In Style: Winter Makeup

In Style: Winter Makeup

The “winter doll” and other trending make-up looks

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As the days get colder and shorter and we wave goodbye to Christmas, styles are changing for the new year. Winter in Tokyo involves dry but often sunny days, and this cold but bright weather affects our makeup considerably. It is time to welcome 2017 with the new fashions of January.

Pale skin has been popular in Japan for a long time, and with the cold, dry season, pinks and reds coupled with white, black and grey eye make-up is a great way to splash some color onto the colder months. Right now, Japanese women are adding pinks and oranges to their pallet, highlighting their cheekbones and surrounding the outside of their eyes with these bright colors. Pink eyeliner and even pink mascara are also popular.

The trick is to choose either your eyes or your lips. If you decide to wear pink or red lipstick, then add a slight pink blush to your cheeks (high up, near your eyes) but go with browns and blacks for your eyes (minimal is better; try just mascara and an eyebrow pencil). However, if you decide to keep your lips pale, brighten your eyes with a splash of color, such as an orange or pink based eyeshadow, and if you’re feeling bold, a pink mascara.

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Sekkisui BB Cream. From www.sekkisui.com

To go from the beginning, start with a foundation or BB cream. Try out Jill Stuart Control Base, Maybelline CC Bright Up or, for a more affordable option, Sekkisui Perfect BB Cream. Next is the powder foundation, although this is optional. A good choice is Brilliant Rikki Pact UV Sparkle because it has the colors you’ll need, but you can stick to your usual brand or omit powder altogether.

Using a brown eyebrow pencil (or black, depending on your skin tone) is a must in Japanese fashion. After you have applied your foundation and eyebrows, use a brush to apply the pink to blush up your cheekbones and the outer corners of your eyes. This gives you the look of a “winter doll” that is currently trending on the streets of Tokyo.

Keep your eyeliner to a minimum unless it is pink or brown. Finally, apply fake eyelashes (Ripi Try on Eyelashes are an easy to use and affordable choice) to augment your eyes. Add a little mascara, and if you decided to go with a pink mascara, apply it before you put on the lashes.

Depending on the intensity of your eye makeup, you might want to keep your lips pale or add a gentle pink, salmon or red to them. If you decided to opt only with blush and lashes, a good bright pink or orange lipstick, depending on your skin tone, include Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte (various pinks and oranges are available, making it a great choice) or if you prefer lip gloss, L’Oreal Color Riche Extraordinaire Lip Color.

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte. Image from yslbeautyus.com.
Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte. Image from yslbeautyus.com.

A darker skin tone would also suit this pink winter Japanese fashion by applying a darker red blush and lipstick. Color contacts are also popular, so if your eyes are naturally dark, think about applying blue contacts to further enlarge your eyes and the ‘doll’ look.

To complete this look, you can style your hair in a bob, pigtails or down and straight depending on your personal style. The idea is large eyes, pink blush and defenses up for winter, so a style where your hair surrounds your face and sits on your shoulders is perfect for this season. Add a white or grey wool hat to finish the look.

Winter doesn’t have to be hiding behind scarves and earmuffs. This dry, cold season is the perfect time to flaunt your perfection and celebrate the New Year.