Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the most flawless of them all?
Learn how to achieve gorgeous, glossy skin with our top tips & picks
If you’ve yet to try the trend and are still wondering ‘how do I get glass skin?’, we’ve got you covered.
Glass skin is a popular K-beauty trend centred around achieving a luminous, flawless complexion that’s smooth and poreless, much like a pane of glass. The key to glass skin lies in a carefully curated skincare routine focused on intense hydration, gentle exfoliation and layering multiple products, complemented by light make-up products to create a glow-geous look.
Great skin starts from within, so remember to drink plenty of water and eat nourishing and yummy foods. Need more convincing? Check out our top tips on how to help look after your skin.
Ready to achieve the super-dewy skin of your dreams?
Step 1: Prep & prime
Preparing your skin for great skincare and make-up is essential, as it can help your look to stay all day and even affect how your skin may react. Begin by cleansing and toning your face with hydrating products that contain ingredients like vitamin C or hyaluronic acid, as you don’t want to strip away any goodness. Then apply a hydrating sheet mask, and finish by patting in the excess serum (or wiping away with a cotton pad if needed).
Step 2: Lay down the foundations
Glass skin is all about creating healthy, natural-looking skin, but there’s nothing wrong with using a touch of make-up to help make this look pop. Apply a hydrating primer, then gently dab on a luminous foundation or BB cream with a damp beauty sponge or even your (clean!) fingers. Our foundation go-to? Rimmel Multi-tasker Better Than Filters which gives a fab soft-focus glow.
Step 3: In blush we trust
Your skin is well on its way to looking gorgeous and glass-like, but it’s time to inject a flush of colour. Take a small amount of cream or liquid blusher, or even lipstick, and either dab on using your fingers, or gently pat on using a flat foundation or stippling brush. Sweep a small amount of blusher or lippy across your lids and lips too. This look is all about the gloss and glow, so avoid using powder products as they'll mattify your skin and dull the radiance.
Step 4: Ready, set, glow
Are you ready to take this look to new heights? Grab a beauty balm (good old Vaseline will also do) and gently apply to your cheekbones, lips and eyelids. Start off minimal and gently build up to your desired shine. If you want to add even more glow then apply liquid highlighter using a damp beauty sponge, and get ready to become a living, breathing social media filter.
Glass skin go-tos
Let’s meet the glass skin secret must-haves that’ll help you nail the trend and give you a coveted, dewy complexion…
Best for a morning refresh
Try: COSRX LOW-PH Good Morning Gel Cleanser
• Size: 150ml
Ready for your wake-up call? This clarifying gel cleanser will revitalise your skin, leaving it feeling fresh and ready to embrace the day ahead. Lather up a small amount, massage into your face then rinse away those impurities and get ready to glow. Pssst! You can use this as a double cleanse in the evening, too…
Best for locking in moisture
Try: Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water
• Size: 150ml
If you don’t already know about this viral K-beauty brand, where have you been? Glass skin glow-getters, assemble: this hydrating toner’s formulated with skin-loving ginseng to leave your skin revitalised, moisturised and oh-so-dewy.
Best for keeping excess sebum at bay
Try: Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide
• Size: 30ml
Another glass-skin essential from Beauty of Joseon, this honey-like serum helps minimise the appearance of pores and balance the production of serum while keeping moisture levels intact, thanks to propolis extract and niacinamide. The result? Dewy skin that shines for all the right reasons.
Best for a nourishing treat
Try: COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in one Cream
• Size: 100ml
Featuring snail secretion filtrate – aka the K-beauty ingredient of the moment – this multitasking cream helps hold in moisture while nourishing and plumping the appearance of skin. Massage into your skin after cleansing and toning, making sure to press in any residue with your fingertips for maximum results.
Best for healthy-looking hydration
Try: Dr.Jart+ Vital Hydra Solution Hydro Plump Water Cream
• Size: 50ml
Dull, dehydrated skin? No thanks. Achieve a truly glassy glow with this lightweight gel-based cream. Packed with hyaluronic acid to raise moisture levels to whole new heights, this dermatologist-tested formula means even sensitive skin can steal the glow.
Best multitasking must-have
Try: LANEIGE Glowy Makeup Serum
• Size: 30ml
If you love your beauty products to work twice as hard, this one’s for you. The super-hydrating serum-primer from K-beauty brand LANEIGE gives a gorgeous radiant glow while helping your make-up stay put for a flawless finish.
Best for a custom glow
Try: Rimmel Multi-tasker Better Than Filters
• Size: 30ml
Say hello to your best skin and goodbye to filters. Wear this three-in-one product your way for customisable radiance. Apply as a primer, mix with your favourite foundation or highlight your favourite features – however you choose to use it, the light-reflecting pigments will give you a flawless, perfectly-lit finish every time.
Best for locking in your look
Try: 17. Dewy Prep Setting Spray
• Size: 50ml
Got your glass skin look on point? A spritz of this setting spray will make sure you’ve got a glow that’s going nowhere. Not only will it give your look staying power, it’s also infused with coconut water to help keep your skin looking extra dewy, all day long.
