As a mother, Tika Sumpter knows firsthand that time is a valuable asset. “It feels like there’s never enough of it. So whatever you throw yourself into, it has to matter,” she tells ESSENCE. With her latest project, Sumpter is sure to get moms to hit pause for much-needed moments of self-care.
Yummy Tummy is a multi-use skincare line that nourishes mother and baby from pregnancy through postpartum and beyond. The three-step hydration system ($12.99-$23.99) includes an oil, cream, and balm formulated with deeply moisturizing ingredients such as vitamin E, rosehip, sunflower, and grape seed oils, shea butter, and lanolin.
Keeping the collection simple was intentional for Sumpter. “Your skin is the largest organ on your body, and I have very sensitive skin,” she explains. “I try stuff and am like, ‘Oh, no!’ I wanted the products to make decisions easier for mothers. We have so many decisions to make.”
When Sumpter was pregnant with her daughter, she experienced skincare changes in phases. She possessed that noticeable “glow” in the beginning that made her look and feel amazing. However, Sumpter was later diagnosed with preeclampsia—a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure, excessive swelling, headaches, body pain, and alarming levels of protein in urine—and giving birth affected her appearance.
“I started to see changes in the texture of my skin, breakouts. Then, when I had the baby, I felt dull and my skin wasn’t like what it was before,” she says. “Not only did my skin change, but I was different.”
Sumpter transformed her experience into developing skincare for mothers and babies that she believes “not only work, but look and feel beautiful without the luxury price tag.” She adds, “This has taken almost two years to really put it all together. Making sure me and my manufacturer were on the same page… and all of the ingredients were pulled from a safe environment. This is tested, tried and true.”
The 45-year-old’s daughter Ella incorporates the Nurture Cream into her daily routine just like her mommy, and reaches for the Nurture Oil to soothe sunburned skin. Meanwhile, Sumpter’s husband has discovered that the Nipple Nurture Balm is just as effective at soothing and repairing dry, cracked lips. Like with her own family, Sumpter’s hope is that Yummy Tummy encourages mothers to take care of “your body, your temple, your belly.”
“I want to take care of it with you,” she says. “Whether their bellies are bigger, or they just found out they’re pregnant, in their pregnancy, or postpartum… I want it to be part of their every day.”
Yummy Tummy is now available to purchase at fortsumpter.com.