As beauty editor, I probably pick up a new tip or technique every day of the week. But when it comes to true inspiration, nobody has replaced my mother. She was the first person I saw put on lipstick, use a blow-dryer, spray on fragrance, or paint her nails, and I remember every word of her beauty wisdom. One example: wash your face twice a day. My mom, Marcia, hates the feeling of dirty skin, so she makes sure to cleanse once in the morning and once at night. I ended up picking up the same habit, to the point where no matter how tired I am, I cannot go to bed without washing my face. I want my skin to look as good as hers at 60 (sorry, Mom, but you look damn good for your age!)
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In honor of Mother's Day, I asked the Allure ladies to divulge the best beauty advice they ever got from their mothers. They really do know best!
Hold the makeup. "Although my mom wasn't a big makeup wearer, she always made a point to get a manicure, have her highlights done, and get a great haircut, and I try to do the same," says articles editor Elizabeth Angell. "You can get away with minimal makeup if everything else looks good."
Don't hold the makeup. "My mom's advice was to never leave the house without makeup," says beauty news editor Heather Muir. "She is a firm believer that, unless you're heading to the gym, you should always put yourself together-and makeup is a huge part of that. She would always tell me and my sister to put on our makeup before we went out-and now it's just habit."
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Get some color. "Once, when I was younger, my mom tried to force me to try a blush she had just bought," says beauty writer Liz Siegel. "I didn't want to and argued that I already blush too easily. She responded with some of the best makeup advice of all time: Every woman needs to wear a little blush. She's right. It immediately makes you look healthy and more awake. Now, it's the first thing I put on after foundation. I would never wear makeup without it."
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Take time for beauty. "My mother spent Sunday night painting her nails, blowing out her hair, sharpening her eyeliners, and just getting all her products clean and organized for the week," says editorial assistant Alexandra Owens. "She told me you should always take one night a week to pamper yourself beauty-wise, no matter how busy you get. I'm not as diligent, and sometimes I'll skip a week. But when I do take the time, I always feel better."
Comb wet, brush dry. "My mom never brushed her hair wet," says editorial assistant Catherine O'Neill. "She always, always combed it, and while with my really thick hair, it was a pain in the neck, the habit stuck with me. I think my hair has less damage now because of it."
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The 6 Most Flattering Haircuts for Round Faces
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