The majority of makeup and skin care trends on TikTok lately have been focused on a dewy, ultra-hydrated complexion. Be it “dolphin skin,” “slugging” or “skin flooding,” a near wet-looking finish seems to have been the app’s desired aesthetic the past few years — a look that’s not always fitting for oily skin types.
Now, a fresh and dreamy take on matte skin is having its moment in the form of “cloud skin,” a trend that’s all about a soft, blurred velvety look. Coined by Dominic Skinner, global senior artist for MAC Cosmetics, cloud skin is different from the overly dry complexions of the ’90s or the full-coverage face from the early 2000s. Some TikTok creators are referring to it as the perfect halfway point between matte and the kind of natural, reflective glow we’ve been used to seeing on TikTok.
Just because cloud skin calls for matte doesn’t mean your skin should feel dehydrated or look overly textured.
According to a video from beauty TikToker Victoria Lyn distilling Skinner’s techniques, the best way to achieve the look is by starting off with a hydrated base using moisturizing skin care, cream products and luminous foundations. Then, you strategically apply blurring powders in areas like your T-zone, along the hairline and the jawline to balance any overdone shine, while still allowing a subdued radiance to peek through. You can also incorporate pore-filling primers prior to makeup application as a way to amplify the blurred effect.
If you’re like me, anything involving the word matte sounds terrifying. However, with the right products, the result can be a perfected, hazy and glow-from-within appearance that even people with oily-prone skin can enjoy. Keep reading to see some cloud skin-imparting products that are a favorite on TikTok and beyond.
HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently selected by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.
A pore-filling putty primer
This popular and velvety-textured primer promises to fill in pores, blur imperfections and perfect skin while also helping to protect it from moisture loss thanks to the addition of squalene. The skin-smoothing base also grips makeup for a long-lasting wear, plus, it's only $10.
A rich emollient moisturizer
A popular skin prep staple for makeup artists, Embryolisse's Lait-Crème Concentré is an iconic French facial cream that functions as both a moisturizer and a makeup primer. It has a rich and emollient texture and contains a blend of calming aloe, soy proteins, skin-softening shea and beeswax.
A radiant-finish foundation
Giorgio Armani's Luminous Silk foundation features a hydrating formula that claims to blur imperfections and offer a translucent radiant finish. The medium-coverage liquid also promises to layer well with other products, like powders, and is easy to blend.
A matte cream bronzer stick
This shimmer-free cream bronzer stick by Milk can provide a natural-looking contoured warmth to the face. The ultra-blendable formula dries down to a soft and comfortable matte and is infused with mango and apricot extract to nourish and hydrate skin.
A cream-to-gel cloud blush
Glossier's cream-to-gel blush paints even have "cloud" in the name and provide a seamless, buildable color so that cheeks look naturally flushed. Available in eight shades, Cloud Paint contains special blurring pigments for a soft-focus effect that won't exaggerate pores or texture.
A soft and smoothing setting powder
The Kosas Cloud Set Baked pressed powder is super soft, sheer and smoothing and absorbs excess shine without eliminating glow. The ultra-fine and airy texture also contains pore-minimizing Chinese peony and passionfruit leaf extract to help reduce the appearance of fine lines.
A blurring powder balm
For instances when you want to consolidate the foundation and powder application process, Danessa Myricks' Yummy Skin Blurring Balm powder can make cloud skin a one-step feat. This innovative texture is supposed to be a cross between a balm and powder that blurs imperfections, absorbs excess oil and provides an illusion of coverage, without any cakey powders or thick foundations — all while maintaining skin hydration. It can be used alone or as a primer, and although there's a universal transparent option, you can also grab this in several other shades as well.
A 6-pack of popular powder puffs
These soft powder puffs from Amazon are a recurring favorite among
beauty TikTokers. The microfiber material and triangle shape are great for precise and evenly dispersed powder application, even in hard-to-reach areas like around the nose and inner under-eye. The washable puffs are suitable to use with liquid and cream products as well.
