"I'll never be one of those moms who forgets to take care of herself" is the humble pie on today's menu. In the first few months after Finley's birth it was easy to get ready- it was summer, I was tanned, my hair was still thick and lush, and dressing myself in a sundress was all that was required.  Thankfully, she was a compliant infant who would play quietly for the 10 minutes it took me to get ready.  I was laughing, "How easy is this!?"

And then she woke up from that 4th trimester daze. Still good-natured and compliant, but busier and busier by the day, meaning less and less time for me to ready myself for the day. Coupled with a fading summer tan, thinning postpartum hair, and cooling temperatures, I was ready to throw on a housecoat and hibernate until the spring. Being a social creature at the core, this lasted only an hour. Clearly, I needed to figure out a way to get myself out the door looking like a human, even if I was running on a few hours of sleep. 

My saving grace turned out to be an emergency kit of primping goodies I keep in my car for those times I arrive at my destination and realize I'm looking a little less than ideal. 

1. Dry Shampoo because hair-washing is limited to days when hair-drying can also occur
2. Aquaphor for lips, dry cuticles, stray eyebrows, and baby eczema  
3. Camilia pod for teething emergencies
4. Small perfume for those 'OMG is that me?' moments
5. Tweezers. Fin always seems to fall asleep just as we are pulling into the driveway so I take advantage of the good lighting in the car
6. Lovefresh Natural deodorant. See #4 above. And also, why doesn't anyone warn you that you WILL smell like a teenage boy while breastfeeding?! For those of you in Hamilton, this is available at The Ten Spot on James Street. 
7. Sephora Magic Elastics when Dry Shampoo can't even save me
8. Honest Company Organic Healing Balm. Basically the granola version of Aquaphor. 
9. Revlon Juicy Papaya Lip Butter. The MOST flattering shade for all skin types!
10. Flossers because no one likes coffee breath
11. Beauty Counter Concealer pen. Obviously. This is my new favourite! 
12. Random single earring from my wedding