From Head To Toe – The Anna Edit

You don’t need me to give you the ‘new parent I have no time‘ spiel, but seriously people aren’t lying when they say that. These babies will only entertain themselves for an approximately two minute window in which I can now somehow load washing, make a morning smoothie and brush my teeth in. It’s miraculous what you can do without procrastination, it really is. So my beauty routine has been whittled down like never before and although there were a few weeks where if I even managed to cleanse my face it was a small miracle, I’ve now settled into a mini slimmed-down morning routine that makes me feel and look awake even when I’ve been up since 4am. TA-DAH! So today I thought I’d share my super speedy beauty edit from head to toe that makes me feel like an actual human again…

THE SHOWER

Before the little lad arrived I remember reading a blog post by Caroline where she mentioned the ‘Pyjama and Shower‘ rule. If you’re due to have a baby anytime soon I highly recommend a read and DAMN SHE IS SO RIGHT. You really, really need a shower everyday – even if you do just get into fresh pyjamas afterwards. It sounds completely obvious but when you’re really in the thick of it sometimes even just thinking about the energy it takes to stand up in the shower is enough to knacker you out, but have the shower – I always felt all the better for it. These days I keep my shower, body and hair routine extremely simple. Firstly a douche with the Kiehl’s Made For All Body Wash*, then I’ve discovered that the Beauty Pie Detox Shampoo* is just as good as other clarifying formulas I use and like half the price so I give my hair a rinse with that every other day. Then once I’m out the shower I rub the Susanne Kaufmann Stretch Mark Oil* on my belly (yes I’m still on that train!), throw on some deodorant, dry my hair if I’ve washed it and we’re done. Once a week I try and do a layer of the Tax-Luxe The Gradual* all over just because it makes me feel good and a Sunday bath always goes down well and I’m very happy to have the Therapie Himalayan Detox Salts* back in my life.

Actually I’m missing out a huge part of my beauty routine here – HAND CREAM! Oh my word when there is a newborn baby around you are washing your hands ALL. THE. TIME and I don’t think my hands have ever been so dry. Mark and I both love the Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve* (ad – gifted), but he has the Kiehl’s Richly Hydrating Scented Hand Cream in Grapefruit* (ad – gifted) in his bedside drawer and I badger him to let me use it before bed every night because it smells so ridiculously good.

SHOP THE SHOWER*

THE SKINCARE

Whereas my shower routine has been pretty standard, my skincare is a little all over the place so I’ll share a sort of ‘in the middle‘ routine; sometimes I do more and other times just use one or two products for the AM or PM. For both morning and night I try my hardest to cleanse and I’m still loving the Kiehl’s Centella Sensitive Facial Cleanser*, then I follow that with some kind of spray like the Dr Jart Ceramidin Spray Mist* (ad – gifted), and then an eye cream because DAMN my eyes are taking a battering right now and I’m currently using the Beauty Pie Triple Hyaluronic Acid Lifting Eye Serum* (ad – gifted). If it’s the morning then I sometimes follow this with some kind of Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid serums, then a moisturiser or oil and finish it off with the Beauty Pie Super Healthy Skin Feather Light SPF 50* or if it’s the evening I go straight in with the Allies of Skin Promise Keeper Blemish Facial* and call it a day. But really the bare bones are a cleanse, spray and SPF in the morning and a cleanse and the Allies of Skin product in the evening.

SHOP THE SKINCARE*

THE MAKEUP

I might not wear makeup everyday, but sometimes I just fancy a bit of a face, you know? And whenever I do get a chance to throw some slap on it just makes me feel good. I use just a handful of products, use one or two brushes and can apply it basically with my eyes closed. First up MAC Face + Body in C2*, squirted onto a flat-top kabuki and applied it all over. It just gives a light coverage and a bit of glow when I need it most. Concealer-wise I’ve had to step it up a bit so now dab on the Dior Forever Skin Correct Creamy Concealer in 2N*. This is actually great just on it’s own when I can’t be arsed to apply a foundation underneath. Next I do some bronzer – I’m currently using the Marc Jacobs Bronzer in Tan-Tastic* (ad – gifted) – and I just use a big powder brush to dust that all over. Then I use the Patrick Ta Major Brow Lamination Gel* which is just absolutely incredible, put a bit of bronzer over my eyelids with a small fluffy brush, apply some Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Wet Waterproof Mascara*, then whatever lip balm I have hanging around (actually the Hermes Rosy Lip Enhancer in 30 is proper lush, if not ludicrously priced!), and I’m ready. Finito and ready to sing Old McDonald for the 188th time that day.

SHOP THE MAKEUP*

Photos by Mark Newton