5 Fast Fixes for Those Annoying Postpartum Beauty Problems
We've got expert tips and tricks that'll help you look and feel refreshed—even when you're seriously sleep deprived.
We learn as toddlers not to play with our food. Dogs and cats, not so much. There are many animals out there who get a great kick out of splashing around in their water bowl or tipping over their food bowl (just to drive us crazy, am I right?). Enter the Neater Feeder, a system for funneling spillover from both bowls into separate chambers. At first glance, it looks like any other elevated feeding setup, except it's designed with protective walls and a drainage system that filters spilled water into a lower reservoir while stray morsels stay up top.
Use a hair dryer that dries ultra-fast—without sacrificing quality. The Dyson Supersonic hair dryer regulates heat to dry your hair quickly while protecting it from extreme heat damage. “It has a superpowerful motor paired with a precise airflow and automatic built-in heat protection,” says celebrity hairstylist Kendall Dorsey. Thanks to this combination, your hair will look shiny and smooth.
Quick fix:
Postpartum problem: No time to do your hair
In those first few months, just getting to take a shower at all counts as a win. But then who has the energy for a full blowout and styling?
It's recommended that you clean Fluffy's litter box at least once a day. In the real world, though, it might be two or more days between scooping, until the stench coming from that corner of the house finally drifts toward your unsuspecting nostrils. You need an automatic self-cleaning box, stat. The popular Litter Robot has a weight-sensitive switch that detects when your cat goes in to do her business. When she's done, the Space Age–looking contraption waits seven minutes for the waste to clump, then slowly rotates, sifting the clean litter from the clumps and dropping the waste into a carbon-filtered drawer in the base. The best part? You only need to dump the drawer every seven to 10 days. It's truly the lazy pet owner's best friend.
Though you’re putting on your best brave face, those dark circles are a dead giveaway that you’re running on little-to-no sleep.
Apply a creamy concealer like Neutrogena Healthy Skin Brightening Eye Perfector Broad Spectrum SPF 25 in a warm undertone a shade or two lighter than your skin tone to cancel out the purple hue of the dark circle. It’ll instantly make you look more awake, says celebrity brow and makeup artist Stevi Christine.
Depending on the breed of your critter and how many you have, trying to keep your floors and furniture relatively fur free can feel like a full-time job. (As the owner of a highly prolific shedder, I assure you the struggle is real.) The only solution? Regular vacuuming. But not just any old vacuum will do. The Dyson Ball Animal is an upright dedicated to busting pet hair, with a tangle-free turbine tool to suck up hair from carpet and upholstery. Its technology maximizes suction, which also means more allergens and dust particles are picked up too. For quick daily cleanups, you'll want the new cordless Dyson V8 Absolute on hand. It can be used as both a stick and a handheld vac, which means it's easy to really get in there and clean every fur-filled nook and cranny—not to mention pick up dog food spills or errant cat litter. A full charge can power it for a whopping 40 minutes, and it has specialized cleaner heads for carpet and hard floors.
You enjoyed thicker, shinier-than-usual hair during pregnancy, but three to four months after childbirth, you can expect major shedding. Bummer.
The good news is that the hair loss isn’t permanent. “It grows back on its own as long as you're eating a varied diet and are otherwise healthy,” says dermatologist Jennifer MacGregor, MD, of Union Square Laser Dermatology in New York City. Until it gets back to normal, use a volume-enhancing dry shampoo such as Dove Refresh + Care Volume & Fullness Dry Shampoo, suggests Dorsey. Just spray it at your roots, leave it in for a few minutes and brush through, back-combing for additional volume at the crown.
Nothing pains a pet owner more than buying a beautiful new couch only to see it torn to shreds in a matter of months. Scratching is a natural instinct for cats, but that doesn't make it easier for us humans to stand back and watch. If your feline makes a beeline for your favorite furniture (while zipping right past that fancy scratching post you bought him), we recommend the Sofa Scram mat. It's simple technology that really works—and it's affordable to boot! Simply place the battery-operated mat on your couch or chair where it's instantly activated at the touch of a paw. The mat will emit 85-decibel beeps, a safe but nonetheless startling sound that'll deter claw-crazy cats, and dogs looking for a cozy place to doze too.
Notice irregular dark patches on your face that weren't there before? “Melasma, freckles and other discolorations can occur, or even darken, during pregnancy,” MacGregor says.
Since pregnancy can leave lingering skin changes, like darker moles, MacGregor says it’s essential to squeeze a dermatologist appointment into your schedule. “A topical vitamin C treatment can help brighten your skin over time; just check with your doctor to make sure topicals are safe if you’re breastfeeding,” she says. In the meantime, try a radiance boosting foundation like Wander Beauty Flash Focus Hydrating Foundation Stick to help even out your complexion. Ingredients like coconut oil, hyaluronic acid and vitamins C and E hydrate your skin and impart a dewy glow.
Fact: Dogs don't like to be left by themselves. Every dog owner can recall a time they came home after a day or night out to find the kitchen garbage strewn on the floor, or a shoe chewed to bits. Leave it to Silicon Valley to come up with a solution. The Petzi Treat Cam is an app-controlled, Wi-Fi-connected remote treat dispenser and camera. Mount it on a wall or set it on a bookshelf, and once you're away, use the app to activate it and call out to Fido. When he comes running over, you can snap a cute pic of his excited little mug, then dispense a small treat from the attached treat launcher. For an animal with separation anxiety, it's a whole lot more fun than doggy antidepressants—for you and him.
If you took a break from coloring your hair during pregnancy, by the time you give birth, your roots may be looking less “cool girl” and more skunk-like.
If you can’t get back to the salon right away, cheat a touch-up with a concealing powder like Color Wow Root Cover Up. Pick the shade that best matches your hair (there are eight colors to choose from) and apply it to the regrowth with the accompanying brush. “It looks totally natural and can also be used to perfect the hairline and make edges look fuller,” Dorsey says.
