to ask how mums of young child manage to not look like *#&@ all the time?

[MamamamaT]

Just that. I have a toddler and am also pregnant, I''m not working but always rushing around. If (big if) I manage to put on make up in the morning, I certainly don't manage hair, my clothes are covered in food and gunk by the end of the day and I always like frazzled and bedraggled. Anyone got any lifesaving tips?

nope I look like shite too....

You will never look younger than you do today.

Unless they spend a significant time away from you in their waking day you're fucked.

I am trying to invest in skincare regime and hopefully this will help me look fresh and I now don’t wear makeup everyday... not sure it’s working though... !!

Haven’t mastered it yet. I often arrive at work to have someone point out the fact that I have weetabix on me....all my clothes come from primark if I ever have time to shop....

reckon i look ten years older than before kids!

No idea what the answer is!

I had my hair cropped to my jawline. I don't have to do anything to it and it's so so easy. Takes seconds to wash too!

Not saying I look any better but...

I have a hairdresser come to my house every 6 weeks to do a professional cut and colour. Best £50 I spend a month (I'm nearly 100%grey)

I occasionally do my own shellac nails. I bought a kit from amazon and it's a lot cheaper than doing in the salon. My nails look great for 2 weeks. I've stopped being arsed recently though.

I wear quite plain clothes, but try and get nicer stuff in the sales. I find it easier to dress if there's not too much choice, it's well made and not too flouncy.

I dye my own eyebrows at home with a kit from boots. This makes a big difference as at least if I CBA putting makeup on then I have a reasonable brow that sets off the face.

A good moisturiser!

Decent shoes - don't have to be expensive but clean and well maintained.

Baby wipes...

I'm a single parent with a 6year old with autism and a 20 month old that still doesn't talk or sleep well. I stay at home. I resemble the Crypt Keeper But whenever I do manage to put on nice clothes and decent makeup I feel a million dollars as my standards are so much lower

Try preparing you hair the night before once kids have gone to bed. Invest in a BB cream as opposed to foundation and where any jewelry you might have spare. 😁

I don't know about that, I seem to manage. I just do my hair and make up in the living room so that ds can be distracted by something while I do it. Decent make up and a setting spray does me the whole day. I carry wipes with me so if 8 get messy, I clean up right away. I keep a bag of toiletries, nail files, perfume etc at work so that I can sort any issues throughout the day.

I don't think it's that hard tbh.

I've shocked myself at what a state I am now willing to leave the house in...

I'm truly vile but I also have a toddler and heavily pregnant and well, I just don't have the energy TBH

I keep thinking I will get eyelashes done, eyebrows, and once summer is here I will be tanned so won't look like death
But the reality is.. I don't have time to even go and get that shit done and running around after kids in the sun isn't the same as sunbathing is it!

I just avoid mirrors and pictures!

Haha! I am the same...doing my teeth is the only standard I still have lol.

I do my makeup at work. Someone pointed out some smeared snot on my arm last week and I looked at them like 'yeah so...what's the big deal'?!

:)

The children won’t combust ifnyiu leave them for two minutes to put some make-up on, if that’s what makes a difference.

I remember breastfeeding my eldest, sitting on the floor while I blow dried my hair feeling like superwoman because I was clearly a multi-tasking genius.

Make sure you have clothes that suit you. Scruffy or not, they have to suit you. I have brilliant cosy black pyjama trousers that I can wear without feeling scraggy (even if I am). They don’t need to be expensive, they just need to suit you.

Can toddler dress themselves? I do my hair and makeup while 3 year old dressed herself and 18 month old watches tv

I work 4 days a week, 8 hours a day, and am out of the house by 7:30am on work days. I have a two year old and I hope I don’t look like shit! I don’t wear tonnes of make up but I wear the basics of primer/foundation, all bare minerals, with bronzer/blusher and mascara. Don’t bother with eyeliner or anything. I wear my hair down and straight most days, or in a pony/bun when it needs a wash (dry shampoo is a god send!). I would never have time to wash etc in the morning though, and I’m lucky I only need to do it twice a week (with dry shampoo the day it’s due a wash).

If DS is up when I’m getting ready he just potters about! Messing up my stuff, trying on necklaces etc etc. Playing. It’s not impossible by any means, but I only have one! Also, I have a DH, so on the weekend I tend to take my time a bit more, wash/blow dry my hair etc. DS will play downstairs with DH.

I more or less have a shaved head and wear tracksuits all the time. I'm 8.5 months pg with a 3yo and people keep telling me I look great. Maybe I look more like a woman on the total edge and they're trying to encourage me?!

I look like shit too, although soon I will have to stop blaming the baby when she turns 3 and actually take some responsibility myself!

I do my makeup / hair while ds2 is occupied eating breakfast. By doing my hair I mean a quick brush through and straighten v quickly. Or tie it up. Makeup only takes 5/10 mins. Hair maybe the same. I dont end up covered in food but 5/7 days ds is at nursery so I only have to deal with cereal or toast on a morning.

I get dressed /brush my teeth before I get him out of his room 9 times out of 10. If he's awake and wanting to get up I just bring him in the bedroom while I get dressed and let him brush his teeth while I do mine.

I honestly don't find it that hard!

I am not saying I look any better, but this is what has helped me:

Bath/shower in the evenings, do hair after that so that it doesn't need anything in the mornings but a brush.

Take off make up, cleanse and moisturise sitting on a bathroom stool when the children are in the bath. We have loads of bath toys that I set them up with and do in a good night, I could file my nails, put on a slap dash coat of clear varnish, put moisturiser on legs and hands.

Put my clothes, including undies out the night before do no decisions t make in the mornngs. Have easy to launder outfits and not many of them, so fewer choices to make.

Empty my handbag and changing bag whenever I get in and restock both do they're ready to go next time.

I wash my hair the night before.do makeup whilst my 3yo eats breakfast as I don't. Or get u before he does to do it. I'm a single mum and I work full time but it's important to me to still feel like me.

I got my hair cut much shorter and can't believe I didn't do it sooner. So quick to do in the morning. Ten minutes tops for make up and have a range of clothes that are my style and look good on me. Often dresses with boots as it's easy to fling on before work. Paint my nails once a week on a Sunday night. I'm often mistaken for much younger and don't spend huge amounts of time in self care.

My house on the other hand is a tip and mystifies me how people with young children keep theirs presentable

Peppa episodes are 5 minutes long, in one I foundation,concealer, blush, eyebrows, liner and mascara. The rest is chaos that I try to style out as though I aim for madness.

Generally on my non work days I make an effort ( work days I wear a uniform and have to get two kids out of house by 7:30 so it’s is a ponytail/minimal makeup day) Kids have me up at 6 and generally don’t leave the house till 9:30/10 so don’t find it that hard to shower/ blow dry hair/ put on makeup as well as get the kids ready.
From day one with I have always washed my long hair almost everyday. It makes me feel human.

I prioritise my appearance over the house. Quite happy to go out with the house like a bomb site. Maybe that’s what makes a difference.

I take my toddler in the shower with me and he plays while I wash my hair. Bring him into the bedroom and he runs around naked playing while i dry & straighten my hair. Bit of B.B. cream and mascara and I'm done.

I do make sure that I get a gel mani/pedi every 3 weeks plus eyebrow tint. Cut and colour every 6 weeks.

All of you who say do your hair he night before, how does this work? My hair looks like a frizzy mess in the morning regardless of whether I straighten it the night before or not!