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The holiday season has come to an end… now what? It’s natural to feel a little bummed out after two months of hustle and bustle. If you live in a colder climate, the winter weather can feel the opposite of inspiring, but the chilly season shouldn’t put the kibosh on your makeup game. The opposite, actually—the long nights and icy mornings of winter are the perfect environment to unleash your creativity.
“Winter beauty stands out because it’s a great way to wear impactful looks by playing with textures versus colors,” says J. Brandon Correa, national makeup artist for YSL Beauté. “What makes it special and fun is that you can explore your inner artist and try something new by adding to your usual beauty routine.”
Below, discover the biggest and best winter makeup trends for January and beyond, straight from the pros.
01 of 10
Frosty Face
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Look out your window for makeup inspo this season and get creative with textures and colors reminiscent of the icy winter mornings. “It’s cold and frosty outside, and playing off motifs like snow, ice, sparkles… we’re here for it all,” says Jeanine Lobell, celebrity makeup artist and Neen founder. “[The trend] is inspired by the cool, crisp tones of snow and ice, capturing the season’s essence. Think Elsa chic with icy colors on the face, like silvers, pale blues, and frosty pinks.”
The Frosty Face is all about highlighter, Lobell says, citing her Neen Pretty Shiny Cream Highlighter ($29) as the ideal product to bring this look to life—especially the aptly named Frosty shade. For cheeks, think “post-blizzard glow” a la the TikTok “I’m cold” trend (she likes her Get it All Done Cream Cheek & Lip, $29, for this). “A super poppy pink is great–you want to look like you’ve been caught in a storm,” she says. Add a frosty cool touch to eyes with the Side Eye Liner ($19) in Minty and pop Neen’s Glisten Up lip gloss ($27) in Bye, a shimmery pink, on your lips.
02 of 10
Lady in Red
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Whether it’s your closet, your accessories or your makeup bag, red continues to be the go-to accent color du jour, and it shows no signs of slowing down in 2024, especially pre-Valentine’s Day. Ditch your lip gloss in favor of a bright, vibrant red instead. “It’s the perfect time to go with a kissable red lipstick,” says celebrity makeup artist Kasey Spickard, citing Maybelline SuperStay Vinyl ($13) in Red Hot as a must-have red with lots of shine and a warm tone. “It has a real vibrance to it and once these dry down, they don’t move but still give you high shine,” he explains. “My other main-stay is the Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain ($15) in Chili Pepper, a matte vibrant red-orange that stays all day.”
03 of 10
Mood Makeup
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Donni Davy, Half Magic co-founder and head makeup artist on Euphoria, lives in California where there’s year-round sun, so she creates her own winter mood via makeup. “A dark lip instantly transforms me into a sort of witchier version of myself, and adding sparkle on my eyes brings a little joyful balance to the look,” she explains. “It’s fun to go a little inward during the winter and go to a darker place.” Her “joyfully moody” look features dewy skin, glittery eyes with lots of mascara and a vampy dark lip.
To bring it to life, Davy recommends Half-Magic’s Glitterpill Eye Paint + Liner ($22) in Holy Goldie or Microcosm for the “perfect winter sparkles”; apply them together on bare lids for a snowy feel. Then, pile on the Eyelectric Extreme Lengthening Mascara ($25) to accentuate the sparkle. Davy calls Mouth Cloud Soft Matte Lip Cream ($20) in Edward’s Fantasy her “go-to vampy lip,” and deepens the tone with Sculptitude 2-in-1 Longwear Lip Liner ($16) in Sugar Plum B*itch.
04 of 10
Pink Frost
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If you loaded on the blush as part of the TIkTok “I’m cold” trend last year, you’ll love this 2024 update. “This trend is all about adding a sophisticated edge to ‘cold girl’ makeup with the addition of black to emphasize shape and structure,” explains Correa. To start, prep your skin with your usual foundation, concealer and contour, then apply YSL’s Nu Lip and Cheek Balmy Tint ($28) in NuChills on the cheek for a see through, balmy finish. Take any remaining color and apply it to the tip of your nose for a frostbitten “just came in from the cold” vibe.
On your eyes, Correa recommends blending a few shades from YSL’s Couture Mini Clutch palette ($68) in Babylone Roses. “Utilize the midtone shade to contour eye shape, then apply midtone shimmer on lid and add depth with the deepest shade along the upper and lower lash lines,” he advises. “Tap the topper shade on the top left to the inner corners of eye for an icy pop.” Apply mascara and liner, then finish with a combo of the Balmy Tint and Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick ($39) in Sweet Pink.
05 of 10
Soft Ombré Lips
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The ombré lip look has been trending on TikTok this season, and Carolina Gonzalez, celebrity makeup artist and Armani beauty collective member, is all about a soft, diffused version. It’s also easy to DIY with a bit of practice. “The deepest point of the lip color begins at the inner part of the lip, and then it’s buffed out to the edges,” she explains. “I love this look because it is dreamy and leaves the lips looking really full.”
Gonzalez recommends starting with Armani Beauty’s Lip Power Long-Lasting Matte Lipstick ($45) in 407. “Pucker your lips and with the bullet-point tip, just rub the color generously in the middle of both the top and bottom lips,” Gonzalez explains. “From there, fan the outer edges out slightly over the lip line with a small brush.” For additional drama, apply Armani Beauty’s Luminous Silk Glow Blush ($38) in shade 61, a raspberry pink, to the outer lips up to the lip lines with a full crease brush. “Avoid touching the inner part of the lip where the color is dense,” Gonzalez advises. “This silk powder blush gives it an extra velvet like finish and makes the lips appear fuller and fluffier.”
06 of 10
Statement Eyeliner
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Jillian Dempsey, celebrity makeup artist and founder of Jillian Dempsey, recently visited the UK and found herself inspired by the colder weather and the bold tones she saw. One such trend was statement eyeliner. “Eyes are big this winter. Expect eyeliners to be a major statement,” she says. “The strength of this look comes from lining both the upper and lower eyelids and creating a shape that works for your eyes.” Dempsey likes blackberry, muted black and deep mahogany shades for a fun change from your basic browns and blacks. Draw on thick wings, waterliner, exaggerated cat eyes—it’s all fair game. “My Flyk Trick Mascara ($26) works as a 2-in-1 mascara and liquid liner so you can create a bold personal eyeliner look that fits your winter plans,” says Dempsey.
07 of 10
Jewel Toned Eyes
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If frosty finishes aren’t your thing, lean into rich, vibrant jewel-like shades instead. Sapphire, emerald and ruby play well with the icy whites and grays of your winter wardrobe. “I’m seeing a lot of brands complement the burgundy shades in their collections with emerald and midnight blue mascaras and eyeliners,” says Spickard. “It’s an easy way to add some variety and fun into makeup during these dark and cold months.” He loves Lancôme’s colored mascaras, especially the emerald green Noir Malachite, for a subtle dose of unexpected color. For lids, try the Pat Mcgrath Dark Star Eye Duo ($46) which Spickard describes as “an opulent blue sapphire shimmer shade,” and apply a gloss topper over the color to really make the sparkle stand out.
08 of 10
Dewy Gold
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Feeling the chill? Warm up with shades of gold. “Gold tones bring much-needed warmth to the skin, which can often look dull in winter due to the lack of sunlight,” says Lobell. “The dewy aspect of this trend helps combat the dryness that comes with winter weather, giving the skin a hydrated, healthy glow.” Even if you’re not heading out on a tropical vacation, you can pretend you are via your makeup.
“Think warm, golden hues that give off a radiant, sun-kissed glow,” Lobell explains. “It often includes a focus on dewy skin, highlighting with gold-toned highlighters and gold-toned eyeshadows. Be the luminous queen you’re meant to be.” Her recs include Neen’s Pretty Shiny Cream Highlighter in Metta on the cheekbones and Pretty Shady Pressed Pigment ($29) in Flash, Fade and Faint—all gold and rose gold hues that shimmer beautifully on eyes. Finish with a brown or nude lip.
09 of 10
Snowlit Shine
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Minimal makeup doesn’t have to be boring; it can shine just like a full face of blush, contour and liner. “This trend gives your skin time to ‘rest’ from heavier makeup routines,” explains Correa. “It is perfect for this season because it combines the idea of a snowy, luminous aesthetic with a radiant glow.” He took inspiration from the sunlight that reflects off snow and applied that glittering brightness to the face. “Think about minimalist, clean skin, translucent sparkles on the eyes, full lashes and glowing lips.”
Given that this look is all about the skin, Correa recommends concealing and brightening with the YSL Touche Éclat All-Over Brightening Concealer Pen ($40). Skip contour and bronzer and keep the focus on your eyes, applying a shimmery topper shade on the center of the lid. “Either do a light contour on the eye or leave the shimmer alone,” he says. Finish with mascara and a colorless lip plumping balm like Candy Glaze.
10 of 10
Bold Lips
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If you typically wear a lot of black and gray come winter (guilty), zhush up your basics with a bright lip. “A bold lip is a great way to make a statement during the winter when fashion and weather can often feel more muted,” says Lobell. “Bold lips are perfect for the season as they contrast against the typically pale and sallow skin tones that many people experience during this season. This contrast can brighten the complexion and add energy to the overall appearance.” Think crimson, deep berry or vibrant Barbie fuchsia lips paired with minimal, understated makeup elsewhere. “It's a daring and sophisticated look, ideal for making a strong style statement in the winter months.”
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