Childbirth is painful, tiring, messy, and now, glamorous? Women around the world are blending and contouring with the ongoing trend of applying makeup before giving birth. We aren’t talking about a touch of mascara or some undereye cover-up to freshen up your face. No, these mothers are doing full face makeup that is Instagram ready.

It might sound bizarre to some to prep for the camera during this strenuous time, but a study from Cosmetify revealed that 64 percent of women aged 18 to 31 get beauty treatments before going into labor. That includes hair removal (65 percent), a manicure (57 percent), pedicure (43 percent), spray tan (37 percent), or a blow-dry, cut, or styling (32 percent). While glamming up for this life-changing occasion is not exactly a new thing, women have different reasons as to why.

Women around the world are preparing for childbirth by applying makeup

Image credits: alexisjayda

The real image of childbirth has been stigmatized for centuries, and women have felt pressure to hide the very unpolished reality. Social media has presented a whole new pressure to this equation for some. In the same study, respondents were asked why they were so concerned about their appearance following childbirth. Among the top reasons were looking good in photos (31 percent), looking presentable for visitors (26 percent), or avoiding looking ill, drained, and tired (22 percent). A different study revealed that the average woman applies face makeup within two-and-a-half hours of giving birth. Pictured above is beauty blogger Alexis Jayda in California, who recorded makeup tutorials while waiting to give birth to her child.

Image credits: 143diana

Another fellow beauty influencer Dana Chavez checked to make sure her contouring was on fleek and her eyebrows shaped up for her labor.

Image credits: 143diana

Lee Ann Jarrell took her childbirth glam so seriously that she said she ‘refused’ to give birth until her makeup was all done in 2018.

Image credits: leeannjarrell

For some women, the pre-birth makeup ritual served as a distraction to keep their minds off the pain of the contractions, while others chose to apply their makeup post-birth for Instagram pics.

Image credits: leeannjarrell

This mom in California had a false alarm that sent her to the delivery room early, which gave her a chance to play around with some makeup ideas.

Image credits: glamandgab

New York makeup artist, Alaha Karimi, went viral for the three makeup prep photos she shared back in 2016. According to her interview later with ABC News, she said the glam-up provided a much-needed distraction from her contractions. “I went to the hospital at 7:30 a.m., and I was in labor for a total of 10 hours that day,” she told ABC News. “I had an epidural around 8:30 or 9:00 a.m., so when it started to wear off, I needed something to distract myself from the pain.”

Alaha had her beauty photos go viral in 2015 when she shared images of herself in the process of applying her make-up followed by another pic of her experiencing contractions in the middle of it.

Image credits: makeupbyalaha

Alaha is known for her bridal makeup looks and made a joke that if her makeup could last through a wedding day filled with tears, it could hold up during labor

Image credits: makeupbyalaha

This British mother-to-be primped herself with some ‘labor lashes’ before her delivery.

Image credits: lash_adore

Women should always consult with their doctors when it comes to product safety. “Lists are always ordered from largest to smallest in terms of ingredient quantity,” New York-based makeup artist Mary Irwin told The Bump. “Remember, the first three things listed will be the most active. Also, the smaller the list, the less likely you are to have a reaction.”

US blogger Brianna Lynch struggled to apply her make up wrapped up in a blood pressure cuff around her, this took true talent to achieve.

Image credits: briannaoden

“During pregnancy, the skin is often turning over more quickly, so you can accumulate dead skin and sometimes require more foundation,” says Shilpi Agarwal, MD, author of The 10-Day Total Body Transformation and board-certified family medicine physician in Washington, DC.

Image credits: briannaoden

Not all women who want to get dolled up do it themselves. Makeup artist Tegan Woodford, from Queensland’s Gold Coast, was called in to do a makeover for her sister-in-law as she was going into labor.

Image credits: tegan

“I got a phone call from my sis-in-law at 2am saying she had her first contraction,” recalled Tegan, and said she immediately jumped on the next flight to Adelaide.

Image credits: _christin3lizabeth_

Even before they make it to the hospital some women plan ahead of their scheduled deliveries and make lash appointments like expectant mother Christine from Northern Ireland.

According to the Arizona OBGYN Affiliates: “Most makeup products, such as powders, foundations, mascaras, eyeliners, etc. are safe to use during pregnancy, as long as you avoid those makeup products that contain retinoids or salicylic acid.”

People’s reactions were mixed

Some thought putting make up in the delivery room was a bit too much:

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