As Martha Kalifatidis blows out the candles at her son Lucius’ first birthday, it’s only natural she’ll reflect on those very early postpartum days.
Days where Looch, as she affectionately calls him, would sleep all day long and leave his mum with all the time in the world to continue with her beauty routine.
“I had a lot of time to blow dry my hair and do my skincare. But now that he’s entering toddler stage – I call it terror stage,” she laughs, “there’s no time for that.”
Having just turned one, Lucius is well into his toddler stage, needing “so much attention” and “constant stimulation” from everyone around him. “We’re a lot more hands-on these days,” Martha tells Now To Love.
Finding time for self-care, let alone skincare, is not a luxury the 35-year-old mum finds herself with, even with the support of her friends, family and her fiance Michael Brunelli.
“You’ve got five minutes and in those five minutes, you probably have a lot of other things that you want to do,” she says. “Maybe drink a hot coffee, have a hot piece of toast… but with skincare, you have to just slap it on and be done.”
For this reason, Martha has partnered with Olay to help find the perfect postpartum skincare routine, with enough room for her holy grails and nothing else.
“I love the sculpting cream because it’s like a 15-step skincare in one. It does for your skin what an essence, serum, moisturiser and oil would do in one step,” she shares.
But, with anything, everyone’s experience may look a little different. “Some days you might get to do a 10-step skincare routine, and some days you might not even brush your teeth and that’s okay,” she says.
However, Martha’s best tip for mums struggling with skincare is to find what they like – and more importantly, what’s good – and just stick with it.
“Gone are the days where you’re like, ‘I’ll try this, I’ll see how this goes’. You just need something reliable. You need something that’s not going to irritate your skin.”
“Also, your hormones are not the same,” she laughs. “So you might be more sensitive than you usually are… I like to use a barrier cream, a really thick one. Always a sunscreen, always a retinol and a really gentle cleanser. They were the hero products that I always used.”
With that, we’ve built a skincare routine that we think would be perfect for mums entering their postpartum stage.
The best skincare for postpartum in Australia
01
Viviology Gentle Foaming Cleanser
$45 at Adore Beauty
This mild, soap-free formula is infused with skin-loving ingredients and lathers into a silky foam to help banish dirt, makeup, and other debris while soothing and hydrating your skin. Perfect for mums wanting a gentle cleanser.
Size: 200ml
Key features:
- A mild and soap-free formula that’s gentle on the skin
- Free from harsh sulphates, soaps, parabens and synthetic fragrances
- Removes makeup, debris, dirt, and sunscreen without stripping skin
02
Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Face Cream Moisturiser
from $29.95 at Amazon
A favourite of Martha’s, this advanced repairing moisturiser strengthens, smooths and helps to restore skin elasticity for lasting hydration.
Size: 50g
Key features:
- Niacinamide
- Amino peptides
- Hydra-firming complex
03
Anthelios Invisible Fluid Facial Sunscreen SPF 50+
$37.95 at La Roche-Posay
This lightweight daily facial sunscreen is made for sensitive skin, all the while delivering an invisible finish.
Size: 50ml
Key features:
- Lightweight texture
- Fragrance-free
Also available at:
- $37.95 from Priceline
- $37.95 from Adore Beauty
04
0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment
$68 (usually $85) at Paula’s Choice
This triple-action retinol, bakuchiol and peptides is a true all-in-one, suitable for all skin types including normal, oily, combination and dry.
Sizes: 5 – 30 ml
Key features:
- Light lotion texture absorbs quickly
- Mid-strength 0.3% retinol
- 2% bakuchiol
Also available at:
- $85 from Amazon
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