Fresh off the Materialists press tour, Dakota Johnson is once again redefining effortless beauty. Her luminous, sun-kissed glow has become a talking point just as much as her tousled fringe and ultra-chic wardrobe. But this time, the secret to her radiant skin doesn’t lie in high-end facialists or 10-step rituals—it’s from a surprisingly affordable brand: Beauty Pie.
The glow-up that’s captivating beauty editors
From sheer Ferragamo looks to casually elegant denim and suede ensembles, Dakota Johnson has mastered the off-duty cool that gets beauty lovers buzzing. But it’s her signature glow—natural, sun-warmed, and just shy of “glass skin”—that has left fans wondering how she achieves such radiance. Spoiler: it’s not a luxury facial.
During the Materialists promotional run in New York, Johnson’s longtime makeup artist Georgie Eisdell revealed the products behind the glow—and they’re all from Beauty Pie, the high-performance subscription beauty brand turning the industry on its head. Founded by beauty veteran Marcia Kilgore, Beauty Pie was designed to bypass the markups that typically inflate the cost of prestige products. The result? Luxe-quality skincare and makeup, priced affordably for members—some starting as low as £8.
Eisdell’s revelation is a game-changer. The Dakota Johnson glow isn’t exclusive to red carpets or reserved for celebrity vanities. It’s accessible, minimal, and replicable. Here’s how to get the look in just three steps.
Step 1: Start with a glowing base
Eisdell began the look with Beauty Pie’s Superluminous Tinted Glow Serum in Light Warm—a product that smooths, hydrates, and lends a subtle, even-toned radiance to the skin. Think of it as a filter in a bottle: it doesn’t hide your complexion, it enhances it.
Next came the Everyday Great Skin Concealer, praised for its breathable, natural finish. The goal wasn’t full coverage but a gentle brightening—particularly under the eyes—while still allowing Johnson’s skin texture and freckles to peek through. The combined effect is skin that looks real, alive, and healthy, with none of the cakiness or heavy layering often seen in celebrity makeup routines.
These base products not only reflect Johnson’s “less is more” philosophy but also tap into the new wave of skin-first beauty, where glow comes from light diffusion and hydration rather than shimmer or glitter.
Step 2: Add dimension with cream color
The heart of Johnson’s summer skin is warm dimension—achieved not through heavy contouring, but with soft, diffused colour. For this, Eisdell turned to three Beauty Pie heroes:
Awesome Bronze Bronzing Cream in Sunny Side,
Luxe Shine Blush in Terra Rosa, and
Triple Beauty Luminising Highlighter Wand.
The bronzer, lightly swept across the cheekbones, temples, and jawline, added a sunlit warmth that mimics a day at the beach (minus the UV damage). The blush brought life back into the cheeks—Terra Rosa is a universally flattering, slightly terracotta tone that looks like a natural flush. And the highlighter? Applied to the high points of the face, it caught the light perfectly, delivering that “lit-from-within” finish.
What makes these textures so effective is their cream-based formulation, which blends seamlessly into the skin without sitting on top of it. This is glow done the right way: no sparkle, no powdery residue, just softly sculpted, breathable skin.
Step 3: Prep the canvas with the right skincare
Glowing makeup always starts with well-prepped skin, and Eisdell didn’t skip this step either. For Johnson’s Materialists premiere look, the skincare routine was just as thoughtfully curated—and surprisingly attainable.
Enter Beauty of Joseon’s Revive Eye Serum and the now-iconic Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF50+. These Korean beauty staples are known for their hydrating, skin-soothing properties, and their featherlight textures make them ideal primers under makeup.
The sunscreen, in particular, has gained cult status for its ability to deliver broad-spectrum protection while leaving no white cast—perfect for the camera-ready but minimalist finish Johnson is known for.This combination of gentle skincare and smartly chosen base products created the ideal foundation for the rest of her makeup. And, perhaps more importantly, it aligns with the growing trend of makeup and skincare working in tandem, rather than as separate steps.
The beauty philosophy behind the face
Johnson has rarely shared her complete beauty routine publicly, but bits of her approach have emerged over time. She’s a fan of LED face masks, facial massage, and practices that prioritize mind-body wellness—breathwork, mindfulness, and lymphatic drainage all play into her self-care rituals.
That philosophy seems to guide her makeup choices as well: nothing too fussy, always a bit fresh, and never overdone. It’s a mindset that’s becoming more mainstream—where beauty isn’t about concealing, but amplifying what’s already there.
And with Beauty Pie as her behind-the-scenes hero, Johnson’s glow is no longer a distant aspiration. It’s a dewy, golden reminder that high-impact beauty doesn’t have to come with a luxury price tag—or a 12-step routine.
