The No-Nonsense Skin Care Guide for New Moms

It’s no secret new moms have very little time to themselves. Between caring for a newborn baby and trying to sneak in a few hours—or hey, even a few minutes—of shut-eye, there’s not really any free time for much else. However, if you can find the time for anything it should be caring for your skin. To lend a helping hand we’ve created the ultimate no-nonsense skin care guide for new moms—a simple skin care routine that includes the basics you need to look your best even when you’re seriously strapped for time.

Morning and night you’ll want to make sure you find the time to cleanse your skin. While there are plenty of steps that you can skip in your beauty routine, cleansing your skin is not one of them. Since time is of the essence look for a cleanser that can save you some. Micellar waters don’t require lathering or rinsing, which means they can be used anywhere and at any time. Micelle molecules are suspended in a soft water solution and as you glide a cotton ball or pad soaked in the solution across your skin, the molecules attract, trap, and lift away any excess oils, dirt, and other impurities from the skin’s surface. Vichy offers three no-rinse micellar water options based on your skin’s specific needs. Normaderm 3-in-1 micellar solution is a great fit for new moms with oily skin, Pureté Thermale 3-in-1 is ideal for new mom’s who want to calm and soothe skin, and Pureté Thermale 3-in-1 One Step Solution is great for all skin types. You can browse through all the options on vichyusa.com.

During the day, to help to shield your skin from the external aggressors that can cause the signs of premature skin aging you’ll want to invest in an antioxidant serum and a moisturizer with broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. This combination can protect your skin from the harsh effects of the sun’s UV rays—something you’ll want to be diligent about to help prevent any post-pregnancy melasma from darkening—as well as the effects of free radicals. “Using a broad-spectrum sunscreen to help protect skin from the damaging sun effects and then having an insurance plan behind that of antioxidants, to sift any damage that actually sneaks through the sunscreen, is ideal,” explains board-certified dermatologist and Skincare.com consultant Dr. Michael Kaminer. What’s more, by reaching for a moisturizer-plus-SPF you are able to kill two birds with one stone—or, in this case, two skin care routine non-negotiables with one product.

At nighttime after cleansing your skin you’ll want to reach for a moisturizer that is formulated to address some of your top skin care concerns. Since sleep is often the first thing to be sacrificed after baby is born, try looking for a night cream that was created to help to hydrate and brighten the appearance of tired-looking skin. We like overnight masks for this very purpose—especially Lancôme Energie De Vie Melt-In Sleeping Mask. The mask has an instant cooling effect on contact and upon waking, you’ll look more hydrated and radiant. The mask’s gel-balm-like texture breaks down into tiny water droplets which helps it melt onto skin to deliver moisture as you rest…or while you try to at least.

Dark circles under the eyes are a tell-tale sign of fatigue. To help to combat their appearance reach for an eye cream formulated to help brighten the under-eye area. One of our favorites is La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Eyes. Formulated with phe-resorcinol, caffeine, and light reflective pigments, the cream helps to visibly reduce the appearance of dark circles and brighten the eye contour area.

Need a quick midday pick-me-up? While a face mist can’t compare to that much-needed iced coffee, they can quickly refresh your skin on the go. We recommend keeping one stored in your diaper bag so you can use it as needed. Look for face mists that have been formulated with soothing thermal waters like Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Water. This thermal spa water boasts the brand’s exclusive antioxidant- and mineral-rich water sourced from the French volcanoes. The water has been shown to both soothe and strengthen the skin against external aggressors, reinforcing the skin’s natural barrier function.

Finally, these days you may not have the time (or the energy) to put on a full face of makeup, but a layer of BB cream can help to give the illusion of flawless-looking skin. BB creams (or beauty balms) are hydrating formulas that are lighter than foundation but offer a sheer tint to help to conceal any imperfections on the skin’s surface.