The beauty experts’ guide to the very best new mum products

New mums are a special breed. Inhabiting a mysterious twilight zone somewhere between day and night. They possess the unique ability to shower in 7 seconds flat, have an Olympic medal in tip-toeing and are able to survive on virtually no sleep while still managing to elicit a smile from a teething 6-month-old.

The key to their superpowers? A direct line to the local barista and a few choice beauty products. We ask the beauty pros about the best advice they were given as a new mum and get their recommendations for post-partum must-haves.

The best piece of advice I received was to sleep at the same time as my baby! I still do it now whenever I can to steal a few winks while she’s sleeping. It does wonders for the red eyes and under eye bags, and I’ve always found napping to be the best thing for restoring my energy levels.

This Murad Intensive-C Radiance Peel exfoliator is great as it’s really effective at gently removing any build up of dead skin cells. After having a baby, my skin has become prone to acne and scarring so this has been a life saver in getting my skin back into balance.

The Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser is brilliant to use when I’m in the shower – it makes light work of removing any makeup and grime quickly at the end of the day. My skin always feels so fresh and clean afterwards.

Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester Photo-Brightening Moisturiser always gives my skin a glow for the days when I don’t have time to wear makeup, and the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil is great for all over body moisturising, treating dry patches and taming fly away hairs (I love the smell too). When you’re a new mum anything multi-tasking is great.

It’s a cliché but bank as much sleep as you possibly can before the baby arrives was the best piece of advice I was given as a new mum. I didn’t quite understand how important that is.

I found I was constantly chasing the clock in those first few weeks. Saving a few minutes in the morning by swapping a hair wash for a good invisible dry shampoo, like this OUAI Super Dry Shampoo, makes it feel like you are winning again.

I never understood the point in perfumed body washes… until I had a baby.  Even if it’s just for three minutes, while standing up in the shower, with a baby looking wide-eyed at you from its bouncer, this little bit of luxury serves as a reminder that you are fabulous. Try this one Frederick Malle Rose Cuir Body Wash.

This is one step I won’t skip – a nightly facial massage is such a good way to close the day and knead out tension around the eyes and jaw.  Go for a balm with a feel-good fragrance such as rose.

Going back to the idea of banking sleep before the baby arrives, invest in all the soporific treats you can – such as the This Works Deep Sleep Heavenly Scented Candle – to help encourage healthy slumber and turn your home into a sleep retreat.

‘Calm is a superpower’ is the advice I was given that I’d pass on to any new mum as it applies to all stages of motherhood from teething to toddler tantrums.

Invest in an under eye corrector. Bobbi Brown Creamy Corrector is magic in a pot and the best when it comes to banishing dark circles – layer it under your concealer.

A red lip plus sunglasses is my fail safe to looking awake. MAC’s Ruby Woo shade suits all skin tones and also comes in a liquid lip version which I can attest won’t transfer onto your baby.

Fake tan is a must for perking up any complexion. Choose a formula that’s super easy to apply such as a mist which can be spritzed one handed while balancing a baby on your hip, or one which can be added into your normal skincare such as Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster.

A bit of self care is also important, even if it does its work while you unpack the dishwasher. We love anything super hydrating like this Elemis Peptide4 Plumping Pillow Facial Hydrating Sleep Mask.

I’m sure this is probably the most clichéd of all mum advice but it’s the one that I always go back to when it all starts to feel overwhelming. Just remember that everything is a phase – things change and move on so even if a stage seems tough, it won’t last long and you’ll get through it, I promise!

If there’s one thing that my first born Sebastian taught me, it’s to brush my second son Albert’s scalp every night in the bath. Not only have I seen that it’s encouraged his hair to grow, its kept the pesky cradle cap at bay that poor Sebastian suffered with for months.

I love the brand Kit & Kin. I used the nappies and wipes when I was in hospital with Albert and they are so gentle for newborn’s skin. I’ll be gifting these to any new mums I know.

I’m very particular when it comes to bath time and the products I use because I don’t want anything that will irritate the children’s skin. Little B’s range is gentle and all the products have subtle, delicious scents like clementine and lavender to relax them before bedtime. 

Having a barrier cream or balm on hand at all times is one of the most valuable mum hacks. Scraped knee? No problem, smother it with a barrier cream until you get home. Sore noses and mouths from winter cold? Just apply the barrier cream overnight and it’ll heal the skin ready for the next day. Simple yet effective.

The best piece of advice I was given was that ‘comparison is the thief of joy’. Whether it comes to sleep patterns, your baby’s milestones or your own recovery, let it all go and just focus on the two of you.

Wash-off masks (or any skincare that takes longer than 30 seconds to apply) are generally off-limits for the first few months so this Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask is just the ticket. Slathering this overnight complexion transformer on before bed means I can feign a semblance of self care and I can’t get enough of the subtle rose scent.

When a full face of foundation is a makeup step too far some strategic concealing and brightening (especially under the eyes) is called for. This Dior Backstage Flash Luminizer Radiance Booster Pen is like a magic wand when it comes to pretending you’ve had enough sleep.

We spend nine months nurturing our bumps with all sorts of lotions and potions and then as soon as the baby arrives we tend to neglect our bellies. Be kind to your post-baby midrift even if it’s with a quick rub with some oil after the shower to keep the skin beautifully nourished.

Your baby may have other ideas than sleep but this Neom Organics London Bedtime Hero Pillow Mist will at least mean your bed will smell inviting during those night feeds. Once he or she starts sleeping through this will also help you to nod off too.