Skin tip: A quick makeup look requires skin that is taken care of
Looking "fresh-faced" when you haven't slept properly in days and your hormones are still going nutty sounds like an impossible feat, but with a couple of Chang-Babaian's tips, you can keep your skin looking fresh and more awake.
Tip 1: Keep skin cleansing products next to your bed. Many women let their skin care routines go out the window after giving birth. Chang-Babaian suggests keeping cleansing wipes, toner and your nighttime moisturizer on your nightstand so you have no excuses.
Tip 2: Lather on sunscreen. "A lot of new moms experience hyperpigmentation," or darkening of the skin, says Chang-Babaian. Since you can't reach for Retinol (the common solution) while breast-feeding, she recommends using a moisturizer packed with SPF to help keep dark spots from getting worse.
Tip 3: Don't get your upper lip waxed. When you wax, it opens up the skin to more intense sun exposure and tends to cause inflammatory hyperpigmentation -- on top of any skin tone issues you're already experiencing. Stick to plucking if you have unwanted hair.
Tip 4: Keep face blotters with you. Women who are busy can easily let their skin get dehydrated, which can actually cause it to produce excessive amounts of oil. Chang-Babaian says oil-absorbent face sheets are ideal for keeping shine away and breakouts under control.
Photo 0/11
Makeup look: Bold lips
Wearing a bold berry lip color can instantly make you look polished, says Chang-Babaian. Colors rich in pigment will also last longer, so you'll spend less time re-applying.
Here's how to get a drab-to-fab bold lipstick makeup look: Step 1: Apply a tinted moisturizer with SPF for light coverage and protection. Step 2: Use a liquid concealer to cover any dark circles or hyperpigmentation -- a liquid product will keep your skin more moisturized and less cakey when you're experiencing post-baby dry skin blues. Step 3: Line your lips and fill them in with a lip liner that matches the lipstick you plan to wear, then apply lipstick. Blot and dust lips lightly with powder for extra staying power, then apply a second coat of lipstick. Step 4: Apply a couple of coats of black mascara.
You never really appreciate your mom -- that is, until it's your turn in the delivery room. Fourteen hours of labor followed by numerous can't sleep/feel-anything-but-overwhelmed days can't be properly admired or fully recognized until it's your turn to take a ride on the big 'ol baby rodeo.
And while "the phrase 'working mother' is redundant" as the writer Jane Sellman pointed out (thanks Bartlett's), "beautiful mother" sure doesn't feel redundant or implied when you're looking all National Geographic -- infant clutched to your breast on your third day without a shower.
That's why it's time to makeover your beauty routine. By learning what to spend you time on, you can cut the time you spend getting ready down to a realistic and manageable amount of time -- sounds pretty good, huh?
To get these easy makeup tips and quick hairstyling tricks, we went to makeup and hair experts who know a thing or two about getting pretty in a hurry: Taylor Chang-Babaian, celebrity makeup artist and mother to two teens, and Regina Tuzzo, hairstylist at the French Twist Salon in New York and mother of a 14-month-old and twin pre-teens. Check out the easy makeup looks, tips and hairstyles they use to save much-needed time.
