One of my favorite summer quotes on Instagram this summer was “Summer. Hair gets lighter. Skin gets darker. Water gets warmer. Music gets louder. Life gets better.” Does this mean that we have to look at winter as the dismal opposite of this quote? NO WAY! I, for one, am a child of the winter and prefer it over summer for many reasons, especially fashion and beauty! So let me take a moment to re-write this quote for the colder months that are now upon us: “Winter. Hair gets shinier, clothes get classier, nail polish gets darker, and accessories get fiercer!”
If you’re anything like me, putting a pair of boots on again, for the first time, is like a breath of fresh air. Summer fashion cannot even compete with the chic-ness of its colder counterpart. Here are some of my favorite tips for fashion and beauty this winter:
- GO DARK. Dark nails, dark lips, dark shadow. My go-to nail polish color for the past few winters has been ‘Wicked’ by Essie, however I have recently ventured towards an even darker hue called ‘Luxedo’. It looks almost black when applied but you definitely feel like a rock star wearing it. Pair the vixen nails with an equally edgy smokey eye. There are so many fabulous YouTube videos on how to do this yourself, but when all else fails just layer dark grey shadow on your outer corners slowly, blend it inwards with a small makeup brush and add a winged eye with liquid liner. Wear intense smokey eyes with a nude lip, but if you’re just wearing simple eyeliner then definitely go for a deep burgundy lip color. One of the most amazing shades I’ve found is a dark red called ‘Beguiled’ from TopShop. This shade is almost always sold out, so I would suggest popping by Bobbi Brown for some fantastic options that are also super hydrating. Winter tip: Make sure you exfoliate your lips and put some Vaseline on before lipstick so that you don’t get any cracks in the cold!
- L is for leather. We all love this trend, from leather boots to pants and every girl’s must-have winter staple: a black leather jacket. My style is often girly so it was really hard to find a leather jacket that didn’t feel too harsh. I finally found the perfect one at All Saints in London. I used to think that no leather jacket would ever suit me but I promise you leather jackets are like soul mates- there’s one out there for everyone! Winter tip: Don’t overdo too much leather in one outfit- keep it to two pieces maximum (ex. boots and a jacket or pants and a bag).
- Moisturizer is your best friend. Make peace with it. Buy it in bulk. Keep it by your side at work and at home. Moisturizing is always important but cold wind makes our skin so much more susceptible to dryness. Make sure you moisturize every day and keep a hand cream with you at all times. This is an ideal time to use a heavier night cream for the face. Winter tip: Don’t walk around the house barefoot! This is the fastest way to get dry skin on your heels.
- Don’t neglect your feet! Just because you’re always in closed shoes it doesn’t mean you should be skipping out on pedicures. Keep your tosies in check with trips to the nail salon. Winter is a great time to get those extra treatments at salons like paraffin and hydrating exfoliations so that your skin stays baby soft. Winter tip: Put Vaseline on your heels before bed and wear a pair of socks.
- Protect your strands. Winter is the best time to help your hair recover from all the sun damage and highlights that you probably had done. If you have highlights in, give your hair a bleach break and stick to just root touch ups for color (by the summer, you will have a very natural ombre look). It’s always a good idea to get hair treatments done, but as a longer-term solution I would highly recommend doing one of the new protein or collagen hair treatments which last up to 3 months and are available at many different salons now including Eden Salon and The Boudoir. Winter tip: It’s extra tempting to take burning hot showers in the winter, but did you know that this severely dries out your skin and hair? For shinier hair, make the water at least lukewarm when rinsing out your conditioner.
Have a fashionable November or “MO-vember” as many have renamed it in honor of the men’s health initiative taking over the world. Guys grow out their moustaches for the entire month as a manly statement with the goal of raising awareness and funds for prostate cancer charities. Way to go!
