Hello, my name is Nicole. I’m a blogger and a mother of two, and I get dressed and wear makeup every day.
Am I in the minority among my fellow bloggers? Among my fellow moms? Sometimes it seems that way. I just feel better when I take the time to get ready in the morning, plus I like the feeling of being able to get up and go at a moment’s notice. And bonus: I’m not embarrassed to answer the door!
Here’s what I tend to use on a daily basis. It seems like a lot when it’s all written out, but I’m done in five minutes or less.
Moisterizer/SPF
I used to love Olay Complete All Day UV Moisturizer – Combination/Oily but they changed the formula recently and I’m not happy with it. It used to help control oil, and now it almost seems I’m worse off when I use it. If you have a recommendation for an alternative, I’d love to hear it.
Concealer
I like Boi-ing by Benefit. It covers circles and blemishes, and I use my ring finger to apply it.
Foundation
I have used MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in NC20 for years, after my friend Tyrone (yes, you’re reading that right) recommended it to me. I’ve experimented with other brands and finishes (in fact, I’m eying MAC Studio Tech), but I always come back to Studio Fix.
Blush
I love blush. Bright pink cheeks are so cute! I like NARS Blush in Desire, but if I’m in need of something more understated, I choose Deep Throat. (Golly, NARS is risqué.)
Eyeliner
I like the sharp precision of liquid eyeliner (I started using Écriture de Chanel after Ree gushed about it, but now her post seems to be gone). Sometimes though, I also like the softness of smudged pencil, and in that case I use ALMAY Intense I-Color Eyeliner in Black Pearl.
Eyeshadow
I usually skip this step because I feel like eyeshadow just isn’t a good look for me. It’s likely that I just need to learn how to apply it in a more flattering way. One color that I do like quite a bit though is MAC Satin Frost.
Mascara
Maybelline Great Lash, Very Black. A classic for a reason.
Lipstick
My favorite! My friends don’t tend to wear lipstick. I guess it’s seen as old-fashioned? No matter. I brand-hop and experiment with color all the time. I wrote about my quest to find my perfect lipstick shade, and I’m still loving Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Daring Pink as my go-to, everyday color. A few other recent favorites: MAC Lady Danger, NARS Funny Face, and Maybelline Hooked on Pink Lipgloss.
* Edit: A lot of people wonder about wearing lipstick and having a baby that you want to smooch all day. I just withhold my affection in the name of looking good. Kidding! I skip the lipstick most of the time and just swipe it on before I leave the house.
Makeup Brushes
I use MAC brushes. Quality tools make a difference.
So tell me… am I in the minority? Do you wear makeup everyday, sporadically, just on special occasions, or not at all? And if you have favorites or tips, please share!
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I’m not a mum, but have a hectic life. I do try and wear makeup everyday. I will occasionally go without on lazy sunday.
I will often wear a tinted moisturiser instead of a foundation if i just need a bit of coverage and to give my skin a break!
But good work, a five minute makeup regime is the best way to make sure it happens!
Thanks
xoxo
I’m a mom and I work out of the home – I always wear at least mascara – otherwise I feel like you cannot see my eyes!
I love Kinerase day cream (moisturizer)
Cover girl lash blash mascara
Benefit Dallas (blush/bronzer)
and Burt’s Bee’s pomegranate lip balm or various glosses
same here…I *need* mascara…lol.
I think making an effort to look neat and tidy is essential in life and puts across a good “image”.
Personally, I hate to see men or women out and about looking scruffy as in disgusting teeth that sort of thing, just looks like they have no pride in themselves!
I am currently changing my make-up to a more natural alternative. I have currently replaced my foundation with Lily Lolo mineral foundation. It is great and looks super smooth. Love it. They also sell a super awesome finishing powder which is the best. :)
(there seems to be trouble in the Benefit paradise as a recent study discovered loads of lead in their lip gloss :( just though you should know). Otherwise, I’m not wearing makeup at home, it doesn’t embarrass me to open the door barefaced (then again, nobody justs pops up at the maison unannounced). However, when I go out (with just my husband, otherwise nobody cares or gets to see my face underneath four layers of kids ;) ) I wear mascara (I’m a Lancome devotee), gray crayon for a smokey eyes effect (just a lil’, but it does bring out the green in my hazel eyes) and always concealer (though I’m having a bit of trouble finding one that doesn’t give me itches. So that’s it. And always, alwaaaaaays wear something in my hair – a flower, a bow, a scarf. Something funny.
i’m a stay-at-home mom. for me, wearing make-up is as much a part of dressing up as putting on a shirt. and i never ever leave home without make-up. living in a tropical country like singapore, a good sunscreen is an absolute must. so i always start with a good spf50.
even when i have no plans to go out, i still put on some foundation and i do my eyebrows and put on eyeshadow. i’d hate to answer the door bare-faced. =)
lol. Yeah, it would appear I’m the bad mom ;) I always feel better bare faced. I think it’s way more challenging to keep a natural look than spice it up with makeup and all sorts of cosmetics. I wasn’t always like that, though, I used to put on daily makeup too. When I was at the office. But now, at home, I feel more relaxed and honest with my kids without makeup. Plus with the cr*p they put in makeup and cosmetics these days, I feel safer that way!
This was a fun post to read. I am a SAHM to two little boys (3 and 1 1/2). I make it a point to get dressed and put on make up everyday too. If I skip this step I really feel kind of off all day. Just like you, I like being ready to head out if needed or receive company on a moments notice. But most of all it makes me feel like a person even though so much of my day is busy with taking care of little ones. =)
I feel the same as you about daily makeup – although I work outside of the home on a full time basis and have an almost-9 month old. I love makeup! I really like Kiehls Ultra Facial moisturizer.
I wear makeup practically every day (unless I’m camping or doing something outdoorsy). I work in a professional environment, so makeup helps me feel professional and put-together. I recommend Aveeno ultra-alming moisturizer with SPF15. I’ve been using it for at least 7 years, and it’s great!
My favorite moisturizer is MAC Oil Control Lotion. From online reviews, it doesn’t seem to be great for everyone, but it’s consistently been a good daily moisturizer for me. It does not have an SPF, but my foundation does, so that hasn’t been an issue.
Thanks for the tip about the MAC foundation. I was at the mall that night, and decided to buy some based on your recommendation. I’ve been wearing two days and so far I love it!
Hi,
I used to use Olay Complete also but when they changed the formula my face blew up and meant an emergency trip to the doctor. They definitely changed the formula! I started using “enrich” from Trader Joe’s. If you do not have one near you it can be ordered online. It is just like the original formula of Olay Completebefore they started monkeying around with it. Only 3.99 and has spf 15, fragrance free and non-greasy. If you try it you will not regret it. I used olay for 15 years but now I have used enrich for 1 year and I love it!!
I wear makeup on work days and will put some on when going out on the weekends but for a regular day at home I’ll leave it to eyeliner, mascara and lipstick. I can skip everything else but I love those…even on days that are bumming I put on eyeline and mascara, they seem to frame my face.
PS: I’m a lipstick addict and have been on a quest to find my perfect shade of RED lipstick! So, no, I don’t think it’s old fashioned. :)
I wear makeup everyday (but I’m not a mom, and I’m not a professional blogger). I love it!
Thanks for sharing your picks, I have some new colors to try! I too am on the hunt for my perfect, go-to lipstick shade. And I have a hard time with eye shadow. One day I’ll figure it out…
If you feel like experimenting, I really love Amazing Concealer (Amazing is the brand name — you can find it at Sephora). It is incredible, totally erases undereye circles. I love Benefit products, too, I’m sure Boi-ing is fab…but just in case you’re looking to try something new :)
I just made the switch from Olay to Clinique. I’ve always avoided Clinique since it reminds me of high school girls, but I’ve loved it so far. I picked up the smaller size at Sephora to try it out: http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P204204&categoryId=B70
I follow that up with a primer (Bare Escentuals or Smashbox) and then power foundation and I’m ready for the day!
i wear makeup every day, including the weekends. i recently switched from stila powder to neutrogena healthy skin because my skin was breaking out. so far, i love it. the coverage is actually a little better and it looks cleaner. i always wear nars orgasm blush, but i’m excited to look into desire! i love covergirl lash blast mascara, anastasia brow pencil and brow gel, and, although i have tons of lipsticks, my surprising favorite is covergirl fairytale. it’s just a gorgeous, wearable color. if i’m in the mood for something brighter, i go with dior in fuschia star.
i loved seeing your recommendations! i wrote them all down to try.
If I didn’t have a 5 week old, a 3 1/2 year old, and a house on the market with a month’s time line before we have to move out of the state (!!!!) I’d be better about makeup. For now I only throw on some mascara and eyeliner if I’m going out of the house. My hair is a different story! Without blow drying it it looks horrible. I did pigtails yesterday for a 4 year-old birthday party. Advice ladies???
I feel weird about eyeshadow, too! I have somewhat close set eyes… maybe that’s the problem. But my LOVE LOVE LOVE is “Photo Finish Eyelid Primer” by Smashbox. It smooths out the eyelids until they look perfect – slightly brighter, like you always get good sleep and/or are under the age of 30! I’ve found that, with a little eyeliner and mascara, it makes a fancy eye. (And since I don’t wear mascara and eyeliner during the work day, I just wear the eyelid primer alone, so I look more awake and younger than I feel, haha.)
I stopped wearing makeup when I was about 18. I went to school for archaeology and said that if I was in the field, I wouldn’t wear makeup, so whoever I married would have to be used to. For a while, I wore makeup on special occasions. Then I just wore it for fun things and only kept a shimmering powder and eyeliner. But then I moved and tossed all the old makeup. Now I just have gloss. But I curl my eyelashes every day.
I think we’re in the minority. I too, have 2 young kids and wear makeup every single day even when I’m not going any where. It just makes me feel better. And I also use a lot of MAC products / brushes!
Every day for work, hardly ever on the weekends.
I forgot about the liquid eyeliner pens. Haven’t done that for a long time. Might have to bring that one back. :)
I love Fresh Sugar Rosé. It’s a great sheer lip color in a natural blushy pink.
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P240613
If you like MAC brushes, try Sigma brushes. I’m a huge MAC fan and I swear Sigma brushes are just as good (at a fraction of the price!).
(I’m not involved with Sigma in anyway (I’m in Australia), I just love their brushes!)
:-)
I’m not a mom nor a blogger, but I do work in a very informal office – I make it a point to put makeup on and dry my hair every day simply because I feel much more put together when I do. My co-workers tend to give me odd looks when I ‘dress up’ but I feel much more comfortable that way. I’m a big fan of the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick – it’s a nice way to touch up your eyes and cheeks without having to haul around your whole makeup bag. I also recently discovered gel eyeliner which is great for days when I need my eye makeup to look good from morning until later in the evening – it’s a little extra work to take off but it’s worth it!
You can try La Roche Posay moisturizer/SPF! It’s very good and will not leave you skin oily. It’s a very thin fluid and very easy to spread.
Best, M.
I love that you wear makeup every day. :) If I stayed at home, I would absolutely do the same. I am a working (outside of the home) blogging mommy and I wear makeup every single day. I would feel so frumpy and would probably so moody without it. A bright lip and rosy cheeks makes me feel pretty. And who doesn’t want to feel pretty? :)
Love my Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Daring Pink.
Wouldn’t be without it.
You look fabulous Nicole!
I so love the way you look, thanks for sharing. I´m a mom too and I wish it wouldn´t show so much. I hardly ever find the time for make-up in the morning and honestly – on most days I feel it would be a waste of product anyway. I realy need to work on my attitude…