Makeup Artists Say Silk Skin Is the New Glass Skin

Move over, glass skin. There’s a new complexion trend taking over vanities and red carpets alike—and it’s called silk skin. The finish is exactly what it sounds like: smooth, soft-focus and luminous, like the way light grazes real silk.

“To me, silk skin is all about that healthy, glowing finish,” says celebrity makeup artist Melissa DeZarate, it’s the next evolution of healthy, radiant skin., who partners with the skin-care brand ENHANSE. “Where glass skin has that drenched, hyper-hydrated sheen, silk skin is softer, more refined. It’s about glow, but with intention.”

“When I hear skin silking, I immediately think of that buttery-smooth finish that makes people ask, ‘What the hell is she doing to her skin?’” says celebrity makeup artist Mai Quynh. “It’s this whole approach to creating skin that looks almost airbrushed but still completely natural—a post-facial radiance with a gorgeous satin finish.”

How to Get Silk Skin

As the seasons shift and temperatures drop, DeZarate says the silk-skin look happens almost naturally. “During the colder months, we produce less sebum, which already gives the skin a more matte, velvety quality,” she explains. “Silk skin feels like the older sister of glass skin—she knows exactly which products belong in her routine and uses them with purpose.”

When creating a silk-skin base, DeZarate never skips thorough skin prep. “A quick cleanse, serum and moisturizer are nonnegotiable,” she says. “The serum is where I tweak hydration levels. Sometimes, I’ll choose one that’s more mattifying, other times one that’s deeply hydrating, depending on the client’s needs.”

For makeup, DeZarate focuses on enhancing the skin’s natural texture instead of masking it. “Velvety concealers that melt into the skin are key. They add dimension and luminosity without that heavy, reflective finish,” she shares. “To keep everything looking fresh, I’ll sometimes swap powder for a mattifying spray. It locks in the look while keeping the skin supple.”

Products to Get Silk Skin

As for her go-to products, DeZarate swears by ENHANSE Mattifying Milk ($28) as a finisher over makeup, Clé de Peau Concealer ($72) for that seamless blend and ENHANSE Super Moisture ($34) as her hydrating prep step before moisturizer. “It gives the perfect balance of hydration and smoothness to build that silky canvas,” she says.

Quynh says skin silking is about achieving that seamless canvas where you can’t tell where the skin ends and makeup begins. “My clients love it because it photographs beautifully and looks flawless in person,” she explains.

While the glass skin trend leaned heavily into a dewy, almost wet luminosity, Quynh thinks skin silking offers a more wearable evolution. “Glass skin was beautiful—very Korean-beauty inspired—but not always practical for long days on set,” she says. “With skin silking, you still prep like crazy, but the finish is more velvety. It’s hydrated and luminous, but not slippery. The prep work is everything—you’re creating a second-skin effect rather than skipping foundation altogether.”

According to Quynh, the secret to flawless texture is all in how you layer hydration. “This is where most people go wrong—they rush the prep,” she explains. “I start with serum on damp skin, then moisturizer and if someone’s really dehydrated, I’ll finish with a few drops of oil.” Her favorite technique involves using a damp beauty sponge to press each product into the skin. “It helps everything meld together and prevents pilling,” she says. “Then, when it’s time for foundation, I apply two or three sheer layers instead of one heavy one. That’s what keeps the skin looking fresh.”

When choosing complexion products, Quynh recommends scanning labels for cues like blurring, velvet, radiant and smoothing. “Those are the finishes that create that skin-silking effect,” she notes. “Avoid anything that says matte or full coverage. We’re going for soft-focus, second-skin perfection.”

For her kit, Quynh has a few ride-or-die favorites: Timeline Skincare’s Mito-Biotic Firming Serum ($225) and Eye Cream ($120), which she says make the perfect base and never creases and the brand’s Resurfacing Exfoliator ($70), a gentle yet effective prep product suitable even for sensitive skin. For complexion, she turns to Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation ($49) for a blurred finish and NARS Radiant Foundation ($54) for that perfect satin glow.

The best compliment is when someone can’t tell where your skin ends and your makeup begins, she says. “That’s when you know you’ve nailed skin silking.”