Being a mom is hard work – if you have a little one of your own, you probably know this well. Often the 24 hours of a day don’t seem to be enough to get all the housework done, take care of the baby AND spend just 5-10 minutes in front of the mirror to make yourself presentable (not to mention if you’re a working mom on top of all that!). While doing your makeup in the morning might seem like an impossible task to squeeze in between all your more important obligations, you of all people deserve to look and feel good when heading out. Therefore, here are some tips and tricks that will help you do your makeup in a blink of an eye and no one will be able to tell just how much sleep you did not have.
Flawless skin in minutes
When you’re trying to do a full-face look in six minutes, you might think you can skip the concealer and just use foundation. However, you might be better off the opposite way. A good concealer under your eyes and wherever you might have some imperfections you want to hide will be a lifesaver! Moreover, think about switching to a mineral powder to get a natural-looking finish!
Double duty is the way to go
When getting ready in the morning, what can take a lot of unnecessary time is fumbling through all your makeup products and coming across everything you can imagine except the one thing you are looking for. However, there are several ways in which you can fix this problem. Firstly, declutter your makeup drawer and get rid of all the unnecessary stuff. Secondly, turning to double-duty products is an amazing idea. For instance, if you just want a bit of natural-looking eyeshadow, you can use your bronzer to darken your eyelids, or if you want a hint of color on your cheeks, look no further than your lipstick.
Never forget sun protection
Continuing on a similar note, we all know busy moms usually spend all day running errands, picking up the kids from daycare, doing grocery shopping and whatnot. So, make sure you start your makeup routine with sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful UV rays. To be the most time-effective, double-duty products are here to save the day. You can look for a moisturizer with SPF (make sure it’s at least SPF 30 but the bigger, the better), or even a tinted moisturizer with SPF that can cut out the foundation part from your routine.
Pop on a mask
Lately, all the spotlight is on naturally healthy, glowing skin. However, it does take a lot of time to do complex skincare routines every day. Still, you don’t have to let go of all the pampering just because you’re a busy mom. Besides the daily moisturizing we already mentioned, there is so much more you can do for your skin. Go to your local drugstore and pick out a few face masks that are suitable for your skin type. Then, once a week, while your little bundle of joy is dozing off in a comfortable rocker napper from Mother’s Choice, you can apply a mask and enjoy the deep hydration your skin was craving so much.
The brows
It cannot be emphasized enough just what an important role brows play in your overall appearance. So, if you are not endowed with naturally thick, perfectly arched brows, make sure that you do not skip your eyebrows. Using an eyebrow pencil to define the shape of your brows shouldn’t take much time, but if you’re having a serious early ‘00s brow moment, think about getting your eyebrows microbladed or applying eyebrow tattoo gel. The former is a semi-permanent solution that will take doing your eyebrows off your to-do list for the next 1-3 years, but if you’re not that committed, the latter option can still help tremendously – it tints your eyebrows for a few days.
Wondering how to fill in your brows? Check out this easy to follow tutorial on how to fill-in eyebrows.
Dreamy eyelashes
One of the biggest makeup mistakes one can make is forgetting about the eyelashes – and believe us, it happens more often than you’d think. However, this quick and simple addition to your look makes a world of difference. You don’t have to spend ages applying fake lashes – who has time for that?! Make use of your old eyelash curler you’ve probably forgotten about or wrote off as unnecessary. Using an eyelash curler might even allow you to skip mascara altogether if your lashes are naturally thick. Here is how you can get natural looking lashes with an eyelash curler and a hint of mascara.
Minimalism is the key
At the end of the day, how much makeup you want to wear is entirely up to you, but the most effective thing you could do is stick to minimalism and have your trusty essentials at hand. When there is no time for details, a tinted moisturizer with SPF, some mascara, and a lipstick/blush is all you need. Others might find that they are fine with just concealer, bronzer/eyeshadow and some lip gloss. And when you get two extra minutes, you can always add something exciting to the mix.
Busy mothers might find it near impossible to have time for long makeup routines. However, how you look will certainly influence how you feel. Therefore, try some of these tips to speed up your morning makeup sessions and both you and your little one will be satisfied.
So what’s your quick makeup routine? Do share with us below!
About the Guest Writer:
Stella Ryne is an art historian and writer. Also, a mom of a little girl. She enjoys writing about parenting, traveling, self-care and wants to prove that women can be both – good mothers and successful in their jobs.
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2 comments
This is a great post! I am so glad you mentioned SPF, even during busy mornings sun protection is such an important step. I try to make sure my toddler and I both have some sunscreen on before we head out the door.
I always forget to apply SPF until the very last minute, which is why I carry a small one in my bag all the time!