Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Five Favorites

or alternately titled.... Five [Nearly] Effortless Things to Help You Feel Beautiful When Deep in the Mom Trenches. 

You know what I mean by 'mom trenches', right? You can have five kids, or one kid, be postpartum or pregnant. And it's not just about the presence of children, it's about a body in flux, an absence of time,  or energy that goes AWOL. I want to share with you five things that are easy beauty pick me ups, things that help me feel like myself no matter what my current body shape or mom responsibilities. Here they are, in no particular order:


Low to Mid Height Heels. I was never one for teetering heels, but since having children choosing comfortable shoes is an even greater balancing act (hehe). Yet heels just make one feel (and walk) differently. What to do? Just choose lower heels. When I wear pumps (for special events) I've found the 2 1/2'' range to be feasible. When I go out to do errands and it's too cold for flats (but not blizzarding), I usually wear these boots, which have a very small heel of about an inch. It's not much, but it's not New Balance either. 

Bold Nail Polish. I usually just keep my toe nails polished; fingernails are too much upkeep for me. I have been loving Essie's forever yummy since mid summer. One coat is good, two is superb. It goes on smoothly, dries fairly quickly, and looks great for a long time with only minor touch ups.

One or Two Easy Accessories. I wear my watch and a set of pearls almost everyday. They take five seconds to throw on, yet they make me feel "dressed."

Body Wash That Smells Damn Good. When time is short, why not make a regular activity like showering just a little bit better? Choose a body wash that smells great and, here is the key, a scent that lingers. My favorite is any of the four scents (Stress Relief, Energy, Sleep, and Sensuality) available from the Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy collection.

A Touch of Color. You may not wear blush everyday, but it's nice to have something to give you a glow before you leave the house (especially if it was a rather sleepless night). I was previously using CoverGirl Instant Checkbones. The color was nice, but it seemed to fade sooooo quickly. When I recently received a gift certificate to Sephora, I chose the Urban Decay Naked Flushed palette, and I love it! The palette contains a bronzer, highlighter, and blush that go on smoothly, blend perfectly, and really last. 

What are your favorites? Head on over to Moxie Wife for more Five Favorites!

5 comments:

  1. What a great post! This is exactly why I try not to wear sweat pants every day. Even though it's just jeans and a t-shirt, at least it's not sweatpants. (I do wear them though, don't get me wrong). It's the little things that step it up for me haha.

    I would also add a new hair cut, especially with the post partum belly.

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    1. Thanks for commenting, Rachel, and I totally agree about the post partum haircut!

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  2. Thinking of you gorgeous mama, and I tip my hat to a woman who can still rock heels (of any height) at 40 weeks.

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  3. Love the title of your blog, especially in light of my #5 favorite! :) I totally agree about the heels and bold nails. So glad I found your blog via Hallie.

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  4. I just clicked over here from Jenny's, and I love all of these. I just started wearing nail polish a few weeks ago, and I'm amazed at how much it changes how I see myself. Nail polish! On me, a mom! Ahhh! :) Next up, I'm going to get some of that BBW body wash you recommend. Because smelling good is the best.

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