Shawn Johnson East, the Olympic gold medalist and social media sensation, has been sharing her journey through motherhood with her followers, offering a candid look into her life. We caught up with Shawn Johnson East as she opened up about the challenges of sharing her pregnancy journey, the changes in her skin-care routine during and after pregnancy, and her latest collaboration with TULA Skincare. Join us as we dive into her world of beauty and motherhood.
Shawn Johnson East: We love sharing with our community, it’s one of our favorite aspects of what we do. Sharing this pregnancy was hard only because we wanted to keep it between us for as long as possible. Having these special moments for just us was so special and something we’ll always cherish!
You are expecting baby number 3—congratulations! What have you learned about yourself throughout your three pregnancies?
SJE: I’ve learned that being a mother is the most rewarding, challenging, and important job I’ll ever have. I’ve never felt more purpose than when I became a mother.
How does your skin change throughout and after pregnancy? How have you cared for it?
SJE: I definitely switched up my skin-care routine during pregnancy and postpartum. My skin went through many different phases from that famous pregnancy glow to dealing with acne breakouts. TULA Skincare’s go-away acne spot treatment helped with this concern. I also had some melasma which is fairly common during pregnancy. To help treat that, I used SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense. I also pay way more attention to what ingredients are put into the skin-care products I use, which is why I like TULA Skincare so much. I now barely wear any makeup, and taking care of my skin is my priority.
Any advice to first-time moms?
SJE: Nothing goes to plan, and motherhood is a journey full of surprises. Take each day as it comes and be patient and kind to yourself. Every journey is different, so do what makes YOU feel best. Oh… and ask for help when you need it. It takes a village, mama!
What would you say is the most important step of your beauty routine?
SJE: That is a tough question. I really love the feeling of really clean skin. After a day racing around when your skin feels dirty, giving it a thorough scrub is so therapeutic. Massaging it into the skin gives me a moment to stop and reset and remove any grime from the day. There is nothing better than when your skin feels clean and has that post-scrub glow! Having said that, SPF is such an important step that it really should also get a mention.
Tell me about your latest collaboration with TULA and why this scrub is so special to you.
SJE: The most nostalgic smell to me is freshly baked pumpkin bread. My Mom taught me how to make it when I was really little and it always makes me feel happy and content. When I decided to collaborate with TULA Skincare, I instantly knew I wanted a product that encapsulated this. It was so important to me that we got the scent just right, and we did! I am obsessed with a face scrub, and I love that TULA uses the power of probiotic extracts and superfoods in all of their products, leaving skin glowing.
This scrub combines probiotic extracts with pumpkin to soften, sugar to exfoliate, and fruit enzymes to unclog pores and remove dirt. I need skincare that works quickly and easily fits into my routine, and this sugar scrub gives me a gold medal-worthy glow! I’m really proud of this launch, and every time I use it, I’m transported back to my Mom’s kitchen.
What is your morning routine?
SJE: I’m always making sure that I am hydrating and protecting my skin as a priority.
I start by exfoliating using my TULA Skincare So Pumpkin Exfoliating Sugar Scrub. This is my favorite part of my routine, and it is super gentle.
I then use SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense as my go-to serum. It helps even out my skin tone and target my dark spots; I’ve seen great results with fading discoloration.
Next up is an eye cream. I love Eco Your Skin Volufeline15 Eye Essence. In addition to lots of coffee, it is key to helping it look like I’ve had a good night’s sleep!
TULA Skincare 24-7 Moisture Hydrating Day & Night Cream is my current go-to moisturizer. I love how hydrated and plump my skin feels after using it. I also really like that I can use this product morning and night. I know I’ve said in the past I have hundreds of skin-care products—I am trying to cut down a little bit, so the fact I can use it twice helps!
Then I always finish with SPF. This is one of the most important parts of my skincare routine. Growing up it was something I didn’t think about. I think we are all so much more aware now of how important an SPF is all year around. A favorite of mine is TULA Skincare Protect & Glow SPF 30. TULA has also just launched their new Ultimate Sun Serum PentaPeptide sunscreen broad spectrum SPF 50 which I’ve just started using and really like, as it is so lightweight but with super high protection.
Finally, when I’ve been traveling a lot or my skin feels dirty and needs a pick-me-up, I’ll throw a mask into the beginning of my routine. I leave it on while I sort things out first thing; there’s less time these days for those pamper moments so it’s all about multitasking! My go-to is the REN Clean Skincare Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask.