Edit Skin in Photoshop: Smooth Skin with Frequency Separation
In this tutorial, you’ll create a professional Frequency Separation setup to smooth skin while preserving real texture. You’ll blur color transitions on one layer and repair blemishes on a separate texture layer. Follow along for exact settings and a quick optional “pop” finish.
Step-by-step instructions
Duplicate and rename working layers
Duplicate the Background layer twice (Ctrl/Cmd+J, twice).
Rename the first copy Colors and the top copy Textures.
Hide the Textures layer by clicking its eye icon.
Build the low-frequency (color) layer
Select the Colors layer.
Go to Filter → Noise → Dust & Scratches.
Set Radius to 40 (increase from 1 until skin texture vanishes but facial features remain).
Click OK.
Build the high-frequency (texture) layer
Enable the Textures layer and select it.
Go to Image → Apply Image…
Set Layer to Colors, Blending to Subtract, Scale to 2, Offset to 128, Channel to RGB, Opacity 100%.
Click OK, then change the Textures layer’s Blend Mode to Linear Light.
Organize layers into a group
Select the Textures layer, then Shift-click the Colors layer.
Group them (Ctrl/Cmd+G) and name the group Frequency Separation.
Smooth skin tones with Lasso + Gaussian Blur (on Colors layer)
Open the Frequency Separation group and select Colors.
Choose the Lasso Tool and set Feather to 20 px.
Make a loose selection over an area of skin (cheeks/forehead).
Go to Filter → Blur → Gaussian Blur and set Radius to 40 for natural smoothing; click OK.
Repeat on other areas. For stronger smoothing use up to 80; around the nose keep ~40 to avoid flattening.
Remove blemishes on the Textures layer
Select the Textures layer.
Choose the Clone Stamp Tool (S). Set Sample to Current Layer.
Alt/Option-click a clean nearby texture to sample, then paint over pimples/blemishes.
Zoom in to refine, sampling frequently for best results.
Optional: Add a subtle pop with Curves and Blend If
Create Layer → New Adjustment Layer → Curves above the group.
Slightly lift the curve for brightness/contrast as desired.
Double-click the Curves layer to open Layer Style.
Under Blend If → Underlying Layer, Alt/Option-drag the right (white) triangle left to split and feather the effect so highlights aren’t blown out; click OK.
