HOW TO ACHIEVE ‘COLD GIRL’ MAKE UP
Winter is here, and with it comes the allure of the iconic Cold Girl Make Up trend. Created by make up artist Zoe Kim Kenealy, the Cold Girl Make Up look is all about embracing a fresh, icy vibe that’s effortlessly glowing, as though you've just come in from the crisp winter walk – think flushed cheeks, frosty highlights and a natural, dewy complexion.
Whether you’re channelling the glow of a snow-kissed morning or embracing a more ethereal vibe, this cosmetic creation is all about creating a natural, lit-from-within effect.
To celebrate this winter’s seasonal sign off, we’re taking you through the simple steps needed to achieve your ideal Cold Girl Make Up finish.
Brushes at the ready!
IN THIS ARTICLE:
WHAT IS COLD GIRL MAKE UP
HOW TO CREATE YOUR COLD GIRL MAKE UP LOOK
STEP ONE: PREP YOUR SKIN WITH HYDRATION
Set the stage the right way and ensure your make up lasts all day long with a hydrating primer such as Hourglass’ Veil Mineral Primer or a tinted moisturiser – we’re thinking U Beauty’s Super Tinted Hydrator. These formulas ensure your skin is plumped and fresh, ready for a pop of colour.
110.74€
69
25.90€
3
53.11€
1
28.25€
1
107.35€
36
33.90€
STEP TWO: MATTIFY YOUR COMPLEXION
Although glassy, glowy looks have stolen the spotlight for the last couple of years, it’s time to fall back in love with a matte base. This look works its magic when your complexion is matte, making your cheeks pop with colour. We recommend using Laura Mercier’s Translucent Loose Setting Powder Ultra-Blur over your foundation to really mattify the glow and get your base ready for blush. Or maybe try VIEVE’s lightweight Modern Powder Perfector to tamp down the shiny parts of your complexion.
6
25.99€
46
38.42€
37
35.00€
65
RRP: 44.00€Current price: 30.80€
28.25€
1002
38.40€
STEP THREE: LAYER YOUR BLUSH
The trick here is to layer a peachy toned blush like RÓEN’s Cheeky Cream Blush in the shade ‘Peach Flush’ Benefit’s Benetint Lip & Cheek stain. These skin-friendly formulas boost buildable pigment that suits all skin tones. Then, layer your look with your powdery blush on top. We love VIEVE Sunset Blush in the shade Cherub as its finely milled pigment casts a soft-satin finish and meld seamlessly with your skin. Oh, and don’t forget to use your pink blush over your nose and above your lips. While this may not be the typical placement of your blush, applying it on these areas really helps to make the look more authentic. After all, we all know about Rudolph’s nose, don’t we?
STEP FOUR: BUILD YOUR BROWS
Keep your brows soft and natural to complement the fresh look. Use a brow pencil or gel that matches your natural hair colour, focusing on filling in sparse areas and lightly defining your arches’ shape. To finish off, keep your hairs in place with Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Brow Freeze Gel.
20.34€
116
27.10€
45
27.12€
2
26.00€
5
RRP: 31.64€Current price: 22.15€
79
22.60€
STEP FIVE: KEEP YOUR EYES EFFORTLESS
For the eyes, the Cold Girl look is all about understated elegance. Start with a neutral eyeshadow base, using soft pink or peach tones for a subtle wash of colours. And if you don’t’ want to be adding too many different products, we suggest using your blusher for this. Then add a touch of shimmer to the inner corners of your eyes to brighten and open them up. As for your liner, opt for a thin line of your liquid eyeliner along the top lash line for definition, but avoid anything too dramatic. Finish off with a coat of mascara to make your lashes look long and natural.
STEP SIX: CREATE A SOFT BLURRED LIP
For your pout pick a soft matte lipstick of your choice! We’re reaching for Saie’s Lip Blur Matte Blurring Lipstick that’s nourishing as well as pigmented or Kosas’ Weightless Lipstick which is packed of lip-loving ingredients (we’re talking omega-rich mango seed butter and intensely hydrating shea butter). The trick for this step is not to just apply the lipstick as normal, but to use your fingers to dab the colour and blur it against your lip contours. This should transform your harsh lines into a delicate finish that looks as though you’ve just been kissed.
53
22.60€
11
24.86€
5
37.29€
19
32.77€
11
33.90€
STEP SEVEN: LOCK IN YOUR LOOK
Keep your Cold Girl Make Up in place and keep your skin looking fresh, with a spritz of setting spray. Bursting with ingredients that form a light, protective layer over your make up, this final step helps prevent your foundation, blush, eyeshadow, and other products from smudging, fading, or transferring onto clothes or surfaces.
285
31.60€
1506
36.16€
33
18.00€
1
32.21€
11
27.95€
COLD GIRL MAKE UP FAQS
Where do you put blush to look cold?
To achieve the "cold" or "frosted" look with blush, the key is to mimic the natural flush you’d get from being out in chilly weather. With that in mind, the best place to apply your blusher is on the apples of your cheeks, along your nose and up, towards your temples.
What does Strawberry Make Up look like?
Strawberry Make Up is playful, sweet and mimics the fresh, juiciness of its namesake fruit. This look is characterised by soft, warm tones of red, pink and berry hues that bring out a dewy appearance. Read our Strawberry Make Up guide to discover how to recreate the look from home.
What is the most flattering blush colour?
The most flattering blush colour largely depends on your skin tone. For fair tones, light shades like peach, soft pink and light coral work best while for deep tones, deep berry, plum and rich fuchsia shades are complementary. In short, it’s about finding the right balance to match your undertones and look you want to achieve!
Now you know everything about Cold Girl Make Up, it’s time to embrace the plummeting climes 360 days of year.
Cult Beauty’s Senior SEO Copywriter, Trifonia started out in the industry when bold brows were just becoming a ‘thing’, and shares a passion for all things fashion and beauty. Currently embracing her curly girl journey (after endless years of straightening her strands), she is finally reverting to her natural ways! When Triffy isn’t busy testing out the latest curl-saving solutions, you’ll find her binging the latest reality TV show or on a long walk listening to her ever-evolving country music playlist.
