JOSIE MARAN, founder of Josie Maran Cosmetics
JEMIMA KIRKE, artist & actress
MINNIE MORTIMER, fashion designer
n the words of model-turned-entrepreneur Josie Maran, any beauty product worth using since becoming a mom must be as hardworking as she is. Just as with motherhood, the mom of two believes that beauty is all about multitasking. Even before the baby arrives, it’s time to take a step back and reevaluate.
For makeup artist Pati Dubroff, pregnancy was a time to go natural: “The skin is the largest organ and absorbs product—I wanted what I was putting on to be pure and nourishing to the pure being growing inside.”
Maran, on the other hand, had a life-changing epiphany during her first pregnancy: She realized there was no “healthy makeup out there that was good enough for a makeup artist.” True to her trailblazer spirit, she created it herself.
While most expectant moms will not take their desire for natural yet effective products to such great lengths, luckily for us all, the beauty mavens featured in this chapter have done the work for us. They’ve rounded up the best tips (honed over many years on film sets, fashion shoots, and around-the-world travels) for creating quick, easy, and healthy ways to feel beautiful.
As the mother of three daughters, legendary makeup artist Jeanine Lobell stresses the importance of focusing on inner beauty. She often repeats one simple sentiment to her girls: “It’s not about the pretty.” Determined to get them through their teenage years as unscathed as possible, Lobell works hard to “help them create a strong sense of self.”
Here we explore beauty from the inside, including meditation (Jemima Kirke practiced a little every day throughout her pregnancies), must-have products (it’s all about finding the perfect concealer), and tried-and-tested techniques—from alternatives to hairstyling without heat to showering with toddlers.
FOUNDER OF JOSIE MARAN COSMETICS
Daughter Rumi Joon, photographed at five years old (Josie was photographed at six months pregnant with daughter Indi)
osie Maran burst onto the modeling scene at the tender age of twelve and was working full-time by seventeen. Supermodel status followed, thanks to a decade-long Maybelline contract, countless magazine covers, and appearances in the iconic Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. Little did the world know that Maran’s biggest career accomplishments were still to come. While pregnant with her first child, the mom-to-be conceptualized her namesake line of eco-conscious, makeup-artist-approved product line. Six years later, Josie Maran Cosmetics has become the go-to eco-beauty brand. Maran’s love of nature influences every aspect of her life—she delivered daughter Rumi in the lavender-filled field of their Laurel Canyon family compound. It’s all about balance for this earth mother, though in some cases, Maran admits, extremes win out: “I’m either in four-inch heels or barefoot.”
JOSIE ON MOTHERHOOD: I wish I was better at everything! Isn’t that the essence of being a mom—trying to do everything better every day?
BEAUTY DURING PREGNANCY: I became obsessed with what I was putting on and in my body. That’s when I discovered how toxic some beauty products are and how hard it is to find cosmetics that are top quality, luxurious, and healthy. I decided to create my own line of natural, effective beautifiers—for myself, and for every woman out there.
PREGNANCY MUST-HAVES: Argan oil is the best stretch-mark preventer in the world. And another added bonus is that once the baby is born, it is also a huge help with the baby’s cradle cap.
BEAUTY AFTER BABY: I have four words for you: Downsize your beauty routine. After I gave birth to my first daughter, Rumi Joon, I barely had time to take a shower. I definitely didn’t have time to try on new colors or even experimenting with a new mask or cream. I needed to know that my makeup worked and that it was good for me.
BEAUTY RULES: The most important beauty rule I can possibly impart to my daughters is simple: Love yourself. We actually make a ritual of it—we each say “I love you” to ourselves every day. I can see their faces soften and glow every time we do it. I also try to teach them to enjoy their beauty, and that less is more.
BEST ADVICE: When I had Rumi, my mom told me to remember how I was as a child. If you can be empathetic with your kid and see their perspective, you can always find a solution.
MY BEAUTY LOOK IS . . . Inspired, effortless, glowing.
Argan oil as a booster in a favorite moisturizer or serum.
My Matchmaker foundation. There are only three shades for the whole world, so it’s super-easy.
Then I use my Argan Color Stick for my lipstick, blush, and even for eye shadow—one product for my whole face.
To get rid of under-eye bags, I refrigerate my Bear Naked Makeup Remover Wipes before putting them over my eyes.
Multitaskers are my savior—products that I can use on my cheeks, lips, eyes, and even on my body.
Techniques like using my fingers instead of brushes, which actually helps me get a better application.
Braiding my hair overnight to get a beachy wave the next day.
Carrying my Argan Infinity Cream with me at all times—I even use it to help soothe boo-boos on my two daughters.
Daughter Esme, photographed at sixteen (son Bailey, twenty years old, and daughters Wallis and Poppy, thirteen and ten years old, respectively, seen on this page)
With an illustrious career that spans two decades, makeup artist (and original Stila Cosmetics founder) Jeanine Lobell is a veritable beauty legend. Not only is she the mastermind behind iconic editorials from Vogue and W, she’s also responsible for beautifying Natalie Portman, as well as a handful of other beautiful (and smart) mamas like Michelle Williams, Cate Blanchett, and Rachel Weisz. No surprise, then, that this mother of four is an endless stream of wisdom on everything from relationships (she’s been happily married to actor Anthony Edwards for more than twenty years) to home décor. And, lucky for her, Lobell’s beauty genius spills over into their time together.
JEANINE ON MOTHERHOOD: Once you have kids, everything naturally changes. It’s supposed to. If you see change as something hard, it will be difficult. The key is not to see things as “challenges.” The key to a long-lasting relationship is acceptance, laughter, self-reflection.
TIME-SAVING TIPS: A great haircut is key. The trick is finding someone who cuts your hair to the way it actually falls, so when it dries, you don’t have to style it. I am a mascara and liner girl, but I always say, “Find the one thing about your face you think is great and the one thing you don’t like—play up the one that is ‘good,’ learn to fix the problem, and ignore the rest.” I live for mascara and a fuchsia or red lip.
YSL Touche Eclat concealer: I would be a mess without it.
BEAUTY INDULGENCE: Every few months I get a Sapphire laser facial.
THE THIRTY-SECOND FACE: Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro: It’s a liquid matte in a lip-gloss wand, which comes in oranges, reds, fuchsias. I throw that on, and I’m done.
FAVORITE BEAUTY LOOK: I feel the best with a tan and only mascara—I don’t want to feel like I’m wearing a mask.
MOTHER-DAUGHTER BEAUTY RITUAL: We go to Jin Soon regularly for manis and pedis—they are the best!
BEAUTY RULES: Because of my job, my daughters really live and breathe beauty—whether it’s in my makeup closets or visiting me at work, they are surrounded by it, so I teach them that it’s not about the pretty. Being beautiful helps in life, for sure, but you cannot just be about that. With my girls, it’s all about helping them create a strong sense of self. If they are really clear on who they are and what you expect and love about them, they will be able to get through their teen years much more easily.
BIGGEST SURPRISE: I love my kids so much it actually hurts.
MY BEAUTY LOOK IS . . . Easy, understated, slept in.
Daughter Rafaella, photographed at one year old
When London-born, New York–raised artist Jemima Kirke decided to have a child, she wondered how easily motherhood and creativity could coexist. Now a proud mother of two, Kirke is proving that her passions can mesh peacefully. The Brooklyn Heights home she shares with her husband has a decidedly romantic feel; vintage treasures fill the eclectic space, while a beguiling mix of art—from Robert Mapplethorpe to Alfred Wertheimer—covers the walls. As the now-infamous story reads, Kirke went from RISD-trained painter to accidental actress when filmmaker Lena Dunham, her childhood friend, persuaded her to star in her indie hit film Tiny Furniture as well as the highly obsessed-over HBO series Girls. Her character, Jessa, has quickly become a poster child of sorts for free-spirited, adventurous women everywhere. Artist, actress, mother, wife—Kirke deftly moves among roles with effortless charm.
JEMIMA ON MOTHERHOOD: When I found out I was having a baby, I wondered whether there were any successful female painters with children. When I actually asked the question, I realized there were a lot. I was worried about how I was going to do it. When I was younger, painting was something that was quite impulsive or even compulsive for me. When you’re a mother, there’s no room to be impulsive or compulsive—or it’s better if you’re not. I asked myself, “What am I going to lose by having a child?” And so far the answer is “nothing.”
HARDEST PART: There’s no more getting up and going somewhere because you’ve suddenly decided it would be fun—no impulsive actions, no last-minute trips or outings. Almost every action or trip must be thought out in advance—seeing a movie, going out to dinner, taking a nap, walking the dog.
BEST ADVICE: Allow someone else to take care of your baby sometimes. It’s good for them. It’s good for you.
BEAUTY DURING PREGNANCY: I meditated a little every day and drank a ton of water (mainly because I was always crazy thirsty). I also craved baths at weird hours, like four a.m. when I couldn’t sleep, or first thing in the morning. I just wanted to sit in the hot water and feel totally private, even if it was just for five minutes.
TIME-SAVING TIPS: When you become a mom, you really have to adapt your morning routine and rituals—they’ve got to be quick and efficient. I boiled down the whole skin-care routine to two things: Cetaphil (three seconds) and La Mer cream. It’s super-expensive, but when I finally realized how to use it correctly, one jar would last me a year.
MOTHER-DAUGHTER BEAUTY: We love to paint on each other: markers, stickers, stamps, etc. If I go out at night, before I leave the house, I always kiss her hand and leave a lipstick mark. It seems to make her feel better about my leaving.
BEAUTY RULES: I like to point out something pretty or nice about her friends and people we meet, like their generosity or even just their lovely dress. That way, she might look for things to admire in people. She’s always pointing at someone’s hair or shoes and saying, “It’s peedy!” or, “She a pincess!”
Son Stellan, photographed at four years old (not pictured: son Leif, age twenty months, seen on this page)
Kate Young has been called the most powerful stylist in Hollywood, but in her tight-knit Brooklyn neighborhood she’s better known as Stellan and Leif’s mom. After seven years at Vogue, where she started out as Anna Wintour’s assistant, Young branched out on her own, and the rest, as they say, is history. From dressing her clients (and friends) Natalie Portman and Michelle Williams to designing her very own line for Target, Young is among the industry’s most sought-after talents. Her own edgy-meets-classic wardrobe and signature “no makeup” makeup look achieve that hard-to-come-by combination of effortlessness and chic. Same goes for the eclectic pieces scattered around her boys’ shared bedroom—from animal costumes and wood guitars to the impossibly cool tweed teddy bear given to her older son as a birth gift by the house of Chanel.
KATE ON MOTHERHOOD: I’m amazed by the village of people who help us raise these kids—my parents, my husband’s parents, our nanny, the school, all of our friends. It blows my mind how incredible everyone is and how much they make up the fabric of the kids’ lives.
BEST PART: As a mom, you get to experience what falling in love feels like again with each child.
HARDEST PART: It’s all much harder with two kids and yet there’s much less stress about the little one. I don’t worry about Leif—his health, his development—I trust the process of him growing much more and he’s a more laid-back little guy because of it. But chaos reigns now. With one I still felt like the house and my life were orderly. That is no longer the case.
BEST ADVICE: The advice given to me by every good mother I know is to trust my own instincts.
BEAUTY DURING PREGNANCY: I became very conscious about switching to more-natural products. I started using Weleda cleanser and Rodin oil when I first got pregnant—they work for me, and I continue to use them to this day. I also did tons of yoga with Mia at Lila Yoga and fell in love with their Mother’s Special Blend Oil.
BEAUTY AFTER BABY: I can get showered and dressed in under ten minutes now. I don’t wear makeup unless I’m going somewhere fancy, and then red lipstick makes me look pulled together in five seconds. Instead of blow-drying my hair, I just twist it and put it up with Odile Gilbert pins, and it dries straight with a good wave.
BEAUTY INDULGENCE: Facials with Joanna Vargas
MY BEAUTY LOOK IS . . . Super-blond.
Daughter Bianca, photographed at nine years old
Pati Dubroff has the kind of career most makeup artists only dream of. After assisting the legendary François Nars, she branched off on her own, creating editorials for Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Allure, eventually snagging the coveted role of spokesperson for Dior and, later, Clarins. When she’s not traveling the world with one of her devoted clients (including fellow moms Gwyneth Paltrow, Julianne Moore, and Charlize Theron), she’s spending time high up in the Hollywood Hills with her trilingual daughter and Italian husband. Their calm oasis is filled with treasured objects found on their travels to Morocco and India, while plenty of outdoor space ensures that this close-knit family of three (plus a blue-eyed cat named Raja) feels worlds away from the hectic buzz of Los Angeles. Much like her accomplished mom, nine-year-old Bianca is already a prolific painter, fluent in three languages, and, not surprisingly, loves a good lip gloss.
BEAUTY DURING PREGNANCY: I became very aware of what I was putting on my skin. The skin is the largest organ and absorbs product—I wanted what I was putting on to be pure and nourishing to the pure being growing inside. I started to look for products that are free of all synthetics, ones that generally were created by fellow women who are aware of the preciousness of the body. I continue to focus on products like this now. Being pregnant gave me the gift of awareness!
PREGNANCY ROUTINE: Baths, for me, were essential. During pregnancy, my senses seemed to be heightened, so anything with synthetic fragrances made me feel sick. I wanted things that were soft and natural, like lavender oil and pure coconut oil, which I used as a body moisturizer and to prevent stretch marks.
BEAUTY AFTER BABY: I definitely had to scale back on beautification time after having my daughter. I don’t wear a lot of makeup day to day (if any!) but definitely found I didn’t have time to “do” my hair as much. Wash and go is where it’s at now.
Kevyn Aucoin lash curler to wake up my eyes
Dry shampoo for the many days my roots need some help
Rita Hazan Root Concealer to hide the grays when I have no time to go see my colorist
John Masters Organics Sea Mist sea salt spray with lavender
Skin: It’s all about multitasking. If I’m going to do a mask, I have to jam it in at the end of my bath. No more lounging around with beauty products—it’s all about taking advantage of time when it becomes available.
Hair: I use a sea salt spray to get fast beachy waves without relying on curling irons. Sometimes, when my hair is still wet, I twist my hair into little “Princess Leia” buns to enhance the curl without having to use heat.
BEAUTY INDULGENCE: I try to make the time to get facials and hair color, but I tend to wait until it’s a dire need as opposed to staying on top of regular maintenance. I love the idea of occasionally getting pampered, but I find I’m more drawn toward getting much-needed massages instead of more “fluff” treatments.
MOTHER-DAUGHTER BEAUTY: We love to take baths together, and thankfully we have a very large tub, so we still fit. Bath time is when we talk about our day, catch up, and reconnect.
BEAUTY RULES: I really want her to understand that beauty encompasses so many elements. Sadly, our society is fixated on the exterior when describing beauty. I try to instill in her the awareness that beauty lies in the spirit, the soul of each person. It’s not about looks, but rather how you live in this world, how you treat other people. I remind her that the true beauties I have met are the ones who have the most beautiful spirits. Also, healthy is what is beautiful. Confidence is beautiful.
MY BEAUTY LOOK IS . . . Easygoing, natural, effortless.
Daughter Tuesday, photographed at four years old
Designer Minnie Mortimer may be a born-and-bred New Yorker at heart, but her spirit is pure California sunshine. After meeting and falling in love with Oscar-winning screenwriter Stephen Gaghan, Mortimer made the move cross-country and has embraced her new Los Angeles life with giddy enthusiasm. As she is an avid surfer, the salt air and ocean waves affect everything from her style—think striped minidresses from her namesake line worn with easy-to-slip-on Isabel Marant boots—to her tousled beauty look.
MINNIE ON MOTHERHOOD: It just keeps getting better and better. I keep thinking, OK, now this is my favorite age; it can’t get any better than this, but it does!
BEST PART: The pure, unfiltered, unconditional love and joy that can only come from children and animals.
TREASURED ROUTINE: Eating dinner as a family every night. You don’t need to cook, but set the table, sit down at the same time and get up at the same time.
BEAUTY DURING PREGNANCY: I switched to all nontoxic products. My favorites were cocoa butter (and lots of it) and Deborah Lippmann nontoxic nail polish.
BEAUTY RULES: I try to teach her to take care of her body and be gentle with it.
Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer
TIME-SAVING TIPS & TRICKS: I use wipes for everything! As makeup removers, to get stains out of my clothes, to clean my hands, the steering wheel, even the table at a café.
BEAUTY INDULGENCE: Massage—I am addicted. And I love having my hair done for me at Drybar.
MY BEAUTY LOOK IS . . . Minimal, fresh, summery.
Daughter Violet, photographed at ten years old
In stark contrast to her busy life as an in-demand model for the past two decades, Kirsty Hume’s peaceful Los Angeles home feels millions of miles away from the buzzing fashion world—and that’s exactly how she likes it. The tranquil world she’s created for her ten-year-old daughter is filled with plenty of arts and crafts, and quality time with their pet rabbit. Mother and daughter are beautifully in sync as they move through life as a close-knit duo—whether they’re cooking, knitting, or having one of their nightly dance parties.
KIRSTY ON MOTHERHOOD: I try to plan ahead as much as possible, to make large one-pot meals that will last a few days, and I always remind myself that it takes a village!
LIFE LESSONS: I want my daughter to know that every action we take ripples out into this world. And she must always listen to herself, to that little voice inside that knows.
BEST PART: Cuddling with her, getting little notes that say “I love you” all the time, and watching her grow up!
BEAUTY DURING PREGNANCY: I rubbed oil onto my belly religiously every day, and got pregnancy massages.
TIME-SAVING TIPS: Less is more: Just use a little concealer where needed instead of a full base. I feel sexiest when I’m fairly natural—a touch of concealer and blush.
MOTHER-DAUGHTER BEAUTY: Violet will often moisturize with me after taking a bath or shower, and she likes it when I give her little mini massages.
BEAUTY RULES: I try to teach her to love herself as she is.
MY BEAUTY LOOK IS . . . Very natural!
Twins Gustav and John and son Oliver, photographed at four and six years old, respectively
At first glance, the similarities between actress Julie Bowen and her TV alter ego, Claire Dunphy on America’s favorite sitcom Modern Family, seem uncanny. Both have three children, lots of energy, and a dry, sarcastic wit. Spending time with the real-life supermom, however, it quickly becomes clear that the similarities end there. While Claire’s approach to motherhood errs on the side of overbearing, Julie’s MO is much more mellow. In her elegant yet laid-back Los Angeles home, she finds true happiness in being a mom to her rambunctious, blond-haired beauties. With her hectic work schedule, it’s no surprise that Bowen’s approach to beauty is all about ease and speed—spending time with her boys wins out over pampering any day. The result? Manicures and pedicures fall by the wayside in favor of digging in the dirt and jumping in the pool. For Bowen, being a mom is quite simply “what it’s all about.”
JULIE ON MOTHERHOOD: I am deeply involved with my kids, which gives me less time to be deeply involved in me. That’s OK. I was deeply involved in me for three decades, and the end result was . . . eh. I didn’t cure cancer or write the great American novel. I am happy to have these little people who demand so much, even though it means that in some areas my quality of life (sleep, food, hair color) is diminished.
BEST PART: They are pure joy and pure challenge all the time. There is no balance. There is only the next crisis in front of me. When there is no crisis, I try to take a mental picture to file away and think, “This is good. This is what it’s all about. It will never be better than this moment.” Then one of them stomps on my hand or bludgeons the other with a stick, and it’s back to crisis mode.
HARDEST PART: Being a mom is hard because I say no a hundred times a day. Sometimes I think keeping my three boys alive means trading in my sense of humor for a drill sergeant’s vigilance. I love them so much it actually hurts to be so relentlessly bossy, but honestly, my kids try to kill each other every day. (Let’s start the car! Let’s do a flip on the sidewalk! Let’s throw hard, pointy objects at each other’s heads!). Still, at least once a day, they break my heart with their “Mama, Mama, Mama!” and hands gripping my legs and tears over skinned knees or someone not sharing.
EAUTY FROM WITHIN: I don’t drink enough water. I hate it. I have to force myself to swallow plain water like it’s a punishment. I like Fresca. And I like black coffee. I make myself drink green tea every day, but it’s medicine to me. Food is just a fuel source, and many days I may as well eat a cardboard capsule full of “food nutrients” like Judy Jetson. Every now and again I sit down to a proper meal, but it’s disconcertingly rare. I eat cold waffles and tepid broccoli off my children’s plates.
MY BEAUTY LOOK IS . . . I’ve had the benefit of beautiful photography to make me look good in a picture while the reality is I am over forty, at times exhausted, and frequently fall asleep on the couch with a full face of makeup! I have endless beauty indulgences whenever I am working. Every time I get ready for work or a work event, I have a team of professionals dressing, drying, glossing . . . That is work mode. It’s lovely. Home mode is chlorine-soaked hair and discovering that A&D diaper ointment is a passable moisturizer in a pinch. I haven’t had a manicure on my own steam in over a year. I don’t care a bit. If I need one for work, I’ll get it, but otherwise, screw it. I have been known to paint only the one toenail peeking out of a peep-toe Louboutin before an event rather than spend an hour at a nail salon. It’s not perfect, it’s not classy, but I don’t care. I’m imperfect as hell.
“I use oil all the time—Christophe Robin lavender for hair, Sultane de Saba carrot and rose for face, and Santa Maria Novella Melograno for body.” –Caroline Deroche Pasquier
“I can get by with four makeup products: a light powder, Bare Minerals bronzer, Buxom Lash mascara, and Burt’s Bees tinted lip balm. And I am obsessed with the Tata Harper skincare line. To save time, and for a little marital bonding, my husband cuts my hair.” –Rachelle Hruska
