Holiday makeup often isn’t built for the conditions we put it through. Cold air outside, blasting heat inside and long nights all pull moisture from the skin, which is why even the best foundation can suddenly cling to dry patches or make texture more noticeable. Estheticians see this every winter, and the fix is simpler than most people realize: timing.

When you apply your serum and moisturizer immediately after cleansing, your skin holds hydration longer. That extra hydration creates the smooth, flexible surface makeup needs – and it’s the reason your look stays fresh hours later instead of fading fast.

Why timing is the most important step of any at-home agenda

Skin can lose water quickly after cleansing, especially in winter when humidity drops. If you wait too long to apply your serum and moisturizer, that hydration evaporates, your barrier becomes stressed, and makeup has nothing to really grip onto.

“Right after cleansing, your skin is often at its most receptive to the products you use,” says licensed esthetician Emma Nowakowski. “When you apply your treatments and moisturizer immediately, you keep hydration in the skin instead of letting it escape, and your makeup sits better because of it.”

This small change in timing helps makeup last significantly longer, and is the kind of skin prep pros rely on every winter.

The at-home agenda estheticians rely on for holiday makeup that actually lasts all night

Step 1: A gentle cleanser

Start with a cleanser that doesn’t leave your skin tight. That “pulled” feeling is often early dehydration, and foundation will find every dry bit of it to cling to. Winter already pulls moisture from the skin quickly, so your cleanser should support and hydrate the barrier instead of stripping it.

Pro pick: moisture positive cleanser

Step 2: A hydrating serum

Right after cleansing, go straight into your serum. This step helps smooth the surface, calm visible dryness, and support the areas where makeup tends to settle. Hydrating and soothing formulas make a visible difference in how evenly your foundation applies.

Pro pick: moisture x10

Step 3: An emollient moisturizer

Follow with an emollient moisturizer right after your serum; don’t wait for everything to fully dry. This is where the “3-minute rule” comes in, which is, put simply, moisturizing within three minutes of cleansing. This is when skin loses water the fastest, especially in winter.

As Emma explains, “When you moisturize within that 3-minute window, you’re not just adding hydration, you’re preventing a big chunk of it from escaping.”

Pro pick: crucial moisture

Step 4: Smoothing lip + under-eye care

Remember to give a little extra attention to the under-eye area and lips. Concealer looks more natural over hydrated skin, and any holiday lip (especially a bold red…) sits better and lasts longer when the surface isn’t dry from cold-weather exposure.

Pro picks: multi-task eye creme, lip clinic hydrating serum

This 4-step approach is what estheticians recommend because hydrated, supported skin holds makeup in place. When the barrier isn’t fighting moisture loss, your makeup won’t either. Your foundation stays smoother for longer, so your look lasts through every holiday moment.