A campus blanketed in sparkling snow and brisk, refreshing walks to class are characteristics of an Iowan winter. However, skin devoid of moisture and under-eye areas in deep burgundy are characteristics of the upcoming season as well. 

As temperatures fall, skin becomes dehydrated. Karissa Welch, a makeup artist at The Salon in Ames, recommended applying moisturizer to hydrate skin.

“Have a good moisturizer to apply at night before bed, or even having a moisturizer primer before you apply your makeup will make a difference on the appearance of your skin,” Welch said.

Dianna Morden, a makeup and retail expert at Serenity Couture in Ames, recommended exfoliating to maintain skin care in winter. Exfoliation removes dry skin that causes skin to appear dull. Morden said to moisturize skin following exfoliation. A heavier, creamier moisturizer is preferable for night application.

To minimize dryness, Emma Lubben, junior in apparel, merchandising and design, uses cream or liquid versions of her normal powder, summer makeup to retain moisture.

“I change my blush, bronzer and sometimes even eye shadow to cream or liquid in order to keep the moisture in my skin,” Lubben said.

Laura Campbell, freshman in pre-business, prefers thicker moisturizer for winter. She said she uses a nighttime moisturizer that hydrates skin and gives a healthy appearance. Along with moisturizing, she drinks water to keep her skin hydrated.

Morden recommended drinking lots of water and getting enough sleep to combat dark, under-eye circles. She said finding an effective eye cream is key to eliminating dark circles.

Welch said short winter days decrease motivation to wake up in the morning. Students become tired and dark circles form as a result. She recommended under-eye primer and concealer to brighten eyes.

“Having an under-eye primer with a firming agent and a great coverage concealer will give the eyes a brighter, more awake appearance,” Welch said.

Lubben uses a concealer containing yellow-orange tones to eliminate dark circles. She said those tones counteract the blue and purple colors of the dark circles since orange and yellow are across from blue and purple on the color wheel. Lubben said she has difficulty finding an affordable concealer containing yellow-orange tones so she makes her own concealer as an alternative.

“I do this by mixing a normal beige concealer from the drugstore with orange lipstick,” Lubben said. “Both have a creamy texture, so they mix well.”

To add color to winter skin, Lubben applies a sunless spray tanner to her face to avoid dull and pale skin in winter.

“Many people are afraid to spray this right on their face. However, I have found that this is actually the quickest and easiest way to get even color on my face,” Lubben said.

While bronzers can add color to fair winter skin, moderation is key.

“I would recommend not using anything overly bronze to avoid looking orange,” Campbell said.

Finding the right beauty products for winter goes beyond combatting dry skin, eliminating dark circles and adding color. Products can impact self-esteem.

“Makeup can do a lot for a person’s self-esteem,” Welch said. “So finding the correct products will make a difference in confidence.”