Quick question - skin post processing

Just a quick question since I am very new to photographing people. What are the basics for a way to smooth out skin on the face? Is it done with a blur brush? I'm using ACR and CS4.

Here's a post by Rick Sammon on that topic, FWIW:

http://www.ricksammon.​info …basic-skin-softening.html

There are a few ways to do this. Here are some of them.

Thanks for the replies. I'll be trying a few of these methods out.

I think one of the keys to skin softening (regardless of method selected) is to create a new layer first. Then when completed with the softening adjust the opacity of the top layer so that the softening doesn't look too overdone....

this is what i do im sure there are better ways tho:

1) duplicate background layer
2)add surface blur adjust pixels and threshold according, it depends how much smoothing you need to do.
3)add inverted layer mask on that layer (hold option and click the mask)
4)select the eraser tool and change brush opacity to around 50 percent and erase areas you want to smooth.
5)duplicate background layer and put it on top of the others, hold option and drag layer mask from previous layer onto the new layer.
6) make sure the layer is selected not the mask and desaturate it. image>adjustments
7)click on layer mask and add noise filter, monochromatic and uniform should be selected in the box and adjust the noise accordingly. change blend option to soft light and change master opacity to how you want it. (this brings some texture back)

that should be it......or download portrait professional

N.O.R.E. wrote in post #13559757
Is it done with a blur brush?

Only if you want it to look "plastic".

https://photography-on-the.net …p?p=10859189#po​st10859189