Quick answer: Butter skin is a soft, dewy, lit-from-within complexion, the opposite of a heavy matte finish. On mature skin, Nikol builds it with hydrating prep, gentle dermaplaning, and thin layers of creamy, luminous makeup so your real skin shows through instead of getting covered up.
Key takeaways
- Butter skin means smooth, hydrated, radiant skin, not a cakey or flat matte look.
- Prep does most of the work: vitamin C, a hydrating moisturizer, SPF, plus dermaplaning to clear fine vellus hair so products do not sit on top.
- Nikol uses at-home tools (a NIRA Pro+ laser and a ZIIP nanocurrent device) as her own non-invasive choices after stepping away from Botox and filler. These are personal decisions, not medical advice.
- The makeup stays sheer: #1 Eye Primer, Creamy Concealer, Serum Foundation in Light, Nikita Banana brightening powder, cream bronzer and blush, and an Aperitif lip with Manifest & Glow gloss.
Hey ladies, in this tutorial Nikol walks through the butter skin trend that mature women are loving: that buttery-soft, glowing complexion you get by treating your skin first and then keeping makeup light. Here is how she does it, start to finish.
What does butter skin actually mean?
Butter skin is all about a smooth, supple, radiant complexion rather than a heavy matte finish. For mature skin, the goal is to let your skin glow through the makeup, not to pile on product until it looks heavy. That means deep hydration, gentle prep, and luminous, creamy layers instead of thick, powdery ones.
How do you prep mature skin for that buttery glow?
Nikol starts every butter-skin look with skincare, because makeup only looks as good as the skin underneath it.
- Skincare: a vitamin C serum, a hydrating moisturizer, and an SPF 50 sunscreen to protect and plump the skin.
- Dermaplaning: her favorite under-used trick. Gently removing the fine vellus (peach fuzz) hair on the face with a dermaplaning tool on clean, dry skin keeps light from catching on the hair and helps products absorb instead of sitting on top. Hold the skin taut and use small, careful strokes.
- At-home devices: Nikol mentions a NIRA Pro+ at-home laser (a paid partnership in the video) and a ZIIP nanocurrent tool as part of her personal routine after she stopped Botox around 2020 to 2021 and filler in 2019. She sets realistic expectations and treats these as consistent, long-term habits.
A quick, honest note: at-home devices and in-office treatments are personal choices, and results vary from person to person. If you are considering a laser, a microcurrent tool, or any injectable, check with a licensed professional first, and patch-test new skincare before going all in.
What is Nikol's step-by-step butter skin makeup routine?
Once the skin is prepped, the makeup is quick and deliberately sheer. Here is the order Nikol follows in the video:
- Tap a creamy, shea-butter corrector (her Just Peachy) under the eyes over any pigmentation or redness.
- Neutralize lid discoloration with the #1 Eye Primer, then blend a champagne cream shade with a soft deeper tone for an easy, custom wash of color.
- Curl your lashes (a real game-changer for looking bright and awake), smudge a soft waterproof dark-chocolate liner along the lash line lifting at the outer corner, then coat every lash with mascara.
- Apply a red-canceling color corrector where needed, then sheer out the Creamy Concealer in thin layers so it brightens without looking cakey.
- Shake and apply just a few drops of Serum Foundation in Light and buff it in for weightless, glowing coverage.
- Set only under the eyes with Nikita Banana brightening powder, leaving the rest of the face dewy.
- Groom the brows with a clear brow mascara, tapping a milk-chocolate shade over any stray gray hairs to keep them looking polished.
- Warm and flush the cheeks with a cream bronzer (Coconut Row) and cream blush (Palm Beach) along the cheekbones for a lit-from-within finish.
- Line the lips with a soft Silk liner, then layer an Aperitif lip topped with Manifest & Glow gloss for a fresh, natural berry-mauve.
The whole point is restraint: creamy, radiant products in sheer layers so the hard work you put into your skin actually shows.
The bottom line
Butter skin on mature skin is less about coverage and more about care: hydrate, dermaplane, and keep your makeup creamy and light. Ready to build your own glow? Explore Nikol's Face essentials, browse Cream Blush, or shop the full Makeup edit to find your dewy staples.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the butter skin makeup trend?
Butter skin is a soft, supple, radiant complexion with a dewy, lit-from-within glow, the opposite of a flat matte finish. You get there by hydrating and prepping the skin well, then layering luminous, creamy products in thin coats so your natural skin shows through instead of being covered up.
How do you get butter skin on mature skin?
Start with prep: a vitamin C serum, a hydrating moisturizer, and SPF, plus gentle dermaplaning to clear fine facial hair. Then keep makeup sheer, using a creamy concealer, a lightweight serum foundation, and cream bronzer and blush instead of heavy powder so the skin looks glowing, not cakey.
What products does Nikol use in this butter skin tutorial?
She uses the #1 Eye Primer, Creamy Concealer, Serum Foundation in Light, and Nikita Banana brightening powder for complexion, plus a cream bronzer in Coconut Row and cream blush in Palm Beach for glow. Lips are a Silk liner with an Aperitif lipstick topped by Manifest and Glow gloss.
Why does Nikol dermaplane before makeup?
Fine vellus hair, often called peach fuzz, catches the light and makes foundation and skincare sit on top instead of absorbing. Removing it with a gentle dermaplaning tool on clean, dry skin gives a smoother canvas so products glide on and the skin looks buttery. Use light strokes and hold the skin taut.
Is butter skin makeup good for dry or textured skin?
Yes, it tends to flatter drier and more mature skin because it leans on hydration and cream products rather than mattifying powder. Focus on prep and thin, luminous layers. If your T-zone gets oily, you can lightly set just that area while keeping the rest of the face dewy.
