One of the consistent pieces of advice given to new moms that I have come across over the years is that they should take care of themselves, and that a little makeup goes a long way.  But I find that the advice doesn’t delve much more than that—until now.

I rounded up some makeup tips from new moms—including myself—that were learnt on-the-go.  Mane of us have exclaimed, more than once, “I wish someone had told me this sooner!” and all of us hope that this list will help the new mom in your life—be it you or someone else—get a good grasp on this makeup thing at the earliest point in time possible.

Face

One thing that you should always keep doing is to moisturize—so maybe the time is right to consider getting a tinted moisturizer.  And while the cosmeticians that I know might shudder, some mothers I know make their own tinted moisturizer…  Simply by mixing their trusted moisturizer with their favorite foundation.  I personally haven’t tried it myself, but I have to admit that my friend who does has flawless looking skin.  Just remember that babies tend to eat your face, so make sure whatever you slather on your skin isn’t bad for them.  Referring to guides such as this one can really help finding the right moisturizer–just make sure you keep all the hormonal changes you are going through in mind when choosing a size.

Undereye Bags

Those bags and bruises under your eyes can really drag you even lower than you feel.  Concealer might have been your best friend before, but with your current, limited time, it has turned into a backstabber.  Unless you have always been using one of those lighter formulas that comes with wands; easy to apply, a breeze to work into your skin, and flawless every time, they are well worth it even if they don’t completely hide those bags and bruises.

Eyes—Mascara

Whatever look you are gunning for—natural, full, or extreme—the most important thing to remember is that you have to apply the thing really, really fast.  So make sure that you have a good no-clump formula, because the days of revisiting your lashes one by one are over.  Similarly, make sure that your pick dries very fast, because you never know when your little one will holler for you, and there is nothing attractive about eyelashes shaped streaks of mascara around your eyes.

Eyes—Eye Shadow

Another thing that is over is the time to pick through countless individual eye shadows to pick the right one for the day.  Similarly, time is very tight, so rooting through your makeup bag for a mirror is also done for now.  Thankfully, most palettes come with a mirror, but make sure that it’s big enough, and that is also includes a brush.  Choose the palette with the widest range of colours so that you have a lot to work with, rather than a palette with a number of similar colours.  Also make sure that the colours are neutral; they will always match your outfit, whereas special colours just won’t.  Yes, even if you like the funkier colours; you can always keep one or two of those singles close by.

Lipstick

The easier option here is to get tinted lip gloss or balm; that way, you don’t have to worry about smudging and staining.  Getting one with SPF in it also helps during summer months.  And with the wealth of tinted glosses and balms currently available, there is definitely something out there for everyone.

However, some people prefer using lipstick over everything else.  This is something that I haven’t found a work-around yet: you have to user a liner to stop smudging and a top coat to seal the lipstick in, because with the amount of cooing and kissing a new mom does, well, nothing else seems to cut it.

Final Thoughts

Just like with everything else, makeup can become a challenge for new mothers—but only initially.  With a little thought and strategizing, it can become part of any mother’s regular routine, however hectic and insane your life may be.