Top 10 Tips from My Total Mom Makeover Experience!

This past February, me and twelve other lucky moms were chosen as original cast members of Daisy Teh's, aka "The It Mom", first season of The Total Mom Makeover. We all received amazing beauty treatments and fashion advice as part of a whirlwind weekend in Newport Beach, CA.  As a mom of four, Daisy understands how moms put all others before themselves leaving us feeling and looking not-so-fabulous.  Her premise was to help moms reclaim their "it" factor and teach us how to style ourselves and put makeup on so we can look and FEEL our best!  Read about how I applied here and see my transformation and interview!

Day 1
The moms all arrived at different times to Newport Beach. Dusty Simington's beautiful salon, Spa Gregorie's, generously sponsored all of our haircuts, coloring and manicures. THANK YOU SO MUCH! The cameras were ready to film our transformations!

In addition to our haircuts and manicures, we each received a Alex and Ani bangle.

Next, each of us was paired with a stylist who selected some outfits for us.  Ashley Trevino was my stylist! She was very kind and patient as I tried on one dress after another. When I expressed that I really didn't want to show my arms, she found one that was unique, that I was comfortable in and bright RED, a color that I don't normally wear!

She decided to touch up my lips with some red to match the dress!

Then we were ready for the photo shoot! I had so much fun with it!

Photo credit: The It Mom website

We had the cape of the dress literally flying!

Some of the Dream Team: Daisy Teh, George Teh, and photographer Sean Tu.

Day 2
We were shuttled back to the salon in the morning to listen to our awesome professionals Dusty Simington, Sophadavy Hun, Ashley Trevino and Cherrie Luzon give us advice on hair care, makeup and styling.

My new mommy friends from top left: Charlene, Audra, and Tiany!

Tips on Hair Care!
Tip #1:  When to use conditioner

My hair is big, bushy, and can get really dry. Dusty Simington, celebrity stylist and owner of Salon Gregories, let us know that following the order of shampoo then applying conditioner was pretty much like pouring your hard-earned money down the shower drain.  Once your hair is wet, the moisture becomes a barrier from your hair absorbing any of the conditioner.  So he recommends applying conditioner on dry hair before you shower, whether it's for five minutes or for five hours when you are hanging out at home. You can even put a small amount of conditioner on before you go to sleep, it'll act like a light detangler in the morning.  I have been trying this method for the last couple of months and it has made such a difference in the feel of my hair!

Tip #2:  How to get volume in your hair

Dusty said to blow dry your hair from the bottom up. Hang your hair to the side and squeeze as much moisture out with a towel before blowdrying. Once it is dry, concentrate on the roots.

Also, hair products are key! He recommends brands like Redken or It's a 10. I've tried the potion from It's a 10 and love it. If your hair has already been shampooed, dried and styled from a previous day and you want to revive some volume, he recommends spraying dry shampoo in it and working the blow dryer through.  Here is picture of one of the moms, Jessica. Can you see the difference between the sides of her hair?

Tip #3: Which way to wear your ponytail

Dusty says, for fuller faces, a ponytail on top of the head works best.  A low ponytail at the base of the back works for most everyone and a side ponytail can take make you look ten years younger!

Tip #4:  Re-styling

Most moms don't have the time to style their hair full-on every day. For a quick re-style on curly hair, use a curling iron on random pieces of hair.  And hairspray your hair before you curl it to hold it!

Tip #5: Clarifying your hair

Household products like lemon juice and baking soda or apple cider vinegar or coconut oil are great for hair and skin!  Look up recipes to make a paste or solution and use it to remove build up from your hair.

Dusty was so affable and nice on the eyes! His gleaming white teeth were mesmerizing!!

Tips on Makeup!
Next, makeup artist Sophadavy Hun took her time to explain how to use the incredible IT cosmetics that we received to get us looking fabulous!

Tip #1: Clean your brushes

Keep your colors fresh and bright when applying by keeping your brushes clean!  She said she's had her brush for years and is able to maintain them by cleaning them regularly!

Tip #2: Use the right type of brush

Use the right type of brush for the area of your face.  This fan brush is perfect for applying blush in a "C" motion sweeping up from your cheek to near your eye.

Tip #3: Blend

Blending is key in order for your makeup to look natural and not caked on.  Tap off any excess product before applying and blend with brushes, sponges, pads, or even your fingers! 

After learning more about makeup application, stylist Ashley Trevino gave a moving testimonial of why she wanted to participate in this project. Her story involved human trafficking and being saved by God. She had me choked up listening to her endure those trying times. Her life has completely turned around and now, in addition to being a stylist, she is a motivational speaker. and the owner of Bella Bridal. 

Next up was Cherrie Luzon, another one of our amazing stylists! She shared her favorite tips to keep us moms fashionable!

Tips on Styling!

Tip #7: Use A-line silhouettes for more curvier girls like me!

An A line can give you a slimmer look, especially a blouse or dress with an empire waist!

Tip #8: Shop for pieces that are versatile!

Here's a little black dress that can be used for a variety of looks! Use accessories to change up your look.  Layer select pieces of your clothes to add color and dimension.

Photo courtesy of Cherrie Luzon

Tip #9: Keep some key pieces in your wardrobe

Cherrie shared that fashion spirals, so keep some of your great pieces because they may come back in style years later! She also shared that a great purchase that is in style right now is a denim chambray shirt that you can dress up or wear with sneakers!

Tip #10: Look your best so you can feel your best and be your best self!

This is from me, from the whole experience.  In order to be the best mom, you have to be your best self.  When you look good, you feel good and that positivism can flow through all of your interactions with your family, friends, clients, etc... It doesn't take a lot of time or effort to look pretty good! I'm going to try my best to put this in action every day!

The Total Mom Makeover Season Two applications are now available, taking place August 4-6 in Las Vegas, NV!

Here's my video of the Total Mom Makeover!