by Mama Hippo
Like most moms, I spend quite a bit of time throughout the day looking at my baby's beautiful skin-- on his face, feet, hands, etc. It's hard to avoid as I take care of him.
And then I'll take a good look at my own skin, and, well, compared to the smooth baby skin, mine looks unfortunately wrinkled and in vast need of attention.
I've been taking decent care of my face, getting better these days about washing and moisturizing regularly. I manage to slap some makeup on if I'm going to meet up with friends, but it's more minimal than before and I can't remember the last time I invested in some fun new makeup. As for the rest of me, I'll suddenly notice how dry my skin looks, or how crappy my hands or feet seem, and try to do something about it, but any sort of regular maintenance has completely gone out the window.
I think when we move back to the US (and can go to salons that don't cost an arm and a leg) I may try to invest in semi-regular manicures and pedicures, even if it's just once a month. It seems like a small way to keep myself looking and feeling nice, which seems pretty valuable for new moms.
Have you kept up beauty maintenance since the birth of your children? What's your routine?
Comments (13)
When I first had my daughter it was hard to find time to eat, let alone keep up on manicures and pedicures! It's a 24/7 job taking care of a baby and a house, especially as a single mother. But now my daughter is 9 and we get mani/pedi's together.
Nada I haven't keep a high maintenance on myself ever since I have given birth to my daughter. I just wash my face and whenever during special occasion I would put some make-ups on. I really need a spa treatment soon.
I keep up with basic care. I wash my face and moisturize at least once a day. I keep my nails looking nice. I don't polish them much because I can't keep them from getting chipped. I do wear some make up when I leave the house but not like I used to before having kids. I give myself at home facials a couple times a month.
My hair on the other hand needs a bit of help. I'm growing my color out. I'm glad that the last time I dyed it, it was fairly close to my natural color so my roots don't look that bad. I need a hair cut desperately but don't have the time.
One of the greatest things I own: a foot bath. (or foot spa, whatever you want to call it.) It is one of the most relaxing things for me. It might even be something you can squeeze in easily. Get it ready so that while you are feeding D you can use it for yourself!
i wash and scrub and mosterize. i put on makeup when i go to to work. it's important to keep up the skin routine and plus, it makes us woman feels so muchb better just to look good and keep things up
When we bought our house, I think people thought I was kidding when I said I moving into the massive bathtub. I wasn't. My back hurts? Into the tub! I need a weekly pedicure? Into the tub! I'll soak everything while I'm there! While make-up has become a "special occasion" item since I've been so tired, I still make sure to moisturize and treat any up coming blemishes.
My daughter is now 19mo and I am starting to take up the manicure, wax thing. At 1 yr old I started buying clothes again and putting on make up. Any time before that I was all about the pijamas and ''natural look'' ^-^
I have to say that I wasn't much into the stuff before I had kids...and I'm not into it now. I had a manicure and pedicure for my wedding and that was the first and last time. I wash my face and try to remember to use a moisturizer, but don't even own any make (at least not any that isn't dry and crustly from lack of use). My hair is all natural I guess...I just wash it...and I usually brush it at least one a week. Seriously, I just run my fingers through it in the shower when I wash it and that is good enough for me. It is very long and straight and generally just get tossed up into a pony tail to keep it out of the way of my daily things (and children's fingers). That is just how I have always been and I don't see it changing anytime soon.
My husband and I just got back from a 3 day mini vacation in celebration of our 2 year wedding anniversary (my mom had Jeremiah- 7 1/2 months old). I went to the salon in our hotel to get my eyebrows waxed and the lady that did mine asked me if it was my first time. The last time I had them waxed was the day before my son was born. The mani/pedi that my grandma treated me to right before I left was also the first one since the day before he was born. I used to try to get all that stuff done once every month or two before I became a mommy; now it's just not feasible financially or time-wise.
@mamamonkey - exactly the same for me.
I found when my children were younger that it was harder to keep up with such things too. The children's needs come first then the hubby then the house always needs some kind of order to be found whether meals, the never ending flow of laundry and so forth... My mother arrived one day out of the blue and took me to a salon where she treated me to a hair cut, the pedicure, the manicure and as she dropped me off she told me, "You can only treat others as well as you treat yourself. If you don't care of you, you can't offer the best you can to your children" It sadly took me a while to realise that but she was right... Mom always is.
I remember that where I lived, as soon as we turned 13, our mothers would take us to the local department store and introduce us to how to care for our skin, hair and even apply light and natural make up (in this case lip gloss lol)
Since that day I have used the finest of creams and lotions and always took great care of myself. A little extreme as I took two hours to get ready. One hour which was simply my eye creams, anti-aging potions, etc, etc. But it wasn't just my face that I cared for. And it wasn't only through fancy products.
I found myself watching the sun and not exposing myself to it without sunscreen. I drank the 8 glasses of water required for our health and skin. I slept with a silk pillow case. I did Yoga, pilates and enjoyed my life to the fullest. Made sure to laugh and not allow myself to stress unnecessarily. The list goes on but you get the point. I was obsessed.
Then...I got pregnant.
From that moment on, I don't know what happened. I never cared for myself the way I used to again. I hate that it has gotten this way. I want to fix this but its been a year and a half and I feel I've let myself go so much.
I guess better late than never.
Thanks for your post. You gave me something to think about and even more to strive for. I want to be a good example for my little girl.
I used to keep up my leg/bikini waxes, winter and summer, but I can't afford it any longer now that we have a child. I will get the occasional wax, like before a vacation, so that I don't have to shave that week. I do try to keep up with shaving my legs, but I must admit I've been too tired on occasion, and only shaved below the knee... LOL! I do take good care of my face; I've always had an evening "ritual" of cleansing my face, and in the mornings I just use a simple face wash in the shower.
Still... there are more things I used to do, but rarely do now - like wear make-up (only when I'm going somewhere), take long baths (I think I've had three since my son was born, and he is 15 months!). I never could afford mani/pedicures, since I live in Europe like you (eeek...) but I did get a pedi when I was heavily pregnant and couldn't reach my feet
.
I've shopped for clothes online when I couldn't walk. I must admit though, that I've had waaaay more pajama days than are good for me - it makes me feel so icky to not at least shower and get dressed!
I try to keep my hair looking good, by just using a conditioner and getting it trimmed and colored regularly - but "regularly" used to mean every 6 weeks, and now I'm lucky if I can make it to the salon four times a year! Needless to say, I'm growing it out and wearing a ponytail pretty often...
Pooooeeeeeh. It's hard, but I do want to feel like a "girl" again. Thanks for the reminder!!