I’m a beauty-obsessed shopping writer, but even I have plenty of moments when all I want is just a little coverage and call it a day. I’ve become a little lazy with my makeup routine lately and prefer a more minimalist look that appears “natural,” with a hint of color on my cheeks or a colorful eyeliner so I can get out the door quickly.

My typical base routine includes a few steps: I use a color corrector for my dark undereye area, another one for the redness around my nose and any blemishes, a light concealer, and a skin tint or liquid foundation. Sure, the process is simple enough that I just go through the motions of applying everything without much thought, but it still took a while to layer everything—and then I had to add on blush, liner, mascara, and a finishing powder for my T-zone. So, when I discovered the No Makeup Makeup Foundation, it was a game-changer for simplifying my multistep, multiproduct routine.

The four-in-one compact foundation was created by professional makeup artist Victoria Jackson who coined the term “no-makeup makeup,” which describes a minimalist beauty look. This foundation blends mineral powers, mineral clay, and waxes to create a creamy, balm-like texture that glides over the skin. It’s made with a unique formulation cocktail of light-reflective pigments, hydrating ingredients like jojoba oil, and blurring agents that “conceals, corrects, camouflages and diffuses in a single-step,” according to the brand.

No Makeup Makeup Foundation

You can shop the foundation in 11 shades at Amazon, from Porcelain to Deep. I have a typically light to medium complexion with olive undertones, so it’s tough for me to find a good shade match in most foundation formulas since most brands tend to reserve olive undertones for medium-dark shades. I use No Makeup Makeup’s in shade Light, and it blends into my skin really well with a medium coverage finish, but I recently purchased the Light Medium shade since I tan very easily during the warmer months.

On my first attempt with this cream-balm formula, I made the mistake of using a heavy primer, which left my skin way too hydrated. Although the brand suggests pairing it with your daily moisturizer, I skip that step in my skincare routine because I find the foundation hydrating enough to wear on its own on my dry skin.

The moment I swipe it on, it livens up my dull skin and imparts a non-greasy glow. I use the brand’s brush to buff the product into my skin, but any buffing brush will also do the trick—and a little of this stuff goes a long way. I dip the brush in the foundation, dot it on the areas I need the most coverage, and then blend it all out with the same brush for seamless results. However, I tend to get oily in my T-zone, so I set my face with a translucent powder after applying my foundation base. 

I love how this one product replaced my lengthy complexion routine with just one simple step, and it provides enough longevity while still feeling very lightweight on my face. I’m also excited to share that we have an exclusive discount to share with our Real Simple readers. Head to Amazon to shop the No Makeup Makeup Foundation in your perfect shade. During checkout, look under the payment method area and add the code REALSIMPLE20 to save 20 percent on your order, bringing this all-in-one complexion perfector down to $45.

If you’re looking to consolidate more steps in your makeup routine, check out some more of my favorite multi-tasking beauty products below.

Real Techniques Bubble Blending Makeup Brush

Laura Gellar New York Balance-N-Glow Illuminating Foundation

E.l.f Monochromatic Multi Stick

Clinique Pop Lip + Cheek Tinted Oil

L’Oreal Paris True Match Lumi Le Glow Highlighter Stick