Beauty Basics that Make Me Feel More Confident

Beauty basics . . .

Let me be the first to admit that I have mixed feelings about life after a second baby. My physical health is really great, and I can honestly say that I love my body. I live for our morning walks, spontaneous dance parties and my trip to the gym after the girls are in bed. It’s my mental health that is struggling. I’m in a funk, and I’m having a really hard time loving the Aubry inside my head. From what I’ve learned, I’m not unique in this. It’s a common side effect that many women are left to navigate. To help combat the feelings of doubt, I’m focusing on a few beauty basics. These pick-me-ups make me feel more confident, more sure and so much more like myself.

Really Basic Hair Care

For months after Violet was born, I neglected my hair. I would wash it a couple times a week, leave it in the same mangled braid and skip out on brushing it all together. It was such a tangled mess.  Every time I tried to do something about it, I ended up loosing a lot of hair. (Post-partum isn’t for the faint of heart.) Fast forward to three weeks ago. I finally made it a priority to brush my hair every time I got out of the shower. The combination of this wet brush + detangling spray has been a lifesaver. I’ve realized that I feel like my best self when my hair is actually brushed. Cue the face palm.

Moisturize at Morning + Night

Now that my personal time is quite limited, I’ve had to maximize the five minutes that I do get. This means I always apply a moisturizing lotion with SPF in the morning before starting the day. It hydrates my skin, helps to correct uneven tones (dark spots + acne scars) and adds sun protection for playtime outside. I’ve also started applying a heavy duty lip conditioner before bedtime. For once in my life, I finally feel like my skin isn’t dry, chapped or cracking in the summer heat. It actually LOOKS healthy.

Laser Hair Removal

Before baby number two was in the picture, I started having laser hair removal treatments done to my face. It’s been an area I’ve felt extremely self conscious about since high school. As a natural brunette, the hair on my upper lip, cheeks and chin tends to grow in darker. My face was constantly in a state of maintenance mode for fear of a stray hair found here or there. Thankfully, the treatments were painless and very effective. They completely changed the way I felt about my face. Going without makeup is practically stress-free.

Never Leave Home without Mascara

My mom’s biggest beauty secret is to never leave home without mascara. This is such a simple rule to live by–it literally takes seconds to apply. Now, after months of makeup free mom duty, I’ve started adding a swipe of mascara before I leave home. It may sound silly, but I feel like a brand new woman with my lashes done. This is the kind I’ve been wearing lately.

Friday Face Mask

During nap time on Fridays, I like to apply a face mask. This detoxing charcoal blend has been my go-to for a few months. It’s super affordable (cost per use is mere cents), and you can even buy it at your local grocer/drugstore. Plus, in just 15 minutes, it gives both my skin + mind a total refresh. A little bit of self-care goes a long way. My friends, I believe this is as close as I’ll ever come to experiencing the euphoric feeling of what they call hashtag winning.

Do you have beauty basics you swear by?

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post photos by Erica Mendanhall Photography