See that woman in the bathroom mirror? She looks tired. She IS tired. She’s had 12 hours of sleep over the course of a week, happy/sad/just-plain-tired cried so much that her eyelids seem to be enveloping her bloodshot eyes, and hasn’t had a well-balanced meal in weeks. She looks older, but maybe not wiser as she deliriously pumps hand soap on her toothbrush to start her day. This, my friends, is the unfamiliar familiar face of new motherhood. When we finally get the luxury of a 10 minute shower, the woman staring back at us in the mirror can be shocking.
And sure, there are a million other things that take priority over making yourself up in these first months. Like, you know, keeping your baby alive. But I’ve always believed that there is a power in how you present yourself, if to no one else but yourself (and those snuggly little ones who could not care less!). Sometimes, when things get too much to handle, I slap on some perfume and glittery lip gloss and see how my mood changes. More often than not, things get better. It is with this in mind that I came up with my list of essentials for the busy new mom’s beauty routine.
H2Oh boy, am I thirsty.
Its an often repeated statistic: Your body is more than 60 percent water. A lot of that water gets depleted from hormonal sweating, breastfeeding, and massive amounts of dehydrating-but-delicious caffeinated beverages. To look and feel better, get that moisture back in! Drink water whenever you can, slather on rich lotions/creams to your thirsty skin, take care of those dry lips, and condition your tired tresses. You’ll never catch me without a thick layer of body and face lotion on, Moroccan Oil on my ends, Blistex on my lips, and a Coconut La Croix in hand!
When the going gets tough, the tough get sloughing.
I love a good facial scrub. I use a glycolic scrub on my face twice a week, and a face mask once a week. You can find a scrub at any price point, and for any sensitivity level. Sloughing away that dead skin to reveal a polished, tighter face is a great way to feel more awake and alive. It also can also clean away any makeup residue from those nights you are too exhausted to actually wash your face before you pass out to the rhythmic sounds of your Medela Symphony in a pair of your husband’s OU boxers on the recliner. Or so I’ve heard.
Concealers. All of the concealers.
Concealer for your dark circles, brightening concealer for your eyes, full coverage concealer for those pesky hormonal blemishes and skin discoloration, waterproof concealer for when you run into other moms at the park and you’ve sweat away all of your makeup, and concealer for the baby fingernail scratches on your chest from an aggressive nursing session. Concealer is your best friend, new moms. This liquid, cream, or powder can magically put life back into your face. It’s the one thing I never leave the house without. I’ve tried, but no one deserves to be traumatized by the zombie with pearls squeezing avocados at Central Market. I use a creamy, lightweight, orange-ish concealer on my inner eyes to combat the darkness every day, and the others when needed. Which is every day, but sometimes I like to pretend they’re optional. A girl can dream.
Fake it ’til you make it.
BB cream, bronzer, dry shampoo, rubber bands, and a forgiving nail polish have gotten me through the roughest of rough days. Some days are hard to get it together, and some days you just don’t want to. Like I said, there are other priorities these days! But a good bronzer/highlighter, ponytail do, and “fresh” manicure can allow you to look like you got at least four hours of interrupted sleep the night before. Maybe even five if your broken-hair “baby bangs” are able to lie down along your part for said hair do. I chose a navy blue toenail polish for my newborn era toes, as it didn’t call attention to itself (or my hooves) and allowed me to just paint on top of chips and cracks multiple times before it became noticeable. Multiple times as in I can’t remember the last time I painted them fresh. Fresh as in I paint all over my toes, let them dry, and scrub the excess off with a nail brush in the shower. (Clearly toes are not my priority!)
Focus on what makes YOU feel pretty.
Maybe pedicures are your thing, or a spray tan makes you feel better about the way you look. You might indulge in an eyebrow wax, facial, or teeth whitening process (once done with nursing) to feel like the old you again. Whatever it is, make the time and go for it! It might feel selfish at first, but how you feel about yourself in this time of transition is really important. You are more than just a mom, mommas. You’re a woman who wants to look like she just got back from a relaxing week in the Caribbean, not a stressful two hours at Target with a cranky baby!
New mom beauty hacks are born out of necessity, but often hard to shake because they sure make life easier. That extra time you used to spend creating that awesome smokey eye, or “shaving above your knees” is now time to love on those precious little love muffins, clean up the house, or spend some quality time with your pals Hoda and Kathie Lee.
New moms, you are beautiful JUST the way you are, but I would love to know what your favorite products for feeling pretty!
