Winter blush: Make-up tips for the season

Winter is the season of thrilling chills and not so thrilling dryness. And this dryness can wreak havoc on your skin, making your make-up look, well, not quite like it should. There is no need to worry. Just follow these tips by top make-up experts...

Care is a must
A little bit of care before and after applying make-up goes a long way. Make-up is meant to enhance your looks, but even the best of make-up won’t work, if the skin is not prepared properly. While the ‘cleanse, tone and moisturise’ mantra still holds good, with winter make-up, the skin demands a little extra care and attention. 

Joynie Ruwngtol, make-up artist at The Body Shop India advises, "Using a serum after toning and before moisturising both before and after application of make-up provides essential nourishment during winter. Use a face mist before and after applying make-up to help it settle down and prevent dryness and cracking. Also, use an eye cream and concealer before applying eye make-up. Exfoliate lips gently and moisturise well to get an even application of lipstick." 

Cory Walia, celebrity make-up genius stresses the importance of exfoliation, to get rid of the dry skin. "Foundation applied on dry, patchy skin looks ugly. So use a good exfoliator to get rid of dead skin. While moisturising is important, don’t overdo itoily, sticky skin is the worst base to apply make-up on." 

Agrees Celine Cortinchi, spa manager, Jean-Claude Biguine, India, "Moisturise and exfoliate, else dead cells can accumulate in the dry skin, making it blotchy and cracked. Always remove make-up with a good quality make-up cleanser before going to bed. Skin is more vulnerable during winter and leaving make-up on increases the dryness."

"Lips need special attention, so moisturise them well before applying lipstick. After removing make-up use a heavy nourishing cream to replenish the skin’s moisture", says Renu Kant, director of the Exquise group of salons.

Shahnaz Hussain, renowned beauty specialist offers a great handy hint here. She says, "It's important to wait for a minute or two in between applying moisturiser and foundation to allow the skin to get moisturised properly. Use a re-hydrating cleanser with aloe vera to clean make-up." 

Sushma Khan, national trainer, skin and make-up, Lakme Salon suggests the use of a deep-pore cleansing milk for cleansing the skin before applying make-up to remove the atmospheric dust that clogs the skin during winter. Soap is a no-no and face wash as per the skin type is mandatory.

Choice is key
Careful selection equals zero make-up problems. Winter make-up has to be selected judiciously to bring the best results and minimise damage to the skin. Experts are unanimous on the use of make-up products that provide moisture and do not dry and dehydrate the skin. 

So, your make-up cupboard should have light and sheer foundations and tinted moisturisers. 

Creamy foundations, eye shadows, blushers, lip moisturisers and moisture-rich lipsticks are a must. Always look out for a minimum SPF 15 in the products the winter sun may appear mild, but is still damaging to the skin. 

Colours are in 
Winter is inherently a dull season. This makes the winter colour palette to use vibrant. Colours vary for the day and night, but the shine and gloss lends a special touch to winter make-up. "Daytime lip colours are lilac, mauve, pinks and rose shades, while the night belongs to red in all its shades from cherry, rose, traffic signal red and plum. Nails are dark with burgundy and chocolate brown is really in, while eye shadows are brown, gold or bronze." recommends Shahnaz. Skin bronzers can be used for a stunning effect, especially for parties. 

Apply a colourless lip gloss after-lipstick application for a really appealing wet, shiny look. Avoid white highlighters and opt for pale pink or ivory shades. "Winter typically calls for cream blushers and eye shadows, which are difficult to blend. So take extra care to blend in properly with the skin, else demarcating lines and patches will show up," says Shahnaz. 

Calling this a season of richness, Cory says, "The velvety, creamy matte, moisture-rich, dewy look is the current trend. Make-up with just a hint of mossy green adds plenty of drama and glamour. Coloured kajal in shades of green, blue, jewelled tones like copper, bronze, gold and silver looks hot, especially with subtle, shimmery highlights on the cheek. Highlight one feature either the eyes or the lips never both and don’t overdo the gloss." 

Renu calls for "a bit of experimentation with colours like pink, red, gold, copper and bronze mixed with a touch of green, blue and grey. Day make-up is subtle—pink gloss for the lips and a light blusher. Evenings are shimmery, frosty and shiny, just how much would depend on the occasion."

While Joynie roots for the metallic, with colours like shimmery lilac and violet, frosty silver and black for the night and caramel, pink, plum and chocolate for the day, Sushma hails purple as the colour of the season. 

"Purple really suits the Indian skin tone. The lighter shades look great for the day and the darker ones for the night. Eye colours look fabulous in aqua and turquoise,” she says. Celine advises emphasising the eyes, “Smoky eyes work wonders for night events and parties. Use dark shades of eye liners like navy, plum and green. Chocolate eye shadow with a hint of wine colour also looks great. Avoid pastels if your skin tone is pale; they give a washed-out effect. Winter is meant for clear and bright colours."

So now that all your winter make-up worries are taken care of, it’s time to enjoy the season.