clean girl
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Forms: form: clean girls
Senses: examples: text: Typically the "clean girl" makeup involves fluffy brows, dewy skin, flushed cheeks and glossy lips. You should look like you're not even wearing makeup – you just woke up looking perfect!
ref: 2022 February 10, Emilie Eisenberg, “What is the 'clean girl aesthetic' and why is it all over my TikTok FYP?”, in The Tab, archived from the original on 09 Dec 2022:
text: The makeup artist who coined the trending term shares her favorite products to achieve the easy “clean girl” beauty look.
ref: 2022 June 16, Tessa Flores, “TikTok's 'Gym Lips' Makeup Trend Is Surprisingly Simple”, in HuffPost:
text: Gone are the tables at the front of a store crowded with books. In their place are tables that show off stoneware serving plates with brass cutlery certain to make anyone who subscribes to the clean-girl esthetic salivate.
ref: 2022 August 3, Bianca Bharti, “The Indigo evolution: Vibrators & cutlery”, in National Post:
text: Good to glow: from left, Zoë Kravitz, Gigi Hadid, HoYeon Jung and Bella Hadid show how the ‘clean girl aesthetic’ is done […] Another thing you’ll notice about the clean girl aesthetic is slicked-back buns.
ref: 2022 August 11, “The Agenda: Keep It Clean”, in Evening Standard, page 26:
text: The presentation might change: the plaid skirts are minis instead of knee-length kilts and the ’90s have been rebranded, courtesy of TikTok, as the Clean Girl esthetic. […] There is novelty out there, and rising niche esthetics that challenge Clean Girls and the cult of brown.
ref: 2022 September 10, Liz Guber, “Is fashion running out of ideas?”, in Toronto Star:
text: It’s true that trends like “Healing Girl Summer” or “clean girl aesthetic” exist in a vacuum, and are only reserved for a very select group of people (cough white, cough thin).
ref: 2022 September 12, Meredith Clark, “Sad Girl Autumn is finally here, thank god”, in The Independent:
text: Yup, the whole clean girl aesthetic has made its way to our fingertips, from the neutral palette to the perfectly smooth and glowy finish.
ref: 2022 September 25, “How to make nude nails more bare-able”, in Sunday Express:
text: Nearly a decade after that contour selfie, the similarly capitalistic, pseudo-minimalist ‘clean girl aesthetic’ seemingly has millions in a chokehold. Framed as the anthesis of contouring, the clean girl beauty look favours simplicity and a natural approach to makeup.
ref: 2022 September 29, Rose Coffey, “What TikTok’s passport makeup craze teaches us about beauty”, in i-D, archived from the original on 16 Jan 2023:
text: While there are some POC clean girl ambassadors like Selena Gomez and Zoe Kravitz, clean girls of color are few and far between. Social media has accepted that clean girls are generally white: A Twitter post entitled "'Clean Girl' aesthetic but make it black" published in May received over 90,000 likes, which exemplifies the fact that Blackness is not inherently accepted as part of the look.
ref: 2022 October 3, Ariane Resnick, “Media—But It's Not Exactly Harmless”, in Byrdie, Dotdash Meredith:
text: You probably don’t need to know about the clean-girl esthetic, or fashion trends like kidcore, pearlcore, Barbiecore or Dark Academia. Actually, Dark Academia’s pretty cool. But you definitely don’t need to know about vabbing. Seriously, don’t ask.
ref: 2022 October 11, Saleema Nawaz, “TikTok craze for heatless curls has changed my life”, in Montreal Gazette, page A4:
text: Its [the ponytail’s] latest incarnation is as part of the clean-girl aesthetic – very big on TikTok – which is about minimalist but considered clothes (a blazer, jeans, a pristine white T-shirt) and hair worn tied back to showcase the peachy skin that you have if a) you follow one of TikTok’s endless skincare routines and b) you are young enough to be doing stuff because TikTok tells you to.
ref: 2022 October 22, Jess Cartner-Morley, “From Barbie to England’s Lionesses, the ponytail celebrates feminine energy”, in The Guardian, page 88:
text: Summer is the season for dewy skin. Skoon’s skin concentrate understands the brief for the glowy and hoe-y hot girl summer. It is perfect for the glowing to the gods look or clean girl aesthetic.
ref: 2022 November 25, Kimberley Schoeman, “Objects of Desire”, in Mail & Guardian:
text: To finish the look, Jennifer [Horsley] suggests adding a “glass skin” sheen to your cheekbones, lips and décolletage with a highlighter stick. “This is an easy, effortless way to highlight and get that ‘clean girl’ look that’s all over TikTok!
ref: 2022 December 19, Hélène Ravlich, “Fresh Summer Face”, in Woman’s Day:
text: 3. Free-flowing but sleek: That’s not to say sleek trends will die this year. Rather, they are your go-to for a clean girl look.
ref: 2023 January 10, Panna Munyal, “The Year to Embrace Your Tresses’ Natural Texture”, in The National:
qualifier: TikTok aesthetic
glosses: A notional girl representing a fashion style characterized by minimalist clothing, neutral colors, tied-back hair, and subtle makeup that emphasizes unblemished skin.