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Marie Claire
Marie Claire
Lifestyle
Manahil Zafar

The Enduring Power of Modest Beauty in the Clean Girl Era

Modest Beauty: Ikram Abdi Omar attends the Paul and Joe show during London Fashion Week February 2022 at Charterhouse Square on February 21, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images).

If my Instagram feed is anything to go by, the 'clean girl' aesthetic isn't going anywhere. Every post is accompanied by glowy skin, neutral tones and minimal makeup. But it's worth noting that many Muslim women have been living a version of it for generations—long before it had a name, a mood board, or a trending TikTok sound. And while beauty trends come and go, modest beauty is rooted in faith, function and restraint. It has always been less about aesthetics and more about intention. In other words, it isn’t a fleeting look—it’s a lifelong commitment.

What does “modest beauty” actually mean?

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