COULD I BE A 'CLEAN GIRL'?

Clare O'Reilly, 45, tried out the minimalist look trending with Gen Z

- CLARE O'REILLY

As a mum to a teenage girl, it doesn’t take much to remind me how quickly the years have rolled by. So when I caught wind of the latest trend, the ‘clean girl aesthetic’, with the aim of looking fresh-faced, dewy-skinned and youthful, it sounded appealing.

For the last 10 years, I’d just worn my hair down and a red lip. Not only was this the ultimate lazy way of putting make-up on, but it was so quick I could go from stepping out of the shower to walking out the front door in five minutes flat. Surely a look that emphasised simplicity and natural beauty couldn’t take longer?

With my daughter Annie, 14, on hand for advice, I felt confident I could pull it off. But she wasn’t as encouraging as I’d hoped. ‘It’s way harder than it looks, Mum,’ Annie said, rolling her eyes and wryly showing me TikTok reels.

GOING FOR IT