THE GLOSS EDIT
What began as an unassuming backstage glossing trick at the start of New York Fashion Week became the fastest-growing beauty trend IRL, with editors and frontrow regulars adopting it before the week was out. Normally, such a trend osmosis takes at least a few months to filter down to the real world, so why did glossy skin take off in such a huge and immediate way? According to makeup artist and glossing enthusiast Val Garland, it’s simple: “It gives your skin a ‘gym sheen’. The light reflection cheats inner radiance, which makes for healthier-looking, younger skin. Who doesn’t want that?”
Until now, it was all about glowing skin – one of the most googled beauty terms, the most sought-after finish from foundation, an overused word to describe what women want, the youth-boosting Holy Grail. But this season? There’s a next-level glow to be achieved. A gloss on the skin that does all the above, and then some.
Consider the sculpting power of highlighter (which faultlessly accentuates the highest points of your face), and know that a “wet look” is the most reflective surface you can achieve on your face – then you can start to understand the ethereal contouring powers of skin glossing. Makeup technology is so advanced that you can combine comfort with style using a dry glossing technique that emerged from the tables of the best makeup artists backstage at the shows. These are holographic, wet-look powders that buff onto the skin dry but give the appearance of a moist, dewy glow. Also known as “sweaty” skin (but far from it), glossing makes you look lit from within, and is a lot harder to get wrong than classic contouring. “With this look, you don’t get your hair stuck to your face when it’s windy,” says Garland. “You don’t feel gooey on a night out. If you have oily skin, putting wet gloss on makes you look even oilier. But when sculpting with a dry powder, it’s always more practical because it won’t move.”
So why become part of the glossy posse? It’s foolproof: you look rested, well-nourished, active, healthy, youthful and vibrant. Saying that, glossing doesn’t have to stop at the skin. There are glowing eye and lip looks, as well as brow and lash gloss options. Here’s how to get into it.
EYES
A liquid-gloss lid looks dewy and fresh, but it will move with every blink. It’s better to use a simple gel such as Vaseline ($2.99, priceline. com.au) or Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant ($28, myer.com.au). For a drier look, swipe Nudestix Skin Glossing Pencil all over the lid, then dot the gloss on top to distress it.
SKIN & CHEEKS
Never layer a liquid gloss over powder – you’ll get better results on bare skin. Use a cream highlighter, like Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Highlight in Hefty Highlight, to draw a C-shape from the brow bone, around the eye and down the bridge of the nose. Swipe it over the forehead and chin, then blend. Finish with a dry powder, such as M.A.C Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Superb, over your cheekbones.
LASHES & BROWS
Garland uses Clear Brow Gel by Anastasia Beverly Hills ($38, sephora.com.au) to achieve glossy brows, but you can comb Vaseline through with a spoolie. For lashes, there are glossy mascaras – we love Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes in Glossy Black ($48, charlottetilbury.com/au) – but it’s the “bunching” effect that you’re after. Wet your lashes before applying mascara, use the brush to create clumps, then dot M.A.C Studio Eye Gloss in Pearl Varnish on the ends.
LIPS
Vinyl-like lips are always sexy, but it’s the limited longevity that lets them down. Use Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in 714 Mega Matte ($28, mecca.com.au) then layer over Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in Chilli ($50, 1300 242 635), and build up in three layers.
PRO TIP: USE A LIQUID GLOSS, THEN A DRY POWDER, ON THE CENTRE OF YOUR FACE TO CREATE A LIT-FROM-WITHIN GLOW.