How to Do Makeup in Cold Weather (So It Doesn't Flake, Crack or Run)
By Viktoria @vioda.makeup ·
Cold air and indoor heating dry skin out from both sides, so the base that looked fine in September starts flaking by December. Here's how I change my routine for winter, step by step, from prep to the lip that has to survive a scarf.
Winter makeup that survives wind, central heating and the walk to work: how to prep for cold-weather dryness, swap your base for creams, stop foundation flaking and patchy noses, keep mascara from running when your eyes water, and wear lipstick over chapped lips.
Why makeup behaves differently in the cold
Winter attacks your makeup from two sides. Outside, cold air holds very little moisture and wind strips what's left off the surface of your skin. Inside, central heating does the same thing more slowly, all day. The result is skin that's tighter, rougher and quicker to show every dry patch, and makeup that sits on top of it instead of melting in.
That's why winter problems look so different from summer ones. In the heat, makeup slides off because there's too much oil. In the cold it does the opposite: foundation clings to flakes, powder turns cakey around the nose, concealer cracks under the eyes, and lipstick catches on every chapped line. The fix isn't more product. It's more moisture underneath and fewer dry layers on top.
Step 1: Prep for winter, not for the season you just had
Most winter makeup problems are really skin-prep problems. The single biggest change is swapping a light gel moisturiser for a richer cream and giving it a few minutes to sink in before anything goes on top. If you exfoliate, do it gently and the night before, never right before makeup, because freshly scrubbed winter skin is more likely to sting and patch.
A hydrating primer is worth it in winter even if you skip primer the rest of the year. The Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base is the classic rich primer-moisturiser, and that page compares it with the e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Face Cream Primer and Clinique Moisture Surge as cheaper options. If you want glow as well as slip, a luminous base like MAC Strobe Cream under foundation brings back the light winter skin loses. My full order of operations is in how to layer skincare under makeup.
Step 2: Swap to creams and thinner layers
Winter is the season for cream products. Powder blush, bronzer and highlighter sit on top of dry skin and grab onto texture; creams melt into it and move with your face. If you've been meaning to try a cream blush, this is the time, and there's a whole breakdown of the trade-offs in cream vs powder makeup. A balm or gel-cream blush like Glossier Cloud Paint or the cheaper e.l.f. Putty Blush sheers out on dry cheeks instead of patching.
For base, go one step lighter and one step dewier than you'd wear in summer. A skin tint or a satin foundation applied in thin layers, pressed in with a damp sponge, looks like skin in the cold; a full-coverage matte formula pressed on thickly is what cracks by lunchtime. If you're not sure which finish you are, start with how to pick the right foundation finish.
Step 3: Stop the flaking and the red nose
Two areas fail first in the cold: the sides of the nose and the chin, where skin dries and flakes, and the tip of the nose and cheeks, which go red in the wind. For flakes, don't buff harder. Press a tiny amount of balm or moisturiser over the patch with a fingertip, wait a minute, then press foundation over it with a damp sponge. Buffing a dry patch lifts it; pressing lays it flat. If it's already gone cakey, how to fix cakey foundation walks through the rescue.
For wind redness, a thin layer of green-tinted primer or corrector on the reddest spots does more than piling on foundation. The method is in my colour-correcting guide. Or lean into it: a flushed nose is exactly what the cold girl look is built around, so on a cold enough day, the redness can be the look rather than the problem.
Step 4: Under-eyes, and eyes that water in the wind
Under-eye concealer is the first thing to crack in dry air, so use less of it and keep it creamy. A hydrating formula such as the e.l.f. Hydrating Camo Concealer, applied only where you're actually dark and set with the lightest touch of powder (or none), holds up far better than a thick layer locked down with lots of powder. My concealer guide has the placement.
Cold wind makes eyes water, and watering eyes are what turn mascara into panda smudges. Waterproof mascara on at least the lower lashes, or skipping lower-lash mascara completely, solves most of it. There's more in how to stop mascara smudging and the waterproof makeup guide. Carry a cotton bud: a quick sweep under the eye when you come in from the cold saves the whole look.
Step 5: Set without drying everything out
Setting is where a lot of winter makeup goes wrong. A full face of powder on dry skin is what turns a good base cakey by mid-afternoon. Keep powder to the places that genuinely crease or shine, usually the centre of the forehead and around the nose, and leave the cheeks alone. If you'd rather skip powder entirely, how to set makeup without powder covers the alternatives.
A hydrating or dewy setting spray is the better way to lock a winter base. It melts powder back into the skin and adds a little moisture on top. My setting spray guide has the technique, and how to choose the right setting spray explains the difference between dewy and matte formulas.
Lips that survive the cold (and a scarf)
Chapped lips are the reason most people give up on lipstick in winter. The fix starts the night before: a thick balm or lip mask overnight, then a gentle wipe with a damp cloth in the morning to lift the flakes. Before lipstick, balm again and blot the excess so colour has something smooth to sit on. A tinted balm like Dior Lip Glow or a lip butter like Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm covers both jobs, and both pages list cheaper alternatives. My tinted lip balm ranking has more.
If you want colour that lasts under a scarf, pick a creamy or satin formula over a fully matte liquid, which dries out and cracks on winter lips, and line first so the edges don't feather. Winter is also when deep shades look their best: a cranberry wine look or an iced berry lip suits the season and is forgiving to wear.
FAQ
More from the blog
How to Stop Concealer From Creasing Under Your Eyes
Concealer that settles into fine lines by mid-morning is almost always too much product on a dry, unset base. Here's the prep-and-set method that keeps under-eyes smooth all day.
How to Fix Cakey Foundation (and Stop It Happening Again)
Cakey foundation almost always comes down to too much product, dry skin, or heavy powder. Here's the fast mid-day rescue, plus how to build a base that never cakes in the first place.
Why Makeup Breaks Down in Humidity (and How to Fix It)
Humidity is the hardest test for makeup. Here's what actually causes breakdown and the exact product swaps that prevent it.