So, im deluded! Simplify me!

[2wwmadness]

I'm 23 +4 with my 1st dc. I work in cosmetics and wear a full face everyday. I also have an extensive daily routine in the am and pm for my face and body. Obviously with a baby this is gunna go out th window. So what tips/tricks and treatments do you have for me to make this possible. I feel comfortable in make up and really don't want to totally let go of "me" as I'm happy and enjoy doing it. In after wonder products and your routines! Also. Before I'm due what would you recommend I do? I'm having a Mani/ pedi chiropodist visit. Waxing and hair cut. But anything else you wish you had?
Thanks

I aspire to GreyTS's routine when she had newborns and my children are now 2 1/2 and nearly 4... I feel very slovenly now... I wash my hair every 3-4 days (so it's up a lot in a big clip thing), work full time (suits etc. in the city), manage foundation, concealer, blusher and mascara (eyeliner on top lid if I have a meeting!) and never mositurise after the shower anymore. And it shows....! (I am allocated 30 mins to get ready every morning - spend too long dithering and reading emails I suppose!) Have two weeks off coming up though and am determined to sort myself out. Clothes pruning and beauty product/make-up edit coming up.

2wwmadness - I bet you look great and I'm sure you will when your baby arrives too - if you manage GreyTS's routine you'll probably be one of the more "groomed" new mothers. It is important to spend a few minutes getting yourself ready, especially if you are used to looking polished pre-children. But don't expect too much - energy levels will be seriously depleted!

One thing I would definitely consider is a Brazilian blow dry (like semi permanent hair straightening) and perhaps brow and lash tint if it is very important, but I think you may have to wait til you are not pg for those.

For me, tinted moisturiser, waterproof mascara and some lip tint/balm is enough for day to day (oh, and the caffeine eye roll on - a god send!) But I wish I had more time for my hair, at the moment, an extra half hour in bed is much more important!

Do you do all that even if you're not going anywhere?

Today I'm not in work so I do it all except for the make-up. I have no make up in today. If I was going to the super market or popping out I would do foundation, eye liner, mascara, brows, powder, contorting powder, blush, radiance powder Nd lip gloss. I would still have to blow dry my hair. I will look into the Brazilian blow dry. I am booed in for brows and lashes in a few weeks. I was also going to have eye lash extensions. What's tinted moisturisers do you use? These routines and tips are really helpful. Thanks everyone.

I bet you smell (and look) gorgeous

I'm such a scruff. Mind you that's nothing to do with having children, I'm just lazy

You'll find time for you when you have your baby - most of them sleep lots

Op, you are beautiful without the slap

It's a rare day that I am not out of the house, however my house is often less than immaculate - understatement! That's my new years resolution, to be more organised with the housework.

I'm impressed with your routine and absolutely not laughing at you. It was very important to me too to remain "me" and I felt much happier if we were both dressed and ready by 9am, even if going nowhere.

Are you on TOWIE?

OK my dcs are 7, 4 and 2 and I get up at 6am to leave house at 8am and do bath, hair, blow dry and make up as well as get them ready, breakfast etc.

But I don't use as many products as you, so I used moisturiser (face and body) and then tinted moisturiser, concealer, blusher, eye shadow, mascara, brow brush, lip balm and gloss.

Pre-baby - get your eyebrows threaded and perhaps eyelashes dyed too.

I think that tinted moisturiser (laura mercier good) on top of some primer and blusher, neutral eye shadow, mascara and lip gloss - well that could be done in 5 mins.

If you've got longer hair - well I still washed every day but rough dried the back and then clipped up in sort of scruffy pony with properly styled fringe.

And buy some good sunglasses

Am I on towie! Actually laughing! No, I don't tan. No orange-ness here! Ah my house on the other hand, is an un organised tip.

I will look into the tinted moist. I need a good coverage. What Laura m one do you use? Do they have more then one? I'll asks friend tomorrow. I don't pay for the products, I get them free with my job so I guess that's why there's
So many. It does make a difference though and I'd be a hypocrite selling them if I didn't use them.

I wish I had the discipline ti do half that OP, I bet you have wonderful skin! Just play it by ear when the baby arrives. I don't find tinted moisturisers give me enough cover, but you could maybe just use primer and foundation and dispense with all the highlight/ lowlight brightening powders etc? And do all your body treatments on a night if your do is there? For your hair I can't speak highly enough of the babyliss big hair as a time saving device. Threads on here all in praise!

Preparation was key to getting stuff done with both dds and still is. Have stuff where you can get to it easily.
as someone else said, you'll bleed for weeks (usually) so long showers ain't much fun initially, and leg lifting for scrubbing/moisturising can be both sore and messy.
I'd recommend eyelash tint, wax and pedicure as late as you dare go, but hospital may take nail Polish off for you.
I nearly drove self and dh mad trying to hold on to "me".took years to realise (& dd2 ) that "me" had more flexibility than I thought, and that maybe defining myself in the way I used to wasn't the only way to be happy. Don't be frightened to let it change your priorities and try to go with the flow.
Am no princess but suggest Garnier blemish balm tinted moisturizer, dry shampoo, and handcream- even if legs an arms are like wrinkly twigs at least hands will be pretty!

The time is taken up because newborns are constantly in need of filling up and then they leak constantly. They also need to be spoken to and sung to and interacted with generally. You will definitely need to have someone else there to do all of this with the baby even if you cut the morning thing down to half an hour, which will be tough.

Some of the things you are doing right now sound a bit ott. The boob lifting, the anti-cellulite and the tummy firming stuff are snake oil for instance. I would also be inclined to run them past your MW to be sure nothing harmful is being absorbed through your skin.

Don't have any nail polish or veneers put on before your delivery. Medical staff need to be able to see your natural nails in case you have anesthesia at any point in the delivery. They may also ask that you remove makeup.

Am a bit at 'to just be a mum'. Hopefully by the time you have managed to push a real, live baby out of an impossibly small opening you will have come to the conclusion that being a mum is awesome, and that you are now 'a mum' and there's no 'just' about it. I know it's nice to look nice, but make sure it's not done out of fear of appearing outdoors in your natural state. The early days of motherhood can be stressful enough without having to deal with that sort of fear, and your body in its natural state is probably going to amaze you.

Math we will agree to disagree. They work. I see the difference. And it's all natural and fine to use in pregnancy. This baby is very much wanted and dh or I would never put anything above its health an safety. Like i said i sell these products and know them inside out. I gave up cigarettes When ttc, alcohol, ans my beloved caffine an havny had a drop since my bfp. I resent you assuming that i hadnt checked the saftey of the products. Like im so vain i dont care. I enjoy using products. And as for just a mum. That's right. I am (insert real name) and that means I'm me. A friend. A wife and I will be a mum. I don't want our baby to be all that I am. I'm happy in my own right. For me, it's important that I keep doing some of the little things that make me happy. I believe I will be a better parent for it.
The bleeding after birth I had no idea! Obviously I knew you bled. But I assumed it was like a period for a little bit longer. This is good to know! Why do they take your nail polish off? I was looking at those big hair things the other day. I use a £10 super drug hot brush at the moment. It's fab! What's the difference with the big hair one?

Nail polish is removed if you go into theatre during or after labour/birth as they need to see whether your nails are going pale (a problem if so). Someone will post the reason why they look here and not at your face - it makes sense but have forgotten!
So DIY job rather than posh pedi .

Ahhhh! Right! Thank you! No everlasting gel's then!!!

Your routine sounds very thorough OP

It is hard to fit all of it in when you have children because you simply don't have big blocks of time that you can commit to yourself god knows I've tried tieing them up enough times. So I would try and cut down the amount of products you use (i.e one body moisturiser instead of two or three). Also as others have said, as you're not working you won't need to be fully made up all the time - so try a tinted moisturiser or BB cream, wear a neutral eyeshadow, dump the contouring, use a nude lip tint/gloss. Get some dry shampoo.

Good luck!

Right, I haven't read the other replies (Im sorry, I want to eat my tea!) but I used to work in promotions so understand about being used to the full face of make up.... however I am essentially a slob at heart so whilst I want to look like I have made an effort, I actually cant be bothered usually.

My top tips are fake tan (a natural glow rather than a tangoed look!) and fake eyelashes (the individual ones - I leave them on for about a fortnight at a time and it only takes me 10 mins to apply)

With the above in place, I feel I look half decent sans make up - and if I want to make an effort then foundation, blusher and eye liner is all it takes. Also, batiste (sp? the dry shampoo!) is a godsend - not just to make it look non greasy, but because it adds volume. I often add it to newly washed hair for that reason alone.

Just my two pennies worth which you would deffo ignore if you could see me now in my scruffy pjs!

Not out of vanity -- a lot of products advise that you should check with your doctor first when you're pregnant. Women don't use makeup out of vanity. It is necessary to present a professional and not 'straight out of bed' appearance, and in your job it's an absolute must. Most prefer to see their face looking a bit 'improved', and I agree it is so important to keep on doing the things that give you joy and not to make the baby the only being that can do that. That is a lot to saddle a baby with. But to the baby, you are his or her entire world for the first little while. It will be a few years before the baby has any inkling that you existed before he or she was born or that there was a time when he or she didn't exist.

I really think the tummy firming creams, etc., will only make a difference after the baby is born if your genes are helping a lot too.

They take off nail polish in order to monitor the colour of your nail bed. It gives a quick indication of your blood oxygen levels. Bluish is not good. An oximeter, clipped on to your finger over the nail to measure blood oxygen, needs a clean nail to work, I was told. Makeup will also sometimes obscure a bluish tinge around your lips when you're not getting enough oxygen.

Be prepared to bleed for several weeks after giving birth (maybe even 6-8). You will also keep on feeling contractions (sometimes quite painful) in the days after delivery as your womb works its way back to non-pregnant size and squeezes off blood vessels. There are lots of good books out there on what to expect during and after birth. What happens afterwards is the red haired stepchild of advice though.

Does the gel not weaken your nails ? I would as others have said book a hair appointment just before baby is due, same for nails, leg wax , eyebrows etc. For your nails you dont need to have nail varnish put on if you dont want to, just get them shaped. Not sure if you would be able to have false eye lashes if you had a c section. Be prepared that you might be shedding lots of hair after the baby is born (something to do with the hormones again). I would try a simple makeup routine out now , see what you are happy to live without and what makes you feel you. You have access to lots of free makeup so it is a great time to experiment. You could set your friends a challenge to make you up with as few as products possible, if you trust them. Unless you are very lucky you wont have much time for yourself in the early days, so if you can nail a short routine now it will help you . ¨New borns are unpredictable and you will adapt so dont worry. Another tip , write out birthday cards, buy presents etc for people who have birthdays soon after you give birth as you may not feel like traipsing around the shops. Treat yourself to a nice top to wear after the birth as you might not fit into your trousers but tops usually are not so much of a problem.

Right, you need one body lotion, not lots of different creams for different bits, you will not have the time. Showers will need to be quick. If you feel you need to do all of that, you need to move your morning routine to your evening routine, when you (hopefully!) will have a bit more time. In the mornings, allow maximum 20 minutes in the bathroom - you can't keep your DC entertained forever by a bouncy chair...

For face, cleanse, tone, moisturise, all else can be cut out until you have more time - the only woman I know who use it all are child free or have full time nannies from birth....

Tinted moisturiser and mascara will make you at least look ok at all times. The Laura Mercier tinted moisturier is fab.

For your nails, you will probably be able to keep up the times for gel nails for now, but when you have a toddler, unless your DP can take over for the time you'll need to get them done regularly, (they won't sit still nicely while you have them done, for the first 7-8 months you can still get away with that), so as everyone I know who got rid of gels had crap nails for 6months when they took it off, you might consider getting them taken off when you go off for mat leave so that you've got time to have naturally good nails by the time you go back to work.

My advice is just go with the flow.....expect not to have time to do anything and then when you do it's a bonus! Definately a haircut/wax etc beforehand as near as possible to your due date as you're brave enough to go. You'll probably need a pedi soon anyway as you soon won't be able to reach your own toes . If you have a mani just be prepared that the polish may need removing if you need your oxygen levels checked by a probe on your fingertip.

As a mum of 3 I feel it's definately important to still feel like 'me' but initially you may just be too bloody knackered and any spare time you may just want to catch up on sleep.

Just enjoy it and don't put too much pressure on yourself to continue with your routine.