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Foundation is the basis for great looking makeup. On good skin days just a bit of foundation with a dab of mascara and we’re good to go, and on less lucky days foundation can be our magic wand to disguise any blemish. But as we move into a true winter in December, that beloved summer foundation has to go into hibernation. With the season’s change prepare to switch to a foundation to match your winter complexion and changing needs with some of these smart foundation tips.

 

1. Find Your New Shade

Unless you live in a year-round tropical climate (lucky you!), you’ll probably be spending more time indoors during the next few months. As a result your skin is going to appear paler during winter. Switch to a foundation that is about one to two shades lighter than your summer foundation. One tip for selecting a new shade is to swipe a possible match along your jaw line and to see if it blends into skin. The skin of our necks is generally a shade paler than our faces.

 

2. More Moisture Is Better

Winter air is a lot drier than summer air, even in humid climates. Dry air can play terrible tricks on our skin making it tight, dehydrated and prone to breakouts. Be ready with a daily moisturizer and serum that you apply after cleansing but before makeup. For those that use foundations marked for “oily/combination” skin, during the winter you may find that foundations for “normal” skin better suit your need for extra moisture.

 

3. Go Easy On Powders

Powder foundations can be problematic during winter because they can settle into the crevices of dry and flaky skin. Transition to cream or liquid foundations that will go on smoother and can help to hydrate skin. One great foundation option is the Jay Manuel Beauty® Powder to Cream Foundation. It goes on initially as a super soft powder but quickly transforms into a creamy base that can offer medium to full coverage.

 

4. Use A Primer

When skin gets too dry it signals our skin cells to pump up the oil production to try and compensate for the imbalance. Unfortunately this can cause our makeup to slick off within a few hours application. Makeup primer is a must during winter to help prevent this. Primer will also help to prevent the creasing discussed above from powder-based makeup applied on dry skin.

 

5. Mix It Up

There are some expert tips for how to make your summer foundation work in a pinch until you find the right winter foundation. For example, you can add a pea-sized amount of facial moisturizer to your regular foundation to lighten its color. Make sure to thoroughly work the foundation into skin though to make this quick fix look as natural as possible.

 

What’s one of your tips for a flawless winter complexion?