Aside from its countless rewards, motherhood is tough, dirty, and not exactly all that glamorous. Which is why I’ve decided to infuse it with a little daily sparkle.
Little Luxuries: Daily Treats for the Modern Mom
(& Busy Ladies Everywhere)
It took me longer than it should have to understand that the little details make all the difference in our days. When I started working from home, I felt frumpy most of the time until I made peace with the fact that I could work in my yoga pants and still feel good about it. The trick was to not deny myself some little luxuries here and there just because no one else would be around to see them. Ahead, I share with you my list of daily essentials with lots of surprising practicality and plenty of sparkle.
Perfume – Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede – Ok, at first, I was a little hesitant about wearing my favorite new fragrance instead of a light body splash on a daily basis. But then I realized how much it improved my mood and made the day feel a little more special. The rest of me may be swathed in Target’s finest activewear, but wearing this scent makes me feel immediately dressed up.
A Special Candle – L’Occitane Fleur d’Or & Acacia – Let’s just be real. Motherhood can be beautiful. But it can also be seriously gross. There is not one day that goes by when I’m not smacked in the nose with some seriously unsettling odor (how can she poop that often??). So I’ve decided to battle some of those unpleasant odors with something a little more elevated than my husband’s go-to lit match. This candle is large enough to last a few months and takes me back to the vacation where I picked it up.
Scented Hand Cream – L’Occitane Cherry Blossom Hand Cream – Being completely hands-on with work, house chores, play time, bath time – the list goes on – has left me with cliched dry hands not unlike those that the vintage dish soap commercials used to warn women about. So I’m carrying with me a small tube of scented hand cream in a limited edition fragrance that feels like a welcome classic.
The Perfect Nude Polish – Topshop Nice n Neutral – For all the reasons above and below, I’ve mostly given up on brightly colored nails (I do give in now and then but mostly can’t get it to last more than a day). So the next best thing is this particular shade of neutral polish from Topshop that still has a little dimension to it because of the mauve-y undertones. The major plus is that it takes a heck of a lot to make it chip.
Tinted Balm – Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer – I am no longer wearing makeup every day (and honestly, not really missing it that much). But swiping on this tinted lip balm adds a little color to my face and moisturizes my pout. Smells minty, too.
A Printed Scarf – Betsey Johnson Scarf – Though I may have scoffed at it in my past life, today, my daily uniform consists of black yoga pants, a white or grey t-shirt, and black Nikes with bright pink laces. Save for the laces, it’s a pretty drab outfit so adding a printed scarf helps liven things up. I use it as a head wrap or handbag accessory (I gave up the diaper bag a few months after figuring out I could just use a large tote. Why doesn’t anybody ever tell you that?).
Sparkly Studs – Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Earrings – Stud earrings are a safe bet for everyday use because my little one won’t be able to grab at them. But an expensive pair are nowhere near being in the budget any time soon. Still, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to wear something a little sparkly every day. So I opted for a sterling silver CZ option from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. These have a nice weight and size and make me feel polished even if the rest of my outfit is blander than plain greek yogurt.
Got any little luxuries of your own? Would love to know what you do to perk up the day.
Shop the post: Perfume c/o Jo Malon at Nordstrom Dadeland, Candle c/o L’Occitane, Hand Cream from L’Occitane, Nude Nail Polish from Topshop, Tinted Lip Balm from Burt’s Bees, Printed Scarf from Betsey Johnson, and Sparkly Stud Earrings from Nordstrom.