At our Favorite Things party last week (post forthcoming) several different girlfriends commented on and complimented my appearance.

**Sidebar** Every time you see a new mom tell her how great she looks. Even if she doesn’t. Just do it. Trust me. It’s this crazy swing of self-conscious emotions. Some days I think “Hey! I feel pretty good! I think I’m looking much more like my old self!” and then the next day I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and think “YIKESSSSS SWAMP MONSTER” and then I can’t fit into some pants and think “Will I ever get back to my pre-pregnancy weight?!” and then I do my weekly weigh-in and realize I lost weight that week. It’s the weirdest. So just be nice to new moms, k?

Anyway. Sometimes it’s nice that the bar is set so low for new moms. I think sometimes people expect me to show up in yoga pants with poop on my clothes and spitup in my hair. And yeah, there have been days like that. I just don’t leave the house on those days. 🙂 It’s nice, though, to get so many compliments when I get ready and leave the house.

The irony is that I have way more time now for a beauty routine than I did when I was working, even with a new baby. The problem is the motivation. Why bother doing my hair and makeup every single day? I’d rather spend that time making faces at my baby or walking around the park or having Netflix marathon cuddle fests. Still, I love the flexibility of my life now. I love hanging out in yoga pants all day and getting ready in a flash when The Beard gets home with plans for dinner with friends. And I’m still vain. I still like dressing up and looking good.

I have found a system that works for me without taking up too much of my bb cuddle time. I HATE blowdrying my hair. Hate it. I used to sleep on my hair wet and then iron out the frizz and kinks like SUPER HEALTHY. Or even better – Tie it up tight in a wet topknot and be horrified by the breakage casualties. I also hate washing my hair, and don’t need to very often since I’m smooth and not oily or greasy at all.

SOLUTION: I am now down to washing my hair once a week. I know; it sounds a little gross. But hear me out. Since I only wash it once a week I really give it the VIP treatment and I can make a good blowout last seven days. I pick a free morning once a week, feed & change Reese, grab a fresh Diet Coke and it’s on. So after the requests and compliments of several girlfriends, here it is:

My New Mom Hair Routine

1. Wash

I start with a long and careful shampoo – like the intensity you get at the salon. I use a blonde repair color treatment shampoo and conditioner since I’m rocking the intense platinum these days. I try to really get in there and scrub my scalp and give the conditioner time in the steam to really coat and repair my dryness.

2. Product

My hair is really straight, smooth and flat so it needs help to look alive. Lately I’ve been using Big Sexy Hair’s Blow Dry Volumizing Gel all over and then brush through with The Wet Brush. My hairstylist friend Ali recommended this brush and I don’t know how but it’s magical.

3. Blow Dry

First I flip over and blast my roots upside down so they have a slight chance of some volume. Then I section my head off with alligator clips and go one section at a time with my favorite Paul Mitchell roundbrush.

4. Roll

Once I have blown out the sections from my forehead to about halfway down the back of my head I wrap each section around these big Dry Bar rollers for volume. I blast them a few times with the dryer as I finish my hair and do my makeup.

Reese just chills in her Bumbo and we have girl talk. She obviously thinks I’m a terrible dancer since she giggles every time I start jumping around and singing to her. Lolz.

5. Tease & Treat

I pull out all the rollers, flip my head over and give my roots one more blast. I squeeze a few drops of Paul Mitchell’s MarulaOil into my palms and work it through my hair, focusing on my ends. It smooths my hair, smells great and helps repair split ends. If I’m styling it that day, I spray a little dry shampoo – Suave is still my fave! – around my crown and lightly tease it up. NOT A UTAH BOX HEAD TEASE OBVIOUSLY

Yeah this takes me 40 minutes, sometime more. I know that seems like a lot, but if I only do it once a week and it lasts – so worth it. I’ve actually started to look forward to my “blowout day” each week. Diet Coke, dancing with my bb and my girliest Spotify playlists make it really fun. Plus I’m set up for the whole week!

Days 1-3: Since I’m not greasy I can get this smooth blowout to last 3-4 days with just dry shampoo and a flat iron!

Days 3-6: Once my hair is dirtied up a little, day two or three, I spray dry shampoo all over my scalp and Paul Mitchell’s Hot Off the Press heat protect spray throughout my hair. It coats the hair to protect it, but also gives my hair some texture so it holds curl better. I take about 20 minutes and use my NuMe wand to curl my whole head, leaving the ends out to save them. I tease up my roots a tiny bit, finger comb through the curls and use a few blasts of Big Sexy Hair Spray and Play for further hold. Each day after that I can spray some dry shampoo in any gross areas and throw in a few extra bends with my NuMe wand and call it good!

Days 6-7: Dry Shampoo and Top Knots, homies! Sometimes if I haven’t worked out hard that week I can still rock the curls even up till day 7!

It’s the best – my hair is in better shape than it’s ever been and growing fast. I spend a little time on my hair basically twice a week and then I’m set! Anything to increase the amount of time I get to spend with this little nugget, amirite??

(This cute lace bow and tons more in my friend Nicole’s shop! Check it out!)