Our favourite products we can steal from our baby and use for removing make-up, moisturising or even a relaxing evening in the tub…
So, you’re a new mum to an itty, bitty baby who has taken up all your time for your precious skincare and make-up moments. It’s okay though, because we’ve got a list of multi-purpose products you can borrow from bub and use on yourself instead. You may even prefer these to the adult version…
Girl, wash your face
I won’t judge if you’re just too tired to do so, though. The easy (or lazy) option is to grab a make-up wipe and hurriedly run it over your face, which is totally acceptable. Grab a baby wipe from the changing table instead – these are usually formulated without alcohol so they won’t irritate your skin. Keep a stash in your bathroom and on your bedside table to make it even more convenient.
A baby wipe has a multitude of other uses, too: freshen up those pits or, err, other sweaty places and you’ll be feeling fine in no time.
We love WaterWipes, which are made with 99 per cent water and a drop of fruit extract. WaterWipes are available on Lazada.
Oil slick
Borrow bubba’s baby oil to use as a gentle make-up remover. It’ll remove stubborn waterproof eye make-up in a pinch. We like Mustela Baby Oil, which is a blend of avocado oil to restore and protect the skin’s natural barrier, and vegetable oils to moisturise the skin. A more reasonably priced alternative is Sainsbury’s Little Ones Baby Oil, which is dermatologist approved.
Coconut oil is also perfect for tiny tots, and another awesome one you can borrow from the nursery to use on yourself. Use it after a shower, to remove make-up, as a lip balm, mix it with sugar to make a homemade scrub… the possibilities are endless. And it’s all natural.
Pulling the wool over my eyes
Avoid panda eyes and grab a cotton wool pad, your favourite make-up remover and gently remove that waterproof mascara. We especially like Sainsbury’s Little Ones Square Cotton Pads as they’re nice and big… so you’ll use one less, which is ultimately better for the environment. They’re made to be soft and gentle for use on bubba’s skin, and they work just as well to remove make-up.
Protect yo’self
Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen: it’s super important to protect yourself and bub. A few brands are making a really convenient stick sunscreen for babies – you just roll it onto the skin, no fuss, no muss. And no fuss, no muss for you as a parent, too. Go right ahead and use that on your own legs while at the beach. We suggest opting for an SPF50 version, like Babyganics’ SPF50 Sunscreen Lotion. Nivea also makes a roll on version, with something similar available in good old Decathlon, which is also SPF50+.
… then treat yo’self
There’s nothing we love better than a long soak in the tub after a long day wrangling the kiddos. If you’ve not had time to purchase some adult bubble baths or salts to use, a pump or two of baby’s bubble bath will have you nodding off into la-la land in no time. The classic is Johnson’s Baby Bedtime Bath which is full of calming aromas to help induce sleep. BabyGanics Bubble Bath is another fave, loaded with chamomile aromas to go with your cup of chamomile tea.
Lips and nips
Got a bub with sensitive skin? Aquaphor Soothing Skin Balm from Eucerin might be his or her best friend for sensitive cheeks and bums. It’s also awesome for any other patch of dry skin: chapped lips, dry elbows, knees and heels. Even though its got its uses for your nips, you could use Lansinoh’s Nipple Cream as lip balm in a pinch.
Some beauty gurus use Aquaphor for “slugging”, as in putting a thin layer of it on their face at night after their normal nightly skincare routine. But in hot and humid Singapore, you’ll definitely feel hot and sticky with a layer of this stuff on at night. Keep it for dry elbows, knees and heels.
No dry skin here
Dry skin, be gone, on both you and your newborn. Mustela’s Hydra Bebe Body Lotion is not only suitable for your newborn, but it’s great on your skin, too. You’ll be silky soft in no time.
