How To Get A Quick Glow! 7 Fab Tips For Tired + Pregnant Mums.

We’re told pregnancy is when your natural glow is supposed to shine through, your hair becomes thick and luscious, and you radiate femininity.

Spoiler alert: I didn’t feel like this! Not when I was pregnant, or during the many months of fatigue that followed. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact I am only a few years shy of 40, or maybe I simply don’t remember how rubbish I felt when I was pregnant 10 odd years ago. Whatever the reason, I felt yuck.

My skin was dry, pigmented and patchy. My hair had a life of it’s own. My legs were bloated, heavy and a lack of circulation brought the spider veins out to play. The soles of my feet were dry and hard to reach. My back ached. Eyelash extensions and manicures became a thing of yesteryear as fatigue quickly crept in and my bed beckoned me.

There were however, a few things I weaved into my weeks to make me feel a little less ‘blah’. Things I still use now, well after my bubba has been born.

Whether you’re feeling like poop during pregnancy, or just need a little pick-me-up, this blog is for you. Below are my quick tips that work around tiredness, yet still give you that glow you’ve been told you should be radiating (granted it’s a manufactured glow you’ll be gracing, but we work with what we’ve got).

Disclaimer: these recommendations are all based on my honest experiences, and are not paid content.

Unmanageable Fly-Away Hair

My hair is coarse and curly at the best of times, but during pregnancy it had a life of it’s own - and I didn’t have the time or the desire to tackle a home blow-dry job. The Bondi Boost Blowout Brush Pro was my saving grace.

The result wasn’t quite as smooth and lush as a professional blow-dry, but way quick and easy to manage. This baby tackled my super thick mop in under ten minutes. I found running a hair-straighter through after using the Blowout Brush made my hair even more on point.

A little Moroccan hair oil helped calm the crazy even more.

Pigmentation + Spider Veins

Discolouration on my face and little veins on my legs were more unwelcome pregnancy visitors that popped up, and considering I was pregnant during summer and owned a pool, I wanted to feel comfy in swimmers and shorts.

Step 1. St Tropez Self Tan Express Advanced Bronzing Mousse: I feel like I have tried every tan on the supermarket shelf, and time and time again I keep coming back to this baby. A tad more expensive than the others, but worth its weight in gold. Looks natural and lasts a good week or so. I put it on once a week with a tanning mitt, and loved during pregnancy that it only had to stay on for an hour or two.

Step 2. Thin Lizzy Body Perfector Cover & Glow Makeup: I discovered this baby during pregnancy, and fell in love! It’s an instant tan that sets within 5-10 minutes, and doesn’t wash off when swimming! You put it on like moisturiser, buff with their Blurring Brush, and after 10 minutes get dressed as usual. It gives a gorgeous golden glow in the sun!

To remove, you simply use soap in the shower and it comes off easily. If you want it to last longer, just don’t use soap (hey, no judgement please). I used this in-between tans to cover any blemishes, or instead of tan if I was rocking shorts but didn’t have time to tackle the tanning mouse and wanted a golden glow.

Thin Lizzy also have this concealer cream which can be used on the face or body, and has the same water-resistant effect. Another good product if you’re wanting a quick trick for covering any blemishes.

Dry Skin

It is common for pregnant women to have dry skin during pregnancy - thank you hormones! For me this was not only a dry face, but dry elbows and very dry heels too, which was a delightful predicament considering it was no easy feat even reaching my feet in the third trimester.

When I could still reach those bad boys though, it was this hand cream that I lathered thickly on those tootsies! Super thick and moisturising, it easily absorbed into my dry, thirsty skin. It also ticked all the boxes for me, being paraben-free, phthalate-free, sulfates SLS and SLES free, and my favourite, cruelty-free! The NRF2 ingredients make it a fab product for anyone suffering from skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis. At only $19 a tube, I had it on a monthly repeat order.

I occassionally used the hand cream on my face if it was super dry, but this beauty system from the same brand (which ticked all the same cruelty-free and no nasties boxes) hydrated my skin heaps! So much so, that it’s still part of my daily skincare routine even now.

COUPON CODE: If you are keen to try either of these products, tap their links above and enjoy a $16.50 credit at checkout.

Aching Legs + Back

Time to confess that I’m a bit of a dork, and love me some flip flops! My husband can’t stand when I rock the rubber pluggers (unless we’re at the beach), but bending down to put on shoes more elaborate than a pair of thongs was simply beyond me during pregnancy.

To minimise the back pain and sciatica that came from caring my big baby, I decided to jazz up my fancy thongs with a pair of these super comfy orthopaedic thongs. They are called ‘Archies’, which happens to be the name of one of my boys, so I was sold on the name alone. They look just like normal thongs, but with patented orthopaedic arch support,

Very affordable and comfortable… so much so that I am still rocking them now (much to my husband’s disgust, ha!).

Tired + Puffy Eyes

There are many things that compound to create sleepless nights whilst pregnant: frequent toilet visits, a sore back, no belly sleeping and aching joints. Add in the bloat of pregnancy, and the result can be a very tired looking set of eyes.

I am not a big makeup girl, but this Bare Minerals concealer under my eyes became my best friend during pregnancy. For days I needed to bring out the big guns, I opted for the Thin Lizzy concealer cream that I mentioned above. A little bronzer on the cheeks and people thought I was a well-slept mumma-to-be.

I also kept up my fake eyelashes for as long as I could whilst pregnant. They made me feel fresh and saved me time messing about with mascara every day. It wasn’t long though, until I was too tired to venture out for these appointments, and laying on my back for up to an hour became uncomfortable. When this happened, I opted for eyeliner and mascara to make my eyes pop.

Feeling Frumpy? Dress to Impress!

If you are feeling flat or frumpy, it is time to have some fun with your wardrobe. There is nothing more depressing than looking for clothes in a wardrobe of ill-fitting attire.

I was opposed to spending a fortune on maternity clothes, but investing in one or two outfits that were comfortable and made me feel good about myself was a solid investment. To find a flattering outfit, pick out the thing you love most about your body at the moment and accentuate that. For me it was my belly, as my legs looked increasingly like someone has stuck a straw into them and blown. I wanted to rock the floaty short dresses that I saw so many pregnant mums kicking about in, but I simply didn’t feel comfortable.

I know I could have rocked whatever I wanted to, but feeling comfortable was the name of the game for me. I ended up investing in some beautiful long skirts that were super comfy, cool to wear (I am on the Gold Coast and was pregnant during summer), and which made me feel feminine and free. They were worth every penny!

Another easy, fun and affordable tip: accessorise with jewellery or scarves. It won’t break the bank, but can totally transform an outfit.

Extra Tip: Hair Regrowth

The down side to being a mum in her late thirties? Grey hairs and regrowth. I knew I wouldn’t be able to get to the hairdresser as often with a newborn, so during my pregnancy I had lighter streaks placed higher on my head. This helped to soften my naturally dark hair colour and hide the few greys that I’ve been blessed with. It was three months post bubba’s birth before I got back to the hairdresser and my roots weren’t even that bad.

But You Do You Darling!

I am a big believer in walking your own path, so please don’t let this blog make you feel pressured into doing anything that doesn’t speak to you. I love seeing a woman own her worth whole-heartedly, and none of us need eyelashes or a tan to achieve that worth.

For me, jazzing up my look whilst pregnant helped put a smile on my dial, and that’s what it’s all about. If you have other tips for feeling more human and happy during pregnancy, please feel free to comment them below so other mums can benefit from your happiness hacks too.

Much love x