This post will show you 20 makeup and skincare essentials for the winter, with tips on how to look your best during the wintertime.
Got a case of the “winter uglies”? We’re here to help. Many of us—TikTok superstar Alix Earle included—don’t feel our best beauty-wise during the cold, drab winter season.
Whether it’s feeling pale, fighting to keep our skin hydrated, combating flat, staticky hair… it’s no surprise that curing the “winter uglies” has become a topic of conversation on social media.
If you feel like you haven’t been looking like your hottest, most radiant self, have no fear: our winter glow-up guide is here!
Read on for 20 must-have makeup and skincare products for the winter that will help you look and feel like your best self — and without breaking the bank since it is all under $50.
Table of Contents
Dolce Glow Lusso Self-Tanning Mousse
As Alix Earle showed us, self-tanner can make a big difference in how you look (and feel) in the winter.
Her self-tanner of choice? Dolce Glow’s Lusso Self-Tanning Mousse, which is enriched with ingredients like squalane, jojoba oil, and Vitamin E for added hydration (something that is key during the winter when our skin tends to become dryer due to the cold).
This fast-drying formula offers a buildable tan for a customizable glow — meaning no more pasty, pale skin!
Tree Hut Shea Sugar Scrub
If you’re going to self-tan, you’re going to want to exfoliate first for a smooth, even application. In fact, even if you don’t self-tan, you’re still going to want to exfoliate your body because your skin in the winter can become dry and flaky.
By exfoliating with a sugar body scrub, you’ll be able to reveal smoother, more radiant-looking skin (which creates the ideal base for self-tanner application). Tree Hut’s Shea Sugar Scrub is affordable and comes in a ton of different scents, so you’ll be sure to find one that you enjoy, plus it’s formulated with shea butter for added hydration.
Use this scrub in the shower and follow with a body cream or lotion to lock in its effects.
Rhode Glazing Milk
Speaking of dry skin, your face is just as susceptible to wintertime dryness as your body is.
In addition to gentle exfoliation (opt for chemical exfoliants like alpha and beta hydroxy acids rather than physical exfoliants for your face), you’ll want to incorporate a hydrating toner or essence into your winter skincare routine.
Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Skin has become a favorite of dry-skin girlies, especially her brand’s Glazing Milk, a milky essence that boosts barrier function, keeps your skin hydrated, and aids in product absorption. Pat this into your skin after cleansing and before moisturizer to lock in moisture, along with calming redness or irritation.
This product has also become popular on TikTok to use as a makeup primer of sorts, with users raving about how smoothly their makeup applies after priming with Glazing Milk.
Rhode Barrier Butter
Another hydration hero from Rhode, the Barrier Butter is an ultra-rich moisture balm that helps to strengthen the skin barrier and seal in moisture, making it ideal for the winter.
This multipurpose product can be used anywhere your skin needs it, whether it’s your face (especially as an overnight treatment), your hands, or often forgotten-about areas like your elbows and knees, which are particularly prone to dryness.
You can expect plump, bouncy, and moisturized skin when smoothing this balm on. It also aims to improve your skin’s barrier function while being non-comedogenic to boot.
Saie Glowy Super Gel
From the cold that makes our complexions dry and dull to the signature paleness that comes with the winter season, it’s no surprise that we could all probably use some help in the glow department.
Enter Saie’s Glowy Super Gel, a lightweight, dewy multipurpose illuminator that makes for the perfect glowy (but glitter-free) base. Packed with ingredients to hydrate the skin, including rosehip seed oil and squalane, this illuminator with a gel-like texture comes in four universally flattering shades that will give you a naturally radiant look.
You can wear it under your foundation, mix it with your makeup products, or wear it alone for a glowy complexion.
Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm
No one wants flaky, dry lips at any time of the year, but during the wintertime, they can be especially difficult to combat. That’s why having a hydrating lip balm on hand at all times is a must!
The Lip Butter Balm from Summer Fridays is a great option that will hydrate and soothe your lips thanks to ingredients like shea and murumuru seed butters.
There is a sheer/clear balm, as well as tinted balms that range in sheer colors like pinks and beiges, so you’ll be able to find a favorite easily.
RMS Hydra Setting Powder
Setting powder is a crucial part of a full makeup routine in order to lock your makeup in place, but during the winter, there’s a fine line between setting your makeup and drying out your face (which can, in turn, make you look cakey).
That’s why you’ll want to opt for a hydrating setting powder that will set your makeup, minus the dryness — save the ultra oil-absorbing powders for the summertime, instead!
RMS Beauty’s Hydra Setting Powder features a hydrating formula that will nourish your skin and give you a blurred, soft-focus filter effect while still minimizing the look of pores and imperfections. Best of all, this powder is talc-free and non-comedogenic, so you can feel good about using this on your skin.
This powder also promises zero flashback and offers a silky texture that won’t cake or settle into fine lines while helping your makeup last all day long.
Kosas Plump + Juicy Vegan Collagen + Probiotic Spray-On Serum
This Kosas Spray-On Serum makes hydrating your skin a piece of cake thanks to its spray-on formulation.
Whether you’re starting your skincare routine or prepping for makeup application, this vegan collagen and probiotic serum hydrates, soothes, and visibly firms, lifts, and plumps your skin in one quick step. It’s even great for a mid-day skin refresher!
Use this prior to moisturizer for better absorption, and follow with makeup if desired. With hyaluronic acid, peptides, amino acids, probiotics, and other awesome ingredients, this spray will give your skin the plump, juicy look that we could all use this time of the year.
Glamnetic Press On Nails
It’s amazing how much more put-together you can feel when your nails are done (and in her TikTok above, Alix Earle agrees).
But even if you don’t have the time or budget for a professional manicure, don’t worry — press-on nails are the solution! With more design options than ever, you can give yourself the look of a salon-quality manicure on your own at home in just a few simple steps.
Pick from tons of different colors, styles, shapes, and lengths; these Glamnetic nails are reusable and come with extras of the sizes to ensure you find the right fit for your nails, along with nail glue and tools to apply the press-ons seamlessly.
The nails last up to two weeks and will look flawless on your fingers, helping you feel put-together in a flash.
Moroccanoil Blonde Perfecting Purple Shampoo
Another tip Alix suggested in her TikTok was to use purple shampoo to eliminate the brasiness in her blonde hair. If you, too, are a blonde, you’ll want to incorporate using a purple shampoo every so often to keep your hair color looking bright and healthy.
Moroccanoil’s Blonde Perfecting Purple Shampoo is a tone-correcting shampoo that fights brassiness in blonde, lightened brunette, and grey hair, while also repairing and sealing the hair’s cuticle and cleansing it without drying it out. The gentle formula is sulfate-free and refreshes dull highlights with its violet pigments.
Follow up with its coordinating Blonde Perfecting Purple Conditioner for enhanced toning and added hydration.
eos Shea Better Cashmere Whipped Oil Body Butter
Treat your skin to a luxe body butter that smells delicious — it’s an instant mood boost that’s going to deliver velvety smooth and hydrated skin and is perfect for using after a shower (especially after shaving).
Promising 2x more hydration than body lotion, this body butter is infused with a blend of naturally moisturizing and protective butters and oils, forming a protective barrier to lock moisture in, prevent moisture loss, and strengthen the skin barrier.
Ideal for ultra-dry skin, what makes this product that much more luxurious is its rich scent, a combination of vanilla, musk, and caramel, that makes applying this cream feel like a self-care ritual.
Ortega Ethereal Glow Balm in “Ice Queen”
Nothing says winter makeup quite like this glow balm in the shade “Ice Queen,” which reminds me of fresh, sparkling snow.
This shimmery multi-use balm is going to give you a luminous look along with a dose of hydration thanks to ingredients like blue agave and Vitamin E.
You can use it on the high points of your cheeks, nose, and brows in place of highlighter, on your lips for a subtle pop of gloss, on your eyes as eyeshadow, and/or on your body for a radiant sheen. This product really does it all, and its blue-white hue is perfect for the winter season.
Gisou Honey Gloss Ceramide Therapy Hydrating Hair Mask
Our skin isn’t the only thing that is prone to wintertime dryness: our hair can feel the seasonal effects, as well. Not to mention the static, frizz, and loss of volume.
I recommend using a hydrating hair mask in the shower to keep your hair looking and feeling healthy, and Gisou’s Honey Gloss Ceramide Therapy Hydrating Hair Mask is an excellent option, especially for damaged hair. It blends strengthening ceramides, shine-boosting Mirsalehi Honey, and hydrating hyaluronic acid to deliver smoother, glossier hair that feels softer and stronger, along with 59% more volume.
Skip the conditioner once or twice a week in favor of an intensive hair mask instead. Your locks will thank you!
Tanologist Hydrating Gradual Tanning Lotion
We touched on self-tanning earlier in this post, but I’m not going to lie — it can be a hassle to self-tan, and most of the time (especially during the winter), I can’t be bothered to slather it on and wait around in baggy clothes for hours.
If you’re anything like me, you may prefer a gradual tanning lotion instead.
Swap out your regular body lotion for one like Tanologist’s Daily Glow Hydrating Gradual Tanning Lotion, which will give you a subtle, sun-kissed glow over time, minus the tanning mitt and orange sheets.
This lotion, in particular, is a top pick for the winter since it has ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane to deeply nourish your skin.
e.l.f. SKIN Holy Hydration! Thirst Burst Moisturizer Drops
Give yourself an instant look of radiance with the Thirst Burst Moisturizer Drops that hydrate and visibly brighten your skin.
These non-greasy gel drops can be worn on their own as a serum, mixed into your foundation, or worn under makeup as a primer.
The multi-use formula gives skin that dewy, post-shower glow that can be harder to achieve during the cold months, so consider adding this to your winter skincare routine ASAP.
HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA Hydrating Glassy Lip + Cheek Blush Balm Stick
We love a multi-use product, and this Lip + Cheek Blush Balm Stick from Haus Labs by Lady Gaga is as functional as it is hydrating. Filled with skin-friendly ingredients — with over 70% skincare and proprietary complexes, to be exact — this serum-based makeup product can be used on both your cheeks and lips for a glassy wash of color.
The cold and dry winter weather can cause skin irritation and redness, but this balm will even help to visibly reduce the look of this with its fermented arnica. Its weightless feel and sheer, buildable coverage won’t look cakey, either. Pop this in your bag and apply anytime you feel like your skin or lips could use some color.
Futurewise Slug Balm Moisture-Locking Occlusive
Have you heard of slugging? This skincare practice involves slathering your face with an occlusive to lock all of your other skincare products in, majorly boosting moisture.
This vegan Slug Balm will create a cocoon-like environment for your skin to repair itself while locking in the rest of your skincare (like serums and creams) so that you wake up with ultra-moisturized skin. Since this is an occlusive, it is meant to be used at night so that it can absorb over time as you sleep. If you’re looking to achieve glazed donut skin, slugging is the way to go!
And did I mention how cute the packaging is? It will look adorable on your beauty shelf or counter.
L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil
Elevate your shower routine with a luxurious shower oil — namely, L’Occitane’s famed Almond Shower Oil, a body care favorite.
A worldwide best-seller for a reason, this shower oil is made with sweet almond oil that helps to nourish and soften the skin and delicately lathers into a frothy cleansing foam, filling your shower with its decadent aroma.
This oil also makes for the perfect base for a smooth body shave and a bath tub soak. However you use it, expect softer and more hydrated skin post-shower. It’s self-care meets body care!
Milani Conceal + Perfect Sun Kiss Bronzing Drops
A bit of bronzing can make all the difference during the winter, especially if you feel like your skin looks pale and dull.
Bronzing drops like Milani’s Conceal + Perfect Sun Kiss Bronzing Drops are one of the easiest and fastest ways to achieve an instant sun-kissed glow; just mix them in with your moisturizer, primer, or foundation for a glowy, radiant base.
This formula is filled with skin-loving ingredients that will deliver immediate hydration, improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and boost elasticity.
Available in three different shades, these are bronzing drops with skincare benefits at an affordable price.
Pixi LipMask Tinted Lip Jelly
Sometimes, all it takes is some tinted lip balm to feel a bit more put together. But rather than go for your regular lip balm, why not try a nourishing tinted lip mask?
The Pixi LipMask Tinted Lip Jelly is a leave-on lip mask that delivers intense hydration paired with a hint of sheer color (I am loving the strawberry hue above, called “Amore”).
Made with a unique jelly texture and cute packaging that makes it fun to apply, this lip mask is a wintertime must-have.
What do you think of our winter skincare and makeup guide?
What are your favorite winter glow-up tips or products? Leave a comment and let us know!