Secrets behind Katy Perry’s glowing look – and how her ‘refreshing’ glimpse at motherhood is inspiring mums everywhere
SMILING as she frolics in the waves, new mum Katy Perry looks on top of the world as she shows off her stunning post-baby figure in a string of beach photos.
They're just the latest pictures of the the singer, 36, looking sensational after welcoming her daughter Daisy with Orlando Bloom in August.
But in amongst the swimsuit pics and glam social media posts recently, Katy has also been giving refreshing glimpses at the reality of life as a new mum.
Whether it's filming her breast pumping routine, or opening up on her "roller coaster" post-birth experience, she's been offering up the very honest content that all new mums need online.
And mum-of-two Neema Sempebwa, 42, a personal trainer for pre and postnatal women known as Bodywise Mum, says it's this unfiltered, real-life content that other mums will truly relate to.
"It’s so refreshing to see real pictures of celebrities," she tells Sun Online. "When I saw the pictures of Katy Perry it brought a smile to my face – she looks so happy.
"She’s never tried to filter anything on Instagram, she’s just showcasing what her motherhood journey is like - it’s different for everyone."
Here we look at how Katy has inspired mums, both during and after her pregnancy, and the health and lifestyle tips she swears by...
'It gives other mums a sigh of relief'
Indeed, Katy has been giving the world a very refreshing glimpse at the realities of motherhood over the last few months.
Just five days after giving birth, the star shared a photo of her post-baby body in a nursing bra to poke fun at the fact that she wasn't glammed up for the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards.
The Part Of Me singer even tagged her hair and make-up as being done by "@exhaustion" - something almost all new mums will relate to.
Since then she's also shared the secret weapon that she's been hiding under her outfits following her pregnancy - Spanx.
The singer posted a clip of her strutting towards the camera in a blue leather trench coat and high heels - before whipping it open to reveal the undergarment.
Neema herself has openly shared photos of every step of her pregnancy and postpartum journey, after welcoming her two children.
Sharing a photo shortly after one of her births, she wrote: "What? You mean you don’t lose the belly as soon as the baby is born??? - nope! You don’t."
Neema says: “I think there’s a lot of pressure in the media for celebrities and non-celebrities to look a certain way after you’ve had a baby – almost like trying to erase all evidence that you’ve had a child.
“There are some people whose bodies will genetically go back to being slim after they’ve had babies, so I’m never going to knock them, that might just be the way their bodies are.
“But I think the majority of women who are mothers will probably relate to a picture like the recent ones of Katy Perry more than the opposite – it almost gives them a sigh of relief."
'Having a baby is exhausting'
Speaking about the aftermath of giving birth on Jimmy Kimmel Live last month, Katy once again championed mums everywhere with some incredibly honest comments.
Describing the first six weeks as "a roller coaster", she added: "I had my fifth album coming out... You know, every other album cycle, there'd be some kind of celebration or party or dinner, whatever."
She continued: "This time I was giving birth to the greatest gift of all for me, and then my album came out the next day, and I was in the hospital, and I could not wipe my own butt."
Katy also described the time as "intense" to Kelly Ripa and added: "Giving birth and then going back to work and then breast-feeding and going, 'Holy crap! This is what women do?? Oh my God!'"
Neema praised Katy's honesty throughout, and says: "Having a baby is exhausting, you have to fit that in round everything else that you’re doing.
“In the first year, especially when you’re a first time mum and just trying to understand how to be this person – because it’s not just a child that’s been born, it’s a mother too – it’s exhausting.
“I don’t believe in getting your body back to where it was – back, to me, is regressing. Let’s work forwards and get stronger and fitter and healthier.”
In amongst these much-needed chats, Katy has been looking incredible in a series of glamorous outfits on American Idol - but she makes sure to keep it real each time online.
After dressing to the nines in a black and white jumpsuit and matching hat in October, she jokingly described herself as "Mutha Milks" and wrote: "Not pictured: my pumping breaks."
Katy's likely sticking to her tried and tested beauty and health regime to achieve her glowing look - with a celebrity expert, a love of hiking and a cleansing program to thank for her amazing look over the years.
'There are ancient ways to heal yourself'
In 2019, Katy revealed she swears by a purification technique called Panca Karma to achieve a natural glow.
It works by removing harmful toxins from the body through a cleansing program - which can be very intense, depending how you choose to do it.
In an interview with Australian radio show Smallzy’s Surgery, on Nova919, Katy explained: "I’m kind of into those type of things, like health and healing places and self-betterment places. Especially as you get older and you have longer hangovers, you realise the cells in my body are dying.”
She added: "It’s basically Ayurvedic eating and cleansing, you do lots of enemas. You definitely feel more energy, it basically like gets all the c**p out of you, every pun intended.”
She didn't elaborate on which cleansing practices she tried, but added: "We did it, we don't need to do it again, but we have prepped this temple and the gift has arrived."
'All about that supplement & vitamin LYFE'
Katy is well known for the flawless complexion in photos and in 2013, she revealed she takes supplements and vitamins to help maintain that natural glow.
Holding up bags of them in front of her in a Twitter photo at the time, she joked: "I'm all about that supplement & vitamin LYFE!"
And in the run-up to a magazine cover shoot, Katy said she opted for a full cleanse - including giving up alcohol and caffeine for a while.
She told The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: "I did a lot of my own prepping. I went on a cleanse...
"I did a lot of stuff like vitamins and supplements, I changed my coffee to green tea and I didn't drink any alcohol for three months."
That may have been a temporary solution, but overall Katy follows a very healthy lifestyle and recently shared photos of her meals on Instagram - including broccoli, coleslaw and other veg.
And giving another insight into her diet, she told the Australian radio show in 2019 she was on a health kick at the time, and added: "Today I'm eating fruit, apple cider vinegar and a vegan dinner. Then, probably tomorrow I'll have a burger."
The singer has previously been a big fan of celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak's Five Factor Diet too, which involves five short exercises a day and eating five smaller, nutritious meals.
Katy's favourites reportedly include brothy soups, grilled chicken, and whole grains.
High intensity workouts and hot yoga
Alongside her healthy meals, Katy is a lover of high intensity workouts, hiking and hot yoga.
Pasternak told Hello! magazine in 2013: "Katy’s become addicted to hiking. She goes every day and wears a pedometer and counts her steps. She’s loves working out in the fresh air."
And he added in an interview with Closer: "Katy aims to exercise five days a week, doing short, high-intensity workouts - including lunges and hip thrusts."
She's been pictured enjoying yoga sessions in the past too, and once admitted hot yoga has helped with her mental health.
“I have had a dance with depression, and hot yoga helps clear it all out,” she told Prevention. “If you have a healthy body, it helps you have a healthy mind.”
In October last year, she revealed her fun take on workouts post-birth - breast pumping.
In a star-studded video to encourage her fans to vote - put together by Jane Fonda - she was seen pumping with her back to the camera, before tucking into a snack as Orlando exercised in front of her.
Ultimately, Neema says: "The perfect post-partum body is the body that you’ve got.
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"It’s what you have, not what somebody else has. You probably didn’t aspire to be like them before, but suddenly we’re aspiring to be like them afterwards?”
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She adds: “I’m a personal trainer for pre and postnatal women, and one of the biggest challenges I face is the mindset they have that they have to look a certain way in a certain period of time.
“I’m like, ‘you grew a baby for nine months, at least give yourself that much time on the other side’.”