This year’s Oscars catapulted butter skin into the main stream. Before you roll your eyes at the thought of yet another beauty trend, buttery skin is actually more attainable. This latest trend is all about a soft creamy glow reminiscent of freshly churned butter. There is strong emphasis on a natural looking lit from within finish. In this post we’ll share the skincare and makeup tips you need to get butter skin at home.
What is Butter Skin?
Butter skin focuses on skin that has a silky smooth texture with a natural lit-from-within look. The main emphasis is on using makeup to get a radiant soft focused complexion that it is similar to butter. Butter skin isn’t a brand-new trend and has been gaining momentum for a few years on social media. The rise of skin-first makeup, Hailey Bieber’s dewy Rhode aesthetic, the resurgence of 90s creamy complexions and even the Barbiecore movement have all played a role in its popularity. However after this year’s Oscars, butter skin has broken into the mainstream as a viral beauty trend!
Unlike past trends, which require a flawless and highly reflective complexion, butter skin is more forgiving and easier to get. This look requires a good baseline of skin but makeup is what really brings it together. As such it provides more immediate results and is more easily attainable.
How it Compares With Other Skin Trends
Butter skin offers a more attainable glow through strategic makeup techniques, providing a balance between natural radiance and achievable application. However, it’s far from being the only viral skin trend and only time will tell whether it replaces them:
- Glass Skin: Originating from Korean beauty, glass skin is all about achieving a super smooth ultra-reflective finish. This often requires an exhaustive skincare routine. It requires multiple layers of hydration in the form of essences, serums and moisturisers to maintain that high-shine almost translucent look. In contrast, butter skin focuses on a simpler skincare routine alongside makeup to create a soft creamy but not shiny glow.
- Ultra-Expensive Skin: This trend is basically peak glass skin. Ultra-expensive skin requires a strict skincare routine and professional treatments to achieve a flawless ethereal looking complexion. Also, there is little to no makeup.
- Jello Skin: Coined by beauty influencer Ava Lee, jello skin focuses on deep hydration, collagen-rich skincare and facial massages to create firm bouncy skin (just like a pot of jelly). Whilst butter skin, prioritises a radiant creamy finish, jello skin is more about elasticity and hydration achieved through diet and skincare.
- Honey Skin: The OG K-beauty trend, honey skin is all about plump skin with a dewy glow that mimicks the rich golden sheen of honey. It leans heavily on moisturising skincare ingredients like propolis and ceramides to lock in moisture.
Each of these trends offers a different take on smooth radiant skin but what sets butter skin apart is its ease and immediacy. Rather than waiting for weeks or months for skincare to work, you can get the buttery smooth glow a little sooner with makeup.
Skincare Routine for Butter Skin
Whilst butter skin is primarily a makeup-driven trend, you need a good base to get the best results. The right skincare routine lays the foundation for a smoother and more radiant finish. Prepping your skin with hydrating and nourishing products will provide a good canvas for your makeup to go on seamlessly. Here are our top skincare tips for butter skin:
- Gentle Exfoliation: Buff away dead skin cells with a mild acid exfoliant (like lactic acid) 2-3 times a week for smoother skin and more even tone. If you have acne or oily congested skin consider a BHA or enzyme exfoliant instead.
- Hydrating Serums: Use hyaluronic acid or glycerin-based serums to plump and soften the skin which will ensure it looks dewy rather than dry under makeup.
- Nourishing Moisturiser: Opt for a lightweight but deeply hydrating formula with ingredients like ceramides, squalane or shea butter to create a soft supple texture.
- Illuminating SPF: Look for a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a dewy or luminous finish. This will not only protect your skin but also enhances the “lit-from-within” glow beneath makeup.
Beyond, skincare if you want to take your skin prep to the next level the professional skin treatments can help. The below treatments can instantly help refine texture and boost radiance to optimise your skin before applying makeup:
- Hydrafacial: This multi-step facial exfoliates, hydrates and infuses skin with antioxidants for an instant glow.
- Dermaplaning: Also known as gace shaving, this technique involves shaving the skin and helps remove dead cells as well as hairs for instantly smoother skin.
- Microdermabrasion: Gently resurfaces the skin, improving smoothness and help makeup sit evenly.
- Oxygen Facials: These infuse skin with hydration and nutrients for a quick refreshing plumping boost.
Makeup for Butter Skin
The aim of butter skin makeup is a fresh glowing complexion with a velvety touch. All products must be blended and seamless. Also skin should not be shiny but also not overly matte or powdery. Here are the top makeup tips for buttery skin:
- Prep with a Hydrating Base: Start with a lightweight, illuminating primer or a rich moisturiser to create a supple, well-hydrated base. This helps foundation glide on smoothly without clinging to dry or rough patches.
- Choose a Dewy Foundation: Opt for a light to medium coverage foundation with a radiant or satin finish. The goal is to even out skin tone while maintaining a natural, creamy glow. Remember nothing too matte or too shimmery!
- Use Cream & Liquid Formulas: Stick to cream-based blushes, bronzers and highlighters to enhance the skin’s warmth and luminosity. These products melt into the skin seamlessly and blend effortlessly for a butter effect.
- Blend, Blend, Blend: Use a damp makeup sponge or fingers to blend foundation and cream products into the skin for a second-skin effect. Buffing products in gently ensures a flawless skin-like finish.
- Strategic Setting: Lightly dust translucent powder only where needed (typically the T-zone) to control excess shine whilst keeping the rest of the skin looking fresh and radiant. A light mist of setting spray can help lock in moisture and prevent a cakey finish.
How to Get Butter Skin Step by Step
So if you’re sold or even a bit curious on butter skin, here’s our fool proof guide. The key to success is to always remember that butter skin is all about creating a smooth, creamy glow with a soft-focus finish. Follow these easy steps to get butter skin every time:
- Prep Your Skin: Start by by gentle exfoliating to remove any rough texture, then apply a hydrating serum to plump and nourish the skin. Follow with a rich but lightweight moisturiser to create a soft, supple base that helps makeup glide on smoothly.
- Prime for a Luminous Finish: Use a radiant or blurring primer to even out the skin and enhance glow. If you have oily areas, apply a mattifying primer to the T-zone while keeping the rest of the face dewy.
- Apply a Soft-Focus Foundation: Choose a foundation with a satin or radiant finish and blend it in using a damp sponge or fingers. Avoid matte formulas, as they can take away from the buttery glow.
- Layer Products: Use cream blush, bronzer and highlighter to enhance your skin’s natural warmth and radiance. Apply in light layers and blend well to maintain a soft diffused look.
- Set: Lightly dust translucent powder to prevent excess shine while keeping the rest of the face luminous.
- Final Touches for Extra Glow: Dab a liquid highlighter on the high points of your face 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 while maintaining that signature creamy glow.
The butter skin trend offers an easier and more accessible approach to achieving a naturally radiant complexion. It relies on common makeup techniques and products to achieve a red carpet worthy look. Whilst it doesn’t require an extensive skincare routine like previous skin trends, this look is still best achieved with a good canvas. A targeted consistent skincare routine can help provide the perfect base and boost your makeup.
At City Skin clinic, we are super passionate about personalised skincare. Our virtual skin clinic offers safe and effective products like Tretinoin and Hydroquinone where appropriate to treat skin conditions like acne, hyperpigmentation, melasma and skin ageing. The journey towards great skin starts here.
