Look, we’ve all been there. It’s mid-February, the air is dry and so are parts of our faces. Makeup takes forever, and even when we finish, we deal with concealer flaking off and dullness. Unfortunately, we can’t curl up in a ball and pretend we never made plans for the entirety of this month. Instead, here are some tips and tricks to keep glowing during the brutal winter.

Opting for a luxurious moisturizer and serum helps plump the skin before you put makeup on top, which will help foundation and concealer glide on without any hiccups. This can be tricky if you deal with excessive oils, but there are moisturizers out there that are perfect for oily skin. Consider Caudalie’s brightening moisturizer with niacinamide, which is an ingredient proven to reduce the overproduction of oil all over the face. If you tend toward dry skin all over during winter, on the other hand, a rich moisturizer will create the perfect barrier between your skin and your makeup for a fresh look.

Let’s be honest, though. Sometimes our skincare routines fail us in the worst ways, leaving us grabbing water sprayers and throwing highlighter on our faces to save our makeup looks.

Well, we’re going to fix that right now.

Eyes

This is always heavily debated, but sometimes it’s best to start with the eyes first, especially for the glowy winter look. We’re not going for matte and basic hues on our eyelids and waterline, but rather embracing the season with some frosty features.

Blue and grey are winter vibes every year because of their cool tones, so it makes sense to keep those colors in rotation, but any shade of cream eyeshadow is a hidden weapon when you’re achieving the glowy winter look. Then, wipe off the eyeshadow that inevitably landed beneath your eyelashes and start to prep your skin.

Face

Spray your face with an elixir that will hydrate and prep the skin all in one. This way, you don’t need separate facial sprays, mists and primers. Then, grab your favorite skin tint or tinted gel for an instant glow. Most foundations find those dry patches on the face and cling to them, and we don’t want that!

If you want extra glow underneath your skin tint, use an illuminator.

Next, try a hydrating concealer under the eyes and over any spots. Set it with the lightest possible amount of powder, or completely take powder out of the rotation. Apply setting spray to the concealed areas, instead.

Blush

A perfect way to incorporate some glow into your makeup look is cream blush. It’s the secret weapon of a makeup look, and it never lets us down. You can play around with pigment levels and shades to find the one that makes you appear rosy from blustery snow. The more vibrant the better!

Highlighter

Add a dab of highlighter to your cheekbones, cupid’s bow, and the tip of your nose for a flawless boost of shine. In the wondrous spirit that is the dry season, make sure it has a silver base.

Lips

Last, but certainly not least, are lips. Lipstick and glosses can be the defining aspect of a complete makeup look, which we never forget, especially when we’re rummaging through our vanity drawers looking for every shade we own. The best policy is to match your eyes and your lips, but winter is the moment for shades of red.

When in doubt, go for a hydrating lip tint that will keep you looking fresh when the weather only wants you to be chapped and aggressively clutching your chapstick.

These changes to your winter makeup routine will take you to the next level by removing “dull” and “lifeless” from your makeup vocabulary. Forget the ruined days and embrace your new, much-deserved title: ice queen.

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