From Mom-Next-Door to Glamazon in First Post-Baby Pamper Day

Being a mom can be exhausting. Whether you have help or not, raising kids is just not as easy as TV moms might make it out to be. But if one child is hard work, raising twins is double the trouble, and the thought of having two kids of the same age running around and needing constant attention and care is enough to drive some parents insane.

But Beijing expat and mom of twins, Sharon Shi just doesn’t know it any other way. Life has been pretty non-stop since she welcomed her two gorgeous kids, Isabella and William, into the world, even if she does contend with a lack of personal time. Between caring for the twins and pursuing her Masters in Educational and Social Research (MRes), Shi decided to take a year off work; but even so, sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day for both mommy and babies, and one has to give. Clearly, a day of relaxation and pampering at the Laurent Falcon Sanlitun salon was in order for this busy mom!

Shi before the makeover

To begin, Shi’s luscious locks were taken in the capable hands of hair stylist Max who decided on a balayage color service, highlighting and lifting her chestnut blonde hair with a vibrant baby blonde. The coloring done, Max began shaping the ‘lob’ (long bob) cut with slight layers and finished the glamorous do with voluminous barrel curls combed out into effortless beach waves. While child-rearing and sleep deprivation go hand in hand, there was no evidence of long nights on Shi’s flawless skin, which went from rosy fresh to a sun-kissed dewy finish under the care of the Laurent Falcon makeup gurus. The fresh look was completed with a delicate rose lip to balance out the bright summer eye.

Shi had expressed some apprehension about finding just the right outfit to capture her return to glamazon status. Like most moms, a combination of lack of time, pregnancy weight gain, and a need for functional clothing meant that Shi hadn’t updated her wardrobe for a long while after her twins’ birth. But she was pleasantly surprised to rediscover a couple of forgotten pieces that not only fit her perfectly, but also flatter her figure, new cut, and the spirit of springing into summer.

And after an extensive voting process by her best girlfriends, Shi slipped into her hot summer look, featuring floral dresses, flirty flared hems, revealing shoulders, and a cinched waist to show off Shi’s figure. A day of pampering reacquainted this Beijing mom with herself pre-baby and has her ready for her new adventure as she prepares to return to work in the coming school year.

Look out Beijing, glamazon coming through!

Pro-Style Tips:

Balayage coloring is a perfect way to bring your hair into summer, and the best part is that it doesn’t leave your hair with harsh ‘roots’ when the color starts to grow out.
Lob it – The long bob hairstyle is great for those who want to retain length but also get volume and movement.
Straight to wavy – You don’t have to make an appointment with your stylist to get effortless curls. If you aren’t proficient with a curling iron or wand, buy a set of flexirods and a spray bottle. Spritz your hair with water, wrap it, wait a while, and boom! Effortless waves.
Highlights – If you are afraid your hair might break from bleaching, you can easily fix it using the hair-bond strengthener, Olaplex.