beauty Archives - Nesting Story

5 Minute Face For The Busy Mom

Being a mom usually means early morning wake-ups, getting children ready for the day, running around managing the household, and staying up too late trying to soak up every last second of alone time you get once the kids have gone to bed. When you think about how much time all of that takes up, it is hard to imagine trying to fit in where you can get yourself ready for the day.

I’ve been there, and I know that it’s easier to run out the door with unwashed hair up in a bun and last week’s makeup still on, but I can bet you don’t feel your best when this happens. I know personally, finding a couple of minutes in my day to put myself together, even just a little bit, can make the biggest difference in my mood and tolerance.

If getting ready for the day feels like mission impossible, then you’re going to love this post. I’m going to share my tips to help you find the time in your busy days to get back to feeling your best with this 5-minute makeup look (and how to keep the children entertained while you do it!)

The first thing that needs to be tackled is how to keep the children busy while you throw yourself together. If you’re an early riser, consider waking up 15 minutes before your children usually wake up to get ready! This way you’re up and dressed without having to balance everything else at the same time. If you need those couple extra minutes (and I’m definitely with you on this one!) my favourite technique is to toss the kids in the empty bathtub with some toys and do my makeup in the bathroom. The children are contained, happy, and busy (for about 5 minutes until they realize what’s happening) and gives you the space to work. If bathtubs aren’t your child’s favourite place, the laundry hamper works just as well. Even better if there are clothes in it that they can throw out of it.

The next step is figuring out what you want to focus on in your makeup routine. With only a small amount of time, you want to make sure you aren’t biting off more than you can chew. Nobody wants to have to stop halfway through their contouring routine because they ran out of time. I like to focus on making myself look awake and fresh (both of which I am usually not) so I try to keep everything simple. Everyone will have different things they want to focus on but the most common things that people want to tackle each day are dark under eyes, dull-looking skin, and accentuating their facial features.

The last step is to use products that are multi-functional and don’t take a lot of work to apply. Choosing products that you can use in different ways in your makeup routine will give you the flexibility to easily change up your look without feeling overwhelmed. I use an illuminating moisturizer to brighten my face and add a healthy glow, concealer for under my eyes and redness, brow gel to tame and darken my brows (remember, the eyebrows frame the entire face), mascara to make my eyes look bigger and more put together, and lastly bronzer to bring back some structure to my face. All of these products can be used in multiple ways such as bronzer in the eyes as eyeshadow, mascara on a q-tip smudged in the lash line as a liner, and illuminating moisturizer under the brow bone and inner corner of the eye to create a more lifted look. This kind of look can be done with minimal brushes and products, easily and quickly. For a full 5-minute makeup routine including my favourite drugstore and high-end products to use, check out my 5-minute mom makeup here – https://elysemorency.com/5-min-makeup/

When the days feel long and the nights even longer you can start to lose the essence of who you are outside of motherhood. It is equally as important to take care of yourself as a mom as it is to take care of others. Remember, you have to put your own oxygen mask on first. Finding 5 minutes in your day where you can get ready can be the difference between a stressful day which feels unwinnable and a stressful day that you come out of feeling okay because you took the time to do something for you.

If you want to learn more quick makeup tips that you can add to your everyday makeup routine, check out www.elysemorency.com. You can also find Elyse on Instagram at @elysemor where she talks about the real and raw life of motherhood and makeup!

Preparing Your Skin For the Colder Weather

I hate to admit it but I am a sucker for the colder months. As much as I love the summer, Fall and Winter (for the first couple of months) bring out all the happy feelings! Unfortunately, the colder months also bring out the worst in my skin, as I think it does for most. I’m sharing with you my top tips for preparing my skin for the colder weather so you can have good skin all year round!

1. Drink water, and lots of it!

Preparing Your Skin For the Colder Weather

This is the easiest thing you can do to improve your skin in the colder months and maintain it all year round. By staying hydrated and drink enough water each day, you’re helping your body clear out all the toxins in your skin while hydrating it from the inside out! I challenge you to try drinking water every day for a week and document the first day and the last. You will be shocked at the change that it can have on your skin.

2. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Products for Preparing Your Skin For the Colder Weather

Incorporating new and more hydrating products into your skincare can make a big difference for the colder months. During the summer, your skin produces more oils naturally (ie: sweating and humid weather) whereas the air is much drier in the winter (outside and inside due to heaters). To beat the dry air, try using a product like Hyaluronic acid in your skincare before applying your moisturizer. Hyaluronic acid works at helping the skin retain moisture and creating a barrier to protect it from the dry air. The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid serum is the super affordable and works great at adding an extra moisture boost.

3. Build a routine

Preparing Your Skin For the Colder Weather with a proper skin care routine

It is the hardest thing to get into the habit of, but once you start, you will be thankful you did. Try and get into a routine, morning and night, where you can find 5 minutes or so to do your skincare. It doesn’t have to be a fancy routine that takes hours, but with consistency, you will find your skin can handle the climate change much better. Something a simple as rinsing your face with water and moisturizing it can be enough to leave your skin feeling good all winter!

The colder weather doesn’t have to be a time where you fear for your skin’s appearance. Using these three simple tips you can maintain your beautiful skin all year round.

5 Nail Polish Colours You Need To Try This Summer

5 nail polish colours to try this summer.

When you’re busy, finding time to put yourself together can be challenging. One of my favourite ways to spend my self-care time is doing my nails. I’ll usually do it after I’ve put the baby to bed, with a glass of wine, and while it may seem simple, you’d be surprised how effective having your nails done can be at making you feel easily put together!

There is always such a huge selection of nail polish colours available that trying to pick a colour can be so hard! Don’t worry, I’ve picked the top 5, most universal colours that are guaranteed to suit everyone and anyone. These are my favourite nail polishes ranging from neutral and discrete, to bright and bold.

A little nail polish is an easy way for a busy mom to feel more put-together.

OPI- Lisbon Wants Moor

If I could only wear one colour for the rest of my life, this would be it. It’s a beautiful creamy pale pink with neutral undertones. It’s the kind of colour that doesn’t look washed out on lighter skin tones and pops on darker skin tones. It’s a great colour if you just want an everyday polish that goes with everything. The classic pale pink and a staple for any nail polish collection.

Essie- Clothing Optional

If you are looking for the perfect dark neutral colour, look no further! This sienna brown toned polish the perfect compliment to every outfit. It’s flattering on every skin tone, in every light, with every outfit. I love this colour going into the end of summer and beginning of fall when the temperature starts to drop and I start pulling out my comfy sweaters.

OPI- Gelato On My Mind

For a bright colour that is still discrete, Gelato On My Mind is your colour. It’s an almost robin egg blue which is bright enough to feel different than your neutrals but is still modest enough not to draw too much attention. It’s a great starter colour for the ladies looking to slowly step out of their comfort zone and try something different!

China Glaze- Pool Party

This colour is NOT for the faint of heart. It’s the brightest, boldest, and most beautiful tangerine orange nail polish I have ever seen. It is perfect for the summer months and guaranteed to be noticed when you wear it! The formula is great but it does best with a glossy topcoat as it dries down matte.

Sally Hansen- Strobe Light

No best nail polishes list would be complete without a glitter polish! Sally Hansen’s Strobe Light polish is the only glitter you will ever need. For a subtle look, apply one layer on a clean nail but to amp it up, apply a couple of coats for a more opaque colour. You can also layer it on top of your favourite colour to give a different look to your usual solid colour!

Finding ways to feel put together doesn’t have to mean spending hours on your makeup everyday or having perfectly styled hair! Something as simple as having your nails done can make a huge difference. Bonus, you can do it at home which is super cost-effective for the mama’s on a budget. Enjoy!

If you want to learn more quick makeup tips that you can add to your everyday makeup routine, check out www.elysemorency.com. You can also find Elyse on Instagram at www.instagram.com/elysemor/ where she talks about the real and raw life of motherhood and makeup!

The Best Products to Effortlessly get your SPF In

We all know we should be wearing sunscreen during the summer. We’ve been hearing it since we were kids, but actually remembering to put it on every day can be the last thing on your mind, especially while running a household.

Schools out for the summer, which means your busy mom life just got a heck of a lot busier!

Picture this: You’ve got all the kids home, it’s only 11 am and everyone has been awake since 6 am. The amount of coffee you’ve ingested (average 4 cups) is no longer working. To save your sanity you gather the crew, get them dressed and ready for outside and head to the park to let them burn off some energy and to give yourself a mental break. You get home a couple of hours later and realize, you forgot to put sunscreen on and now you’re as red as a tomato.

Sound familiar?

Luckily for us, with all the skin health and sun safety awareness now, there are a ton of great products on the market that can help you can get your SPF in, effortlessly!

IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream SPF 50

What if I told you I could simplify your life by giving you a product that worked as your face serum, face moisturizer, foundation, concealer, and your sunscreen? No, this isn’t a magical product that doesn’t exist. The IT Cosmetics CC cream does just that! It’s filled with powerful skin antioxidants that heal and improves your skin while you wear it, it’s an ultra-moisturizing product that doesn’t make you oily or greasy, it has a full coverage but skin like finish that works as well as a foundation and concealer, and it has an SPF 5o to keep you protected in the sun!

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunscreen SPF 60

This is actually the product that Jennifer Lopez’s makeup artist uses to give her that signature JLo glow all over her body. I know, crazy right?! This ultra sheer sunscreen spray goes on with minimal hassle, feels weightless on the skin, has an SPF 60, but leaves you with an amazing glow that makes your skin look healthy and moisturized. If it’s good enough for JLo, it’s good enough for me, amirite ladies?!

The Ordinary Mineral UV Filters SPF 30 with Antioxidants

There are plenty of SPF infused moisturizers out on the market now, but if you want one that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg with the quality of a high-end product, look no further. The Ordinary is an online-only brand that sells high-quality skincare products at a drugstore cost. This sunscreen is only $10! Plus it’s filled with all the amazing skincare benefits so you don’t have to worry about your sunscreen clogging your pores and breaking you out.

Super Goop Poof Part Powder SPF 45

Nothing hurts more than a sunburn on your scalp. This powder sunscreen can be applied on your part, without gooping up your hair (despite the brand name) and protects you from the dreaded part sunscreen. It’s small enough to be tossed in a purse or diaper bag so you can grab it while you’re on the go!

Shiseido UV Lip Color Splash Broad Spectrum SPF 30

One of the most forgotten, but most sensitive, spots for sunburns is your lips. But the though of applying regular sunscreen on my lips makes my stomach turn. This Shiseido Lip Color is a tinted lip balm that has SPF 30 in it so you can apply it with your makeup and not have to worry about your lips getting burnt, or applying sunscreen to them!

The Best SPF beauty products - Elyse Morency for Nesting Story

By finding ways to incorporate SPF products into your daily routine you can protect your skin and in the most effortless way!

Happy summer and enjoy the sunshine, Mamas!

Baby Products You Can Use in Your Beauty Routine

How many times have you gone to wash your face at night or reached for your dry shampoo only to find out that they’re empty?

We are often so busy focused on everything else that we forget to keep our personal supplies stocked. The things we always make sure to never run out of, though, are baby products. It only takes one diaper change with an empty diaper wipe container to make sure things like that never happen!

So, since your baby supply is probably the equivalent of a fully stocked Costco, here are 5 baby products you can use in your beauty routine!

Baby Products you can use in your beauty routine - Elyse Morency for Nesting Story

Baby Wipes

When you’ve run out of makeup remover, baby wipes are a great replacement. They’re great at removing any makeup, dirty, and oils sitting on the skin. This is something that I keep in my makeup kit while working on clients because it does such a great job of cleaning the skin!

Baby Wash

Baby wash is one of those secret weapons that can be extremely useful in your beauty routine. It is designed to be gentle on the skin and makes a great face wash! Most baby washes are fragrance free, hypoallergenic, and have a moisturizing formula which ensures a great cleanse without stripping your skin of all the good oils.

Another great use for baby wash is cleaning your brushes. It cuts through makeup grime and maintains the quality of the bristles.

Baby wash is great for your face too - Elyse Morency for Nesting Story

Body Lotion

If you’ve run out of face moisturizer, using a baby body lotion is a great alternative. Any scent free baby lotion works amazing since it won’t clog pores and is typically a light consistency. My favourite body lotions to use on my face when I’m in a pinch are Glaxal Base and Cerave. Both have done wonders for keeping my skin hydrated and clear.

Baby Powder

There is nothing worse than waking up in the morning and realizing you don’t have time to wash your hair. Grab some baby powder and sprinkle it on your roots and work it in to absorb the oils. It’ll take away the oily look and add a fresh scent to your scalp!

Diaper Cream

Diaper cream works really well as a spot treatment for dry skin. Before you go to bed, apply your moisturizer to a clean face, and then top the dry spots with diaper cream. In the morning when you wake up, remove the cream and your should find the dry patches have cleared up. Diaper cream does a great job of locking in moisture and creating a barrier so the skin can heal, perfect for any irritations you might have!