Beauty journalist and editor of new beauty website, Beauty Hunter, Melinda Ayre* guest posts today on Styling You. I asked Melinda to give Styling You’s readers her top five beauty must-haves for busy mums.
Being a mum means your beauty routine is super squeezed. Here are some quick fixes for busy babes with babes.
1. Shower power
Nothing frustrates me more than my husband arriving home from touch football mid-morning and popping straight into the shower. “I haven’t even had a shower yet,” I yell through the door. Yep, demanding toddlers mean showering is a stressful, rushed and rare experience. When you don’t have time to wash your hair, use a dry shampoo to absorb excess oil and give hair a fresh scent and texture. We love: John Frieda Luxurious Volume Anytime Volume Refresher, $15.99. It’s a super lightweight version of dry shampoo so even fine hair will have oomph and grip. Visit www.johnfrieda.com or call 1800 468 318.
2. Serum-dipity
Recently, I looked at a picture of myself when I was pregnant and I was shocked. Not just by my puffy whale-like appearance but also by my scary skin. The fact is hormones and lack of sleep during pregnancy and breastfeeding can leave skin dull, uneven and patchy. Dehydration is also a common problem during this exhausting time. You forget to drink water and breastfeeding dehydrates you even more. I recommend leaving a bottle of water by the bed along with a beautiful serum. Every time you’re up with bub, drink water and also slather hydrating serum into your face. You’ll wake looking more dewy and fresh and avoid that horrible grey complexion of the living dead. We love: Mrs White’s Physick Rose Youth Serum, $39.95. Smooth on this simple elixir for soft, nourished skin. The old-fashioned formula is packed with organic cold-pressed rosehip seed oil and organic rose absolute to kick start cell regeneration. Visit www.beautyhunter.com.au
3. Sheer magic
Multi-purpose products are a must when you’re getting ready in five minutes flat with toddlers nipping at your heels. One of my all-time faves is Laura Mercier Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer SPF20, $42. It freshens your complexion for the day and blends so beautifully you can whack it on with your fingers. It illuminates, hides flaws, evens up skin tone and gives UV protection all at once. Note: I packed this little beauty in my birth bag so I didn’t look hellish in the baby photos. Visit www.lauramercier.com
4. Hands up
I’m no domestic goddess, but I must say I’ve never plunged my hands into so much water since having two little ones. Washing up, soaking baby clothes and washing hands in a germ-phobic panic. A robust hand cream beside each sink in the house is a must – your hands age so fast during motherhood. We love: Avene Cold Cream Hand Cream, $20.95. This cold cream for hands is rich in Thermal Spring Water and leaves a protective veil that lasts for 10 washes. Visit www.avene.com.au
5. Cleaning lady
When I’m playing at-home mum I usually don’t have much make-up on anyway but you really need to cleanse at the end of every day to remove daily grime. If you’re dog-tired, a little packet of wipes beside the bed can be a godsend – just lean over and wipe your face clean between baby feeds. We love: Biore Gentle Make-Up Removing Wipes with Green Tea, $8.99. Made with 100% renewable resources they are gentle, nourishing and lift off grime, oil and even waterproof mascara. Visit www.biore.com.au
There you have it, five products that will make your life a little easier – and all under $50. Have you tried any of these? Any quick beauty tips for mums on the move?
Editor’s note: I’ve stalked Melinda Ayre from afar (she just doesn’t know it). She wrote a popular beauty column in body+soul (insert in News Limited Sunday newspapers) for more than eight years. After having her two children 17 months apart (I’ve been there too!), she found working part-time in the office a bit of a struggle so decided to take the plunge and work from home. Now she’s added a fabulous beauty website, Beauty Hunter, to her working life, which also includes consultation work to beauty companies, talks about beauty on MIX 106.5 and contributions to Australian Vogue beauty pages. Beauty Hunter is a beauty boutique website in magazine editorial style with beautiful images and great beauty journalism. Go over and check it out.
Comments 24
After giving birth and expect that your too busy taking care of your newborn child. You have to adjust in all things to be done and always be patient upon doing it. Don’t let your angry leads you to war because there is an effects in your baby later.
Just been out and bought the LM Tinted Moisturiser after reading this. Just what I’d been looking for – thank you.
Excellent!
Ooh, welcome Melinda! I miss your columns so have bookmarked your website. 🙂
I heart Batiste Dry Shampoo Nude, in a little squirty bottle, but the aerosol can is good too.
I love the entire Trilogy Age range and I can’t do without my Becca Line + Pore Primer to blur the eye area!
It only takes a moment but whacking on a bit of under eye highlighter makes you look like you’ve slept all night! I found YSL Touche Eclat for $35 at Chemist Warehouse yesterday!
Hi Kimbalikes – I am happy to hear you have me bookmarked! Online is a new world for this newspaper gal.
Yep – don’t you just love Dry Shampoo. It’s super to avoid that lank, greasy fringe. Evo make a cool one called Water Killer! I haven’t tried the Becca Line & Pore Primer under the eyes so will give it a go.
YSL for $35 – you go gal!
Trilogy rosehip oil and a night of unbroken sleep works everytime for me!
Eight hours of sleep is such a skin saver. I really hope for unbroken sleep soon – until then, serum and the occasional hotel is all I’ve got 🙂
I love rosehip oil!
Me too! A good serum will go a long way to making you glow when you don’t really feel like it.
Bio Oil.
Moroccan Oil light.
Keratin Treatments.
Diorshow mascara.
These are afew of my favourite things…x
Keratin treatments are a huge time saver – my Brazilian one I had in February needs a top up. Must do soon.
Diorshow is spectacular for big lashes isn’t it? And I love your Bio Oil hint – it’s a fab stretch mark eraser.
Also – quick word on Keratin treatments. In the last year or so, some have been found to have formaldehyde levels that are too high. HydroSpa Keratin Smoothing Treatment passes all the tests –
formaldehyde level 200 times lower than permitted. Visit http://www.trichovedic.com.au
Hi Again. Yes good point re the Keratin, they changed earlier this year. I have tried the old and the new. Not so straight second time around but still helps with the flyaways and frizz.xx
P.S BIO OIL for everywhere, face, nails – you name it. No job too big or small…
Bugger, I thought you were going to say I need a cleaning lady. Surely that would save me!
Me too! I guess I can settle for tinted moisturiser 🙂
I need one of those cleaning lady things too … not that I do it. My husband does.
Yes I’m afraid I’m Sadie at my house too – having play dates at other people’s places helps towards keeping your own house clean & tidy 🙂
Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser is indeed awesome!
I’m going to add it to my arsenal!
I love a good cleansing wipe for fast fixes. I also love products that do multiple jobs; body wash with exfoliator, foundations with SPF, lip balms with tints etc.
Multi-tasking beauty products are my faves. Jane Iredale does a lot of them. And I’ve always got a pack of face wipes at the ready!
I use the LM tinted moisturiser and I love it! Also use Rosehip oil (trilogy) and skin wipes (nivea)
xx
Yes I love the Trilogy Rosehip oil too and so glad you have already found the LM Tint!