Winter is upon us, and as the temperature drops, so does our skin's moisture levels. The combination of harsh winds, central heating, and hot showers can leave our skin feeling dry, tight and dehydrated, leading to flakiness and an uneven texture. This can make applying makeup a real challenge, as it can cause patching, flaking, and uneven coverage. Therefore, it's essential to develop a winter skincare routine to prep and condition your skin before makeup to maintain hydration and lock in moisture throughout the day, as well as keep your foundation in place and maintain longevity.
What is the best winter skincare routine?
Dryness, dehydration and dullness are common skin concerns that people experience with the winter weather. So how to maintain glowing skin in winter? It's best to swap out lightweight products for more hydrating products that lock in moisture. Layering products is also crucial to prevent your skin from drying out. A good winter skincare routine consists of a cleanser, serum, moisturiser, and an optional primer. Start by cleansing your skin with a balm or cleansing oil, followed by a hydrating serum or facial oil, then apply a moisturising face cream, and finally, prep your base with a primer.
Why is it important to prep your skin before makeup?
Skincare before makeup is a must-do if you want your makeup to look flawless all day long. Prepping and conditioning your skin prior to makeup is essential to maintain hydration and lock in moisture throughout the day. It helps to create a long-lasting makeup look and prevents patching and uneven coverage. A good skincare routine before makeup helps to create a smooth canvas for your makeup, making it easier to apply and ensures that it stays in place throughout the day.
How to best prepare your skin for makeup application?
In winter, you'll need more steps and products to prepare your skin for the winter elements. Let's go in-depth on how to best prep your skin for makeup during winter.
M·A·C's Senior Artist Carol Mackie and National Education Manager Ocea McKenzie shared with us some of their favourite go-to products that help prep your skin for makeup and prolonging your makeup throughout the day.
Step 1: Cleanse your face with the Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil
The first step in any good winter skincare routine is to cleanse your skin. The Hyper Real Fresh Canvas Cleansing Oil is perfect for this as it moisturises your skin as it cleanses, leaving your skin feeling soft and smooth. It's designed for all skin types and is formulated with natural ingredients such as chamomile oil and sea buckthorn oil, making it perfect for sensitive skin.
Step 2: Apply a hydrating serum or facial oil to your skin
Serums and facial oils are an essential part of any skincare routine, especially during the winter months. They help to lock in moisture and nourish your skin, leaving it feeling soft, supple and glowing. The Hyper Real Serumizer is a serum-moisturiser hybrid that balances, retexturises, and strengthens the skin barrier for a pore-minimised canvas with lit-from-within radiance. It contains rare White Japanese Peony extract, Hyaluronic Acid, and Niacinamide to refine the texture of the skin, minimise open pores, and repair the barrier of the skin to provide the perfect radiant skin base for foundation.
Step 3: Apply a moisturising face cream
As the temperatures start to drop and the harsh winds of winter set in, it’s important to adjust your skincare routine to keep your skin healthy and hydrated. One essential step in any winter skincare routine is applying a moisturising face cream. The best moisturiser for winter not only provides instant hydration, but will help your skin retain its moisture throughout the day. The Hyper Real Skincanvas Balm is a great option to keep your skin soft and supple during the colder months. This indulgent and rich cream is fast-absorbing, deeply hydrating, and restores the skin with its blend of Ceramides, White Japanese Peony Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Mango and Avocado Butters.
Carol swears by the Hyper Real Skincanvas Balm and uses it morning and night to condition her skin throughout the day. Using a moisturiser in your winter skincare routine can help to prevent dry, flaky skin and plump up fine lines. Richer, more hydrating formulas are better suited for the winter months when your skin needs that extra boost of moisture.
Step 4: Prep your base with a primer
Many people make the mistake of thinking that a moisturiser alone is enough to prime their skin for makeup application. However, using a primer is an important step in achieving a flawless makeup look. A good primer is the ultimate skin prep before makeup as it works to smooth out the skin, minimise pores, and help your makeup to last longer.
M·A·C offers two great options for primers, the Studio Fix Mattifine 12hr Shine-Control Primer and the Studio Radiance Moisturizing + Illuminating Silky Primer. The Studio Fix Mattifine Primer is perfect for reducing the appearance of pores and shine, while the Studio Radiance Moisturizing Primer is great for hydrating and smoothing the skin for a radiant finish. By using a primer, you can create a smooth base for your makeup that will help it to look flawless all day long.
Step 5: Apply a boost of hydration with Fix+ Magic Radiance
The last step to your skincare routine before makeup is a little extra hydration. Once you’ve applied your moisturiser and primer, it’s time to give your skin an extra boost of hydration with the Fix+ Magic Radiance spray. This spray is loaded with Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid, and essential oils, making it the perfect product to refresh and hydrate your skin before makeup application. Carol uses this spray on all skin types before every application to smooth and prep the skin for moisturiser.
Not only can the Fix+ Magic Radiance spray be used before makeup application, but it can also be used after to finish your makeup and give your skin a healthy glow. Plus, it can be reapplied throughout the day to refresh and hydrate the skin, making it a must-have product in your winter skincare routine.
Following these three steps of moisturising, priming, and hydrating with M·A·C products can help you achieve a flawless makeup look while keeping your skin healthy and hydrated during the colder months. Don’t forget to adjust your skincare routine as the seasons change and invest in products that will protect and nourish your skin all winter long.
