Makeovers for New Moms

Diane Gardner Provides Expert Postpartum Beauty Advice

By Belinda Clarke

It's been weeks, maybe months, since you had your baby. By now you're in somewhat of a groove, and while you may not be sleeping much, you are probably over the initial new baby panic that grips virtually all new moms. You also may be feeling like every minute of your day is occupied by your new baby and you will never return to the old "you."

"That's OK, because it's my job to help women find a new postpartum look that makes them feel even more beautiful than before they had their baby," says Makeover Specialist Diane Gardner.

A professional colorist, stylist and makeup artist, Gardner's experience with new moms is unique. Specializing in postpartum transformations, her tricks of the trade and extensive knowledge of beauty issues that are specific to new moms is making her the talk of the town. While her home base is the Tina Cassaday Salon in Beverly Hills, Calif., Gardner's makeover expertise draws people from all over the country. In fact, one-third of her clients come from other cities for her welcome cure to the "I wish I could be pretty again" syndrome that often hits after having a baby.

"I take an informal poll whenever I see a new mom client, and dry skin and hair loss are at the top of the list of the most common complaints," Gardner says. "I also hear from many women that the one thing they never expected was to have to buy all new, larger-size shoes."

Gardner gives all of her postpartum clients a two-and-half-hour makeover that includes a new hair color, a haircut and a makeup lesson. However, the new looks she creates are unique to each mom based on the specific attributes of the women themselves. One thing that she encourages for everyone is low-maintenance color and an easy hairstyle, because new moms have so little time to fuss with their hair.

"Because moms don't have a lot of time in the morning, an easy-to-style cut is very important and so is a color regimen that allows for several weeks in between touch-ups," says Gardner. "Your hair reflects your personality. Before I begin to sculpt hair into a workable cut, I get to know a client's lifestyle, career and styling habits. After the cut, it is important to teach how to use products and tools to achieve different looks. If you can't style your own hair, your cut is not the correct one for you."

For women who highlight their hair, she recommends high-lift tint highlights instead of traditional bleach highlights, because the grow-out is less dramatic. "Bleach highlights lighten hair by removing color, while high-lift tint highlights actually put a new, lighter color in," Gardner says. "By doing this you have much less of a noticeable effect when the roots grow in, and you don't have to visit the salon as often." Which is perfect for women who want to look great without committing to a time-consuming beauty regimen.

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