Dream Your Way Through Spring With The Cloud Skin Beauty Aesthetic

The viral makeup style playfully balances radiance and matte for a soft, ethereal finish that's museum- (and selfie-) worthy. We've got everything you need to know on how to perfect the heavenly glow.

By Jenny Lee Apr 13, 2023 3:55 PMTags
Cloud Skin Beauty Trend

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Calling all daydreamers and cottagecore aficionados: cloud skin is trending this spring. Glowing, radiant skin has long been a staple aesthetic in the beauty community (think: the glass skin trend), and cloud skin is the latest iteration of this beauty wave. It's distinguished by the soft, delicately blurry texture that bridges the gap between radiant and matte complexions, with the goal being an ethereal, lit-from-within look that's downright angelic.

In order to achieve this strategically semi-matte finish, there are a few key factors to keep in mind. First, we want to make sure your skin is well-hydrated and prepped, as this will provide a solid, smooth base for your foundation. When applying your makeup, the focus should be on thin, seamlessly blended layers that will create the soft-focus, hazy look that's reminiscent of a Renaissance painting. Finally, it's important to top off your look with setting powder, as this will create the right balance of glow and matte that mimics fluffy clouds floating through the spring sky as the sun sets.

If you want to hop on this dreamy beauty trend, we've got you covered. We've rounded up all the products and steps you need to achieve this delicately luminous and hazy look, so you'll be able get that cherubic, soft-focus finish that blurs and glows in all the right places.

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The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum

Any stunning makeup look starts with great skincare, and this goes for cloud skin as well. By hydrating and nourishing your skin for a bright, plump complexion, you'll have a solid base to build your makeup on so that your final look. This hydrating serum delivers skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid and Vitamin B5 that deeply hydrate and gently soften your skin.

innisfree Daily UV Defense Invisible Broad Spectrum SPF 36 Sunscreen

Depdning on your skin type, the next step in your beauty routine can be either moisturizer or primer. I love this lightweight sunscreen from innisfree beacuse it delivers sun protecetion while hydrating and soothing skin with ingredients like green tea, sunflower seed oil and cica.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer

Another great option for providing your skin with soothing hydration is this La Roche-Posay face moisturizer. It's gently enough for a wide variety of skin types, and it's formulated with ingredients like ceramide-3 and niacinamide to help repair and protect your skin's barrier. The moisturizer is also non-comedogenic and fragrance-free.

e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer

One of the most fundamental steps in achieving the filter-esque cloud skin look is prepping the skin with a reliable primer. This e.l.f. primer has 29,000+ 5-star reviews on Amazon, and its velvety texture effortlessly glides over the skin to smooth over blemishes and deliver a poreless effect.

 

Rimmel Stay Matte Mattiying Primer

If your skin tends to be on the oilier side, a mattifying primer may be more up your alley. This Rimmel mattifying primer has 24,500+ Amazon reviews, and its ultra-lightweight formula helps control shine for up to 8 hours, according to the brand.

ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 Foundation

Once you've prepped and primed your skin, it's time to move on to foundation. The goal is to give your skin a smooth, subtly radiant texture. Cloud skin playfully walks the line between matte and dewy, and the light glow from your foundation will be balanced later on with setting powder. This ILIA skin tint is a great option for creating a natural, even base— not to mention, it includes skincare ingredients like plant-based squalane and hyaluronic acid, as well as mineral SPF protection.

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Powder Foundation

If you prefer a more matte look from the start (especially if your skin is on the oilier side), we recommend using a powder foundation. This longwear, lightweight powder foundation from Fenty Beauty delivers light-to-full coverage with a soft matte finish.

Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer

Put the cherry on top to your flawless skin with this brightening concealer from Rare Beauty. The lightweight, hydrating concealer provides cake-free, medium-to-full coverage that lasts while providing your skin with a bright, radiant finish.

Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Bronzer

If you'd like, you can add a light dash of bronzer for a natural, sunkissed look (perfect for the warmer spring and summer months ahead). This cult-fave Hoola Bronzer easily blends out to subtly warm up your complexion and give a classic matte finish.

MERIT Flush Balm Cream Blush

Blush is an essential step in achieving the dreamy, semi-matte finish that distinguishes cloud skin. Cream blush is particularly well-suited for getting this job done, as it adds color, structure, and a sprinkle of radiance to the skin without crossing over into dewy, glowy skin. We love this cream blush from MERIT— the flexible balm deposits the perfect amount of creamy, transparent color for a delicate, radiant finish.

Cloud Paint Gel Cream Blush

Over the years, Glossier's Cloud Paint has achieved a cult following in the beauty community, and for good reason. The gel-cream blush is formulated with special blurring pigments that give a soft-focus effect without accentuating texture or pores, and it blends seamlessly into your skin for a natural glow.

Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Flushed

This blurring balm powder blush is uniquely formulated with upsalite technology for unrivaled blurring and oil control, according to the brand. The buildable formula creates a soft, smoothing effect on pores and fine lines, providing the perfect flush of color on your cheeks and lips.

Saie Glowy Super Gel Lightweight Dewy Highlighter

Cloud skin delicately contrasts softe matte with airy glow, and highlighter plays a crucial role in creating the perfect balance. Saie's lightweight highlighter hydrates and brightens to deliver a fresh, dewy look— apply and blend it on the high points of your face, like the cheeks, lips, Cupid's bow and eyes.

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

Now that your skin is radiant and glowy, it's time to soften and mattify it with some powder for that oh-so-dreamy cloud skin. A fine, translucent setting powder like this beauty community-loved Laura Mercier setting powder is perfect for the job. Lightly apply a dusting of powder to your face, focusing on areas where you tend to get oily such as your T-zone and nose, while avoiding the high points of the face.

Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Pressed Face Powder

Maybelline's Fit Me face powder is another great option that delivers high-quality results without breaking the bank. The longlasting powder leaves a natural, poreless-looking finish and shine control, and it has 44,800+ 5-star reviews on Amazon.

Kosas Cloud Set Baked Setting & Smoothing Talc-Free Vegan Powder

Of course, we can't talk about cloud skin without mentioning to Kosas. The cult-fave clean beauty brand has perfected the beauty aesthetic, and it even created a cloud skin powder that's designed to smooth and blur to help you achieve the perfect layer of sheer, semi-matte pigment.

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer

Personally, I never feel like my makeup is complete until I apply some lip gloss. If you want to add that extra "oomph" and glow to your cloud skin look, this clear gloss from Fenty Beauty is the perfect cherry on top. It's free of parabens and phthalates, is made with nourishing ingredients like shea butter and has an addictive peach-vanilla scent.

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