If you’ve heard the recent social media buzz about glass skin, you might be wondering what exactly this skin care trend is all about. We’re here to help break it down for you:

• What is glass skin?

• How to get glass skin

What is glass skin?

Rooted in Korean beauty, glass skin (or yuri pibu in Korean) is skin that’s so clear, smooth and shiny it resembles glass. Popularized on social media channels, such as TikTok, the glass skin trend is all about, first and foremost, achieving clear skin that’s free of breakouts. Glass skin also looks smooth and hydrated with a dewy, reflective finish.

How to get glass skin

Channeling the glass skin trend is more about helping your skin look its healthiest than it is about one singular product. To help you along on your glass skin journey, here are a few of our favorite skin-smoothing practices.

1. Start with a double cleanse

One of the hallmarks of K-beauty is the double cleanse, which starts off with a cleansing oil followed up by a foaming gel cleanser. With its rich, velvety texture, ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm is a favorite first-step for a double cleanse. This oil-based cleanser features sweet almond oil, shea butter, jojoba seed oil and coconut oil to help soften your skin while removing dirt and makeup.

For the second step of your double cleanse, LovelySkin Clarifying Gel Cleanser helps minimize breakouts with salicylic acid, glycolic acid and afaLUXE, a dermatologist-developed molecule of amino-based filaggrin antioxidants with vitamin C and Dead Sea minerals.

2).Gently smooth skin with an exfoliant

Exfoliation helps buff away the dead skin cells that can contribute to dullness and rough texture, and when it comes to how to get glass skin, exfoliating is a key step. Dermalogica Liquid Peelfoliant is a daily exfoliant that you apply to your face for one to three minutes before rinsing off. The formula features a blend of exfoliating acids, including glycolic, lactic, salicylic, phytic and tranexamic acids to help unclog blocked pores and smooth rough texture.

Another fantastic choice is LovelySkin LUXE Microdermabrasion Polish, which gently yet effectively exfoliates with Triple Sphere Technology that includes naturally occurring fossilized algae to smooth and soften as you gently massage it onto your skin.

You can also try Eminence Organics Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant to boost the exfoliating effects of your favorite cleanser. This dry powder exfoliator contains rice, chickpea and oat flours to gently buff away dull, dead skin cells on your skin’s surface to reveal smoother, softer skin. You can mix it into your cleanser for an exfoliating boost or blend it with a few drops of water as its own exfoliating step in your routine.

3. Pump up the hydration with a mask or toner

Getting the look of glass skin relies on ample hydration, so we love the idea of using a hydrating toner or sheet mask in your skin care routine. PCA Skin Hydrating Toner helps hydrate and soften your skin with a blend of fruit and herbal extracts (apple, evening primrose, rosemary) and glycerin.

If you’re a fan of sheet masks but are short on time, Patchology Hydrate FlashMasque Facial Sheets work as quickly as five minutes to infuse your skin with vitamin B5 and hydrating hyaluronic acid to leave your skin feeling smooth and plump.

4. Try a skin-smoothing serum

With their concentrated formulas and deeply nourishing ingredients, it’s no surprise facial serums are a lynchpin in achieving the look of glass skin. Dr. Barbara Sturm Super Anti-Aging Serum helps visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with hyaluronic acid and antioxidant-packed herbal ingredients, such as Chinese skullcap and purslane.

For a facial serum in single-use ampoule form, consider ISDIN Isdinceutics Pigment Expert Fast Absorbing Dark Spot Correcting Serum Ampoules. These ampoules aim to address uneven skin tone by helping lighten dark spots and boost brightness with glycolic acid, niacinamide and a hydroquinone derivative called hydroxyphenoxy propionic acid.

An oil-based serum such as Yon-Ka Vitamin C Serum C20 is another way to soak up skin-smoothing benefits with the dewy finish of a facial oil. With a base of apricot kernel oil and sunflower seed oil along with essential oils, such as lavender, orange and rosemary, this formula improves elasticity and also helps fade dark spots with vitamin C.

5. Boost radiance with a primer

If you’re wondering how to get glass skin in an instant, reach for a skin-smoothing primer for an instantly glassy look. Glo Skin Beauty Solution Hydrating Primer contains hyaluronic acid to help instantly plump skin and make fine lines less noticeable for a smooth-as-possible makeup application. It also dries to a dewy, glowing finish that is spot-on for the glass skin trend.

6. Protect and reflect with a sunscreen

The glass skin trend is all about keeping your skin as healthy as possible—and sunscreen plays a big part in that goal. “Wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen is the best move you can make when it comes to protecting your skin from sun damage,” says board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger.

You can achieve your glass skin goals with a sunscreen that offers broad-spectrum protection and brightening benefits, such as SkinCeuticals Daily Brightening Defense Sunscreen SPF 30. This daily sunscreen has a subtle universal tint and radiant mica particles for an instant brightening effect. It also offers broad-spectrum sun protection with a blend of chemical blockers, including avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene.

Another LovelySkin staff favorite is Revision Skincare Intellishade Tinted Moisturizer SPF 45, which not only protects your skin from the sun’s damaging rays with a blend of mineral and chemical blockers, but it also contains anti-aging actives to target fine lines, uneven skin tone and rough texture. For the final touch on your glass skin look, it dries down to a dewy finish.

7. Reduce redness and irritation with a medicated balm

Are redness or dry patches on your skin getting in the way of your glass skin goals? FixMySkin 1% Hydrocortisone Healing Body Balm is a soothing medicated balm that can help heal minor skin irritations from dry skin, allergic reactions or skin conditions such as eczema, seborrheic dermatitis or psoriasis with a blend of 1% hydrocortisone, shea butter and cocoa butter. It’s safe to use on your body as well as your face, including delicate areas such as eyelids.

Struggling with dryness? You can learn more about how to moisturize dry and sensitive skin with a medical barrier cream on the LovelySkin Blog.