winter make up tips

As a special holiday gift,  I asked my friend Jean-François to do one of his fantastic makeup tutorials showcasing some winter trends!  I’m a huge fan of his Youtube tutorials and I hope you all are as thrilled as I am to have him join us for this issue of FORA!
In addition, I’ve included a list of essentials that I believe are a MUST in creating your best makeup looks (outside of the makeup colors themselves!)  Holiday season is THE BEST time to cash in on fantastic deals and sets for less at department and drug stores… so you can look naughty OR nice!
Clean, Prepped Skin I can never stress the importance of taking care of your skin enough.  It’s the canvas for every look… with or without makeup! If your skin doesn’t look good, neither will your makeup. Cleanse, Exfoliate, and Moisturize morning and night and you will see a huge difference.  Skincare lines I like are Dermalogica, Clean & Clear, Clarins, and MAC.
Makeup Brushes
Ok, let’s face it.  Those little spongetip applicators that come with the eyeshadow are just… meh.  Ideally, get the best brushes you can afford.  With proper care,  brushes can last you for years!  (I love MAC Cosmetics brushes-they have great sets on sale around the holiday season!! Many drug stores have some decent brushes as well!)  You probably need around 5 or 6 brushes to have what you need to do your whole face:    -powder/blush brush ( a medium size, not too huge)
-small angle brush (for eyeliner and brows)
- medium flat brush (for applying eyeshadows)
-medium teardrop-shaped brush (for blending eyeshadows and doing a crease)
-a lip brush OR a small stiff brush for applying concealer
Eyeshadow Base
Eyeshadow base keeps your eyeshadow on with no creasing or fading for over 12 hours.  I’m not joking!!  It can be worn alone or under powder eyeshadows.
I’d suggest MAC Paints in ‘Bare Canvas’ for lighter/medium skintones and MAC Paint in ‘Bamboom’ for darker skintones.  (The base should be a bit lighter than your skintone, or match it exactly-not darker).  I also like NARS eyeshadow base, and Cover FX Eye Prep.
Mascara
Seriously, why waste time doing your makeup when in an hour you have messy mascara smudges?  Unless you are *actually* going for that Courtney Love/Marilyn Manson look, get a good mascara.  Waterproof doesn’t necessarily mean smudge-proof; if you have oily skin, waterproof may smudge. (they are water-proof, NOT oil-proof.  Oil is what you remove waterproof products with).   Some brands that work well for me are Covergirl Lash Blast, L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara, and Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Mascara.
Peach/Warm Toned Concealer
You may need help choosing your perfect shade, but your concealer should be slightly more peachy and not *too* much lighter than your own skin.  Peachy/warm concealer tones under the eyes help your skin look bright and hide dark circles.  Concealer that is too yellow under the eyes can look ashy.  I like MAC concealers, Cover FX concealer, and the Lise Watier Portfolio Concealer Wheels.
If you have the essentials, you will be able to create hundreds of makeup looks and just pick up one or two colour trends every season!  Now, ready…set…. MAKEUP!!!