When it comes to setting a strong skincare foundation for winter, implementing a routine that prioritizes hydration usually comes to mind. And in the age of social media, that means looking like a glazed doughnut. (Really.)
Over the last few months “glazed skin” has become a trending topic on TikTok, with content creators trying the look for themselves without the aid of makeup. But what exactly does it take to achieve skin that’s so hydrated, it mimics the appearance of the fan-favorite dessert?
Meet the Experts
Sunday Riley , CEO, founder and product formulator
Ildi Pekar is a celebrity esthetician.
@sundayriley Glowy, glazed fantasy skin coming up! 🍩 🎥: @Cyrus #sundayriley #glazeddonut #glowyskincare #skincareroutine #winterskincare #goodgenes ♬ I Think I Like When It Rains – WILLIS
“To achieve skin that appears as smooth and shiny as a glazed donut, it’s important to strengthen your skin’s protective barrier,” explains Sunday Riley. Our line of skincare products are glowing additions to any hydration-boosting skincare routine aka the key to glazed skin. Make sure that the result is not oily but dewy. ‘It’s about having glowy, healthy looking skin that’s just radiant, naturally, from the inside out’, adds Sunday.
Ready to get started? Here’s everything you need — categorized in order of usage — to achieve the dewy, glazed look this season.
DOUBLE CLEANSE
‘Good skincare starts with a good cleanser. Cleansing for at least one minute is ideal but if you’re washing your face at all, I’m happy. Not cleansing properly can cause so many skin issues including inflammation, sensitivity, redness, and collagen degradation. Double cleanse is phenomenal. Double-cleansing works exactly how it sounds: instead of picking one type of cleanser over another, double-cleansing uses one after another. The first cleanse cleans the products off the skin, while the second cleanse actually cleanses the skin itself,’ explains Riley. Starting with a fresh, blank canvas is a must. First you would take Blue Moon, the Clean Rinse Cleansing Balm. You scoop it up and you warm it in your hand. It’s a hydrating balm that removes makeup and impurities with sugar-based cleanser, while calming and soothing dry skin. This hybrid balm-to-oil formulation effortlessly shifts to a milk-like consistency upon application, ensuring deep cleansing without leaving any oily residue behind. ‘What sets Blue Moon apart is its incorporation of sugar particles, which gently exfoliate the skin, removing impurities and unveiling a smoother complexion’, adds Riley.
Formulated as a universal, foaming cleanser for even the most sensitive skin, Ceramic Slip leaves all skin types softer, cleaner, balanced, and radiant. Extremely gentle, this deep cleaning cleanser can be used daily, morning and night, for a healthier-looking complexion. ‘Think of it as if you’re using a really good detox face mask along with your cleanser. Imagine the clay diving deep into your skin to pull out all the stuff you definitely don’t want, kind of like how a super face mask works. But then, it doesn’t stop there. It brings in some goodies, like rice and olive oil esters, to pump hydration right back into your skin. So, it’s like you’re using a magnet: yanking out the bad stuff but also making sure the good stuff, like serious hydration, gets back in. You don’t want to strip your skin bare. We’re aiming to get rid of all the gunk — pollution, dirt, makeup, sunscreen, you name it — without leaving your skin dry as a desert. We don’t want to over dry your skin,’ Sunday says.
USE AN ALPHA HYDROXY ACID DAILY
Why is the exfoliation important if you want to achieve glazed skin? ‘Our gentle exfoliator, Good Genes is going to help clarify your skin and decongest pores. It makes you look like you were born with great genes and that you just woke up looking like that even if you had to, you know, put some effort into it, which is basically all of us’, says Sunday. Good Genes is an all in one alpha-hydroxy acid serum that really transforms the surface of your skin by exfoliating the dull, pore clogging debris that’s on the top of your skin. So it has this higher dose of lactic acid, but then it’s balanced with ingredients like lemongrass and licorice root extract to go in and help improve the signs of skin discoloration. ‘Lactic acid is one of my absolutely favorite hydroxy acids. It’s a larger molecule, so it doesn’t sink as deeply into the surface of the skin as other AHAs, which makes it a little bit gentler, but it’s also the only one that’s hydrating. So it’s great for all skin types,’ shares Sunday.
This highly-potent, multi-tasking treatment rapidly exfoliates the skin, boosts naturally youthful radiance, and is clinically proven to immediately and significantly plump the look of fine lines in just 3 minutes. You can use it daily, even twice a day. Lactic acid also helps to make moisturizer absorb more effectively.
USE A CERAMIDE MOISTURIZER
Seal the benefits of each product with this ceramide-rich cream that replenishes the skin with lasting hydration. ‘ICE Moisturizing cream is this really creamy kind of dreamy moisturizer that really locks hydration into your skin, that’s deeply nourishing to the skin. It feels really lightweight when it’s applied because it instantly absorbs. ICE is ultimately this protective cream that’s going to help your outer layer of your skin. Ceramides are a kind of protective envelope that goes around the surface of your skin and helps again create a barrier that prevents external aggressors from going in and disrupts the harmony that’s on your skin, but also prevents things from exiting the skin like water. It’s going to give you this great layer of protection and it goes in so quickly and so easily, it’s ultimately very lightweight while also being really deeply nourishing.’ explains Sunday Riley.
SEAL IT ALL IN WITH A FACE OIL
Infused with advanced vitamin C and golden turmeric for instant vibrance and antioxidant defense, this glowing serum nurtures and brightens the skin. You can apply it after ICE Moisturizing cream or you can mix ICE with C.E.O. Glow oil. ‘We use THD Ascorbate in our C.E.O. line which is the absolute gold standard of vitamin C – a highly potent, more stable and less irritating form. The right formula for an oil shouldn’t make your skin oily. Our oils are not just oils. Our oils are basically your serum and your oil in one. Our active, dry-touch oils sink in and leave the skin really fresh and dewy-looking. Massaging your skin will also increase blood circulation, which will help the products to absorb and sink in deeper,’ Sunday says.
DON’T FORGET THE EYE AREA
Auto Correct banishes tired-looking eyes with uplifting caffeine, horse chestnut, and Brazilian ginseng. This eye cream instantly delivers a lifted and depuffed look to the eye area while rapidly reducing the appearance of dark circles and fine lines. Can be used twice a day. ‘For extra glisten you can put it on as a highlighter on top of makeup. I love it on cheekbones and cupid’s bow area. So it’s often used by makeup artists as this more subtle highlighter. And because it’s not in a stick, it’s easier to apply and to work with it as well,’ shares Sunday Riley.
