While dewy skin and glass-like complexions reigned supreme on red carpets and FYPs last year, 2026’s biggest beauty trend is more diffused and soft-focus: enter the “blurred skin” trend.
What is blurred skin?
Blurred skin is the polar opposite of last season’s allegiance to glossy, butter-like skin. Dominic Skinner, MAC Cosmetics UK’s director of makeup artistry, has seen the beauty trend pendulum swing more toward a makeup style that exists between matte and dewy, a concept he originally coined as “cloud skin.” The idea, he shares with Vogue, was born from wondering how to recreate the fluffy, soft texture of a cloud—but on your face.
“I was looking for something lighter that gave people the feeling of flawlessness and perfection without the weight of coverage,” Skinner adds, describing it as a “flawless blur, light-as-air texture.”
“It’s a trend that focuses on creating a perfected and balanced complexion,” adds Samuel “Sammy” Rivera, a makeup artist at Armani Beauty, noting it’s “diffused and smooth.”
How to Achieve the “Cloud Skin” Look
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Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre Natural Finish Loose Powder
What products do I need for blurred skin, and how do I apply them?
Step one is always skin care. “I probably spend more time working with skin care than I do with makeup,” Skinner says, noting that the more you can massage, nourish, and hydrate the skin, the more even its texture and tone will be, and the less product you’ll need to use.
When it comes to the actual look, there are a few different approaches to get the “flawless blur” Skinner described. His technique starts with a hydrating primer, followed by a powder foundation. Layering the two products creates a “soft but radiant finish,” he says.
Rivera also recommends using a hydrating primer, but he prefers to pair it with a lightweight, buildable-coverage liquid foundation. “I wouldn’t use a full-coverage foundation because at the end of the day, you want to use minimal product and you want to honor the skin,” Rivera notes. “You want to make the skin look perfected yet natural.” He recommends applying the product with your hands, as the warmth helps the foundation blur, and using a sparing amount of powder on the center of your face.
Your skin texture also impacts how you should approach getting a blurred finish. “If you have dry skin, then go for a hydrating primer because that’s really going to help your skin, but then go for a matte foundation over the top,” Skinner explains. If your skin is oilier, he suggests using a more mattifying primer with either a powder or serum-based foundation.
