Hot temperatures and on-the-go kids can make it tough to stay stylish in summer. That's why you'll love these ten fast, mom-focused beauty and hair tips, which make looking good a breeze! Go ahead, customize them to enhance your personal assets and natural beauty. Then sit back and enjoy a beautiful summer.
1. Try a slick ponytail to accentuate your facial features. A deep-side part looks fresh and modern (and is easy to do when the kids are tugging at your arm!). To prevent flyaways, spritz with hairspray. Don't forget an easy-to-blend foundation with SPF to even out your skin tone and keep you looking polished.
2. Get a glow on by exfoliating. Keep a washcloth or buff pad at-the-ready for everyday use. If you don't have an exfoliant, make your own by moistening ½ cup of sugar with olive or sunflower oil. Use small circles to slough away dead cells and reveal new layers of skin. Or, try a mask of four to six aspirin crushed into a paste with water. Let dry, rinse and reveal the new you!
3. Beat the heat with a French braid that keeps your hair off your neck. Make the braid, leaving your bangs free. For a fun playground-to-party look, pull out small to medium chunky pieces from the braid and spray them with gel or hairspray and scrunch. Sweep bangs to the side and slip on a thin headband or tie on a piece of ribbon.
4. Protect your skin with a sunscreen with minimum 15 SPF. If you burn using SPF 15, go higher. Look for a UVA and UVB blocking ingredient such as Zinc oxide, Titanium dioxide, Parsol 1789 or Helioplex. Apply a shot-glass worth of sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going out, being sure to cover your chest, hands and ears. Don't forget a lip balm with SPF, too!
5. The messy bun that ruled the fashion runways this season is perfect for on-the-go moms! To get the look, apply a shine serum to towel-dried hair. Work it through to enhance natural texture. Next, use your fingers to rake hair back at mid-height or at the nape of the neck. Twist into a knot and secure with bobby pins. Don't worry about making it too neat – random ends sticking out are what make this style look relaxed.
6. Stay on-trend with pink lipstick. Pick a shade that complements your skin tone. Lighter pinks work on women with pink or cool undertones, and warmer pinks look best on skin with yellow undertones. A creamy lipstick formula will last longer than gloss.
7. For a mom manicure on the fly, remove chipped polish and moisturize your hands, rubbing olive oil on your cuticles before pushing them back. File your nails short and practical. Then whip on a light polish that won't show chips as much as a dark shade.
8. Try this trendy, mom-friendly twist on a basic bun: Make two side-by-side ponytails at the back of your head. Then wrap each tail around the other's base (hiding the elastics) to create a figure-eight bun. Secure to your head with hairpins and a few spritzes of hairspray.
9. Before you polish your toenails, pamper yourself with an Epson-salt and scented oil foot soak for 10 minutes. (Read a magazine while you wait!) Then remove dry skin from legs and feet with a homemade mixture of olive oil and kosher salt or raw sugar. Rub in an upward motion for two to three minutes, then rinse, moisturize and polish!
10. For natural-looking waves, massage volumizing mousse through freshly washed hair. Weave locks into a thick braid and allow hair to dry. When dried, gently finger comb to loosen into waves. If you have to time to blow dry, apply gel and then slowly blow dry while scrunching hair.