I’ve never been one to wear a lot of makeup. But, when I became a mother, makeup started to mean something more than it did before. I made a promise to myself that I would always get dressed and do my makeup. Every. Day. This wasn’t about vanity. It was simply a commitment to invest a little time and effort in myself each day so that I felt better. Somehow, it gave me a little bit of extra energy and meant I was ready for whatever the day threw at me. Some days I put on just the bare essentials and most days it takes me about 5 minutes. That’s just what works for me.
As mums with no spare time on our hands, and little to no time in the bathroom by ourselves, applying makeup is not what it used to be. We need it to be fast, simple and suitable for all sorts of activities from an impromptu park visit, to a (kid-friendly) lunch outing to our afternoon meeting in the office. We need it to last all day (because who has time to do their makeup twice!) and of course we need it to make us look WAY less tired, and maybe even a little younger!
To help us understand exactly how to get our makeup to do all that, I’m delighted to introduce you to Liberty Edwards. Liberty is a professional make up artist, photographer and selfie coach for women all over the world. She is passionate about helping women look and feel good and to recognise that they are beautiful already. Liberty generously shared her expert advice in response to my questions. Enjoy!
1. I have 5 minutes to do my makeup. How can I make myself look and feel good in this time?
This is everyday life for me, honestly. I am almost always running a bit behind, and need to look, well, alive!
I have actually found a really great quick makeup that I can do my whole face in 5-10 minutes, but when I am really crunched for time I focus on the LLBs; Lips, Lashes, and Brows. These are the most important parts of your face, they frame your face and bring all the expression. This means they can either work against you or in your favour.
First your eyes. Literally everyone you come into contact with, at the supermarket, the gym, at work, looks in your eyes immediately. Having them framed with groomed brows makes them open and a coat of mascara will make them more open and inviting. If you don’t fill in your brows, that is fine. Find a bottle of clear mascara or find some brow gel like the one from Anastasia Beverly hills and tame those brow hairs.
Lips cannot be forgotten. A bit of gloss or even chapstick will add moisture to your lips which makes them look more youthful and alive.
2. What’s the secret to looking less tired?
Truthfully, drinking a lot of water will help plump the under-eye and I think, as mothers, we tend to forget to drink during the day. I mean, we are keeping little humans alive! So our needs tend to go by the wayside. Try to drink at least 4 glasses or bottles of water a day.
Also, finding a tinted under eye cream does WONDERS. My favourite is First Aide Beauty Eye Duty Triple Remedy. It has a pinky peachy undertone that immediately cancels out the bluish circles for pale, light skin; orange for more olive or darker skin. If your under-eye is more red, choose a green tint; yellow greenish is canceled by blue or lavender. Also, a good coat of mascara will open your eyes a lot. A pop of shimmer right in the inner corner of your eye (near your tear duct) is a great eye opener.
3. What beauty product should mums never be without?
A good skin serum or mist. These do so much to nourish the skin and keep the face looking young and alert. I didn’t even start learning about how important skincare was until I was in my 30’s and by then I was beginning to see a lot of ageing in my face. A serum will moisturise the deepest layers of skin so they plump up and that will get rid of those fine lines and early wrinkles. A good skin mist will keep your face hydrated throughout the day giving your skin that glow from within look! Many mists can be sprayed underneath makeup as well as used as a refresher throughout the day.
4. Should I change my makeup approach based on my age? And should I use the makeup I’ve had tucked away in my cupboard since before I had children?
I get asked this all the time and truly my answer varies. Most of us, as we age, experience a drying in our skin. What used to be plump moisturised skin now seems to be a dry desert, with lines and flaky-ness everywhere. Trust me, this is normal. As we age, our skin cycle slows and our new skin doesn’t always come to the surface fast enough. So, what does this mean for makeup? It means that finding makeup that looks dewy instead of matte (sort of wet instead of very dry) gives the illusion of that young plump skin again. So, focus on finding cream makeup or a foundation that has a dewy finish. Try to use less powders, and if you do use powders try to avoid talc which is a very dry finish in a powder.
And no, the makeup tucked away in the counter since Susie was born 2 years ago (or 12 – I am not judging) shouldn’t be used. Chances are, it is a petri dish full of bacteria by now. Yikes! Throw that out and go get some pretty new makeup. You have been doing a lot lately, and deserve to look and feel great without causing major breakouts on your face.
5. As a busy mum yourself, what’s your favourite beauty tip?
Ha ha, find a product that doubles as something else. I love having a lipstick that also works as a cheek colour. You get more uses for your money. Don’t be afraid of trying something you aren’t sure will work. Makeup is like art with children. There is a learning curve but the mess can always be cleaned up. I love to try out new products at night before bed. If I hate the way it turned out, I have to wash my face anyway.
Also, never wear day old mascara! I used to think I could get away with sleeping in my makeup and then just jumping up and going. When you sleep in mascara it doesn’t look fresh, and it actually causes your lashes to smoosh in a way, and look clumpy.
6. In your roles as a photographer, makeup artist and selfie coach, you’ve worked with many women, to help them look their best. What do you wish all women believed about themselves and how they look?
Women are way more beautiful than they allow themselves to believe. A woman will often be the first to point out her flaws but the truth is that no one else would probably notice them. Instead of hiding, we should all look in the mirror every single day and say these things to ourselves “I am alive, I am beautiful, and I am valuable.”
We also need to have a deep understanding that giving everything away to our families (our energy, our time) is not beneficial to anyone. We need to know that time for ourselves is NOT selfish, but it is replenishing to our souls.
About Liberty
As a wife, mom, and business owner obsessed with helping women see their value, Liberty Edwards uses makeup and selfies to teach women how to look and feel their best every day.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/liberty.edwards
Instagram: www.instagram.com/liberty.edwards
Website: www.thelibertyedwards.com
Great tips! I have only recently begun to have that pesky under eye puffiness and dark circles…. I have just done more to add concealer, but I will take your suggestion and drink more water to see if that helps as well. Thanks for sharing.
I’m glad you found this useful! I hope the water helps. Thanks for your comment x
It’s so true that we focus on flaws that other people don’t even notice. Let’s be realistic, if we can’t get rid of something and others don’t even notice it, we should stop worrying so much about it!
That’s a great perspective Nina! We are definitely our own worst critic and could give ourselves a break sometimes! Thank you for your comment.