Hormonal changes and winter are usually the way and time when glowing tautness of your skin is lost and your skin gets drier, making it look rather dull and unhappy. Lines and wrinkles look more pronounced on skin that's dry and it can be a task to conceal them to an effect where they aren't noticed. Moisturizing and caring for your skin is magic before you apply the best makeup for dry skin. Before you go on with giving your face a story of tinges, highlights and peachy hues, get into a bath or under a shower. Make sure the water is lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, as both these aren't the friendliest to dry skin and worsen its condition. Avoid using harsh chemical soaps and opt for organic herbal ones instead. If you're about to immerse into a succulent bath, pour in two cups of warm milk in the water along with quarter of a cup of saffron, half a cup of honey and vanilla essential oil. Your skin will lap up the deliciousness of this luxury, and make you feel all the more rejuvenated and more than comfortable in your skin. After you apply moisturizing creams, make sure to pat your skin with a tissue so that it absorbs the excess moisturizer from the surface of your skin and then it is easier to apply makeup and avoid it from just sliding off. Foundation When you buy your foundation, don't test it on the skin of the back of your hand. There is a vast difference in the texture and color of the skin on your face and that of your hand. Hands, bearing more brunt of the sun, are darker. Choose a color that is closest to the skin tone of your face. Liquid or cream foundations work best for dry skin as they are easy to apply and have a natural look. They are best suited for dry skin because of their high moisture content. With the help of your fingers or a soft sponge, spread the foundation evenly on your face, especially around the corners of your nose, so that it doesn't look too conspicuous there. Unlike matte and powder foundations, liquid or cream foundations should make your skin look smooth and give it a fine finish. If you want a more natural look, you can chuck your foundation for a bit and go for a tinted moisturizer. Rouge or Blush Use a tint or stain blush as powders will make it look a lot worse. Take a pea-size amount of primer or moisturizer, blend in with it a couple of drops of tint and then apply it to the apples of your cheeks. For dry skin, it is best if you choose mousse or cream blushes. When you apply blush, think about where the sun would kiss your cheeks. A gentle sweep of rouge or a bronzer would give a natural glow. Apply the blush to the apples of you cheeks and then blend it backward in the direction of your temples. Rosier pink shades look great on blondes, for the brunettes it would be corals. Eye Makeup The skin around your eyes is the most sensitive and can bear the brunt of many lines caused due to dehydration and dry skin. Eyes can look magic when you apply your makeup right, as these are truly windows that your soul pours out through. You can play around with all the colors of the rainbow when it comes to sultry eye makeup. Dab your eyelids with a tiny bit of lip balm whether you want to apply any eye shadow or not. It always gives it a beautifully dewy appearance and makes your face look juicily healthy. Here are some basics for choosing the right eye shadow color according to the color of your eyes or your hair. When it comes to mascara, use it gently and do not overuse until your lashes stick out like hard, black needles. Liquid eye liner is the best. Make sure the tip is a little bent and pointed enough for you to draw it finely. Here are some tips for eye shadow shades that would suit you. You can always be creative and see which goes well.

Eye Color	Eye Makeup
Green/Hazel Eyes	Earthy or Plummy Browns, Gold, Lime-Green, Apricot, Purple or Bright Purple, Plum, Deep Khaki, Forest Green
Blue Eyes	Taupe, Turquoise, Fuschia, Gray, Violet, Deep Purple, Dark Navy Blues, Black (Mixing it with Sky Blue or Bright Blue for a Smoky Effect)
Brown Eyes	There is a vast choice, depending upon your mood, clothing and skin tone

You can also refer further to the color of your hair as a guide.

Hair Color	Eye Makeup
For Blondes	Creams and Taupe
For Brunettes	Mochas and Chocolate Browns
For Auburn/Redheads	Coppers, Peaches, and Reddish Browns or Cool Tones like Pink and Lavenders
For Gray Hair	Grays, Soft Purples, and Blues

Lipstick First, gently exfoliate your skin with a dry toothbrush to get rid of any flaky skin. Before applying a lipstick, make sure to give your lips that pout of juiciness and moisture with a lip balm or a chapstick. Apply lipstick to your lower lip. Pick a shade from below to go with the tone of your skin, and always feel free to experiment.

Skin Tone	Shades of Lipstick
Pale Skin	Velveteen and smooth coral-like shades of red
Medium Skin	True Red to Pinkish Cranberry Shades
Dark Skin	Deep, Rich Colors like Burgundy or Warm Brick (but not terribly bright ones)

Tips to Keep Your Skin from Going Dry Again The best makeup for dry skin is to highlight a specific part of your face - either your eyes, lips or cheeks and make the rest the subtlest you can, than look like someone with big feet who's just hopped out of a circus. Keep your makeup light in the day. You can make it dramatic and darker for the night. Don't just surrender yourself to the feet of fashion and kiss the toenails of every passing trend, before you see if it works well for you. Feel free to be more and more creative and bold, without going too overboard.

• Always make sure to cleanse and exfoliate your skin beforehand.
• Use gentle cleansers for sensitive skin, that don't alter the balance of your skin's natural oils and hydrolipid film.
• Avoid any toners that contain astringent and those which are alcohol-based.
• Whilst you're in your house or a workplace, raise the humidity by using humidifiers, or just place a bowl of water near the radiators or air conditioners.
• Avoid very hot and stuffy places. Check forecasts and protect your skin from extremely cold weather, whipping winds and the merciless sun by applying a creamy moisturizer or extra-rich lotions.
• Don't sunbathe for an eternity. Limit your time. Apply moisturizing sun creams and after-sun lotions.
• Drink two liters of water everyday and not too much at once, but little by little throughout the entire span of the day.
• Once a week, use a moisturizing face mask.
• Make sure you eat foods that have all the essential fatty acids.
• Applying vitamin E oil or a bit of extra virgin olive oil before you go to bed is great to nourish and moisturize your skin naturally.
• Avoid steaming your face too much, as it makes your skin a lot worse.

Take care of your skin as mentioned above before you go about applying makeup for dry skin. Make sure you clean your makeup with cleansers, tone it and moisturize before you head to the land of nod! Drink plenty of water and eat lots of fresh fruits. Make sure you're getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals into your body. And whenever you step out and feel you are looking your best, don't forget to wear that winning smile upon your face, letting that beautiful curve of an expression meet the art of beauty.