I really do believe that beauty comes from within. But when you've spent half the night at the bedside of a sick child, can't remember the last time you bought (or wore) mascara and despite all of your education, you find yourself unable to complete a sentence by 8PM, it's no wonder even super moms lose their inner glow. Yes, those celebrity moms make it look it easy with their entourage of trainers, stylists, make-up artists and the like. Moms in the real world know it's a scramble to get out of the house some mornings without breakfast smeared on your sleeve.
The reality is that looking and feeling good don't have to cost much. It's really about putting yourself back on your own calendar and carving out time to take care of YOU! My weekly ezine, The Well Mom, recently turned to the author of a new book geared to give moms some support and motivation to do just that. With many families cutting back, we asked beauty expert Nina Sutton for her own moneysaving tips.
Sutton says she started re-evaluating her beauty routine...and her budget the moment she welcomed home her second baby.
"Children are so expensive today. I often find myself giving up something for myself, in order to buy something extra for the boys, or to invest more for them," says the author of The Chic Mom's Guide To Feeling Fabulous (iUniverse 2008).
The sticker shock is typical for many new moms, who are feeling even more pressure these days with the uncertain state of the economy. Sutton wants to help busy, stressed out-moms figure out creative ways to feel good about themselves while getting more for their money. The former marketing consultant who lives in Hermosa Beach, CA drew her inspiration from those sleep-deprived days of early motherhood.
"I wanted to feel pretty and together. I needed to take that extra moment. I needed to plan the night before, no matter how tired I was. That is where many tips came from- I wanted to lay it out for other busy moms - That way they do not have to think," explains Sutton, who is also the founder of DealsforDivas.com, a discount shopping site for beauty and lifestyle products.
Here are her five tried and true ways to save some cash and still look gorgeous!
1. Invest in multi-purpose products, i.e a tinted moisturizer with an SPF, blush that can be used as sunblock.
"Not only will these save you money, (because you are not buying as many products) they will save you time," she says.
2. Buy a bottle of Monoi Oil. This oil from Tahiti is a combination of coconut oil and gardenia flowers. Hands down, it's Nina's favorite beauty product. This oil (found at select beauty stores and online at www.monoi.com) is inexpensive ($9.95 for a 4oz bottle), and can be used as:
- bath oil
- body moisturizer
- hair conditioner
- mixed with sea salt to make a body scrub
- light perfume
"And it smells so good that you feel like you have been on a vacation, without leaving your bathtub," Sutton says.
3. Go to a professional beauty school for your haircut for a fraction of the cost. She says Toni and Guy and Paul Mitchell both have amazing schools and the students are trained very well.
4. If you need to get a massage, go to a massage school, similar to the hair styling above. They often offer treatments for free or for little cost
5. Take 10 minutes to take a bath. Throw in some bubble bath (or Monoi oil), light a candle and sip a glass of wine. "This is an instant escape and hubby can watch the kids for 10 -15 minutes!" she says.
Of course, getting enough sleep, exercising and eating well go a long way towards bringing out your best assets, too. Check out my post from last week about fitness on a budget. There are so many low cost or free ways to stay motivated and keep yourself healthy! The key is remembering to make time to care for yourself so that you can be as centered and strong as you need to be to meet the demands of motherhood. You deserve it!
For more tips and inspirational stories about motherhood and the pursuit of wellness in mind, body and spirit, please sign up for my weekly email at The Well Mom (www.thewellmom.com).
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Mama Mio: Skincare for Super Mamas.