‘A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS’ WITH BEAUTY EDITOR MOLLIE BURDELL
My daughter turned one a few weeks ago and whenever someone asks how I’ve found the first year of motherhood, I pause, read the room (husbands grandma’s 96th birthday party probably the wrong audience for the birth story) and usually find it safest to settle on: “Oh, it’s been a real rollercoaster.” Yes, sorry — I know it's a screaming cliché. But with Nemesis Reborn at Alton Towers billed as “an intense inverted coaster that whips riders around at high speeds,” I feel legally obliged to stand by my comparison.
Becoming a mum has been the greatest joy of my life, and the love I have for my daughter is incomparable. But at the same time, I was struck by how hard, isolating, overwhelming, and identity-shaking it can feel — especially in those early days. Not only do you birth a whole human (go off, queen), you’re suddenly responsible for keeping that tiny person alive, often on little-to-no sleep. There were moments I didn’t recognise myself and days I wondered if I was cut out for the job at all.
As a beauty journalist and makeup artist, I’ve always believed beauty to be a kind of therapy — whether that’s a slow nighttime skincare ritual to quiet a racing mind or a five-minute makeup routine that makes you feel a bit more like yourself. Looking back across pregnancy, postpartum and this first wild year, I leaned on those small, beauty-filled moments more than ever. So, in celebration of Mother’s Day, here are the beauty heroes that got me through pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond — all available to shop at Cult Beauty.
THE EVERYTHING BATH
I’ve always taken my baths seriously, but pregnancy turned them into a full-scale production. Lights off, face mask on, candles lit, laptop perched at the perfect angle for the latest series of Bridgerton — this was my new idea of what a lock-in looks like. My perfect zen-inducing potion became a generous glug of the Laura Mercier Honey Bath mixed with Luna Daily’s The Motherhood Wash, an everyday hero with a pH-balanced formula developed alongside dermatologists and gynaecologists, safe for pre and post-birth and while breastfeeding.
As someone who fake-tanned throughout my entire pregnancy (more on that later), a weekly top-to-toe scrub remained non-negotiable. Slathering myself in Joonbyrd’s Violet Haze Body Scrub, with its comforting chocolate lily scent, felt like a deliciously scented hug — just the prep required for what my birth had in store. I was also militant with moisturising, and post bath or shower, I’d cover my bump with the Summer Fridays Babymoon Belly Balm. The texture is like butter and doesn't leave behind a sticky or greasy residue. Win, win.
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THE POWER OF FAUX GLOW
Did I get a spray tan to give birth? Yes. Did I end up getting induced, pale and pasty, twelve days later? Also, yes. But you get my drift: I take my tanning exceptionally seriously. There’s nothing quite like the confidence boost that comes from a bottle of the good stuff, which is why I mostly kept at it during pregnancy. When I was feeling out of sorts, I’d follow the aforementioned “everything bath” with an application of the Tan Luxe Express Mousse. The formula is supercharged with pregnancy-friendly vitamin C and hyaluronic acid and gives the most gorgeous, natural glow.
Post-birth was a different story, and for those back-to-back weeks when the thought of a full fake-tan routine felt about as achievable as a night out in heels, I can’t tell you how many times the By Terry Tea to Tan Face and Body Mist brought me back from the dead.
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THE RAPID ROUTINE
Since having my daughter, who is now well and truly on the move, I rely on a quick and effective beauty routine for general day-to-day. My skin has become a lot drier since becoming a mum — fantastic — so I look for hydrating products that work fast and layer well under makeup. Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Intense is a supercharged hyaluronic acid serum which is incredible at really locking in moisture and works wonders at instantly pepping up skin. Paired with the powerhouse combination of rice bran water, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and squalane in Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Rice + Probiotics SPF50, my skin stays plump, protected, and perfectly prepped for whatever the day throws at me.
On days when I’m dashing from nursery drop-off to a day of back-to-back meetings and events, I lean on a handful of tried-and-true favourites. Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturiser, Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara in Chocolate, NYX Buttermelt Bronzer, and Laneige Glaze Craze Tinted Lip Serum are my shortcut to perfecting a five-minute face. After a long stretch of juggling work and mum life, taking off the day rarely feels more indulgent than with the Emma Hardie Vit C Brilliance Cleansing Balm. it turns my evening cleanse into a little spa-like ritual — a well-deserved moment of calm after surviving yet another round of bedtime negotiations.
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More Colours Available
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