Buttery Skin Makeup Trend: Should You Try It?

Makeup trends come and go but what never seems to go out of style is healthy, glowing skin. The demand for a smooth and dewy complexion reached its peak with last year’s glass skin craze and while that was great, not all of us (sadly) have the same level of flawlessness and extensive skin care routines that most Korean idols do. This season, however, we welcome a promising new trend that seeks to make beautiful skin wearable for everyone: buttery skin.

As its name suggests, buttery skin mimics the smooth, satiny sheen that a stick of butter has. It came into popularity when makeup artist Isabelle De Vries posted a fresh and glowy makeup look on Instagram with the hashtag #butteryskin. While glass skin focused primarily on skincare (think: hydration, hydration, hydration!), buttery skin is a makeup technique that builds glow in layers and the result is a dialled-down, dewy look. Curious about how to get it and if you should try it? Here’s how it works.

Prep 

Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel Pads, SGD135/~USD100 (sephora.com); Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream Hydrating Moisturiser, SGD96/~USD71 (sephora.com); Huxley Secret of Sahara Mask; Moisture and Freshness, SGD38/~USD28 

Prepping the skin is essential for a good base. De Vries used an exfoliating pad, specifically Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Pad, to smooth out skin and remove dead skin cells and followed by a hyaluronic acid sheet mask or moisturiser such as Peter Thomas Roth's Water Drench Hyaluronic Acid Cloud Cream and Huxley's Secret of Sahara Mask; Moisture and Freshness to hydrate.

Prime

Cover FX Illuminating Primer, SGD59/~USD44 (sephora.com)

An illuminating primer like Cover FX's Illuminating Primer is key for a healthy glow. Apply it on to the high points of the face and smooth out for an even look.

Base

Make Up For Ever Water Blend Foundation, SGD72/~USD53 (sephora.com); BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid Highlighter, SGD72/~USD46 (sephora.com)

Opt for dewy/satin finish foundations such as Make Up For Ever's Water Blend Foundation over matte ones. You can also mix in a bit of liquid highlighter to your foundation like BECCA's Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid Highlighter to add more glow. De Vries says she applies it with fingers, pressing it into the skin to achieve a more natural-looking finish. Apply concealer with a fluffy eyeshadow brush for an airbrushed effect.

Balm

Glossier Original Balmdotcom, SGD16/~USD12 (glossier.com)

Finish off with a balm on top of your cheekbones in lieu of highlighter for a slight sheen. We think Glossier's award-winning multi-tasker, Balm Dotcom, is perfect for this use. 

After the base has been done, proceed with the rest of your makeup as usual opting for creamy/liquid pigments for more seamless blending. Set everything with a hydrating spray and you’re good to go. While buttery skin is admittedly a bit more time-consuming when it comes to doing the base, you might find that starting with beautiful-looking skin doesn’t require much else. We say it’s worth a shot.

(Cover photos from: @isabelle.de.vries)