Dolphin Skin Is Here to Stay—Here’s How You Can Get the Look

by Nurain Alicharan

Published Feb 15, 2023

I never thought dolphins would inspire a skincare trend—or rather movement—but here we are. Jennifer Coolidge has convinced us all that dolphin skin is elite, and it’s here to stay. While we’ve all fantasized about having dolphin-smooth skin at one point or another, Jennifer Coolidge verbalized—and normalized—our aspiration and her recent Super Bowl ad only made it even more attainable. Not sure how to get the look? We’ve got you every step of the way.

So, what is dolphin skin?

Glisten up—dolphins are known for their smooth, plump skin. Similarly, imagine a hydrated, luminous, slick complexion. There may be a bevy of dewy skin hacks out there, but dolphin skin takes dewy to the next level with a wet, fresh-out-of-the-water effect.

How to get dolphin skin

Unlike most makeup trends, dolphin skin truly starts with skincare.

Spritz away

After cleansing, start your skincare prep with a nourishing yet lightweight burst of radiance that boosts the skin’s ability to retain moisture.

Beautylish recommends:

Hydrate, of course

Next, opt for a nutrient-rich serum or oil to flood the skin with hydration and add an immediate glow.

Beautylish recommends:

Lock it in

Then, lock in the moisture in with a hydrating moisturizer that feels weightless and leaves the skin with a healthy, supple appearance.

Beautylish recommends:

Dolphin-skin makeup

Start with the foundation

Ready to move on to makeup? Start with a lightweight liquid foundation that offers a dewy finish.

Beautylish recommends:

Highlight, highlight, highlight

Now, for the superstar of your dolphin-skin routine: highlight. Instead of opting for a traditional highlighter, we recommend a clear balm or oil that’ll offer a wet-looking glisten in lieu of a glittery glow. Apply your highlight just on the high points of the face—top of the cheekbones, brow bones, bridge of the nose, and temples—to accentuate your features without looking greasy.

Beautylish recommends:

Set the look

Finally, lock it all in with a radiant setting spray.

Beautylish recommends:

And voilà, you too can live out your dreams of having gleaming, almost-slippery dolphin skin. While we all can’t do a Jennifer Coolidge-level dolphin impersonation, let’s meet in the middle and at least look like baby dolphins.