When George was a tiny baby, it was really important to me to have a shower every day, get dressed and put on a little make-up. It meant I was much more likely to leave the house (which was key for my mental health), but it also helped me to retain a sense of myself amidst the haze of those first few days/weeks/months, what with the constant breastfeeding and the strangeness of my postpartum body. It’s not that I feel I need to justify putting myself first; rather, I think that – especially after a long night – if I can feel a bit more like me by putting on a bit of make-up, then I’m a much more patient parent for it.
This time around, I like to think I know a bit more about skincare and make-up (thanks to beauty blogs) and this is the five-minute routine I’ve been following most days. This routine also works for all you tired mums out there with bigger babies! As we all know, the tiredness never really goes away…
Skincare: If my skin feels crap, then I can guarantee that no amount of expensive make-up is going to cover it up. Although there’s not much you can do when you’re chronically sleep-deprived, the one thing I do try to do is without fail is to cleanse my face properly at night. I tend to do mine when George has gone to bed and before I get too tired – I can’t say enough good things about this cleansing balm. Then I slap on the moisturiser as I find my skin gets really dry when I’m run down. I use this serum in oil, which I massage all over my face including my eyes, neck and lips. I like that it’s just one thing to apply rather than a serum, eye cream and night cream. Also I’m trying to drink as much water as possible as I know how newborns really suck it out of you (literally).
Base: After my morning shower, I use this hydrating serum from Superdrug (which is an absolute bargain at £2). It sinks in really quickly and leaves a nice base for make up. Then I smooth this primer over my face (yes, primer seems like an unnecessary step, but if I’m going to the effort of putting on make-up, I want it to last all day!) followed by this CC cream.
Concealer: Before I had Thomas, I splurged on this NARS concealer (after reading about it on a million blogs) and it is amazing! It completely covers under-eye bags and blemishes. I think a big contributing factor is that the shade exactly matches my skintone, so it blends in really well, but basically it is the best (this concealer from Maybelline is a good budget version). I dot it all over my face where needed and blend it in with this face brush.
Blusher: I smear this cream blusher (another absolute bargain and great if you like really bright blusher, like me) on the apples of my cheeks and blend it with a stippling brush. It might seem like overkill to use make-up brushes, but I find them so easy to use and I get a much better finish from them (it’s just cleaning them that it is a total hassle..).
Mascara: For ages, I saved mascara for special occasions, but now I actually think a few coats makes me feel more put together. I currently use this one, but I’m not wedded to any particular brand – unless anyone has any recommendations for me? Oh, then I add a little eyebrow mascara, which Rose got me into.
Extras: Depending on how well-behaved the kiddos are being and how I’m feeling, I might add a little something. You all know I’m a big lipstick fan and I love these Bourjois lipsticks in particular. They’re really long-lasting so you don’t have to worry about them smearing all over your face or wearing off after you eat something. Otherwise, I might smear a little of this cream eyeshadow onto my lids with my ring finger or give contouring a go.
How did you feel like ‘you’ again when you had a baby?
P.S. How to survive the first few months with a newborn, things NOT to say to a new mum and why you should get in the bath with your baby.
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