Childbirth is an extraordinary journey filled with emotions and challenges. Amidst the pain, there is a rising trend: mothers applying makeup before giving birth. It's not about conforming to beauty standards but reclaiming control and expressing self-love.
For some, it boosts confidence and inner strength. It's a reminder of individuality amid the focus on the baby. Beauty treatments before labor provide relaxation and indulgence, enhancing physical appearance. The choice to apply makeup is personal, respecting each woman's unique journey. Ultimately, it celebrates femininity, empowers women, and highlights the beauty and strength within. It's a powerful tool of self-expression in the remarkable journey of motherhood.
Women around the world are preparing for childbirth by applying makeup
The real image of childbirth has been stigmatized for centuries, and women have felt pressure to hide the very unpolished reality. Social media has presented a whole new pressure to this equation for some. In the same study, respondents were asked why they were so concerned about their appearance following childbirth. Among the top reasons were looking good in photos (31 percent), looking presentable for visitors (26 percent), or avoiding looking ill, drained, and tired (22 percent). A different study revealed that the average woman applies face makeup within two-and-a-half hours of giving birth. Pictured above is beauty blogger Alexis Jayda in California, who recorded makeup tutorials while waiting to give birth to her child.
Another fellow beauty influencer Dana Chavez checked to make sure her contouring was on fleek and her eyebrows shaped up for her labor.
Lee Ann Jarrell took her childbirth glam so seriously that she said she ‘refused’ to give birth until her makeup was all done in 2018.
For some women, the pre-birth makeup ritual served as a distraction to keep their minds off the pain of the contractions, while others chose to apply their makeup post-birth for Instagram pics.
This mom in California had a false alarm that sent her to the delivery room early, which gave her a chance to play around with some makeup ideas.
New York makeup artist, Alaha Karimi, went viral for the three makeup prep photos she shared back in 2016. According to her interview later with ABC News, she said the glam-up provided a much-needed distraction from her contractions. “I went to the hospital at 7:30 a.m., and I was in labor for a total of 10 hours that day,” she told ABC News. “I had an epidural around 8:30 or 9:00 a.m., so when it started to wear off, I needed something to distract myself from the pain.”
Alaha had her beauty photos go viral in 2015 when she shared images of herself in the process of applying her make-up followed by another pic of her experiencing contractions in the middle of it.
Alaha is known for her bridal makeup looks and made a joke that if her makeup could last through a wedding day filled with tears, it could hold up during labor
This British mother-to-be primped herself with some ‘labor lashes’ before her delivery.
Women should always consult with their doctors when it comes to product safety. “Lists are always ordered from largest to smallest in terms of ingredient quantity,” New York-based makeup artist Mary Irwin told The Bump. “Remember, the first three things listed will be the most active. Also, the smaller the list, the less likely you are to have a reaction.”
US blogger Brianna Lynch struggled to apply her make up wrapped up in a blood pressure cuff around her, this took true talent to achieve.
“During pregnancy, the skin is often turning over more quickly, so you can accumulate dead skin and sometimes require more foundation,” says Shilpi Agarwal, MD, author of The 10-Day Total Body Transformation and board-certified family medicine physician in Washington, DC.
Not all women who want to get dolled up do it themselves. Makeup artist Tegan Woodford, from Queensland’s Gold Coast, was called in to do a makeover for her sister-in-law as she was going into labor.
“I got a phone call from my sis-in-law at 2am saying she had her first contraction,” recalled Tegan, and said she immediately jumped on the next flight to Adelaide.
Even before they make it to the hospital some women plan ahead of their scheduled deliveries and make lash appointments like expectant mother Christine from Northern Ireland.
According to the Arizona OBGYN Affiliates: “Most makeup products, such as powders, foundations, mascaras, eyeliners, etc. are safe to use during pregnancy, as long as you avoid those makeup products that contain retinoids or salicylic acid.”
People’s reactions were mixed
Some thought putting make up in the delivery room was a bit too much:
