Guest Post: Discovering YOUR Look After The Diaper-Bag Years

College is a beast. Chemistry is another language entirely. Group projects take a lot of effort. These are all among the reasons why I have been entirely and utterly absent. But, never fear! A really wonderful blogging buddy from "Is It Hot In Here?" Menopause, Motherhood & More swooped in to the rescue with this blog post. Thank you, L!

Go over to L's social media pages and show her some love for me, as a thank you!
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Without further wait, moms and future mom’s out there, this one is for you!

L fixed this stained purse herself! She glued
a flower on the purse that had neutral colors in it,
to tie the whole thing together. Saved the $75 purse
with a $1 craft flower!

Recently, I admired an acquaintance’s shoes while we were waiting on the blacktop.  “Oh yeah,” she said.  “I decided, now that my youngest is in kindergarten, to finally get 'grown-up' shoes again.  It was a lot harder than I thought.”  I immediately understood.  Once a mother is past the diaper-bag and toddler stages of her littlest one's life, she often realizes that that all of her clothes, shoes, and accessories are utilitarian, rather than fashionable. They're designed to hide spit stains, are easy on/easy off, are good for wrestling and chasing children in, and have enough room for diapers, snacks, drinks, extra clothes, toys, etc.

In Charise's case, not only were her clothes more practical than pretty, but she had no idea who she is now.  We aren't the women we were before we had our children.  We're older and possibly in a different decade of our lives.  We may not be working while our wardrobes are still predominately business attire.  We  often have a better idea of what the other people in our lives think we should look like (husbands, partners, parents, friends) rather than knowing what WE like.

So what do you do?  Here are a few suggestions:

1.                  Look at magazines and websites.  Put down the parenting rags and look at sources designed for people  of your own age and situation.  For example, Charise is no longer a working , 30-something Wall Street manager; she's now a 40-something stay-a-home mother whose needs are different than they were before.  She wants stylish clothes that fit her daily life.  You'll find a list of helpful sites at the end of this post.

2.                  Take some time to yourself to investigate stores you like and try on different clothes.  Yes, this is time-consuming and I, for one, find it unpleasant, but it's necessary.  You don't have to buy from those stores, but trying garments on will give you an idea of what looks good on you and what you like.  Take pictures with your camera phone.  You can always order styles online, often at a fraction of the cost of store inventory.

3.                  Notice women you admire who might be in situations similar to yours with similar body types. I've admired  women on the blacktop, in the grocery store, and even waiting for my daughter at gymnastics.  I keep watching them to see what pieces they have in their wardrobe that I like and try to remember for when I do go shopping for myself. 

4.                  Don't be afraid to shop in the men's or other departments.  Some of the best flannel shirts I've ever bought, good for hanging out in on snowy days or wearing over leggings to a friend's house have come from the men's section of a store. 

5.                  Look for multi-purpose pieces.  Large scarves are not only fashionable, but can be worn as shawls on cold days.  Scarves themselves add a sophisticated touch to any wardrobe. Intimidated by how to fold them?  Here's a link that will show you 38 ways to tie a scarf.

6.                  For hairstyles, again, check out websites or go to a hair salon you trust and ask what they suggest.  Now that you're no longer limited by the prospect of a baby hanging on to your locks for dear life, you have many more options.

7.                  Find out what a store's return policy is before you buy those heels.  I think fashion should be practical, so even though you don't have to dash after a toddler anymore, nor should your feet suffer with blisters just so you can look good.

8.                  Don't forget to check your closet for pieces you can use.  I have so many purses that are still useful.  I've glued on flowers or other decorative pieces to update them and make them coordinate with what I'm wearing.  Here's where you can put your creative juices to good use!

And again, think about what YOU like!  Just because your mother says you should dress in black because “it looks slimming, Dear” doesn't mean you have to.  If your husband wants you to wear heels when you go out, but they kill your feet, invite him to wear them instead!  Your appearance says everything about you, the real you, not the “box” others have placed you in.  Embrace yourself for the person you are NOW, not the shadow who you once were.  The diaper-bag and toddler years are over – go find yourself!

Here are some resources to find the look you want at any age:

Hairstyles For Fall/Winter 2014. (Hint:  variations on the pony tail are hot this season!)

Fall/Winter 2014 Fashion:
Key to Chic
Best Fashion Blog

How To Update Your Wardrobe When You're On A Budget.

DIY: Diagonal Manicure

What you'll need:

* Transparent tape (I use 1/2" but you can use wider or trimmer, based on your preference)
* Your choice of good quality colors
and
* Your choice of clear top coat. (Not featured here.)

 Lucky Lucky Lavender by OPI Nail Lacquer, "Spirit (355)" by Revlon's Top Speed fast-drying enamel, and "Tribeca Silver (292)" By NYC's In a Minute quick-dry nail polish.

Nail polishes used throughout this tutorial:
Tipping: "Spirit (355)" by Revlon's Top Speed fast-drying enamel
Base: Lucky Lucky Lavender by OPI Nail Lacquer
Top coat: Xtreme Wear "Invisible (100)" by Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails
Detailing: Silver - by Orly's Instant Artist (art deco brush - thin long brush)
Detailing: "Tribeca Silver (292)" By NYC's In a Minute quick-dry nail polish


Lucky Lucky Lavender by OPI was used as the base nail color because it is fast drying and long lasting. (It is also a gorgeous purple.) Past manicures with OPI Nail Lacquer products have lasted a week or more depending on the wear and tear I exert, versus other nail polishes that have chipped the next day. Having a fast drying nail polish for the base nail color is very important, otherwise in order to get the results of this pedicure the painted nails would have to be left alone for several hours, or a day, and the manicure/pedicure completed at a later time when the polish is fully dry. (The base coat must be fully dry in order to not peel it off.)

Also - don't be afraid to be adventurous with color! Experiment. Mix-and-match. Go wild. Have fun! Just because I paired a color with white as an example in this tutorial, doesn't mean you have to. Play a little!


Step 1). Paint the base nail color coat.

This can be as opaque or transparent as you see fit. Be sure to make sure that each coat of color you apply dries completely before applying the next. Otherwise the polish will be tacky or dry on top but wet underneath the topmost layer of color. For this manicure, completely dry nails are a must.


Step 2). Once your nails are completely dry, cut a small strip of tape and stick it to one nail at an angle, leaving the top edge of the nail bare.

Press down on the tape across the top edge (closest to the end of your nail) to ensure a tight seal. For a more rounded line, as opposed to the straight line provided by the tape, you can use either the edges or ends of a band-aid. (This, however, is more costly - and as a college student I'm a fan of saving money. Plus, the band-aid can occasionally leave behind an excessively sticky residue on the nail, so plan accordingly.)

Step 3). Paint on the white (or your second color choice).Where you've left bare, paint on your second choice color! (For an example of what I mean, here is my last tutorial). Don't be afraid to paint outside the lines. Getting the nail polish all over the tape is totally fine! And if polish gets on your skin, you can either scrape it away with a fingernail or once done with your pedicure and it has dried soak the end of a Q-tip (cotton swab) in nail polish remover and carefully rub away the unwanted mess, pulling the skin gently away from the nail to do so, if you have to. It is a lifesaver!

If the white (or other color) nail polish used to tip the nail is not a fast drying nail polish, or is very runny in nature, let the polish and tape stand for a moment. This assures there is no dripping when the tape is removed.

Step 4). Peel off the tape

Take it slow. Peeling the tape off with a taught downward or upward angle, or straight across, can aid in getting a crisp line. Judge what angle you want to use by how crisp the line is as you pull of the tape. The most important, key-term here is "taught."
 

Step 5). Let dry for a few minutes and then (carefully) continue with the same process on the other nails.

Step 6). The detailing.

Tribeca Silver by NYC (sparkly silver!), silver Orly: Instant Artist nail paint, tooth picks, and a nail paint brush (purchased from Sally Beauty Supplies).  Ideally, you should take these all out before the manicure begins. Unless you're me, and then you have to dig them out with wet nails, praying you don't mess up your last coat.

Step 7). Detailing
Dip the rounded end of the nail paint brush into the silver Orly: Instant Artist nail paint. If you are a whiz with artistic nail paint and can use the brush that goes with it - go for it. I, however, cannot make a decent dot or circle with them for the life of me. (I've tried.) So this is the quick cheat for those of us not-so-talented with the brush.

Side note: Originally I was going to use the tooth picks to apply color, too. This didn't work well for me. I couldn't get enough color or make the dots round enough. Instead, I used tooth picks for cleaning up mistakes and making touch-ups.

Step 8). Detailing
Using the end of the nail brush, place a few evenly spaced dots of silver Orly: Instant Artist nail paint along the crisp divider line between both nail colors. You could do this on every nail. I chose to only do this on every other nail, with only two nails per hand having the silver.

Let this dry.

Step 9). Detailing and top coat.

Let the dots dry. Then continue. Once dry, I used the end of the nail brush to apply Tribeca Silver by NYC (sparkly silver!) over every other silver dot. This gave a few sparkles to the nails. A bit of flare!

I let this dry thoroughly and then applied a top coat.

Tada! Your very own set of gorgeous, freshly pedicured nails. Classy, fun, and inexpensive! They are a great way to dress up - or compliment - an outfit.  While you're doing your nails enjoy your favorite dessert, pop in a movie marathon...make a Pamper Night of it! Give yourself some well-deserved TLC. You deserve it!

Eggs-ited for the Weekend

Earlier this week a friend and I were talking about facial masks and blackhead peels. She tried a facial peel involving gelatin that she found on Pinterest (it was supposed to be a homemade blackhead peel). It seemed to work well for her.  Neither of us are quite sure if it is an effective blackhead peel, but at the very least it did peel off some fine facial hair for a super smooth face! (Downside: it was super painful coming off!) Our little conversation got me thinking...

It's been awhile since I've done a mask.

Normally Saturday is Beautiday. (Meaning I lounge around in my pajamas and pamper myself without going anywhere but on a date with my Anatomy & Physiology textbook.) Today, I'm piled high-and-deep in studying for a lab practical tomorrow, stressed to the max, so I consider: let's ring in the weekend early. With no gelatin lying around, I opted to not give my friend's mask a try. Additionally, the painful peel sounds a bit unfriendly to the delicate connective tissues in your face, under your skin. I took to Pinterest myself in search for a homemade facial remedy. Because I am a busy college student, I took the first one that came my way. It was simple, cheap, and I had all of the ingredients at home. (Woot, woot!)

The recipe came from Fastmaza. It is supposed to be a face mask that removes blackheads. Like many young adults I suffer from blackheads, so the mask sounded tantalizing. My face is in desperate need of a mask treatment to begin with; whatever it did to my face, blackhead removal or not, I was game for. Anything was better than nothing! I made a few minor modifications, but over all, it is very similar.

And, not going to lie: I secretly hoped it'd remove some blackheads or at the very least tighten some pours.

Consider this a "mask review."

The necessities:

• 2 eggs (we had organic ones lying around)
• 1 tsp of lemon juice (for me it was from a fresh lemon)
• A small mixing bowl (I simply used a regular kitchen bowl)
• Additional: some paper towels on hand for any messes and a whisk or fork to mix with.

The necessities listed on Fastmaza's recipe.

Some of my steps differ from theirs, so I'll be clear as to whose-is-whose.

Step 1 (me): Life's about to get very messy. If you have long hair, I suggest pulling it back. At least move it back away from the face. With long hair this can be done easily with a few clips (as I've modeled below). You can also use a hair tie and pull the hair back into a pony tail for further security. (I apparently opted out of this solution. Crazy me!)  Another great idea is a headband.

Step 1, part b (me): Put on a little old something-something.
Grab an article of clothing you don't care too much about and aren't
devastated about getting some egg on. The other
fashionable option is to drape a towel around your shoulders
barber-shop style and pin it shut with a hair clip.

1
Separate the eggs. Break open two eggs and separate them, keeping only the whites. Beat the whites with a whisk for a few seconds to ensure consistency. Egg whites make a great mask due to their tendency to harden over a short period of time. - See more at: http://www.fastmaza.com/how-to-make-a-face-mask-to-remove-blackheads.html#sthash.7kSpzGUm.dpuf

1
Separate the eggs. Break open two eggs and separate them, keeping only the whites. Beat the whites with a whisk for a few seconds to ensure consistency. Egg whites make a great mask due to their tendency to harden over a short period of time. - See more at: http://www.fastmaza.com/how-to-make-a-face-mask-to-remove-blackheads.html#sthash.7kSpzGUm.dpuf

Step 2 (their step 1): Messiness is officially your reality.  Eggs must be separated so that you ditch the yolk and harvest the whites. This can be done with a fancy egg separator or the old-fashioned way, by hand and using the separated shell to sift out the whites. (Not having a fancy egg separator to do the dirty work for me, I was forced to do the latter.) Next, beat the egg whites. If you don't have a whisk, tilt the bowl slightly and use a fork.  You kind of have to finagle that way more, by keeping the fork horizontal and using quick, small circular movements of the wrist.

The recipe says to “ensure consistency” which is a bit vague for me. I’m not really sure what consistency this mask is supposed to be, since there was no description or picture. For me, I tried to make sure the whites were well blended and “gooey.” There was also a heavy layer of tiny, tiny bubbles across the top. Here's a picture two pictures:

Up-close shot. You can vaguely see the mixture sticking
to the whisk as I pull away.

Far away shot. It kind of looks like bubbly orange juice.

Step 3 (their step 2): Add in the lemon! Here I want to add a bit more detail than they do the website. This will only apply if you choose a fresh lemon rather than the lemon juice bottle from the produce section. If you are using a fresh lemon: roll it! Before cutting it, press your palm to the peel and roll it several times, with pressure. This makes the juice yield much higher.


If you are like me and didn’t have an awesome lemon squeezer on hand (dishwasher woes), another tip is to squeeze the lemon with the cut side facing your palm. This gets the juice out but reduces the risk of seeds. Though, I do highly recommend investing in a hand-held lemon squeezer if you plan on juicing lemons on frequent. Here is an example from target.

(Using a whole lemon means there is going to be a lot of extra juice left over after your 1 tsp. for the mask. A really easy way to make sure it doesn’t go bad is to pour the juice, with a little bit of water, into an ice cube tray. Little lemon cubes are great to drop into your water in the morning. It’s super healthy for you and very refreshing – just be prepared for tart!)

Fastmaza is great and tells you exactly why lemon juice is great for this mask, or any mask! Make sure to hop on over and read about the magical health properties of lemon juice that make it scientifically awesome for blackhead busting.  If you’re someone with super sensitive skin, be cautious here. Overuse of lemon on the skin could be too harsh and lead to irritation. I have sensitive skin and could feel a warning tingle on my skin. I had no problems with the mask, but I know my skin well enough to know the “don’t use too much of a good thing” sign. This is definitely not a mask to use multiple times a week or with a harsh acne cleanser if your skin is sensitive. Be gentle and listen to your skin.

Step 4 (their step 3): Face washing! The website suggests a mild cleanser, which I concur with. Definitely don’t use anything too harsh. I used a very gentle, Burt’s Bees Sensitive-Skin Facial Cleanser. (Sorry, there's no picture of that one, I'm so low that I've had to put it in another container to use it. Time to go buy more!) It did the job just fine. The point is to get off any topical residue to give the mask a clean slate to work from.

Step 5 (their 4): Application. There are probably more civilized ways of applying a mask, such as using a special brush, but my hands were messy already…Holding the bowl close to my face to catch any drips, I scoped the mask onto my face. The website is right when it says that it is not thick. It is very, very thin. I used multiple layers of the mixture to give the mask a little bit of “bulk.” Avoid “thin skinned” areas, like under the eyes. Having to rub or peel the mask off there would be harsh on those areas.

They are right! For such a messy mask, it had a short drying time. I was afraid I was going to be dripping all over the place. I had nothing to worry about! Those egg whites hardened on my face like rock

Thank goodness for webcams.

Step 6 (their 5): The waiting game. Let the mask dry until it is no longer wet or tacky and is stiff. They suggest 15-20 minutes, but the actual time will be dependent on a lot of factors (such as the thickness/number of layers applied, humidity, how dry your face was before application). For me it was easier to go by looks and feel. It needs to be hard to the touch. And you won't be able to move your face. At all. It will be cement upon your face.

From here, the website and I differ significantly in our ending. If you want to use it as a peel, follow Fastmaza's instructions' steps 6 and 7.

As I mentioned before, I was less interested in the idea of a facial peel and more interested in a mask. So, I rebelled. (I’d love to hear anyone’s success stories about using this mask as a peel, though! And I’m sure the original source would appreciate a little lovin’ itself.)

Step 7 (me): Rinse the mask off with lukewarm water. I splashed the water onto my face to loosen the mask, then continued to try and wash it away. When it presented stubbornness I turned to a facial cleanser a Liquid Neutrogena facial cleanser. It is fairly gentle on my face, but more aggressive than my Burt’s Bee’s Sensitive Facial Cleanser. It was just the touch to remove the mask.

Love that this lil' guy is fragrance free!

Step 8 (me): Once the mask is off gently pat dry. Don’t wipe dry. That’s not good for the skin or the connective tissue underneath. While I might not have made it into a peel, the mask sure left my face feeling nice and taught.

 Instead of immediately applying a moisturizer, I kept my hair up and applied Vitamin E oil. My skin is normally oily and dry, so I do not use the oil often; however, it is very good for your skin. I have some scaring that it helps fade away and it always leaves my face feeling supple.

I got this Vitamin E oil from Hannaford. It’s not very expensive at all. Pour a little into your palm and apply as gently as possible to your face. It is sticky and oily and does not like to spread. Try the patting technique as much as you can. Pat it all over your face. Pat to “rub it in.” Only actually rub if you absolutely have to.

I left the oil on for a few hours while it absorbed and then put my moisturizer on. Voila! Clean-feeling, happy -face time.

Honesty corner:
If someone has managed to make this into an effective peel, let me know? Because I need a tutorial for this tutorial! Mine was less peel and more second-skin. When my peel dried there was no hope that I could see of even considering peeling it off. (For the heck of it, I tried a small section. It flaked in tiny, tiny pieces. No peel.) Despite discovering it was not an effective peel, it did leave my face feeling very taught and refreshed. So I'd say it makes a fantastic tightening and toning mask. (Edit: a friend just informed me that I may have been supposed to use all the egg whites and that the reason it wouldn't peel, even if I wanted to, was because it was too thin. I did not use all of the egg whites. I had a ton left over, even with my multiple layers. I'll have to try that next time, just to see if it works! You know, for the heck of it.)

If just making this mask for yourself, I'd stick with one egg white. (You might want to cut back on the lemon juice if you do that, in case your skin is sensitive to the concentration. Try halving it and see how that feels, work up next time if you need.) Two eggs was way more than I needed. (Edit: good news, we have a solution to the extra eggs whites! Mom and dad did couple facials! Talk about a date night! There was more giggling than effective masking. Edit's Edit: If you're aiming for a traditional blackhead peel and not just a firming mask, you might want to use all of the two egg whites on your face, to make it thick enough to peel. Special thanks to my friend for making the suggestion. Let me know if that works?) Also, when this site says that the mask hardens it HARDENS. I could not move my face to smile or even speak by the end of it. Seriously. My mom made me laugh at the very end and it hurt. So do not laugh. Do. Not. Laugh.

I cannot stress this one enough: be gentle taking it off if you make a mask like I did and not a peel. Splash your face with warm water. Use a facial cleanser. Avoid rubbing the mask off with a damp cloth or being too aggressive with your skin. Putting this on before jumping in the shower is probably a great way to wash it off. (I have a tendency of doing that. I slap on my "face," let it dry, hop in the shower and wash it away.) I'll have to try that sometime with this mask. 

Also, I have to stress this one again, too: the mask is SUPER MESSY. Don't be afraid to get down and dirty. Let that inner child out!

Next I think I want to give a honey mask a try.  Anyone try any other successful homemade masks? Discuss in the comments! I would love to hear about them.