10 Cold Weather Beauty Tips

Frigid temperatures, indoor heating, and low humidity can strip skin and hair of their moisture. As the temperatures drop, some of us may need to modify our makeup and skincare routines. I know my face has been feeling like the Sahara desert already and my hands are like sandpaper. Here are a few tips to help you adjust to the cold weather:

1.   Consider a tinted lip balm instead of lipstick. Lipstick can be drying, by using a tinted balm your lips will stay moisturized and still pretty with a bit of color.

2.   Switch to a lighter shade of foundation. With less sun your skin will naturally lose some color and your foundation should too. There’s nothing worse than foundation that doesn’t match your skin--it should always look natural with no line of demarcation.

3.   Use bronzer but sparingly. Apply on the forehead, across the bridge of the nose, cheeks and chin where the sun would naturally kiss your face. It will warm up your face and give it a nice glow. Hint: bronzer is also available in cream and gel formulas but powder is pretty much fool proof as long as you use a light hand and a big fluffy brush.

4.   Change your powder blush to cream. Powder can look cakey, cream blushes look fresher and therefore makes you look younger in my opinion. Dab on bit on apples of the cheeks and blend upward into temples with fingers or a cosmetic sponge. Choose a shade that matches your cheeks after a walk in brisk weather.

5.   Don’t over-powder. For those with drier skin, I suggest skipping the powder altogether. Powder can settle into fine lines and highlight wrinkles making you look older. I never powder under my eyes.

6.   Exfoliate, exfoliate exfoliate. Slough off dull, dry, dead skin cells and reveal younger fresher looking skin by using a facial scrub or at home microdermabrasion at least once a week.

7.   Switch to a heavier moisturizer. Cold temperatures can suck the moisture right out of your skin. "Now is the time to switch to a richer moisturizer that's powerful enough to not only replenish moisture loss but also to seal in the moisture that's already there," says Doris J. Day, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City. Look for a moisturizer that has hyaluronic acid to help bind moisture to the skin.

8.   Get a good body moisturizer. A good drug store brand is Eucerin. Eucerin Plus Smoothing Essentials in their Intensive line has alpha hydroxy to exfoliate dry scaly skin coupled with extra enriched moisturizers and is clinically proven to moisturize for 24 hours. Philosophy’s Firming Body Emulsion is an award winning thick and rich body cream available in several scents. Amazing Grace is my favorite. Hint:  Moisturizers work by trapping water in your skin's outer layers, so use body creams after showering while your skin is still damp.

9.   Tame flyaways by using a smoothing serum. Use only a pea sized amount on damp hair and then blow dry. Jonathan Create Smooth and Fedrick Fekkai Glossing Crème will tame the frizz and add shine too.

10. If you are going out in the wind and extreme cold, you might want to wear waterproof mascara. My eyes always water in the cold and wind--bleh.

Keep cozy ladies!!!

Tips for a Flawless Face

Step #1- Foundation

Foundation  makes your skin appear smoother and covers flaws like redness, scars, age spots, large pores and can soften wrinkles. The correct foundation for your skin type can give you an "airbrushed" finish, making you look softer and dare I say younger?  Foundations come in everything from a very sheer tinted moisturizer to heavy coverage and several different finishes from dewy to matte.

The perfect shade is key to looking natural and not like you're wearing a mask. With a Q-tip, test the color by swiping each shade along the jawline, if it disappears into your skin, you've got a match. Once you've nailed the color, sweep along your forehead, nose, chin, and cheekbones, then blend outward to help it disappear into your skin. Most cosmetic counters will give you samples of different shades to try at home. Always test in natural light and don't depend only on the lights at the makeup counter.

Step #2 - Concealer

Concealer is the life preserver of every woman's makeup bag. It can cover all sins--from undereye dark circles to sun damage to blemishes. Always apply over foundation for a natural look. For best results you'll need two concealers: one that's a shade lighter than your foundation to downplay dark, blue-toned, under-eye circles and make skin appear brighter. The other should match your foundation to help hide broken capillaries, and uneven skintone. Use a thin makeup brush (preferably synthetic) and apply concealer to the inner- eye corners first (by the tear ducts, where circles tend to appear darkest) and feather it outward.

Step #3 - Brighten

Learn to love highlighters. This secret weapon comes in liquid or powder form and is made with opalescent, pearl-like particles that give skin a sheer finish and a subtle, sexy sheen. Choose the shade closest to your skin tone: Pink and white luminizers complement fair skin, while gold and bronze suit medium to deep coloring. Keep in mind that a little goes a long way, so use a light hand. I suggest using a fan or skunk brush. Use on brow bones, along the tops of your cheekbones, and at the innermost corners of your eyes. Be sure to blend well to add radiance rather than noticable shimmer.

Step #4- Finish with Powder

Powder keeps foundation in place longer by blotting away excess oil. Use loose powder (it offers an airy, light finish) or use your favorite compact powder and sweep it on with a big fluffy brush. Remember to choose a shade that matches your skin.