Often, as a mom, personal grooming and upkeep takes a backseat to
taking care of your child, and family and household responsibilities.
Previously perfect eyebrows get a little shaggy, grey hair doesn't get
touched up, and when was the last time your feet saw a pedicure? It's
not that you don't care, it's just that you have more important
priorities and not enough time. Debra Rubin-Roberts, new mom and
professional makeup artist, had an aha! moment when she took a break to
"put on her face" for the first time after her daughter Daisy was born.
She felt like her old self again but it took way too long to not only
unscrew every cap and tube but also to apply everything. The seed for Mommy Makeup was planted that day.
Mommy Makeup is a makeup line that streamlines the makeup process so that you can achieve a "Clean-n-Casual" or "Pretty-n-Polished"
look with minimal time and expense. Each kit contains 5 or 6 products
that do your entire face- from concealer to lipgloss- in approximately
7 minutes so it's completely realistic to wear makeup every day, even
if you're not going out for dinner. Following the "Paint by Number"
instructions and face chart, it's easy to achieve both looks. (There
are other makeup kits out there, but they either do just your eyes,
just your lips, or just foundation and bronzer but not the entire face
and not in 6 minutes.) Mommy Makeup just won Best New Product in the
Cosmetic & Fragrance category at the EX•TRACTS® NY International Gift Fair Show. Debra also counts celebrity mom Tina Fey as a Mommy Makeup fan.
You're saving time because Mommy Makeup products do multiple jobs. For example, the fabulous Mommy's Little Helper is a shadow base, under-eye concealer and face cover-up (opaque enough
for scars, blemishes, and broken capillaries like I have) in one
product and Eye Triplets contains an all over shadow, contour color, and a triple pigmented wet/dry liner, all in one compact. Mommy's Kisses a ligloss with a coordinating lip liner hidden in handle. Mineral Bronze-n-Blush combines a pressed mineral bronzer and a blush in one compact. These four products alone replace ten.
If you get a makeover at a department store, they will try to sell
you a look for $300. Sure you'll look gorgeous when you leave, but 1,
will you be able to replicate it yourself, 2, it will take you at least
half an hour, and 3, you will be dropping a pretty penny. One thing I
love about Mommy Makeup is the quality. You are getting department
store quality for half or a third of the cost. For example, the
eyeshadow pigments are more intense so a little goes a long way, plus
they wear longer.
I found the "Paint by Number" instructions and face charts
to be a real asset to the kits because even though I've been wearing
makeup for at least 15 years, sometimes I need a reminder. The
products themselves are very easy to use. Each kit comes in a range of five shades from very light to dark.
(I am fair but Debra advised I use the Light-Medium unless I was
Irish-porcelain complexions.) Normally, I don't like kits because often
the colors don't work for me, but the Mommy Makeup colors are very natural and
pretty on me. Also, having colors and products put together already makes it
easier for me because it forced me to get new products (most makeup
should be tossed out after 6 months due to bacteria) and because I
don't have to select coordinating colors and products.
Both kits include:
Mommy's Little Helper Concealer
(eye shadow base, under eye concealer and face cover-up) - perhaps my
favorite part of the kits because it goes on smoothly, covers really
well, doesn't cake, and lasts all day. This is also Tina Fey's favorite product, who said, "it goes on smooth and covers nicely."
Mineral Dual Powder SPF8
(pressed mineral foundation, powder, sunscreen) - naturally oil-free,
talc-free, and fragrance-free making them ideal for sensitive skins
(and for women who find their skin going through hormonal changes) and
gives nice coverage but feels weightless, though I wish it was at least
SPF15. I like that the powder is pressed instead of loose like Bare Escentuals bareMinerals
and other mineral foundations because it's not messy and you don't
accidentally apply too much. (It also doesn't make my skin itch the
way that Bare Escentuals does.)
Lush Mascara - long wearing without flakes, this was the only product without any bells and whistles.
Black Mesh Makeup Bag
- this small zippered pouch forces me to keep everything together,
makes it easier for me to throw in my purse to put on in the subway or
car (when I'm not driving of course!), and the mesh makes it easy to
find things than in an opaque bag
The Pretty-n-Polished kit ($120) also contains:
Eye Triplets - highly pigmented and goes on beautifully - the Light-Medium kit comes with the Parlor Eye Triplets. With the Camouflage Angle Detailer Brush, it's super easy for a klutz like me to apply the darkest shade as an eyeliner.
Mineral Bronze-n-Blush - I'm someone who
never wears blush or bronzer but I like this because it goes on
smoothly and looks natural
Mommy's Kisses
- ok, I lied, this
is my also my favorite. I normally never use lipliner even though I
know it keeps your lipstick on longer but having the self-sharpening
liner
IN the handle of the gloss only adds 30 seconds to the lip application.
The Light-Medium kit comes with Madison which is a little too pink for
my taste so I'd like to try Daisy.
The Clean-n-Casual kit ($87) also includes:
Powder Bronzer - gives you some healthy color
Barely Blushing Lip & Cheek Tint - the apply and forget it cream or gel lets you kiss and cuddle your baby without leaving marks
Since both kits contain almost the same elements (Pretty-n-Polished has eyeshadow), you can actually achieve both looks with the Pretty-n-Polished Kit, so I recommend getting that one plus the Barely Blushing Lip & Cheek Tint for those days you want to go "Clean-n-Casual."
Of course, you can also buy any of the products individually, but you
save 20% when you buy the kits and I really feel that all of the
products are must-haves.
Debra told me that many new moms (especially first time ones) feel the Clean-n-Casual
kit is the "magic bullet" for them. It allows them to look awake and
healthy. They found they needed concealer to look rested, foundation to
even out their skin tone, and bronzer since their faces lost color and
they feel "washed out" since having given birth. It's also popular
with busy women on the go. You don't need to be a mom to want a
7-minute makeup application!
Other add-ons that I like are:
Mineral Shimmer Powder - lets you go from day to evening by adding sheen and shimmer to the face.
Brow Tint-
Groom, shape and fill-in your brows with this product which is a
light gel that comes in 4 shades applied with a mascara wand. You know
how they say your brows frame your face? Debra told me that if you
wear just lip color and nothing on your brows, your face looks "bottom
heavy."
I also recommend getting the brush kit unless you already have a
full set of good brushes. They all have short handles, perfect for the
mom on the go, and they fit in the mesh bag. The Chic Mom Brush Kit
($88) includes each of the six brushes you need to apply each product
properly and a free mesh bag to store them in. They are a real
investment because you'll use them forever if you take care of them.
(I've paid upwards of $20 for makeup brushes in the past, so $88 for 6
is a great deal.) If you're only going to get one, I suggest the Camouflage 6 Point Brush for applying concealer.
If you love lipgloss, I highly recommend getting a Bag of Mommy's Kisses - choose any 3 shades and get a Black Mesh Bag for $59 (save $17).
If you find that you love Mommy Makeup and want to share it with
your friends (and earn commission on sales), host an online Mommy
Makeover Party. For more information, email party@mommymakeup.com.
Exclusively for Celebrity Baby Blog Readers: Save 15% when you use coupon code CBB15 at www.mommymakeup.com. Plus shipping is always free for orders over $75.
To get fall started right, Bean New York is offering FREE SHIPPING on all purchases thru September 6!
Hotslings
