You actually completed your skincare routine? Now fast forward to parenting > your mornings involve spills, your evenings include lullabies, and the face cream (almost always) ends up on your toddler. In the midst of raising little humans, parents (and especially mothers) commonly forget that they are human and require care as well. Skincare is often considered a luxury - even a guilty pleasure. But, here’s the real truth: healthy, glowing skin is not vanity, it is vitality.

In the busyness of nourishing others, it is equally important for parents to nourish themselves. Glowing skin is not just about looks; it is a feeling. It’s about feeling good, feeling confident, and feeling refreshed - even when the kid(s) are having a meltdown and the house looks like a war zone. Your skin is a representation of your health, your stress, your hydration, and yes, your me-time (or lack thereof). So, while you’re packing lunch boxes and tutoring through algebra, your skin is begging “Hey - remember me?”

Because the Tantrums aren’t the Only Things that Age You

Being a parent is not just emotionally draining - it’s biologically stressful. From sleep deprivation, to irregular meals, to constant spikes in cortisol, to the lack of sun protection; it affects skin aging. From puffy eyes, to dull complexion - parenting has a literal effect on your skin. Taking as little as 10 minutes a day to cleanse, hydrate, and protect your skin can make a big difference! No, this will not make the tantrums go away, but it may help prepare you to take them head on.

Glow Goals > Just Baby Goals

Your child’s glow is so cute—but so is yours. And unlike babies, your skin has to deal with pollution, stress, hormonal fluctuations, and a changing body. Whether you are in your 30s, 40s of 50s, the best way to maintain glowiness from the inside out is a simple skincare routine of cleansing, toning, moisturising, and SPF. Bonus: you are showing your kids that it is okay to care for others, but without neglecting self-care. Self-care is not narcissistic, it is normal.

Your Skin Deserves a Timeout Too

Real talk—when your skin feels neglected, you feel neglected. Dullness, dryness, and breakouts affect not just your appearance but your mood. Giving your skin a mini-timeout (like a mask on a Sunday, or even just 2 minutes of facial massage before bed) is not just pampering, it is self-care. It is a tangible reminder every day that you are not just a parent, for a few moments in the day you are still you.

“When parents make space for skincare, they are embracing the idea that self-nurturing is just as parental, if not more important, than nurturing a child. There is so much more to glowing skin than just looking good, it is evidence of self-respect and inner wellbeing underpinning positive mental health. At CITTA we believe parenting should include self-love rituals that replenish and empower.” Akanksha Sharma, Co-founder and CEO of CITTA (Lexicon Lifestyle – A Lexicon Group Enterprise).

Self-Care Isn’t Selfish, It’s Smart Parenting

Children model their behaviour based on what they see. When you’re making an effort towards your own wellness - mental, emotional, or physical - they see what it looks like to be confident, resilient, and to have balance. A shiny, new you = a calm, grounded you = a calmer, more grounded child. So, spoil you with skin care and wellness rituals, not vanity.

To all the parents reading this - put “face wash” on your shopping list, smell that sunscreen before the playdate, and go ahead and shine a little. After all, what kind of parenting is the best kind of parenting? The kind that begins with a moisturiser.