a close-up portrait of model Bae Yoon Young and her glass skin look
Bae Yoon Young for Vogue Girl Korea

What is the most widely-known Korean beauty trend, that has been viral for the past few years and taken over the worldwide beauty industry? The answer is one and only one – the glass skin trend. Every makeup artist and cosmetician is talking about the flawless glass skin look and every beauty lover layered tons of skincare products and dewy highlighters to reach the desirable 'wet and wild' allure on the skin's surface.

What is The Glass Skin Trend?


But what exactly is glass skin look like? The idea behind the trend is to give the skin a crystal-clear, flawless appearance, which reminds a smooth surface of the glass. The ultimate goal here is to achieve a youthful, poreless, and dewy skin look with the help of a thorough skincare routine and emphasize the skincare results with makeup.

One of the earliest mentions of the glass skin trend I discovered in How to Get Glass Skin... a blog post was written by beautician Dr. Rachel Ho, where she talks about the hydrated and luminous skin trend and how to reach this effect in three steps. Rachel Ho describes the complex idea behind multi-step Asia beauty routines – they layer skin nourishing and protecting products to achieve a porcelain doll-like complexion naturally. Sounds overwhelming, but is it as complicated as it sounds?

two beautiful women with glowing skin
Photo: Jessica Felicio

How To Achieve The Flawless Glass Skin Look?


Every person, who cares about the health and appearance of the skin follows a skincare routine, based on their skin needs and type. The glass skincare routine does not deviate from your regular routine drastically. It consists of the regular three-step routine, reinforced with hyaluronic acid serum and pampering sheet masks.

  • The first step in your daily skincare routine should be cleansing. Mild face cleansers that do not dry or irritate your skin paired with a very gentle sponge or brush will remove any excess oil, dirt, and dead cells of your skin and refresh your complexion. 

  • To reach the glowing glass skin appearance, skin cleansing is followed by exfoliation, which should be done once a week. Regular exfoliation buffs dead skin cells, making your skin look younger and brighter. If your skin is prone to telangiectasia (also known as spider veins), then you have to be very gentle on problematic areas.

  • To calm and refresh your skin, use a hydrating sheet mask. This skincare phase is optional, but if you feel like your skin craves some pampering, then give it what it wants. Using a pampering sheet mask once or twice a week is more than enough.

  • Now, when your skin is fresh and clean, it is time for the second step – toning. Not all toners are equally good for your skin type. Try to stay away from products that contain alcohol, because they may dehydrate your skin. A good toner, infused with skin-benefiting ingredients and vitamins, will moisten thirsty skin cells and balance skin PH levels.

  • Our skin is clean, refreshed, and soothed, so the last third step is moisturizing your skin. Hyaluronic acid serum with vitamins and nourishing oils will hydrate your skin, smooth out fine lines, and protect it from free radicals. The easiest way to get naturally glowing skin is to apply your serum right after the toner, while your skin is still damp. Fortify the hydrating effect with a lightweight moisturizer. It should feel weightless on the skin and not clog the pores.

  • If your skin feels extra dry and thirsty, you can use additional products and treatments to rejuvenate it. For instance, incorporate hydrating and nourishing face masks into your skincare routine. Look for masks that contain hydrating, soothing ingredients like aloe vera, honey, shea butter, or hyaluronic acid. These components will replenish moisture and revitalize your skin. Check out the Dermal Repair Complex reviews to find a perfect treatment that will help your skin to reach a glass skin look.

  • If you live in a dry climate or spend a lot of time in air-conditioned or heated environments, using a humidifier can help add moisture to the air and prevent your skin from drying out further.


Flawless glass skin is definitely something you can't achieve overnight. Certainly, some professional skin treatments and nourishing complexes like chemical peels and Deep Wrinkle Filler antioxidants improve the situation. However, you'll need to work especially thoroughly if you have a problematic skin type with constant breakouts and irritations. Of course, it is hard to stick to the regular skincare routine but it always pays off. Consistent habits will ensure flawless results.

a close-up portrait of blogger Linda Hallberg and her glass skin makeup look
Photo: Linda Hallberg

How to Get a Glass Skin Look with Makeup?


To emphasize the results of such a complex skincare routine and add an even more divine glow to your face look for a water-weight BB cream with high SPF or a light to medium coverage foundation. These products won't overlay the beauty of your natural skin, yet even out the surface of your skin and hide blemishes. Never skip your makeup primer, because this product is a must-have for a poreless skin finish. If you have acne-prone skin look for a silicone-free makeup primer. 

Generous highlighting is the final and one of the most important steps that sum up and complete the glass skin look. Most Korean beauties use liquid highlighters, profusely charged with light-reflective particles and shimmers. You can add a few drops of such highlighter to your foundation or BB cream. This method will illuminate your skin all over, giving it a very subtle radiant finish.

For the highest areas of your face – brow bone, nose bridge, cheekbones, temples, corners of the eyes, and the Cupid's bow – use another round of liquid or powder highlighter. Make sure to blend the product well and try not to overload your face with light. Remember, the less is more! Even a few swipes of the highlighter will brighten up your entire complexion. If you want to add even more glassy shine to your skin, apply a tiny amount of highlighter to your collar bones.

a close-up portrait of a woman with a neutral makeup look and glass skin look
Photo: amandakhamkaew

Glass Skin is Dewy, Not Oily


Having healthy skin, glowing from within is always appealing, but how do balance between the beautiful glass skin look and the unattractive greasy skin appearance. The line between these two skin finishes is very fine and at times it is hard to maintain a balance between the good and the bad, especially if you have oily or combination skin type from the start. 

One of the important verities we all have to realize – is healthy, beautiful skin is neither matte nor too oily. It is something in between these two states. Our dermis is an elastic layer of tissue, it protects the body from tension and damage and is situated underneath the epidermis. The dermis is lavishly supplied with blood vessels, oil, and sweat glands, so its healthy condition is to be smooth and well-nourished. 

Do not hurry to invest in the 24/7 matte makeup primer and foundation. Even if you have super oily skin, you can still pull off the glass skin trend. In fact, you can use this characteristic of your skin in favor of your makeup look (no flakiness and dry feeling is a blessing!). Here is what you can do to avoid the oily appearance:

  • Makeup primer for oily skin will control the excessive amount of skin oil, ensuring a smooth and even skin surface.

  • Keep your highlighter within the highest areas of your face. Don't apply it to the oily areas of your face like the chin, nostrils, and the tip of the nose.

  • Stock up with the rice paper blotting tissues, they will remove oil build-up without smudging your makeup look.

  • Give your preference for powder highlighters instead of oil-based, liquid products.

Final Thoughts


And that's how you can give your skin a beautiful, glass-like finish. In my point of view, such an effortless and glossy skin look is ideal for summer, when you don't want to over-complicate your makeup routine, yet still, look beautiful and radiant. At first glance, this might seem like a lot of steps to follow, but when you get used to the routine and it finally pays off, you don't feel the complexity. And what about you, lovelies, what do you think of the glass skin trend? Is it as beautiful and appealing, as everyone claims? Please, let me know your thoughts, I'm excited to read your point of view. 

Lots of love,
Liz