By Holly Archer
Photos courtesy of the Hudson’s Bay Company, M.A.C., L’Oréal, COVERGIRL and Shoppers Drug Mart
It’s winter. Your skin is dry, your lips are cracked and you are feeling the last thing from being glamourous.
But with the right tools, you can survive winter in style and have a glowing and gorgeous complexion.
Here are some tips and products that will just do the trick.
1) For that smouldering black pencil liner that really lasts, L’Oréal Infallible liner in black is fantastic. It stays on for hours and does not rub off.
The golden eyeliner rule is to remember to apply it to clean, dry skin – not an oily 5 p.m. face. For added staying power, use a powder primer before you apply the pencil liner.
2) For a mascara that is worth every penny, try Lancôme Definicils. Its long brush makes the product very user-friendly. You can go on a 90-minute run in September and this product will not budge, smear or flake. It dries perfectly, with a soft texture.
Many drugstore brands will make your lashes hard and, therefore, not flexible. This becomes a problem when you want to layer your mascara look – the softer the lashes, the easier it is to apply three coats. Lancome Definicils will not smudge, or give a raccoon-eye effect.
Another great option is the Maybelline Great Lash mascara.
3) Some people can’t wear lash glue because they are allergic to the latex ingredient.
Shoppers Drug Mart has Quo, which manufactures a clear, non-latex strip lash adhesive that will do the magic.
Apply a thin, constant line onto strip lashes, wait 10 seconds and apply along natural lash line. Stay still for a minute to let the glue set. (Note: the accompanying picture is of the Quo lashes, not the glue, but you can find the glue next to the lashes at Shoppers Drug Mart).
4) For a lip gloss that will wow the crowd – opt for Chanel. This lip gloss will last hours and look phenomenal. It will leave a subtle colour deposit on your natural lips, even after the glossiness fades.
Also, it will not make your lips’ natural groves stand out; nor will it feel sticky the way that many other lip glosses do. It mixes well with other lip products, and can be worn in layers to make for a subtle look or a glamorous appeal.
The pink shades of Rimmel’s Stay Glossy line will also create a perfect winter pout. Always Lovely is a rosy pink shade from the line that is perfect for ivory and tanned complexions.
5) Arguably, one of the best blushes on the market is offered by Nars.
An excellent option is the Outlaw shade (a deep rose-gold), especially if you have a really dark tan.
You can also try the Oasis colour – a subtler, lighter version of Outlaw. Orgasm, a peachy rose-gold colour, can also be paired with Nars highlighter, called Albatross, for a stunning finish. Orgasm works well on almost every skin colour.
However, for those of you with ivory complexions, use colour sparingly at first, and build slowly, one tap into the blush pot at a time.
Nars blush is high in pigmentation, meaning that you don’t have to use a lot of product to get a lot of colour. In addition, powder blush adheres best on lightly moisturized skin, so make sure to apply a tiny dose of cream onto your cheeks, let it absorb and dust the blush onto your cheekbones.
6) Our top pick for a tinted moisturizer goes to Laura Mercier’s Tinted Moisturizer.
It evens out problem areas, moisturizes and provides the most even coverage you’ll see since airbrushing in Photoshop.
The fabulousness does not end there: the colour range of this product is superb. For a tanned skin, try the product in ‘almond’ and if you have a warm medium complexion, go for the ‘sand’ option.
7) A concealer for the ages has to be Benefit’s Boi-Ing. The Benefit people call it their industrial strength concealer.
It works well as an overall concealer, as well as an undereye one. It is only available in a select number of colours, so pick the one that works best for you.
8) If you are looking for a lash curler, make sure to try Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler.
Bad eyelash curlers leave you no room for control over your curling technique. This Japanese curler will let you curl in stages to create a flippy, girly look or a softer, natural look.
9) If you’d like to give your lips some definition, make sure to invest in some M.A.C. lip pencils.
Cherry is a great option, although Spiced is a popular seller too.
Cherry is that super-sexy Betty Draper red. Another great choice is the Red lipliner.
If you decide to fill your lip with the lip liner, remember to moisturize the night before, with lots of lip balm. Then exfoliate your lips right before applying the colour. After brushing teeth, you can exfoliate lips by gently running the wet brush over them. This is especially true during winter, when your lips could otherwise look flaky.
10) And, finally, if you like to bring the attention to your eyes, and are looking for a soft, girl-next-door colour wheel, invest in some of the products from COVERGIRL’s eyeshadow line.
Mink and Champagne are the top picks for all skin tones. The velvety texture makes application easy with fingers or a dome brush.
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However think of if you added some great images or video clips to give your posts more, “pop”!
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Fantastic blog!
Irvin