Face of the Day for Gloomy Winter Weather

Now that Texas has transitioned into winter-mode, I’ve seen more gloomy and cloudy days here the last few weeks. It’s hard to feel inspired when it’s cold outside and it gets dark earlier, but I try to keep things interesting by adding some glow to my complexion. For me, I “shopped my stash” and put some items back into rotation like my NARS Illuminator and Bobbi Brown BB Cream.

NARS Illuminator in “Copacabana” and Bobbi Brown BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 35 in Extra Light
Mixing the NARS Illuminator in “Copacabana” with the Bobbi Brown BB Cream gave me the perfect amount of both coverage and dewiness, without risking looking glittery or oily/shiny. I forgot about how much I really loved the Bobbi Brown BB Cream, so it was nice falling back in love with it.

Dior Addict Lipstick in “Diorissime” 249
The Dior Addict Lipstick in “Diorissime” isn’t a new product and I recently reviewed it as well. However, the subtle brightness is perfect for gloomy days because it reminds me that at least my lips feel and look pretty, lol. Even when I wear this without lip balm underneath, I have perfectly hydrated lips in the winter so that’s one less thing to worry about.

MAC Powder Blush in “Pink Swoon”
Occasionally, I’ll take a break from MAC’s “Well Dressed” and I venture off and try a different shade of blush. “Pink Swoon” has been a recent favorite of mine and goes really well with the Dior Addict Lipstick in “Diorissime” — the perfect amount of brightness and subtleness. I tend to reach for this blush when I need something a little different and interesting.

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush
My trusty Real Techniques Expert Face Brush is great for applying any base product. The Bobbi Brown BB Cream is very creamy and a small dollop goes a long ways. The Expert Face Brush blends the product out beautifully and seamlessly within seconds, which is perfect for busy mornings when I can’t be bothered.

What are you wearing this winter? What about on gloomy days?

More About Liquid Highlighters

There are so many uses for liquid highlighters and they can be tricky sometimes. This post is dedicated to helping you use and apply liquid highlighters, because they truly make a difference in achieving the glowy/dewy effect. While for some liquid highlighters are used based on various special occasions, I believe that daily highlighting can be an important part of your makeup routine. Previously, I mentioned the glowy effect in past posts like in Glowy Skin 101 featuring the NARS Illuminator in “Copacabana” and in a post about the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector. I wrote a similar post regarding liquid highlighters called What Makes You Glow about a year and a half ago, so this post can function as an update. :)

If powder highlighters are your preferences, perhaps you will find previous posts about them more helpful: Diorskin Shimmer Star in “Rose Diamond,” Wet n Wild “Reserve Your Cabana” (743A), Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in “Moonstone,” and Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder Compact – Highlight – 01.

Pictured here:
Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer #2 (sample)
Benefit High Beam
NARS Illuminator in “Copacabana”

Liquid highlighters can be used in various ways:
1.) LH’s be applied after foundation on your cheek bones, the bridge of your nose, and your cupid’s bow. You can blend in the liquid formula with your fingers or with a synthetic brush as well.
2.) LH’s can also be mixed in with your base makeup (foundation, BB cream, CC cream) and be applied all over your face. The great thing about this option is that you can control the glow factor by adding as little or as much as you need/want.

There’s no rules. Do what you prefer that day. For me, I like to mix in my LH’s with my base makeup; and, I like to do that because I think it’s just easier. I like to reserve my after-foundation-highlighting routine for powder highlighters.

As you can see, the Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer #2 is a flesh-toned pinky shade that disappears into your skin or your foundation (when mixed in). It’s also more subtle this way. The Benefit High Beam and the NARS Illuminator in “Copacabana” are both white-pink, which makes them less user-friendly because they will do more harm than good if they’re not blended in well. All three are great with mixing in with base makeup, but I tend to lean towards the Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer #2 most days, and the Benefit High Beam if I want my foundation to be a bit brighter.

Of course, highlighting is based on personal preference. Not all highlighters are created equal, and further research may be necessary depending on your skin tone and the look you are trying to achieve. When in doubt, go with a powder highlighter; however, it’s not to say that the LH’s are difficult to work with.