Say hello to ‘cloud skin’: a makeup technique will give you the glow of a Renaissance painting 

As we've all learnt this past year, having all-over shiny skin doesn't translate well on Zoom. Instead, you've likely been combining glow-enhancing products with blurring, soft-focus ones to create more dimension, and giving skin a lit-from-within glow rather than a wet-look shine while on camera. It looks great IRL too: “The term cloud skin describes a soft, light touch skin texture, unlike glass skin, that is shiny, glossy and reflective. The former is diffused and delicately blurry, easy to create and suits everyone,” shares Dominic Skinner, global senior artist, M.A.C Cosmetics. The makeup artist coined the term back in March, noting that the runway-favoured base makeup had a soft, light and fluffy effect that would always be wearable. “Cloud Skin is just so flattering due to the mix of products that give you a balance of radiant glow and soft-focus blurring, this trend gives your skin a smoother, real-life filtered finish,” he says. “The trick to this trend is to layer a few key products with a mix of pearlescent and matte finishes to build your cloud skin. Incorporate luminous moisturisers with velvet soft foundations and you will get a soft-focus finish that glows where you want it to,” he confirms. 

“It's all about the natural glow instead of the extreme shine,” says Kritika Gill, a Mumbai-based celebrity makeup artist. “It's more inclusive as it can work for all skin types and look good throughout the day without making you look like a greasy mess." We asked the pros how to make it work, so you can do it too. 

First, hydrate your skin

“This skin trend is super easy to achieve. It’s all about incorporating a mix of luminous and soft-focus products within your skin-perfecting routine (hydrate/prime/foundation/powder). The key is to start by hydrating your skin,” says Skinner. He likes starting with a luminescent moisturiser that will deeply condition while leaving you with a radiant glow. “Follow this by prepping your skin ready for the foundation with M.A.C Mineralize Time Check Lotion. This primes your skin, letting your foundation apply smoother while also diffusing the appearance of fine lines and skin texture creating a blurred finish." Gill says that waiting for the skin prep products to really sink into the skin is key—this helps to really give you a smooth base. 

Then, apply foundation

It is best to apply foundation starting at the centre of the face and then blend it out evenly with a brush or a beauty sponge, using a patting or push-press motion. You'll want to pick an airy, mousse-like or liquid texture like the Make Up Forever Full Coverage Foundation or the Givenchy Matissime Velvet Radiant Mattifying Fluid Foundation.

Set with a finishing powder

“Lastly, set your makeup with MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural powder. Hands down my favourite powder, and for the cloud skin trend it is quite ideal. This powder gives your skin the smoothest finish with an added blur effect that glows in all the right places,” says Skinner. A good finishing powder will smoothen your skin and bounce light around it, reducing fine lines and texture, serving as a real-life Instagram filter. Apply it near the nose, in the inner corner of the eyes, on the centre of the forehead, on the hairline and across the jawline. 

Finish with a highlighter and blush

You don't want an OTT highlight, so use a lightweight, shimmer-less highlighter like the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat All-Over Brightening Pen or the Tower 28 Superdew Highlight Balm to the top of the cheekbones to tie it all together. For a little colour, use a super-sheer cream blush—in a peach-toned sunset shade—that'll seamlessly blend in, like the Glossier Cloud Paint or the Forest Essentials Gulaabi Noor Nikhaar Cheek Tint, says Gill. 

Also read:

Step aside glass skin, this is the newest K-beauty trend you need to know about

11 things your makeup artist wants you to stop doing

4 easy steps to get glowing skin—just in time for spring