From glass skin to glossy donuts, the latest beauty trends are focused on keeping skin looking fresh and natural. Right now, pearlescent skin is the hottest way to achieve that coveted dewy glow. Celebrities like actress Emma Stone and model Hailey Baldwin Bieber have embraced the look, and it’s easy to see why. With nearly 30 million views on social media, the trend goes beyond simply layering on highlighter, focusing on creating an iridescent finish and a soft, radiant glow that’s flattering on all ages and skin types.
Pearly skin vs. glassy skin
The glass skin trend originated in Korea and is primarily focused on skincare, requiring a meticulous routine to achieve a smooth, dewy look. “In contrast, pearl skin uses both skincare and makeup in tandem to create a radiant look,” says beauty influencer Jahanvi Singh.
Unlike glass skin, which is based on dewy skin, pearl skin uses pigmented highlighters and bronzers to create a reflective glow and focus light on key areas of the face.
Key features to focus on include your cheekbones and other high points like the tip of your nose, Cupid’s bow and the inner corners of your eyes. Using the right products – creams rather than powders – can help create a lit-from-within look without your makeup settling into fine lines or accentuating skin texture.
Customize your glow
According to makeup artist Amita Juneja, anyone can achieve pearlescent skin, regardless of skin tone or age. “When you look at pearls, you’ll notice they come in a variety of colours – white, copper, taupe, champagne, pink, lavender, green – these colours are very subtle and suit a wide range of skin tones. Rose gold in particular is lovely and looks good on most people,” she suggests.
DIY Pearl Skin
The secret to pearly skin is in the base: ditch the heavy foundations and opt for lighter coverage foundations, tinted moisturizers and concealers instead. Cream products are important as they blend well to give a natural dewy look and prevent your makeup from looking cakey.
Set the foundation with a strobe cream or highlighting primer to recreate the glow. Next, apply liquid highlighter to your cheekbones and blend upwards towards your brow bone and nose bridge to create a pearlescent effect for extra glow. Finally, tie it all together with a clear lip gloss and glitter on your eyelids.
