How to Get Butter Skin Worthy of the Oscars

This year’s Oscars catapulted butter skin into the mainstream. The look is all about a soft, creamy glow reminiscent of freshly churned butter. The emphasis is on a natural, lit-from-within finish. The good part is that it is more attainable than the trends before it, because makeup does much of the work. In this article we review the skincare and makeup you need to get butter skin at home.

What is Butter Skin?

Butter skin describes a silky, smooth texture with a natural, lit-from-within look. The main emphasis is on using makeup to create a soft, radiant, soft-focus complexion, much like butter. It is not a brand-new trend, and it has been building on social media for a few years. Several shifts have fed into it. The rise of skin-first makeup and Hailey Bieber’s dewy Rhode aesthetic both played a part. So did the return of 1990s creamy complexions and the Barbiecore movement. This year’s Oscars then pushed it into the mainstream as a viral trend.

Unlike past trends, which call for a flawless, highly reflective complexion, butter skin is more forgiving and easier to get. The look needs a reasonable skin base, but makeup is what really brings it together. As a result, it gives more immediate results and is more achievable for most people.

How Does Butter Skin Compare to Other Trends?

Butter skin offers a more attainable glow through makeup, balancing natural radiance with achievable application. It is far from the only viral skin trend, and only time will tell whether it replaces them:

• Glass skin: Originating in Korean beauty, glass skin aims for a super-smooth, ultra-reflective finish. This usually needs an extensive skincare routine, with multiple layers of essences, serums and moisturisers to hold a high-shine, almost translucent look. Butter skin instead leans on a simpler routine plus makeup for a soft, creamy glow.
• Ultra-expensive skin: This is essentially peak glass skin. Ultra-expensive skin calls for a strict skincare routine and professional treatments to reach a flawless, almost ethereal complexion, with little to no makeup.
• Jello skin: Coined by beauty influencer Ava Lee, jello skin focuses on deep hydration, collagen-rich skincare and facial massage to create firm, bouncy skin. Whereas butter skin prioritises a radiant, creamy finish, jello skin is more about elasticity and hydration achieved through diet and skincare.
• Honey skin: The original K-beauty trend, honey skin is all about plump skin with a dewy glow that mimics the golden sheen of honey. It leans heavily on moisturising ingredients like propolis and ceramides to lock in moisture.
• Dewy skin: This is the lightest, most everyday take on radiance. Dewy skin shares butter skin’s makeup-led approach but aims for a fresher, glowier finish rather than a velvety, satin one.

Each trend offers a different take on smooth, radiant skin, but what sets butter skin apart is its ease and speed. Rather than waiting weeks or months for skincare to work, you can get the buttery glow sooner with makeup.

What’s the Skincare Base for Butter Skin?

Butter skin is mainly a makeup-driven look, but you still need a good base for the best results. The right routine lays the foundation for a smoother, more radiant finish and gives makeup a clean canvas. Here are the key steps:

• Gentle exfoliation: Buff away dead skin cells with a mild acid exfoliant like lactic acid two to three times a week for smoother skin and more even tone. For acne or oily, congested skin, use a BHA or enzyme exfoliant instead.
• Hydrating serums: Use hyaluronic acid or glycerin-based serums to plump and soften the skin, so it looks dewy rather than dry under makeup.
• Nourishing moisturiser: Opt for a lightweight but deeply hydrating formula with ceramides, squalane or shea butter for a soft, supple texture.
• Illuminating SPF: Finish with a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a dewy or luminous finish. It protects the skin and enhances the lit-from-within glow, and research shows that daily sunscreen also helps prevent photoageing over time.

If you want to take skin prep further, some in-person treatments can refine texture and boost radiance before makeup. These are carried out in person rather than through an online clinic like ours. They include facials such as a hydrafacial, dermaplaning or face shaving. Microdermabrasion can resurface the skin, whilst oxygen facials give a quick hydrating boost.

Which Makeup Creates the Butter Skin Look?

The aim of butter skin makeup is a fresh, glowing complexion with a velvety touch. Everything should be blended and seamless, with skin that is neither shiny nor overly matte. Here are the top makeup tips:

• Prep with a hydrating base: Start with a lightweight, illuminating primer or a rich moisturiser for a supple, well-hydrated base. This helps foundation glide on without clinging to dry patches.
• Choose a dewy foundation: Opt for a light to medium coverage foundation with a radiant or satin finish. It should even out tone whilst keeping a natural, creamy glow. Avoid anything too matte or too shimmery.
• Use cream and liquid formulas: Stick to cream-based blushes, bronzers and highlighters to enhance warmth and luminosity. These melt into the skin and blend effortlessly for a buttery effect.
• Blend thoroughly: Use a damp makeup sponge or your fingers to buff foundation and cream products into the skin for a second-skin effect.
• Set strategically: Lightly dust translucent powder only where needed, usually the T-zone, to control shine whilst keeping the rest of the skin fresh. A light mist of setting spray helps lock in moisture and prevent a cakey finish.

What Are the Steps to Get Butter Skin?

If you are curious to try butter skin, here is a simple sequence. The key is to remember that butter skin is all about a smooth, creamy glow with a soft-focus finish. Follow these steps:

1. Prep your skin: Start by gently exfoliating to remove rough texture, then apply a hydrating serum to plump and nourish the skin. Follow with a rich but lightweight moisturiser for a soft, supple base.
2. Prime for a luminous finish: Use a radiant or blurring primer to even out the skin and enhance glow. For oily areas, apply a mattifying primer to the T-zone whilst keeping the rest of the face dewy.
3. Apply a soft-focus foundation: Choose a foundation with a satin or radiant finish and blend it in with a damp sponge or fingers. Avoid matte formulas, since they take away from the buttery glow.
4. Layer cream products: Use cream blush, bronzer and highlighter to enhance your skin’s natural warmth and radiance. Apply in light layers and blend well for a soft, diffused look.
5. Set lightly: Dust translucent powder where needed to prevent excess shine, keeping the rest of the face luminous.
6. Add final touches: Dab a liquid highlighter on the high points, or press a tiny amount of facial oil into the skin for a subtle sheen. Finish with a hydrating setting spray to lock in the look.

The butter skin trend offers an easier, more accessible route to a naturally radiant complexion. It relies on common makeup techniques and products to create a red-carpet-worthy look. It does not need an extensive skincare routine like the trends before it, but the look is still best achieved with a good canvas. A targeted, consistent skincare routine provides the perfect base and lets your makeup do more.

At City Skin Clinic, we are passionate about personalised skincare. Through our online clinic, our doctors create bespoke prescription-strength treatments using ingredients like tretinoin and hydroquinone where appropriate. We treat concerns including acne, hyperpigmentation, melasma and skin ageing. To start your personalised plan, book a video consultation or use our online consultation form. The journey towards great skin and hair starts here.

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a qualified medical provider for any medical concerns or questions you might have.