Pammy Blogs Beauty: The Beauty Spotlight Team: Top 10 Products for Pregnancy Skincare & Beauty Pampering!





Friday, September 6, 2013

The Beauty Spotlight Team: Top 10 Products for Pregnancy Skincare & Beauty Pampering!

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Beauty Pampering in Pregnancy:
As many of you know, pregnancy can be flat out exhausting! Your legs are aching, your skin is stretching, your skin type and hair type may have changed, and you basically can just feel achy, bloated, and tired...not to mention feeling "big". Plus, it is difficult to battle pregnancy related issues like breakouts with the restrictions of using only pregnancy-safe products. You can't use many of your usual standbys for oily skin and breakouts (no benzol peroxide nor retinol while pregnant) and body aches (Advil is another no-no).

My Thoughts on Ingredients to Avoid:
There are certainly ingredients that you have to avoid in pregnancy. These are ingredients that have been proven to cause problems. But what about the "iffy" ones? The difficulty is that there are no studies or tests of most cosmetic ingredients. Your skin is one of your body's largest organs. Anything applied to your skin has the potential to be absorbed into your system and may pass through the placenta to the baby. I categorize myself as cautiously conservative when it comes to product ingredients in pregnancy. I try to stick primarily to "natural" ingredients and steer clear from ingredients that are unknown. I think that my good friend Christine explained Cosmetic Ingredients to Avoid in Pregnancy best in her Pregnancy Skincare series on her fabulous blog 15 Minute Beauty Fanatic. Christine is a doctor (pediatric) that enjoys digging into skincare research with the critical understanding of a scientist. So, be sure to check out her post/series! :) Also, she just highlighted 8 Pregnancy Skincare Lines on babble.

My Pregnancy Skincare and Beauty-Related Routine Struggles:
I know that every woman and every pregnancy is different. So, I am going to share with you some of my particular beauty-related struggles from my current and previous pregnancies:
  • Body Aches and Fatigue: As you can imagine or relate to, pregnancy brings on the body aches and pains. Your body is expanding, your ligaments and skin are stretching, and you are adjusting to ever-increasing weight. Not to mention, your energy is zapped! Typically, I turn to expercise (walking, running, yoga, etc) to relieve body aches and pains (I have Fibromyalgia).  However, my routine has been WAY off between pregnancy, moving house, and running around after a toddler. I know, I know...excuses! Needless to say, I am feeling achy and exhausted. Baths with bath salts and massages are essential for my ache-fighting pregnancy beauty routine! Side note: somehow I was much better with my fitness routine last pregnancy. I think that running around after a toddler should count as exercise, right?!?!
  • Oily Scalp/Hair: I have had quite a dilemma! While my hair itself is dry and damaged from highlighting, my scalp has become very oily. The only times in my whole life that my hair/scalp becomes oily is with pregnancy. I do not have a particular product to share with you to combat this issue. I simply wash my hair more frequently and rely more heavily on dry shampoos. Normally, I wash every 2-3 days. However, with the 1st trimester of pregnancy (when I seem to have the most oil in my scalp) I wash every day (what a pain!!!).
  • Oily Skin and Hormonal Breakouts: My skin seems to break out like crazy on my chin during pregnancy. Also, I become very oily in the t-zone. Typically, breakouts are rare for me. However, when I am pregnant, I am constantly battling zits. Plus, with pregnancy skincare ingredient restrictions, breakouts can be hard to treat. I will share with you my "secret weapon" for pregnancy breakouts!
  • Stretching Skin: Like all preggies, I am dealing with stretching skin. Everything seems to get bigger in pregnancy...not just my belly! Stretchy skin can feel very tight, dry, and itchy. Good lotions and oils are the key to keeping the skin comfortable while it stretches. Also, I want to do whatever I can to minimize the impact of stretch marks. I was lucky and didn't get any with my first pregnancy. I know that stretch marks are primarily determined by heredity. However, I still want to moisturize as much as I can! Who knows, maybe that helped prevent their appearance from my last pregnancy!
  • Lack of "Beauty Sleep": Now we all know that a good night's sleep is essential to look your best! However, the various issues of pregnancy prevent sound sleeping. While I don't have a cure-all for good pregnancy sleep...I have an amazing positioning pillow that I am going to share with ya'll!
Pregnancy-Safe Products:
So, what is a pregnant girl to do? Throughout my last pregnancy as well as this current pregnancy, I have been scouring the internet, searching through local stores, and shopping my beauty stash to come up with a comprehensive resource of the best pregnancy skincare and beauty pampering products. I am using quite an arsenal of products. However, I am only sharing the best-of-the-best here! After careful deliberation and editing, I have narrowed my list down to the top 10!

So, are you curious? Please click "read more" below to see my Top 10 Products for Pregnancy Skincare & Beauty Pampering!




Top 10 Products for Pregnancy Skincare & Beauty Pampering:
Here they are (in no particular order):

Belli Skincare Pregnancy Anti-Blemish Facial Wash (formerly Acne Cleansing Facial Wash: Same product...new name!): Oooooh! I absolutely adore this gel cleanser! I discovered it in my first pregnancy and it is a total lifesaver!!! It contains Lactic Acid which is pretty much one of the only safe hydroxy acids that you can use in pregnancy. It gently exfoliates while cleansing your skin. It also contains lemon peel oil which is a natural anti-bacterial ingredient. You can use this face wash as a regular cleanser or you can leave it on for a few mintues as a "mask". Honestly, I love this cleanser so much that I not only use it in pregnancy but also during nursing and beyond. It has a lovely light and fresh scent! Plus, it rinses clean and just leaves me feeling fresh! I adore this cleanser and fully recommend it to not only pregnant women but also anyone needing a great gentle face wash to keep their skin clear! Love, love, love it! You can find this cleanser at Ulta for about $22.

Wiccy Magic Muscles Massage Bar from LUSH: I get so achy in pregnancy. A massage with this amazing massage bar from LUSH is literally just what the doctor ordered! It relieves aches with the amazing scent of peppermint and cinnamon. It gives the same "icy hot" feel of products like Ben Gay (with a MUCH better scent!). I love to use this after tough workouts when I am not pregnant and for all over aches in pregnancy. It is a family favorite as both my mother and my husband like to use it, too! These retail for $10.95 at LUSH. Also, I highly recommend getting one of their metal tins for storage. The bar has a greasy feel and melts on contact with your skin. A nice reusable tin will store it cleanly and help your bar to last longer.

YBF (Your Best Face) Control Serum: This fabulous anti-aging serum is packed with highly concentrated antioxidants and peptides. While many anti-aging ingredients are "out" when it comes to pregnancy skincare, antioxidants and peptides are a total "go"! Also, YBF serums seem to keep my skin wonderfully clear. YBF Control lightly hydrates and leaves my skin feeling primed for makeup. Typically, I apply YBF Control after cleansing and before my daily sunscreen/moisturizer. I totally love it! While the price tag is high for this item ($160 for 1 oz), I still highly recommend it because of its effectiveness. YBF puts serious research behind their product formulations. The result? They make effective products that work!

LUSH Tea Tree Water: During my recent LUSH store tour, they recommended that I use this toner to help with breakouts. I have already fallen in love with this refreshing toner/cleansing water! It has natural antibacterial ingredients  like tea tree, juniper berry, and grapefruit to help fight blemishes-causing bacteria. Plus, it leaves me feeling refreshed without drying out my skin. This is another product that I will likely use beyond pregnancy and nursing. I just love it! Retails for $9.95.

Belli Skincare Elasticity Belly Oil: A belly oil is another pregnancy staple product for me. As I mentioned earlier, stretch marks are primarily determined by your heredity. However, I used this Belly oil religiously during my last pregnancy. So, my plan for this pregnancy is to do this same since I got no stretch marks! Plus, I love my nightly routine of oiling my belly. It seems to be a very calm time in my day and it really allows for me to "connect" with the baby. Plus, it just feels good to apply! :) Now, normally I do not really like the smell of lavender (unless it is really light or mixed with another scent like vanilla). However, this lavender scented oil smells great to me. I do find the scent soothing for night time. Belli states that this oil actually reduces stretch marks by 39%. Interesting! It retails for $39 at Ulta.

Reviva Labs Expectant Mama Belly Butter: This is my daytime Belly Butter. I love how non-greasy it is! While I love the Belli Belly Oil, it is too greasy for daytime. So, this Reviva Labs Expectant Mama Belly Butter is just perfect for belly moisture during the day! This creamy butter was specifically formulated with elastin and peptides to fight stretch marks and reinforce skin's elasticity. Plus, it works wonders for itches! Actually, if my belly gets itchy at all during the day, I rub more on and it instantly soothes my skin! I just love this stuff!!! It retails for about $18.40. You can find Reviva Labs at health food stores and Ulta.

Reviva Labs Expectant Mama Varicose Veins Lotion: I love using this lotion on my legs during pregnancy! While I don't have Varicose Veins, I certainly want to prevent them! This lotion feels somewhat invigorating and energizing for the legs. Plus, it is not greasy and absorbs well. It contains ingredients like Vitamin K, chestnut, and bioflavonoids. It retails for about $37.

Dr. Teal's Epsom Salts: I love a good soak in the tub...especially when I am pregnant!!! There is very little that you can do for pain relief when you are pregnant. You can't take Advil and Tylenol just dosen't cut it. Plus, my other usual pain relief strategy is exercise...but, I can't expercise heavily either. So, I rely on baths! Nothing works better than Epsom salts to soak out the aches! :) I get huge bags of Epsom Salts at Costco and put them in a cute container by my tub. Epsom Salt baths are great when you are not pregnant, too, after a vigorous workout! :) Plus, they are super cheap!!!

Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask: This mask is such a classic! I am sure that MANY of you have this sitting in your bathroom cabinet? I know that I was a huge fan of this mask back in the high school and college years. However, did you know that it is a fabulous spot treatment for pregnancy acne? The key is that this mask contains sulfur which is pretty much one of the only pregnancy-safe ingredient for spot treatment. Granted, you will have green dots all over your face...but, it works pretty well! Plus, a HUGE tube of this is less than $5 at your neighborhood drugstore!

The Snoogle Mini Compact Side Sleeper Pillow: OMG! Snoogle...where have you been all my life? I *heart* you! ;) Seriously, I consider my Snoogle one of my absolute "must haves" for pregnancy!!! No it is not a beauty product. However, I feel that the use of my Snoogle has a tremendous impact on my sleep...hence better beauty sleep! When you are pregnant, you are supposed to sleep on your side. Specifically, your left side. This pillow wraps around me perfectly and prevents me from rolling on my back while giving my whole body the support it needs. Sure, my husband feels temporarily "replaced" when it comes to snuggling, lol, as my Snoogle is always there now...but, what can I say, I am not giving up my Snoogle! It is even going to the hospital with me!

Shop the Post:
Check out my top 10 Products for Pregnancy and Beauty Pampering...plus a few other great pregnancy safe products that *almost* made my Top 10 list. All of these products are fabulous and I highly recommend them! 

What products do you like to use for pregnancy pampering? I am always on the lookout for more pregnancy safe products!!!

Thanks for reading!
XOXO!!!


3 comments:

Unknown said...

That belly oil sounds really good,wish I had no stretch marks ;)

Natalya said...

Nice list, thanks for sharing this top 10 products. This will really help me on my pregnancy. I will keep this noted. Thank again!

Unknown said...

@Natalya-Anytime! :) Good luck with your pregnancy!!!



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