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!

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?

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.

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!

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!

3 Simple Ways to Add Colour to Your Spring Makeup

Adding colours in your makeup routine doesn’t have to be scary by Elyse Morency and Nesting Story

Spring Makeup tips from Elyse Morency and Nesting Story

I don’t know about you, but I am SO glad we are finally starting to see some spring weather. The winter always feels like it goes on for so long, and the gloomy and dark days can seriously cramp my motivation to do anything.

Now that the sun is shining and the weather is warming up, it’s time to start bringing some light back into the days and my favourite way to do that is by adding some colour into my spring makeup routine!

Most of us feel like running and hiding when we think of using bright colours in our makeup routine. I personally find myself flashing back to my early high school days of powder blue eyeshadow and bright red blush on my cheeks… yikes. That is the opposite of what we are going for today!

If you want to learn how to brighten up your days by adding colour to your spring makeup, then read on, friend!

Using bright blush to brighten up - Elyse Morency and Nesting Story

Bright Blush

Blush is a great way to bring some life to your face without having to step too far out of your comfort zone. During the spring time I like to use blushes with more pink and orange tones to them because they still feel natural but you can build it up for a brighter look. My go to blush in the spring is Mac Cosmetics Pinch O’ Peach!

Bold lipstick is important for Spring - Elyse Morency and Nesting Story

Bold Lipstick

My favourite way to add colour to my makeup look for spring is by wearing bright lipstick! For a bold colour that will last you all day, opt for a liquid lipstick. This ensures you won’t have to touch up very often during the day. If you’re new to wearing bright lipstick and want to start off slow, you can use a regular lipstick and blend it out with your finger for a sheer wash of colour which looks more like a tint, rather than a bright statement colour. A great versatile lipstick is Mac Cosmetics Impassioned Lipstick. It’s a great pop of colour but blended out can be a great starter colour.

Using coloured eyeliner in your spring makeup - Elyse Morency and Nesting Story

Coloured Eyeliner

One way to add colour into your makeup during the spring is by switching your regular brown and black liner for something with more colour to it! Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Rockstar, while different than your everyday colour, is still tame enough that you could wear it out to work and not have to worry about everyone staring at you. For a bolder look, opt for a liquid liner. For something a little more subtle, use a pencil liner and smudge into your lashes so it has a softer look to it.

Adding colours in your makeup routine doesn’t have to be scary. By incorporating small amounts of colour in the right spots, you can easily refresh your makeup and get it ready for the spring! These 3 ways to add colour are my go-to looks since they can make a big impact with a small amount of effort.

It’s hard not to feel great about yourself when you try something new with your makeup so throw on some bright lipstick and go rock your day with confidence!

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!

How To Achieve A Fresh, Youthful Look When You Are An Over-tired Mom

How to achieve a youthful glow

These photos have not been re-touched

When I tell people I have four kids, their jaws drop and they tell me I look like I am twenty-years-old. I thank them and tell them my real age, 32.  Reality is, I am typically over-tired and fairly stressed. I have four kids, including twin toddlers, and I am self-employed. Enough said. But in the chaos, I make sure I take care of myself.

It isn’t easy and days can go by where my hair is always pulled back and I am makeup-free, but I make sure I continue with a few beauty routines so that when the moment arises where I can get out for a little while, I am ready to shine.

Here is a breakdown of how I achieve a fresh, youthful look (and you can too)…

Take care of your skin. Okay, there may be many nights that I go to bed with my makeup on because I am too tired to remove it. But, in my opinion, what is more important than a skin-care regiment, is what you eat. I am an Omega 3 junky. I can honestly say that I see a direct correlation between my healthy skin and how much Omega 3 I consume. That means lots of fish, unsalted nuts and even brussels sprouts.Glowing skinI also try to avoid eating a lot of sugar. I still get breakouts, especially at certain times of the month. But if I go on a sugar binge, all hell breaks loose.

Instead of laying out in the sun to get a sun-kissed look, I apply a high-end, non-streaking, self-tanner. My favourite is Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning lotion. (this post is not sponsored). It doesn’t streak, doesn’t turn me orange and never causes my skin to break out. This is on my Christmas wish list each year.

Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning

Master a quick, healthy-glow makeup routine. After many years of trial and error, I have found a makeup routine and combination that that not only erases under eye circles, but gives me a dewy glow, (think Jennifer Lopez). Watch my makeup tutorial here:

Keep your teeth bright and remember to smile. I have been blessed with some pretty big chompers. If I don’t smile, my face just looks awkward. I have the most brutal passport photo as a result. When I am in a crowd, I make sure I do what is only natural, smile.

Two of my biggest vices are red wine and coffee. In fact, I am pretty sure these are staples for most moms. If I didn’t regularly whiten my teeth, they would fall victim to my vices. Talk to your dentist about teeth whitening options that could work for you.

Don’t give up on your hair. I find a lot of new moms do one of two things: go for a low maintenance look by darkening their hair and chopping off their locks, OR (like I did) go for something drastic, that isn’t really you and ends up being a big fail.Bad hair colour

After having my son, I decided to go bleach blonde. It was an orange disaster.

Don’t give yourself a drastic makeover. Find a style that suits you and is YOU! I found keeping my hair long with an ombre colour has been a perfect fit. It can be pulled up easily or styled showing off the colour.

Also, find a style that is quick and doesn’t leave your hair just hanging there. I love to go for some waves with lots of volume. It can last for days. Here is my tutorial on how to get fast, long-lasting beachy curls:

Don’t forget to follow Nesting Story on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for wellness Wednesdays tips, Inspiration and my new body after babies updates!

How To Replace Tired Eyes With A Healthy Glow – Makeup For New Moms Tutorial

Makeup tutorialListen up mamas and mamas to-be, ready to get rid of those tired eyes from sleep deprivation and replace it with a gorgeous healthy glow!?!  I have put together a makeup tutorial for you full of tips and tricks that are quick but have a big impact.  Some of those tricks include looking like you have been sitting in the sun, getting rid of under-eye circles, instantly losing ten pounds and like you put on fake lashes.  I have wanted to do a makeup tutorial for a while now and here it is!  I did a couple of takes quickly while the big kids were at school and the babies were napping.  It’s flawed and the lighting isn’t perfect but I like how real it is.

This post is NOT sponsored… I just love this makeup that much.  Any of the products I use can be switched out with similar alternatives.  If you have any questions, please include them in the comments section.  Please let me know if there are any other tutorials you would like me to do! Enjoy!