BlushPretty: Make-up Artistry Weblog

feeling kinda yummy today ...

I'm that "no makeup" kinda makeup artist. (Not for my clientele, but for me)

As in, I'll be sure I look presentable, but I limit my everyday look to cover-up, mascara, a touch of blush and lip gloss. And I wear it so it looks like I'm not wearing anything. 

But today, with BlushPretty Boy in bed recuperating from surgery, and BlushPretty Baby napping, and Mr. BlushPretty with BlushPretty dog at puppy school, I busted out my kit and played with my makeup.

I have my own stash of makeup separate from my actual makeup "work" kit so using the makeup in my kit is always a treat. I got to realize, all over again, why I love the products in my kit.

That picture over there is the end result - not the best picture I know. But I can tell you that my skin looks more even than normal, my cheeks are highlighted, my eyes look more defined, and my shadow a little bit more.

And I'm feeling yummy! Here is what I used:

cooking mama ...

I was never really a great cook.

I mean, I can cook and whip up a well-balanced dinner, but don't expect me to stray far from a simple 30 minute meal recipe or come up with something all on my own. I just don't experiment.

So imagine my surprise when I found myself in the kitchen, slaving over my hot stove, making beauty balm.  All sorts of balm: lip, body, and even a balm safe and gentle to use for baby.  Now that's my kinda cooking.

I'm using a whole bunch of tasty things like cocoa butter, shea butter, avocado oil and honey.  I'm even making it super beneficial by adding vitamin e and tea tree oil. And I'm experimenting with yummy scents: grapefruit, lemongrass, juniper and peppermint.

The balms are all-natural. Pretty much edible. I can't wait for you to try them ... that's right, I said you can try them. hmmm. Because one day, really soon at The Blush Boutique,  ...  ;)

-bp-

I Am Mom, Watch Me Multitask!

Yummy Mummies are multitaskers.

That's probably what makes us yummy.  We know that walking the dog will count as exercise. We know that soaking our feet while BlushPretty baby is in the tub will prep them for a good round with the pumice stone. We know to schedule BlushPretty boy's art class nearby the mall, so we can get an hour of shopping ... I mean errands ... done. 

Multitasking is our forte. We can make the most of our time.  We know that if we are going for a 30 minute drive from point a to point b, we might want to add 20 minutes to our drive so we can stop somewhere in between and pick up those potatoes that are more delicious than the ones at the store nearby home.  And while efficiency experts will tell you that multitasking is really just an excuse for getting things done half-ass, the truth is at least stuff is getting done. To me, multitasking is making the most of your time and working double duty. Are you telling me that writing out a to do list while I am waiting in the bank line for 20 minutes is doing something half-ass because I'm not sitting at my desk and focusing on it?

My favourite way to multitask is to find beauty products that are two-in-one.  I find that cream colour anything is a yummy mummy's best friend and if you can find it in the right colour, then you are good to go at any time of day. On top of that multitasking product usually requires less precision, less tools, and less space.  Here are some items to stock in your diaper bag (see - the diaper bag also multitasks) before you head out the door.

DaLish Lip/Cheek Balm: Packaged like a fat chapstick, you can swipe this on over the lips and cheeks for colour.  Very sheer, layer it light for day and double it up for night.  You can also use this as a base to colours you already have at home.  The right colour can intensify your favourite powder blush, or maybe a layer of it under the right lip gloss glams you up a bit. (This product is available at The Blush Boutique and is no more than $10 bucks - look at that - I multitasked again by making my post a promo - tada!)

Stila Convertible Colour: Just like the DaLish Balms, this product can do the exact same thing, however it gives more colour and intensity at first application and does require use of your fingers to apply or a couple of good brushes.  There is a range of colours. Pick up Peony, Gerbera or Lillium - three of my faves.This is perfect for on-the-go because it comes in a compact with a mirror.  It's tiny and takes up little space.

Olay Dual Action Cleanser and Pore Scrub: So self-explanatory. Not only does it clean and remove a days worth of makeup, but is scrubs and exfoliates - in just one product, one squirt, one scrub, one rinse.  Clean skin, poreless face, yummy mummy.

Burt's Bees Lip Shimmers or Lip Gloss: You talk, you eat, you kiss baby.  Your lips get more work then you know. Dress them up with colour and shine, but also, keep them soft and smooth and well-hydrated.  Burt's Bees lips shimmers and lip glosses contain vitamin e and natural oils but don't skimp on tint.

This is just the tip of the iceberg for multipurpose, multitasking product.  There are tonnes more from foundation to nail polish choices.  Exercise your multitasking muscles and start searching the beauty websites.  You can do it while you are waiting for the kettle to boil on the stove.

Have a great Saturday morning!

-bp-

Fit to Be a Mom

Okay ... so maybe I do have one tiny but extremely predictable resolution.

It's to get fitter. And besides, who doesn't feel fresh.beautiful after regular exercise and shedding a few pounds.

For all the yummy mummies out there who read this blog to help get them feeling pretty, I'm going to share my ups and downs about trying to fit fitness into my routine. I'll share my successes, my losses, and any tips and tricks I learn along the way.  I may even, tell you my weight (*gasp*) now and then.  I've heard that writing and being open about your weight loss journey can actually help you achieve your goals.  You feel accountable.   So every month, expect one or two posts about my shrinking *fingers crossed* dress size.

You're probably wondering about what this has to do with BlushPretty and makeup and hair and all that stuff. Well, again, you can't underestimate the power that regular exercise and diet have on making you feel pretty and overall, better about yourself.

So, to begin my journey, I'll share with you what I've decide to do to help lose some pounds.

1.  Maintaining a regular sleep patterns.  I've got the waking up part done: Monday to Friday, I'm waking up at 6 am.  On Saturdays and Sundays, 7:30 am (unless I have a makeup job).  Now about the bedtime part - it's sporadic.  My goal however is to be asleep by no later than 11 pm.

2.  Drink more water.  I used to drink a 2L bottle of water everyday when I worked in an office.  But now that I am at home, its harder for me to calculate how much I'm drinking.  I'm going to start slow and try to be sure to drink a glass in the morning and evening, and also one at lunch.  I'll work my way up from there.

3. Go for a walk every morning and night.  I actually might have the advantage on this.  I now have a dog, and I walk him every morning for 25 minutes, and every night for about 15 minutes (it's colder at night). I've maintained this initiative ever since we got the dog.

And here's what I plan to incorporate over the next week or two:

1.  More strength training.  I currently work in some 20 minute routines every other day.  Hopefully I can work my way up to doing it daily.

2.  Make healthier meals. I've just started getting comfortable in the kitchen. Right now, I'm focused on just making meals for my family everyday (I do use the phone and dial 9671111 every now and then).  Eventually, I want to start incorporating well-balanced and nutritious meals, even if only it is for 2 of 7 dinners a week.

3.  To measure myself.  I've not taken my measurements yet.  I will do so at the end of the month and then measure myself again every month after that.  This is so I won't stress about my weight or size everyday.  I'll just worry about the number at the end of the month!

Now, to applaud the fact that I've decided to take this goal seriously and head on ... I went out and bought me a treat.  Okay, wait, I bought me two.  As mentioned, I walk my dog everyday and my poor Marc Jacob Wellies are beginning to show signs of wear and tear.  So today I went out and bought me a pair of Hunter boots in black.  Then I noticed they were on sale and so I bought a shorter pair in dark purple.  Hey, I said my resolution was about losing weight ... not stopping shopping.

Wish me luck.

-bp-

Have Passport ... and the Bags to Go with It!

So I had to get my passport renewed ...

Not a big deal right.  Of course not.  Except for those damn passport photos.  

I actually didn't think my previous passport pic was so bad - it was actually one of my better pieces of identification. But this recent photo ... not something I would like to share. Looking at it carefully one would think that the past five years have not been kind to me.  It seems that the age and two kids have caught up with me. Ack!

When I opened up the little sleeve that held my two photos, I gasped.  My eyes, my poor brown eyes. Since when did they decide to carry bags around??  As a mom, I could easily explain away the dark puffs by claiming that my two boys kept me up late the previous night.  But that wasn't the case. I slept just fine the night before the pictures. Straight up - I'm just getting older.

And so my search begins.  

The perfect undereye concealer. 

It's definitely a yummy mummy must.  Obviously, I have flirted with undereye concealer before but that's just because I wanted a bright, even-toned skin to make a smokey eye pop or a bright eyeliner standout. 

Now its more of a need than a want. This time it's personal.

Luckily, COVERGIRL (and MS&L, a PR company) couldn't have contacted me at a better time to come in and see the latest additions to the COVERGIRL and Olay Simply Ageless line (the foundation is amazing).  They had two new goodies for me to test out: a concealer and a colour corrector.

I have yet to test them out but definitely check back soon after I've given them a good try. I'll let you know if I get any part of my yummy mumminess back!

-bp-

Seeing Clearly

For as long as I could remember, I have worn glasses ...

I'd worn them since a pretty young age and they were the cause of my teenage angst.  Okay, they weren't really.  But they didn't help either. I remember every time I would get to shop for a new pair of glasses, I would try to find something chic and cool.  However, those types of frames were out of my budget - actually out of my parents budget - which meant I had to always settle for a less cool pair.  It was at least 5 years of bad frames on a geeky me.  And then in grade 10, I managed to convince mother to let me wear contacts. And I never looked back ...

Until I became a mom.  I've learned that throwing on your glasses is much more easier. 

For the past two months, and not by choice but by need (tore my last pair of contacts - soooo not my fault), I've returned to wearing my glasses. And it ain't that bad.  Mind you, I now have control over how much money I spend, so I've been able to choose better frames.

Anyway, I've managed to add a couple of more minutes to my morning by relying on my glasses.  No more struggling to get my contact in while my child is crying for another bowl of cereal.  No more rubbing my dry eyes.  No more needing to clean them and store them properly at night while my other child is crying for a bedtime story.

What I do have to remember is that sometimes my eyes can get lost behind my funky cool frames.  They can fade and be barely noticeable.  When wearing glasses, its a must to define those eyes. Therefore in order to make sure people can see me and not my glasses, I rely on two eyeliner pencils and some mascara.

I take a dark navy pencil and line the upper lash line and drag it slightly outward and upward.  I don't smudge it, nor do I draw it too thick or too thin.  Just enough to be detectable.  I then take a dark grey liner and go over the navy line, but also draw a line inside the inner and lower rim of the eye. I curl my lashes and then coat them with lots of mascara.

I find that adding a little bit of definition to the eyes makes wearing glasses look a little more like a fashion accessory than a necessity.  Glasses look especially fashionable as well now that you can get them in D&G, Burberry, and Prada ... :)

-bp-

Its Been a Year Already?????

Next weekend will be BlushPretty Baby's first birthday ...

I can't believe how fast time flies.  No really - I can't believe how fast time flies.  I really can't believe how fast time flies and how I'm not back at a reasonable weight after one year of giving birth.

Ack!

While I'm certainly not huge or overweight ... I can fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans (phew!) ... I feel like I should have been a bit closer to my goal than I am.  I didn't want to be another statistic of those who say "its so much harder to lose the weight after Baby #2" and then just decide to give up.  But it is. Hard. Very hard.

Busy schedules. Work commitments.  Your children's schedules. Social obligations.  They seem to double as your family grows. Finding time to hit the gym is pretty much searching for a needle in a haystack.  While I can fit in a quick workout in the mornings (sometimes) it isn't enough to really feel the burn.  So what's a yummy mummy to do?

A yummy mummy should not be so hard on herself.  That's what!

Losing the baby weight should be a goal achieved over time (even if it is more than a year - that's still over time) not overnight.  Instead of focusing on trying to lose it instantly, focus on all the things that already look good on you!

Maybe all the hormonal acne that you experienced during pregnancy has finally controlled itself and you now have great looking skin!  Show it off by applying a dusting of beauty powder and add just a bit of mascara and some shiny lipgloss.

Or maybe your hair finally stopped shedding and has returned to its healthy, full, self.  Get a great haircut and swing it from side to side when you walk!

And maybe you can't bounce a quarter off your abdominals, but I bet your biceps are in pretty good shape from hauling your baby around - wear more short sleeves and tank tops!

I'm not saying forget about trying to be healthy and lose weight - it should still be a part of the the plan.  Just take it day by day and work it in when you can!

I've decided not to beat myself about the last 8 pounds. Instead, I plan to take that brain energy and think about ways to decorate my new home, about new colours I want to try for brides in 2010, and about all the trips I want to take BlushPretty Boy and Baby on this year. It's a much better way of spending my time!

-bp-