The New Mum’s 60-Second Makeover

Wed, 8 August 2012 2:07PM

I love how articles full of beauty tips usually start with things like:

Get eight hours’ sleep a night. Relax with slices of cucumber or cold teabags on your eyelids. Drink eight glasses of water every day. Cleanse twice, once to remove makeup and once to remove dirt. Have regular facials.

HA! Forget it. You’re a mum now. The new addition to your family means that getting eight hours’ sleep is about as likely as winning a date with Ryan Gosling (and right now, the sleep is actually more appealing). The closest you’ll get to cold teabags on your eyelids, is that cup of tea you made yourself three hours ago but didn’t get time to actually drink.

But you don’t have to look as haggard as you feel. (And believe me, I know how haggard you feel.) Obviously, new mums have more than enough on their plate without the added pressure of having to look like they did before birth – but you know what,  spending 60 seconds on your makeup can actually make you feel a bit more like yourself, at a time when EVERYTHING has changed.

For me, this pared-down routine always made me feel like I could tackle the day (and the ever-present mountains of laundry), even if there was poo on my jeans and vomit on my shoulder. It’s not about looking glamorous or being a (shudder) “yummy mummy” … I’m happy to leave that one to VB …

Rather, it’s the makeup equivalent of getting out of your pyjamas and putting on a clean pair of knickers.

So here it is – the bare minimum! It’s all about multi-tasking – products that is, not jiggling the baby in one arm while applying makeup with the other hand (although I’ve done that plenty of times). No brushes required.

Step 1: Apply a daytime moisturiser that contains SPF and a tint. Any of the vast array of BB creams arriving daily on the market will do the job here (e.g. Erborian BB Crème au Ginseng, $59, Biotherm White D-Tox Translu.cell BB Cream, $49). Takes five seconds to apply and already you’re looking passable.

Step 2: Concealer. You need a creamy one designed for under the eyes, ideally with a pink corrective undertone (e.g. Benefit Erase Paste, $47, Laura Mercier Secret Concealer, $45). You can apply it with your fingers, with a quick swipe over the dark circles and then a quick pat to blend it in. 15 seconds.

Step 3: Lip/cheek stain. Blush makes you look so much more awake and rested. You can use a cream or a liquid, the key here is something you can apply easily with your fingers (try Becca Lip & Cheek Crème, $46, or Beach Tint ,$42). Pat just a small amount over the apples of your cheeks, and then dab over your lips. 20 seconds.

Step 4: A quick lick of mascara, to the top lashes only. If you’re already blessed with long dark lashes I hate you, skip this step and go for some lip gloss or lipstick instead. 15 seconds.

And that’s it! Baby still asleep? Go and sit down and drink that cup of tea. Don’t worry, the laundry mountain will still be there when you’re done.

 

* Kate Morris is the founder of websites Adore Beauty and Findation. All products mentioned here can be purchased at Adore Beauty.

Posted by: Kate Morris

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Tags: BB cream, benefit, biotherm, concealer, dark circles, kate morris, laura mercier, multi tasking, multi-purpose, mum beauty, quick face, quick trick, victoria beckham