As a woman, I feel as though we’re always trying to do so many things at once and often putting other things before ourselves. Whether you’re living with your partner and taking care of your home, running a business, slaying it at the office or being mum (or all 3!), you’re often found putting the needs of others before your own, sacrificing your free time, often forgoing skincare and makeup and more often than not – a good night’s sleep! When you’re a busy bee and especially when you’re a mam, your priorities change to focus on the things that are really important and that you actually need to get done. Long gone are the days of regular wild nights out, drinking until the early hours, having the time to do your hair and having the energy and coordination to wear those towering heels. My friend Emma has just had a baby and she has been telling me all about life as a new mam and I’ve got to say, it sounds like she’s absolutely smashing it. Yes life is tough and your daily routine changes dramatically but you’ve got a beautiful baby to show for it and that new addition to your family is definitely worth it.
When I first saw Emma after she had her little one, she looked radiant. Tired, yes but still happy and radiant; I guess thats the glow of a new mam. For the first couple of weeks, she said that she focused solely on being a mam and then once she got into the swing of things, she started finding quick ways to make herself feel like her again. She told me about how she has her little routines down to a fine art now so that she can still maintain some of the self care and self love rituals that enable her to feel the best that she can about herself. When you look good it can make you feel good. Together, we’ve put together some tips for new mums (or mams as we say in the North East!) to subtly up your glamour game. Now we’re not talking about wearing a mini dress and heels to do the school run but a little bit of self care that can boost your confidence and have you feeling a million dollars!
Unsure of where to start? Read on for 5 subtle ways to boost your glamour game.
VISIT YOUR DENTIST
I know, I know. Doesn’t sound very glamorous does it? If you have a dentist – check out Weybridge Dental if you’re looking to join a practice – then you need to get yourself booked in for a check-up. Why? Because a gorgeous, dazzling smile gives you instant glamour and when you’re happy with your smile, you just can’t help but show it off. So, go for that descale and polish, or enquire about a tooth whitening treatment to really make those pearly whites dazzle! Plus general oral hygiene, dentistry and check ups (as opposed to the cosmetic side of dentistry) can be free on the NHS for a year after you’ve had your little one.
DON’T FORGET YOUR SKIN
When was the last time you exfoliated? Getting rid of all those dead skin cells and grime on a regular basis will make your skin glow and look utterly fresh and fabulous. Without exfoliating, the skin can look lacklustre and you’ll not be getting the most out of your other skincare products because they’ll be battling through the dead skin to get to the healthy skin!
For normal to oily skin, exfoliate once per week; any more and you’ll encourage excess sebum to be produced which can clog your pores. For dry skin types, twice a week is more than sufficient. Liquid exfoliators are the best in my opinion, especially if you’re stuck for time as they can be swept onto the skin with a cotton pad and left on with no need to wash them off. My top pick is the Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Brightening Toner.
If you’re looking for a really quick skincare routine for new mams, my advice would be a 2-in-1 cleanser and toner like the Clarins One Step (they do a one for combination to oily skin, normal to dry and an all skin types thats event great for sensitive skin. Use it daily morning and night (twice at night time); simply pour some onto a cotton pad, sweep it over your whole face, flip the pad over and repeat, simples. This will cleanse your skin and then close your pores and reset the pH balance of your skin. Then use the Gentle Exfoliating Brightening Toner once or twice a week, again on a cotton pad to exfoliate away the dead skin cells. Follow up morning and night with a moisturiser. One for the day and one for the night. A day cream will protect your skin from the elements, pollution and the sun if it has SPF while hydrating and nourishing your skin whereas a night cream will help to replenish, rejuvenate and moisturise your skin while you’re asleep. So that’s 2 products in the morning, 2 products at night and once or twice a week, you’ll be using 3 products at night instead of 2, once or twice a week. For sure, your skin would benefit from a serum and an eye cream but if you have time for the bare minimum, make it those steps.
ADD SOME HEIGHT
Don’t worry, I don’t mean wearing some stiletto heels to the supermarket. But when you add a little heel to your outfit, you’ll be amazed at how differently you feel. When we wear heels, our legs are elongated, and we carry ourselves differently. Plus, they add instant glamour to any outfit so when you’re getting a little me time away from your baby but don’t have a lot of time to get ready for those precious few hours, then add some heels to your jeans and a nice top combo. Try a boot with a chunky heel during the colder days of the week, and when Summer makes an appearance, try a pretty wedge.
BE BOLD
Nothing screams glamour quite like a bold, red lip or a bright pink lip. Think Marilyn Monroe and all those beautiful Hollywood sweethearts. Your makeup can still be minimal but adding a bold or bright lip colour can instantly add a touch of glamour to your makeup and create a really striking look. Just make sure you choose a colour that compliments your skin tone. Although I’m not a mam yet, I find that when I’m really pushed for time, a tinted moisturiser, mascara (or lashes) an a bold lip can make the world of difference!
ADD A BAG
Baby bags are an essential part of any parents arsenal, but they can often be cumbersome and look tatty pretty quickly. So, with glamour in mind – why not swap out your old baby bag for an oversized handbag instead? Choose something that is big enough to fit in all your bits and bobs and has plenty of pocket space! Or what I’ve seen some mams do is to carry a backpack with all of their baby essentials in on their back and then to have a small cross body bag with their regular essentials in like their phone, keys, money and lip balm in. You could opt for this bag to be in a fun colour too; whatever works for you girl!
