The Korean beauty trend of glassy skin seems to be going nowhere. In fact, the desire for a smooth, deeply hydrated and naturally radiant complexion is only getting stronger. And why not? There is a lot to love about lit-up skin.
The trend is ramping up in our beauty stores, too, with increasing numbers of products tailored to deliver skin that gleams. Take the new recruits into the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift range. A sheet mask and liquid cream join the much-loved Revitalift serum for a triple-pronged approach that helps deliver a longlasting, radiant and dewy finish.
But what is glassy skin? Does it equal healthy skin? And can we achieve that shine after our thirties, when collagen levels start to decline and cell turnover slows?
What is glassy skin?
To decode, I called on L’Oréal Paris scientific director Dr Richard Betts. Based in Singapore, Betts holds numerous patents and has published groundbreaking research on the skin microbiome, cellular ageing and next-generation anti-pigmentation molecules, so he knows a thing or two about how to get skin that gleams.
Why, I ask, does glassy skin have such groundswell now?
“Trends that are rooted in natural beauty and skin health tend to be more enduring and more universal,” he says. “Glass skin is really about hydration and skin health.” Plus, he says, “Korea is a big driver of beauty trends.” And while trends come and go, he believes this one has legs.
Glassy Vs Healthy
So is glass skin and healthy skin one and the same? Yes, says Betts – meaning that if your skin beams, there is a good chance it’s healthy at cell level too.
You see, the secret to glassy skin isn’t simply layering product after product. “It’s not just about adding more water,” explains Betts. “It’s about fixing issues with the skin so we’re able to have superior barrier function, increase hydration and help the skin renew its own natural barrier.”
Ingredients that boost hydration (like hyaluronic acid) and support the barrier (think vitamin B5) create a two way approach to getting skin looking plump and dewy. And there is a cellular reason for the glow-up: under the microscope you’ll see skin cells that resemble plump spheres, rather than flat, dull-looking pancakes.
“When we look at the upper layer of the skin, the cells at the bottom are nice and big and juicy and plump,” explains Betts. “As they grow towards the surface, they get flatter and flatter until all the moisture is gone and they exfoliate away.”
The causes of dullness
Age and dehydration can both have an effect on how far into the skin this flattening goes. “As we age, dehydration can become more of an issue, which can make the flattening process occur further down.” The result can be roughness and dullness – the opposite of glassy.
“The cells are like little bricks, and moisture is like the mortar which helps keep them together,” says Betts. “If we have dehydrated skin, they don’t sit together quite as well.”
Ingredients for glassiness
L’Oréal Paris’ new Glass Skin Liquid Cream can penetrate skin many layers deep and boasts a clever blend of macro and micro hyaluronic acid to help retain moisture and boost suppleness, while vitamins B3, B5 and C brighten and protect the barrier for lasting glassiness.
The Glass Skin Hydrogel Glow Mask, meanwhile, is a weekly treatment that works twice as fast as most other masks. In just 90 minutes, its blend of hyaluronic acid, glycerin (a moisture magnet) and strengthening centella asiatica extract gives you glassy plumpness in record time.
These two barrier-strengthening products dispel the idea that we need a 10-step routine to get beaming skin.
Glassy at any age
So can we get glassy skin beyond 35? “Absolutely,” says Betts. “No matter the skin state, it can always be improved.”
The takeaway is this: glassy skin isn’t a gimmick. It’s the visible sign of a functioning barrier, balanced hydration and supported cellular processes. “If we increase moisture and help the skin be healthy, we end up with moisturised, glowy, dewy skin that looks radiant.”
And a lot like glass.
Find out more about L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Filler Glass range here
As the biggest beauty brand in the world, L’Oréal Paris has an unparalleled commitment to technology, research and innovation and providing ground-breaking, high-quality products for women and men of all ages and ethnicities.
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