Keeping your lips plump and soft during the fall and winter seasons can be a challenge, especially if you live in a very cold climate and spend a lot of time outdoors in the brisk air. However, maintaining a lip care routine can help you maintain that dazzling smile all season long. In addition to a weekly exfoliation routine, you’ll need to add a few simple steps to your beauty regimen. Here are some essential steps for keeping that pout looking beautiful for the fall and winter season:

1. Exfoliate lips at least once per week. Remove dry skin with a light brushing with your toothbrush before bed, or this serious lip treatment, then cover your lips with an emollient-rich lip balm . This will help your skin restore itself and heal overnight, and the lip balm will infuse your lips with essential nutrients that promote cell recovery.

2. Use a moisturizing lipstick. Skip the lip gloss for the cooler months in favor of a moisture-rich lipstick instead. You’ll need the bolder colors for the season, and the ingredients in the lipstick will keep your lips kissably soft and smooth.

3. Apply a clear gloss as a sealant. If you want your lips to stay silky smooth for several hours, add a thin coat of clear gloss on top of lipstick so that it acts as a sealant. Use a gloss that’s infused with B-vitamins and emollients for extra protection this season.

Some other important tips for maintaining a picture-perfect pucker this fall…avoid licking your lips whenever possible, because this only zaps away moisture and makes it difficult for your lips to hold onto the lip balm and other products you’re applying. You can carry your favorite lip treats with you so that you can add another layer as needed.

It’s also a good idea to drink plenty of water throughout the day to avoid dehydration. Coffee, tea and other caffeinated beverages can put you at risk for dehydration and chapped, flaky lips.

Finally, if you’re not planning on wearing any lip color, be prepared to layer up with a clear gloss – preferably with SPF – so that your lips can stay soft and smooth all season long!

Temperatures are heating up, the days are longer, but that drab and dreary complexion you’ve been hiding all winter isn’t exactly the hottest thing around! Nothing says summer like a goddess-like glow, and the safest and easiest way to get this is through bronzers .

There are tons of different formulas and shades of bronzers on the market today and the selection can be mind-boggling. However, there are some great products out there that are fool-proof and have buildable, sheer shades to complement most skin tones.

Take the Illuminating Finishing Powder by Stila for example, the baked, hand-milled formula goes on sheer and adds a totally ethereal glow along with that “just-hit-the-beach” color. Try it in the Bronze shade for a flattering and wearable way to get bronzed!

Another great option is purminerals ’ Universal Marble Mineral Powder & Bronzer. These mosaic-like discs blend several shades of bronze to create a flawless glow. This easy-to-use formula is also packed with vitamins and minerals to condition the skin as well as evening out the skin tone. Just sweep it on and go!

For a quick dose of shimmer and bronze anywhere, we also love Lola ’s Shimmer Powder Brush in Bronze. Its purse-friendly applicator has a handy built-in brush so you can sweep it on your face and shoulders when you’re in a hurry.

A great option if you’re planning on laying out poolside would be Stila ’s Sun SPF 15 Bronzer. It adds lightly shimmering color while the SPF shields your skin from the harmful rays…which as we all know by now is a huge no-no! You can even dust this product on your décolleté and shoulders for glamorous, healthy-looking glow, like you just vacationed in St. Tropez or South Beach.

No matter what shade you choose for your complexion, the key is proper application using the right tools. It all starts with the right brush. Use a blush or bronzer blush like Stila ’s #17 retractable bronzing brush. Keep it in your purse or makeup bag for on-the-go glow. For all-over color, the Perfect Powder Blush by Paul Dorf is also a great option. Its large, fluffy bristles disperse sheer color and make blending a breeze.

The best places to apply bronzers are where the sun naturally hits your face first, so start lightly on your forehead, then dust along the cheekbones and work up into the temples in a “heart” formation. Adding a touch of glow to those areas really bring out the cheekbones…now who wouldn’t want that?
Adding a darker shade of bronzer on the hollow parts of your cheeks (just below the fleshy part usually referred to as the “apples” of your cheeks), is also a great way to coax out those cheekbones to maximum exposure!

So if you’re craving a bronze-goddess glow that rivals that of Jennifer Lopez, skip the harmful sun and reach for the safe and easy alternative: the season’s must-have bronzers!

Makeup for men? Rockers, goths and Pete Wentz wannabes all wear makeup, would you love ‘em or hate ‘em if your guy wore makeup? More importantly, would you share yours? Our faves, whether you are male or female, for dramatic eyes are Lola’s Cream Shadow in Lava and Paula Dorf’s eye pencil in Ebony. But do tell us what you think, we really want to know.