We may not like the biting cold and whipping winter winds, but it does add a nice flush of color to our face and cheeks unlike any other time of year. This distinct look of rosy cheeks and a nose freshly nipped by Jack Frost himself not only evokes a winter vibe, but it’s also a cute look you can adjust and replicate throughout the year.
Let’s get into how to recreate this look, whether you’re braving the cold every day or are traveling somewhere warmer this winter.
Start with fresh, clean skin and apply your favorite makeup primer, then blend out foundation one shade lighter than your skin tone with a sponge for a flawless, even finish. We’re all out of the sun more in winter as we keep warm and cozy inside, so using a slightly lighter foundation will accentuate the winter feeling this look gives.
Next, we need to contour. Using a cream contour product, like the NYX Wonder Stick, draw your contour lines around the edge of your forehead near your hairline, on either side and under the tip of your nose, and high on your cheeks in the mid to low cheekbone area. Then, blend these harsh lines out with your sponge.
Take the other end of the Wonder Stick, or a creamy concealer, and highlight under your eyes, on top of your cheekbones, and the middle and tip of your nose before blending once more (blending well is going to be key for this look).
After cream contouring, take a bronzer, such as Fenty’s Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer, and go over those same contour areas as before with a fluffy brush: Apply your bronzer under cheekbones, across your hairline, and under your nose to add to those shadows.
Now that contouring is complete, fill in, shape, and tame your eyebrows to a natural but clean finish. I like to use the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer because the product itself is great, and the pencil has a built-in spoolie end.
This is where the fun starts.
Apply a bright liquid or cream blush, such as the NARS Liquid Blush, to the center apples of your cheeks and blend it out—once more—with a sponge. Then, use a slightly more muted, but still bright, powder blush overtop of the cream. I used Christian Dior’s Rouge Blush for this step. Apply it heavily to the highs of your cheeks and across your nose, but especially focus that color around the tip of your nose, where it would be most susceptible to the cold.
Add a shimmering liquid shadow across your lid for a wet eyeshadow look. I like to use Stila’s Shimmer & Glow Liquid Eyeshadow for this step.
Because Kevyn Aucoin says it’s a must, use an eyelash curler before applying your mascara to give them some extra lift and curl without needing to add falsies. Then, dab on a lip stain, plumper, or gloss (I used the Clarins Lip Comfort Oil) for some sheer color and subtle shine to match your eyes while protecting your delicate pout.
As the last step, finish up by adding some extra highlights to the high points of your cheeks and the tip of your nose. I once again went with Fenty for this step by using the Diamond Bomb All Over Diamond Veil, which is a gorgeous highlighter I cannot get enough of.
Now that you’re properly rosy, shimmery, and shiny, your cold-weather makeup look is complete. Throw on a cozy sweater, a fashionable scarf, or a cute pair of earmuffs and you’ll look like you just came in from the cold all day long.
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