Lisa Eldridge Says Oily Skin Can Still Have Glass-Like Glow—Here’s How She Gets the Balance Right

There’s something so beautiful about glass skin when it’s done well—the complexion looks fresh, healthy and naturally luminous. But as someone with oily skin, I know better than anyone that it’s always a tricky balance. You want that fresh, almost reflective luminosity that makes glass skin look so beautiful, but there’s a fine line between looking intentionally dewy and simply looking shiny.

The good news is that you can absolutely adapt glass skin to work for oily skin. For me, it’s all about strategic product placement, plenty of skin prep, liquid and cream make-up formulas and, crucially, targeted powder application. You don’t want to mattify the entire face and lose all that lovely luminosity; instead, you want to take down shine only in the areas where you don’t want to emphasise it.

Always Start With Really Well-Prepped Skin

The goal is skin that looks incredibly hydrated and moisturised. Glass skin is really about using as little makeup as possible and allowing the skin itself to show through, and that only works if your complexion is properly prepped beforehand.

Having oily skin doesn’t mean you need to strip the skin or make the whole face matte, either. I’ll always apply Bioderma Sébium Pore Refiner to the areas where I know I tend to get shiny. It helps to mattify the areas I don’t want to emphasise and knocks back shine a little before my makeup goes on, without taking away that overall freshness.

Be Very Strategic About Where You Add Glow

Rather than adding luminosity all over the face, I concentrate it on the places where I naturally want the light to catch.

I start by applying a liquid highlighter across my cheekbones and brow bones, along the nose and a little on the Cupid’s bow. This gives you that beautiful glassy, opalescent finish, while still allowing you to keep other areas of the face more controlled.

Keep Your Base as Light as Possible

Next, I apply a skin tint or dewy foundation from the centre of the face outwards, keeping the layer really light. You don’t need to completely cover the skin to create this look—in fact, the less base you can get away with, the fresher and more convincing the finish tends to be.

Under the eyes, I like to use a dewy concealer. My Luminist Concealer works particularly well here because it lifts shadows while brightening and adding luminosity. Then, rather than adding more foundation wherever I need extra coverage, I’ll use a tiny dot of Pinpoint Concealer to neutralise any redness.

That precision is really important. By concealing only what you want to conceal, you can leave as much of your natural skin visible as possible.

Powder is the Secret to Success

Powder is where oily skin needs a little more care. I’ll set just under my eyes to stop unwanted shine, then use a light, invisible powder across the centre of my forehead, around my nose and on my chin.

The trick is not to powder everywhere. I only want to mattify the areas where shine can become distracting, while leaving the cheekbones and other high points of the face luminous.

You shouldn’t really be able to see the powder on the skin. I’m looking to lightly mattify and control shine, while still allowing all that beautiful luminosity to come through. For me, that contrast is what makes glass skin work on an oily complexion: it’s not about eliminating shine, but choosing exactly where you want it.