The Demi Method Is The Ultimate Hack For No-Makeup Makeup Looks

Full glam has its appeals, but not everyone loves how it feels on the skin. When packing on foundation, blush, concealer, and contour, the coverage can easily veer into cakey territory. After all, that’s a lot of product to apply to a single canvas.

But fear not: There’s a way to get the complexion-smoothing benefits of full glam, without the drawbacks. It’s called the Demi Method.

The Demi Method been around for years (you can thank Cara Brook for giving the technique its name), but it’s recently seen a surge in interest. Makeup artist Madeleine Gibson thinks she knows why: After seeing the pendulum swing between full-on and barely-there makeup, we’re looking for something that splits the difference. “Exiting COVID, we had the emergence of the ‘clean girl aesthetic,’ which was a very minimalistic, glowy makeup look,” she says. “Following that — think late 2022 to early 2024 — the pendulum then swung into the ‘mob wife’ look, which was a full beat with smoked out eyes, a deep red lip, and maximal, mattified coverage on the skin.”

Now, for many who have become accustomed to — but unsatisfied with — their ultra-full-coverage routine, the Demi Method is the perfect alternative. It promises to enhance your skin, versus simply covering it up.

Sound like your kind of routine? Read on for all you need to know about the Demi Method.

What is the Demi Method?

“The Demi Method is a happy medium between a clean look and a full-face glam,” Gibson says. “This method gives a medium coverage to the skin, while still letting imperfections and texture peek through, so that the skin still feels like skin. It is pointedly glowy in all the right places, but also intentionally mattified in places like the T-zone and jawline.”

The approach is all about strategically placing color in specific areas to balance and conceal. By brightening certain spots and darkening others, you can create an even, uniform complexion — without excess product.

With the help of color science, redness is minimized and other problem areas are concealed. Think of it as color-correcting, but with your regular makeup products.

How Do You Do Demi Method?

To nail the Demi Method, you’ll need to follow a few key steps. “Start with a super-hydrated face,” says Gibson. “If you want that radiant, glowy skin to peek through your makeup, you need a supple, juicy base.”

Underpainting comes next — and be warned, it may look a little strange when you first start. “It might look a little scary at first, but it’ll look cute soon enough,” Gibson says. “The key is to avoid over-blending the bronze base. That’s what will create depth and contrast for the final look.” To tie it all together, use some cream blush on the center of your lips.

Since this look is all about skin, Gibson suggests using minimal powder. After your concealer and foundation, lightly dust translucent powder only where you really need it: under the eyes, around your nose, under your cheekbones, and at the center of your forehead.

To warm up the face, she recommends Huda Tantours, because it’s neither too warm nor too cool. “If you need to bring back some glow or color, don’t be afraid to layer a cream after powder,” Gibson adds. “I’m obsessed with Haus Labs Color Fuse Glassy Blush Balm Sticks — they’ve got hyaluronic acid in them. And for glow without pigment, Chanel Baume Essentiel in Transparent is my favorite.”

Check, check, and check!