Bloom skin is the K-beauty trend replacing glass skin — here’s why derms like it

With all the content available online these days, it can be hard to figure out what’s real and what’s hype. While we don’t always have the answers, we have a direct line to people who do — which is why we present to you our series The Internet Made Me Ask, where we have experts break down the truth about some of the buzziest trends (and questions) on our timelines, like zombie skin cells and how often you really need to wash your makeup brushes.

For the past few years, glass skin has been one of the buzziest Korean beauty trends. The goal was a complexion so smooth and reflective that it almost looked lacquered, and getting there often meant a 10-step routine. But a new K-beauty trend is taking over, and it’s less about shine.

“Bloom skin” is about skin that looks healthy, plump and softly radiant, like a flower in full bloom rather than a polished mirror. It puts barrier health, hydration and treating real skin concerns ahead of a glossy finish. That’s why the dermatologists I spoke with like it more than glass skin.

Below, I explain exactly what bloom skin is, how it differs from glass skin and how to build a routine for it, plus products dermatologists recommend to help you achieve it.

Bloom skin is a K-beauty trend focused on skin that looks healthy and radiant. “I think we’ve seen in recent years that the beauty trend has been increasingly to make our skin look like glass, so it’s really refreshing to now move into an era where we are finally allowing our skin to just look like skin again,” says Dr. Pearl Ugwu-Dike, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. “While glass skin emphasizes an almost mirror-like shine, bloom skin is about looking naturally luminous, hydrated, and healthy without appearing overly glossy.”

The key to this look is a strong skin barrier. “The idea is that the glow comes from within, from a resilient skin barrier that is well hydrated and nourished,” says Dr. Jane Yoo, a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon in New York City. Because the trend puts skin health ahead of a flawless finish, it’s also easier for more people to try.

“As a dermatologist, I find that this is a more realistic goal,” says Yoo. “It moves the conversation from ‘perfect, reflective skin’ to skin that actually functions on a daily basis, and that’s especially encouraging for my patients with acne or sensitive skin who never felt glass skin was meant for them.”

Bloom skin is about having a few products that support your skin, not about having a big routine. “Ultimately, I think the most beautiful skin usually comes from consistency rather than excess,” says Ugwu-Dike. With that in mind, I asked Ugwu-Dike and Yoo which products you need to get the look — here’s what they recommend.

According to Yoo, you should cleanse skin with a gentle cleanser that doesn’t leave it feeling tight after using it. Ugwu-Dike suggests this one from Aestura because the formula has ceramides and fatty acids to support your skin barrier, plus glycerin to hydrate without stripping skin. It’s best for normal, dry and combination skin.

Ugwu-Dike recommends this La Roche-Posay moisturizer as a way of keeping skin plump and healthy. “It combines ceramides, niacinamide, and glycerin to support the skin barrier and help maintain hydration,” she says. It has a soft, oil-free texture that absorbs quickly, and it’s fragrance-free, which makes it a good pick for sensitive skin. I’ve used it for years, and it keeps my skin hydrated, even in colder months when my skin is especially prone to dryness.

Yoo suggests adding a lightweight serum to your routine for extra hydration and radiance, and this hyaluronic acid essence from Cosrx is a good option. NBC Selected associate SEO reporter Ashley Morris has used this essence for years and says it keeps her skin hydrated and helps even out her skin tone. She massages it into her skin twice a day and says it feels lightweight, absorbs quickly and layers well with her other products. One bottle also lasts her months, she says.

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Ugwu-Dike and Yoo both say a good sunscreen is a must if you want radiant skin. “It is incredibly important to have UV protection through sunscreen, as we know that UV radiation is one of the driving causes of photoaging,” Ugwu-Dike says. This Round Lab sunscreen earned the top spot on our list of the 100 best sunscreens. It has a lightweight, essence-like texture with a dewy finish, and it’s made with hydrating ingredients like birch sap, hyaluronic acid and panthenol. It’s broad-spectrum SPF 50 and fragrance free.

Yoo suggests using a good face mask now and then to help brighten your skin and support skin health. This gel mask from Medicube is made with kojic acid and niacinamide, which help fade dark spots and even out skin tone, plus turmeric extract for antioxidant protection and radiance. It feels cooling, and it slowly turns clear as your skin soaks up the formula. You don’t need to rinse it off either, just pat in any left over essence.

The good news is that this trend doesn’t require a ton more work than you’re likely already doing in your routine. “In my practice, I tell patients that bloom skin is built on fundamentals, not on adding more steps,” Yoo says. She recommends focusing on these basics:

• Protect your skin barrier. The barrier is your skin’s outermost layer. It’s made of skin cells held together by natural fats, and it locks moisture in and keeps irritants and bacteria out. When it’s damaged, skin can turn dry, red, flaky or easily irritated — in other words, the opposite of what bloom skin looks like. The most common causes of a damaged barrier are harsh cleansers, hot water and overexfoliating. To keep your skin barrier intact, use a gentle cleanser and don’t overdo it with exfoliants. According to Yoo, a gentle exfoliation once a week is plenty.
• Keep your routine simple. All you need is a cleanser, a moisturizer and sunscreen. Add a treatment product only if you need one for a specific concern. Bloom skin is about a soft, healthy glow that comes from the skin itself, not from layers of product. Every extra step is another chance for irritation, and an irritated barrier shows up as redness, dryness and dullness, the opposite of that plump, radiant look. A short routine keeps your skin calm and hydrated, and over time that’s what gives you the glow.
• Wear your sunscreen every day. Yoo calls this non-negotiable. “As a Mohs surgeon, I see the consequences of sun damage every day when I remove skin cancers,” she says. Besides raising your risk of skin cancer, sun damage also causes premature aging, dryness and dullness.

While you don’t need a long list of products to help you get bloom skin, it is smart to pay attention to ingredients in the products you use. “There are a few ingredients that I think do a particularly good job supporting the biology behind that naturally luminous appearance,” Ugwu-Dike says. Most of them focus on hydration and barrier repair. A few do more targeted work on tone and texture. Here are the ones Ugwu-Dike and Yoo recommend:

• Hyaluronic acid and glycerin: These humectants draw in water and hold it in the outermost layer of your skin, Ugwu-Dike says. That can make skin look more supple and soften fine lines caused by dehydration. Yoo adds that they hydrate without feeling heavy.
• Ceramides and fatty acids: These lipids help rebuild and maintain your skin barrier and reduce water loss. Ceramides are “part of the mortar that holds our cells together,” Ugwu-Dike says. When your barrier is working properly, skin tends to look smoother, more hydrated and less irritated.
• Niacinamide: This versatile ingredient supports barrier function and helps with uneven tone and texture. Ugwu-Dike says it’s generally well tolerated.
• Peptides: They help improve your skin’s condition over time and experts previously told us they can stimulate new tissue production and encourage healing.
• Vitamin C: It brightens, helps fade pigmentation and offers antioxidant protection.
• Retinoids: These vitamin A derivatives are among the best-studied ingredients for improving texture and tone, and they support cell turnover and collagen production over time. Both experts say to introduce retinol (a type of retinoid) slowly, especially if you have sensitive skin, because it can be irritating.
• Centella asiatica (cica) and panthenol: These ingredients soothe irritated or reactive skin, Yoo says.

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At NBC Selected, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

• Dr. Pearl Ugwu-Dike is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City.
• Dr. Jane Yoo is a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon in New York City

I am a commerce editor at NBC Selected and a journalist who regularly covers wellness and beauty, among other topics. I have written about how to prevent your nose from getting irritated this winter, how to properly clean makeup brushes and more. For this story, I spoke with two dermatologists about bloom skin.

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