Black-Owned Postpartum Skin Care

So full transparency, I’m coming up on one month postpartum and have probably managed to bathe about four times. Absolutely no shame. On the other hand my postpartum skin care routine is next level. I may be covered in breastmilk from the neck down but my face is glowing like my new baby’s bottom.

Trust me carving out time to care for my whole body may be a distant memory in my early postpartum days but the five minutes it takes to care for the skin on my face, I can find. After all on the rare chance that your little one will remember their birth, wouldn’t you rather they didn’t recall sections of dry, red and somewhat leatherish skin, on your cheeks, nose and mouth?

Why is your Skin Dry Postpartum?

My number one wish when getting pregnant a second time was not to be pregnant in the summer. The heat, the weight, and the internal kicks were just too much to bare with my firstborns august birth. One thing I had not taken into account was how my skin would fair during the winter. Normally a sandpaper mess come winter, I didn’t account for the added drama that is postpartum dry skin. Enter my need to sort out a postpartum skin care routine almost immediately. You see dry skin is linked to hormones. Oestrogen levels are high during pregnancy and drop suddenly when you give birth, resulting in skin that is drier and less supple than it was during pregnancy.

In addition, all that extra fluid that you retained during pregnancy that caused your feet and ankles to swell is now lost. A real bonus when it comes to putting on shoes postpartum, but not so good for the condition of your skin. Hence the disappearance of your dewy glow that your new bundle will undoubtably posses in droves.

Try switching up your Skin Care Routine postpartum

Consider changing the way you take care of your skin postpartum. Maybe sip washing your face in the mourning and just apply a daily set and a moisturizing sunscreen. Washing your fave in the morning can overdry your skin, so skip the early am wash and cleanse your face only at night, while you’re bleary eyed and the kids are asleep, for a postpartum self care hack.

Your Postpartum Skin Care Routine Starts Inside

Like most things in life your postpartum skin care routine should start with what you put inside of your body

Water | If you ask any skin care guru they’ll tell you the key to good skin care starts with hydration. I feel like women need to be pampered in their prenatal stage, one of the easiest ways to have better looking skin tis to drink more water. To infuse my day with tiny slices of elevated beauty Ive opted to incorporate crystals into my daily water intake. Even if you don’t believe in the healing properties of crystals, there are many, the aesthetic of it all is worth doing this bottle or straw to your life. Having this crystal bottle in my breastfeeding caddy makes night time feeds so much more glamorous even when I’m covered in leftovers and smelling of cottage cheese
Vitamins | This black-owned vitamin company considers the female body at every stage. I took their prenatal vitamins while I was pregnant and felt a change in my energy level so once I gave birth I added their “beauty” focused multivitamins to my prenatal skincare routine.

Outside

Cleanser |This black-owned mom centric skin care brand is behind many items on my go to postpartum skin care list because they not only work but are really ingenious. All Matrescence skin care products are EWG certified which basically means they are free form ingredients that would harm your healing postpartum body or your baby’s. This particular cleanser clarifies without irritating sensitive skin leaving it hydrated and nourished. The was scent was natural and subtle enough for use during pregnancy and continues to deliver postpartum.
Serum | I started using this serum shortly after my first pregnancy and have been using it intermittently for years with great results. On more than one occasion I’ve even asked if I’m wearing makeup after applying it. So when it was time to come up with a postpartum skin care routine I literally ran to this little miracle bottle and it did not disappoint. Suitable for all skin types this concentrated Vitamin C serum promises to brighten skin and boost radiance and delivers on both promises in spades. My face literally feels different after applying this. This bit of self care is a bit pricy but it truly delivers and will provide a noticeable difference to your postpartum skin.
Moisturizer | I would hope you’d trust me and take my word but incase you need an industry cosign this Matrescence moisturizer was voted the number one moisturizer for pregnancy by Byrdie and some of the things that made this little pot of gold perfect for pregnancy make it perfect for postpartum skin care as well as its formulated for drier skin. I took a break from using it for a couple of months as it got lost amidst a renovation and birth preparation but we’re reunited and it feels so good. This falls under my sunscreen and over my serum in my postpartum skin care routine
Sunscreen | you need sunscreen everyday, you’re being exposed to the sun everyday, postpartum, you need a sunscreen that isn’t going to take extra time to rub in. This Black-owned sunscreen rubs in like magic and has zero white residue, so it facilitates finding time in your busy postpartum routine to squeeze in a moment for skin care. The dewy light sheen it leaves you with is an added bonus.

Postpartum Belly Skin Care

This set | I think this trio is an essential item on nay new moms gift registry it creates a soothing moment of self care where you feel confident taking care of your skin while connecting with your little devoid of harmful chemicals. Its a great way to pamper your postpartum belly skin. I love knowing that the ingredients are safe enough for skin to skin cuddles with my babies.
Stretch mark Scrub |Its another Matresence product, but I mean come on these products are literally made for your body as it enters all its postpartum glory. this gentle exfoliating scrub encourages collagen to do its thing. The all natural ingredients make it perfectly safe for skin to skin cuddles, known to boost serotonin and give your postpartum skin an extra glow as you care for your little’s.