Gina Pieper’s Winter Beauty Tips

What is your most important beauty advice for winter?
Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! Make sure to always drink 8 glasses of water a day. This really does make a difference. Also, keep skin hydrated with a lighter moisturizer during the day and opt for a richer, more emollient moisturizer at night. Another one of my winter “must-haves” is bronzer. It brightens and brings life back to dull skin, but it must look natural!

What is the best way to apply bronzer so it looks natural?
Picking the perfect shade is crucial! Make sure to find a bronzer that is only 2 or 3 shades darker than your skin tone, and be careful that it does not look too orange or your skin will scream “fake tan!” You want to give your skin just enough color for a healthy glow.

How do you know if it’s the right shade for you?
A great way to test the color of a bronzer is by looking at it in natural sunlight. If it appears orange, toss it. Also, only apply bronzer to the areas of the face that the sun hits, so dust a little along the forehead, down the hair line, lightly on the cheeks and even lighter on the nose.  Finally, blend from the jaw line into the neck. This ensures a blended and believably sun-kissed look!

Any tips for minimizing wrinkles?
Nothing is worse than cracked, caked makeup because it enhances wrinkles, and this will happen very easily during the winter months if skin and makeup is not prepared and applied properly. Skip the powder foundation and opt for a liquid or cream foundation or a tinted moisturizer for sheerer coverage and dust a light translucent powder to set. If you need to “spot pat” throughout the day to minimize shine, use oil blotting sheets instead!

How can we keep lips healthy this winter?
Again, drinking water will help keep lips hydrated, but protecting lips with a repairing lip balm is the key to preventing extremely chapped, irritated and painful lips. Also, when applying color, whether it is lipstick or a stained gloss, I recommend using professional colors. They maintain color longer and do not break down as easily as generic brands, which have a tendency to bleed.

What’s your favorite beauty trick?
Can’t find the right gloss to match your lipstick? For a natural lip-gloss look that adds shine and color, draw a circle the size of a nickel on the back of your hand with your favorite lipstick color. Next, add a drop of your favorite clear gloss (or your winter lip balm!), mix together with your finger or lip brush and apply. This eliminates the dry lip look, protects lips and adds more color than just a clear gloss or balm would provide.

Gina Pieper is the Artistic Director at Empire Beauty Schools, the nation’s largest provider of cosmetology education in North America.

- Jessica Krznaric, Online Beauty Editor