From four-step skincare to expert-approved dewy make-up, we have all you need to unlock glowing skin in time for summer
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A smooth, soft complexion is always on trend, but think of summer, and radiant, glowing skin will almost certainly come to mind. Dewy make-up and fresh finishes – they’re all lusted after once the weather heats up.
Like make-up artist Nina Sagri predicted in our 2025 beauty trend forecast, “the effortless, barely there, natural, dewy and radiant skin is here to stay”. And why not? Who wouldn’t want to look like they’ve just come from the beach?
But what exactly is dewy skin, and how do I get it? Don’t worry, we have everything you need to know – we even picked the expert brains of make-up artists Jesse Walker and James O’Riley for extra tips!
What is dewy skin?
You know how lovely your freshly-exfoliated skin looks? That’s dewy skin. Think glowing skin that’s smooth and radiant – it’s plump, healthy and hydrated.
While you can get the dewy skin look with cosmetics, there are other factors at play here, so you can get glowing without the need for fancy foundations and elaborate eye make-up.
How to get dewy skin?
“The secret to glow is always in moisture,” says make-up artist Jesse Walker.
Lifestyle tweaks can help – sleep more, stress less, get plenty of fruit and veg, and make sure you stay hydrated (that’s at least 2 litres of water a day). It’s nothing we haven’t heard before, but it can really work wonders!
Your main focus should be skincare, though. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ here, so it’s important to find what works for you. Once you settle on a routine, consistency is key. Stick to it every morning and evening, and once your skin is hydrated, those water-rich cells will give you the glow you’ve been searching for – just in time for summer.
Four-step dewy skincare routine
Step 1: Cleanse
First things first, we prep the skin with a good cleanse. Not only will this clean away anything that might dull the skin (think make-up, dirt and sweat), but it’ll get rid of anything that’s stopping it from feeling smooth too.
Choose a gentle product like No7 Future Renew™ Peptide Cleanser to wash away impurities without leaving your skin feeling stripped of its natural oils.
Take a small amount of cleanser on your fingertips and apply it to the face in slow circular motions. Once you have a nice lather after 20 or 30 seconds, carefully rinse it away with lukewarm water – avoid using hot water which can strip your natural oil barrier and make skin feel dry more quickly.
Step 2: Exfoliate
In a nutshell, exfoliating removes dead skin cells to make way for brighter, more youthful-looking skin underneath – it keeps skin smooth and even too.
There are two different types of exfoliators. Mechanical exfoliation involves using a cleanser with a cloth or sponge, while chemical exfoliation covers products such as face scrubs, microdermabrasion polishes, or peel, acid, or enzyme exfoliators.
We recommend using a chemical exfoliant up to three times a week for a smoother, more radiant look. Try the Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator to gently buff away impurities while adding moisture to leave skin feeling soft and smooth.
Lightly massage it onto the face in circular movements, rinse it off with warm water, and gently pat the skin dry with a towel. Once you've finished, the next step is serums.
Step 3: Serums
Before we get started, let’s quickly chat through the difference between serums and moisturisers.
Moisturisers keep the outer layer of skin hydrated and prevent moisture loss. Facial serums, however, are lighter on the skin and have highly concentrated formulas of key ingredients to help target specific skin concerns, such as pigmentation, fine lines or strengthening the skin barrier. Best of all, they tend to be suitable for all skin types – normal, dry, combination or oily.
So, where serums help to deliver active ingredients to the deeper layers of skin, moisturiser locks them all in place.
When it comes to picking a serum, think about what you want it to achieve and make sure it has the right ingredients– vitamin C can brighten skin and even out complexion, hyaluronic acid can smooth and plump the look of skin, ferulic acid can help fight free radicals (molecules that can play a role in skin ageing), and niacinamide can minimise the appearance of pores.
To get your dewy skin, Beauty of Joseon’s Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide is infused with – you guessed it – niacinamide, which can also maintain the oil and moisture balance in your skin. This is perfect for replacing any excess shine so you can achieve that lit-from-within glow.
All you have to do is put a couple of drops in your palm, apply it gently to the face, and tap lightly with your fingertips until it’s fully absorbed. Make sure that you focus on any areas that need extra hydration or brightness.
Step 4: Moisturise
Last but not least, we moisturise. Applying it right after serum helps to lock in hydration and get you glowing.
Calming ingredients are great for keeping skin soothed, so steer towards products with milk or chamomile. Florence By Mills Dreamy Dew Moisturiser has a skin-loving recipe with willow bark extract and vitamin B12 to calmly bring out your inner glow, and a lotus flower blend to gently control oil for dewy, non-greasy skin.
Incredibly easy to apply, just pat it into your skin, adding extra to any dry spots so your skin doesn’t look thirsty.
While you’re going through your skincare routine, why not give yourself an extra radiance-boosting treat? “You can incorporate a bit of facial massage to really get the blood flowing in your skin,” says make-up artist Jesse Walker.
Tips for dewy make-up
To get the dewy skin look, you ideally want to wear as little make-up as possible so your natural glow shines through – especially after you’ve spent time perfecting your skincare routine!
Keep things simple and get glowing with the following top tips.
A glowy base
Before going in with foundation, sweep on a radiance primer. “If you find your make-up tends to move in the summer because it’s hot or because it’s dry, sometimes a really good primer can help foundation last all day long,” says Jesse.
When it comes to the base, make-up artist James O’Riley says, “For an all over skin sheen, mix liquid highlighter with foundation or tinted moisturiser.”
ICONIC London Illuminator works perfectly here, offering a super highlighted glow that glides smoothly onto skin. You can use it alone or add it to foundation, primer or moisturiser– just put a bit of both on the back of your hand, then mix with a brush or dab onto the skin with a sponge or your fingertips.
To really brighten the skin, James suggests, “adding a second layer of highlighter on top of cheekbones and around the temples for extra golden dimensions.” Do this with a small brush, sponge, or for the easiest application, use your ring finger. Keep the second layer light and build up slowly for a seamless finish.
A bit of blush
A little blusher and highlighter can go a long way to giving lit-from-within radiance. Accentuate certain areas of the face to get a natural-looking flush for a youthful, vibrant finish.
Made by Mitchell Blursh Liquid Blusher will always hit the dewy skin mark. Not only is it designed to enhance your natural colour, but it has blurring technology for a flawless, radiant finish on all skin tones.
Effortless to apply, just use a brush or make-up sponge to buff it onto cheeks. Simple!
A tinted lip
Dewy skin shouldn't stop there.
“As a final step, apply a tinted lip balm for a flush of colour on the lip, while keeping things nice and light and glossy,” suggests Jesse. Apply it straight from the bullet for the perfect finishing touch to your glowy look.
May we recommend Laneige Glaze Craze Tinted Lip Serum to get that gorgeous shine? It’s infused with 95% skincare to deeply hydrate lips, so they look plumper, and give you dewy skin all over.
A glow-boosting finish
It goes without saying that any make-up look needs setting, but when it comes to dewy skin, you want the glow to last all day too.
To secure it in place, choose a face mist – stay away from too much powder, if the skin can handle it, to really enhance the luminosity you’ve created. Of course they come in all shapes and sizes – some face mists can hydrate and soothe, some protect against environmental damage, and some enhance your glowing skin.
Take Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Dewy Makeup Setting Spray, for example. It’s packed with ingredients to lock in your look, and it even has hyaluronic acid and niacinamide (remember those from our serums?) to boost your gorgeous glow.
Are you ready to glow up? Give this look a try and unlock the dewy skin you’ve been dreaming of! Don’t forget to check out our other tips and tricks to master the art of make-up along the way.
