Bubby and Bean ::: Living Creatively: My Kind of Self Care: Getting Ready for a Mama's Night Out

Tips for Getting Ready For a Mama's Night Out

This post is sponsored by Burt's Bees®. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Bubby and Bean possible.

I feel like a big theme in my life (and here on the blog) for 2018 has been self care. And yes, the term "self care" may be a little overused these days, but hey - anything that positively promotes being kind to yourself is alright with me, cliche or otherwise. I have admittedly fallen off of and gotten back on this self care wagon many times throughout the year, but I'm proud of myself for making a conscious effort to do things that are ultimately making me a healthier, happier, more aware person (for myself and for my family as well).

In addition to taking time for exercise every single day, eating as many clean foods as possible, practicing mindfulness, and taking advantage of moments of me time when I can, I decided that giving myself a night out with my girlfriends every now and then was just as much a part of my self care routine as the more obvious efforts. In fact, the whole process of a "mom's night out" - from planning a date and where to go to actually getting myself ready - is self care.

Because I enjoy the act of getting ready for a night out with girlfriends almost (not quite, but almost) as much as the actual night out, I decided to show you guys a "behind the scenes" glimpse of this process (and how much fun it is for me!). Is this silly? Perhaps. But truth be told, my favorite kind of posts to share are the "just for fun" ones that make me smile while I'm writing them. And I'm also hoping that maybe it will inspire some of you to plan a mama's (or non-mama's!) night out of your own. Because I'm pretty sure you deserve it too.

The minute my four year old daughter learns I'm headed out, she insists on choosing my outfit. The majority of the time, it consists of something like a formal dress (think New Year's Eve), the glittery gold heels I wore for my wedding, a pair of pants to wear under the dress (usually a boldly patterned pair my pajama pants), a thick knit scarf or other winter accessory, one of her purses, and, if she's really feeling it, some sort of costume jewelry. She usually lays everything out on the sofa for me to present it, and is always pleased with herself. I then explain that as much as I appreciate her fashion expertise, I already have something picked out. (One of these times I'm just gonna go for it though and wear every piece of it though, mark my words.) And then I actually get dressed. I usually choose something casual that's a step or two up from whatever leggings and t-shirt combo I was wearing for my workday. It's fun to dress up, but I almost always prefer relaxed when it comes to fashion.

Once I'm dressed I head into my hair and makeup lounge (aka our dated master bathroom that is likely overdue for a cleaning). If I have time and the kids are occupied, I'll curl my hair. If not, I give it a quick brush and go right for the makeup.

I start with Goodness Glows Liquid Foundation from my favorite cosmetics brand, Burt's Bees. I adore this foundation - it's 98.9% natural (and made with responsibly sourced Meadowfoam Seed Oil, which has all sorts of moisturizing benefits) and gives me full coverage without looking thick or caked on. After that I apply blush, some eyeliner, shadow, and mascara. (If there is a miracle and I have extra time, I'll highlight too.) And lastly, I complete my hair and makeup session with my favorite cosmetic of all: Burt's Bees® Liquid Lipstick. It's available in 18 shades (6 exclusive at CVS!) and I own 8 (yes, 8) of them: Rhubarb Rapids, Sunrise Cruise, Blush Bay, Peony Puddle, Pouring Nude, Primrose Pool, Blush Brook, and Rushing Rose. (I'm wearing Primrose Pool here.) I picked up most of them in the makeup aisle at CVS (at $9.99 each, they're a steal), and always keep a couple of them in my purse for quick touch-ups. I love how smoothly it glides on, the bold color it delivers, and the fact that it's long wearing and keeps my lips moisturized all day (or night!). But my favorite part is that is 100% natural. Instead of a bunch of ingredients I can't pronounce (which I'd rather not have near my mouth), Burt's Bees Liquid Lipstick contains goodness like super conditioning Apricot and Babassu Oil, Shea Butter and essential fatty acids. My lips feel soft and look healthy, and make me feel put-together for my night on the town (and/or a couple of hours at a local pub, which these days is even better).

Once I'm dressed and ready, I usually have a mini dance party with my little ones. It's our silly little ritual before I go out and it makes them feel like they're doing something exciting too. I love it.

Finally, if my husband is on the road with the band, I drop the kids off with their babysitter (which lucky for me is usually my mom), and head out to meet my favorite mama friends for dinner and drinks. Most of my nights out are at the end of long weeks when stress is high, and I can't even put into words what it does for my soul (and mental state!) to have a few hours out, laughing, sharing stories, and just hanging out with my girls. (That is, as long as I don't receive a call that one of the kids has vomited all over the sofa and babysitter 30 minutes into my evening, and is wailing in the background for me to return home. And yes, that really happened. #momlife!) I don't get these nights out often, but I love and appreciate them so much - from that first swipe of Burt's Bees® Liquid Lipstick to the last sip of my beer or rosé before heading home.

Who else enjoys the process of getting ready to go out with your mama friends or girlfriends? Anyone else a fan of Burt's Bees® Liquid Lipstick? (And if so, what's your favorite shade?)