Postpartum Skin, Bare Minimum Routines & A Little Grace

I’m not sure if this baby actually sleeps less… or if I’m just older and no longer elite at functioning on fumes. Either way, we’re in a season where only the bare minimum routines are surviving — and honestly? That’s okay.

I don’t think I’ve ever been worse with my skincare routine than I am right now, and I’ve worked in aesthetics for years. But life comes in seasons. There will always be treatments to do, products to apply, and goals to chase. Right now, we’re focused on what’s realistic.

And for me this spring, that looks like this:

My Spring Treatment Goals

Now that baby is here, I’m ready to lean back into some more treatments (strategically, of course). On deck:

• 3 Alma TED sessions to prevent/slow postpartum hair loss (ideally every 4 weeks).
• As many Sciton BBL HEROic + Skin Smooth sessions as I can reasonably fit in (goal: 3, spaced 4 weeks apart).
• Another CO2 Full Eyes — the one with shields so we can treat the upper lid (game changer).
• A SkinPen microneedling session with PDGF + Botox (about 30 units for oil control, pore refinement, and redness).
• A full face of Daxxify injections (I’m testing it to potentially bring into the practice).

Is this ambitious? Maybe. But after pregnancy and postpartum, sometimes it feels good to have a plan.

The Bare Minimum Skincare Routine

And now for the honest part, what I’m actually doing at home.

AM (when I manage it):

• Wash with ZO Exfoliating Cleanser
• Plated Calm
• SkinBetter Alto
• SkinBetter Trio
• SkinBetter Tone Smart SPF

Bonus:
If I’m feeling crusty and dusty (hello, dry season), I’ll grab a ZO Pad or ZO Polish. If I’m going somewhere and want that immediate bounce and glow? ZO Peptide Serum — hydrated, bouncy, alive.

PM:

• One Love Organics B Cleansing Oil (to remove sunscreen/makeup)
• ZO Exfoliating Cleanser
• Either ZO Wrinkle + Texture Repair or SkinBetter Clearing Serum
• ZO Daily Power Defense or Recovery Crème (depending on dryness)

Bonus players:
ZO Peptide Serum, SkinBetter Even Intense, and/or Jan Marini Bioclear Cream — when I have the bandwidth.

Real Life Confession

There are days I don’t even wash my face. On those days, at minimum, I put on Alto + Tone Smart SPF if I’m leaving the house. I always polish in the shower. Sometimes I polish right before makeup because postpartum skin + winter dryness = flaky city.

The other day I ran a quick errand during a rare nanny window. I didn’t look in the mirror before leaving, only to realize at my destination that I had fully dried, white gel still in my hair from BBL the day before.

Grace upon grace.

The Unexpected MVP

Despite the exhaustion, I’ve had multiple friends comment on how good my skin looks (even with very little sleep). And I truly attribute that to Plated Calm. It has been the most consistent step in my routine this past year — through pregnancy and now postpartum. If there is one product that has carried me through inflammation, redness, hormones, and exhaustion, it’s that.

And when I remember to layer SkinBetter Alto and ZO’s Peptide Serum before seeing people? Guaranteed glow.

A Season, Not a Forever

If you’re in a season where your routine isn’t perfect — where you’re surviving more than thriving — I see you. It won’t last forever. And one day you’ll look back and realize how much you were carrying… and how well you did anyway.

Here’s to a glowy 2026, more sleep (hopefully), and dialing treatments back up now that baby is here.

And most of all — here’s to giving yourself grace. 💛