Flickr photo courtesy of AmOuna
I used to be a product junkie. Hardcore. If there was an anonymous support group I would have gone weekly. Shoot, my showers used to take 12+ products – I’m talking body scrubs, shaving creams, special razors, in-shower conditioning creams, foot scrubs, cuticle care, face, hair, etc.
But that was B.C. (before children).
Now? I’m a minimalist. I keep my eyebrows plucked, rub a (raw) cocoa butter bar on my face, fluff my twist-out, and occasionally paint my toes. I’m in and out of the shower in the time it takes my daughter to use the potty. (Okay, not really but you get the idea.)
My, how the mighty have fallen.
I used to say there was simply no time for the routine I used to have. A routine that used to include Saturdays at my hometown salon, a 45-minute drive to spend 8+ hours getting my hair done. With two kids at home, that felt like a huge waste of time. (Let’s be honest – spending all day to get your hair done, including time just sitting there waiting, WAS a huge waste of time.
So I went natural, chopping off 8+ inches of hair until about 3 inches remained, and embraced what I could do by myself with some conditioner, a comb and my fingers. It’s working, I guess, because in two years, all the length has returned. (Woo-hoo!)
And most days I like how I look, but man, I miss making time for the pretty. Especially since becoming a stay-at-home mom. I’m trying a couple things to not make me feel so blah:
1. Get dressed, even if we’re not going anywhere for the day. It is so easy to stay in my pajamas all day but unless it’s one of the two pairs of “pretty pajamas” I have, I don’t feel cute. Especially if I fell asleep in one of my husband’s shirts? Oh no.
2. Keep my toes painted. It’s wintertime and I usually have on socks or slippers but when I take them off and see pretty hot pink toes? Takes my mood up a notch. Plus, my four-year-old always wants her toenails painted, so I might as well do mine when I’m doing hers, right?
3. Take a minute to just breathe when my husband comes home. Hand the kids over, do upstairs and lie on the bed. Recharge my batteries.
What about you ladies? How do you still “make time for the pretty”?
This is one of my resolutions for the year! I just had my son March of 2010 & while I was never great at buying myself stuff before I had him..I really suck at it now! So, to kick off 2011 I bought myself some tasty bath bombs, sparkly lip gloss & new mascara..which I SWEAR I’ll put on Every. Stinkin. Day.
Former product junkie here too! I used to be so obsessed with makeup and hair products. Before I got pregnant I was actually trying to start a hair and beauty blog but the farther along I got in my pregnancy I started getting too tired to deal and the products made me want to puke.
Last week I went to the salon for the first time in 2 years and felt AMAZING! I had a little pep in my step after I left. And on top of that for Christmas my sister bought me some of my favorite beauty products, a giftcard to buy more products and told me I can only use it to buy beauty items no baby stuff. So guess I will be having a ME day again sometime soon.
.-= Kim´s last blog ..Walking It Out =-.
I too fall into the same category. I have vowed to keep my toes polished and get my hair cut 3-4 times a year. I also wear fragrance and put on make-up daily to feel pretty even if I am just picking the girls up from school or taking care of my toddler. Also, my husband married a “beauty queen” and still expects me to keep myself pretty. I am not all the frills and fab like I used to be but I still try as much as possible.
When I first had my son I didn’t do anything that made me feel pretty, lol. But, little by little I would get dressed (even if I wan’t going anywhere), put on a little make up.. shower! That always made me feel better — and pretty!
.-= Sha Boogie´s last blog ..Behold!! =-.
Funny that you posted this, since this too is one of my resolutions, which incorporates taking time for myself. I use to be the girl who always had her nails and toes done, shaved my legs and underarms every night cause they had to always stay smooth, including the v-jay, washed and pressed my hair every week and had spent lots of money on facials. But, since I gave birth to my son, June 2010, I find myself going 3 weeks without shaving my legs, its a forrest down under, my nails are all chiped, toes look like they have been hammered, and my hair, lets just say it stays in the mommy bun for 2 weeks w/o washing. I vowed that in 2011, I will bring my sexy back. A part of me that my fiance fell in love with. I will go get my nails and feet done once a month (since that is all we can afford) but I will keep it up weekly, will go back to taking showers at night at least 3 times a week so that I can take the time to relax, and shave, and most importantly I will no longer rock the mommy bun look, no matter how much I convince myself that it look classy….lol. Thanks for the post
EXCELLENT POST!!!!
This reminds me…I need to shower and get dressed. Am wearing my husbands t-shirt hahah!
I basically do the same thing my dear!
.-= jess; [the bottle chronicles]´s last blog ..Pictures of Our Christmas Festivities =-.
Funny I should read this as I am sitting here in my pajamas at 3:33 pm. I used to go to Sephora and spend $100 minimum each time. Now, I’m lucky if I put one speck of makeup on each day. What’s the point if nobody is going to see you? That same attitude probably describes why I feel so BLAH every day! Being a 23 year old mother, I see all my friends out looking thin and hot, just like I did a year ago. Now I walk around with messy hair, no makeup, and spit up on my shirts. Why, oh why, is it so hard to find a balance between being YOUNG and being a MOM?
Great post and responses. I too have not put in work on myself but that’s changing. I started wearing make up to work everyday about 4 month ago but there are days when I just cannot muster the strength so I don’t. While my work wardrobe is getting there I have yet to get my wknd outfits together. My boys get haircuts every 2 wks and I plan to do my hair accordingly.
I’m still obsessed with beauty products! I just decided to forgo new clothes for new products because my single mommy budget doesn’t allow for both
If my makeup and hair is done, I’m totally fine with wearing black tshirts and jeans every day.
It’s 4 years later and I am finally getting back to the old, take-care-of-yourself me. Well not really getting back but attempting to get back. I just started caring about my nails and attempting to put on makeup again. It’s a daily struggle because so many things come first as a mommy but we have to make time for ourself. I just splurged and replaced about 75% of my wardrobe for Christmas.
Im a single unemployed mother so I dont have much money. Any money I have, goes to amami. But Ive made muself a promise to buy one pretty girly thing any time I get money. Ive been doing great so far
I became a mom at 22. I also worked at a spa in aesthetics. As you can imagine, it was quite a change for me! I don’t think I brushed my hair for a month after my son was born! Hop out of the shower and whip my head over and pull it all to the top and twist it around into an elastic. Normally, my makeup (foundation, pressed powder) would last roughly a month before i needed a new one. I haven’t replaced one now since my boy was born in June!
My nails were always done. Being a nail tech, they were kind of like my portfolio. I always had something done to show off my work. I think people notice my unadorned nails the most, now when I run into someone!
I TRY to get to work to get my eyebrows done every few weeks…it’s sooo hard!
Well, as much as I regret it in the morning when I have to wake up about 3 hours before my daughter, I get my me time at night. I shower and blowdry at night when she is asleep. I put my make up on in the car while waiting at red lights. When people see me slap on eyeliner whitout a mirror they just can’t get over how I do it hahaha. It is important to keep yourself doing something to make you feel pretty so you don’t let your self-esteem get low. If you are in a relationship, you have to keep in mind you have an obligation to your partner as well as your child. I have to remind myself I am not just someone’s mother- I am someone’s fiance too. Even though he loves me no matter what, I still feel the need to get dressed and fix myself up a little bit to remind him he still matters…
I still take long showers. That’s just something I wasn’t really willing to stop doing. That’s what really keeps me sane as a working SAHM. I’ve also started back with buying nail polishes, experimenting with new make-ups, and I’m currently in the process of updating my wardrobe as I shed these last pregnancy pounds.