Coming to a complexion near you: a yoga glow without ever hopping on a mat

If you’ve ever caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror after 60 minutes of vinyasa flow and thought “damn, girl,” (in a Ryan Reynolds voice, of course) you know that the “yoga glow” is more than just a myth. And the latest beauty trend to hit our Instagram explore pages involves recreating the elusive post-savasana skin with makeup—no actual yoga required.

The hashtag #yogaskin has recently racked up hundreds of posts on the ‘gram, with women swapping their head and shoulder stands for a mixture of foundation and highlighter to achieve that faux yoga glowy complexion.  “Immediately after a yoga class, the blood flow to your skin is optimized, especially skin of the face when downward and forward poses are practiced,” explains Dr. Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, MD medical director of Mudgil Dermatology, of why your skin tends to look so good when you step off the mat. To mimic this down-dog dewiness, British makeup artist Sara Hill created the “Yoga Skin Technique,” which according to her Instagram feed, promises “healthy, glowing, hydrated, radiant, sheer and natural [skin]” and “skin that looks like skin at its very best.”

Though slapping on a moisturizer/makeup mixture may seem like a quick and easy alternative to hitting a flow class, it’s worth pointing out that Hill’s version of the yoga glow requires a whopping eight steps to achieve—AKA the same amount of time it would take you to run through a series of sun salutations. To try it out for yourself, start by cleansing your skin, then add a little bit of silicone-free primer followed by your favorite liquid foundation with sheer or medium coverage. Next, mix one drop of your favorite facial oil, one drop of strobe cream or liquid highlighter, and one drop of glow drops, then massage them into your skin with your hands. Build layers on top of one another until you’re satisfied with the effect, and then set with powder or spray.

Even if the idea of creating “yoga skin” without the whole “yoga” part has you rolling your eyes (… I’m right there with you), there is something worth stealing from Hill’s technique for your own daily regimen—especially this time of year. “Cold weather, wind and rain, and central heating can sometimes make your skin look dry, dull, and feel dehydrated,” Hill writes on Instagram. “By adding a little skin care into your foundation base, it sheers it out and keeps your skin feeling conditioned throughout the day. The highlighter liquids add a little glow making you look healthy and bright.”

Or, you know: You could always just go to a yoga class instead. Just saying.

Dry skin season is upon us, and your faux yoga glow can only get you so far. Try this derm-approved plan for combatting winter skin issues, and treat yourself to Well and Good Editors’ favorite moisturizers to keep yourself hydrated through springtime.