Once defined by slicked-back buns, dewy skin, and neutral tones, the “clean girl” aesthetic has evolved far beyond a viral TikTok trend. What began as a minimalist makeup trend has evolved into a comprehensive branding language that now shapes how beauty brands design, package, and promote their products. In 2025, “clean” no longer just signifies simple routines or fresh-faced looks but embodies a mindset of deliberate simplicity and quiet confidence luxury.

Across the beauty industry, we’re seeing a major shift. Brands are stripping back and are reducing noise by rethinking packaging, tone, and visuals to reflect a more intentional, minimalist lifestyle. Campaigns are becoming softer, more natural, and rooted in storytelling that feels personal rather than polished. The clean girl look has transformed the beauty industry’s visual identity, how brands are adjusting their PR strategies to align with minimalist ideals, and what’s next for the “clean” movement as it matures into a lasting cultural statement.

I asked our PR and growth experts: How do you create impact when your whole message is 'less is more.”? What storytelling elements make a “clean” campaign feel authentic rather than overproduced or performative? And are we seeing brands move beyond the minimalist beige/white palette to reinterpret “clean” in new ways?

Below are the experts' insights.

• A hero message which is reflected in the aesthetic
• The meaning now is emotional clarity
• A shift to palettes that have a sense of calmness and intentionality
• High production value but shorter length videos
• Simple packaging with weight, texture, and clear language that shows respect for the buyer
• Quiet branding speaks louder

A hero message which is reflected in the aesthetic

Emily Reynolds, Owner at R Public Relations

"When less is more, each detail of your campaign is more important than ever. Spend extra time refining your color story, copy, and visuals to make maximum impact. I also recommend a hero message, which can be reflected in your aesthetic. Even with a “clean” look, your branding should have a clear story and point of view. In order to retain authenticity with this type of campaign, ensure you’re in line with your long-standing brand identity; don’t change your logo, colors, and voice if it doesn’t make sense. Although “clean” has taken a serious hold on the beauty industry in the last five years, maximalism is coming back en vogue, and more brands are playing with bold colors and visuals, balancing clean and crisp elements with fun, personality-driven elements."

The meaning now is emotional clarity

Deepak Shukla, Founder & CEO at Pearl Lemon PR

"Minimalism used to mean white walls and muted tones but now it means emotional clarity. Clean branding has become a rebellion against over-explaining. When we stripped the PR visuals of one of our clients, back to text and tone with no stock photos, no filters, engagement actually jumped. Turns out, people don’t want quiet luxury; they want honest quiet."

A shift to palettes that have a sense of calmness and intentionality

Jesse Singh, Founder at Maadho

"When the whole campaign message is "less is more" impact comes from focusing promotional efforts on radical transparency about product composition and integrity of the supply chain. Authenticity in a "clean" campaign comes from the telling of a direct story of what is being taken away and why not just what is being added. Clients say that consumers are incredibly astute and react to brands that have verifiable information regarding ingredient sources or the production process, so we recommend public relations focus on quantifiable metrics such as percent locally-sourced, or reduction in shipping weight. In this way, the story becomes displaced from the generic aesthetic claims to the specific ethical or functional performance.

My team considers the beige and white minimalist palette to be a visual shorthand that has rapidly permeated the market and become visually performative. The morphing of the "clean" movement now demands that brands ascribe the concept in a more profound sense than through aesthetic minimalism alone, but through functional honesty. We see a shift away from light neutrals in favor of more subdued and sophisticated color palettes such as deep moss green, warm terracotta or slate blue. These colors have a sense of calmness and intentionality but with a greater visual distinction to express maturity and depth in the brand's dedication to quality. Brands make real impacts when they use public relations to tell stories about how they simply choose materials of high quality, and how this simplicity has a direct benefit to not only the consumer, but also the environment."

High production value but shorter length videos

Eugene Tham, Managing Partner at Confetti

"We are seeing a dual-pronged approach. First, we are seeing videos of much shorter length within this category. These videos tend to look effortless but are of high production value. Because it looks effortless, it connects with audiences in a richer way and brings audiences down the funnel. Second, clients are requesting for even more UGC down the funnel. Picking extremely relevant influencers are key to remaining authentic and this helps to further channel audiences down to conversion through social shopping such as TikTok Shop."

Simple packaging with weight, texture, and clear language that shows respect for the buyer

Dr. Rron Bejtullahu, Medical Doctor & Advisor at SonderCare

"Brands that choose a clean message need proof behind it. At SonderCare, we use soft lines, quiet colors, and smooth surfaces, because this design helps reduce stress and makes daily care easier for families who do not want a medical-looking home.

Beauty brands can do the same by showing real skin, slower pacing, and honest angles instead of perfect edits. They can express this by using simple packaging with weight, texture, and clear language that shows respect for the buyer, and a shift toward soft greens, clay tones, and natural metal keeps things clean without looking empty or beige."

Quiet branding speaks louder

Aziz Bekishov, CEO at DC Mobile Notary

"I learned that when everything speaks louder, quiet branding speaks louder.

Before anything else, “clean culture” means an exercise in restraint, where clutter has been cleared out so that the message feels intentional and human.

Highly effective minimalistic campaigns often involve low-key storytelling, where emotion and texture replace hard visuals or grandiose claims.

My own marketing approach has neutral color palettes, clean typography, and short copy crediting trust and reliability, in the most understated way.

For this reason, brands ought to maintain people and genuine stories instead of flawless models and shady fake-hood, to retain a bit of life from minimalism.

Clean, to the current buyer, is a mindset that speaks about transparency, mindfulness, and self-control, even beyond framework choices of white backing or beige tones.

I see this whole trend of clean slowly exchanging into an earthier palette, embracing the beauty of natural imperfection, and honest photography that accepts imperfection over polish.

Minimalism done right doesn't whisper; rather, it assures."

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