Ain't No Mom Jeans

Reading: Refinery 29's Beauty Advice From Glam Moms

I love when moms get a little credit in the media.  Especially in a supportive, cool, or even glamorous way.  I mean, c'mon people - not all of us are posing on the sidelines of the playground gossiping about the latest "mommy war" or wearing patchwork denim vests.  (In fact, I don't have a single mom-friend who is the 'mommy war' type.  Not. A. Single. One.)  

So YAY for Refinery 29 who did a post last week featuring glamorous moms' timeless beauty secrets.  Including pictures of happy moms and happy daughters.  While I'll admit that the mother-daughter relationship is complex....it's also very powerful.  So read it in part for the fun beauty tips, but also for the proud mom-and-daughter pics.  And my very favorite piece of advice?  It came from the mom of Refinery 29's New York editor, Annie Greenberg (both pictured above):

"When asked how old I am, I always add five to eight years to my age. The response is always: 'Wow, you look soooo great!'"

I love this.  LOVE THIS.

Soooo...have I mentioned that I'm 42?

xo,

S

A Truly Incredible Peel for Moms (Even Pregnant and Breastfeeding Ones!)

The list of things you can't ingest or slather on yourself whilst pregnant and nursing is endless.  Seriously endless.  I am now counting down the last few days of my eighth trimester of pregnancy (um, I just realized that's two years. . . of pregnancy. . . YIKES), clocking an additional 27 months of breastfeeding, with roughly 15 months of combined pregnancy and nursing to go, for a lifetime total of 66 months (or five-and-one-half years) of pregnancy and breastfeeding.  I repeat.  Endless.   

So. . . given the time I'm investing in procreating, and the long list of things I love but can't have (like wine, gin, unpasteurized cheese, sushi, enzyme peels and retinols), I've been trying out some alternatives.  And I'm happy to tell you that, while my attempted report on tasty non-alcoholic wine and beer came to naught (sorry, they're all terrible, so nothing to offer there), I have found the holy grail of pregnancy and breastfeeding skin care for mamas with hormonal, troublesome skin. 

The MyChelle Incredible Pumpkin Peel ($26) is indeed so incredible that in spite of having eyes in my head to see that absolutely nothing on BabyCenter's exhaustive list of skincare no-nos was whipped into this little miracle product, I talked to MyChelle reps on two different occasions to confirm that there are no toxic substances known to harm moms or babes included here.  Everything is natural and yummy and leaves a mama's skin feeling refreshed, exfoliated, and largely blemish-free, without the worry of causing birth defects or otherwise damaging your little peanut. 

I've used the Incredible Pumpkin Peel twice or three times per week for the past three months and have not had a single hormonal chin blemish outbreak, which I was plagued with throughout both previous pregnancies and for the duration of nursing and weaning (UGH! as if 20 extra pounds, a postpartum pooch and dark-circled eyes aren't enough to demolish a new mom's self esteem).  A word of caution, though--this mask is very effective, so try it in baby doses--I only leave it on for two minutes at a time. If you love it as much as I do, try buying it on Amazon's Subscribe & Save for only $18.85.

- M.

Oh, and hey!  Please don't forget to take a sec to vote for Ain't No Mom Jeans for Parents.com's Best Mom Fashion Blog award--we'd love it!  Just click the pic : ) xoxox

Bright Lips For Moms Who Still Want to Kiss Their Babies

I have been in love with all of the bright lips J. Crew is now known for.  It's instant glam for date night (and we have a little tutorial on date-night red lips here) but it's also a perfect way to add style and polish to something casual.  

So fun in the summer with cut-offs and my husband's white v-neck tee.  So pretty in the fall with destroyed denim and cozy sweaters.

Yay!

But now that I have Pax, who is SO. TOTALLY. KISSABLE...the bright lips are hard to rock.  (Not that Raines, my first love, isn't kissable...he's just really, really fast.).  I don't want to be leaving kiss marks all over anyone's little head.  And besides, Pax likes to kiss back.

But Mamas, I found a solution:

Summer Beach Beauty Picks

Confession:  I wear makeup when going to the beach.  Or the pool.  Partly because I need sun protection and partly because I'm vain. (And so is M.  Just to be clear that I'm not alone.)

Now that we've established our vanity, let's talk beach beauty!  So fun!

We have a round up of picks that we can't stop wearing whether we're in Denver's desert-like climate (lucky M) or the cah-razy 104 degree swampland of the East Coast.  Consider these products well tested, Mamas.

1. Tarte's Cheek Stain in Dollface, $30.  It was reformulated in the last few years to eliminate parabens.  Swipe it onto the apples of your cheeks, rub it in.  Instant refresher.  And the barbie-pink Dollface is my fav.

2. Josie Maran's Tinted Moisturizer, $38.  If you are the kind of mom who actually dunks into the water (uh, swimming, I believe it's called) then this is a necessity.  Nicely water resistant, sheer coverage.  I've found that the best tints look slightly dark and scary coming out of the tube, but once slathered on are very natural. (I wear butter).

3. Cover Girl Natural Luxe Lip Gloss/Balm, $7.50.  Love, love, LOVE these things!  They come in a million colors, have an SPF of 15, are insanely moisturizing, and provide just enough color without being too lipstick-at-the-beach.  Truly a gloss/balm hybrid.

4. Tarte's Park Avenue Princess, $29. I'm always slightly afraid of bronzer.  But have started to embrace it, especially after reading Scotti's recommendations on looking better in pictures.  This one is truly fool-proof.  Even in the winter.  And how nice that it still manages to enhance my summer tan.

5. Cover Girl Lash Blash Length Water Resistant Mascara, $8.  M turned me onto this mascara.  While a water-resistant formula is a must for any pool outing, I've started using this daily in the cah-razy humidity that is the East Coast.  It comes off easily at night with a few sweeps of make-up remover...but my favorite thing about this mascara?  I can put it on in the morning (loooong lashes, no clumps) than refresh it at night (by glopping more on top) and still no clumping!  Amazing! 

6.  Marie Veronique Organics Everyday Sheer Coverage, $50.  The nice folks at Marie Veronique sent over a few samples for M and I to try.  We seriously love this stuff.  It's a light-weight, non-greasy, fah-bulous sunscreen that has amazing coverage.  A slightly matte finish covers imperfections subtly, without feeling heavy.  It's made from a non-micronized zinc oxide and is one of the few sunscreens endorsed by the EWG that doesn't leave the tell-tale white residue.  It is tinted, but I hardly noticed the difference in tint between the medium and light formulations.  With sunscreen, I tend to go darker to compensate for zinc oxide's lightening properties.  Also free of parabens and other nasty chemicals so it's great for use in pregnancy. We both like it better than Josie Maran's Tinted Moisturizer for everyday use.  The downside?  It's not very water-resistant, so on days when I'm headed to the beach I still reach for Josie.  But this product will be my top pick for non-water days now and into Fall.  Marie Veronique is offering Ain't No Mom Jeans readers a free 1/4oz Anti-Aging Oil ($20 value) with purchase of this sunscreen from now until August 7th by using the code "momjeans".  Snort.

Enjoy your last month of Summer, Mamas!!

xo,

S

ps.  For those of you wondering who won the Ugg sneaks giveaway...

Dirty Hair Style - Make Your Wash Last with Fake Braids and Dry Shampoo

I was disgusted and incredulous when veteran moms sagely told me, whilst pregnant with my eldest, "You'll never take a shower again. . . "  First, it just seemed like a mean thing to say, even if it was true, and second, I thought, "Um, really?  You must be seriously lacking in time management skills. . . "  But in truth, they were partly right.  Midnight and 3 AM wakings plus dressing two other people in addition to myself, then feeding said people plus 9 AM drop offs and other myriad activities does not a well-coiffed mommy make.

Radiant Skin Without Chemicals - Clarisonic Skin Care System Review

What sucks more than flipping through your wedding album and realizing that your translucent, alabaster skin with porcelain-fine texture and youthful glow is GONE: stolen by time, hormonal fluctuations, thrice-nightly wakings and substandard spa exposure? Looking at your 60-year-old mom and realizing her skin looks exponentially better than yours, that’s what. 

Given that both S. and I had the same debasing experience of gazing upon our lovely mothers’ radiant visages and wondering what the hell we were doing wrong, we knew there had to be some trick of the trade. 

Beauty Products: My Cruelty-Free Picks

If you're like me, your medicine cabinet is filled with some long-time favorite cosmetic standbys as well as a rotating crew of new products. I generally base my picks on trusted peer reviews or amazing packaging/marketing (what can I say? I'm a sucker for a pretty label) and I keep my beauty routine as simple as possible. Before I had V, I would say I was a minimalist. Now I'm happy if I get some moisturizer and mascara on before I leave the house. If I leave the house. *snort*

Aside from packaging, price and scent (or lack of) my bottom line when shopping for beauty products is animal testing. I'm not going to toss a bunch of red paint all over you, but I would like to at least mention that not only is animal testing for cosmetics totally unnecessary from a consumer safety standpoint, in the internet/information age it is easy to find and afford products that avoid such cruelty. There is little if anything that could convince me that such practices should even exist. As a consumer, a woman, and a mother I feel happy inside when I am able to spend my money on items that not only make me feel pretty outside but also align with my personal ethics.

If you want to make the ethics of animal cruelty a priority or even just a factor when choosing your beauty products, please remember that as always, labels can be misleading. Some lines may label themselves as cruelty-free, while their parent companies are not. Additionally, not all companies who are cruelty-free have it written on all of their packaging. Find current lists of companies that do and do not test on animals here.

As a long time vegetarian, it's only consistent that I would emphasize cruelty-free beauty. My guess is that whether or not you enjoy a hamburger, you would be appalled by the routine harm done to animals that most of us would consider pets in the name of 'beauty.' This post isn't meant as a lecture, it's just simply as a public service announcement. In salons, department stores and drugstores you can easily access products (at all price points) and support companies that do not engage in unneccessary and unimaginable practices.

The following are my current beauty staples. On the days when I DO leave the house, this is what makes me made up! Do you have any cruelty free brands or products that you swear by and want to share?

Easy Make-Up Trick to Distract From Tired Eyes

Warning:  I hate this picture.  I'm wearing the wrong color foundation, my eyes are rimmed in red from being up all night, and I need some lip balm.  [Go ahead and look.  I'll wait.  Ok.]  Now let me put this in context:

Me (on phone):  M, I need some makeup advice.

M:  I hate my makeup.

Me:  I need something new...something more flattering.  Do you have any ideas?

M:  I hate all of my makeup.

Me:  Do you have a lipstick you like...maybe some mascara?

M:  Currently, I hate everything I put on my face.

Me:  Hunh.  Me too.

M:  Hunh. Yeah.

Aaaaaannnnd now you know why we need Scotti.

After this *super-helpful* conversation with M, I wandered into Sephora, intent on complaining about my makeup.  The foundation was too light, and the highlighter pen wasn't making my dark circles and bags disappear, I didn't look refreshed, or more awake or happier or younger or skinnier or....(um, new mom hormones may have been playing a role here).

Blue Copper 5 Face Serum aka "Sleep in a Jar"

So I was really excited to debut this amazing face serum here at Ain't No Mom Jeans (hence the cheesy title)...but when I went to its website, I saw that this line won Allure magazine's Editor's Choice Award for breakthrough beauty product.  Hunh.  We've been scooped!!!  

Anywho, this stuff rocks.  However, it contains parabens, if you care about that sort of thing (and I do).  

Right before Pax was born, I went into Nordstroms for my annual pilgramage to the skin care Gods to see what was new in the world of wrinkle wars.  I had intended to complain about the fine lines under my eyes, despite my religious use of the products I had raved about in last year's War on Wrinkles article.

It turns out that my Osmotics Eye Surgery (from last year) is a serum, which combats wrinkles but won't add moisture.  And did I know that the under eye area doesn't actually have any oil glands, and therefore cannot produce it's own moisture?  No.  I did not.  Oops.  

Reader Question: How To Rock Red Lipstick For the Holidays (or any day)

Reader Question:

Hi ANMJ,
Do I ask a lot of questions? I need a lot of help :)
 
This question is probably geared toward Scotti, since she is the make up guru. I would like to wear red lipstick for Christmas. My guy saw it on an actress in a movie we were watching and said "You would look good in red lipstick" Hint taken! Spice it up already.
 
What colors are best? And I'd like to do nail polish, too? Obviously they can't match, (Can they?!?!?!) but should I go bright red on the nails, too?
 
I'm not going to be spending beau-coup bucks on either item since it will probably get busted out for Christmas and NYE and then pushed to the back of the drawer.
 
Thanks!
Your adoring fan