PEI Makeup Artist: Cold Weather Beauty Tips

It has been soooo cold out the last few days (-30C) I thought I'd share with you some cold weather beauty tips.

The first beauty tip for battling cold weather is to keep skin moisturized. Skin can dry out so easily in the winter months from the dry heat pumping out of the radiators in our home and cars, to the brutal winter wind whipping at our faces. So slather on your moisturizer from head to toe. This may be the time when you need to switch from your regular moisturizer to a more hydrating cream like a shea butter for your body and a dry skin moisturizer for your face (even if your skin is typically normal). A trick I like to do is when I get out of the shower I rub on some organic grape seed oil then when that soaks in I put on another layer of thick and creamy shea butter. And for my face I add a concentrated serum for dry skin to my regular moisturizer to give my face an extra dose of moisture.

I also keep lip balm in my purse, at my makeup table, in all the bathrooms around the house as well as by the kitchen sink and I apply several times daily. I like Blistex because it has an SPF in it to protect the sensitive skin on the lips. I don't know what I'd do with out it...it could be an addiction...

And now is not a time to ignore your cuticles, dry air and exposure to the cold winter elements can wreck havoc on your hands. Apply cuticle oil to your nails every night before going to bed, your nails will thank you for it in the morning. And just like lip balm, I keep hand cream all over the house and in my purse to keep my hands nice and soft. By the way, your hands are one of the first places to show the signs of aging so this is one area you don't want to forget to keep soft and hydrated! I love this cuticle oil from OPI, I especially love the smell!

And although it seems like forever since we've seen much of sun lately we really should not forget about sunscreen. Those rays reflect off snow like crazy so if you're brave enough to be hitting the slopes or spending anytime outside, layer on some sunscreen to keep your skin healthy.

It's also really important to not forget to exfoliate during this time of year. Dry scaly skin is never going to be a big beauty trend. So avoid being a don't by exfoliating at least once a week. Some cheap, DIY exfoliators are mixing up brown sugar and olive oil or you could mix up some baking soda with a mild cleanser like Cetaphil. I do this once a week while I'm in the shower.

So once our skin is lubed up and ready, its time for makeup. There are a few makeup tricks you can adapt into your regular routine.

Firstly winter is probably not the best for really matte looks, especially if you have dry scaly skin. Instead try using a foundation formula that will moisturize your skin and give it some glow. My pick is cream foundations or airbrush foundation for really dry winter conditions. The reason I like airbrush foundation is because it doesn't need to set with powder.

If your a big powder fan (loose or pressed), winter is not a friend of yours. Dry skin doesn't like powder very much. It makes you look kinda flakey, again not the most attractive. So skip the powder if you can (and use oil blotting sheets if need be) or use it very sparingly.

Now is a great time to use cream blushes instead of powders too, it's just one more layer of moisture!

And my favourite trick to battle the winter blahs….highlighter! Add some to the tops of your cheekbones to add a subtle glow. We all need a little glow in the middle of the winter doldrums.