(Makeup)
The "Cloud Skin" Trend Is The Star Of e.l.f.’s New Campaign
Meghan Trainor’s makeup artist shares how to get the viral look.
While glass skin ruled 2024 makeup trends — think Pat McGrath’s viral Porcelain doll look and the popularity of ultra-reflective highlighters — 2025 is ushering in a new beauty takeover with the delicate shine of “cloud skin.” This angelic and ethereal look is created by adding a soft-focus radiance to your face. In other words, it’s the perfect balance between dull matte skin and a greasy glow. To help you master this heavenly trend, e.l.f. Cosmetics is partnering with Meghan Trainor for its Cloud Skin campaign that celebrates the 10th anniversary of the singer’s Title album and the launch of the brand’s new Halo Glow Powder Filter.
Debuting on Youtube, the comedic video campaign features Trainor as e.l.f.’s air captain, taking you on a luxurious pink flight that details the launch and introduces the e.l.f. x Meghan Cloud Skin bundle. Including the aforementioned Halo Glow Powder Filter, the new Glow Reviver Lip Oil Glimmer in Princess Cut, the Halo Glow Liquid Filter, and a limited-edition fluffy pink eye mask, this kit has every tool you need to achieve the cloud skin look.
If you’re dying to take this trend for a spin, TZR turned to Alison Christian, the celebrity makeup artist behind Trainor’s cherub-like glow, for a full breakdown. Ahead, she shares what products to use, where to place them, and so much more.
What Is Cloud Skin?
Christian describes cloud skin as a makeup base that is softer than other trendy looks of the past few years, like glass skin or the 2016 matte craze. “[It still] looks like skin, [but it’s more] youthful and natural,” she says.
She attributes its rising popularity to the fact that the makeup community is taking a step back from looks that feel heavy. “I think people are really leaning into anything that's going to accentuate a natural glow or radiance,” Christian adds.
How Do You Recreate Meghan Trainor’s Cloud Skin?
When attempting any makeup trend, the first step is grabbing the right products. “One of the biggest things was using products that were really buildable, cohesive, and complementary to each other,” Christian says. And, e.l.f.’s Cloud Skin bundle makes your shopping so much easier with a curated group of products you know match well together. “These are dummy-proof,” says Christian, referring to how the kit simplifies the whole process.
With your products assembled, your first move should be applying a layer of Halo Glow Filter as your face base. Follow up by dabbing on the Halo Glow Setting Powder to keep the liquid formula in place. But, since Cloud skin is about natural-looking luminosity, you don’t want to overdo it. So, make sure you’re applying with a light hand. After this, Christian says she reaches for the Halo Glow Powder Filter, but is more specific with her placement. On Trainor, she only added this to the t-zone to blur pores and pesky forehead breakouts.
“[You should be] using the products only where you need to use them,” she says. “It’s a gradient building process [that ensures that nothing is] too heavy.” With this intention in mind, she carefully built on the existing glow by dusting on the e.l.f. Halo Glow Blush Beauty Wand. This doubles as a flush of pink color and a highlighter. “We definitely incorporated that to enhance the glow and dimension of the face,” Christian noted. And, she even brought the cloud vibes to Trainor’s eyes using the Fine as Fleck Glitter Eyeshadow for an extra element of shine.
To finish, a makeup look is never complete without a matching lip combo. Christian used e.l.f.’s Cream Glide Lip Liner in Truth or Bare with the Glow Reviver Lip Oil Glimmer in Princess Cut to tie the look together.
