By: Emmelyn Cruz
Honestly, I’ve never been a makeup person, I’ve always been a “basic” kind of gal – sticking to face powder, and lip and cheek tints for my everyday go-to look. Unfortunately, my “basic” kikay routine went from 2 products to 0 products when I became a mom. Since I gave birth to my daughter, my routine has been:
- Give my baby a bath/shower and prepare her for the day
- Prepare my baby’s food and activities
- Work from home
- Shower
- Give my baby a bath/shower and prepare her for sleep
- Clean up a bit
- Bed
Now that my daughter’s off to preschool and I’m joining the workforce again part-time, I know that my powder and tint look needs a bit of an upgrade. I’m up for trying new makeup and looks, but only if it’s easy and quick-to-do. Because let’s admit it, free time doesn’t come easy especially if you’re working more than 8 hours a day, and is a mom 24/7. So after a few trial and errors, I’m sharing with you my must-have makeup items:
1. BB Cream/Powder Foundation
I love BB Creams for regular days as it functions as both skincare and makeup in one (from my understanding, although feel free to correct me if I’m wrong). Either one takes care of all my coverage needs, wards off the oilies, and keeps me looking fresh all day long – even while running after my kiddo in this tropical heat.
2. Lip and cheek tint
Yup, some things never change, and that includes my staple of powder and tint. I love lip and cheek tints for one main reason: it’s a simple to use two-in-one product that never fails to add color to my face. It gives my cheeks a rosy glow and a pop of color on my lips that somehow makes me look and feel put-together most times even when I’m not.
3. Brow pen/gel
I never quite understood how “kilay is life” came to be until I tried it out myself. I realized that even if my eyebrows cannot be considered as sparse, they tend to vanish especially in selfies and pictures. So I tried using eyebrow products, specifically a brow pen, and with a few quick swipes, I’m sold. A darker and cleaner brow somewhat gives the impression that you’ve put on makeup even if you didn’t. Also, the fact that it translates well into photos and makes for better selfies with my daughter makes the added effort well worth it.
4. Concealer
For “special” days that includes meetings, public speaking, and such, I take the extra effort of applying on a bit of concealer. Just a few swatches on my under eyes, and on areas that need a bit of highlighting conceals the fact that I’m a tired mom who’s in desperate need of sleep.
5. Matte lipstick
Another “special” days staple is matte lipstick. I switch out my trusty lip tint for a matte lip color as the latter gives off a much more polished look that’s perfect for “adulting” days. I reserve the nudes for regular days, while I bust out the reds for weddings and formal events.
6. Mascara
For days when I have a meeting or even when I just feel like going the extra mile, I add a swipe of mascara to brighten up my tired and sleepy mommy eyes.
Of course, aside from these makeup must-haves, my skincare necessities is an entirely different thing – and I try to accommodate moisturizer, SPF, and a proper cleansing routine along with all my mommy duties.
Em Cruz is MomCenter’s editor and a doting mom to a decisive yet sweet daughter. When she doesn’t have her hands full of motherhood, she moonlights as a geek and bibliophile.
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