can you believe I used to actually get paid to have my photo taken. seems so foreign now

Building on yesterday’s glamorous post….you guys know I’m not exactly a glamour-ista, I’m more of a barely-keeping-it-together-ista now that Rohan’s here. But, I do have some tricks up my sleeves for getting glam when I need to. I should’ve titled this post: How to fake glamour when you’re a tired new mama that just needs a nap.

#1: Do the opposite of normal with your hair

Instant glamourfication for me comes from wearing my hair out. Day to day, my hair is usually up in a bun, ponytail or messy updo of some sort, so when it’s time for me to get cute, down comes the hair!

Doesn’t matter if it’s curly and big or hanging straight and long. What matters is that it’s not the same old bun. The opposite-of-normal-ness makes it transform me from “I’ve given up” to “Ok, I can work with this.”

Bonus points if it’s super sleek. If curly, I make the curls frizz free by twirling some of the outer layer of curls around my finger with a little styling product. If straight, I’ll use a bit of serum and/or coconut oil to slick the strands down and make it all smooth.

If you normally wear your hair down, haul it up to the top of your head in a sleek bun to instantly glamourize your look.

#2: Be trendy on a small scale

I can’t afford to spend money keeping up with every trend that comes along. I stick to the classics, but I keep as current as I can on a small scale. How small? Fingernail size! I usually wear a clear or nude color on my nails (to disguise chips as long as possible) but when getting glamourous for a date night or a party, I go for color. Trendy colors, and definitely trendy nail styles. I love things like this:

And now I save time by using COVERGIRL® Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss that just takes one coat and doesn’t need a base coat or top coat to stay put without chipping. So I can have nails that are on trend and look good all week long…even if my outfit is plain Jane and I don’t have to spend a million years doing my nails. Unrelated to how awesome the nail glosses work, I love how high end esque the packaging is:

#3: Go with what works

Speaking of outfits. My glamourous tip here is more practical than anything. Go with what works for you. I’m good for wearing the same outfit to multiple events, and I’m also good for wearing the same type of outfit. Skinny jeans and flowy top anyone?!

For me, I’ll feel more confident and sexy if I’m wearing something I know works for me. So for now it’s something that camouflages the post-baby belly bulge without looking like a muumuu. I do wear dresses, and will likely shop from my closet this holiday season for party attire. You already saw my outfit ideas yesterday.

However, for date nights and dinners out with friends I will go with what I know works best on my body right now.

#4: Makeup has magical powers

I’ve told you guys about my lack of makeup skills in the past. Since I walk around barefaced almost all the time, putting on a bit of makeup ups my glamour rate about 46,000%. I take it easy though; I use a tinted moisturizer, liner, mascara, blush, powder and lip gloss. That’s about all I can handle without getting hives of anxiety. I recently got to try COVERGIRL® Clump Crusher Mascara and loved it. I kinda felt like it did enough to bring my eyes out by increasing my lash volume that I didn’t need liner. It must crush clumps before they leave the bottle, because I didn’t get any clumps to be crushed!

#5: Heels, dammit.

How tall are you? I’m 5’4.5″ 5’5″ (on a good day) and wear flats most of the time, so the easiest way to add a little glamour to an outfit for me is with some heels.

Granted, my feet start hurting about an hour in, depending on the shoe. But hey, it’s only once in a while that I’ll glamourize so I used to just grin and bear it. Now, using those gel inserts makes a world of difference! With those cushy pads in my heels I can walk, stand, and most importantly, dance, without any pain!

So there you have my top 5 tips….

Visit COVERGIRL on YouTube for more great ideas on how to get red carpet ready!

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