The Best Beauty Tips We Learned from Our Moms

“My mom doesn’t really wear makeup, but she has really great, healthy hair that she attributes to DIY hair masks. I don’t really do them anymore (I prefer to buy them and keep kitchen ingredients in my kitchen) but I spent many, many hours as a kid with mayo, raw eggs and olive oil in my hair. I don’t think all at the same time, but it’s entirely possible.” — Suzie Michael, associate beauty editor.

“My mom’s love of hot rollers in the ’80s and ’90s graced her with the most luscious feathered mane à la Farrah Fawcett. It also led to my own experiments with the mysterious technology, which I unfortunately never mastered and usually ended up with a burned scalp.” — Nicole Livey, associate designer.

“My mom approached washing her face with the same vigor that you’d reserve for a floor: aggressively scrubbing it until her skin was pink. She favoured either St. Ives Apricot Scrub or Phisoderm Cleanser and a Buf-Puf, which was a sponge that felt like the abrasive side of a pot scrubber. Her skin must have felt SO tight afterwards! I grew up thinking this must be how you wash your face and followed suit, loyally using St. Ives well into my teens. Obviously today I know better than to be so punishing to my skin.” — Lesa Hannah, beauty director.

“I used to never brush my hair, much to my mom’s dismay (she’s a staunch believer in hair brushing). Luckily for her, I do now, after discovering the Tangle Teezer about a year ago. I now cannot not leave the house without brushing my hair.” — D’Loraine Miranda, assistant editor/research.

“My mom strongly believes that water and sleep are the cures to unhappy skin. Whether it was red and blotchy or I had a few pimples, the reason always seemed to be that I wasn’t drinking enough water or getting enough sleep. To be honest, water and sleep were her answers to every problem. Have a headache? Drink more water. Getting the sniffles? Have a nap! I would always roll my eyes, but now I think she might be on to something.” – Renee Tse, assistant beauty editor.

“My mom has always been a minimalist when it comes to makeup, using a bit of lightweight foundation on problem spots but never applying a full-on mask of makeup. In fact, she’s been using Clinique products since as long as I can remember! I’ve struggled more with acne than she ever did, so I wear more cover-up and foundation than she would, but I always remind myself of what she says, that less is more when it comes to making your skin look good—especially around the eyes. Also, because we’re both fair, lipstick is a tried-and-true part of the formula—nothing brightens up the complexion quite like it.” — Emilie Dingfeld, health and copy editor.

“When I was in the eighth grade, I wanted nothing more than to transform my thick, unruly brows into thin, arched perfection. However, my mom, having over-plucked in the past, was adamant that I only wax off any excess hairs, rather than reshape my eyebrows entirely. I’ll never forget the first time she took me to get my brows waxed — she hovered over me to ensure the aesthetician didn’t remove too much hair! But now, I’m thankful she was so strict about it as my brows are still in tact, and thick enough for my liking.” — Madelyn Chung, contributor.

“The best beauty tip my mom ever gave me was to protect my skin by always wearing an SPF moisturizer and sunscreen. In my late teens I can’t say I always followed this advice. But with age, its importance has become much more apparent to me. Why wouldn’t I want to follow in her footsteps? She’s a beauty!” — Hilary Hatt, designer.

“My mother, who only wore lipstick, taught me the most beautiful attribute is a great smile.” — Jacquelyn Francis, executive editor.