Everyone loves a good Instagram filter. I mean… who doesn’t want to look instantly better. It makes me look at my actual face and think… dang! I wish I could look like that for real. If only there were a filter for my face in real life.
Well, friends! It turns out that there is. It’s called makeup.
I know! I was shocked too. For several years I went without wearing makeup because I didn’t have the energy or care enough. To be clear… I was fine. My husband still loved me, and nobody said anything. Other people still valued me as a person. There is nothing wrong with not wearing makeup. But I will say, I definitely feel better when I look alive! Some research even suggests that women who wear makeup feel smarter and more confident. I would say that this is absolutely true for me.
I am actually a better mom and wife when I feel better about myself. So I thought that I would try to help those who are not feeling like their best selves by pointing out this simple fact. Some days you are comfortable in your sweat pants, ponytail, and no makeup. That is fantastic. Whereas other times, putting on some makeup can help you feel like yourself again. It all depends on your current emotional state.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. Thank you in advance for your support.
Make up is a real-time filter for your face
Putting on makeup can be a simple solution for feeling better. And honestly, you don’t have to do that much to see the benefit. If time is limited, eyebrows alone will change your entire appearance. I discovered this when I took two separate school pictures in the same outfit, one with eyebrows, one without.
Don’t laugh… Okay, you can laugh. It’s pretty hysterical.
In both of the above pictures, I wore makeup. The one major difference is the eyebrows.
Want to know how to look more alive? Eyebrows are your friend!
Now that I have to wear a mask at work, I rarely put makeup on my face. But after comparing these pictures (which will never not be hilarious to me), I always do my eyebrows. The first time I realized how essential eyebrows are was when I was teaching virtually and had to look at my face every day. The video below was a direct result of that. It’s less than two minutes and hopefully will give you a chuckle. While you are at it, subscribe to my youtube channel. It’s new, but I’m finding out that it is enjoyable, so I’ll probably make many more videos.
Suppose you are an exhausted mama… color in those eyebrows, and tada! You instantly look more awake and less likely to have people question whether you are feeling sick. All you need is an eyebrow brush and an eyeshadow that matches your eyebrows. Or you can go with this powder made specifically for eyebrows. I’m sure I will eventually do a post comparing different eyebrow products because I am obsessed with this. I look like a completely different person!
Your whole face can look better
Not only do eyebrows change the way you look, but your entire face can look better with makeup! With the right foundation, eye shadow, and contouring (don’t get me started on contouring), you can look fabulous. I have been using Seint makeup (Formerly Maskcara), and I love it. I still look like me, only better. It’s simple to put it on, and it only takes me a few minutes. That is key… quick and easy.
Go to the mall or shop online
I have always loved going to the Mac Store to try on makeup. They have so many colors to choose from, and it makes me feel happy; Especially if the person helping me has crazy makeup that I would never be brave enough to wear. That is the Mac experience. It is a perfect girl’s night activity. If you don’t feel like going anywhere, you can still get Mac stuff online. My foundation of choice is the studio fix foundation.
Sephora and Ulta Beauty are great places to find a wide variety of brands in one place. On girl’s trips, we always stop into one of these stores to give ourselves free makeovers. Well, maybe not free. We rarely make it out without a purchase, but it’s worth it for the experience.
Call up your MLM friends- I bet they can make you look better
I live in Utah, the land of MLMs. I know that MLMs get a bad rap, but some of my very favorite products have come from them. Maskcara (now called Seint), Arbonne, Mary Kay, Younique, Avon… I love them all. Supporting my friends who are working a side hustle makes me happy. I had my own side hustle while my kids were small.
I was a consultant for Once Upon a Family. They are no longer in existence, but they sold products that helped build family traditions. It gave me an outlet to have adult interaction and add value to others as a stay at home mom. Thinking back… I probably should have just started a blog. But it was fun for me at the time.
Anyway… Call up your friends, and let them make you beautiful. They will probably come to you, offer suggestions, and generally make your life easier. You might even be able to book a party and get stuff for free or highly discounted. Who doesn’t love free? These days you can even host your party online… so you won’t even need to panic clean your house for it. It’s a win-win, really.
To sum it up
It all boils down to this fact. If you want a real-world filter for your face, you can do it pretty easily with makeup. You can shop on your own or call a friend who has a beauty side hustle. I’d for sure start with the eyebrows. Here is another before and after picture of me after using Seint Beauty products.
It even makes me look skinnier
Oh… let’s talk about contour. I had no idea this was a thing until a couple of years ago. You guys, I actually look thinner because of the contour shading under my cheekbones. It is like magic. I also brighten up other areas to make my eyes stand out. It still looks like me, only better. That is what I’m looking for in my real life filter for my face!
Even if I’m well-rested, without eyebrows, I look exhausted and unwell. Eyebrows are my #1 life hack for looking better.
What tricks and tips have you learned to keep people from saying to you, “You don’t look great, are you feeling okay?” Let me know in the comments. Help a girl out; I need all of the help I can get.
Pin it for later
15 Comments
I love using make up, but unfortunately I always keep it to the bare minimum because I’m actually not very good at applying it. I’d love to be able to do cat flicks and use eyeshadow effectively. Your video is really good!
Thank you. Seriously… eyebrows are the key for me! lol
I get the need to wear make up. I am struggling to be reminded daily why this is SOOOO important for me while being home. It really does make me feel better, more prepared and just happier on the days I take the time to apply. Thanks for the inspiration.
I’m right there with you, Sonia! I am content to wear day jammies and night jammies with my hair in a ponytail. But I also find that I only feel like cuddling up and watching movies. Unfortunately, nothing gets done if I am lying around all day. It helps me get up and get moving! I feel more productive and generally happier. 🙂 Thanks for commenting.
loved this read so much! I’m a makeup enthusiast and it is amazing what makeup can do for your appearance. Those eyebrow pics are insane! The difference! I love to contour as well, it is a game changer. This was a great article!
Thanks, Annalise. I couldn’t believe the difference, myself. I had no idea how different I look until I saw them side by side.
Makeup is such a good friend once you know what looks best on you. I am a very natural makeup lover. Plus, I am in my mom stage where most days I don’t put it on because only my kids see me lol. Such a great share.
Haha! I had years at home with the kids where I never wore makeup. I love the natural look as well… like me, only better 😉
I really need to start wearing make-up. I have hit 40 and I feel like I look tired all the time. I keep saying I am going to start wearing some make-up but I never do. I will go to the store and buy it and never wear it, well just on special occasions. I need to follow you on youtube so I can learn how to wear it. Thanks so much for this.
Yes, Kisha!!! I’m 44, and at around 40, I started to notice the circles under my eyes. I’m still in search of the perfect eye cream, but for now, I will distract people with my eyebrows! Haha!
I love this! I used to wear makeup all the time. Now, pretty much never, although I did recently get some foundation from an MLM friend. I never thought about eyebrows, though. I’m going to have to give this a try, especially because my oldest is getting to the makeup age. I want to be able to teach her how to apply everything, but I have a feeling it’s going to be the other way around. ?
Oh, Carolyn… eyebrows changed my life! lol. I’m sure your daughter will be able to teach you all the tricks. I have boys and they couldn’t care less about my makeup. 🙂
I do agree! Makeup helps to lift my mood. It makes me feel put-together and ready to take on the day.
xoxo
Lovely
http://www.mynameislovely.com
Me too! It totally prepares me to take on the day!
I’m definitely going to start doing this. I don’t wear makeup unless I’m taking photos or going somewhere. I’ll at least try the brows and some gloss to see if that can give me a little kickstart to my mornings. Thanks so much!