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What's in in 2024? Glowing skin, of course. But how does one create a dewy winter makeup look when colder temps dry and irritate skin more than usual? In short: With the right products, such as nutrient-rich moisturizers and shimmering facial mists.
Our Top Picks
- Best Face Cream: Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Hydrator Moisturizer, $84
- Best Face Oil: Youth To The People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Oil, $49
- Best Blush: Patrick Ta Major Headlines Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush Duo, $36
- Best Bronzer: RMS Beauty Buriti Cream Bronzer, $28
- Best Highlighter: Chanel Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick, $47
- Best Exfoliant: Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Pore Exfoliating Treatment, $78
“In cool climates, winter can be a challenging season for the skin—the alternation of outdoor cold with indoor heat tends to make it look dry and dull. A youthful, dewy makeup look is the best antidote,” makeup artist Brigitte Reiss-Andersen tells Vogue of the look. And so, we spoke with eight pro makeup artists to get the scoop on how to achieve the look this winter.
Exfoliate First
“One of the first steps in achieving a dewy makeup look in the winter is to start by exfoliating and hydrating the skin properly, prior to any makeup application. Skin needs to be prepped to achieve any degree of dewiness, whether it’s an ultra glass look or just a hint of natural sheen,” explains celebrity makeup artist Robert Sesnek. “Exfoliating before any hydration allows removal of any dead skin cells, lets the serums and moisturizers really penetrate the skin’s surface, and allows products to do their thing.”
Youth To The People
Yerba Mate Resurfacing + Exfoliating Energy Facial
Pro makeup artist Shannon Pezzetta reaches for Youth To The People’s energy facial “because it does what it says. I use this product myself twice a week. You feel like you had a facial after using it. My skin is smooth, and it has a healthy glow.”
Hydrating Skincare
Sesnek adds that “dry and oily skin both need hydration especially in the winter months, just figure out which works best for your particular skin type and regimen. I find that most people can go a little heavier and up their moisturizer game in the colder winter months.” According to celebrity makeup artist Fiona Stiles, “You’ll want to layer rich face creams or oils with cream or liquid foundations and cream blushes for skin that looks plump, supple, and hydrated during the dry winter months.” As a general rule of thumb, start applying lighter products first, then move to thicker formulas.
Amorepacific
Vintage Single Extract Essence
Perhaps the Amorepacific Vintage Single Extract Essence is a solid starting point, coming at the recommendation of makeup artist Melissa Hurkman, who says it’s “packed with incredible ingredients to not only hydrate your skin but fight [signs of] aging."
Osea
Seabiotic Water Cream
Celebrity makeup artist Lilly Keys loves how Osea's Seabiotic Water Cream blends under makeup, and we couldn't agree more. It boasts a weightless, sink-into-skin texture that leaves skin supple.
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Lock in Moisture With an Oil
Those with very dry skin might appreciate an oil to lock in moisture atop face moisturizer or even mixed into your foundation—a practice Pezzetta and Reiss-Andersen considers essential.
Youth To The People
Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Oil
Pezzetta likes the Youth To The People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Oil for before and after makeup. “I use a small amount before [applying it] all over the face, and then after I do my makeup, I use it on the apples of my cheeks for extra glow.”
Perfect The Base
Which foundation or tinted formula should you reach for this winter? Reiss-Andersen says to “Choose a sheer liquid foundation to show off the natural quality of the skin.” Sesnek explains it like this: “Most foundations that have luminous or luminizing qualities tend to be more sheer to medium coverage. Fuller coverage foundation tends to have pigment and contain less glowing ingredients.” One could also go the tinted moisturizer route, and simply spot conceal with concealer to let your skin breathe and soak in the formula’s conditioning agents.
Blend With Care
But don’t be afraid to mix products together for better results. That could be a soothing facial spray or your favorite hydrating serum serum. At the end of the day, your blending method is a personal choice. Some pros think a sponge provides a seamless finish, like celebrity makeup artist Grace Pae, while others take their pick of the best makeup brushes.
Tower 28
SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray
“I love [the Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray] to help blend makeup by spraying my blending sponge as I do someone’s base. It softens foundation and powder while keeping redness at bay and inflammation down,” says makeup artist Andre Sarmiento, even for those with sensitive skin.
Beautyblender Makeup Sponge
“I personally think applying any liquid or cream products with a Beautyblender or sponge results in a dewier look than using a brush or your fingers," says Pae. "It helps melt it into your skin for a seamless application.”
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Add a Glowing Bronze
Now that skin is prepped properly, using radiant, luminous formulas will add some depth and hints of sparkle to your makeup look. Not to worry, the best formulas by Giorgio Armani and Saie sink into skin and do not create any cakiness. After finalizing foundation, “give yourself a nice post-spa look with a rubbed-in blush like Trinny London’s Sheer Shimmer or a creamy glow bronzer like the RMS Beauty Buriti Cream Bronzer,” says Reiss-Andersen.
Highlight the Cheekbones
“Next is the go-to classic trick for a dewy skin look is to use an iridescent product along the cheekbone,” Reiss-Andersen continues. “It can be subtley applied with fingertips or high bling and swept on with a brush.” Sesnek agrees: “Highlighter creams and balms are a must for the dewy skin look. I love adding these to the high points of the face, bridge of the nose, the cupid’s bow, and sometimes even on the eyelids and lips to add sheen and dewiness to these areas.”
Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick
“This product gives skin a soft, stunning glow with zero sparkle, just the smallest hint of sheen, which lets the skin look healthy and radiant without looking like makeup," says Stiles. "(It comes in several tints, plus a version with no reflective particles). It’s a favorite of mine to instantly bring life to the skin.”
Pat McGrath Labs
Skin Fetish: Highlighter + Balm Duo
“Adding glow strategically to those areas really makes everything pop and glow even more. I find it especially makes all the difference in photographs," Sesnek details. "One of my all-time go-to highlighters is Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Highlighter + Balm Duo.”
Pick a Vibrant Blush
While a pigmented blush may not be necessary for dewy winter makeup, it can add a nice flush of color—especially if you prefer a sun-kissed, warm face. “Cream blush is another way to add extra luminosity and sheen to the skin," explains Sesnek. "I always use a cream blush, even if I add a powder blush over the cream and layer the product. It really gives the skin a lit-from-within look and is another way to add dimension,” explains Sesnek.
Set The Look
Ensure your look wears well all day with the right setting products. You'll want something that will not only keep your products in place, but deliver a lasting veil of dewiness. “I use a mist prior to preparing the skin so the serums and moisturizers really sink in better," Sesnek details. "These sprays can be used all over or strategically to high points depending on your desired glow.”
Rare Beauty
Always An Optimist 4-in-1 Prime & Set Mist
If hydration is your concern, Sesnek is also a fan of the Rare Beauty Always An Optimist 4-in-1 Prime & Set Mist because it “works to keep texture balanced no matter your skin concern. It seems to bring the right kind of moisture whether you [have] dry or combination [skin].”
Tatcha
Luminous Dewy Skin Mist
Pro tip from Pae: “If the face looks too matte or the makeup looks too heavy at the end, spraying the Tatcha mist will help the makeup blend into the skin and give a fresher look to the skin. If you tend to get oily in the t-zone, just spray the sides of your face and avoid spraying the center of your face.”
Meet The Experts
- Melissa Hurkman is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Paris Hilton, Nicola Peltz Beckham, and rapper JT.
- Lilly Keys is a celebrity makeup artist who works with the likes of Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, Jenna Ortega, and Jennifer Coolidge.
- Brigitte Reiss-Andersen is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include America Ferrera, Aubrey Plaza, and Jennifer Garner.
- Grace Pae is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Normani, Kiki Layne, and Letitia Wright.
- Andre Sarmiento is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Ali Wong, Malala Yousafzai, and Sarah Desjardins.
- Robert Sesnek is a celebrity makeup artist who often works with Shay Mitchell, Madelyn Cline, and Lucy Hale.
- Fiona Stiles is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Lily Collins, Alia Bhatt, and Gabrielle Union.
- Shannon Pezzetta is a celebrity makeup artist behind some of Alexa Demie and Jodie Turner Smith's most famous looks.