As a big Bachelor franchise fan, I’ve seen so many contestants “grow up,” if you will, in the spotlight. They fall in love, have babies and often discover themselves on national TV and social media for all of us to see. Not the norm by any stretch of the imagination, but for former Bachelorette Becca Kufrin, her love story worked out. She met her husband Thomas Jacobs on Bachelor in Paradise (their connection was undeniable), and they now live in San Diego with their 9-month-old son, Benny. I recently caught up with the new mom to talk beauty routines, parenthood and more.
Has motherhood impacted your beauty routine?
“Oh totally, totally. For the first two or three months, I didn’t style my hair or put on makeup. The first time I was able to put makeup on again after Benny was born, I think I posted it on Instagram. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I feel like a brand-new person.’ I’ve definitely had to minimize everything I’ve done, and I try to use products I know and love that are quick for my day-to-day. And even my hair: This is one of the first times I’ve styled my hair in a while. I never really do it anymore. I usually just let it air-dry.
The current product I love for my skin is the ILIA tinted moisturizer with sunscreen. I live in San Diego, so we’re outside quite a bit in the sun, so that’s nice. It also gives a me a little bit of glow, so I don’t look so haggard running after my 9-month-old. I also love the DIBS Beauty blush and bronzer stick in one. It’s small and compact, easy to pack and it gives me some color in my face. Those are probably my two favorite go-to beauty staples right now that are right on my bathroom sink every day.”
Were there any skin-care products you loved using while you were pregnant?
“When I was pregnant, I swore by the brand MUTHA. They have this great belly cream, but I put it everywhere because my skin is pretty dry. I was very fortunate to not get stretch marks, and I think it’s because I used that on my belly.”
Are there any products you use on Benny that you recommend?
“We use The Honest Company for Benny, for both his body wash and his lotion. Also, we have this magnesium cream called Lil’ Mo’. You just put it on the baby’s feet and it’s supposed to help them sleep better. When Benny wasn’t sleeping well a few months ago, I was doing everything I could to try to help him, so I do use that. I rub it on his feet every night and give him a little foot massage. I just got it on Amazon.”
What’s been the most surprising thing about being a parent?
“So many things! Especially when we first brought Benny home, we were so surprised by the amount of diapers we went through. Also, the amount of messes his one little body can make. My husband and I are always saying, ‘How did Benny get from here to there and make that much of a mess?” Our entire six-person table will be filled with food. It’s crazy, and I’m sure most parents can relate to those messy situations. We’ve been a Pampers family since we brought Benny home nine months ago. Not just diapers, but wipes, too. The Free & Gentle Wipes help us clean up everything. I love the grippy texture that works so well. These little humans need so much and leave big, big messes in their wake.”
What have been the biggest challenges about being a parent so far?
“Something I’ve always known about myself is that I do not function well if I don’t have enough sleep. So, those first couple months when you’re kind of in that dreamland state, going through the motions and trying to keep yourself clean and fed, along with a tiny human, it was definitely a learning curve. Another one of the things I’ve had to shift in my life is that I’m a very planned, organized person, and that’s not always the case when you have a child. Schedules get mixed up and things don’t always go your way or happen the way you pictured them. But, you just have to focus on your little one and listen to what they’re telling you in a way. It’s been interesting to kind of let go and be more ‘go with the flow’ and flexible in my daily life.”
I know you don’t share Benny’s face on social media. Any thoughts on what you hope for the future of ’sharing’ and what that looks like?
“For the future, I would just hope that people could better respect other’s privacy and what they choose to do with themselves or their kids. Not showing Benny’s face is something we decided early on when I was pregnant. One day, he will be able to make his own decisions and decide if he wants to be in the world of social media, whatever that looks like down the road. For right now, we’re doing the best we can, and I can tell you he is a very happy baby.”
What’s next for you? Any fun plans this summer?
“To be completely honest, we’ve been so busy with both Benny and renovating a new house, so I haven’t even kept up with TV. I haven’t watched a season [of The Bachelor] in two years now, since Thomas and I bought our current house. This summer we’re just going to be focusing on Benny and taking him to the water as much as possible. We’re also going to be knee-deep in renovations. Thomas is in the real estate business and loves renovating houses—it’s his passion. We’re trying to share the process—all the befores, durings and afters—of this new craftsman house we bought.”
Are you the next HGTV power couple?
“I mean, we would love that [laughs]! I think Thomas would love that. He’s all about the demolition, tearing down walls and getting in there and building everything. He’s incredible at it. I’m more about the aesthetics, like paint colors and curtain textures and pillows. It’s so fun to do it together. This is now our second house we’re doing together. So not our first rodeo, but it’s definitely keeping us very busy.”
