What is Glass Skin & How to Achieve It

While the focus of many skincare routines is achieving ‘perfect’ skin, the most important thing to remember is that your skin looks its best when it’s healthy. Integrating skincare that truly works for your skin type will always deliver the best results for you no matter what skincare trend you are aiming to achieve. K-Beauty has become a cult skincare term in recent years, followed by beauty editors, celebrities, models, and influencers alike. This is the term for beauty trends that come from South Korea, with the core elements of these trends usually made up of glowing skin and hydrating products. Enter: glass skin. 

Glass skin refers to when your skin is so hydrated, clear, and smooth that it looks  like it’s almost translucent. This glass-like look is what gave this popular skincare  trend its name. The only way to achieve this coveted look is to aim for optimal skin hydration and health, which you can do by carefully building a skincare routine that works for you. The Glass Skin approach allows us to focus on skincare that puts the health of our skin as the key priority and focus, boosting our natural glow, ensuring that our skin looks dewy, radiant, and blemish-free. 

Cleansing 

The first step to any good skincare routine is cleansing your skin thoroughly. When choosing a cleanser, it’s a good idea to make sure both that it’s gentle and  that it helps to keep your skin hydrated. 

Finding the perfect cleanser can take some trial and error, but the right  formulation usually depends on your skin type. For example, if you have sensitive  skin, you’re likely to need a gentle, hydrating cleanser. Similarly, if you have oily skin and you often use drying products to control oil production, then you might also benefit from a more gentle cleanser. Dr. Laura loves the Preprobiotic Cleanser from Skingredients for all skin types.

It’s important to find a facial cleanser that suits your skin, as using one that’s too  harsh for your skin type can, over time, break down your skin’s natural moisture  barrier. This can then lead to dryness, redness, and irritation, all of which will  make achieving glass skin more difficult.

Double cleansing is the best way to make sure that your skin is thoroughly cleansed and ready to absorb hard working skincare products such as serums.  For best results when double cleansing, you could even use two different, gentle  types of cleanser. Some people may choose to use a cleansing oil or balm as  their first step to remove any traces of makeup or dirt on the skin’s surface, and  then follow up with a more hydrating cleanser. 

Cleansing Products We Recommend:

1. Obagi Gentle Cleanser, €68

2. Skinbetter Science Oxygen Infusion Wash, €45

Skingredients Prebiotic Cleanser, €29

SkinCeuticals Gentle Cleanser, €35

Exfoliation 

Another crucial step for any glass skin routine is exfoliation. Exfoliating helps to remove the build up of dead skin cells, which can make skin look tired and dull, and promote cell turnover - bringing fresh new cells to the skin’s surface, and giving your skin a boost of radiance. 

While plenty of physical exfoliants, such as scrubs, are readily available, we would recommend using a gentle chemical exfoliant instead. When incorporated  into a regular skincare routine, chemical exfoliants work well to slough away dead  skin cells gently. 

Some popular chemical exfoliants include AHAs and BHAs, which are both types of acid. AHAs can help with concerns such as fine lines, enlarged pores and uneven skin tone, while BHAs get deeper into your skin to help tackle excess oil and clogged pores. 

It’s important to make sure that you don’t overuse exfoliants, however, as this can lead to an increased risk of redness and irritation. 

Exfoliation Products We’d Recommend:

Medik8 Press & Glow, €28

Obagi C Exfoliating Day Lotion, €85

Obagi Exfoderm, €125

Obagi Professional C Microdermabrasion Polish & Mask, €125

Hydration

The final step to achieving glass skin is to make sure that your skin is sufficiently  hydrated. This is a key ingredient to skin that is clear, plump, and naturally  radiant. 

Hyaluronic acid is often referred to as the ‘holy grail’ of skin hydration, as this  incredible substance is able to hold over one thousand times its own weight in water. This means that, when it’s applied topically to thirsty skin, it provides a huge boost of hydration - as well as helping to reduce signs of ageing and any irritation. 

You can find hyaluronic acid as a key ingredient in a wide variety of moisturisers  and serums, often alongside other hydration-boosting ingredients such plant based squalene. 

To increase your hydration levels even further, you could also consider layering  your moisturiser with a hydration serum, face oil, or even an overnight sleep  mask. 

Hydration Products We Recommend: 

SkinCeuticals Metacell Renewal B3, €125

Skinbetter Science Hydration Boosting Cream, €90

SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5, €78

SkinCeuticals HA Intensifier, €100

By carefully balancing deep cleansing, gentle exfoliation, and intense hydration,  you should be well on your way to radiant, naturally glowing skin worthy of the  ‘glass skin’ title. And remember: with any new skincare routine, consistency is  key.