Upgrade Your Winter Makeup Routine With These 6 Product Swaps

December 11, 2023

By: Jessica Harrington | Makeup.com by L'Oréal

Everyone talks about the product switches you’re supposed to make in your skincare routine come winter, but your makeup routine tends to get left out of the conversation. As the weather gets colder and the air gets drier, you may need to incorporate hydrating products on both ends of your beauty lineup. Not sure what to swap? Keep scrolling for our editor-approved tips and product suggestions.

Swap in a Radiance-Boosting or Hydrating Makeup Primer

Winter skin tends to lose its radiance. In addition to keeping your winter skincare routine stacked with gentle exfoliators to buff away dull skin, reach for a dewy, glow-inducing or hydrating makeup primer. For an option that prioritizes moisture (plus a ton of other benefits like tightening and minimizing the appearance of pores), reach for the NYX Professional Makeup Face Freezie Cooling Primer + Moisturizer. If you’re in the market for some extra glow, we recommend layering a product like the L’Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Glotion under your foundation.

Swap in a Hydrating Foundation

Products that combine makeup and skincare will be your best friend this season. Take the IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation + Skincare: This hydrating formula is made with hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and vitamins E and B5 to moisturize and even out your complexion.

Swap in a Liquid Concealer

Unlike summer skin that tends to be oily and often calls for lightweight coverage products, winter complexions can usually handle a thicker or hydrating concealer formula without smearing or melting away. One of our new favorites is the Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Care & Glow Serum Concealer. Formulated with an 81% serum base, it provides medium coverage and a soft-glow finish that’ll give life to dull winter skin.

Swap in a Matte Bronzer

A shimmery bronzer may be your go-to in summer for faking a sun-kissed glow, but as you transition into winter, reach for matte formulas to master that natural contour. The Milani Silky Matte Bronzing Powder gives you just the right amount of color to add warmth to your face without looking too overpowering.

Swap in a Silky Blush

Some powders can look cakey on an already-parched complexion, but the Giorgio Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Glow Blush has a fine-milled consistency that creates a natural-looking, non-cakey flush.

Swap in a Creamy Highlighter

To get that summer glow that you crave during winter, try the Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Highlighter Wand. It has a buildable, creamy texture that effortlessly blends into the skin and offers a radiant look. We also love the YSL Beauty Nu Halo Tint Highlighter. Available in three shades, the formula’s micro-pearls help create a luminous finish that sticks around for up to 24 hours.

Photo: Anisha Sisodia