Winter may have only just technically started a couple of weeks ago, but I’ve already gone through my makeup collection in it’s entirety well in advance, tossing out expired or empty products and not only replenishing some of my longtime favorites that I use daily- like my foundation, concealer and setting powder- but grabbing a couple of new items that are part of the current trends for the season, too.
One trend in particular that I’m particularly fond of this Winter is “Cold Girl Makeup,” which uses shimmery highlighter and frosty shades to replicate a flushed, just-in-from-the-snow look, which to be perfectly honest, isn’t hard to do while living here in New England. We’re recovering from a weekend snowstorm as we speak!
But the thing I really appreciate about some variations of this trend is that it lets me play around with different versions of one of my favorite colors, and a color I had grown up being told I “couldn’t wear” because of my eye color. I’m talking about blue, of course.
That was a big rule (whose origins I’m still not sure of!) in my teens when I first started wearing makeup. If you have blue eyes, you can’t wear blue eyeshadow or liner. But I like blue!- and I think it looks really pretty on everyone!- so I decided to do whatever I wanted this season and have been having a blast with my makeup choices and my own take on the “Cold Girl Makeup” trend.
I’ll get into the products- and the swatches!- but am also linking to some of my past routines/collections from over the years for anyone who wants to check them out!
2023: [ WINTER ] [ SPRING ] [ SUMMER ] [ FALL ]
2022: [ WINTER ] [ SPRING ] [ SUMMER ] [ FALL ]
2021: [ WINTER ] [ SPRING ] [ SUMMER ] [ FALL ]
2020: [ WINTER ] [ SPRING ] [ SUMMER ] [ FALL ]
As it is with every season, a good face of makeup begins with a good primer, and given how the Winter tends to dry out my skin like crazy here in Massachusetts- I wanted to find a formula that give me an extra boost of hydration without making me look overly shiny through my base/foundation, and would still keep all of my makeup in place.
This season, I’ve been loving and living for this ‘”Suit of Armor – Battle Prep” primer from Teez Cosmetics. Loaded with Shea Butter, Passion Flower and Glycerin, this primer applies like a lightweight moisturizer and immediately makes my face feel soft and smooth and ready for the day’s makeup look. It holds everything in place for hours without creasing or having any kind of oil buildup in problematic areas like my T-Zone and along my jawline.
I’ve been obsessed with this, and use it every day!
[ MORE INFO HERE ]
To give myself a flushed and frosty look after applying my base and a little bit of concealer and blush, I’ve been tapping drops of this shimmery highlighter from Danessa Myricks Beauty along my cheekbones and on the tip of my nose. These tubes, the ColorFix Metallics, double as a liquid eyeshadow or liquid lip depending on what you’re going for- but I’ve found they make a great blush and highlight when worn alone or with other products. They’re super long lasting and pigmented- so a little goes a long way!
The shade I’ve been using is ‘Romance,’ a rose/pink hue that blends with my pale skin tone and gives me a flush of color like I just got in from building a snowman, or skiing, or trying to clear ice off of my windshield- which is an exhausting exercise in itself.
[ MORE INFO HERE ]
When I decided to commit to pops of blue color this season, I wanted to have a selection to choose from- from powder blues to dark denim shades. I didn’t want to spend a fortune, however- since this is not typically a color trend I bring with me into the Spring and Summer months. Thankfully, ColourPop Cosmetics had me covered with their $14 “Blue Velvet” shadow palette- which features 9 shades of mattes and shimmers that are easy to blend and can be used as liners, too.
I’ve been loving the combination of the light blue ‘4Ever Mood’ and the shimmery, white/cream ‘I Feel Ya’ shades lately- which give me a really cool, frosted look on my lids. Another combo I’ve obsessed with has been applying the Danessa Myricks metallic cream on my lids and then lining them with the ‘Evil Eye’ blue from the shadow palette.
There’s so many ways to combine these colors, and I’ll be doing a lot more experimenting with the palette as the weeks go on!
[ MORE INFO HERE ]
And finally, on the mornings when I’m a little too sleepy to do a full eye look, but I still want something other than just a few swipes of mascara- ColourPop saves the day (again!) with this super smooth, long-lasting cream gel pencil liner in their bright, matte white shade, called “Exit.”
I apply a little of this along my top lid, or along the waterline depending on the occasion- and it doesn’t flake, crease, fade or budge all day and well into the night- so frequent touch-ups or reapplications aren’t necessary at all!
[ MORE INFO HERE ]
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As promised, I have some swatches of all of the products outlined above to give everyone an idea of the shade ranges and pigmentation side-by-side!
And that’s everything! A bright, frosty and fun collection to get me through some of the most frigid weeks/months out of the year! It’s a lot more fun than just lip balm and mascara, if I do say so myself (although I always have lip balm within reach in the Winter.)
Of course, I’m always taking recommendations for products and shades to try and consider- so if you’ve got some seasonal favorites or suggestions for my current collection, feel free to leave a comment or reach out. Maybe some of those recommendations will make my next Spring collection!
xo
Coffee & Chiffon 