Snow Day Beauty

With so much of the country experiencing snow within the past few days, I thought I'd re-start the blog by bringing you my snow day beauty favorites. This is the exact combination that I wore while shoveling for hours- and why I chose each carefully curated item.  This comes from a lifetime of living in areas with snowy winters- and never having the luxury of a garage/snow blower!

Please note the yummy throw- it may show up from time to time as a background. It seems right since we're talking winter. This picture really was taken by a fireplace (which was in use recently).

1. If you're planning to spend all day digging out in the snow, it's important to pamper your face a little bit more. I upped my moisturizer to L'Occitane's Shea Butter Ultra Rich Comforting Cream ($34, 1.7oz)(sample from last holiday's L'Occitane Advent Calendar) to give just a bit more protection. It has 25% shea butter, which allowed my sensitive skin to deal with the cold elements with nary an issue.

2 + 3. UV protection is a MUST, and you'll be getting a lot more UV (reflection from the snow) than you may estimate. Even though it's winter, protecting your skin is essential. I trotted out my regular daily duo- Chanel UV Essentiale  Complete Sunscreen UV Protection Anti-Pollution Broad Spectrum SPF 50 ($55, 1 oz) and Shiseido Sun Protection Eye Cream SPF 34 ($35.50, 0.6oz). In the time that I've been away from blogging, I have re-dedicated myself to a SPF'd lifestyle. This combo is my HG for use with daily makeup and provides as high of a SPF content as I can find.

4. A light base- I personally love Iope's Air Cushion XP as an awesome cushion compact. It's not available directly for sale online in the US, but it's worth tracking down. I'll post a full review in the coming weeks, as well as more info on how to find the most pale-complexion-friendly cushion compact on the market (IMO).

5. Even though I went au natural for blush and the cushion compact let my freckles (and rosacea) shine through, I have a few spots that I wanted to cover, plus my naturally-occurring dark circles. I could've pulled out my NARS Creamy Concealer, but Sephora Collection Bright Future Gel Serum Concealer ($14) has been in my rotation far more often as of late. PS- my NW15ish skin likes shade 01- Bavarian Cream.

6. Right now, my hair is a few shades darker than my natural shade, so filling in my brows is a must or I look silly. I adore my Tom Ford Brow Sculptor ($45) in Chestnut for a quick one-step brow.  (In case you're curious, I love using MAC Cork with some Fix+ for additional coverage.)

7.  This was one of two totally unnecessary steps, but honestly I wanted to test this out after getting a deluxe sample during the holidays. Any totally neutral eye pencil will do, but I wore NUDESTIX Magnetic Eye Color in Angel ($24), a lovely nude shade. It's my eyes but better. It wore decently well while exerting myself, but if I was going to do this over I'd pull out Laura Mercier's Eye sticks.

8. Pick out your favorite waterproof mascara. This is the one that I have open right now, Chanel Le Volume Waterproof Mascara ($32).

9. Your lips will need some pampering. Do it up right with the Rolls Royce of lip balms, By Terry Baume de Rose. I pulled out the special edition from Holiday 2015- the Gold Baume de Rose Parure Lip Balm ($31). It's Baume de Rose with shimmer. It's the best of both worlds- the luxurious lip balm and a glittery gloss.

10. Let's be honest, friends. Shoveling is an awesome cardio workout. Continue smelling awesome with a little bit of perfume oil. I pulled out one of my favorites, Elizabeth and James Nirvana White Perfume Oil ($35).

11. If you're heading out to shovel, or if you're simply taking a halftime break, a great dry shampoo is essential. Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo ($28) is my HG and beats the pants off of any other dry shampoo I've tried.

If you want to simplify, simply edit out the mascara and eye pencil. I didn't wear them on the first day that I was shoveling.

What are your snow day beauty must-haves?