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A Realistic Approach To Glass Skin
Drop the snail mucin and skip the 12-step routine: this is your one-and-done route to skin that shines
You’ve likely heard the term 'glass skin' being bandied around beauty circles before (even before Pat McGrath's beauty look for Maison Margiela made it the talk of Paris Couture Week). With roots in South Korea, the trend is a byword for skin so smooth and dewy, it reflects the light just like glass.
In fact, glass skin is the trend that birthed all the increasingly ridiculous offshoots continually served up on Tiktok. From dolphin skin to – god help us – ‘glazed doughnut’ skin, they’re all new twists on the original idea of having cheekbones as sheeny as a just-polished window pane.
Sounds lovely, but unless you hit the genetic jackpot, glass skin isn’t easy to achieve in real life. Born in the K-Beauty community, where double-digit product line-ups were once commonplace, glass skin quickly evolved to encapsulate everything I like to side-eye about beauty: laborious techniques, over-the-top regimes and ultimately, very silly beauty standards.
Can your real, unfiltered skin be so light-reflecting, onlookers will stop you in the street? Perhaps not – and that's ok. Skin, a living organ, isn't supposed to be manipulated into becoming as glossy as glass – or a glazed doughnut, for that matter – and this is where make-up comes in.
Forget the 12-step skincare routines (bad for your skin barrier, wallet and sanity) and turn your hand instead to the new school of super clever skin luminisers, which offer that glassy glow in a swift single swipe. Below are the hero products I guarantee will make every face look amazing in seconds.
The Products That Deliver Glass Skin In Seconds
We’ve all seen the skinfluencer selfies with skin so well oiled it literally reflects the light. Well, this is the shortcut to that blindingly glossy effect: it’s essentially a completely clear multi-purpose gel that bounces the sunlight back out from your cheeks.
Now I know that doesn't exactly sound revolutionary, but what makes this one special is the way it doesn't feel sticky, slimy, or smudge your foundation beneath.
Isamaya Ffrench’s make-up line was never not going to be game-changing, but I hadn’t expected my favourite product from the collection to sit in the serum category. Skinlaq, a hyaluronic acid-infused luminiser, was easily one of my favourite finds of 2023.
An ode to sweaty, shiny post-rave faces, it's the perfect glass-skin shortcut, delivering an incredible finish that glows without glitter. Wear it all over, layer it beneath foundation, or use it to spotlight your cheekbones and eyelids.
This cult-classic complexion balm is the one I use most days. Subtle yet incredibly flattering, it's an ever-so-slightly iridescent balm that can be scribbled over cheekbones and patted with a ring finger to make even the most sleep-deprived complexions look bright and alive. The consistency here is perfection: it doesn't dry or settle into lines, but also isn't so oily it'll slip around on your skin.
Simply scribble this moisture-packed stick over eyelids and cheekbones, then tap lightly to blend the edges: the result is hyper-glossy skin with just a hint of bronze. For purists, there's also a pigment-free version.
Pat McGrath Labs Divine Skin Rose 001 The Essence Lotion
Pat McGrath Labs Divine Skin Rose 001 The Essence Lotion
In my humble opinion, this is the best product make-up queen PMG has ever created. I know, big words, but the dual-phase hydrating formula simply makes skin look incredible.
The brand leans heavily on the skincare properties – and while it is indeed a lovely quenching formula, you're really here for the make-up benefits. Think: hyper-luminous, pearly skin that people will comment on. Shake the bottle to combine the two phases, then pat with clean hands over your face before applying foundation (or simply let it shine alone). Consider it the wearable version of the make-up artist's instantly iconic Maison Margiela Couture look.
Make-up artist Gucci Westman has created what may just be the ultimate glass skin highlighter: this dewy balm boasts the perfect balance of pigment and shine, making skin look ridiculously luminous.
Swipe it over the highest points of your cheeks, dab with a finger to blend the edges (a brush will move the product around too much) and top up throughout the day. There's a spectrum of shades, but the pearly Lit looks great on everyone. If you're debating between this and the one above, know that Westman's is dewier, and Chanel's more natural-looking.
A gel is the key to creating a glass-skin look that lasts all day. Saie – the brand behind my favourite foundation ever – has created a unique formula that doesn't dry on skin or settle into pores, but instead stays dewy with just a touch of the finest, most flattering shimmer.
Wear it under a glossy foundation, or tap it strategically atop your cheekbones. And don't sleep on the corresponding Dew Blush, either.
Glossier's most versatile product, Futuredew is not one to sleep on. The brand advises applying this oil-serum hybrid as the last step in your skincare regime, but I prefer to employ it as a highlighter: the thick, balm-like texture somehow skims over pores and imperfections, making your complexion look glassy.
If you like a little bronze with your glow, this is one to try. It looks like molten lava in the tube, but trust me: a tiny amount, blended out over moisturised skin, gives a glassy, tan-enhancing gleam. Use a loosely packed stippling brush to sheer it out without upsetting your foundation base beneath.
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