If you’re wondering what all of those glossy-skinned angels are doing on your feed, moisturized is finally the new matte

If you’re wondering what all of those glossy-skinned angels are doing on your Instagram feed lately, the answer is simple: we’re finally allowed to care about out skin and makeup at the same time.

It’s no secret we used to avoid an oily face like the plague. We’d slip out of chairs in the middle of dates, steal away to the bathroom, and scratch our faces dry with rice-paper sheets.

Our poor skin, heaving with dehydration — that feel when you wake up at six am after a big night out, gasping for water because the only thing seeping out of any of our pores was cheap tequila.

We’d spend long days in the office or classroom, air conditioning on full blast, and avoid moisturizer when we got home, for fear of appearing “greasy.”

But wet is in, and I swear our skin is singing our praises.

With brands like Glossier and Neutrogena glamorizing the idea of shiny, wet skin, health has not only entered the conversation, but has become a priority.

A year ago most of us had no idea what primer was, and now we won’t let makeup touch our skin until we’ve used both Priming Moisturizer, and serum. And even then, the foundations we’ve begun to use are stretch foundations that won’t seep into and ruin our skin.

Our makeup routine has infiltrated our skincare routine, and we are better for it. No more harsh makeup wipes burning the underneath of our eyes, no more scrubbing our skin into oblivion, just moisturized, radiating faces.

So if you haven’t already, toss out that rock hard powder foundation that’s been sitting in your vanity since the eleventh grade, buy yourself some real adult moisturizing makeup, and give your skin a break from the trials of every day girldom.

Glow on — you deserve it.

@carolinephinney