HOW TO ‘WINTERIZE’ YOUR MAKEUP WITHOUT CHANGING YOUR ENTIRE ROUTINE
Winter skin has it rough. Gray days, dry air, unflattering light, nothing about the season of wool coats and beanies is helpful in the plight for glowing skin.
The exact opposite of summertime, in fact.
The relationship between the sun and your skin is a funny old thing. On the one hand we know full well that the sun is an absolute devil for the complexion, killing collagen supplies, screwing up the skin’s super important barrier function and aging you up like nobody’s business.
On the other hand, that big old ball of fire sure does make skin look better. As strict SPF wearers and die-hard advocates of keeping our skin out of the sun’s harmful reach it’s hard to admit, but summer skin is inherently brighter and healthier-looking than winter skin. During the summer months, the light is better and the air offers more moisture to help your skin stay hydrated. Not to mention the fact that sunlight is said to encourage the brain to produce more serotonin – the happy hormone – making us feel and consequently look better without even trying.
But summer is history. For now. So let’s work with what we’ve got and get our makeup working with the current weather. After all, June is a long way away…
Here’s how to crush winter makeup, with minimum effort, but maximum pay off.
Try A Darker Eye Shadow
Eye shadow is the one makeup item that scares people the most. And we get it, eye shadow can look awful if you choose a sketchy shade or apply it on all the wrong places. During the summer when golden shimmers and neutral tones are more the thing, this isn’t such a big deal but in wintertime, when it’s great to switch things up with dark chocolate, burgundy or smoky shades, you need to apply them with care.
The simplest way to nail a darker eye shadow is to first apply a matte base color like Brulée all over your lids, working it to just below the brow bone and extending it slightly past the outer edges of your eyes. Next, apply your chosen dark shadow (we love Truffle and Ganache) into the crease of your eye, starting at the middle of the eye and blending it to the outer edges. This will create a gorgeous, chocolate brown look that’s super flattering but really easy to master.
For extra smokiness, line your eyes with black shadow, blending the edges with a soft liner brush. Check out The Smokeshow for everything you need, plus tips on how to do the perfect smoke!
Experiment With Your Foundation Shade
Your skin naturally lightens up in the winter so if you find your summer shade feels a bit ‘off’ during the colder months, switch it up to a slightly paler tone. Makeup artists often recommend mixing liquid foundation with moisturizer to make it slightly paler-looking, but we’re all about powder foundation which cuts out all that nonsense! So, instead, of becoming a novice mixologist, always have two different powder formulations in your makeup arsenal.
The good news is this could not be easier if you own one of our Fold Out® Face or Complexion palettes. Both come with your two perfect shades – one slightly paler than the other to accommodate for seasonal changes! What’s more, our formulations are super sheer and incredibly lightweight (but with incredible coverage) which means you’ll never look unnaturally paler or weirdly darker than your natural complexion. You’re welcome.
Never Let Skin Dryness Ruin Your Makeup Vibe
Winter can be a real challenge for your skin, what with the frigid temps, cold winds and dry air which, together, can cause dryness and dehydration super fast. This is bad news for blush, bronzer and foundation which can settle into all sorts of nooks, crannies and flaky patches if you don’t keep your skin moisturized to the absolute max.
So don’t let that happen. Instead, nip dryness and dehydration in the bud with overnight skincare that contains hydrating powerhouses like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, plus ingredients that help seal all that moisture in – think shea butter, jojoba oil and the like. Rich moisturizing creams are great while you sleep because you can really slather it on without fear of looking overly shiny and therefore screwing up your makeup.
Apply Stain Under Your Lip Gloss
Like Friday nights in and shearling Birkenstocks, lip gloss is one of our favorite things. In fact, we’re all for applying a quick slick of gloss, any time of the year. But sometimes – especially in the winter – you want to look a little more put-together (without being too try-hardy, of course!). And this is when a stronger lip color can really work wonders.
We have the perfect answer to this winter lip conundrum: simply apply Monogamous™ Lip Stain under your favorite gloss (the Spin-On® variety, naturally!) and you get all the color pay-off, plus a gorgeously shiny finish.
Check out The Lip Sitch bundle which combines three awesome stain-gloss duos to help you boss a stronger lip.
Don’t File Away Your Highlighter
Shimmery cheekbones might scream ‘summer vacation,’ but a subtle highlighter is actually way more useful in the winter when your skin isn’t naturally radiant or touched by the sun. Luminous formulations catch the light (yes, even if it is a little gray outside!), adding depth to your skin and a beautiful brightness to your entire face.
The right kind of shimmer (subtle and pearlescent rather than full-on glitz!) can be applied to any high point of your face including the cheekbones, brow bones, bridge of your nose or above the cupid’s bow. Just ensure you use a shade that’s not too bronze or orange-toned as these will contrast too greatly with your skin, and always apply sparingly.
Powders like our beautiful Fold Out™ Shimmer offer more control and subtlety so go for these above liquid highlighting lotions which are easy to overdo. Use a soft face brush like our Essential Contour Brush to blend and buff it into your skin and apply foundation over the top for an insanely natural finish.
