ColumnWhether you buy it outright or make your own, tinted moisturizer is your cold weather must-have.

The one makeup product you need to make it through the dry seasons of fall and winter is tinted moisturizer. Skin becomes particularly parched as the air dries it out and indoor heating systems only exacerbate the problem. Hydrated skin makes us look fresh, younger and more vibrant and who doesn’t want that? Having a makeup product that can add needed moisture and even out skin tone is essential for every skin type. Yep, even you oily skin gals, listen up! There’s tips for you too.

One option is to buy a tinted moisturizer or a lightweight hydrating foundation. The other is to make your own with what you have on hand. The advantages of ready-made products are they save a little bit of time and mess while ensuring the ratio of foundation to moisturizer is just right.

A few of my eco favorites include:

Dr. Hauschka Translucent Make-up

Lavera Tinted Moisturizing Cream

Physician’s Formula Organic Wear Tinted Moisturizer

Making your own blend can save money while letting you receive the benefits of your favorite cream and getting the exact shade of foundation right, especially if a pre-made line just doesn’t seem to have the right one for you.

What you’ll need to make a custom tinted moisturizer:

A liquid foundation or mineral powder that matches your skin tone.

A hydrating moisturizer for the daytime that works well for your skin type.

You will have to experiment a bit to find the exact ratio that works to achieve the coverage you desire. The best ratio to begin with is a dime size amount of moisturizer and a nickel size dab of foundation.  On the palm of a clean hand mix them together. You’ll see there if you need more foundation or moisturizer, then you can add accordingly. If you are using a lightweight foundation already or want a heavier coverage out of your base, decrease the amount of moisturizer.

Using mineral powder with a face cream to create a tinted moisturizer works especially well for those concerned about shiny, oily skin. The ratio for using mineral powder mixed in with moisturizer in this case is much smaller. A very tiny bit of powder goes a long way with a lightweight cream. The combination will dry quite matte, so keep that in mind before you start mixing up a giant batch. I’ve done it successfully but it took a few tries to get it not looking like a gummy mess. Once I had the ratio down, then I had a shine-free face, that didn’t feel dry and lasted with coverage all day.

Now let’s hear about your experiments and favorite products for tinted moisturizers this season, and leave your comments below.

Editor’s note: Got a celebrity look you’d like to copy or a trend you’d like to see incorporating healthy, non-toxic makeup? Send your questions to High Definition columnist Kristen Arnett at beauty@ecosalon.com

New York City based Kristen Arnett is an internationally renowned makeup artist and founder of the Green Beauty Team, styling high profile celebrities and runway models as well as a sought after beauty expert, educator and teacher for other makeup artists.

Image: Aimaness  photography

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