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!