Not all women are in love with their bodies during pregnancy, which means they’ll do anything they can to feel better about their growing baby bump and the rest of the physical changes that can occur. If you’re not feeling your sexiest but you want to really wow your partner on Valentine’s Day, don’t worry. There are plenty of pregnancy beauty tips you can use to add a little oomph to your appearance. Try a few – or all! – of these top six.
Moisturize
Skin changes aren’t uncommon during pregnancy. You might go from having dry, sensitive skin pre-pregnancy to having oily, acne-prone skin when you’re pregnant, or vice versa. Regardless of what your skin’s doing, you’ll still need a good moisturizer. Look for one that’s oil-free to avoid clogging your pores. If you need extra moisture, try using a thin layer of natural oil, like olive oil or grape seed oil in addition to your moisturizer.
Read more: 8 fun things to do if you’re pregnant this Valentine’s Day
Find a good concealer
Blotchy skin, dark circles, acne and other pigmentation issues are likely to crop up during pregnancy, which means you should find a good concealer ASAP. Look for a heavy-duty one, like those that help people cover tattoos or medical scars, and make sure that it matches your skin tone. Applying it with a small concealer brush and setting it with a translucent powder will ensure that your coverage lasts all day.
Keep foundation to a minimum
Your skin might have a nice glow going for it, in which case you don’t want to cover it all up with makeup. Instead of a full-coverage foundation, opt for a tinted moisturizer, or better yet, a BB cream. They’re lightweight and sheer, so paired with concealer, you won’t need a heavy liquid or cream. They’ll also make sure your skin is fully quenched, and many BB creams have other benefits too, like anti-aging or brightening.
Learn how to contour
A fuller face might come with pregnancy, which means that if you don’t already know how to contour with makeup, it’s time to learn. A highlighter and a bronzer are all you need. Use the bronzer to add shadows to your face on the sides of your nose, on your forehead, on your jawbone and under your cheekbones. Blend it in well to make sure it looks natural. Now, use the highlighter on all the areas where light hits your face, like along your cheekbones, under your brow bones, along the bridge of your nose and over your cupid’s bow. This will help give your face some shape.
Make your eyes look bigger and brighter
Lack of sleep can do a number on how you look. To make your eyes appear more wide-awake, steer clear of heavy, dark eye makeup. Instead, go for a shimmery neutral eyeshadow, like beige, champagne or copper all over your lid. Then, use brown eyeliner to line your upper lashes. Curl your eyelashes from root to tip, then use a couple of coats of a volumizing mascara, focusing it on the lashes in the middle of your lid. Finish with a dab of highlighter in each inner corner.
Plump your lips
It’s easy to make your lips look bigger than they really are without using tingly plumping products. Just exfoliate them with a lip scrub or by rubbing them with a wet towel or toothbrush, then apply lip balm. Give it a while to sink in, then wipe the excess off and apply a lipstick or lip stain – any color works, but red is especially hot for Valentine’s Day! Once it’s applied, blot it with a tissue and apply another coat so it lasts. Finish by putting a clear dab of lip gloss in the center of your bottom lip to give the illusion of fullness.