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ICYMI: fashion’s got a thing for butter yellow right now—and beauty isn’t far behind. The latest fixation? “Butter skin.” Think plush, pillowy, smooth-as-satin skin that’s as rich and velvety as actual butter, sans grease. But here the catch, there’s a razor-thin line to toe; improper skincare prep and one too many swipes of highlighter can take you from looking-lit-from-within to straight-up smothered in oil in an instant. Nail the balance, though, and butter skin hits that sweet spot, think glossy, juicy and impossibly soft. [instagram-oembed url=”https://www.instagram.com/p/DJUrVItvXpJ/?igsh=MWYzZXYybzB0c25qeQ%3D%3D” /] One scroll through the #butterskin hashtag on TikTok and you’ll quickly notice the label for this buttery beauty trend is a tad misleading. In actuality, the look goes beyond just skincare and calls for light layers of makeup as well. Always-viral beauty brand Saie follows a “makeup as skincare” mantra, which could hardly be more fitting for this hybrid trend. To unpack the technique behind achieving that luminous complexion, we turned to the brand’s director of education, Stevie Nelson, for advice. Though skin types vary and we should each approach our glam routines accordingly, scroll on for the makeup artist’s general rules of thumb for achieving buttery skin that’s perpetually glowy, and never greasy.
Know Your Glow
When in pursuit of enviably radiant skin, it’s important to know the difference between shimmery, glowy makeup, and flat-out greasy. “Glowy is more associated with dewy, wet, hydrated, like juicy skin,” Nelson explains. “Then, there’s shimmery, and what that speaks to is like glitter particles or pearl particles. Those can either be really finely milled, or kind of chunky and glittery.” The kind of glistening, butter-like skin we’re breaking down pertains to the former. “It’s this more diffused appearance to the skin that can only be achieved by balance, and that’s really where I think the line between like glowy and greasy is—it comes down to finding a balance between a natural-looking healthy complexion and something that looks too shiny and not polished,” says the beauty expert. Ultimately, its all about maintaining what she calls a “push and pull relationship” between skincare and makeup.
But First, Skincare
Let’s face it, your dream glowy glam can only turn out as good as the skincare routine layered beneath it. “Restoring your skin barrier and making it healthy is going to allow it to self-regulate, so you’re not overproducing oil and you’re not dry,” says Nelson. “It’s really about finding balance and harmony within your skin so that your skin doesn’t look greasier or shinier than you want it to.” To keep your skin barrier happy and balanced daily, Nelson recommends starting off with a gentle cleanser that removes dirt and impurities, but won’t strip your skin of its natural oils. Our pick? Laneige’s skin-loving Water Bank Gentle Gel Cleanser. 
[cta affiliate=”skimlinks” align=”center” format=”button” url=”https://www.sephora.com/ca/en/product/waterbank-foaming-gel-cleanser-with-hyaluronic-acid-P514497?skuId=2837110&icid2=products%20grid:p514497:product”]Shop Now[/cta] As for moisturizer, stick to lightweight hydrators like Skinfix’s Barrier Balancing Water Cream Moisturizer that do the trick without feeling heavy or oily. “Think of water-based ingredients that provide hydration, nourish, smooth, plump and provide water content to the skin,” says the MUA on what to consider when choosing products. And, as always, don’t forget your SPF. 
[cta affiliate=”skimlinks” align=”center” format=”button” url=”https://www.sephora.com/ca/en/product/barrier-balancing-water-cream-moisturizer-with-hyaluronic-acid-P515337?skuId=2858686&icid2=products%20grid:p515337:product”]Shop Now[/cta] Nelson’s final skincare tip? Give your products a moment to settle and absorb before applying makeup—so that your glam sits with your skin, rather than on the skin, creating unwanted shine.
Glam It Up
Once your skin has been prepped, take your glow to the next level with a touch of barely-there makeup. “We’re doing so much to balance our skin barrier and really work on our skin that the makeup can be a little bit lighter,” says Nelson. Amp up the glam with a glow-inducing base (think Chanel’s Fluide Enlumineur or Glossier’s Futuredew Facil Oil-Serum Hybrid), followed by a skincare-infused tint, like Saie’s Slip Tint, in place of a heavy-weight foundation. To keep your complexion looking as skin-like as possible, Nelson advises using small amounts of each product. 
[cta affiliate=”skimlinks” align=”center” format=”button” url=”https://www.sephora.com/ca/en/product/P478316″]Shop Now[/cta] When enhancing your radiance with highlighters and other glowy products, Nelson suggests sticking to the high points of your face (cheekbones, brow bones, and the bridge of the nose) and avoiding areas that tend to get more greasy, like your T-zone. We know the thought of using setting powder sounds like it’ll counteract all your hard work, but locking your makeup in place is still essential. That’s where Saie’s latest launch, the Slip Tint Undetectable Baked Setting Powder, comes into play. “It creates that softness, that diffused blur with soft focus application, but it’s still very skin-like. There’s still a little bit of radiance to it,” Nelson tells me. “Saie is never going to create something entirely matte, because we want the makeup to look like skin, and healthy skin isn’t typically completely matte.” No caked-up complexions here; this skincare-rich powder is changing the way we set our glam for the better. 
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