How To Get Glowing Skin All Winter Long

What to pair with your holiday party frock? Festive accessories and glowing, luminous skin. We asked makeup artist Anya Zeitlin to share her best beauty advice to get your glow on for New Year’s Eve and beyond.

“For holidays parties, bronzer and highlighter are a must,” says Zeitlin. “During the winter our complexions tend to be a little more pale, so it's nice to add some warmth and dimension. Also, if you're attending a holiday party, there will be plenty of photos being taken, so adding some dimension with highlight is essential.” Get selfie-ready with Zeitlin’s tips and product picks below!

POWDER HIGHLIGHTER

If you want a bolder glow, especially when the cameras are flashing, Zeitlin suggests a powder highlight like Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Powder in Highlight 01 (a golden nude hue made with Vitamin E and Jojoba Oil so it’s non-drying). Use a fan brush and apply to the top of the cheekbones.

LIQUID HIGHLIGHTER

Powders tend to appear more on the skin, so if you like a more natural appearance Zeitlin recommends a creamy formula. She recommends the sheer illuminator from any Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate palettes (free of sulfates, parabens, and fragrance; available in a range of skin tones) or Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector (a dewy, liquid formula). “When using a cream, I like to apply with the fingers and tap across the top of the cheekbone,” says Zeitlin. To find this sweet spot, tap at the highest point of your cheekbone starting below the end of the eye (on top of the cheekbone) continuing towards, but stopping before, the temple.

BRONZER

Depending how much dimension you want to create with bronzer, Zeitlin suggests using an angled cheek brush with a glowing bronzer. She likes the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Bronze or NARS Bronzer in Laguna for a matte option. Apply the bronzer to the lower part of the cheekbones, not on top of the cheekbones—you’re aiming for the bottom section of the fleshy part of the cheek and into the hollow part. You can also swipe it across the hairline on the forehead and through the center of the face with a fluffier brush. Or you can use a cream contour focusing on the hollow of the cheekbones and blend the edges above and below your placement with a cream face brush. Also apply to the top of the forehead and jawline. Pro Tip: “Always blend a little bronzer onto the earlobe and neck so that you don’t look all made up and more natural and blended,” advises Zeitlin.

BLUSH

Lastly, if you are going to use both highlighter and bronzer, make sure to add a pop of color to the apple of the cheeks (the fleshiest part of the cheek). “Even though it's adding more product, it tends to look more natural to add color when applying both highlight and bronzer,” notes Zeitlin. Her best tip for finding the perfect blush? “Go to a cosmetic store and swipe several colors you're drawn to on the back of your hand or your inner forearm,” she says. “Your skin tone should show you what works well with your own coloring as it will flatter the skin around the swatch—look for a color that warms up your skin instead of making it look dull.” Zeitlin suggests having a warmer (peach) blush and a cooler (pink) option in your makeup arsenal so you can coordinate with your wardrobe or lip color. Her go-to blush is Laura Mercier Blush Color Infusion in Ginger, a pretty neutral/peach color that’s flattering on most skin tones.

Get Your Glow On With These Makeup Tips & Product Picks