Now that spring is here, who wouldn’t want to look as dewy as a new bloom?
Which is not exactly the look bestowed by those shimmer highlighters of seasons past. This spring the newest products impart a translucent glow but without the artificial glitter. “Glass skin,” the effect is called, and it’s a trending hashtag on Instagram, where glowing faces are positively dew dappled.
Don’t know where to start? Here, some experts share their tips on how to achieve a glassy look.
The K-Beauty Way
Dewy finishes come in and out of fashion, but this particular iteration is influenced by Korean beauty. The trend has been building in Korea since 2013, said Charlotte Cho, the founder of the K-beauty retailer Soko Glam and the skin-care line Then I Met You. In Korea, “glass skin,” or “honey skin,” came to describe a “clear, poreless, translucent complexion,” she said. It has now arrived in the West, she said, via viral Instagram looks.
According to Ms. Cho, a multistep skin-care routine is the secret. That includes double cleansing, exfoliating and layering on brightening and hydrating products.
Have some spare time in the morning? Invest in her rigorous regimen:
1. Ms. Cho starts off by double cleansing with her Then I Met You Cleansing Duo ($68), which has an oil-based balm cleanser, followed by a water-based cleansing gel.
2. Next, she exfoliates to minimize the appearance of pores or a dull complexion. She likes Klairs Youthful Glow Sugar Mask ($24), which has natural hydrating sugars and oil-absorbing kaolin clay.
3. Ready to start hydrating? Forget what you know about stinging toners. Look for a hydrating, not astringent toner, Ms. Cho said. She uses Acwell Licorice pH Balancing Cleansing Toner ($18), which has licorice extracts, a natural brightener.
4. If essences are not yet part of your routine, Ms. Cho would say you’re missing out. She splashes on the Neogen Real Ferment Micro Essence ($38), which has humectants and fermented ingredients to lock in hydration.
5. You’re not done yet! Lastly, layer on an emollient moisturizer to coat and protect your skin. She prefers the ceramide-laden SkinRx MadeCera Cream ($38). The idea is to moisturize your skin so thoroughly that it appears plump and dewy.
The Minimalist’s Way
If you lack the commitment of a K-pop star, you can still get the effect by switching to a key skin-care product or two. Tatcha’s new Dewy Skin Cream ($68) nails the look in one step. Vicky Tsai, the Tatcha founder, created the moisturizer for the makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic, known for his work with Kim Kardashian West.
“He couldn’t find a rich but weightless moisturizer to serve as a base for creating his signature glowy looks,” Ms. Tsai said. The thick Instagram makeup of the last few years had begun to feel stale. “We’re ready to hit the refresh button and live in our own skin,” she said.
For quick results, Soo-Young Kim, an aesthetician at Sofie Pavitt Studio in Lower Manhattan, favors vitamin C. She treats her clients to an AHA peel and a hydrating jelly mask with a vitamin serum to top it off ($210). “The combination really tightens, brightens and gives a moisturizing glow to the skin,” she said.
You can easily invest in vitamin C skin care for home use. Just look for smaller bottles of the stuff, Ms. Kim advised. “Vitamin C, as powerful and amazing as it is, is an unstable ingredient, which means shorter shelf life,” she said. She likes Cosrx Triple C Lightning Liquid ($27), which comes in chic little black bottles to keep the light out.
The Makeup Way
If you’re happy with your skin care the way it is, a dewy finish is another way to go. Seek out foundations that have an emollient finish, like the Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick ($68). It contains squalane, coconut oil and camellia seed for a subdued glow.
There are also new highlighters that rely more on a translucent sheen than on the shimmer finishes of the past. The Chanel Baume Essentiel in Transparent ($45) comes in an easy-to-tote stick with no shimmer. Tyron Machhausen, a makeup artist who works with Chanel, relies on it for a dewy, sculpted look without color or contour.
“It’s all about placement,” he said. “I use it on the high points of the face: the top of the cheekbones, right below the brows on the highest point of the brow bone, the center of the top eyelid, the bridge of the nose — never go all the way to the tip of the nose — the cupid’s bow and a hint right on the highest point of the chin.”
Then blend, blend, blend. “You never want to see any visible edges that would give away your secret for dewy skin,” Mr. Machhausen said.
The Inside-Out Way
It’s not just about products. “That coveted dewy look comes from skin that is deeply, fully hydrated, and that is best achieved from within,” said Danielle Duboise, a founder of Sakara Life, a healthy food delivery service.
Drinking enough water is the foundation, Ms. Duboise said, as are foods that have high water content, like cucumbers, romaine, tomatoes and melons. “The water is trapped within the web of nutrients in the food,” she said, “and that allows for optimal absorption of water and keeps you hydrated longer.”
Sleeping better, eating better and eliminating bad habits like smoking will make your complexion brighter, said Eugene Wexler, a dermatologist in Manhattan. Sleep, in particular, is often given short shrift.
“Not getting enough sleep makes conditions like acne worse, dehydrates your skin and even speeds up the aging process,” Dr. Wexler said. “Rested skin appears plumper, better hydrated and better circulated. It definitely has more radiance.”
