The majority of makeup and skin care trends on TikTok lately have been focused on a dewy, ultra-hydrated complexion. Be it “dolphin skin,” “slugging” or “skin flooding,” a near wet-looking finish seems to have been the app’s desired aesthetic the past few years — a look that’s not always fitting for oily skin types.
Now, a fresh and dreamy take on matte skin is having its moment in the form of “cloud skin,” a trend that’s all about a soft, blurred velvety look. Coined by Dominic Skinner, global senior artist for MAC Cosmetics, cloud skin is different from the overly dry complexions of the ’90s or the full-coverage face from the early 2000s. Some TikTok creators are referring to it as the perfect halfway point between matte and the kind of natural, reflective glow we’ve been used to seeing on TikTok.