.
5
Shower daily to prevent body odor. Because you are starting to get older, you will likely sweat more than you did when you were younger. Ensure to shower or bathe every day to remove dirt and help you smell the best you can.
- Apply deodorant daily to help with body odor.
- You can apply a lotion after you shower to improve your smell.
- If you want to and are allowed to, you can shave your body hair in the shower. ^{[4]
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6
Groom your eyelashes. Even if you can’t wear makeup, you can still make your eyelashes stand out. You can try natural remedies (such as castor oil and petroleum jelly) to help your eyelashes grow.
- You can apply clear mascara to your eyelashes to enhance their natural color and length. ^{[5]
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- If you are allowed to, you can curl your eyelashes to help them appear longer and fuller.
7
Pluck your eyebrows. If you are allowed to, you can pluck your eyebrows to help accent their shape. Tweezing your eyebrows is easier than waxing. Make sure not to over pluck and to be very careful to stick to your natural shape.
- Ask for help! Don’t start plucking until you talk to a parent or older sibling about how to pluck your eyebrows and have them help you.
- Make sure you have your parents’ permission.
- Ask a parent to take you to a professional salon to get your eyebrows done if possible.
- Remember to pluck from the bottom, never from the top. The inside of your eyebrow should align with the inner corner of your eye.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Styling Your Hair

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1
Get a haircut. Getting a haircut can make your hair easier to style, give your hair shape, make you feel more confident wearing it down, and can make it healthier. Make sure to get your hair cut every few weeks to keep it looking the best it can look. You can get a trim, or you can get a completely new style. ^{[6]
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- Ask a parent to get your hair cut. Don’t cut your hair yourself.
2
Keep your hair clean and brushed. How often you should wash your hair depends on your hair type and lifestyle. You should probably wash your hair daily if you often exercise, live in a humid and hot place, have an oily scalp, or have thin hair. You can wash your hair only a few times a week if you have thick, dry, or curly hair. ^{[7]
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- Try dry shampoo for days you need to remove grease but don’t have time to shower.
- Brush your hair daily to avoid tangles and damage and to make your hair shiny.
3
Try hair products. If you have trouble keeping your hair in place, you can use hair products to help. You can try using mousse or gels to pump up curly and wavy hair. Hair spray is great for getting rid of flyaway hairs and frizz. If you have thin hair, you can try volumizing products to make your hair appear thicker.
- Make sure only to apply a small number of hair products.
4
Use styling tools. If you are allowed to, you can try using heat tools to style your hair. Use a blow dryer to dry your hair and smooth it out. You can use a curling iron or wand to add texture, waves, or curls to your hair. Flat irons can make unruly, wavy, or curly hair straight and smooth.
- Make sure to ask your parents’ permission before you use a styling tool.
5
Try different styles. Mixing up your hairstyle can make you look and feel amazing, with or without makeup. You can put your hair in different types of braids , ponytails , updos, or buns to mix up your hair from your routine.
- Try using different hair accessories like berets, clips, and headbands in your hairstyles.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Wearing Clothes You Like

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Wear clothes that make you feel good. If you dress how you want to (but still follow your school’s rules and your parents’ rules), you will look and feel amazing. Go to your favorite stores and get clothes that you like and you are comfortable in.
If you are struggling to figure out what clothes you want to get, you can look for fashion inspiration. Movies, television shows, magazines, style blogs, and Pinterest are full of fashion inspiration. ^{[8]
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3
Be confident in a school uniform. You might not have a say in what you get to wear to school because you have a uniform. Remind yourself that everybody has the same thing on! So if you don’t feel like you look your best in a uniform, remember that everyone probably feels the same way.
- If you are allowed to, add accessories like jewelry, fun socks, unique shoes, headbands, and hair ribbons to make your uniform stand out. ^{[9]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Feeling Good About Yourself

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1
Have positive body language. Have good posture . If you stand and sit with your back straight, you will look and feel more confident. If you look confident, it will help you be confident and self-assured.
- Smiling can help you look more attractive and feel better about yourself. ^{[10]
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When you look in the mirror, try to appreciate and admire your physical features. Don’t judge yourself and criticize yourself. Instead, find something about your appearance that you like and focus on that. ^{[11]
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It might be hard not to look at women on television and advertisements, but try to ignore them. Don’t compare yourself to who you see in the media. It is important to know these women are altered using Photoshop. Everybody is beautiful in their own way, so try not to compare yourself. ^{[12]
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Selena Gomez, Founder, Rare Beauty

Learn to appreciate your natural beauty. "Makeup is something to have fun with, but not something you need. I used to think I needed to wear makeup to feel pretty, and I can definitely say that has changed as I've gotten older."

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Are you ready for the biggest glow up of your life? It's time to care of yourself, build your confidence, and become the best version of yourself that you can be! Read these expert articles to supercharge your glow up.

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How can I look naturally beautiful?

Paul Julch, MA
Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
Paul Julch is a Personal Wardrobe Stylist, Speaker, and the founder of Urbanite | Suburbanite, a wardrobe styling business in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 25 years in the fashion industry, Paul works with clients to make getting dressed easier, less time consuming, and more enjoyable. Paul has years of experience in retail visual merchandising - styling windows, displays, and floor sets for Banana Republic, Gap, and Express. He also has experience styling fashion photo shoots and corporate videos. Paul holds a BS Degree in Management from State University of New York at Binghamton, an MA in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University. He also studied Interior Design at the University of California, Berkeley.

Paul Julch, MA

Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker

Expert Answer

A big part of that is focusing on what colors you put near your face. The colors that you put near your face can either brighten your skin and bring your eyes out more or detract from your skin, making you look really sallow. Depending on your skin tone, they can either bring out pink or yellow undertones, neither of which are super attractive. If you're going to go for minimal or no makeup, colors that flatter your skin and really bring out your skin and your eyes the best.

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How do you curl your eyelashes without an eyelash curler?

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You can curl your eyelashes without a curler by using a spoon, your fingers, or aloe vera lotion. See the wikiHow article, How to Curl Your Eyelashes Without an Eyelash Curler

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How can I smile nicely?

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You don't have to fake a smile all day, but smiling can boost your mood and your appearence. Just be yourself and let a nice genuine smile come naturally. Think of things that make you laugh and that make you happy!

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Remember beauty is what is on the inside, not on the outside.

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Warnings

Make sure to ask your parents’ permission before trying anything new (such as plucking your eyebrows, shaving, getting a haircut, or using hair styling tools).

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How to Look Amazing in Middle School Without Makeup

Steps

Creating a Hygiene Routine

Styling Your Hair

Wearing Clothes You Like

Feeling Good About Yourself

Have a Transformational Glow Up with this Expert Series

Expert Q&A

Reader Videos

Tips

Warnings

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