Leaves are falling, sun is turning cooler and Christmas is approaching fast: Winter is definitely here, with all its pros and cons.
Some of you might already know that, but seasons are serious game changers when it comes to make up and skincare.
This is particularly true for Winter that, with its unfortunate bitterness, wind and (hopefully) casual snowfalls, wins the competition as the most difficult season for our skin, hands down!
So, what to do when outside it’s too frisky to function?
How do we take care of our beauty, between a Christmas sale and a ski trip?
Keep your notepads ready, girls: here’s the dos and don’ts of any wise lady during Winter.
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WINTER FACE
Waterproof Mascara
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Do
From the poolside straight to Christmas time, Waterproof Mascara is always our best ally when it comes to watery eyes- and, surprise surprise, that’s not only true when you are at the beach.
The frisky air and dry wind might be the cause of unwanted crying and puffy red eyes: waterproofness is the perfect solution for all these inconveniences, and you won’t look like a panda bear lost in a storm.
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WINTER FACE
Dark Lipstick
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Do
Fall and Winter call for dark colors, no matter if they’re glittery or matte: better stick to browns and bordeaux, like wine-shaded lipstick. Even bold black-ish and purple nuances are allowed: just don’t get carried away with those and weaken it with nude eye makeup.
Although red lipstick is always a guarantee, avoid it if you plan on wearing green or gold when approaching the holidays, or you’ll end up looking like the Mean Girls’ version of Santa.
Pro tip: choose a no transfer lip tint.
Winter is the season of steamy coffees and chill or hot chocolates to go, so go for a lipstick that won’t betray you if you feel like grabbing something at the nearest Starbucks.
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WINTER FACE
Rainbow and Shiny Colors
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Don’t
There’s the time to be a pretty spring flower and the time to be a delicate snowflake.
Spoiler alert: December is definitely not the right time to go all pastel and pink, yellow and turquoise.
Pick cool nuances like ice, purple, and nude tones.
If you absolutely can’t keep your hands off those colorful nail polishes and eyeshadows, play with pastel details very wisely.
A hint of light blue on the lids or a bit of pink on the lips are not a crime, but there is a general rule to turn to darker tones.
So, pick some richer version of the colors you like and save that orange for April.
After all, winter has its own way to be lively.
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WINTER FACE
Rosy Cheeks
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Do
One thing that’s absolutely thrilling about wintertime is the way it turns every cheek rosy and flush-y; just a couple of minutes outside can do the trick and give us a perpetual surprised and innocent look.
To maintain that lovely, fresh redness also when you’re inside and warm, keep always a blush “ready to use” in your purse. Choose a natural looking nuance and be ready to fake colored cheeks: blush powders and creams shall be your best friends when a comfortable environment will cause the rosebud-effect to start fading from your face.
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WINTER FACE
Let Gloominess Win
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Don’t
Girl, trust us: outside the temperatures might be tempting only if you’re a polar bear and the sun might have been “out of the office” for days, but you must keep that glow alive as if it was still July.
Arm yourself with a good highlighter and start faking the same, healthy shine you had in the past months, when all that Vitamin D was making your skin look amazing. Everyone turns into a duller, paler color in winter, but that’s not an excuse.
The perfect highlighter must be shimmery and light, better if it’s creamy or jelly: powders tend to dry the skin and the last thing everybody needs in winter is another touch of dryness.
However, as long as your highlighter glows with cool nuances that look like sun rays reflecting on fresh snow, you’ll be OK.
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WINTER FACE
Stick to your Summer Foundation
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Don’t
Why should I change my favorite base, you’ll say.
Why should I bother to find something else and leave my poor foundation rots in a dark corner, you’ll say?
Well, there are at least two good reasons to change your foundation seasonally: texture and color.
First of all, our skin tend to turn paler in winter: in summer we sunbathe more, either if we want it or not, and our skin tone turns a little darker -just like our hair looks clearer, it’s all thanks to the sun.
In winter, however, we get less sunlight and get paler: therefore, we should change the color of our base, too.
As for the type and texture of the product, in winter we should go for a foundation that’s a little more hydrating (since our skin needs extra protection) but that can also be quite richer and heavier than the one that we use in summer.
So, put down that ultra-light BB cream and pick something that has SPF and moisturizer in it, instead.
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WINTER FACE
Pressed Powder
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Do
Loose powder to finish off your make up is a big fat do, though we advise to always choose a translucent and lightweight product.
It sets your make up and creates a barrier between your skin and the frisky winds of winter, so it’s definitely convenient for every season of the year, but that’s not all it does.
A little bit of loose or pressed powder can go a long way and can protect hat, scarf, turtlenecks and jumpers from those hateful stains of foundation: especially in winter, when we cover ourselves against the cold, frisky air.
Powder keeps away everything that might ruin your favorite knitted scarf.
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WINTER FACE
Skip Skin Prepping
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Don’t
If you have oily skin, you might be fooled into thinking that the dry air of winter and the lack of sweating could spare you the majority of the steps of your night and morning routine.
Well, don’t: au contraire, winter skin calls for an even more careful preparation, because the piercing cold might cause serious damage to it.
Feel free to use a huge amount of lip balm whenever you feel that your lips are getting cracked, and turn to skin-saves and balms for your hands: the richer and thicker, the better.
Don’t be fooled into skipping anything of what you usually do: on the contrary.
If possible, products for eye contours, skin, lips and hands should be extra-moisturizing in order to hydrate the face all day long in wintertime.
