Style Your Summer - Laurie of 312 Beauty Blog

While my outfit of choice come summer generally involves some type of maxi dress or otherwise flowy material of clothing, I’m equally concerned about what I’m wearing for sun protection on any given day. You could say I’m styling my summer with SPF. It goes hand in hand with outfit planning. Good skin rules all, and I’m really trying to plan ahead for my later years. That extra layer of SPF now is the best anti-aging skin treatment there is. Overkill? Perhaps for some, but for me, it’s become routine. I like patio dining way too much to suffice with the SPF in my moisturizer. I’ve been testing new formulas since early spring and have my arsenal all set to go! Say it with me: I will not prematurely age at the sun’s hand this summer.

Kiehl’s launched a BB cream and it is quickly becoming my go-to face makeup. It has an admirable SPF 50, high concentration of Vitamin C and gives skin a dewy finish. I call that a triple threat! I’m also incredibly excited about Supergoop’s Eye Cream with SPF 37. It brightens the skin around the eyes and gives the appearance of 8 hours of sleep all while SPF-ing. It’s a genius innovation.  Coola’s Cucumber SPF 30 for face is the most delicious of the bunch. It has 70% organic ingredients and a silky finish. This is not the thick white SPF you might be accustomed to. On the go, I tote around bareMinerals powder for face touch-ups and Yes to Cucumbers stick for ears and hands. I use Aveeno on my body most days, the Natural Protection formula is my favorite budget buy. And the one area that is often forgotten (even by an SPF crazy like me) is the lips. Fresh Sugar Petal is one of my favorite summer lip shades, a neutral pink that goes with everything, including the sun.



Laurie Leopold is the blogger behind 312 Beauty, a Chicago girl’s guide to living pretty. Fascinated by makeup since a little girl, Laurie vividly recalls her “awakening” at a Chicago Marshall Field’s Clinique counter as a teenager. From that moment on, her passion for products catapulted.

Previously, from 2009-2012, Laurie served as an editor at Product Girl. In that time, she was featured by SHAPE as having one of the Top 20 Beauty Blogs for Active Chicks. Her love for Chicago led her to develop a dedicated outlet for beauty with a 312 twist. And she was just featured on Refinery 29 as a New, Up-and-Coming Chicago Blog!

In addition to sharing her passion for beauty online, Laurie works for a Chicago PR agency where she specializes in corporate affairs and developing strategic brand initiatives. She currently resides in Chicago with her husband and Boston Terrier.