My Top Five Makeup Products For Busy Moms On The Go

Once upon a time, I didn’t have schedules to adhere to, meals to fix, endless piles of laundry to get done, or lunches to make. Instead, I had tons of time to play with my ridiculous makeup collection and put together fun going out makeup looks or makeup looks for work. Fast-forward ten years and things look quite different. Now I have to get myself and two other human beings (who move about as fast as sloths do), out the door. All the things I now have to schedule, the laundry, meals and homework barely fit into a 24-hour time period, let alone the things I would like to squeeze in. So it stands to reason that putting on a full face of makeup is the last thing on my to-do list most days, which is sad because I absolutely love playing with makeup. Once in a blue moon, I will set aside the time and go all out with my makeup. I love a good contour and highlight, as well as creating a fun eyeshadow look with one of my many eyeshadow palettes, but on a regular basis, it is just not practical nor time-saving anymore. Because of this, I am sharing the top five products I have found to be tried and true for not only succeeding in being quick and easy, but also in helping me to look put together every time.

It has taken me a lot of trial and error, and I am by no means a professional makeup artist. The items listed below are the products I have found to work for me when I want my face to look like it is fresh, done up, and also didn’t take me tons of time to accomplish.

1. Moisturizer: This is probably the most important step when preparing your face for your makeup. Moisturizing your face daily protects your skin from becoming too oily or too dry and creates a barrier between your skin and the climate. Even if I put no makeup on whatsoever, I put on my moisturizer! My favorite one is from the drugstore: CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30
2. Concealer: If you are one of those people who are blessed with under eyes that have never seen (no pun intended) dark circles a day in your life, I am severely jealous of you. I was genetically blessed with dark circles under my eyes for as long as I can remember, no matter how many hours of sleep I get. I learned from an early age how to use concealer to appear more awake and to avoid being constantly asked why I appeared so tired. My tried-and-true favorite concealer is Tarte Shape Tape Ultra Creamy Concealer. It is one of the pricier ones, but it is worth it! It is creamy, it will not crease, and it is easy to blend underneath your eyes so you look wide eyed and awake. I call it my secret weapon!
3. Blush: This one may seem silly as one of my five products when I am going for a quick look, but trust me; flushed and rosy cheeks are a staple in having a pulled together face. There is something about giving my cheeks the barest amount of color, adding a little something and giving my makeup an extra little oomph to feel put together. My absolute favorite is a cult classic and will instantly add the prettiest flush of color to your cheeks, but is uber expensive for a small little compact. So I am going to give you a splurge option and a save option that is a dupe (meaning it is super similar in color, but is less pricey). My splurge option is Nars Blush in Orgasm; my save option is Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso. You can’t go wrong with either option!
4. Mascara: If there were only one makeup product with which I would want to be stranded on a deserted island, it would be mascara, hands down. If I put nothing else on my face, and then run out of the house to Target, or to pick up my kids from somewhere, or to go to the grocery store, it is a swipe or two of mascara on my lashes. Combine mascara with these other four products and you are ready to tackle the world! My favorite low-cost, volumizing, looks like you are wearing false lashes go-to is L’Oréal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara. You won’t be disappointed. Make sure to do two coats and don’t forget your bottom lashes too!
5. The last product I recommend is just some good old fashioned Chapstick! I recently discovered one that not only adds to your lip color but also tastes pretty good! Burt’s Bees has always had a great variety of chapsticks to choose from, but I have recently been obsessed with the Burt’s Bees Lip Balm in Pomegranate. If pomegranate doesn’t sound like your thing, there are a ton of other yummy flavors, such as pink grapefruit, mango, and cucumber mint just to name a few.

I hope this list is helpful and gives you something new to try in your face products arsenal. If not, I hope I was able to help you to simplify your makeup routine on days in which you don’t have it in you for full-on glam, but still want to look and feel your best. Don’t get me wrong; as moms, we can still find the beauty in all of us without any of these products, but if you know, you know…

As Truvy from the movie Steel Magnolias reminds us, “Honey, time marches on and eventually you realize it is marchin’ across your face.” So forgive me if most days I prefer to conceal the marching of time across my face!

What are some of your ride or die products for when you don’t have the time to spend on a full makeup routine?