Dear Natalie,
Any tips for pregnant moms who suddenly don’t know what the hell is going on with their skin? I’ve always been lucky enough to have mostly clear skin. The occasional stray zit would appear once in awhile and was no big deal. But with pregnancy came an oily nose and constant breakouts in the lower face/chin area. I know this is just one of the many lovely side effects of growing a human, but do you have any pregnancy skincare tips for me? I don’t want to be all broken out for the shower and maternity photos!
(Heart) Jenna
Dear Jenna,
I feel you 100%. As a matter of fact, in the middle of my second pregnancy I filmed a little video on how my acne resurfaced! It was a very depressing place to be. See the video here.
I would say be extra cautious during this time. You really don’t want to introduce new products into your skincare regime if you can help it.
Pregnancy Beauty Rituals
Mini Facials
I’m a huge fan of the Yes to Cucumber Wipes. They are so refreshing and my skin loved them. I even put them in my maternity bag and I gift them at every baby shower I go to. These may look familiar if you’ve stumbled upon my “What I Packed in My Maternity Bag” post I wrote before delivering my second baby here.
Toning On The Daily
Use toners without alcohol.
I also used this Rosewater spritz to hydrate and tone my face multiple times a day (I think because of the German firewalls, it’s not letting me link directly to the Whole Foods or Heritage site). It didn’t necessarily clear up my skin, but it kept my skin fresh and well, it felt amazing. Plus, I’m kinda obsessed with rosewater so I may be a little biased (after all, I’m half Persian!). Please keep in mind this is totally different than the Rosewater spritz I packed in my maternity bag!
Up the Water Intake
This is honestly the hardest advice to give because during pregnancy, I really had a hard time drinking tons of straight up water. I would always order sparkling water when I went out to eat and asked for a lemon (since lemon has so many wonderful cleansing and detoxifying properties). Most of the time, I’d get lime and make myself a “faux”-hito!
Plus, sipping on pretty non-alcoholic beverages made me feel fancy and what pregnant woman doesn’t want to feel fancy!
Steam
I would seriously put my face over a kettle of boiling water at every opportunity. OR you can be more like a civilized human and get one of these inexpensively. The True Glow by Conair is amazing and super affordable. Hubby can use it too, it’s great for men and women alike.
Patience
Lastly, patience. This is a season of life and like you said, you are growing a human! Your hormones are out of whack and all your nutrients are being sucked dry by this beautiful life you are growing! (How AWESOME is that though?! Can I get an amen!) Have grace with yourself and with your skin. Remember it always seems worse to you than anyone else. People are not seeing the imperfections on your skin, they are seeing a glowing mother to be.
Beauty is about perception, not about make-up. I think the beginning of all beauty is knowing and liking oneself. You can't put on make-up, or dress yourself, or do you hair with any sort of fun or joy if you're doing it from a position of correction.
kevyn aucoin
