You simply wouldn’t ever consider wearing July’s pink floral shorts come November, so why do people continue their summer make-up routine into winter? Just as you need to be aware of sun burn in summer, winter brings with it a whole new bundle of skin dilemmas that need to be taken into consideration with your skin care and make-up routine.
Skin/Face
The combination of cold air, harsh winds and central heating is very drying to skin and so your moisturiser should be richer than the one you use in summer. Ideally apply at night to combat over-night dryness and your skin should be hydrated enough by the time you come around to applying your make-up in the morning. If you suffer from extremely dry skin in winter place a small bowl of water under your radiator, as this will introduce more moisture into the air in your room and therefore also into your skin!
To ensure your skin is completely flake free make the most of an exfoliating scrub. Scrubs are inexpensive in most stores, but you can make your own all natural scrub by simply mixing olive oil and sugar. When in the shower rub the mixture in light circles over legs and arms to smooth out any pesky rough patches.
Without fail, ditch the fake tan in winter! Or at the very least, go for a lighter shade than you would usually use. Not only does dark fake tan look very unnatural in winter, but it is much harder to get a smooth and even application due to dryness from cold weather. The same rule goes for foundation, just as you associate bronzed tones with a summer look, your winter base should be closer to your natural skin tone. A pink blush applied to the very apples of your cheeks looks beautiful in winter as it mimics the natural flush you get from walking in the cold air.
Eyes
Extremely bright eye shadows should be avoided in winter as they can look very harsh without a summer glow, so experiment with more neutral tones such as browns, golds and bronzes instead. However, winter also means the party season, so make-up need not be boring. Nothing screams festive like glitter, so dust a shimmering shadow over the whole of your lid for a glamorous evening look.
Lips
Just like the rest of your skin, your lips are vulnerable to colder weather and most of us fall prey to unsightly chapped lips. Chemists are full of lip balms that repair and re-inject moisture into lips and petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline) will act as a barrier against the elements when out and about.
As for colour, for the day a subtle pink or clear gloss works well with winter’s more pared down, natural aesthetic. In the evening, a berry coloured pout looks sensational (as well as evoking images of mulled wine stained lips- very Christmassy!) and most make-up brands have embraced this shade making it very easy to find an affordable version.
