Five Ways To Sneak SPF Into Your Beauty Routine This Winter

Winter is almost upon us. By now, you’ve likely packed away your swimsuits, shorts and tank tops. But I hope that your sunscreen didn’t go into hibernation with your summer clothes.

UV radiation doesn’t take a vacation – and while not as intense in the wintertime, it still poses a threat. In fact, the reflection of the sun’s rays off of snow, sand, water, concrete and buildings can still cause damage to your skin.

Luckily for you, I’ve found five products that make it easy to sneak sun protection into your beauty routine:

Hissyfit Saving Face Anti-Aging Foundation provides flawless foundation coverage with a SPF 50+, broad spectrum protection from the sun’s damaging UVA/UVB rays. Water-resistant, Saving Face is perfect for protecting skin after exfoliation, dermabrasion or chemical peels. And it gets major props for its wide range of shades. Brown skinned beauties, rejoice!

L’Oreal Skin Genesis SPF 15 Lotion is one of the rare facial moisturizers I can use during the summer and winter. I love how my skin literally drinks it in. When I apply the lotion after exfoliating, better shield your eyes because my skin is positively luminescent.

My favorite bronzer is LORAC TANtalizer Baked Matte Satin Bronzer SPF15, which has a mineral-based, baked formula that goes on silky-smooth for a glow that lasts. It can be used wet or dry, depending on the intensity you desire, and is great for contouring and highlighting. It might just be the best bronzer I've ever used – and now that the summer glow has faded from your face, I suggest you invest in it too.

It’s Hissyfit to the rescue, again. Their Handy Work Anti-Aging Hand Cream is a luxuriously moisturizing cream that offers SPF 30+ UVA/UVB protection, and smells of orange and mint.

Carmex Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm has nourishing emollients that penetrate to soothe, heal and prevent dry lips. It has SPF 15, but you’d never know because it doesn’t taste or smell sunscreeny. The satin gloss looks great by itself or as a final finish over your lip color.

This post is sponsored by Carmex Moisture Plus ultra hydrating lip balm. More than lip balm, learn Carmex secrets, tips, & ideas here.

Carmex Giveaway Winner

Wow...y'all wanted some Carmex, didn't you?

I received a ton of entries for the Carmex Giveaway - but I could only choose one winner. And she is...Tia from Virginia!

Lucky Tia will receive a year's supply of Carmex Moisture Plus lip balm and a $25 Visa gift card. Tia, please email me so that we can chat about shipping arrangements.

Thanks to all who entered. If you're name isn't Tia and you didn't win, you can still have lush lips this winter. Just visit one of these locations and get you some Carmex. And if you still want to try your luck, enter this giveaway on the Carmex website...50 winners are chosen every week!

Five Cold Weather Makeup Bag Essentials - Plus A Giveaway!

The cold weather hit Philly earlier than I had expected. So this weekend, I switched out the contents of my makeup bag (I don’t even want to say how many products I had crammed in there…I’m embarrassed) and replaced them with the following cold weather beauty essentials.

Last week, it was cold and wet in my neck of the woods. It’s not even November yet, and my hands are crack-a-lackin’. So I retired my summer hand lotion, and pulled out the heavy artillery…Aveda’s Hand Relief. If this isn’t the best hand lotion on the market, I don’t know what is. It hydrates and soothes even severely dry hands - without leaving them greasy or sticky. And the citrusy scent is a nice pick-me-up. If you’ve never tried Hand Relief, now is the best time to buy. The Pink Ribbon special value tube has 7% more product than the regular size, and Aveda will donate $4 from each purchase to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Clear Nail Polish is another cold weather essential I highly suggeststashing in your makeup bag. Not only does it protect your polish against the elements and extend the life of your mani, it’s also great for stopping stocking runs and rips in their tracks.

Remember how I told you that I carried a mini tube of Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Deodorant in my purse this past summer? Well, it’s still there. And that’s where it’s gonna stay this season. Yes, I realize that the mercury is falling – but layered clothing combined with co-workers who like to jack up the thermostat can have you smelling quite ripe, if you’re not prepared. I am…are you?

Chapped lips are the bane of my existence. I hate how they look, how they feel, and how they’re the prelude to a bleeding, peeling, jacked up mess of a mouth. Preventing chapped lips doesn’t have to cost a fortune, as is evidenced by one of my new cold weather beauty finds - Carmex Moisture Plus. It moisturizes with Vitamin E, Aloe, and Shea butter and protects your pucker with SPF 15. I love the vanilla menthol scent and the fact that, despite the sun protection, I don’t feel like I’m eating sunscreen if I lick my lips. The slant tip applicator also ups the fab factor.

Stila Convertible Color is a makeup bag must have year-round, but I always fall a little deeper in love when it gets colder and the summer glow fades from my face. This versatile bestseller brightens cheeks and lips with creamy, translucent color. If your skin tends to dry out during the colder months, you’ll love the formula – and how it gives your complexion a lit from within, realistic glow. I use Poppy to give my cheeks a pop of color – for a straight from the slopes, snow bunny look.

This post was sponsored by Carmex Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm. Thanks to them, I'm giving away a $25 Visa gift card and a one year supply of Carmex Moisture Plus samples! To enter this giveaway, please leave a comment by Wednesday, October 28th at midnight - and tell me one of your favorite cold weather beauty products.

For more chances to win, visit DivineCaroline.com. There, women are sharing their five favorite beauty products and entering to win a $250 gift card. Check it out!