T.S. Eliot wrote that April is the cruelest month. Clearly, the man didn’t have to spend the winter months getting glammed up for holiday parties while dealing with increasingly dry skin. The flaking, cracking, and itching that dry skin can bring on are irritating enough to deal with—and that’s before you even try to apply foundation.
We simply refuse to let another New Year roll around with flakes peeking through our highlighter, so we’ve enlisted professionals to spill their best winter-makeup tips. Ahead, learn how the experts keep their clients looking glowy, even if their skin might feel like sandpaper.
- Brielle Pollara is a makeup artist who works in New Jersey and New York.
- Joseph Carrillo is a New York City-based makeup artist and facial massage expert.
- Nick Barose is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist and spokesperson for Armani Beauty.
- Erwin Gomez is a makeup artist and principal at Karma Beauty Lounge in Washington, DC.
- Exfoliate to create an even canvas for makeup.
- Moisturize to help keep your makeup from cracking during the day.
- Layer on a radiance-boosting primer.
- Stick to liquid or cream foundation.
- Blend your makeup with a damp sponge.
- Keep a facial mist on hand.
Exfoliate to create an even canvas for makeup.
It might seem counterintuitive to slough off dead skin during the coldest, harshest months of the year, but according to makeup artist Brielle Pollara, sloughing is key to having a smooth application. “It removes texture and dead skin build-up,” she says.
Pollara uses the Sephora Collection Glow Peel Pads, which she says are gentle enough to sweep on every day. They’re made with alpha- and polyhydroxy acids to help address unevenness.
If you want the Rolls-Royce of exfoliation, try the Best of Beauty award-winning Shani Darden Skin Care Triple Acid Signature Peel, a two-step system that involves brushing on a gel (blended with mandelic, lactic, and glycolic acids) and following it with a soothing clay mask. It packs a punch, so you’ll only need to use it once every other week.
Moisturize to help keep your makeup from cracking during the day.
’Tis the season to diligently moisturize your face and neck. “If your skin’s dry, your makeup will grab onto every flaky area and settle into fine lines,” says Joseph Carrillo, a makeup artist based in New York City.
Both Carrillo and Nick Barose, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist and spokesperson for Armani Beauty, are advocates for investing time into a moisturizing facial massage. “It can boost skin's natural glow," says Barose. "Be generous with it, and don't forget your neck.”
Carrillo relies on the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream during winter, which he considers to be “a no-fuss, deeply hydrating formula that keeps your face looking smooth and soft all day.” We also love the Best of Beauty-winning Matter of Fact Maximalist Age-Defying Moisturizer, which is rich in firming peptides and moisture-retaining hyaluronic acid. It will leave your face feeling soft, but not-at-all greasy—perfect for your first makeup step.
Layer on a radiance-boosting primer.
Erwin Gomez, a makeup artist and principal at Karma Beauty Lounge in Washington, DC, suggests using a luminous primer in place of a matte option during cooler months. "The subtle shimmer in the primer helps give your skin that glowing-from-within effect," he says.
With winter winds to worry about, we'll take any extra boost of radiance we can get. We like the Milk Makeup Hydro Grip and Glow Primer for this because it contains moisture-retaining hyaluronic acid and finely-milled pearl pigments for a dewy (but not too sparkly) finish.
Carrillo recommends the Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer. “It locks in moisture while giving skin a healthy-looking glow,” he says. “Not only will your makeup go on more smoothly, it also lasts longer.”
Stick to liquid or cream foundation.
Even worse than having dry patches is finding out that your base makeup is accentuating their appearance. Because a powder base “can settle into flakes and give you a more uneven finish," Gomez recommends adding a foundation with a creamy base into your winter routine.
The Fenty Beauty Soft’Lit Naturally Luminous Longwear Foundation won our Best of Beauty award for its hydrating formula and buildable coverage. “It leaves me looking dewy and never gets caught in the dry patches beneath my cheekbones,” says senior editor Jesa Marie Calaor, who is diligent about taking care of her dry complexion during the winter.
Carrillo likes the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick for its buildable, skin-like finish that won’t emphasize dry areas.
Blend your makeup with a damp sponge.
Carrillo wants you to swap your brushes for a damp sponge this season. “It’s better for blending makeup on dry, winter skin because the moisture helps prevent makeup from clinging to dry patches,” he says. “It ultimately creates a more seamless, natural, and dewy finish.”
His choice of sponge is the Beautyblender. “It expands and softens when you add water, making it perfect for a streak-free application while giving skin a hydrated glow.”
He also recommends the under-$10 Real Techniques Sponge: “The flat edge makes it versatile for blending larger areas, while the pointed tip is perfect for precision to get right in the undereye.”
Keep a facial mist on hand.
A facial mist might feel clunky in your purse with keys, wallet, and a phone, but makeup artists agree it’s an item worth making room for. It can provide a dose of hydration on extra-cold days when your complexion might look and feel zapped. “Setting sprays and hydrating mists offer a natural, dewy finish and help lock in makeup without drying your skin,” says Gomez.
If you want a simple facial spray, opt for the Eau Thermale Avène Thermal Spring Water, which is just water. Notes Gomez, "Spraying your face with a light mist of water can help set the makeup and provide a little extra moisture."
Looking for more staying power? A few spritzes of Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Hydrator Mist, with an ingredient blend that includes hyaluronic acid and glycerin, can instantly revive makeup and leave skin feeling moisturized. Plus, it feels oh-so-good, thanks to its fine-mist dispenser.
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