Is Laminated Skin For You?

by BR Tabatha

Glass skin. Dolphin skin. Glazed donut skin. Skin is having a moment. Clearly. The latest skin trend to pop up in the beauty world? Laminated skin. 

If the first thought you had on reading 'laminated skin' was that of a person plastering laminating film to their faces and then switching the blow dryer, you're not alone. This was where my brain went, too. But, also like me, you'd also be wrong in your assessment. Thankfully, laminated skin doesn't involve doing anything quite so gruesome.

So what is laminated skin, how do we achieve it, and do we really want to give it a whirl? Read on...

What is laminated skin?

In a nutshell laminated skin is sweaty-looking skin. The aim is to create the look of a moist sheen over your skin by using a combination of skincare and makeup.

The term was coined by MAC's directory of makeup artistry, Terry Barber, during an interview with Refinery29 where he said "all the designers I'm working with are talking about sweaty skin, like you've just come out of the ocean on holiday, or been on a dance floor — or you've just had sex." Going on to further describe the look as "a really beautiful laminated, hyper-moisturized glow all over."

How do I get laminated skin?

Surprise, surprise, if you want to ace this skin trend you need to start with skincare. Much like all the other skin trends of the moment, it's all about the hydration and resulting glow. After cleansing your skin, apply a hydrating serum and moisturiser that suits your skin type, and don't be skimpy with it, remembering that the look you want to achieve is "hyper-moisturised".

As for your makeup, less is more. A lightweight, sheer liquid foundation is perfect for evening out your base. You can skip the blush, but contouring with cream products is recommended if you want to create some shaping. Next, oodles of hydrating setting spray will set your base while making sure your laminated look lasts.

Finally? Don't bother with powdering your skin. Even if you're prone to oily patches. Let your sweat, your oil, your natural glow shine through.

Should I try to get the laminated skin look?

Indeed... should you? If the idea of looking like you've just done a super intense hot yoga session or spent an hour running in the middle of the day under the summer sun sounds like you, by all means, go ahead, embrace laminated skin. If you'd prefer to look cool as a cucumber (queue the cucumber skin trend coming in three...two... one...), then perhaps you're better off skipping this sweaty skin trend.

So, will you be rocking laminated skin this spring? Or is this not a fad you want to indulge?

Hit up our poll and get chatting below!