Camping Beauty

This weekend, we Canadians have a holiday called Victoria Day. Like most Albertans, I'm choosing to celebrate my sovereign's birthday by camping, since May Long weekend is marked as the beginning of spring, and no amount of threatening snow and -3c temperatures will break through my heavy wall of denial. You hear me, weather man?! I will shiver in defiance in my tent.

So, just because I'm going to smell like I'm homeless, be wearing more layers than a hibernating bear, and feed solely from the tube meat food group (chuh, they didn't teach you about that one in kindergarden, did they?), I will not sacrifice looking like a human being. Juuuuust in case the park wardens come around to our campsite because there are empty fireworks lying around and something has blown up.

Not that anything like that has ever happened before. Nooooooo. Never.

I present to you my list of products to take on a camping trip. I've cut out all of the extras, like shiny lip gloss and eyeliner, that you may consider essentials when doing your thing at home. No body needs those when they are roughing it. Seriously, you will smell like a sasquatch by the end of the trip. It seems a little silly to be absolutely flawless when considering that fact.

1.) Sunscreen!

You are outside. All day. Fishing, hiking, rafting, building sandcastles, drinking a 50/50 blend of Baileys and coffee by the fire. You will get burned if you don't do something about it. Take some sunscreen. I use Befine's daily moisturizer with SPF 15, but you really should go higher SPF. Apocalypstick Now is a sunblock Nazi, and is doing a week of sunscreen reviews right now, so pick up one of her recommendations.

2.)Sport Sunblock

For the same reason you need sunscreen for your face, you need some for your body. Do you know what skin cancer looks like?! Get some waterproof stuff so that you don't need to reapply every time you go in the water or get sweaty.

3.) Burt's Bees

Because a weekend of chapped lips is no fun.

4.) Revlon's ColorStay Mineral Powder Foundation

Self contained, comes with it's own brush, evens out your skin, cuts the shine. What more do you need? A full liquid foundation takes too long to apply, you look like a moron trying to get it even by the light of a kerosene lamp, and when you step outside your tent into the gloriousness of nature, everyone can see how un-natural you are in comparison.

5.)Hair powder or dry shampoo

4 days of no showers can leave you looking like a ragamuffin. When you are going to a place where washing your hair would be extremely difficult and labour intensive, take the easy way and banish greasies and the smoke smell with a hair powder. Section your hair, sprinkle some powder near the roots, focussing on the hairline and your part, rub it in really well, and you are set. Bumble and Bumble makes hair colour specific powders, and TIGI makes Rockaholic dry shampoo.

6.)Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap

You can wash with it! You can clean with it! You can brush your teeth, douche, and replace deoderant with it! Well...maybe not those last 3, but this a pretty handy soap for all your camp needs. Buy the peppermint.

7.) Tube Lash mascara

If you're careful, you might be able to go all weekend without reapplying. Water and sleep proof, this stuff keeps you gorgeous, and is a snap to take off if you want or need to. Remember to give your lashes a good curl before applying.

8.) Bronzer

Fake the outdoorsy glow by brushing on some bronzer. I like Physicians Formula's Mineral Wear Bronzer because it is shimmer free and looks like a real tan (* see - not orange) on my skin.

There you have it! Even if the weather isn't beautiful, you will be - without looking like a prissy diva. Have a whole bunch of (safe) fun on your camping trips! Viva la Spring! Now, where's my beer and down filled jacket?

Listening to: Red Football - Sinead O'Connor