Oh, New England Winter, I’ve grown so used to you- your unpredictability, your penchant to be as messy and as inconvenient as possible, and your absolute refusal to leave quietly come April- that I can’t even be mad at you anymore. You make me appreciate the Spring and Summer so much more- and inspire me to savor each and every single day of the Fall before you inevitably return with a vengeance.
I have my own ways of coping with Winter, of course- especially now that we’re right in the middle of it. I try new hot chocolate recipes, curl up in all the blankets and fuzzy pajamas as much as possible- and get bold and experimental with my makeup.
This time last year, my cosmetic collection consisted of bright highlighters, sparkle-packed eye shadows- and my trademark look- a bold red glossy lip. This year, of course- things are a little different. Since I always have a mask on whenever I’m out and about- a dramatic lip look isn’t a necessity (but keeping my pout hydrated and smooth is!) and I’ve made my eyes the focal point of any interactions since they’re usually the only thing you can see in public.
My 2021 Winter Makeup Collection includes a skin perfecting, full-coverage foundation/concealer, more natural blush tones, and moisturizing lip oils- while my eye shadows are darker, smoker- and inspired by the 2021 Pantone Colors of The Year– which I’ll also talk about a little later on next week!
If you’re curious about past makeup routines, you can visit them here:
[ WINTER 2020 ] [ SPRING 2020 ] [ SUMMER 2020 ] [ FALL 2020 ]
Let’s take a look at what I’m using! Swatches of the products will be at the end of the post.
PUR Cosmetics’ 4-in-1 Love Your Selfie Longwear Foundation & Concealer: This time of year is pretty busy for me at work. Everyone is back after the holidays and looking to catch up on the things they put off through the New Year. As a result, my days have been filled with Zoom calls and conferences- and I want to look clear-skinned, bright-eyed and ready to go whenever I have to turn my camera on. For that, I needed to find a full-coverage foundation and concealer that would hide any “mask-ne” along my chin/jawline without looking caked on or clogging my pores.
And it’s not often that I find a foundation that makes me say “wow” every single time I use it- but PUR’s lightweight, skin-perfecting formula has blown me away time and time again. It applies smooth and evenly, lasts all day without irritating my face- and both brightens and tightens my skin to give me an incredible finish.
[ MORE INFO HERE ]
Found Beauty Mattifying Powder Foundation: Despite the fact that the cold weather essentially sucks the moisture (and life) out of my skin- I still tend to get oily in my T-Zone. So, on the days where I’m just running errands or grabbing takeout for a long night in front of my TV, I might not necessarily want to apply a full face of foundation. For those instances- I turn to this airy, buildable powder foundation to give me a little coverage and reduce shine while I’m out and about.
What I love about this formula from Found Beauty- apart from it’s reasonable price- is that it’s made of natural ingredients and without harmful chemicals, and also that it doesn’t make my skin look crepe paper as it settles in. It’s just a nice alternative for my more laid-back, less flashy or professional days.
[ MORE INFO HERE ]
Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Melting Blush in “Nearly Mauve”: Cream blushes can be a tricky thing. They can look greasy, clog your pores- or apply unevenly despite how much you tap and rub at them. Cream blushes that immediately turn into a powder consistency on contact, however? Those are incredible- and this blush from Rare Beauty does just that while providing natural-looking and buildable color.
I didn’t want to go too pink on my cheeks this Winter- deciding to potentially save the pastels for Spring depending on my mood- so this deeper, more defining mauve, which gives me a subtle flushed look- has been perfect this Winter during video calls and virtual meetings. I can’t imagine using anything else!
[ MORE INFO HERE ]
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Singles in “Mushroom” and “Moonspoon”: I knew I had wanted to do smokier looks for Winter 2021 even before Pantone announced that “Ultimate Gray” was one of their selected colors for the year- but once they did- I took it as a sign that I had to reintroduce two of my past favorite gray/silver shimmer shadows from Urban Decay into my collection this season.
“Mushroom,” a light gray with a slight sheen that makes my blue eyes pop whenever I wear it- is beautiful enough on it’s own- but I love to add a little bit of “Moonspoon”- a sparkly silver- in the inner corners of my eyes and along my lower lash lines for an extra bit of dramatic flair. It’s one of my favorite looks to wear while I’m masked because my eyes look so out of this world.
[ MORE INFO HERE ]
NYX Vivid Brights Liner in “Vivid Halo”: Additionally, the other color Pantone selected for their 2021 Colors of the Year was “Illuminating”- a bright yellow that compliments “Ultimate Gray” surprisingly well. I thought that for Winter 2021, it would be fun to incorporate that bright, sunny color into my eye makeup in the form of this long-lasting liquid liner from NYX.
Admittedly, this liner took a little getting used to. It applies easily enough and lasts for hours without flaking or smudging- which I love- but the color isn’t something I typically wear. Slowly but surely, though- I’ve really started to love it. It’s fun, it’s unique, and it goes with my “Be Bold” mantra for this brand new year.
[ MORE INFO HERE ]
Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Volume Mascara (Very Merry Cherry Edition): I decided to try something new in terms of my mascara for Winter 2021- and I couldn’t resist the adorable packaging for this limited edition collection from Marc Jacobs that had been released for the holidays.
The pretty mint green tube aside- this mascara lengthens and thickens my lashes- giving me a “false lash” look without the glue and the hassle. It’s completely smudge and flake-proof, too- so I get all-day wear without raccoon eyes by the time I’m ready to clean up and call it a night.
[ MORE INFO HERE ]
ILIA Beauty Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oil in “Tahiti”: Although masks make wearing any kind of lipstick and lip gloss kind of pointless- I still like to have something hydrating and with a little bit of color available to throw on during video calls/conferences or when I just want to feel pretty for a bit.
This hydrating lip oil from ILIA softens and plumps my lips without the stickiness or uncomfortable tingling/burning. “Tahiti”, a beautiful coral tone- also makes me feel a little more Summery and tropical whenever I have it on- which is always welcome when the temperatures hit the single digits outside.
[ MORE INFO HERE ]
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If you’re interested in swatches of some of the products shown above- you know I have those available, too!
And that’s my makeup collection/routine for 2021! A little bit of sheen and sparkle- some bright tones to mix it up a bit- but overall a natural, subdued look to get me through this frigid and dreary time of year.
In February, I’ll talk more about my Winter skincare/hair care routine- which has been focusing on replenishing moisture where it’s needed the most and keeping my recent transition to blonde as brass-free and bright as possible.
If you want to share your Winter makeup products/looks- feel free to drop me a line! I always love reading recommendations and finding new things to try.
xo
Coffee & Chiffon 