Secure makeup for winter weather in eight steps

Although makeup horror stories are far too common, many of them involve battling the elements. Wintertime winds can often dry out skin, while the snow and rain can cause makeup to run. Vaniah Montanez, a makeup artist for the Italian-based Flormar cosmetic brand in Destiny USA, provides simple steps on how to secure makeup just in time to face the onslaught of holiday parties.

For dry skin, Montanez suggests moisturizing with the brand’s Day and Night Cream and letting it sit for 15 minutes before beginning to apply makeup. Also, apply a lip balm ten minutes before applying lipstick to prevent lips from being chapped. Although the entire routine takes 25-30 minutes, skipping the eye-makeup components is an option to speed up the process.   

Follow the steps below that Montanez took when she applied makeup on model Tionge Johnson.

1)    Primer

Evenly distribute the primer across the face. Primer helps to prep the skin for the foundation and also helps the other layers stay put throughout the day, Montanez said (Product Used: Flormar Double Radiance Primer Highlighter SPF 10).

2)    Liquid Foundation

Place a small dot of foundation on a sponge and apply to: the cheeks, forehead, chin and nose. Then, blend it out across the face. Montanez suggested wearing liquid foundation during the winter as opposed to powder foundation, since liquid can help maintain moisture in the dryer season. However, “If you have oily skin, I would suggest staying away from liquid foundations,” Montanez said. (12 hr. Perfect Coverage Foundation SPF 15).

3)    Loose Powder

This is where the magic happens. The loose powder secures or “sets” the foundation so that it lasts throughout the day. Montanez advised testing the colors on the hand before purchasing, and applying it on the face so that it blends equally. Loose powder should add more color to the face. After the application, Johnson's face had a natural look that closely matched her skin tone (Bronze Sand Loose Powder).

4)    Eye Primer

For darker skin, choosing a white eye primer may show up underneath, so Montanez suggested wearing a colored eye primer that matches the skin tone for better blending. Primer is useful because it helps make the colors more vibrant and also allows the eye shadows to stay put (Eye Perfection Primer).

5)    Eyeshadow

For a natural look, Montanez added earth tones to the eyelids. She started with a medium brown base color and applied it to the lid. Then she used a darker brown for the eyelid crease. She finally added beige to the eyebrow arch to emphasize the angles of the face. A dash of beige near the tear duct also helps highlight the shape of the eye as well (Nude Dudes Color Palette Eye Shadow).

6)    Liquid Eyeliner

Although liquid eyeliner can be messy, it can stay longer than pencil eyeliner since it dries and doesn’t smudge as much. “The liquid also stands out more,” Montanez said (Precision Artliner eyeliner).

7)    Contour powder

Contouring helps highlight the shape of the face. Add a dark powder to the hollows of the cheeks and then apply a highlighter to the cheekbones. Highlighter can be added to the forehead, too. Be sure to blend everything. To emphasize the nose and its shape, add a darker powder to the sides, and highlighter to the bridge (Dual Gold Terracotta Powder).

8)     Setting Spray

The final and most important step is to set the makeup. Setting spray helps secure makeup in order to last throughout the day. This step is crucial for a look that lasts for hours. Even with minor retouches, the setting spray prevents users from having to start all over again. Stretch an arm up and out as far as possible from the face, and spray downward toward the face. Wait until it’s dry and voila! (Make-up Fix Spray).

Follow these steps to make sure the chilly weather won't mess up any makeup.


Photos by Mary Anderson.