Winter beauty tips

Cooler temperatures call for a change in your beauty routine. Nikki Goldstein shows you the essentials.

People say there are no seasons in Australia. Those who hail from cooler climes complain the temperatures don’t sink low enough to make a distinction between autumn and winter. After all, they reason, we don’t have the picturesque autumns of the Northern Hemisphere, and snow doesn’t settle on the streets of our cities. I beg to differ.

My cold toes know when it’s winter. My cravings for hot chocolate and warming stews are proof-positive temperatures have dipped. My daughter in beanie and scarf provides further evidence. But my skin is the best barometer of the onset of winter. There is nothing quite like the parching effects of cold, dry wind and indoor heating to ruin my best efforts to maintain a youthful, dewy complexion.

The trick to winter beauty is in keeping your skin well-hydrated. The combination of a moisture-loaded skincare regimen and the most up-to-date make-up looks will help you smoulder as the temperature drops.

How winter affects your skin

‘Barrier function’ are two words you’ll hear more and more in relation to your skincare regime. In healthy skin the top layer, or epidermis, has a seal around the cells to keep the water trapped inside.

“Environmental conditions such as dryness and cold, allergies and sensitising products can disrupt the barrier function,” says Dr Leslie Baumann, author of The Skin Type Solution (Bantam, 2006). When the barrier function is disturbed, she explains, “You are literally thin-skinned. The resulting dryness, redness and itchiness give you the urge to scratch, which further attacks your skin barrier.”

Dr Baumann’s solution is to calm the skin using a range of treatments, such as drinking anti-inflammatory green tea, boosting antioxidants in the diet with fresh fruit and vegetables and using low-irritation, highly-moisturising products on the face and body. I personally find I need a richer, creamier day lotion in winter, and like to mix a product such as Decléor Aromessence Iris, $210, a nourishing anti-ageing oil, into my moisturiser at night.

Adjusting your skincare routine

While you can afford to be a little lax with treatment products in summer when humidity is higher, you need to ensure your skin is lavishly looked after in winter, with regular exfoliation and moisturising masks. I use an eye cream religiously at night, up the ante on my body hydration daily, and use lip balm as often as needed. I’m particularly partial to La Prairie Cellular Lip Renewal Concentrate, $140, which repairs, firms and plumps the lips.

It’s vital to drink at least eight glasses of water a day to maintain hydration, so keep a jug of water on hand. I also add more oily fish to my diet in winter. Studies show if you increase your intake of fish such as salmon and mackerel, you increase your levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which contribute to a healthy heart and brain as well as moist skin.

My hands need extra nourishment during winter, so I make sure I have a luxurious hand cream on my desk or in my handbag. My current favourite is Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm, $31.90, a rich cream that smells divine.

Make a statement this winter

Last summer the idea was to create a fresh make-up look by leaving as much skin uncovered as possible, and using bright colour to highlight or accentuate the eyes or lips.

This winter it’s the opposite: the look is creamy, matt and dramatic. Even for daytime the face of the moment is ‘done’ rather than ‘undone’. For day, a touch of liquid eyeliner, a hint of shimmer on the eyes and a neutral, pared-back mouth are signatures of the season. For night, the look is luscious, dark, mysterious and glamorous.

What’s true for both day and night is that creamier, richly pigmented foundations covering the skin demand more make-up on the cheeks, lips and eyes – and with more colour, you also need more artistry. I’ve discovered I need a slightly paler, more moisturising foundation to get my skin set for the season. I’m using Bobbi Brown Luminous Moisturizing Foundation, $80, which is an anti-ageing treatment and foundation in one – perfect for the drier conditions that come with winter.

A flat, matt complexion will wash out your features if you don’t pay them extra special attention. Your eyebrows will scream for definition, and your lips will call for a denser application of rich colour – a lipgloss on its own probably won’t cut it if you’re wearing a creamy foundation.

Right now, I’m loving the sight of my newly-painted mouth whenever I catch sight of it in the mirror. I’ve worn lipgloss for so long it’s nice to see the arch of my lips and a flushed pout looking back at me – something you can only achieve with lipstick. My current addiction is Lancôme Color Fever lipstick, $45, in Drapée de Rouge, a matt berry shade that’s very ‘now’.

To create an on-trend make-up look without looking over-the-top, follow our simple winter make-up guide, a beautiful winter, below.

A beautiful winter

Your skin is the canvas on which you apply your make-up. Once it’s thoroughly cleansed, moisturised and polished, you can begin.

1. To get this season’s bold yet tasteful look, apply a creamy foundation and dab some powder over the T-zone to blot away any shine. 
2. Next, choose a dark kohl pencil; this season the look is either plum or gun-metal grey. Rim the upper and lower lashes then, using a cotton bud or a rubber-tipped smudger, blur the edges so the kohl appears soft and smoky. 
3. Choose a matt eye shadow shade – you could go for plum to accentuate the look, or choose a contrasting shade such as copper – and go over the kohl with the pigment for a sexy, smoky look. 
4. To finish, select a shimmering shade in a contrasting colour. Silver or white are great with the grey and platinum shades of the season, while copper or shell-pink are lovely with plum. Blend the frosted colour over the lid, taking it all the way up to the brows. 
5. Etch and define your eyebrows with either a brow liner or a brow gel to give your face an elegant finish. This look demands layers of mascara, so reach for a plumping or volumising brand that coats the lashes in rich black or brown. 
6. To keep the look spare and modern, add a hint of colour by brushing a sheer blush over the apples of your cheeks. At night, you may like to create a little more contour – simply swipe some colour just under the cheekbones to make them ‘pop’. 
7. Finally, it’s time to colour your lips. There are two key looks for winter: dark lips, which are vampy and dramatic, or a pared-back, sophisticated interpretation of this season’s trends – pale and peachy. This clean, almost monochromatic look is particularly sophisticated and glamorous this season.

Photography: Gavin O’Neill. Styling: Nadene Duncan. Make-up: Chris Coonrod. Hair: Gaye Hiette.