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Irresistible Valentines Day Makeup Looks That Will Make You Swoon

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Valentine’s day in quarantine. Now that’s a first! How do you celebrate a holiday built around physical closeness when you have to social distance?! Well, you can start by busting out those brushes and picking a palette. (Those zoom filters are great, but they only go so far.) 

For many of us, doing our makeup is an act of self-care, nay, self-love. It’s one thing we can control in an otherwise crazy-making mix of unknowns. What you do on the actual day is less about having an exciting date planned and more about feeling excited in your own skin. 

So, after you’ve picked out your little black dress (or sweat suit set) to layer on over your lingerie (or favorite t-shirt), it’s time to show yourself some love. Follow any one of these Valentine’s Day makeup ideas to tap your inner cupid

Before You Start Your Valentine’s Day Makeup

Doing your makeup for Valentine’s Day starts like any other application. You need a clean, fresh face and a basic idea of the steps you should apply your products. 

Some general makeup tips to keep in mind: 

  1. Start with a clean face. Wash your face and use a gentle toner afterwards. Apply a cotton pad with Miceller water to remove any stubborn, leftover eye or face makeup. 
  2. Always moisturize. You should be moisturizing anytime you wash your face, even if you have oily skin. Otherwise you could disrupt your skin’s natural PH. If you are worried about looking too greasy, opt for a light primer-moisturizer combo. 
  3. Apply primer. If your moisturizer doesn’t have a built-in primer, use one now. 
  4. Conceal and color-correct. You may use light colors like orange or green color correcting makeup to mask pimples and dark under eye circles. Treat with a regular concealer slightly lighter than your skin after. Don’t forget your lids, too!
  5. Finish with foundation. Use a clean makeup sponge or blender to apply all-over foundation. Don’t be afraid to mix multiple shades to match your skin tone! 
  6. Shape and fill your brows. Go dramatic or subdued depending on the rest of your Valentine’s makeup look. 
  7. Do your eye shadow. Add your base color to your lid then work your way out, darkening the crease and highlighting the brow. 
  8. Line your lids. Waiting until after you do your mascara can create clumps. 
  9. Put on mascara. Doing this after the rest of your eye makeup is complete allows the mascara to build on any powder that’s fallen in the process, making your lashes appear thicker. 
  10.  Line and fill your lips. No Valentine’s Day makeup look is complete without a little lip.  Even if you’re going glossy, you can define your lips and make them feel fuller by lining them first. 
  11.  Set it! You worked hard on that look! Use a finishing spray applied in an X and T motion to set it all in place. 

Valentine Makeup Looks You’ll Love

Step away from the chocolate box. It’s time for the fun part – selecting your makeup for Valentine’s Day! You can base your look around what you’ve got planned, a cocktail with your gal pals, stay-at-home dinner with your S.O., Zoom date with your Nana (hey – Grandparents need love too!), or do your makeup just for you. Using your face as a blank canvas to get creative for creativity’s sake is a great use of your time! 

Try out one of these Valentine’s Day YouTube makeup tutorials to get your artistic juices flowing: 

Valentine’s Date Night

Got a Valentine’s Date? When in doubt, go glam. 

Simple Valentine’s Day Makeup

Because sometimes the best makeup looks like no makeup at all … 

Purple Passion Valentine’s Makeup

RiRi knows that pink and red aren’t the only Valentine’s colors du jour. Follow her lead. 

Vintage Valentine

Perfect for achieving that classic, easy Valentine’s Day makeup look, even if you don’t FaceTime with your grandmother.  

Tips For Keeping Makeup Off Your Mask

Masks are another part of our new normal that can feel very anti-Valentine’s. Still, they don’t have to ruin your look if you make the right preparations. (No one wants to contend with facemask makeup.) 

Remember the last step in our makeup application? Setting spray is your best friend if you’re trying to navigate makeup with a facemask, so use it liberally where your mask will come into contact with your skin. You could also try a kiss-proof lipstick or lip-stain to keep your pout in place. If you’re going glossy, go clear or apply after it’s safe to remove the mask. 

Not comfortable removing your mask or think makeup and facemasks simply don’t mix? Play up your peepers and let your Valentine’s eye makeup take center stage! 

There are as many unique ways to ring in Valentine’s Day as there are types of love in the world. And it all starts with the attention and care you show yourself. Can your V-day makeup make up for missing your galentines or depriving you from a hot night on the town with your sweetie?  Maybe not, but it’s definitely a place to start.

Gina Rivera

Gina Rivera

Beauty Icon and Expert

Gina Rivera skyrocketed to success when the company she founded in 2007, Phenix Salon Suites, became the fastest-growing salon suite company in the beauty industry. With more than 300 locations nationally and international expansion occurring in the UK, Entrepreneur Magazine named Phenix Salon Suites a Top 500 Franchise list seven years running.

    THE 13 BEST FLAT IRONS THAT HAVE OUR GO-TO HAIR EXPERTS’ STAMPS OF APPROVAL

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    In the latest post on BestProducts.com, experts in the hair industry give their opinions on the best flat irons currently on the market. Whether your preference is the conventional ceramic plate flat iron or a newer one made out of titanium, these experts break down the different nuances of both and give you advice on which one might be best for your hair. You will also get some expert advice on pre-styling routines and tips to keep your hair looking healthy even with a daily straightening regimen.

    To read the full article, click here.

    Credit to: Jennifer Hussein

    Gina Rivera

    Gina Rivera

    Beauty Icon and Expert

    Gina Rivera skyrocketed to success when the company she founded in 2007, Phenix Salon Suites, became the fastest-growing salon suite company in the beauty industry. With more than 300 locations nationally and international expansion occurring in the UK, Entrepreneur Magazine named Phenix Salon Suites a Top 500 Franchise list seven years running.

      Grown-Out Bangs Are Officially a Trend

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      With the entire country being shut down over the past year due to COVID-19, many of us were not able get in to see our hairstylists for months. As a result, we found ourselves making do with a grown out version of a hairstyle we had pre-COVID. With that being said, shaggy layers and grown-out bangs became a new trend in hair, as people were faced with the option of cutting their own hair or letting it grow.

      In the latest totalbeauty post, Gina comments on the new trend in growing out those bangs.

      To read the full article, click here.

      Gina Rivera

      Gina Rivera

      Beauty Icon and Expert

      Gina Rivera skyrocketed to success when the company she founded in 2007, Phenix Salon Suites, became the fastest-growing salon suite company in the beauty industry. With more than 300 locations nationally and international expansion occurring in the UK, Entrepreneur Magazine named Phenix Salon Suites a Top 500 Franchise list seven years running.

        Credit to: Heather Cichowski

        3 Trendy Hair Colors to Try This Year, According to Stylists

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        As we say good riddance to 2020 (and for good reason), there is no better way to start the new year right than with a sassy new cut and color to bring back your confidence and new attitude. Gina and other salon experts were recently featured in a Better Homes & Gardens post giving insight on some trendy color ideas that you might want to try this year.

        To read the full article, click here.

        Gina Rivera

        Gina Rivera

        Beauty Icon and Expert

        Gina Rivera skyrocketed to success when the company she founded in 2007, Phenix Salon Suites, became the fastest-growing salon suite company in the beauty industry. With more than 300 locations nationally and international expansion occurring in the UK, Entrepreneur Magazine named Phenix Salon Suites a Top 500 Franchise list seven years running.

          Credit to:  Jennifer Aldrich

          Tip of the Week – How to maintain a bright outlook while at work.

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          With 2021 now underway, it’s important that we embark on the new year with a good attitude.  For many of us, a lot of our time is spent in the workplace meaning our happiness while at work is important. Here’s some of my tips for maintaining a bright outlook while at work:

          1. First and foremost, make sure you are in a career that you enjoy.
          2. Take time for yourself outside of work to ensure you maintain balance.
          3. Remain passionate about your profession by investing your energy into professional development. (Hint: There is a lot of complimentary education available online!)
          4. To avoid burnout, don’t over schedule yourself and take short breaks throughout the day.
          5. Avoid associating with negative people and destructive gossip.
          Gina Rivera

          Gina Rivera

          Beauty Icon and Expert

          Gina Rivera skyrocketed to success when the company she founded in 2007, Phenix Salon Suites, became the fastest-growing salon suite company in the beauty industry. With more than 300 locations nationally and international expansion occurring in the UK, Entrepreneur Magazine named Phenix Salon Suites a Top 500 Franchise list seven years running.

            The Ultimate Winter Skincare Guide: Hot Tips for Cold Weather

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            Winter months can be brutal on your skin. Even if you aren’t normally prone to dryness or flaking, freak-outs rise as temps drop. Between those blustery breezes and indoor heater, your skin can’t win. Hanging onto moisture can be a full-time job, and no skin type is immune.

            How pervasive is it? CeraVe conducted a Harris Poll of 2,000 U.S. adults and found, “83 percent of Americans said their skin feels differently during the winter than it does the rest of the year … More specifically, 77 percent say their skin feels dry in winter and 41 percent even describe it as itchy.”

            Are you one of them? Use this winter skincare guide to ease dryness and discomfort, while keeping your skin healthy all season long. 

            Why should you change your skincare routine in winter? 

            Your skincare routine isn’t meant to stay the same year-round. Just like your wardrobe, it is seasonally specific.   

            What many people don’t realize is that their regular regimen may very well be compounding common winter skincare issues like redness, dryness, and itching. And while you may not be able to avoid moisture-zapping winds and heaters, you can (and should) take steps to replenish what you’ve lost. 

            What changes should you make to care for winter skin? 

            Knowing how to take care of skin in winter is the first step to salvaging the oils that protect its natural barrier. Effective cold-weather skincare requires making some intentional changes to the products you use, fabrics you wear, and ways you warm up. 

            1. Switch up your cleanser. We’ve been conditioned to believe that only frothy, foaming cleansers are capable of getting us really clean. Truth is, soaps can often strip skin of more moisture than they give back. Prioritizing your winter body skincare means banishing bar soaps with irritating ingredients or perfumes. Opt for moisturizing, fragrance-free oatmeal cleansers or oil-based gels over ‘unscented’ soaps, which often still contain traces of fragrance. 
            2. Modify your skincare routine. After you’ve found a good balm, oil, or cream cleanser for your face, modify your next steps, too. Good face care in winter means ditching astringents or toners with alcohol and layering serums to lock in moisture. Try adding a hyaluronic acid in the morning and an oil or sleeping mask at night after you moisturize. Be sure to exfoliate at least once a week to remove dead, dry skin, so products can penetrate more deeply. 
            3. Get a thicker moisturizer. Even if you have oily skin, you’ll probably need to add in a cream-based moisturizer instead of a lotion alone during the coldest months of the year. As Dr. Hadley King, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, explains in RealSimple: “While humectants may have been sufficient to keep the skin hydrated during humid months, emollients and occlusives will be more important during low-humidity conditions.” To review: Humectants (like hyaluronic acid) extract moisture from the air and fuse it to the skin. Emollients (think: lotions and the like) protect the skin’s natural barrier. And oily, waxy occlusive form a protective layer that locks in moisture. Heavier, winter-proof moisturizers will contain some of each. 
            4. Keep wearing sunscreen. When it comes to sunscreen, skincare in the winter really isn’t much different than the summer. You need to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least 30 SPF every day. No exceptions. In snowier climates, frozen precipitation can reflect up to 80% of the sun’s rays! 
            5. Invest in a humidifier. Humidifiers pump extra moisture into the air via tiny water droplets. Not only are they good for keeping your sinuses, nasal passages, and lungs healthy, the steam they release can do wonders for your skin. They’re especially impactful at night when skin is in the regenerative stage of its circadian cycle. 
            6. Turn down the thermostat. Even if you’ve perfected your skincare in winter, it won’t matter much if all you do is sit under a constantly running heater or roaring fire. Both can severely dehydrate skin, no matter how many skincare products you change out. Instead, heat your home to a comfortable 72 degrees or lower. Keeping the thermostat set at a consistent 68 degrees can also save you money for more skincare products or facial treatments! 
            7. Avoid long, hot showers. This one can be a tough pill to swallow, but as contradictory as it sounds hot showers can really do a number on your skin. Hot water can easily strip away protective oils, so keep showers or baths to about 10 minutes and wash with lukewarm water.  
            8. Wear natural fabrics. Add more natural fabrics to your winter skincare checklist. While warm, wool is a known irritant for most skin types. Switching out sweaters for cashmere or fleece can help you stay warm without the excessive itch. If you do want to keep wearing your favorite winter wool, try putting a layer of silk or cotton thermals between. 
            9. Change out of wet clothes ASAP. Whether you’re building a snowman, making snow angels, or just getting caught in an unexpected downpour, make sure you don’t stay in wet winter gear. Moist gloves, socks, and hats can cause skin to chap. 
            10. Stay hydrated! Remember that dewy, hydrated skin starts from the inside out. Your skin can’t hang onto moisture it doesn’t have. So drink your daily 8+ glasses of water (or hot tea) to keep skin supple. 

            Any number of these tips should create huge shifts in caring for winter skin. If you’re still experiencing issues, a 1% hydrocortisone cream or a visit to the dermatologist may be your next step. 

            xoxo,

            Gina

            This article does not contain medical advice and the information herein should not replace a consultation with a physician. See your doctor or a professional esthetician for skin care assistance personalized to your needs.

            Click on the Skin Care tab on ginasplatform.com to find the best skin care salons in your area or use the Gina’s Platform app to find an esthetician near you.

            Gina Rivera

            Gina Rivera

            Beauty Icon and Expert

            Gina Rivera skyrocketed to success when the company she founded in 2007, Phenix Salon Suites, became the fastest-growing salon suite company in the beauty industry. With more than 300 locations nationally and international expansion occurring in the UK, Entrepreneur Magazine named Phenix Salon Suites a Top 500 Franchise list seven years running.