New mum fashion and beauty tips
Self care. What’s that? In between stepping on Duplo and combing out mashed potato from my hair, I don’t really have much time to look in the mirror, let alone do anything about it. With a baby in the house, it only occurs to you one day that you hate all the clothes you wear, you haven’t brushed your hair in two days and there is NO beauty routine in place.
We’re looking after the future generation here, we don’t have time to look sexy. And that’s fine, but when it affects your self esteem and self worth that’s not OK. Here aresome beauty tips to hopefully make you feel a bit more human, while also fitting into the never ending cycle of childcare.
Supplements
Those skin/hair/nail supplements are a godsend when you don’t have time to actually rub moisturiser on your face. I take them straight away with my much needed caffeine hit coffee first thing in the morning so the things that are ruining and saving my face are being consumed at the same time. I’ve also started taking ginkgo biloba to help with tiredness and collagen supplements: they help keep joints healthy and skin youthful and not only can the lack of sleep can really hit hard, I have all manner of aches and pains from lifting toddlers and babies from one place to the next.
Conditioner
I imagine conditioner already exists in your bathroom in some capacity but bear in mind with NO time available for straighteners, curlers or even hairdressers, this product is doing some heavy lifting so invest in it. The conditioner for you often depends on hair type but if you have postpartum hair shedding, Aveda Smooth Infusion Anti-Frizz Conditioner is great for those small wisps of hair that appear around your face. Keratin-based conditioners also help transform tired hair or for those on a budget, Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor is a must.
Get THE hairdryer
Yeah, you can see I’m not reinventing the wheel here. What I’m telling you is make use of the routine you’ve already got and make it SMARTER. We don’t have time for fancy treatments in the salon but we can make use of ionic treatment from GHD’s Air Hairdryer for example (or the Helios if you fancy a motor boost). If you’ve got a cool £330 to spare, you could also invest in Dyson’s latest model, which has a special flyaway attachment and offers advice online for how to use it based on your hair type. If, like me, you don’t then the Panasonic Nanoe EH-NA65 Hair Dryer keeps the moisture in your hair, making it shiny and smooth.
Invest in the best long coat you can find
This is the best advice for anyone who has a new baby from October onwards: anyone outside the house will only ever see you in a coat so it’s worth investing in the best one you can find. Long coats not only hide a multitude of baby sick stains, they give you a flattering silhouette. Fit and flare skirted coats are great at hiding a postpartum figure, if that’s what you want. I like a belted wrap coat for a comfier alternative. This advice also works in the spring – just use a lightweight trench coat instead – the extra pockets are great for baby supplies.
Dry shampoo
Yes, that thing that’s normally used at music festivals or staying in a field is also needed when living with a baby. You can never guarantee a shower will take place and if you’ve got greasy hair when meeting up with someone , there’s only so many reasons you can muster for keeping a hat on. I’ve never got on with dry shampoos – they’ve left nasty grey streaks in my very dark hair so I’ve had to go more premium. Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk Powder Spray is the prime steak of dry shampoos, closely followed by Living Proof Perfect Hair Day (PhD) Dry Shampoo, which has a small bottle option if you just want to test it out. For a (slightly) more affordable option, Moroccanoil offers dry shampoo based on your hair colour.
Face masks
I don’t mean those gooey gel ones you put on in the bath and have a good soak. Let’s face it, we all know the moment we put one of them on, the baby will want a feed and will scream at the sight of you wandering round the house with wet hair and a slimy face, giving Gollum a run for his money. I mean a three-minute mask with instant results so your face resembles skin rather than sandpaper. I use No7 Instant Results Nourishing Hydration Mask because I got it in a Christmas set one year and it does what it promises. Others highly rated are Beauty Kitchen SHP+ 5 Minute Miracle Mask or, if you want a one time trial, 5-Minute Reset Hydrogel Sheet Mask.
Long boots
Obviously more suited to the winter months, a pair of these with a long coat will mean any baby sick stains are hidden and you have a perfect silhouette no matter how exhausted you’re feeling. I recommend an over-the-knee style. Yes, it does mean you’re covered up, but if you’re anything like me, none of your clothes match during the day anyway as you’re so grateful to find something clean. I also have to keep a flat heel as I need to work the brake of the tandem pushchair that I always seem to be pushing uphill.
Cleanser
Because we’ve all got to wash our face, right? Like plenty of other products, the best cleanser depends on your skin type. But for overall needs, you don’t have to break the bank. Dr Sam’s Flawless Cleanser was branded the best available by Harper’s Bazaar and CeraVe has the best no-frills range for all skin types (I can vouch for their Foaming Cleanser with Niacinamide). For those of you with sensitive skin, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser is a minimalist wipe off milk that’s even been given the seal of approval by Allergy UK.
