How To Professionally Retouch Skin in Photoshop

Published by Clipping Path India Editor at December 25, 2020

How To Retouch Skin in Photoshop (Step by Step)

To retouch the skin of a person in the image, you have to open the image in Photoshop first. And then you have to follow the below steps one by one.

Step 1: Image Enhancing

In the very first step, you have to enhance the image and the raw effects of the camera. For that find the button ‘help’ on the upper row. Click it. You will get a setting plate where ‘quick access’ will showcase a button. Press it. Here, you will get another button for image enhancement. Click it too and then apply.

Now, you will get the photo on another customization setting plate. Find texture adjustment and lower it from 0 to -50 or more. Here, you will get better and glowing skin than before.

Step 2: Dark Spot Removing

Texture adjustment cannot remove the dark spot. For that, you have to use the healing brush tool. So, select the healing brush and select the button to sample all layers on the upper row. Now, zoom the photo to find the dark spots, moles, and other spots to remove using the brush.

Step 3: Group Layer Making

At this point, you have to collect all the layers in a group layer. On the right plate, here, you will get a button to create a group layer just over the layers. Now, drag layer 0 and layer 1 into the group layer. Make a copy of it. And press the right key of your mouse. You will get a lot of options. In the middle of them, you will find an option ‘convert to smart object’. Press to do so.

Step 4: Inverting and Blending

First, you have to invert the image. For then find the second search box on the layered plate. It says ‘normal’, right? Well, press it and find the option, ‘vivid light’. You can now, blend the image.

Step 5: Using Filters

There are different types of filters you can use. For skin retouching and glowing, High pass and Gaussian blur are the most suitable filters. On the upper functions, you will find the filter option. Press it. Click the last option, ‘others’, and then ‘high pass’. A setting plate will appear. Now, adjust the radius to 27 pixels.

Now, you have to use the Gaussian blur filter. Well, click the filter button again. Find the blur option and click it. A lot of blurring filter tools will appear. Find the Gaussian one and click it as well. Keep the radius in 4.1 pixels.

Step 6: Add Layer Mask and Use Brush Tool

You know where the ‘convert into smart object’ button is. Click it again. On the lower side of the right functions plate, you will find the mask button.

Now, you have to set the brush tool size. Keep a suitable size for the photo. Now, apply the brush tool to the skin. Zoom the image to find the distracted area and adjust it again.

Step 7: Color Correction

At this point, you have to make the color correction. There will be a setting option just after the one for masking. Press it. Find the last option as selective colors. You will get a whole plate for color correction. Adjust it as you need. You can adjust the saturation too.

Step 8: Making Another Layer Group

Now, you have to make another layer group as two more layers have already been created. And you know how to create it. Do it the same way you did in the previous step. Don’t forget to rename the group. You have to adjust the Gaussian blur again. Keep it into 1.1 pixels this time.

Now, find the noise adjustment and keep it around 1.0%. And then, covert it into smart objects. Now, you have to apply the image for detailed skin retouching. You can apply it from the image button on the line of the upper function.

You can change the layer several times to check if the skin tone is okay on every layer. You can adjust some functions again.

Hopefully, you got the idea of retouching skin in Photoshop properly. All the adjustment customizations like filters, color correction, noise, saturation, etc. are depending on how you want to look. So, you have to change it according to your need.