As the seasons change, our makeup changes with them. The winter weather might call for some adjustments to our morning beauty routine—like tackling dry skin or taming frizzy hair.
Check out what some of the QC Makeup Academy staff are loving this winter season as we share our winter beauty must-haves!
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream
Especially in Canada, the cold winter weather can be very harsh on your skin! The transition from the cold outside to the warm and dry environments inside can cause your skin to experience more dry patches than usual. Thus, my winter must-have this year is Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream.
The price of a small jar (1.7 fl. oz) is approximately $30, but it’s definitely worth the price! I primarily use it as a night cream and find it really softens my skin for my morning makeup routine. However, on days when my skin is particularly dry, I do use a thin layer under my makeup, and it goes on without feeling greasy. The only downside is that it does not offer SPF protection, so remember to put on facial sunscreen along with the cream (if you use it as a day moisturizer), even during the wintertime!
-Corina
Aveda’s Smooth Infusion Naturally Straight
My go-to product this winter is, without a doubt, Aveda’s Smooth Infusion Naturally Straight hair cream. Retailing at about $30.00, it’s definitely worth the professional price point as it truly works wonders! It’s a buildable product, so it takes a few post-wash applications to see the full effects. It also won’t fully wash out until you shampoo your hair a few times without applying it after, so a tube lasts a really long time.
My hair is naturally wavy/curly and is on the dry and frizzy side in the winter, thanks to the cold air outside and the furnace being on inside. This product is super hydrating, and relaxes my curls in to soft, natural looking waves. It also seriously cuts down on blow-dry time, and keeps heat styled hair looking polished, even when hats are being pulled on and off!
If that’s not enough, this product smells amazing, and can even be applied on dry hair to tame fly-aways and add a little texture. If you have curly or wavy hair that you would like to soften and smooth while reducing your style time, then I would definitely recommend Aveda’s Naturally Straight!
-Heather
TokyoMilk Dark Femme Fatale Collection Lip Elixirs
I have chronically dry lips year-round, but winter is the worst. I go through lip products like crazy, but despite frequent applications, most don’t provide moisture for very long—or, even worse, they just end up drying my lips out even more. Not fun.
I got my first TokyoMilk Dark lip elixir as a Christmas present a few years ago, and it was a total game-changer! Since then I’ve tried a few different balms and glosses, but I always end up coming back to this brand. It features Aloe Vera, vitamin E, and bee balm, a combination that creates a truly moisturizing formula. I put a little bit on every morning, and I find that it pretty much does the job for the rest of the day. Sometimes I’ll reapply once or twice, but as long as I start my day with it I can avoid painfully dry, chapped lips.
This is definitely the most cost-effective part of my daily beauty routine. One pot is about $7.00 (USD) and it can easily last me all year. I buy mine from Sephora, but you can also order right from the TokyMilk Dark website. Plus, it comes in a bunch of fancy flavors—no plain old vanilla here! My favorite is La Vie En Rose, but I also love the Salted Caramel. The next up on my to-try list? Cherry Bourbon!
(And check out the vintage-style tin. Come on, how cute is that?)
-Alicia
Too Faced Candlelight Glow Highlighting Powder Duo
This past summer, the strobing trend dominated the makeup world—and people are still buzzing about the gorgeous effect it creates (including myself)! While the summer sun already brings out a natural glow in my skin, the wintertime is another story…
So I turned to strobing to get my glow on, even in the cold winter weather. I tried many strobing product options until I found my holy grail: the Too Faced Candlelight Glow Highlighting Powder Duo in Rosy Glow. It’s the perfect product for a stay-all-day, doesn’t-blind-my-coworkers shine.
A little goes a long way with this product, but at the same time it is not overpoweringly glittery. It’s super mutli-functional as you can use it on the cheekbone, browbone, the inner corner of the eye, cupid’s bow, and more! Totally worth the $30 (USD) pricetag.
(I’m with Alicia on this… Who can resist pretty packaging? Clearly not I!)
-Ana
