Combating Winter: Tips from a Veteran Beauty Blogger

Believe it or not, most of the girls crazy enough about makeup to have a beauty blog know each other. We belong to blogging groups, we attend blog conferences, see each other at Fashion Week (though admittedly I don't usually go to Fashion Week).... you get the picture. Some girls are more vocal than others, and over the years some of the faces come and go.

During my 5 years of blogging, one of the most consistent and well known faces is Carleen. She somehow writes a lot of blogs, keeping the content fresh and updated. I'm not sure how she does it! Carleen has some great mid-winter tips, I'll be taking her advice on both my hair and nail color!

Every year around February it comes without fail-that feeling that winter must end now! Of course it isn’t anywhere as close as I would like it to be, so I do what I can to start feeling like maybe, just maybe, spring is around the corner. One of my favorite tricks is to brighten up my hair.

Normally, I have red hair with a few gold and blonde highlights. In fall, I tend to take it heavier on the base shade and perhaps a bit darker or with lowlights added. So, when February comes, I switch to a lighter spring look. The base color changes to a lighter red or a medium blonde, and I have a full set of blonde highlights added. The result is a more spring or summery look with lots of color pop from the highlights. It always lifts my mood and makes me feel like I am getting ready for spring.

A few other beauty tricks I like to try are switching from the darker nail polish shades that are popular in winter to a lighter or more natural shade. French manicures are also great for a look that fits in any season, but with a lighter feeling that is not as associated with winter. I also like to go shopping for my spring handbag. Buying a nice light color bag is always a pick me up, and getting out of the house and moving around is great for lifting the spirits.

Carleen Couter is a beauty and fashion writer with an obsession for makeup, shoes, and handbags. You can find her at Beauty and Fashion Tech, Girl Gloss, Bag Blog Shoe, and Run Gadget.