Quick Mommy-Makeover

It’s hard not to suffer from a case of the “frumpies” when you are a Mom. Kids make it hard to take time to do your hair and make-up and are famous for encrusting Mom’s clothes with any variety of “stuff” from their sticky, little fingers. You don’t have to become invisible just because you’ve procreated; get yourself back into the beauty game! With little time and expense you can be that gorgeous woman you once were before you embarked on Motherhood.

1. Check your hair for grays and if there are too many for your taste, pick up a box of semi-permanent color. You can match your natural color or get wild and experiment with something a tone or two in either direction. If you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself, see a professional. While you’re there, get an updated hair style and when you get home stop sticking your hair up in that unattractive ”suburb-bun”!

2. Put on a little make-up. It doesn’t have to be much, but unless you’re a rare natural beauty, everyone can use a little help to look polished.

3. Buy a few new outfits. They don’t have to be fancy lest you’d be reluctant to wear them around the kids. Try to buy something black or at least in a very dark color in case the kids do smear grape jelly across your shirt.

4. Give yourself a manicure and a pedicure. Again, nothing fancy, just make sure there isn’t a week’s worth of peanut butter caked under your nails. Feet can get really gross really fast so be sure not to neglect them either.

5. Finally, keep your skin moisturized, drink plenty of water, and get as much sleep and exercise as you can.

Moms always put everyone else first, but that doesn’t mean you have to put yourself last!

DIY Highlights

Here’s yet another use for lemons from the Funnyaboutmoney.com blog:

For blonde highlights:

Do this on a sunny day. If your hair is dishwater blonde or a lighter shade of brown, you can create blonde highlights by treating your hair with lemon juice. Either bottled juice or fresh will work. Wash your hair with your favorite shampoo. Then pour about 1/2 cup of bottled juice or the juice of one or two lemons over your hair. Comb it through to distribute well.

Apply sunblock generously to your skin and go outside. After an hour of sunbathing or puttering in the garden with your hair exposed to the sun, shampoo again and apply conditioner.

Lemon accelerates the effect of sunbleaching. While it doesn’t seem to cause damage, it brightens your hair and leaves you with subtle blond highlights.

Who says you need to have extra cash to do a little something with your hair? Blonde not your color? Be sure to check out some of their other color suggestions.