Every day there’s a new skincare trend that the internet is obsessed with. While some are OTT and eccentric, others are perfectly doable and well, sensible. If you ask us what’s trending right now? It’s the ‘dolphin skin’ craze that has more than half of the Instagram community under its spell! As skincare addicts ourselves, we were curious to find out what the hype was all about. Here’s what we discovered…
- What is dolphin skin?
- 1. Prep your skin
- 2. Ace your base
- 3. Creamy blush
- 5. All shine with a highlighter
What is dolphin skin?

To cut to the chase – Dolphin skin describes skin that is shiny, smooth, plump and hydrated. A term coined by celebrity makeup artist Mary Phillips, ‘dolphin skin’ takes inspiration from Dolphins (of course) who have extremely glossy, wet and slippery skin. So, if you’re heading towards your vanity to give this skincare trend a try, let us tell you how to ace it.
1. Prep your skin

Before diving into your makeup palette, get your skincare game right to the T. Begin with a squeaky-clean canvas and make sure to exfoliate all the dirt residue from the skin with a good formula like Pears Pure And Gentle Face Wash. The soap-free formula is packed with 98% glycerine that will hydrate and remove dirt and impurities, leaving your skin soft and supple.
Next, use a toner and then apply a moisturising serum like Lakmé 9 To 5 Vitamin C+ Facial Serum on your face. Packed with Kakadu Plum extracts (the world’s richest source of Vitamin C), it will give your skin a natural glow and even out texture. Lock in the moisture with the Pond’s Super Light Gel Oil Free Moisturiser With Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin E — a lightweight, non-greasy moisturiser that’s perfect for all skin types.
2. Ace your base

Remember, no mattes allowed, and you should stick to products that give your skin a luminous, fresh finish. Begin with a gel-based primer like Lakmé Absolute Undercover Gel Primer to smoothen out your base. Since your final goal is a dewy, radiant face, pick the Lakmé Absolute Argan Oil Serum Foundation, which blends easily, moisturises and keeps your skin looking glossy.
Now, you want to diminish any spots and fine lines for a soft, crease-free base. Pick the brightening and hydrating Lakmé Absolute White Intense Liquid Concealer and apply it to the required areas and blend it out perfectly.
3. Creamy blush

At this point, you must stay away from anything powdery. Replace your powder, matte blush with a creamy one to achieve a radiant look. A creamy blush will dramatically amp up your dolphin skin look.
5. All shine with a highlighter

Now here’s the game-changer. Use the Lakmé Absolute Highlighter - Moon-Lit to highlight the high points of your face, including cheekbones, bridge of the nose, the tip of chin, temples and brow bone. This will give a subtle but reflective glow to your face. To extend the lasting power of your dolphin skin, finish with a setting spray and voila, your goddess glow has now been unlocked!
Main image courtesy @maryphillips
Written by Pratishtha Rana on 2nd Sep 2021
Pratishtha is a writer driven by curiosity. With over two years of experience in journalism, her toes are dipped in the exciting world of beauty, fashion, food, travel and luxury. Trust her words to help you navigate the do’s and don’ts of all that’s trending online (and offline). A lover of minimal aesthetics, she’s also big on experimenting with colours and prints, and often finds herself power-dressing even for a quick grocery run. When not at work, she’s reading a book, learning Korean, binging on K-Dramas and kimchi ramyeon or just karaoke-ing her hours away.