The "cloud skin" look translates into a fresh, luminous complexion. Photo: AFP
Are we already moving on from dewy complexions? It would appear so, considering the latest beauty trend that has gone viral on TikTok, namely "cloud skin", a mix between a matte and a glowy complexion.
Popularised by British makeup artist Dominic Skinner, this new beauty look emphasises a velvety, almost blurred complexion, seen as the key trend of this season.
Unless you're a beauty fanatic, and more precisely a makeup fanatic, it's sometimes difficult to see clearly in the jungle of trends that follow one another without ever being exactly the same.
Even more so in the social media era, and even more so with the popularity of TikTok, which has become a genuine trend incubator in this area.
In recent weeks alone we have seen "coquette makeup", "shower makeup", and "revenge makeup" all of which are distinct trends on their own, although all focus on a dewy complexion.
But it's possible that this dewy look is living its last hours, soon to be put out of business by the emergence of "cloud skin", the new beauty trend bringing a matte finish back to the forefront after having been neglected these last few years.
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Millions of views
Dominic Skinner, artistic director of makeup at MAC Cosmetics UK, has been credited with coining the term "cloud skin".
As indicated, it's about giving the skin a velvety, almost blurred aspect, while at the same time creating a fresh, and luminous complexion, a perfect mix between matte and glowy.
The beauty look has already generated more than 40 million views on the Chinese social network – 37 million for #cloudskin and five million for #cloudskinmakeup – and requires attentiveness to one's skincare routine and using the right makeup products.
A trend that encapsulates concerns of the moment.
Before even beginning to create the beauty look, it's important to perfectly cleanse the skin and to moisturise it with suitable products.
Once this step is complete, you need to mix up a mattifying base with both matte and luminous foundations – yes, both – to create that velvety look without losing that glowy touch that has been a hit in the beauty world for several months now.
A matte concealer will help camouflage some redness, but it's best to opt for a liquid format to avoid the mask-like effect that is anathema to this beauty look.
The final touch? A small dose of mattifying powder on areas that have a tendency to get oily throughout the day.
And that's it!
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For all skin types
The return of matte makeup will probably not be appealing to all skin types, especially dry skin.
And for good reason... the dreaded mask effect is not very appealing on this type of skin.
That's why it's important to moisturise your face thoroughly before reproducing this "cloud skin" effect and to mix luminous and matte foundations to create a velvety finish without having your skin completely dry.
Although the tutorials vary considerably from one user to another on TikTok – some mix their luminous foundation with a mattifying powder, for example – it is also essential not to do any contouring – or very little – to achieve the desired result: a soft matte complexion that should ultimately suit most people. – AFP Relaxnews
