Single Mom | Single Mom Blog | Ms. Single Mama » Beauty Tips

Single Mom Beauty Tip: Clean Face

mssinglemama — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:59:48 +0000

Remember my single mom beauty tips from back in the day?

Well, after such a heavy and incredibly exciting post as the last I’ve been sitting here stewing, completely at a lost as to what to write next. I mean what can compare to a virtual engagement announcement?

This morning as I wiped my face with my latest beauty addiction it occurred to me that nothing beats my new little face wipes. Nothing. Not even my own engagement (well, maybe they’d tie). I love them that much.

I’ve been using these little Say Yes to Cucumber wipes for two months now and my zit count has dropped dramatically, nearly zero now. I also have sensitive skin so it’s a challenge to find cleaning products that don’t irritate or aggravate. These do neither and are enriched with vitamins and all natural stuff so my face really does glow when I’m finished.

The only problem? They tend to sell out, so I buy them in pairs.

Buy them here from the source, Yes to Carrots. Or at Target.com.

I started giving single mom beauty tips to save single moms valuable time and money after many frustrating and disappointing purchases of my own. So, please leave your own beauty tips if you have them and keep on shining mamas!

Read all of my single mom beauty tips here.

——–

A few housekeeping notes:

We are still house hunting because yet another home inspection wielded a basement with mold. John Bear are beyond spent on this entire experience. We have also concluded that house hunting is worse than online dating, something we both used to do before finding each other the old fashioned way.
I cut the prices on my new leaf necklaces. And every purchase still gets you a free copy of Ms. Single Mama Uncensored, my tell-all eBook and you won’t have to pay a penny in shipping.

Single Mom Beauty Tip: Your Face

mssinglemama — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:51:27 +0000

Remember my single mom beauty tips?

I used to post beauty tips back when I had more time because I realized that nothing can be more frustrating when you’re a single mom than buying a beauty product that is a big fail. There are a few reasons for the frustration – if you’re like me getting to the store solo is a luxury so many of my personal purchases are made in a rush and then there’s the money you wasted.

We are also the busiest creatures on Earth, so single mom beauty must be fast and easy to apply. This single mom beauty tip is courtesy of Sheila, a friend of mine and fellow single mom blogger who I first met at my play date with Matt out in Los Angeles. I absolutely adored Sheila and we’ve been in contact ever since. That’s why I was so excited when she told me about a brilliant blog dishing out real, sponsor-free beauty tips for moms called the Painted Ladies.

Check out the Painted Ladies blog for all kinds of beauty secrets like detailed and real-life 5 Minute Make Up routines by moms like us. LOVE it. But first… a tip for your sweet face.

Wet N’Wild Eye Expressions

By Sheila of the Painted Ladies

As a single mom who works full-time, blogs part time, and has full custody of my two year old son, I’m always on the lookout for beauty products that save time and save money. It’s a daunting duty, but there are many products that will primp and prime to perfection without costing a pretty penny.

Just because many of us solitary mamas are lacking in time and disposable income doesn’t mean we have to give up our little cosmetic thrills – makeup, as silly as it can seem in light of much bigger problems, can bring a smile to your face, highlight your features, and give you that little mental boost that we can always benefit from during our long and busy days.

Remember Wet n Wild? The brand we used to wear back in our middle and high school days? Little known fact: it’s one of the best makeup brands out there in terms of quality, bar none. Wet n Wild cosmetics are the underdog of the beauty industry, in my opinion, and they make some really great products that won’t cost an arm, leg, and most of the rent money.

One of my favorite items they make is a multi-tasking product that gets half of my makeup done for less than $5. Can’t be done, you say? Well, you might not have been down to the drugstore lately. The Eye Expressions #399 is a hand-sized palette with four cream shadows and one cream blush.

The colors are sectioned off for specific areas, but there really are no rules in makeup and you can use the blush as a lip color, on your eyes, and even use the eye colors as a cheek highlighter above your blush. Just blend away, and you’re set for the day, and it’s so portable and easy to reapply, that you can always keep it in your purse and reapply when needed.

Since I’m oily, I used a translucent powder under the cream eye shadow to anchor the color – it helps keep the shadow on your lid longer without having it crack or fade. You see the little sponge/brush they so kindly put in the case? Throw it out! Your (clean) fingers are the best applicators, and that’s another reason why baby wipes come in handy.

The best part about this cute little product is that it retails for $3.99 and there are often buy one get one 50% off specials for Wet n Wild products. It’s an affordable treat, and like the old ad slogan goes – you’re worth it! You are an amazing single mother … do something nice for yourself.

More of my old beauty tips… good stuff.

Single and Fabulous (?)

mssinglemama — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:02:53 +0000

I am single.

And I like to think I am fabulous.

But what if I’m not?

I’m not digging for compliments here. I’m just trying to explore something so bear with me…

My wrinkles are ever so subtly beginning to take over my forehead, my eyebrows are even falling, my gray hair is multiplying at an extraordinary pace, it’s a struggle to stay out later than 11:00 and I am about to turn 30.

And yes, I’m 100% single.

But I feel fabulous.

In fact, I can’t remember the last time I’ve been so content and completely happy. I credit a combination of factors:

The no man thing. Not having a boyfriend, or even anyone to date, frees up a lot of time and gives me all kinds of fabulous mental space to float around in. Plus I am clearly awful at choosing them. Instead, as of late, I’ve decided to let one choose me. I am throwing in my frequent man shopper card and moving into the slow lane for a while. Done and done.
Not smoking. It’s been 37 days, cold turkey. Not smoking, not even cheating, has made me feel like I can conquer anything. And I have this incredible amount of energy. It’s absolutely amazing.
Mr. Benjamin. He’s growing by leaps and bounds every day and he’s talking and talking and talking. Suddenly I have a roommate, someone to converse with, someone to play games with and even just hang out with. I’ve never had to potty train a roommate before, but – meh – no one is perfect. By the way, my friend Morgan took THE funniest picture of Lucca (Benjamin’s soul twin) potty training and turned it into a poster. Check it out.
A passion for my career. I love what I do. Every day. 100% of the time.

But does that mean I’m fabulous?

Maybe I’m just smoking some kind of single moms are awesome pipe and everyone is really laughing at me. But here’s the deal. You are only fabulous if you think you’re fabulous. Logic wins every time. And beauty comes from within.

But beauty sleep helps a lot too.

Last night I looked in the mirror and saw a tired, very non-fabulous me staring back. The night before I’d had one too many shots of tequila with my single girlfriends and the results were not pretty.

Hangover face is the worst.

Suddenly I had visions of my photo shoot this Friday — did I even tell you I have a photo shoot?. A local magazine thinks I’m one of the Top 10 Singles in the City and they have to take pictures to prove it.

So back to my photo shoot vision.

It went something like this.

The shoot is in just about 24 hours.

I’m freaking out (slightly) because I don’t know how to stare into a camera and look sexy. My solution, at this point, is to just sit there and pick my nose like Benjamin would.

Now that would be fabulous.

Ms. Single Mama, the three-year-old wanna be.

Sounds about right.

———————

So guess who is about to be married and fabulous???

Mommy Pie!!!!

You are NOT going to believe this but her man proposed to her with a blog post. The single mom bloggers are dropping like flies. Morgan. Now Mommy Pie.

Who’s next?

Single Mom Beauty Tip: Your Smile

mssinglemama — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:31:37 +0000

Forget all of that tooth whitening junk – just get an automatic tooth brush.

Years ago I bought my first automatic toothbrush, at the advice of my dentist. I forked over $99.00 and felt incredibly guilty until I had been using it for two weeks. My teeth were white and so incredibly clean. The toothbrush, the original Sonicare, lasted for 4 years until last summer when then baby Benjamin stole it away, banged it a few times and then hid it from me.

As a single mom, money is always tight and so I held out, hoping to find it. In the meantime, I used an old fashioned brush and my teeth quickly lost their white, felt grimy and even had spots of color on them from my whitening toothpaste.

I finally found it months later deep in a decorative vase (and this was only after Benjamin had broken said vase). The brush was broken too. Again, I resisted buying a new one until I saw the Sonicare at its new price – $59.99 (Target) and $58.53 on Amazon.

I know it seems like a ton of money for a toothbrush but your teeth will thank you for it and if you don’t have good dental insurance consider it an investment in your oral health.

Before writing this post Oral B contacted me asking me to try out the new Oral B Pulsonic toothbrush. I agreed but promised to give an honest review. I still love my Sonicare hands down, but with that said, the Pulsonic is perfect for traveling. It’s small, light weight and quiet.

Here’s my review of both toothbrushes:

Philips Sonicare Essence 5300 – $ 58.53 on Amazon

Pros:

Powerful yet soft bristles
Super deep clean
Easy to grip (if you have man hands like myself)
Rechargeable
Replace head every 6 months
Phenomenal white smile!

No cons!

Oral B Pulsonic Automatic Toothbrush – $69.99 on Amazon

Pros:

Lightweight
Hard bristles
Quiet
Perfect for traveling (I took mine to Denmark)
Stylish
Includes slim precision bristle head for between teeth
Rechargeable

Cons:

Hard bristles (listed it as a pro and a con b/c it depends on your preference)
More expensive

I hope you liked me little reviews and I hope you treat yourselves to one of these amazing brushes, always ready for kisses from Prince Charming, Mr. Right Now, Mr. Good Enough or Mr. In Between. Whoever he is, you’ll be wowing him with your smile. But more importantly you’ll be wowing yourself!

Single Mama Beauty Tip #3: Facial in a box

mssinglemama — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:03:28 +0000

For Christmas my little brother bought me a gift certificate for a facial …

I still haven’t used it.

I have one night to myself each week, I usually use it to run errands or go out with friends. I really, really want to get that facial but I just can’t seem to find the time to make it happen. So when I stumbled across the Burts Bees Facial Kit I snapped it up.

The little kit includes everything you need for an at home facial and it’s only $8.95. (I found mine at Half Price Books for $3.95). First the cleanser, next the scrub, then a green mask and to top it off, a mosturizing cream that’s to die for. While the cleanser, cream and mask are just for one time use, the scrub will last for a while. Mine came with a cute little bowl to mix up the scrub and mask.

My face was glowing for days…and the best part is you can do it at home! Just had to pass it on.

If you’ve tried it or have any other beauty tricks or tips, please leave a comment!

More beauty tips:

Fake Tanning: Tan Towels (Just used them tonight to prep for San Francisco sunshine)
Hair Care: Shampoo and Hair Dryer (Yep … used these too)

Flatten Your Fear & Win a Flat Iron!

mssinglemama — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 03:01:07 +0000

We all have fears.

If you read my blog, you know I’ve got plenty. Namely my fear of commiting to the wrong guy, my fear of my ex-husband watching our son solo for 36 hours a week or his absence from our lives. I like to think I’ve come leaps and bounds in the past year in conquering them, but I still have a ways to go.

Now it’s your turn to step into the confessional.

Tell me about something that shakes you to your core. Maybe you’re afraid of snakes, men, other parents at the playground, your boss, pickles and bologna, your teenager, asking men out … I don’t care what it is. Describe your fear and then tell me how you are going to conquer it.

I’m hoping your comment will turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy. And the prize for spilling your guts? A Hana Salon ceramic flat iron ($199.00) courtesy of Misikko.com.

After reading my post reviewing their FHI Hair Dryer the nice people over at Misikko.com offered me two ceramic flat irons, one for myself and one for one of you! This flat iron is top of the line, and as my mom would say it’s – “Slicker than bat s*%T!” It’s light weight, comes in a snazzy black travel case and heats up in seconds. Read more about the flat iron here.

How to win:

1. Name your fear

2. Tell me your game plan to conquer your fear

First Place Prize:

A fabulous Hana Salon ceramic flat iron, valued at $199.99!!!

Second Place Prize:

A copy of Single Mom Seeking by Rachel Sarah.

Third Place Prize:

A copy of Accidentally on Purpose by Mary Pols.

Deadline:

I’ll take entries until Friday July 27, 2008.

Rules:

Be serious, funny or insightful, but above all – be honest. Leave your fear in the comment field. Bloggers- If you would like to enter this contest by writing your own post go ahead, just leave a link here. I’ll be judging the best entry … and guys, feel free to enter – I’m sure there’s a woman in your life who would kill for this flat iron.

Inspiration:

This amazing post by single dad Jim Everson on how he conquered his fear of swimming.

[Photo Credit: hattaway.co.nz]

Single Mama Beauty Tip #2

mssinglemama — Sat, 24 May 2008 17:22:33 +0000

Back by popular demand, Single Mama Beauty Tips!

One of the sexiest things about single moms (for the guys) and one of the most trying (for us) is the fact that we are on top of it … beauty wise. But it’s not easy – and there’s nothing worse than dragging a screaming toddler through the beauty section only to bring the product home and find out it sucks.

Talk about guilt. You’ve wasted time and money. So here’s another tip.

How to Get Gorgeous Hair – (for real).

The Challenge: After my pregnancy, my hair lost it’s luster and transformed from thick and curly to thin and flat. Enough to make even the strongest of single moms sob herself to sleep.

The Solution: Lush’s Cynthia Sylvia Stout shampoo, Lush’s American Cream conditioner and the FHI Black Turbo Hair Dryer.

Side Effects: Constant smelling and touching of hair, could be annoying to people around you.

If you haven’t discovered Lush yet, get to your nearest Macy’s pronto, or visit their website. Their products are all-natural, never tested on animals and most actually have expiration dates because the ingredients are so fresh. This shampoo and conditioner has seriously transformed my hair. First of all, it smells delicious FOR DAYS. And secondly, my hair is thick again and shiny again – just like it used to be! And after two years of thinking my hair was a lost cause, you can imagine why I’m so ecstatic about this. [Tip: only use it every other day because it's a bit heavy, you don't need much.]

The trial size is $8.75, start with that to make sure you love it because the larger bottles are more expensive. I’ve been using my trial sizes for over a month and they’re not even half way finished.

After realizing that hair is worth an investment (I had never spent more than $6.00 on shampoo before in my life) I decided to retire my old hair dryer for a brand new salon dryer (on the advice of my stylist). I had been showering at night just to avoid drying my hair because my old dryer left it frazzled, dry and frizzy. The FHI Black Turbo kicks ass. Find it here on Misikko, based in Philadelphia, the website offers a plethera of the latest and greatest hairstyling tools at a steep discount. For example, the FHI Turbo is normally $195.00 but it’s only $129.99 at Misikko. And they also have great deals on flat irons and ceramic flat irons

Anything else I should know about my hair care? Please enlighten me. Leave hair beauty tips or any others in the comment field.

If you missed it, Single Mama Beauty Tip #1: Tan Towels

Single Mama Beauty Tip #1: Tan Towels

mssinglemama — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:21:53 +0000

One of the sexiest things about single moms (for the guys) and one of the most trying (for us) is the fact that we are on top of it … beauty wise. Well, I am anyways. But it’s not easy. I barely have time to shop. And there’s nothing worse than dragging a screaming toddler through the beauty section only to bring the product home and find out it sucks. Talk about guilt.

So with spring just around the corner I think we should all start sharing some time-saving, money-saving beauty tips. Here’s mine…

Say hello to the single mom savior … my little friends the Tan Towels!

Back in the day, when I had tons of money to blow on self-beautification, I tried every fake tanning product out there (I don’t do sun, sun = bad for single mama skin). Anyway I wasted way too much money on horrible tanning products until my friend who worked in a beauty shop told me about the Tan Towel.

They’re like paper towels or I guess more like baby wipes, soaked in tanning stuff. First exfoliate with a loofah or body wash with beads in it. Then open up the magic tan towel.

Start with your tummy and back because the tan towels are super moist at first. Then run them down your thighs and legs. Don’t forget the ankles and the tops of your feet. Then if the towel is still a little moist use it on your upper body, face and neck.

There’s very, very little streaking even possible because you are running the towel over yourself with your hands and because it’s not a lotion your fingers don’t leave behind streaks. Make sense?

The best part. They actually smell kind of nice and you can get dressed five minutes later. So very little hassle. The tan lasts for about 7-10 days.

Where to find it: Discount Beauty Center This is the best price I’ve found – 10 for $16.79. They usually run around $5.00/towel retail. Not a bad deal and a small price to pay for a perfect, harmless tan.

Do you have any money-saving beauty tips? Pass them on please…