By now, our cheeks and noses are getting rosier, we’re leaning towards all the warmer colors in our wardrobes, and we may want our makeup to match the frosty vibes. It can sometimes be tricky to hack the best late-season look, but fret not, because the beauty professionals have you covered.
What is fall, winter, and overall cozy season glam? To me, that feels like a solid skin routine that makes for a hydrated base, and striking warm tones that enhance a moodier feel. The key to a truly flawless makeup look is going to be the skincare, every time! And a deep plum or wine-colored accent is always welcome in my book.
With the stunning beauty looks we are already seeing brighten up the season, ESSENCE goes straight to the source to ask some of our favorite makeup artists what to add to our cold weather beauty repertoire. Makeup artists Breanna Harmon and Lake Sanu fill us in on where they draw inspiration from for this seasonal style, how to achieve the best toasty look, and what products are in their kits.
Setting The Tone
A peak inside the pros’ moodboards would find “high glam that you can almost touch and smell,” as Sanu puts it. Their seasonal inspiration consists of blurred shimmery eyes, soft brows, bold lips, rich blush, and radiant skin. Where Harmon goes for a deep-toned tightline eyeliner paired with lash clusters, Sanu loves a smudged liner and intense lash look.
“I think of bolder eye looks whether that be cool or warm tones including metallic or shimmer details, a soft matte complexion, and lips in rich, deep tones that echo the warmth of the season,” Harmon begins. Sanu also takes this season to opt for more striking hues, with a “tones on tones” approach, as she offers: “nudes, browns, berries, and earthy greens, blues, and purples. It’s all about bold shimmers paired with cool mattes. This season, I’m bringing out the black liner!”
Toasted To Perfection
Harmon’s ideal end-of-year makeup look drums up a particular energy: “it embodies beautifully lived-in skin with accents that highlight each person’s individual style. It’s about looking and feeling like yourself, but with a subtle edge.” Some may play with a level of “quiet intensity,” that features a natural beat with a pop of the eye or lip, and hers is all about the details.
“Mine features tightlining along both the upper and lower lash lines, with the lower liner softly smoked out for a diffused finish.” For this, she loves Paris Berlin or Makeup Forever pencils, for their smudgeability without drying too fast.
“I love natural lashes enhanced with a few coats of mascara, and I always make sure to curl the lashes before, moving the curler from root to tip for an even, beautiful curl. A pop of shimmer centered on the lid, softly blended into the inner and outer corners. The complexion stays fresh and skinlike, polished but not overdone with warmth through the cheeks and balance between radiance and a soft matte finish.”
To achieve this warm radiant base, she doesn’t spare a detail: “For blush placement, I like to start at the mid-cheek and sweep it up toward the temple for a lifted look. I like to use a lightweight skin tint followed by a full coverage concealer on areas on the face that need more coverage, this keeps the finish natural, fresh, and polished. A light finishing powder keeps the skin semi-matte while still letting it glow where it should.”
To Sanu, it’s all about pulling the attention into the eye, and she gets granular as she shares her routine with ESSENCE:
“Start with a neutral brown shadow to create depth through the crease, diffused all the way to the brow bone. Add a soft shimmer through the center of the lid, a touch on the inner corner and a kiss beneath the brow bone. Frame the eyes with a creamy black pencil, then smudge it out for that effortless edge. When in doubt: mascara, mascara, and more mascara! Pair your eyes with glowing skin and a berry or brown ombré lip topped with glistening gloss. And don’t skip lip liner, it’s your secret weapon for dimension. Overline just the center of your lips, then feather it into your natural lip line. Blend with a pencil brush before gloss or lipstick for the perfect ombré. The more sparkle, the better.”
She urges us to look at “imperfection as perfection,” meaning more smudge and diffusion where you can, and soft brows achieved with brow gel. Also, to opt for cream-based blushes: “Blend it across the apples of your cheeks, then tap the leftover product across your nose and temples for that natural, flushed-from-within look.”
Winter Beauty Bag Must-Haves
When the breeze picks up and the air feels dryer, our skin pays the price. Layering effective products that nourish, exfoliate, and soothe is ideal for a balanced glow no matter the makeup routine, and Harmon and Sanu have several options to offer.
“I focus on restoring hydration with a good moisturizer and refreshing facial spray. I love using a ‘skin smoothie’ approach—starting with a milky toner like Laneige Cream Skin Toner, followed by Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré, which creates the perfect base for foundation, helping it blend seamlessly, last longer, and double as a primer,” Harmon tells us. Danessa Myricks Beauty Glow Serum is also a routine favorite, and she has quite a few recommendations for targeting the lips and undereyes this season. For thirsty lips? MAC Cosmetics lip conditioners, Kiko Scrub & Peel Wipes, and Neutrogena Hydro Boost lip balm or Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask to seal the deal. To lock in undereye hydration she loves eye patches from NuFace, Peter Thomas Roth, or CosRX.
Sanu suggests liquid exfoliants like, “AHA, BHA, glycolic, or salicylic acids to boost cell turnover, and night masks for your lips and face to lock in hydration, keeping your skin plump and foundation-ready.
In a similar vein, Sanu is all about hydration and radiance. Her favorite complexion products include Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Serum Skin Tint, Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint, and Mary Phillips Underpaint Face Palette for adding extra coverage and dimension. For skincare, she recommends: The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner, Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, and Kunbi Skin Bio-Collagen Deep Penetrating Mask. Eyes and lips: Danessa Myricks Lightwork VII Palette, Sephora Collection lip gloss, MAC lip liners, and Breellian Cosmetics Pigments (must have shades include Golden Hour, Lemon & Lime, and Purple Reign).
Jewels For The Season
To round out the chilly beat breakdowns, Harmon and Sanu offer some final advice for beauty beginners and veterans alike. Regardless of your skill level, Harmon suggests to prioritize balance, “enhance what you love, keep the skin looking real, and make it feel like you.” She encourages beginners to start small and focus on a solid, radiant base, incorporating a simple eye look and blending it well. For the more seasoned beauty lovers, she urges them to play with more dimensions, with a reminder that “not every element needs to be bold.”
A beauty tip she lives by is, “Your hands are your best tools, don’t be afraid to use the back of your hand as a palette and your fingers as brushes.” This way, you can warm up the product, creating an even blend and natural finish. Finally, “always curl your lashes, skin prep is your best friend, and experiment. Who knows, your unique look could be the next big ‘trend.’”
Sanu tells us that liquid eyeshadows are a beginner’s best friend — “they’re pigmented, easy to blend and double as primer.” For the advanced girls, she suggests to complete the look by lightly blending your blush into your eye crease, “it’s a pro trick that creates beautiful harmony.”
While our beauty professionals have tips for days, we’ll leave you with three more of Sanu’s gems: “If your base feels heavy, a dewy setting spray brings the skinlike finish right back. For a next-level glow, apply powder highlighter after your setting spray; it’ll give that pearl-like finish. Unsure about nose contour? Skip it and highlight instead! A soft champagne glow down the bridge and a dot at the tip gives the illusion of lift and structure.”