【Cafe Lemon Tea】Before and after having kids, how has moms’ beauty situation changed?

Our beauty situation

Before and after having kids.

We don’t have time for ourselves!

Hair care, skin care

how do you care?

【Today's Guests】

Reika

Originally from Kagoshima

Mother of 6 yrs old girl, 5 yrs old boy & 7 months old girl

Yurie

Originally from Fukushima

Mother of 5 yrs old twin girls & 6 months old boy

Asami

Originally from Nagano

Mother of 4 yrs old boy & 9 months old girl

Madam Samantha

Good afternoon, everyone! Nice to meet you, I’m Samantha.

Reika

Hi, I’m Reika. I was born in Tarumizu, Kagoshima, and moved to Tokyo when I was 6, so I’m not sure where I am from...lol. Now, I am raising a 6 yrs old girl, a 5 yrs old boy and a 7 months old girl in the Chiba new town district. Nice to meet you too.

Madam Samantha

Oh, Kagoshima! I thought it’s very rare though, you are almost from Tokyo. I rarely see people from Kagoshima around here.

Reika

There are certainly few people from Kyushu, but I think there are many people from Kagoshima! I don’t know why… maybe by dialect. Sometimes I'm curious about the way people talk, and ask “Are you from Kagoshima?” The answer is YES most of the time. lol.

Yurie

I’m Yurie. I have 5 yrs old twin girls and a 6 months old son. My birthplace is Fukushima. Now, I live in the Chiba new town district. Nice to meet you!

Madam Samantha

Your baby in your arms looks very confident.

Yurie

Yes, He is not scared of strangers yet.

Mami

I’m Mami. I lived in Nagano, then I moved to Chiba when I was 10. Now I live in the Chiba new town district. My kids are sleeping right now lol, one is the older one is a 4 yrs old boy and the younger one is a 9 months old girl.

Madam Samantha

Thank you very much for introducing yourself. You 3 are friends, right? By the way I am a mother of a university student, a highschool student and a junior highschool student. Quite big kids lol.

All

Wow, I can’t believe that you have such big kids!

How much do you care for your skin after giving birth to your baby?

Reika

Ah...I might not have done it at all.

Yurie

I heard Asami likes beauty products and so on.

Asami

Yeah, I could be a kinda beauty geek.

All

GEEK! LOL

Asami

I used to work in a beauty business. I was buying magazines like “BITEKI” and “VOCE” (Japanese beauty magazines), and like a geek, but now after having a baby, what I do for beauty is regular purchases of my favorites. I am a geek indeed.

All

GEEK, again! LOL

Yurie

Do you have beauty equipment?

Asami

Beauty equipment! Does it mean Facial massager or something like that? I don’t have that kind of equipment.

Yurie

Then, I wonder if the lotion or milky lotion you use is very special…

Asami

I used to like skin care products like lotion and essence and make-up products like foundation and eye shadows so much and tried many of them before having kids, but now I purchase only my favorite products regularly. It was important for me to try various products at work.

Madam Samantha

You can’t do as much as you do before, is that because you are not in the situation? or you don’t have enough time?

Asami

I used to meet people at work a lot, so I did care about beauty very much. Now that I'm on maternity leave, I don't meet people as much as I used to, so I don't really care. After all, I don't have time to go shopping!

Reika

When I was single, I wasn't really concerned about skin care, but I did make up properly. Even after giving birth, I was perfect when the elder two kids were born ... but I have more opportunities to go to the park, I don’t really care about it now... lol. I am now using MUJI basic cosmetics, at last.

Madam Samantha

MUJI cosmetics are popular, aren't they?

Reika

After the third one was born, I did not get enough time. Even if I go out, I'm starting to think that it's okay if it's just a park. Also, I'm wearing a mask now, so lol.

All

That's right lol.

Yurie

Since kids were born, my priority on beauty has completely dropped. When I was single, I spent a lot of money, used the series, and poured a lot of money into the beauty treatment salon.

All

WOW!

Yurie

Now, both lotion and serum are all-in-one! Apply once and you're done! Something like that. Since the twins were born first, I was a little lazy, but when the third one was born, I thought, "I should not be like this!", and I think I’m in a better condition than before.

Madam Samantha

It's amazing to rebuild from there! Is it because you only go around your house?

Yurie

Ah, maybe. I'll do my best if I have a plan to have lunch with my friends or go to Tokyo, but I really don't have anything right now. Anyway, I'm wearing a mask lol. Nobody knows even if I apply lipstick lol.

Asami

Yes! Only I add cheeks and highlights when I go to meet my friends in Tokyo!

All

Oh year!

Asami

To apply foundation, you have to do three things: base, foundation, and powder. I don't have that time right now! I also use BB cream!

Taking a bath with your kids, how do you do hair care?

Yurie

Not only make-up, but also hair care got very quick. Sometimes I wonder if I can wash it properly.

Reika

I'm in a hurry and sometimes forget to rinse off the treatment.

All

OMG!

Reika

When I got out and wiped it with a towel, I noticed that it was slippery and I knew it lol.

Asami

I might not change much …

All

Really?

Asami

I originally had a long bath. It seems that everyone got used to it when my kids were taking a bath at that pace from the beginning. I've always been together for more than 30 minutes. Of course, the temperature of the bath is well controlled.

Madam Samantha

There are many time-saving products compared with in the past. Are you using something useful?

All

The one that doesn't need a double face wash is good!

Asami

I used to use cleansing then face wash, now I also use it!

Reika

When I get out of the bath, apply something quickly, and take care of my kids!

Asami

Oh! I can recommend something good! I apply Curel moisture spray first, then get my kids weared. After that, I do skin care. I dry my hair while kids are watching TV.

Reika

Natural drying for me lol.

Madam Samantha

Has your hairstyle changed?

Reika

I got it shorter. When I hold my kids, I’m worried that they will eat my hair. And it shortens the shampoo time.

All

Oh year.

Yurie

I rarely can go to the hair salon. I have a dark face with black hair, so it's a little brighter, but it's still growing then stands out. About once every three months, maybe.

Asami

I agree! It's quite difficult to leave two children. I haven't dyed my hair anymore. However, I really like long hair, so I keep it, but I can only go to the salon once every four months. It's actually quite easy if it's long!

Madam Samantha

Yeah, you can tie it up.

Yurie

Recently, I have just tied my hair and went out without setting it. I feel sorry.

Reika

At work, I’m strictly prohibited from dyeing hairstyles and other appearances. Sometimes I leave my kids to my husband, and go to the salon. I also go to salons which have kids’ rooms. I often go to “CRAFT” and “bloom” in Inzai city.

Madam Samantha

That’s good. There are salons that have kids' rooms.

Reika

It is convenient because some salons have childcare centers where staff take care of your kids, and there are also salons where you can see the children playing behind the glass even though there is no childcare. “How do you want your hair?” When asked by a hair stylist, I request "Hairstyles that I don't have to go to the salon often" lol.

When you return to work, will you return to the original care?

Madam Samantha

Are you all on maternity leave now?

All

Yes, we all are.

Madam Samantha

Then, when you return to work, will you take care of yourself like before again?

Asami

I’m working from home now, so maybe it will be the same.

Reika

I'm a customer service business, so I have to make up absolutely, so I think I'll do more makeup than I do now, but when it comes to" I have to do it", I feel tight.

Yurie

I also work with people, but makeup isn't that necessary, so it will be the same as it is now ... or I won’t do makeup at all ... I'll be leaving home about an hour earlier than before. Then in the morning I won’t have time for it.

Asami

I badly want to get my eyebrows done with permanent makeup! I heard that there is one of the best artists in Japan in Shibuya. It's so popular that I can't make a reservation at all!

All

Eh! Is that so ?!

Asami

It costs a lot of money, but when I get back to work, I want to go to Shibuya with the first bonus!

Madam Samantha

Some people have eyelines as well as eyebrows, right ?!

Asami

It seems that even older people have eyebrows, eyelines, and lipsticks. Everyone is rich lol. By the way, I used to wear eyelash extensions before giving birth, but I'm not doing it now.

Madam Samantha

Many people wear eyelash extensions. Is it easy after all?

Asami

Hmm ... isn't it decreasing now? It feels like the boom has settled down ...

Yurie

You can't maintain it unless you go to the store often.

Madam Samantha

Is having eyelash extensions a little hurdle for moms who are raising children?"

Asami

It's fun because you don't have to draw eyeliner. Well, I want to do permanent makeup, I want to do nail art, and I don't have enough time and money! lol

All

Me, too! lol

Madam Samantha

You all have a desire to take care of yourself, but now you are in a state of patience. But there will always be a time when you can take care of yourself, and when it's time to take a bath alone, sometimes you may feel lonely. Let's make full use of the time-saving goods and survive this time!

[Today's Impression]

Reika

I was nervous but it was very refreshing to talk remotely with my friends who are always talking.

When I heard the theme of beauty, I was struck by the words I left behind when I gave birth.

After giving birth to the first and second child, I went out paying attention to myself, but due to the mask lifestyle of Corona, after giving birth to the third child, I just apply sunscreen and eyebrows and go out for transportation, shopping, and a park.

When we went for a trip, I was wearing makeup and my daughter said "Mom, you are so cute today❤️!” I feel I should do it more.

My priority for myself is the lowest, but I wish I could gradually take my time (makeup time) to change my mood and return to work!

Yurie

Thank you for your time today!

I'm not good at speaking, but I enjoyed listening to everyone's stories!

I'm not really aware of beauty at the moment. My five-year-old daughter happily praises me for my make-up and fashion, but I recently noticed that we have less of that kind of opportunity. When I heard about everyones’ beauty situation at today's roundtable discussion, and when I suddenly remembered my old time, that made me think "I should do something now!!”. First of all, I would like to make a reservation for a hair salon and raise my feelings! I will do my best.

Asami

Usually, I always talk about children (and sometimes my husband's complaints), but it was a lot of fun to be able to talk about my favorite beauty, which is my hobby!

※「Cafe Lemon Tea」is the chatting room for parenting family. Actual chat is online through the camera. Photos we post are all provided by the family attending with their publication permission.

writer: Scarlet

translated by Kinako