Nine months after having a baby, I think it’s fairy normal to feel a bit “blah” in the looks department. As most new (and working) mums would know, a lack of sleep really drains the life out of you and it’s not surprising to be mistaken for a panda bear… or a corpse.
After having kids, our bodies will never be the same and I’m okay with that. A healthy baby is worth every stretch mark. But most of us would be lying if we said we were 100% confident with our post-baby bod.
There are a few things that a woman can do to bring life back into her appearance and shine like the diamond she is. None of these things take a huge amount of time, which is perfect because time (to do ANYTHING) is what we’re all lacking.
All you need to do is devote a little bit of time to YOU and you’ll feel like your pre-baby self again, even if it’s just for a short while. Here are the five things that I did to make myself feel less blah:
In no particular order…
1. Reinvent yourself with a new haircut
Dye it, cut it, whatever you’re game enough to do — DO IT. I cut my long, boring locks off, then had a treatment and dyed it, which was desperately needed after using $5.95 supermarket shampoo for too long. You’d never know my dad was a hairdresser. He doesn’t know I do this so, shhhhhh, don’t tell him.
And nobody told me you can lose hair while you’re breastfeeding. Well, it’s true. A new haircut made me feel SO much more alive and confident again. Plus, think of the head massage!
2. Get outside and exercise
It really doesn’t matter if you’re a size 8 or 28, after having a baby, you can still feel blah about your body. Getting outside and exercising is the best thing to get those happy endorphins working. You don’t have to exercise to lose weight – but to feel good and get that shine and glow back into your face. I always use the excuse, “How do I exercise when I’ve got the kids?” The answer: take them with you. I know it’s easier said than done, but at least try.
3. Tan
I’ve always been of the belief that tanned fat is muscle. Okay, I know that’s not actually true but hey, unless you have beautiful milky white skin, most of us feel a bit better and look healthier with a glow. Don’t go all Jersey Shore on yourself; just get a self-tanner that you can do at home.
Image credit: beautyheaven.com.au
4. Improve your “brow game”
Good brow game can really make or break your face. If you have great eyebrows, you don’t even need makeup, your face will stand out and your best features will shine through. If you’re like me and you thought it was a great idea to pluck your brows into a skinny line in the late ’90s, your game may not be so strong these days. Either go to a brow specialist (there are lots of great brow experts in Adelaide), or you can get some tips on how to do it at home, from our makeup guru, Stacey Caruso Makeup.
Image credit: nbcnews.com
5. Teeth whitening
I’ve always wanted to do this and at 33, I’m so glad I took the plunge. Nobody wants artificial, Tic Tac looking teeth. Just a nice shade of white would be great! A friend of mine works at the Semaphore Dental Clinic, so I headed west and killed two birds with one stone — the beach and the dentist.
Set in a fully-renovated old church, I had “office envy” straight away. Maybe it’s because my “office” is our living room couch? They do two types of whitening: in the chair or the take-home pack. They did a thorough check of my teeth and suggested since I’ve had sensitivity in the past, to go with the take-home pack.
I had moulds taken on the day, then skipped off with the whitening gel and mouth guards ready to whiten my teeth. All I had to do was wear the mouth moulds for a couple of hours a day, for a few days. Then voila — I have whiter teeth!
It’s these small things that have made me feel more confident again. So try one, or all of these tips and I promise, you’ll feel less like a zombie in the long run.
Hayley xx
