e.l.f. Discovery

How to Get the Dolphin Skin Look

Viral makeup trends come and go, but it’s not very often that a trend goes viral twice. Thanks to the stickiest star at the Big Game, the Dolphin Skin look has gone viral again! But what is Dolphin Skin and how can you achieve it?

What is Dolphin Skin?

Dolphin Skin is all about the dewy glow. The dewier the better. It’s named after everyone’s favorite ocean mammal because of their ultra-smooth glistening skin that catches the sun. Using dolphins as inspiration, you can get a makeup look that has your complexion looking more plump, hydrated, and fresh out of the ocean like a baby dolphin. When going with the Dolphin Look, you can never be too dewy or glowy.

What Makeup Do You Need to Get Dolphin Skin?

Because of all the dewiness, a gripping face primer is a must. You want a makeup primer that’s sticky to grip your foundation all day long and ideally you want it to give you a little glow as well.

For your foundation, choose a formula that will give you the coverage you want but also has dewy and light-reflective properties. Choose one that has skin-loving ingredients to give your complexion a soft-focus and dewy filter effect IRL.

To complete your glowy look, choose a creamy lipstick with a satin finish in a pinky-nude. You want rich color and long-wear so you don’t have to touch up as often.

How to Create the Dolphin Skin Look

  1. After your skin care, apply a grip face primer evenly to your face using your fingers and pat into the skin. The warmth of your fingers will help the makeup primer melt into your skin for an even application. Let the face primer set for 30 seconds before applying your makeup.

  2. Apply a thin layer of liquid foundation or a complexion booster. Because of the texture of the face primer, it’s best to do multiple thin layers of foundation rather than one thick one. Also, it’s best to apply the foundation with a sponge or brush to ensure perfect blending.

  3. Using a luminous bronzer, define and sculpt your complexion. Apply bronzer just under the cheek bones, on either side of your nose, along your jawline and on the upper corners of your forehead. Blend well with a brush or sponge.

  4. Complete your look with a swipe of satin lipstick straight from the tube. Use your finger to buff the lipstick into your lips and to diffuse the edges a bit for a plumper looking pout.