Welcoming a baby brings joy and excitement, but also a completely new way of living. Gone are the days where we would spend hours doing our hair or scheduling weekly manicures. Now, we’re lucky if we find time to shower and brush our teeth! Many women seem to feel that once they become a mom, they have to forget any pampering of themselves.
Sure, taking care of such a helpless, tiny creature is priority and anything else (even shaving our legs) gets bumped to second place. But, do we really have to sacrifice our looks in order to be perfect moms? Of course not. The key is to find quick, easy alternatives that make you look wonderful in a flash. And if you ask me, a little bit of lipstick or perfume here and there can beat those totally normal, yet stressful baby blues.
Yes, motherhood changes it all, amigas, especially our beauty routines—but that doesn’t mean we have to spend our days with sweatpants and unwashed hair. Here are some beauty tips on how I manage to balance baby and beauty!
Read Related: Top 10 New Mom Questions
YOUR BEAUTY GUIDE FOR NEW MOTHERHOOD
Multipurpose Products
We women are born multi-taskers—and that’s what we have to look for in beauty products. Moisturizers with sunscreens, body oils with your favorite fragrance or a cleansing conditioner for hair are just a few examples of time-savers for moms. Hey, whatever works during those afternoon naps!
Try: Supergoop! Daily Correct CC Cream SPF 35 ($32) • Vincent Longo Lip & Cheek Stain ($22.50) • Caudalie Divine Oil ($49)
Fake a Bake
Bronzed skin gives the illusion of a slimmer body. And while I know you might feel you haven’t got the time for this, I assure you it’s totally worth it. Self-tanning can give a you a much-needed ego lift, and it’s now possible to achieve using odorless, chemical-free formulas (baby’s safety first!). Note: If you’re breastfeeding, please read this!
Try: Tarte Brazilliance Self Tanner ($37) • Anything from Beautisol • Dior Diorskin Nude Tan BB Crème SPF 15 ($44) • 100%Pure Cocoa Pigmented Bronzer ($25)
Wear Perfume
There is no better mood lifter than a spritz of perfume, even when you don’t have the time to put on makeup or change out of your comfy pajamas. Choose soft, mellow aromas though—your baby may have an adverse reaction to strong perfumes.
Try: Armani Acqua Di Gioia Sheer Moisture Mist ($35) • Escada Cherry in the Air ($56) • Lavanilla The Healthy Fragrance Fresh Vanilla Lemon ($58)
All About Eyes
Sadly, the first place where sleep deprivation shows up is on our eyes. Put a little effort into them by applying targeted serums every day, and fake a full 8-hours of sleep with creamy concealers. Stay far away from cakey textures, as they’ll accentuate fine lines and dark circles.
Try: Estée Lauder Perfectionist Line Smoother ($62) • Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Matte Concealer ($40) • It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer ($30)
Bring Your Glow Back
Think of that key product that would make you look and feel all dolled-up. Some can’t live without mascara; others without red lipstick. For me, a swipe of blush works magic. As a quick trick, apply a bit of blush, bronzer or a combination of both, and that pregnancy glow will reappear in seconds!
Try: Benefit Cosmetics Fine-One-One ($30) • wet n wild Mega Glo Illuminating Powder ($4) • Cargo Cosmetics ColorStick ($28)
Don’t Forget Your Hands
You may be able to hide your toes, but not your fingers. If you don’t have time for weekly manicures, simply moisturize your cuticles and leave your nails polish-free. After delivering my son, I survived four months without nail polish—no easy feat for a manicure-loving gal like me! You can also rely on options such as nail stickers or gel manicures.
Try: Gelish Gel Polish System (easy to use and long lasting)
Accept Your New Hair
On the bright side, my after-pregnancy mane was longer and less frizzy. Still, I could have easily opened a wig business with all the hair I shed. Filling bald spots may sound awkward, though it had a huge impact on my self-esteem. Pick fiber-like products or tinted markers close to your natural hair color and don’t worry too much—it will grow back, I promise!
Try: Toppik Hair Fibers Kit ($35) • Viviscal Hair Filler Fibers ($20)
Be (a little) Selfish
You’ve gone through nine months of hard work, intense hours of labor and countless nights without sleeping, and even when that bundle of joy is the center of your universe, you do need some time apart. Know what I did the first few weeks? Whenever I needed to use the bathroom, I’d stay longer than usual so I could put on face mask or hair treatments while reading magazines! After those peaceful few minutes, I was ready to be the strong new mom everyone was expecting me to be.
Try: Talika Eye Therapy Patch ($65) • Josie Maran Hot Oil Self-Heating Hair Treatment ($36) • Tatcha Deep Hydration Lifting Mask ($95)
