In this multi part series I will be posting local women’s stories about how they have been inspired by their Mother’s beauty advice. Thank you to all the ladies who sent in submissions. I am so excited and honored to share these beautiful stories.

Ashley

When I think back to my earliest memories of my Mom, I always remember how glamorous she was (and still is by the way!) She and my Dad had date night every week and it was clear she loved the process of getting “pretty” almost as much as going out! She would spend 2 hours taking a long bath, putting on her make-up, doing her hair, and picking out the perfect outfit. I remember very fondly watching at her make-up counter as she would meticulously apply Chanel make-up to her face, thinking “Wow, I can’t wait to do that one day too!”. Sometimes she would put a little on me and I used to think I was a movie star!

Today, I’ve inherited this same ritual (unfortunately for my husband, a love for Chanel came along…), but it wasn’t just about watching my Mom make herself more beautiful on the outside that made these memories so fond. It was here, at this make-up counter, that she would teach me big life lessons: what it means to be a good person, how to pick and choose your battles, how to deal with heartbreak, how to problem solve and think critically…..and the list goes on and on.

Her make-up counter was my classroom for life and for beauty! I, one day, hope to do the same with my daughter! We no longer live in the same state so I, unfortunately, can’t sit next to her every time she does her make-up and ask inquisitive question about life. I can, however, call my Mom while we both do our make-up and pick up right where we left off! 25 years later, and I’m still learning big lessons from my Mom…..and I wouldn’t’ have it any other way! I love you Mom. Happy Mother’s day!

Lea

What I learned from my mom was to see & appreciate beauty in life. She’s an early childhood expert and my favorite activity she teaches is to get paint sample cards for preschoolers and have them compare colors to their skin so they aren’t black or white but are beautiful colors like creamy hazelnut or sunset peach, encouraging everyone to appreciate their own skin. She constantly read us poetry and encouraged us to appreciate the beauty of the words and to learn to use our own vocabularies to create beautiful descriptions of our feelings. My mother is an accomplished world traveler; I have tried to follow in her footsteps despite my many irrational fears of airplanes and being more than 10 minutes from a Target; but, I have seen some of the most beautiful places like the rain forests in Costa Rica and the endless sand dunes under a star lit sky in Dubai thanks to her encouragement to appreciate the beauty of the world.

She taught me that my own beauty will shine through when I feel most fulfilled and happy. She taught me that if I love and respect myself, other will love and respect me. She taught me that beauty is so much more than looking pretty, but that it is being able to laugh at myself, being generous to a fault, helping others without judgment or expecting anything in return, and always appreciating what I have been given.

I have never felt more beautiful than on my wedding day. Yes, I was perfectly glammed up and had done more crunches the preceding months that I ever thought possible, but I felt beautiful because I was facing the man I am going to spend forever with, and I knew that even if I never shaved my legs again, or stopped wearing mascara, he would still love me unconditionally for the rest of my life. Without my mom’s teaching I never would have felt such confidence in my own beauty to find such wonderful love.

Want to read more? My Mother…Myself Part 3