Sometimes we get in a rut. Sometimes we just get lazy. Sure, it would be great to just keep wearing those bright pinks and peaches, darker bronzers, and bright pops of colored eye pencils all through Winter. Well, if you live in warmer climates, you probably could! But for the rest of us, Fall is a perfect time to make some fab swaps in your makeup bag that will keep you looking stylish and chic when the chill rolls in without missing a beat!

• Table the shimmer – Ditch the shimmery products, the ones with the almost-visible glittery pigments. They may look great when they catch in the light of the Summer sun, but on those blustery Winter days, they are just going to end up looking garish. Instead, go for “luminous.” A bit of highlighter and/or strobing is all you need to look radiant.
• Rethink your foundation formula – You may think that as the cold Winter air dries out your skin that you need to gloop on a richer, creamier foundation to rebalance things. Nope. If your skin is effected by the drier air, resupply moisture with a good morning routine of cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing before you add foundation. Actually, your foundation for Winter should be lighter in formulation since a heavy, cream foundation will only float on the surface, highlighting your dry, flaky skin even more.
• While you’re at it, rethink your foundation shade – Even if you live in a milder climate, your skin will most likely not be as warm-toned as it was in Spring and Summer. There are 2 reasons for this. First, the amount of UV radiation reduces significantly in the Winter, so the melanocytes (melanin-producing “tanning” cells the bottom layer of the epidermis) stop putting out so much pigment. Secondly, as the melanocytes stop producing most of the pigment, and as your skin cells are continuing to be sloughed off as they naturally renew the topmost layers of your skin, newer, paler skin is revealed. So there you have it. It’s science! So change your foundation color accordingly.
• Embrace the Fall hues –Fall and Winter provide the perfect backdrop for lots of sumptuous and warm shades, muted browns and reds, and rich metallics. Put away those pinks and orangey shades, and dig into plums and berries. As the trees are left bare and snow covers the ground, play up the richness of the seasonal shades.
• Ditch the dark bronzer – Again, just as you will need to re-evaluate your foundation shade due to your skin becoming gradually lighter as we head into Fall and Winter, your Summery bronzer will be completely out of place on your cheeks. Not only will it be too dark, it is probably a bit more on the shimmery side. Opt for a lighter, more matte formulation.
• Try bold lips and nude(ish) cheeks – If you really want to look every bit the fashion icon this Winter, why not try a more daring lip? Of course, a red lip is always a show-stopper, but try to incorporate more berries, mauves, plums, browns, burgundy, oxblood, and even violet. Word to the wise though, if you do darken your lip, go easy on the cheek color. Try a nice neutral shade of blush and a neutral eye. The pop of color you’re after is going to be on your lips, so an added color on your cheeks and eyes will just muddy the playing field, so to speak. If you feel out of balance without more going on with your eyes, you can definitely add more color, but just make sure the colors are neutrals (grey, brown, black).

 

Image by Julita B.C. is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: flickr)