Where did my pregnancy glow go?

That was the question I (Kayleigh, PR and Marketing) remember asking myself after little Z was born. Postpartum woe had certainly kicked in once I had lost my pregnancy glow! However, fast forward to now, 8 months later, and I can say that thanks to the advice from the team at skinaddict.co.uk my confidence and skin has bounced back!

Along with adjusting to the new lifestyle changes, there’s also hormones to live with. Just like the rest of my body, I knew that my complexion would take time to get back to “normal” after I gave birth and a lot of my mum friends felt the same. So I thought I’d share some common skincare concerns that certainly will reassure you that you’re not going through this alone.

Please note that if you are breastfeeding to check the product information before purchasing or email us for more advice.

Melasma – Several ladies in my NCT class had dark spots appear and it’s not surprising as figures say that nearly 50% of pregnant women show some signs of the “mask of pregnancy“. If you have Melasma try to avoid the sun and always use an SPF, (ps – you should always use one anyway).

You can also use Obagi’s Nu-Derm range or Dermaquest’s SkinBrite products, which banishes dark spots and hyperpigmentation concerns.

Acne – Just what we need, after barely any sleep and a little “friend” decides to make an appearance! Acne treatments focus on controlling sebum production and clearing clogged pores. Try Dermaquest’s Dermaclear collection or Environ’s Sebuwash which contain salicylic acid, which helps to reduce acne by dissolving dead skin that clogs pores. As well as benzoyl peroxide, which works by banishing bacteria that causes acne and clearing pores of excess oil and dead skin cells.

Stretch marks – I’m sure, like mine, that your mothers would say this too, and they’re right… To bring back pre-baby elasticity, make sure you drink plenty of water, eat enough nourishing foods such as broccoli, which contains phytonutrients and works to restore skin’s natural radiance and make sure you get lots of Vitamin A, C and E. This nutrition will give you that much-needed energy boost too.

I also had great results after taking ANP’s SKIN Vitality 1 which is packed full of vitamins and minerals. This product, which feeds the skin from within contains zinc, which is important to reduce stretch marks, plus chromium and niacin, two key nutrients in balancing blood sugar. New mums often experience poor glucose control which results in fatigue, poor concentration and irritability. Topical regimes only reach a maximum of 20% of our skin, ANP can add that vital success factor by reaching the other 80% internally.

I know that it can be a challenging time as a new mum but remember that your baby thinks you’re beautiful — stretch marks and all!