The Best Winter Makeup Products for Flawless Skin
Beautiful looking skin is always in but achieving a flawless makeup look in winter can bring a whole new set of challenges.
It’s no secret that our skin can be dryer and more sensitive in winter, which is why picking the right products, is arguably more important during the colder months than any other time of year.
When the weather outside is challenging, you need to go for products that are going to delivery a powerful punch of nutrients and hydration, alongside some super strength staying power.
Over the years we’ve been luckily enough to gain access to some of the top makeup artist in the business (as well a huge array of skincare and makeup) and have managed to pick up a few tips along the way. Read on as we share our insider knowledge on the best winter makeup products for flawless skin.
Skin Prep
Institut
Of course you are never going to achieve a flawless look if you haven’t nailed the prep first. Ask any makeup artist and they will all say that skin prep is essential to achieving a beautiful base.
A three step process, a good skin prep routine involves a cleanse, exfoliation and hydration.
In order to tackle dully, dry winter skin we recommend going for a treatment-style cleanser such as Romilly Wilde’s Light + Energy Serum Cleanser containing a hydrating plant-derived complex of Omegas 3, 6 and 9, followed by a chemical exfoliant like Kate Somerville’s 2 minute exfoliation mask ExfoliKate or Ren’s cult tonic Ready Steady Glow . Next apply your serums, followed by a hydrating and calming moisturiser look to look it all in. Institut’s Expert Restore Niacinamide Replenishing Cream, is the perfect winter moisturiser. A non greasy, deeply hydrating cream, it restores lost moisture, vitality, and bounce to dry and dehydrated skin.
Perfecting The Base
Victoria Beckham
If you want to ace your base, a primer is essential. Not only will it help your makeup go the distance but they make everything that sits on top of them look better. You can’t go wrong with Laura Mercier’s Pure Canvas Primers. Illuminating and hydrating, it transforms dry winter skin thanks to it’s light-reflecting micronised pearls and porcelain flower extract, boosting luminosity, and smoothing skin. However if you’re skin really suffers through winter, we suggest treating yourself to Victoria Beckham’s Cell Rejuvenating Priming Moisturiser. Backed by 30 years of research, it works to support your skins renewal process for long-term, skin-perfecting results while delivering an instant does of illuminating, skin blurring hydration.
Once you’ve applied your primer, it's time to move on to foundation. Whether you apply your foundation with a brush, sponger or fingers it’s up to you, however using a beauty blender can help create more of a dewy look, helping the foundation melt in to the skin seamlessly.
Keeping with the dewy theme, the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation is loved by makeup artists world wide and for very good reason. A medium coverage foundation it provides all day hydration for a fool proof, radiant, satin finish. While It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Illumination SPF50 is a favourite amongst Beauty Editor’s. Containing hydrating hylarunoic acid and skin plumping collagen, this full coverage complexion correcting cream brightens and illuminates for flawless natural looking skin.
Dolce & Gabbana
For those with acne prone skin, recent advancement have created a new generation of foundations that work to both cover and treat the skin. Two of our favourites included Erborian’s Supper BB; A lightweight, full coverage BB cream designed to delivers long-term benefits to your skin, effectively cover up and clearing blemishes, and Oxygenetix’s Oxygenating Foundation Blemish Control SPF25; A breathable cream foundation for problematic skin containing 2% Salicylic Acid.
If your prefer more of a matt base, Dolce & Gabbana bought our their game changing Velvetskin Natural Matte Foundation earlier this year. Providing a beautiful soft matt finish without leaving skin looking flat, it's a must for any wanting bight, luminous and hydrated skin all day long.
To get rid of that knackered mum look, Erborians CC Eye is transformative. Based on Korean technology, it’s encapsulated pigments melt into the skin adjusting perfectly to the delicate skin around the eyes, brightening, smoothing fine lines and wrinkles and concealing dark circles.
Adding Definition
Once your base has been perfected, it’s time to bring back some definition. The Anastasia Beverly Hills Stick Contour makes it quick and easy to achieve a flawless contour. Available in four shades it’s buildable matte finish and natural-looking tones, will give you super model bone structure in minutes.
Alternatively Chanel’s Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream Cream-Gel provides a beautiful golden warmth to the skin. Apply with finger tips or sweep on with a brush, over areas that would natural catch the sun, such as across cheeks, nose, forehead and chin, for a just got back from Chamonix glow. While their Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick, provides just the perfect amount of subtle highlighting glow.
A Pop of Colour
Often over looked, blush can add an essential flush of colour and lift to the face, however placement is key. Don’t be tempted to smile when applying blush, instead leave your face in it’s natural position and place at the high points of your check bones.
Gucci
Blush De Beauté £41
Although we would normally always go for a cream blush such a Jillian Dempsey’s Cheek Tint over a powder, Gucci’s Blush De Beauté has turned us. A powder compact blush, it has been infused with Shea Butter, Hyaluronic Acid and Black Rose Oil for a super hydrating, buildable, long-lasting colour.
All Weather Wear
When the weather is all over the place, setting your makeup is non-negotiable. Start with a good quality setting powder like the Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder, and apply to areas where your makeup is most likely to shift such as the t-zone and under eye area. Not only will it ensure that your foundation and concealer are set to perfection, it will help disguise imperfections, and remove any unwanted shiny areas. Finally gently spritz a setting spray two to four times in an X and a T formation over your face for long lasting wear. Urban Decay’s All Nighter does exactly what it says one the label, keeping makeup in place for up to16hrs.
