Top 5 Beauty Products for Busy Moms

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I’ve been interested (ok, obsessed) with makeup and beauty products from a very young age. It started with an intense need to cover my freckles at the ripe old age of 8. Then there was an all-out war waged with my parents over the proper age to wear mascara and lip gloss. In all of my glorious free time, I pored over the latest beauty magazines to master layering and blending my glittery eyeshadow.

Cut to my present-day Mom Life: my beauty routine has drastically changed. My glittery eyeshadow only makes a brief annual appearance at my husband’s company Christmas party. Comparatively, my Mom Life requires a fast face fix in five to ten minutes, tops.  No longer do I paint my face to lure the attention of 20-somethings into buying me a drink. (Tempting, but inappropriate).

In contrast, my beauty products serve a simpler purpose nowadays. They need to make me look as though I didn’t spend hours convincing my youngest that 3am is not an acceptable wake time. Not to mention, I’d like to conceal the ever-surprising amount of changes to my skin and to blend my wrinkles into oblivion.  After all, I just want to look awake, rested, and presentable.

Here are 5 of my go-to beauty products for busy moms:

  1. BB Cream – This beauty balm stuff is a life saver. Most BB Creams do three things in one: moisturize, cover imperfections, and improve skin texture. Moreover, I always make sure to get BB creams that already have SPF in them to shave even more time off my routine. My favorite brands are Physicians Formula Argan Wear BB Cream SPF 30 and MISSHA M Perfect Cover BB cream SPF 42. Both are available on Amazon.
  2. Silk or Satin Pillowcase – I read somewhere that using a silk pillowcase helps to prevent those lovely sleep creases that deepen and linger with each passing year. Since I apparently sleep right on my face, I set out to find one. And it’s AMAZING. Waking up without pillow wrinkles on the side of my face saves at least five minutes of frantic facial massage or strange side-swept hairstyles. Additionally, it helps hair to retain moisture and fights breakage. I got mine at Marshalls.
  3. Tinted Lip Balm – This one’s a no-brainer. Moisturize your lips and add a hint of natural color in one swipe? Yes, please! My favorite is Pacifica Color Quench Natural Lip Tint. Available at Target.
  4. Lotion with Self-Tanner – Seeing that my pale skin refuses to tan naturally, self-tanner has been a staple in my beauty arsenal since college. However, the application process can be tricky and time-consuming. Therefore, I love the new daily lotions with self-tanner that simplify the process. In the summer, I use it in place of my regular moisturizer for a lovely tint of color on my pasty body. Lately, I’ve been partial to Jergens Natural Glow, which has a pleasant scent and has separate formulas for body and face. I get mine at Target.
  5. Hydrating Face Mist – This product is so versatile. It refreshes skin in dry climates, soothes sensitivity and redness, and adds scent and softness to hair. With this in mind, I use it instead of primer to set makeup by lightly misting my face before applying. I love Heritage Store Rosewater Spray available on Amazon.

And remember: if all else fails, there’s always Botox.