Reconnect With Yourself: Affordable Self-Care and Beauty Tips

Some moms may have kept up with all things self-care and beauty while they were busy raising their kids; others may not have given it top priority.

If the latter sounds like you, now that you’re an Empty Nester Mom, you have more time to concentrate on YOU!

Maybe you’re not used to spending a lot of money on yourself, but self-care and beauty doesn’t have to break the bank! There are many affordable products available.

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If you’d like a curated list of the products I mention in this post, grab this FREE EMPTY NESTER MOM Affordable Self-Care/Beauty Product Checklist.

Makeup

The older I get, it seems the more of a minimalist I’m becoming in all aspects of my life. I don’t feel the need to surround myself with so much “stuff” anymore, nor do I buy into the “more expensive equals better” mentality any longer.

So, when it comes to self-care and beauty, I’ve been more thoughtful and practical about my purchases. I follow other women online, who are my age and have a lot of helpful advice in this area.

When I was younger, making the big bucks at The 9-5, I spent lots of money on expensive brands of makeup.

Uh…not so much anymore. As long as the end result looks good, I’m good. My mom used low-end brands way back in the day, and I thought she was beautiful!

At this Empty Nester stage of my life, I’d rather not overspend on items that aren’t serving me any better than affordable alternatives. I’d rather put those extra dollars toward a fun event, gifts, and savings.

That’s not to say that I don’t enjoy quality products. I do, but I’ve been shopping around and experimenting with less expensive ones.

it foundation makeup on marble vanity top

I recently discovered a quality brand, IT Cosmetics. If you want to read (or watch on YouTube) a good backstory on the creator, Jamie Kern Lima, it’s pretty amazing!

I use IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye Concealer (for my lovely bags) and IT Cosmetics Celebration Foundation. I’ve used a lot of different foundations over the years, from inexpensive to expensive…from liquid to powder. I have to say that this one is the BEST!

My color is “Medium Tan,” and it not only helps to cover the redness I have on my face (which is the reason Jamie invented her makeup line), it doesn’t leave me with dry, flaky skin like so many of the other powders and liquids did.

I’ve tried several different brands of brow pencils to help fill in my disappearing brows (thanks, Hypothyroidism). My favorite is the Anastasia Eyebrow Pencil, with Colour Pop Eyebrow Pencil coming in as a close second.

For eye makeup, e.l.f. eyeshadow is an affordable option, and I like IT Cosmetics Hello Lashes Mascara.

Nails

Once in awhile, I’ll treat myself to a manicure, pedicure (or both!), but most of the time, I do my own nails.

I’ve been a long-time fan of Essie Nail Polish, which I have in many colors. My daughter recently recommended OPI Nail Polish, which comes in beautiful colors and can be found in many nail salons, so it must be a good brand!

Both Essie and OPI made the list in this article on the top nail polish brands.

I’m currently using this inexpensive nail polish remover, which was the popular pick on Amazon.

If you need a Yougai Manicure/Pedicure Set, this one is Amazon’s Best Seller. Also, these Dianhelloya Pedicure Reusable Toe Separators are a must-have for a perfect pedicure.

Skin

My nighttime routine includes using Garnier Micellar Water Makeup Remover, followed by Ole Henriksen Truth Juice Daily Cleanser.

The cleanser may seem pricey at first glance, but it lasts a long time. It leaves my skin feeling clean and soft, and it smells nice, too. Who doesn’t like a fresh citrus scent?

An affordable moisturizer that I use after cleansing my face is Aveeno Body Lotion. If it’s good enough for Jennifer Aniston…I mean she did a commercial about it, so she must use it, right?! Don’t forget to put some on your neck to help with wrinkles and sagging skin.

For dry hands, L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream is highly recommended.

Hair

I keep checking in with my husband, asking him if he’s ready for me to go all gray. He says no, so off to the salon I go…every 6-8 weeks. It’s not cheap, so when we’re retired Empty Nesters, he may have second thoughts!

To keep my hair looking good between appointments, my haircare products/tools/accessories include:

Redken Color Extend Magnetics Shampoo
Redken All Soft Conditioner
RUSK Hair Straightener
Hot Tools Curling Iron
Boldify Root Cover Up
Color WOW Root Cover Up
Pureology Soft Finish Hairspray
Kitsch Hair Ties
Suntiesday Flat Hair Clips

Eye Care

These are all great for soothing dry eyes:

OCuSOFT Dry Eye Mask
OCuSOFT Eyelid Wipes
Refresh Plus Eye Drops

Lips

As I’ve gotten older, it seems my lips have gotten more and more dry. I really love this brand, for both day and night. If you experience lip dryness, you might want to give it a try!

Day: Laneige Lip Glowy Balm (Berry is my favorite!)

Night: Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

Bath

When your bones are feeling achy, or after a long day at work, there’s nothing like a nice, hot bath!

A Wygomes Bath Pillow is a must! If you’re a chronic multi-tasker who can’t sit still and just soak, this Yirilan Bathtub Tray Caddy is for you. It holds just about everything you need (or want).

If Bath Bombs are your thing, check out this highly-rated set from LifeAround2Angels on Amazon.

Don’t forget to stock up on Loofah Sponges, which are available in so many great colors, and Loofah Exfoliating Body Scrubbers. And, if you’re looking for a different soap/body wash, my favs are Dove Sensitive Skin Bar Soap and Dove Sensitive Skin Body Wash.