What Is the ‘Cold Girl’ Makeup Trend—And How to Get the Look

Hint: It’s all about the flush.

Thanks to TikTok, you’ve heard of beauty movements like passport makeup and skin cycling. Now say hello to “cold girl makeup”—aka “I’m cold” makeup—and the latest beauty look to take over our social media feeds. Created by digital creator Zoe Kim KenealyThe viral TikTok trend It’s about creating a look on your skin that makes it appear as though you have been exposed to windchill. You might be able to guess the result. Actual cold temperatures aren’t involved; you only need a few makeup bag staples to achieve the après-ski illusion.

“The cold girl makeup trend gives you that just-came-in-from-the-cold rosy cheeks vibe,” says celebrity makeup artist Kasey Spickard. Although many TikTok creators have created their own version of wintery makeup, all of them share one thing: overdone blush. Others took it one step further, using frosty highlighter, eyeshadow, and gradient lipsticks that look like subtly chapped lips.

Spickard outlines the exact steps to achieve cold girl makeup without having to be exposed to freezing temperatures.

Base

Perfecting your foundation is the first step in achieving cold-girl makeup. Spickard suggests that natural makeup is important, so you should start with a tinted moisturizer, or a light foundation. After that, use concealer to spot-treat blemishes and optionally, “add a touch of brightening concealer (i.e. To make your eyes pop, apply concealer a few shades lighter under your eyes.

Brows

Brows won’t make or break the cold girl makeup look, but Spickard’s preference is a natural yet refined soap brow. She recommends using a spoolie to brush your eyebrows. We love e.l.f. for creating soap brows. Brow Lift Gel ($6 amazon.com).

Blush

The key to cold-girl makeup looks is not overdone blush. Spickard suggests using a cream-based formula like the cult-favorite Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Blush ($23). sephora.com) in a pink or berry tone. “Sweep it onto the apples of your cheeks, under your eyes, and the bridge of your nose.”

Highlight

Next, subtly accentuate your features as you see fit using a cool-toned silver or white reflective highlight, à la Makeup by Mario Master Crystal Reflector (26; sephora.comIt is reminiscent of frost. Apply a light dusting to your face on the tops of your cheekbones, bridge and tip of your nose. You can either apply shimmer all over your lids or just highlight the inner corners for a subtler look.

Lips

For a more natural look, add a popsicle (or gradient) lip to complete the look. Apply your lipstick color to your center and blend outwards so that you have the most color. You may need to experiment with different shades. If you are looking for a more cold-toned look, clear lip gloss is an option.

You can find more Real Simple news here sign up for our newsletter!

Check out the original article Real Simple.