For years, glass skin has reigned supreme in the beauty world—think: high-shine highlights, glazed cheekbones, and a lit-from-within sheen that catches the light from every angle. But lately, makeup artists are dialing back the gloss and leaning into something softer. Enter velvet skin, the soft-matte, blurred finish that’s taken over, from TikTok to red carpets. “As we’ve moved away from heavy filters on social media, there’s this desire to still have a filter-like finish, but without the filter,” says Lisa Chamberlain, the Los Angeles-based celebrity makeup artist. “We still want to look beautiful, done up, and put together, but just have it be a more real version of ourselves, and that’s what velvet skin is.”
Ahead, we break down how velvet skin differs from glass skin, why pros are reaching for soft-focus formulas, and exactly how to recreate the trend without sacrificing dimension.
What is velvet skin?
Think of velvet skin as glass skin’s more refined older sister. Instead of reflective shine, it delivers a diffused glow—smooth, plush, and soft, like your favorite satin fabric. “I love to think of velvet skin as a timeless foundation look: one that evens out your skin tone, brings color and life back to the face, and softly blurs imperfections while minimizing the appearance of pores and fine lines,” Chamberlain says. “It’s that balance where the skin looks effortlessly perfect but not heavy and caked on, like you’re not even wearing makeup at all, you just have really good skin."
One of the most appealing things about velvet skin is that the diffused, natural-matte finish which defines the trend looks polished both in real life and flawless on camera. “It photographs beautifully in every type of lighting: high flash, low flash, natural light, studio light. It just works,” Chamberlain adds.
Hailey Bieber
Velvet skin vs. glass skin
According to Chamberlain, velvet skin is about redefining what feels wearable. “Glass skin is gorgeous, especially if you’ve invested in lasers, facials, and really intentional skin work. But for the average woman, that look can feel unrealistic and unattainable,” she says. “Velvet skin feels more inclusive, working across all ages, skin types, and textures, and it gives that perfected, elevated finish without feeling fake or unattainable.” At its core, the look is about building coverage through multiple thin, strategic layers that intentionally even tone, smooth texture, and softly blur the look of pores, all while letting your real skin still shine through. The finish feels polished yet breathable, elevated without ever looking overdone, says Chamberlain.
How to get velvet skin
To achieve velvet skin, start with skin prep. Chamberlain recommends cleansing with a micellar water, then hydrating with a peptide-rich moisturizer, like the Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer. A lightweight formula is key here—avoid anything too heavy or overly moisturizing. You want a clean, balanced base that feels hydrated but not slippery. That will help you build light, seamless layers without causing slippage or an overly shiny finish, says Chamberlain. Next, apply a small amount of a pore-filling primer, especially around the T-zone (the Benefit Porefessional Pore Minimizing Primer is a good option). This will help create that soft-focus base without making the skin feel too heavy.
When it comes to foundation, look for one that offers a soft-matte, velvet-like finish, like the NARS Natural Matte Longwear Foundation. Instead of one heavy layer, apply foundation in thin, buildable veils. Start at the center of the face, where you typically need the most coverage, and blend outward. Use a brush or damp sponge to gently press and buff the product into the skin, focusing on smoothing rather than masking. The goal is to even tone and softly blur texture while keeping the finish skin-like, breathable, and subtly diffused rather than fully matte or overly dewy.
Khloé Kardashian
The way you set your base is what transforms the finish from appearing like makeup is sitting on top of the skin to looking like a seamless, long-wearing, soft-focus finish that truly embodies the velvet effect. “Once I’ve finished my cream products, I seal that first phase with the Hourglass Veil Soft Focus Setting Spray, then move into powder, starting with a light veil of Hourglass Veil Setting Powder applied with a brush to softly set the complexion without taking away dimension,” Chamberlain says. “I then lock everything in place with the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Pressed Powder using a velvet triangle puff for extra smoothness and longevity.”
