The Glass Skin Of Your Dreams

In an industry where trends come and go, one look has stuck around and I’m glad it did…glass skin. This luminous, almost translucent complexion isn't just a K-beauty trend…it's a testament to meticulous skincare and the art of makeup. As I scroll through countless flawless, glass skin pictures on Instagram, I can’t help but wonder if it’s even achievable for normal people like you and I? You know….the kind of people who have skin with texture. So I thought I’d do a bit of research on how it’s achieved, if it even can be achieved, where it started and if our skin can realistically ever look anything close to glass skin.

Glass skin may have been all over our feeds for a while now, but its roots go deep into Korean beauty traditions. In South Korea, skincare has never just been about looking good for the moment - it’s less lazy than how we do things over on this side of the world…it’s about long-term skin health.

The idea is to have a complexion so smooth, clear, and hydrated that it almost looks transparent. Korean beauty rituals focus on gentle, nourishing ingredients like rice water, honey, and fermented extracts - things that brighten and soften the skin without harsh chemicals. Even looking back historically, glowing, porcelain-like skin was a symbol of youth, vitality, and self-care, and people took their routines just as seriously then as they do now.

Fast forward to today, and K-beauty brands have taken those traditional skincare philosophies and modernized them, making glass skin achievable. The multi-step skincare routine that K-beauty is famous for - double cleansing, layering hydrating essences, and sealing everything in with lightweight moisture - is all rooted in this age-old pursuit of luminous, flawless skin. The rest of the world has finally caught on, with luxury global brands and celebrity makeup artists now using these techniques to achieve that hyper-real, almost reflective glow.

Luxury brands have elevated the glass skin trend by incorporating it into runway shows on models. At the Maison Margiela Spring/Summer 2024 couture show, legendary makeup artist Pat McGrath showcased an exaggerated and stunning glass skin look that left audiences in awe…it literally went viral! I remember watching the show thinking ‘this is insane’ but I literally couldn’t stop looking at the skin! McGrath's creation was genius…it wasn't just makeup - it was a statement. It reminded me of how real makeup artists take a trend and add their own creative spin on it.

Let me explain what I mean by real makeup artists. Back in my day, makeup artists weren’t just following trends - they were creating them. Icons like Kevyn Aucoin, Pat McGrath, and Sam Fine (to name a few) weren’t just applying makeup…they were visionaries, transforming faces into works of art with their signature techniques and fearless creativity. Their work had soul, individuality, and dna - you could look at a face and instantly know who created it.

Today, it feels like we’re stuck in a world of copy-paste artistry, where most makeup artists just recreate the same cookie-cutter look on every model. There's no personal touch or innovation - just repetition. The magic of makeup artistry used to be in its ability to tell a story and to enhance beauty in a way that felt unique to each face. Now, it’s more about going viral than pushing creative boundaries.