Post Natal Necessities

Let's talk changing skin shall we?

I recently had a baby and there has been a drastic change in not only my skin but my skincare & makeup routine.

The extra hormones acquired while pregnant wreak havoc on a womans mood let alone her skin.

The most important thing though is to be sure to take good care of your skin. 

Exfoliate at least twice a week and make sure to moisturize!

My skin has been so dry since being pregnant and then having the baby that I have had to re-vamp my routine!

I use my Clairsonic Mia daily followed by a heavy moisturizer in the evening and a lighter version with SPF during the day.

After having a baby the last thing you may want to do is put on a face full of makeup. However, I would suggest just doing enough to make you feel like yourself each day. It can be a huge boost to your self esteem when the rest of your body is out of sorts.

I've personally noticed more of a pep in my step when I took the time to "put on a little rouge" as my Grandmother used to say.
You may be tired and sleep deprived but that does not mean you have to look like it!

My top three post natal necessities:

I highly recommend a great highlighter such as Smashbox's Halo Highlighting Wand to brighten up the cheek bones. The soft (not sparkly) glow will hit you in all the right places and the two colors (gold / pearl) will flatter any skintone.

image via: Sephora

And let's not forget the other must have - Photo Op Under Eye Brightener

image via: Sephora

It will make your dark circles a thing of the past and the brightening effect will have you ready to pose for pictures with your new little bundle of joy in no time!

Also on my post baby radar - Nars Blush in Orgasm

image via: Sephora

I mean the name says it all but this color flatters every single skintone and complexion.

The light pop of color will help you look and feel like your old self again!

I don't always have time each day to do a full face of makeup but when I use these three products combined with a tinted moisturizer & mascara I find that I am in a better mood and feel much more myself even if I'm just sitting around the house in leggings and a tee!

What makeup products boosts your mood?

Scrub-a-dub-dub

I think I'm in love with a scrub.

A body scrub that is.

You all know I go absolutely ga-ga over new beauty (read makeup) products but did you also know I have a small obsession with bath products as well?

Yeah. Skincare is the business and I aim to keep mine in top notch condition.

Of course I exfoliate my face because I want my makeup to look its very best.....but I'm also slightly obsessed with exfoliating my body as well.

Spring is here and Summer is coming just around the corner and that means short dresses, shorts and .....(gulp) bathing suits!

A few weeks ago Hautelook was having another great beauty event, this time they were featuring 100% Pure a wonderful beauty & skincare brand that has a TON of yummy treats for me to choose from that not only smell great but are good for my skin!

The products are all organic and vegan and contain no harsh additives.

No emulsifiers, thickeners, fragrances or preservatives.
The downside to the lack of preservatives means your products have an expiration date that is clearly shown on the package.

The upside is that you don't have to worry about any harsh reactions from use AND you know exactly how long the product is good for!
To me the benefits far outweigh the downsides.

I was fortunate enough to score 2 separate sets:

Organic Boxed Fruit Body Scrub set ( three 6oz. scrubs :Organic Blood Orange, Fuji Apple & Pomegranate) - retails for : $35.00 - I paid $14.00

forgot to include the body lotion

Pomegranate Body Kit ( Body wash 16oz., Body Lotion  7.5oz & Body Scrub 13oz ) retails for: $45.00 -  I paid $18.00

All in all I spent $32.00 (excluding tax)..... not a bad haul if I do say so myself.

It arrived on Monday (earlier than expected so that's always a plus) but I forgot about it until I was in the shower Tuesday morning.

I quickly hopped out of the shower and ran down stairs to grab the scrub and test it out.

It's A-MAZING. I am so happy with my purchase!!

The scrub is perfect in my opinion.

Not too harsh, not too slippery and not overly pungent and left my bedroom smelling delicious for hours!

Left my skin silky smooth and not dried out and allowed it to soak up the moisture from the lotion.

LOVE.

If you haven't - go get some here and check it out for yourself! 

Your skin will thank you.