Daytime Makeup for Winter + Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream Review

Maybe it's the lack of time, maybe it's the smudgy mascara, or the 'out of bed model' look I've been rocking lately, but the truth is, I haven't been wearing much (eye) makeup for the past couple of months.

This doesn't mean I've been walking around completely bare-faced, as we all know I cannot live without my eyebrows and also, I'm not a massive fan of the overall redness of my skin so I prefer it lightly covered up. But, I got tired of piling on tonnes of makeup, especially with the weather drying my face out so much, it resembles parchment even before applying foundation.

So I experimented, tweaked my routine, switched products and 'bases' I apply under makeup and came out with the perfect formula for a Winter look - that doesn't look dull, has the festive glow to it and even though quite bare, doesn't leave me looking like a Victorian virgin that just had blood sucked out from her whole body. 

Here it is! 

BASE

I start with a thick moisturiser, and let it sink in properly before I go in with my foundation brush - that allows the skin to get plump after coming out of the shower and the face cream to not create streaks when blended with foundation. Then, I go in with a matifying serum and apply my foundation on top of it - but skip the powder at the end. That way, the moisturised skin still gives out a glow, but the serum keeps my T-zone matte, without a cakey, dry, powdered doll look.

EYES+BROWS

This is the area where not much is going on - saves me so much time in the morning and evening, as I don't have to rub any eyeliner off! I give my brows some definition by filling them in and outlining with a pomade and a thin brush - I've been growing my brows out since the summer, so they are quite bushy naturally, I only accentuate that. The only thing that goes onto my eyelids, is a sparkly cream shadow - just because it's nearly Christmas and it wakes up the eyes a little bit!

CONTOUR

This is one of the key elements of this look, as it changes the face shape while adding some shadow and light into play. I first use a very cool toned contour powder just in the hollows of my cheekbones to sharpen them, and then add a warmer, chocolate shade onto the apples on my cheeks to warm up the complexion. Finally, some finely milled highlighter in a pearly gold shade - I sweep it across the tops of my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose, and (a new miraculous discovery) on the top of my nose. It slims it down majorly and gives this candlelit, healthy glow to the whole face. 

LIPS

Last, but certainly not least, the major event - a dark lip, created with the Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream in the deep plum shade, Transylvania. Although super rich in colour and matte in texture, these lip creams don't give you that heavy, caked up look to your lips - you only need one, thin layer (otherwise it goes patchy if you lather it on and on!), but it's opaque enough without making your already chapped lips appear even more dry and cracked. 

In my humble opinion, the perfect option for a lazy everyday makeup, when you still want to wear something and look like you've make an effort.

Do you change your makeup look in the winter and go for darker shades on your lips? Or maybe you prefer to wear something more smokey and sombre on the eyelids? Let me know! xx

See you all in my next pre-Christmas post! 

Love,