'Here are the 4 beauty tips I swear by since having a baby.'

“I’m not going to let my baby change things," I loudly and proudly proclaimed to any poor human unlucky enough to get within earshot of me, as a slightly unhinged pregnant lady. 

File that under ridiculous things I said pre-baby in a list that’s now so long I could write a book. 

As a self-certified beauty aficionado, getting my glam on, and getting ready to go out, has always been one of my fave things. Often I’ll enjoy the ‘getting ready’ process more than the actual going out part. My ritual involves laying my makeup out and taking my time doing my glam while sipping on a deliciously chilled glass of prosecco. 

Ahhh, prosecco, what did we do before we discovered it? That’s a silly question, I know what we did, and it involved gagging on that vile bubbly stuff masquerading as champagne. There was no yummy, affordable bubbly option before prosecco, and my goodness, am I glad it exists. Brown Brothers actually have a sweet, sweet deal on atm: when you buy one of their specially marked Proseccos, you get a $20 voucher to spend at Adore Beauty (look for the unique code on the back of the collar) and hello!? Prosecco, beauty products, AND that cheeky Tim Tam we know is coming too!? A dream! 

There she is! (Always drink responsibly.) Image: Supplied.

But I know, I know, some people reading this are parents who are like ‘YES, BUT HOW DO YOU HAVE TIME TO DO YOUR GLAM THESE DAYS KELLY, HOW DO YOU HAVE TIME TO DO ANY OF YOUR OLD BEAUTY ROUTINE??' And yes, I understand the confusion; I am perpetually glamorous, despite having a teeny sleep thief… 

I’m OBVIOUSLY kidding, but I do still try and make time for my beauty routine; it makes me happy. But it does look a lil’ bit different these days, so I thought I’d jot down my best tips and tricks on getting it done. 

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A post shared by KELLY LEE 😝 (@kelly_mccarren)

AM Skincare

I’m sure I also once said, “oh, my baby won’t be allowed to watch TV”. Lol. Dancing fruit and veggies on YouTube is the only reason I don’t walk around with sleep in my eyes and pimple cream crusted on my chin each day. Like the TERRIFIC mother I am, as soon as the bloke’s finished his morning bot-bot, into his chair he goes, so he can happily watch a leek bounce while I press vitamin c into my skin.

Makeup

Whether I’m slapping on a tinted moisturiser or doing full glam, my method is the same. 

Wear. 

The.

Baby.

Babies are like teeny, tiny little machines of bored energy. Find a toy they enjoy? Quick, you’ve only got 2 minutes before they’re wailing like you’re the worst person in the world for leaving them alone with that very same toy. I do EVERYTHING wearing my hefty child. And consider it a workout simultaneously. Two birds, one stone, etc etc. 

Makeup is no different. On to my chest he goes, and he will happily watch me apply my lotions and potions while grabbing my glass of Brown Brothers Prosecco even though I scold him and tell him he has to wait 17 years and four months until he enjoys such tasty delights of the tongue. 

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A post shared by KELLY LEE 😝 (@kelly_mccarren)

That said, I probably still only have 20 minutes before he starts protesting like a pterodactyl, so I don’t bother with anything too fussy unless my husband is home from work. Baby-wearing is not the time to master big bouncy curls and false lashes; I recommend slicked-back buns, mascara and bold lips instead.

Quick glam feat. Prosecco! (Always drink responsibly.) Image: Supplied.

PM Skincare

Ok, so I do my nighttime skincare routine in a few different ways. Now that my baby is old enough to sit in his bath seat independently (of course I'm still right there supervising him), I can chat with him and rub/pat/press my products while he’s enjoying a soak and mouthing his blowfish. Or I do it as SOON as I get out of the shower. 

I worry about cleaning my teeth before bed, but I know if I don’t do my skincare straight away, my face will be lucky to receive a slather of oil or overnight face mask. Which is fine every now and then, but sweetie needs her 7-steps for maximum glowworm vibes. 

Treatments

At home, I’m ALL about the masks. Especially if I’m planning on doing a nice makeup look. Your glam isn’t going to look very good if you’re skin is misbehaving, and the quickest way to fix sad skin is a mask! I like using an overnight mask the evening prior (if I remember) or a sheet mask before makeup. Sometimes I’ll even pop a mask on and jump in the bath with my baby. What more could a gal want, clean pores and a small human using your nipple like a slinky.

Proper treatments are another story TBH. When my baby was younger, I could occasionally get him to sit on my lap while I had things done, but now? Not a CHANCE! If it’s quick, he’ll happily watch a spinning turnip on my phone for 10 minutes, but anything longer must wait. The days of ‘popping out’ to get a long and languid facial or massage are long gone. 

And those are my tips! They’re pretty simple, but I still feel like I’m making room for self-care, which is making me feel like myself. And every new parent, new mums in particular, will know the loss of identity is one of the most surprising things that changes post-baby, more so than all the things you SWORE wouldn’t change.

Brown Brothers and Adore Beauty are giving consumers the ultimate in self-care. There's over 1 million $20 Adore Beauty vouchers available to redeem. 

Simply purchase a specially marked bottle of Brown Brothers Prosecco 750ml, look for the unique code on the back of the collar, and head to Adore Beauty to stock up on their massive range of beauty products. 

The Brown Brothers Prosecco range is available at leading liquor retailers nationally and online.

Always drink responsibly. 

Feature Image: Instagram/@kelly_mccarren