SHOP THE LOOK
Nicole Manning wears the Coterie Chrissy Long Sleeve and the Coterie Finn Track Pant
What are the most common skin complaints for mothers or new mothers?
Becoming a mother brings many wonderful changes and challenges to our bodies and lives. Many women experience changes to their skin during pregnancy and in the postpartum period that require a pivot in one’s skincare routine; common conditions we see include hormonal acne, increased sensitivities to products, dehydrated skin, hyperpigmentation and rosacea, eczema or dermatitis flare ups…. Unfortunately it’s not always the pregnancy glow one was hoping for!
Being a mum can mean you often have a little less time for a full skincare routine. Do you have tips where you can get maximum results in a small amount of time?
Hydrating Sleep masks are my go-to or a good exfoliation to get you glowing again. These are my two current favourites; Josh Rosebrook Advanced Hydration Mask and Emma Lewisham Illuminating Exfoliant
Are there some hard-working products you can recommend, that are either multi-taskers or are going to save you time?
In the postpartum period our key focus for skin is maintaining nutrient levels to ensure healthy skin and maintaining hydration. Lack of sleep coupled with increased hydration needs (if breastfeeding) and increased nutrient needs as your body recovers from pregnancy mean skin can be prone to looking lacklustre, dry and sensitive. Self care can be tricky in those early months as you juggle feeds and nappies and cuddles! We try to offer new mums some potent products that deliver big results in little time; these are our go to’s;
- Medik8 Ultimate Recovery Mark is a deeply hydrating and soothing sheet mask – pop on for 10-20 minutes a few times a week to give your skin an extra boost of moisture. If you can we recommend popping a mask on once baby is asleep and trying a 10 minute meditation (or nap!) for a mini recharge, but mask can also be worn while doing the laundry because multitasking is how mum’s get it done!
- Sans Ceuticals Superdose Sleep Masque is another handy addition to your routine and does all the heavy lifting while you sleep. Simply apply before bed and wake up to refreshed, hydrated skin.
- To restore skin barrier health and deeply moisturise skin we recommend applying our favourite Josh Rosebrook Hydration Accelerator Mist regularly throughout the day (a great addition to your feeding station on the couch!) but also before applying a nourishing oil such as Maryse’s Intensive Omega Treatment Oil
- We also love the Being Bootie Balm and Boobie Balm – soothing and protecting, these calendula rich balms are perfect for mum and baby.
- Drink extra water throughout the day, try and drink when the baby drinks – have a big water bottle ready to go at your “feeding station” on the couch – this is a great job for your partner or family to manage; making sure your water bottle is always full! Warm water or herbal teas are another great way to amp up your intake and are soothing on your digestion.
Popping on a face mask and sharing a bottle of wine on a Friday evening can be a great way to spend some quality time with your mum.Could you share a ritual we could do at home with mum for Mother’s Day?
As a mum with another baby on the way, I have a renewed sense of appreciation for how dedicated my mum was to our family when growing up.
I think this feeling is a nice evolution in the relationship between women and their mums at this stage in life. I love to gift my mum a treatment at Fenn to say thanks. It is just such a nice ‘me time’ for her.
At home ritual:
Creating time for small rituals can be so special. I like to carve out some time for myself by putting on our FENN SUN/DAYS playlist, popping on a face mask and enjoying a cup of herbal tea. I follow this with some gua sha facial massage, such a simple ritual that can be enjoyed with Mum.
A lot of women tend to have post-partum skin issues, like hyper pigmentation. Can you tell us what this is and how do you treat it? Can you please share products/treatments we should be integrating into our routines?
MELASMA (HYPER PIGMENTATION)
Coupled with increased sensitivity to sunlight, women can experience a surge in pigment-stimulating hormones while pregnant and these can contribute to melasma which are patches of discoloration generally on the face. Whilst melasma often fades post-pregnancy, it’s worth remembering that many pregnancy-related hormones still stay elevated during breastfeeding, and can take six-to-nine month to settle after you stop feeding. To minimise melasma we recommend always using SPF and a gentle Vitamin C serum to promote a brightened and even complexion. We love Emma Lewishams’s Even Skin Reset and Josh Rosebrooks Vitamin C
Studies show that alpha hydroxy acids can be beneficial in treating hyper-pigmentation, and they are generally safe to use in pregnancy. Medik8’s Surface Radiance Cleanse offers a gentle dose of AHAs as does their press and Glow Serum