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There is no season more difficult for the skin than December.
Between late nights, central heating, cold winds, Prosecco, travel and the general chaos of “one more quick drink”, your complexion can start to look dull, gray and oddly deflated – especially when you need it to look its best.
But hiding the signs of festive fatigue doesn’t have to mean heaping on makeup. It’s all about restoring hydration, fixing darkness, and using textures that revive winter skin rather than suffocate it.
So, celebrity makeup artist Ariane Young – who creates the faces of Strictly Come Dancing stars week after week – and viral makeup artist emily wood Break down the techniques that actually work.
How to prepare before makeup?
Most fatigue shows up before you even get to your makeup: tightness, uneven texture, and the kind of grayness that no amount of foundation can fix.
For Young, the solution has always been to start at the surface.
“The quickest way to revive tired, lifeless skin is with a two-step preparation – gentle exfoliation followed by deep hydration,” she explains.
A mild glycolic toner “removes dead skin cells and excess oil — the same things that cause makeup to stick.”
Once you’ve smoothed the canvas, “a hydrating moisturizer instantly plumps the complexion, creating the perfect base for makeup to seamlessly glide on.”
Wood has the same view, especially for customers who have stayed up late at night.
“The fastest way to revive tired skin is to deeply hydrate and smooth the surface,” she says. Her tendency is to always start with something that “gives the skin a supple, refreshed finish within minutes,” then “de-puff” the eye patches and bring back that fresh look before even touching concealer.
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner, £8.85 (was £11.50)
Revolution Pro Miracle Cream, £7.50, Boots
UKlash Hydra-Gel Eye Patch, £28 (was £40)
Revitalize Your Lower Eyes
Even the best foundation won’t hide fatigue if the under eye area is brown, dry or over-corrected.
Young emphasizes that “hydration is everything,” and warns that “anything dry or overly matte will settle straight into fine lines.”
Her method is precise and simple: “I always reach for a dewy finish and a peach-tinged concealer to counteract the natural purple hue in dark circles.
“Avoid colors that are too light – they won’t brighten, they’ll just highlight the area you’re trying to hide.”
She then blends with “a fluffy eyeshadow brush” for a seamless diffused finish, then presses on “a touch of finely milled setting powder” for that soft-focus, airbrushed look.
The wood is equally tough to avoid heavy formulas. “Heavy concealers actually make holiday fatigue worse,” she says.
Instead she uses “a small amount of peach corrector where there’s darkness”, followed by a lighter concealer “pressed in with my ring finger so it doesn’t crease or cake up”.
huda beauty #FAUXFILTER Color Corrector Mini, £14, Boots
Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, £29.50
Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder 8HA Travel-Size, £20, Looks Great
How to get a glow without makeup?
Winter skin rarely has the smoothness needed for powders and glitter highlighters – both instantly emphasize dryness.
Young’s solution is to stick to the creamy, soft end of the spectrum. “In the winter, I always steer clients toward creamy, light-reflecting formulas that brighten as well as nourish,” she says.
She loves textures that “melt into the skin, creating a hydrated, healthy glow with no risk of dryness”.
Wood agrees, noting that “skin can feel flat and textured in the winter, so the wrong glow products can stick to dry patches”.
Her trick is to mix “a touch of creamy highlighter into the color product you’re using” for a soft-focus glow. Afterward, she spritzes with Glow Spray to “bring back dullness, melt powder together, and instantly make skin look younger without spotlighting texture.”
Beloved by Buttery Buttery Bronze – Goddess, £16
Revolution Superfix Glow Fixing Mist, £7.69, Amazon
If you only have five minutes…
There is often a shortage of time during the holiday period, and fortunately Young’s routine has been strict over the years on live TV.
She starts by hydrating, then carving with cream bronzer around the perimeter of the face to add instant warmth.
A pop of cream blush adds life, “the blush also doubles as lipstick,” she says, and only then does she apply concealer to avoid build-up.
A quick gel liner, mascara and brow gel “and you’re looking fresh in no time”.
Wood’s own five-minute method is absolutely streamlined: hydrate, correct where needed, mascara and a mist to make everything look like skin again.
“I sleep eight hours and drink three liters of water,” she says, adding that the secret to looking like this is her four-step routine.
Ilia Multi-Stick, £36
Elf Lash ‘n Roll Mascara, £7, Boots
charlotte tilbury Brow Fix Sculpting Gel, £26
Small changes that make a big difference
Young returns to composition again and again.
“My biggest winter skin habit is to choose soft, moisturizing textures that add glow rather than dryness,” she says.
Her favorite seasonal trick is to use pink cream blush – “the reds mimic the natural winter flush […] An easy way to revive dull skin.”
Wood is a fan of mixing skin care with base during winter. “It brings back the skin’s natural glow and makes everything look more healthy,” she says.
And when it comes to concealer, less really is more. “Targeted color correction […] This means you need very little concealer, so the under eye area looks fresh and natural instead of looking heavy.
They have a very practical tip for long nights and long wear, stating “A spritz of curing mist first And after makeup [acts] Like a hydration sandwich and keeps makeup in place beautifully all day.
bobbi brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base, £43.20 (was £54), Look Great