Winterizing your makeup and skin

With the bitter cold, winter weather upon us, now is the time to pamper your skin and winterize your makeup.

Start by increasing your water intake to nourish and hydrate your skin from the inside out. I love pure, natural, fluoride-free spring water and purchase Fiji water for the added silica and minerals which are so beneficial for the skin and hair.

All good makeup, starts with beautiful, clean skin and a fresh palette.

Exfoliation is the key to a smoother, softer complexion and a must this time of year. I like to use more organic products on my skin and have found the best, most gentle, skin scrub is baking soda. I keep it in the shower and mix a small paste with water and gently massage it into my skin to remove the dead skin cells. Your skin will glow afterward! And while your at it, you can brush your teeth with it, and rub it through your hair to remove excess hairspray buildup.

Another naturally, "green" moisturizing product is Barlean's organic coconut oil.

I use it as a cleanser, eye makeup remover, night cream and even as a hair moisturizer at night. It's the best multi-purpose organic product on the market today, and the one product I can't live without! It's the best tasting coconut oil out there and my dogs love it, too!

For daytime moisturizing, I love Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre. It's one of the best day creams I have ever used and a big celebrity favorite.
It has natural ingredients such as: shea butter, aloe vera, beeswax and soy to nourish the skin, and acts as a makeup primer as well. I mix a drop of this with my foundation for a lighter base to create my own tinted moisturizer during the winter months. (Skip the heavy foundation, as they tend to clog the pores). This product does not contain a SPF, so don't forget your sunscreen...even during the winter.

Most face powders will only make the skin look a little drier, and the same holds true for powder blushes.
Cream blushes are a great alternative for the most natural looking glowing cheeks. I love Stila's convertible color that can also double as a lip color, too...just a dab on the apples of the cheeks, brightens the whole face.

Lips tend to be the driest this time of year, so start by gently exfoliating them with a soft tooth brush and some organic coconut oil to remove dead skin. Skip the matte lipsticks as they will only dry the lips even more.
Stick with sheer lip balms such as Fresh sugars Rose lip color or Nivea's cherry lip balm that really help soothe those dry,chapped lips.

Waterproof mascara and eyeliners are a must during the cold weather as eyes tend to be a little drier and water more with the winter winds. I am a huge fan of Make Up For Ever's gel liners and waterproof mascara. It takes a little more effort to remove it, but in the end, it's worth it.

Here's to a warm and beautiful winter ahead!