It’s no secret that moms don’t take nearly enough time for themselves daily. We’ve all seen the mom show up to school drop-off in her pajama pants and hair pulled up in a ponytail. Heck, we may have been that mom. It’s easy to forego beauty for the sake of efficiency (especially on school days) but if given the choice would you choose the pajama pants and messy ponytail or yoga pants and a face with fresh makeup?
Summer is here, so let’s consider this our practice season! Following some basic ways that we can all get some everyday beauty, perhaps this will train us all (myself included) to put ourselves a little bit higher on our list of priorities for fall.
Here are a few of my favourite ways to get some everyday beauty:
1.) While a daily shower is sometimes the big achievement of our day, when is the last time you had a relaxing bubble bath? Add in your favourite scented bubble bath and lather up – your skin will love the pampering!
2.) Moisturize your face every morning and every night. Ask your friends for suggestions or look online (blogs perhaps?!) for information on the favourites out there. While many of us may remember to moisturize after our morning cleansing routine, at night I know many of us are too tired to even wash our face. Try and give yourself that extra 5 minutes to wash your makeup off at night and apply a moisturizer.
3.) If you feel better wearing makeup, make-up the time to apply it daily (see what I did there?) Especially in the summer months, I can go several days without applying makeup, yet when I do I feel great about myself! I know a full face of makeup sometimes isn’t sensible in the humid summer months, but even applying a tinted moisturizer and some lip gloss can help liven up your look.
4.) Use sunscreen! Sun damage ages the skin, so if you want that sun-kissed look, use a tinted moisturizer all over your body. To keep your skin sun-safe, experts recommend that we use a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or greater at least 30 minutes before sun exposure and then at least every 2 hours thereafter. As an added bonus, many sunscreens smell amazing so you get protected skin and a little scent boost too!
5.) An easy way to get some everyday beauty, and boost your mood, is to simply paint your nails. I’ve made it a point to keep my nails painted over the past year or so and it’s been a challenge sometimes! However, when I do, I feel better. Just having something “done-up” each day helps me feel good. I usually save my manicure time for the evenings once the kids are in bed, but in the summer months it’s easy to have a backyard manicure. The sun is shining and that combined with the fresh air ensures your nails will dry quickly while the kids are playing.
So who’s with me? Let’s try these 5 tips (and more, if you have some!) this summer to give ourselves a little bit of everyday beauty. Perhaps by fall we can have this down pat and can banish those pajama pants to the bedroom, never to see the schoolyard drop-off again. We can all hope.
Great tips! It’s so true that something as little as throwing on some mascara or painting your nails can completely change your mood for the day! 🙂
It definitely can change your mood, funny how that is eh?
\I never wear makeup
My bath tub is covered with dust for the last couple of years… But I love to treat myself to sushi once in a while and do it alone most of the time.
i like having my nails done
Great tips! I’ve also made a commitment over the last year or so to paint my nails more often. My nails are one of my favourite features, and I feel so great when they are all painted and pretty. It’s fun to show them off!
Do you paint your toes in the winter too? I should do that more, even if my family are the only ones who see them in the winter months anyway!
I do! For the times that I wear nice dresses with open-toe shoes, or if i’ll be barefoot at parties, etc.!
Wonderful tips. Can no t wait to start using them. Thanks.
I love bright nailpolishes in the summer months. I treat myself to a pedicure during the summer.
I moisturise everyday, use sunscreen but rarely wear makeup , have never used nail polish and it was been years since I had a bubble bath – too unenvironmentaly friendly to do, and can’t stand the thought of sitting in bath water
I go for a run with my music. I love being a parent, but when I do get to get away, it’s nice.
I sure do wish I’d followed #4 when I was younger!
I always do my toe nails now. It makes me feel better
an easy way to boost my mood is to wear some fun boxers. big bold prints and graphics is a sure fire way to feel better.
I’m really trying to work at using sunscreen properly and daily
Add #6 a nap once a week!!
Great tips….I love to crawl in and have a nice bubble bath at least once a week!
I don’t wear make-up but do however use a moisturizer for my face and I agree that personal time to relax and forget about the stress of the day is essential to a persons happiness!
Lately I’ve been putting on a bit of make-up now and then, more often than I ever did. I love a bubble bath and I really should take on more often, but jumping in and out of the shower is so quick..lol. The one beauty routine if have is my complexion, I really take the best care I can with it and I use perfume everyday!!
Great tips Tenille!! I have to admit, I have dropped off my son at school while wearing my pyjamas and hair up in a pony tail lol. It’s hard sometimes to shower beforehand. I always try everyday to wash my face, take my makeup off at night and have regular bubble baths. It’s so important for your self confidence and self esteem to take time for yourself and pamper yourself!
I love a good bubble bath with a good book, but can’t stand painting my nails (the fumes get to me). I agree with a pp — I’d add a nap!
Only thing I do is an occasional bubble bath I’m to lazy to do myself up .
How true! I painted my toenails for the first time in forever last week and it is amazing how a simple act like that can instantly lift your mood!
I always take time for myself, but really need to take the time to use moisturizer and sunscreen.
I go for a pedicure about 3 times a year. I also make sure I read to relax.
Great tips. I should ‘force’ myself to do my nails more regularly. And yes to the sunscreen!
Great tips!
I’m not a mom but these are still great tips.
I agree, painting my toenails does give me a boost!
love having my nails done 🙂 and my hair 🙂
It’s funny most “fancier” people would still look down on yoga pants and a fresh face but yoga pants are my best friend on home days!
I love taking the time to have a pedicure done at a salon at least every 4 weeks or so. I got my self a fun new edgy hair do recently and have taken to accentuating my eyes with some eyeliner and mascara to go with the new do.
great tips!
Yes, a shower is a luxury around here too. A bath…rarely happens.
Some days, I just put a little make-up on and it makes me feel better and ready to face the challenges of my very active baby.
Get proper rest and take some time for you. Or you can’t be there for others.
I usually only weary eye liner and mascara not so much anything else! Its sometimes very hard to set aside time for yourself as a Mom and with 4 kids I dont find much time at all lol
Those are great tips that don’t take too much time. I’m pretty good about the using moisturizer and sunscreen. I want to try to start wearing a little makeup on “regular” days – I know it’ll make me feel better.
Great tips…though I must admit that I rarely make time for any of these!
Love these tips tenille! I will have to start investing in some me time as i was recently called a frumpy overweight housewife!
Pedicures do wonders for rejuvenating ones self! I get mind done monthly year round!
Great tip on the nails.
I need to send myself ‘to bed’ ten minutes earlier to take care of my face and hands before crawling into bed.
Just having some time to myself usually by treating myself to a few hours at a spa or a massage
I am up early so I lay down everyday at some point, rarely sleep. It’s important to me I feel pretty, I make a point to wear mascara and eyeliner every day,,, the rest of my make up is really for special occasions or if I feel like over spoiling myself. I try to make sure I get at least 15 mins a day to myself, youd be surprised how much of a difference that little bit makes.
I love getting a massage 🙂 Makes me feel good and I think it helps with beauty because it makes me relax and smile more which is more beautiful right? 🙂
I’m terrible with moisturising and applying sunscreen…but i’m very religious about applying it to my kid! I’ve let myself slip haven’t i? *picks up the phone and calls the spa*
I can totally get on board with these tips! I recently started using a good moisturizer nightly, and it does give me a little bit of that “pampered” feeling (hey, I’ll take whatever little I can get these days)! I used to paint my nails regularly, but I could never avoid chipping the polish after one or two days so I gave up. Sometimes filing my nails makes me feel like I’m taking some “me time”, as does using a leave-on hair or face mask (whilst doing chores around the house! I love your tips and reading those from others!
Nice tips. I know I always feel better when i take the time to use a facial exfoliant. A bit of mascara and a touch of eyeliner when getting ready in the morning can also go a long way – i look more alert and kinda feel bit more energized just by looking more refreshed.
sugar facial scrubs are the best!
Agree with #4. I wear sunscreen all the time. I even carry a travel size with me most of the time. I also “grease” up my kids before leaving the door.
I find my painted toenails also last longer than fingernails…and a lot easier to experiment since I can hide them with shoes if it’s not office-appropriate colours.
Great Tips! I do paint my toes weekly for a little pick-me-up.
Super suggestions, I do two of them. I moisturize now because my wife insists that I do and I use sunscreen everyday.
I am really trying to take better care of my skin. I think that it is about establishing a routine and sticking to it.
Sunscreen is so essential, more essential in summer than anything else, I think. Especially living in the South Okanagan where it is blazing and 38C every day for months.