SEASONAL MAKEUP
One minute it seems like you are mattifying your makeup in the humid summer heat and then all of a sudden it is the dead of winter and all the moisture is being sucked from your dermal layer. Or maybe that is just here in Canada! I wanted to share a few extra steps I have learned to incorporate f you happen to be dealing with unbalanced skin.
TOO OILY AND TOO DRY ARE SURPRISINGLY ONE AND THE SAME
It is ALL the same to your skin. It is ‘out of wack’ and to fix it your skin is over-compensating which is creating more of an imbalance. If you add pore-clogging, synthetic makeup and chemical-based skincare to the mix you have utter chaos and your skin can take a lot longer to recover and return to normal. Whether skin is too oily or too dry we first recommend treating it with oil. I like to have my Argan and Raspberry Elixirs take turns because each natural oil has its own unique healing properties. If you want to keep it simple, our clay-based foundations are a good place to start on top of the Elixir. Without the Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Dimethicone and Talc in them they are light as air on the skin and yet they offer full, buildable, breathable coverage.
THE PREP WORK MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE
I recommend starting with our Glacial Clay Cleanser or Purifying Cleanser. Mix half a teaspoon with water or our Balancing Mist until you can make a paste and massage well into face and neck in a circular motion. If your skin is extremely dry you can trade the water or Mist up for one of our Elixirs. Rinse off well and immediately follow with our Coconut Cream or Purifying Primer. If your skin is extremely dry and tight, mix a few drops of Elixir in with the CC or PP. For a more intense, hydrated glow, do these steps before you jump in the shower. Your skin will have a gorgeous glow when you hope out. Make sure you cleanse and moisturize your eyebrows too! There is still skin underneath them and you want it to be well-moisturized too.
LIKE CANADIAN WINTER FASHION, IT IS ALL ABOUT LAYERS AND TEXTURES
Once your skin is prepped you can apply your makeup to hold onto that glow and protect your skin from the elements. The order is important. Apply Brighteners first where needed. For full coverage I recommend BB Cream, HDD Cream, and Bio-foundation in that order, using the appropriate brushes. One product I definitely go through more of in the winter is my Love Balm. Love may not be your color but the texture of any shade of Bio-Cocoa Balm is great as a cream blush with a little more glow than our Aloe Cream Tints. If your skin tone is more on the cool side try our new Adrenaline Rush BCB. Love Bio-Cocoa Balm and He’s The One Aloe Cream Tint are a beautiful mix too!
ALL ABOUT BROWS
With this step your brow brush is extremely important. I highly recommend our Defining Moment Brush. You should have a spoolie brush (like a mascara brush) on one end or on its own so you can comb your brows neatly into place. By combing your brows on a daily basis you can actually train them to stay in place. Our Aloe Cream Tints hold the brow hairs in place, kind of like a hair wax. If you do not have a good quality brush you will not be able to mimic the look of thin brow hairs where there are sparse areas. Big, beautiful brows (as seen below) give a lift to the face if done correctly and will make you look younger, just like pencil-thin brows make little girls look older. For most, an Aloe Cream Tint like Martini (for blondes, redheads, and grey hair) and Vintage (for medium and dark brunettes) look natural and yet give lots of color and thickness to brows. If your brows are extremely sparse in areas, if you have a scar in your brow, or if you are going through chemotherapy I recommend incorporating a little Illuminating Loose Tint (paired with Martini ACT) or Vintage Loose Tint (paired with VIntage ACT). If you feel you have gone too dark with your brows, just brush a little Bio-Foundation through your brows.
FEED YOUR SKIN
I like the idea of walking around with a nourishing mask on my face all day. However, not a visible one. By following these steps you have created just that. Not only do you have lasting coverage and color but the all-day hydrating effects will keep the air from dehydrating your largest organ. It is also an inside job. You will notice a huge difference in the glow and elasticity of your skin when you are happy, get enough rest, and eat and drink fresh, whole foods. You can also carry your Balancing Mist with you to give an extra burst of hydration to your skin throughout the day.
Happy playing!
Jo
P.S. This post’s photos were taken in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
