When the sun’s out and temperatures are high, your makeup slides off your face faster than a surfer off a board, while winter gales and setting powders both leave skin dry. Replace expired makeup and switch products at the same time you rake away dead leaves or fallen blooms.
Seasonal Clean-up:
When the seasons change, update your look and check for expired products. Don’t want to be wasteful with a product that hasn’t expired? Start two makeup bags, one for Fall/Winter, and one for Spring/Summer. This is especially helpful in climates where weather fluctuates back and forth between hot and cold.
Exposure to air and oil is key. Liquids in an open jar expires more quickly than a liquid in a pump because it is continually exposed to air. Powdered foundations and eye shadows can last two years, unless exposed to clumping oil from fingers. Mascara expires fastest, usually between 3-6 months, and has a strong odor when the oils go rancid. Lipsticks last about a year, sometimes longer.
In general, skin prone to being oilier needs lightweight moisturizer and powder-based products to set makeup, while dry skin will do better with deeply moisturizing liquids and creme-based products. Skin needs change with the seasons, however, so changing products can help your look last all day.
Moist Winters and Dry Summers
Winters tend to make even the oiliest skin dry, and a thicker, creamier moisturizer applied immediately after washing your face or taking a shower can help seal in moisture for the long day ahead. Sweaty summers, on the other hand, may require a lighter weight moisture, especially one that absorbs quickly.
The same rules apply for foundations. In the winter, a thick, moisturizing liquid foundation with blendable creme blushes and eye shadows may fit the bill, but in the summer, try using a tinted moisturizer set with a translucent or luminescent powder. The moisture will help protect skin from dryness, while the powder will help the tint hold up to sweat.
If you normally use a creme blush in the winter, try using a powder bronzer and blush in the summer. This serves the same purpose as the translucent powder. Powders will not only help you avoid splotchy, smeared patches, but they will also help set your summer look for hours, avoiding reapplication.
Year-Round Tips
Always leave enough time for moisturizer to absorb, especially when using a thicker product in winter. If your face is damp or sticky, makeup applied on top will have a harder time setting. No matter the season, traces of makeup on your clothing is a bad look.
Regardless of season, moisturizers and foundations should have an SPF rating. Winter sun is easily forgotten in the chill, but it’s still shining just as much. In freezing climates, you may be facing twice the exposure because of light reflecting back up off of the snow.
Scheduling a little time to update your makeup bag will keep your look up-to-date, your products safe, and your face fresh all day.