The Beauty Gadget This Mum Of Two Swears By
In the first three months, there were times when I couldn’t remember when I’d last showered and definitely the odd day when I left the house without brushing my teeth. Somehow sitting in a coffee shop before 9am made me feel slightly more human. Unsurprisingly, my beauty routine took a backseat.
Even now a very basic three-step skincare routine feels quite luxurious. While I have mastered moisturiser and SPF application in the morning (along with brushing my teeth!), by the time bedtime comes around I feel grown-up if I’ve cleansed, applied a serum and moisturised before falling into bed.
All is not entirely lost though, I have managed to slope off for a haircut (goodbye mermaid hair, hello mum cut) and I’ve enjoyed a couple of manicures. Naively perhaps I assumed that these things would become easier and more frequent as Delilah gets older, but beauty PR Pip’s One Thing casts doubt over this.
Having worked in the beauty industry for over a decade, Pip is no stranger to seeking out the latest treatments - or at least she wasn’t until she had her daughter Coco six years ago and son Buddy two years ago. Luckily she has found a worthy substitute. Here’s her story…
Before having kids, it wasn't unusual to treat myself to a quick facial or get my eyebrows done if I didn’t have plans after work. Helpfully our office had a subsidised blow dry bar and manicure station and I was a stone's throw away from Hershesons, Selfridges and Dryby. These days that kind of activity takes a lot more planning.
During the week, I have a limited amount of days where I can work, so I’m glued to my laptop until it’s time to pick the kids up from school and nursery which are, of course, in opposite directions. My idea of freelance life was wandering around art galleries, having coffee with a friend and regular manicures, but the reality is quite different.
On the weekends, I want to enjoy family time and feel guilty going off to do something by myself. Also, my disposable income is much smaller now I work part-time and I have nursery and afterschool to pay for. Any leftover money is usually spent on Jellycats and blueberries these days.
Since having kids I have noticed how dull and dehydrated my skin can look and how quickly a few nights of bad sleep can affect my face (and eye bags!). While I don’t have time for any regular treatments, especially if they involve leaving the house, I do like to try out the at-home equivalents.
I read about The Light Salon about 10 years ago when they brought LED facial bars to the UK and ended up getting hooked on the treatment as it helped with my breakouts. As fate would have it I ended up working with the brand a few years ago and was introduced to the LED Boost Mask.
It’s an investment, but four years later, my mask is still going strong. I keep it by my bedside table as I like to have it within arms reach! The effect of LED is cumulative, so you need to use it consistently to get the long term benefits. When I've been using my mask regularly, my skin looks so much more alive, and the fine lines on my forehead are much softer.
One of the best discoveries I made though from using the mask is how it helps me to destress, I genuinely feel a wave of calm come over me once I've used it. When I spoke to the founders of the brand, they told me that while the LED wavelengths are working their magic on your skin, they can help to increase serotonin levels and promote a sense of deep relaxation. In the 10 minutes it takes to use the mask, I feel like I’m renewing my own batteries, as well as boosting my skin.
While the mask is incredible for all the reasons I’ve mentioned above, I would also say that having a bedtime routine has been instrumental in giving me some time back. I have always been quite regimented with my children’s bedtime as it’s often something I do solo and can be a challenge.
By 7pm we’ve completed bath time, story time and they’re in bed. That’s when I can start my evening and quite often enjoy a long shower, use all my favourite products and unwind.
Funnily enough, I have this exact mask and five and a half years ago it accompanied me and my now husband on our first date. It was a good conversation starter and in the months that followed I used it regularly.
While it won’t give you the results of The Light Salon facials as quickly, it’s definitely the next best thing. I’m not quite ready to engage in any beauty treatments that require more than 30 seconds of my time. However, I am keen to reintroduce retinol into my evening skincare routine with a little help from Medik8.
The Crystal Retinal 3 Serum fits the time requirements and should help ease the fine lines that have appeared on my forehead over the past four months…