5 (Unconventional) Mommy-Must-Haves!

In honor of Mother's Day, here are five unconventional items this mommy must have! This one's for the ladies, so any guys out there, you can stop reading now and wait for my next post. You won't get any last-minute gift ideas here. You've been warned!

As a stay-at-home-mom of a 3.5-year-old and an almost 2-year-old, it's difficult to feel like a woman at times. I don't have time to spend on myself to get ready when I'm dealing with diapers, pants that keep falling off, lost sippy cups, and last-minute potty breaks. I've found five unconventional Mommy Must-Haves that make the most of that 5 minutes I have in the bathroom to get ready to go.

1. Honey - Yes, for the bathroom. I've found honey to be a wonderful facewash. It is naturally antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. It soothes my sensitive, irritated skin, kills the bacteria that causes acne, and provides antioxidants for my skin while moisturizing my dry skin. And it's cheaper than most of the quality facial cleansers out there!

2. 100% Shea Butter - This is my moisturizer. I use it morning and night. It's very soothing, and doesn't have any unpronouceable ingredients that will probably break me out. And my acne rarely flares up now that my skin is properly nourished and moisturized. I've been using honey and shea butter for about a year and a half, and my complexion has never been better. With these two products, I can avoid all of the acne creams, Retinol, green concealer, beige concealer, and oil-absorbing powder that I had to use just to make myself look presentable! That's a HUGE time-saver for me.

3. Everyday Minerals Pressed Powder - This is mineral make-up that is less expensive than the over-advertised ones, but better quality. The pressed powder version is a bit different, though. Instead of loose powder that you apply with a kabuki brush, this powder is pressed with natural Jojoba and you apply with a circle sponge like your basic Revlon or Maybelline. It's less messy and quicker to apply. It also travels easier! And the coverage is great.

4. Cover Girl Outlast Lipstick - It lasts all day so you don't need to reapply. It doesn't come off when you kiss your LO or eat a grilled-cheese sandwich. And if you tried it when it first came out, the formula's changed. It's easier to apply before it dries and the gloss is smoother and is slightly flavored. It's also cheaper than most of the other long-lasting lip colors.

5. Menstrual Cup - TMI warning!!! I considered not mentioning this, but it's made such a difference in my life that I just had to share. I will be pretty up-front, so if you're squeemish, you may want to skip this one. See, guys, I told you that you didn't want to read this! If you are still dealing with "Aunt Flow," you know how annoying it can be. "AF" always shows up at the most inconvenient time, your diaper bag is filled with pads and tampons instead of toys, you're constantly running to the ladies' room to deal with the situation, you're children won't let you go to the restroom without joining you, and your bathroom cabinets are full of products that DH won't touch, but your children are far too curious about. I considered getting pregnant again just to avoid AF. Enter the menstrual cup. Whether you choose the Diva Cup, the Keeper, the Mooncup UK, or another brand, the menstrual cup makes AF SO MUCH easier to deal with. It's a silicone bell-shaped cup that you insert, it collects the blood, and twice a day you remove it, dump it in the toilet, rinse it off, and re-insert. On my really heavy day, I have to empty three or four times instead of twice, but it's still great. Here is an informational brochure created by an acquaintance of mine if you want to know more.

Please comment and share your "must-haves." I'm always looking for ways to make my life easier!