Weekly Routine: Try Michelle Phan's Glowy Skin Prep and Makeup Look

By: Caroline Grogan By: Caroline Grogan | June 22, 2021 | Style & Beauty,

michelle phan's glowy skincare routine

In a day and age when beauty Youtubers have transcended the platform to become influencers and celebrities in their own right, sometimes all you need is to get back to basics.

Makeup artist Michelle Phan is one of the most famous pioneers of the Youtube beauty community, yet she sticks to her roots and produces relaxing, authentic content designed to feel as if she is speaking directly to you.

Phan recently shared her secrets to healthy, glowy skin in an easy-to-follow skincare and makeup routine video. Here, she emphasizes the importance of prepping the skin before even thinking about putting makeup on, a process she deems “an essential step of [her] entire routine.”

She includes a variety of products, from high-end brand La Mer to EM Cosmetics, her own multimillion dollar makeup line.

As Phan has matured, she's come to realize that prepping your skin is the best way to protect itand ensure your makeup lays well on your face without becoming oily or patchy throughout the day.

“I have days where I don’t wash my face in the morning, but I still like to use a cleansing water or a beauty water,” she says. “It doesn’t remove any natural oils I already have on my face. It’s just cleaning the surface.”

Her next move is to ensure her skin is properly hydrated with the help of a hydrating serum followed by La Mer's Le Concentrate as well as the EM Cosmetics lip cushion in clear quartz. Phan uses her fingertips to apply these products, a method which helps improve blood flow and draw life back into her face.

Since she focuses on skin prep up front, Phan keeps her base coverage minimal and uses a powder skin tint with SPF 50. The key to her glowy, natural look is to only apply your base product to the areas that need the most coverage and then blend, as opposed to covering your entire face with product.

“We live in this post-Instagram world where people feel like they need to look filtered," she says, "but it’s okay to have skin texture. It’s okay to show acne, it’s okay to show imperfections." Blending a smaller amount of makeup gives the skin room to breathe, keeping it healthier and more supple in the long run.

Phan continues her minimalist makeup routine with items that enhance her naturally-healthy skin, opting for a look that focuses on filling in her brows, contouring her face and adding a warm shimmer with a highlight.

With her emphasis on skin health, Phan just might convince you that the key to a perfect makeup look actually lies in your skincare routine.

Follow Phan’s routine and get the products she recommends in the links below.