Introduction to Winter Skin Care
No season is harder on the skin than December. Between long nights, central heating, cold winds, and the general chaos of the holiday season, your complexion can look dull, gray, and strangely dull – especially when you need it to look its best.
Preparing Your Skin for Makeup
Concealing signs of festive fatigue isn’t just about applying makeup. It’s about restoring moisture, correcting dark skin, and using textures that invigorate winter skin instead of suffocating it. Celebrity makeup artist Ariane Young and viral makeup artist Emily Wood break down the techniques that actually work. Most signs of fatigue show up before you’ve even touched makeup: feelings of tightness, uneven texture, and the kind of gray tones that no amount of foundation seems to fix.
Pre-Makeup Routine
For Young, the solution is always to start at the surface. "The quickest way to revive tired, lackluster skin is with a two-step prep—a gentle exfoliation followed by intensive moisturization," she explains. A mild glycolic toner “removes dead skin cells and excess oil—the very things makeup sticks to.” Once you’ve smoothed the canvas, "a hydrating moisturizer instantly plumps the complexion and creates the perfect base for makeup to glide seamlessly over it." Wood takes a similar approach, particularly with clients who have had late nights. "The quickest way to revive tired skin is a combination of deep hydration and surface smoothing," she says.
Recommended Products for Pre-Makeup Routine
- The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner, £8.85
- Revolution Pro Miracle Cream, £7.50
- UKlash Hydra-Gel Eye Patches, £28
Revitalizing the Eye Area
Even the best foundation can’t hide fatigue if the eye area is gray, dry, or over-corrected. Young emphasizes that "moisture is everything" and warns that "anything that’s dry or overly matte will settle right into fine lines." Her method is precise and simple: “I always reach for a concealer with a radiant finish and a peachy undertone to counteract the natural purple tones in dark circles." She then blends it with "a fluffy eyeshadow brush" for a seamless, diffused finish, then applies "a touch of finely ground setting powder for the soft-focus, airbrushed look."
Recommended Products for the Eye Area
- Huda Beauty #FAUXFILTER Color Corrector Mini, £14
- Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, £29.50
- By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder 8HA travel size, £20
Achieving a Natural Glow
Winter skin rarely has the smoothness needed for powders and glittery highlighters – both of which immediately accentuate dryness. Young’s solution is to stick to the creamy, mild end of the spectrum. "In the winter, I always recommend my clients creamy, light-reflecting formulas that nourish while brightening," she says. She loves textures that "melt into the skin to provide a hydrated, healthy glow without the risk of drying it out."
Recommended Products for a Natural Glow
- Adored By Buttery Buttery Bronze – Goddess, £16
- Revolution Superfix Glow Fixing Mist, £7.69
Quick Fix for Busy Days
Time is often at a premium during the holiday season, and luckily Young has a strict routine honed through years of live TV appearances. She starts with moisturizing and then sculpts the edges of the face with a cream bronzer to add instant warmth. A touch of cream blush brings life to the complexion, “the blush also serves as lipstick,” she says, and only then does she apply concealer to prevent buildup.
Recommended Products for a Quick Fix
- Ilia Multi Stick, £36
- Eleven Lash ‘N Roll Mascara, £7
- Charlotte Tilbury Brow Fix Sculpting Gel, £26
Small Changes for a Big Difference
Young always returns to texture. "My biggest winter skin trick is choosing mild, hydrating textures that boost radiance rather than damaging dryness on the skin," she says. Her favorite seasonal trick is using a rosy cream blush—"the red undertones mimic a natural winter blush." Wood is a fan of mixing skincare with base during the winter. “It brings back the skin’s natural glow and makes everything look healthier,” she says. And when it comes to concealer, less really is more. “Targeted color correction […] This means you need a lot less concealer, leaving the under-eye area fresh and natural and not too heavy.”
Final Touches
She also has a very practical tip for long nights and long wear: “A spritz of setting spray beforehand And after makeup [acts] like a moisture sandwich and ensures that makeup stays beautiful all day.”
- Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base, £43.20
