"You're glowing!" "No. I'm wearing bronzer." I have said this many a times. Hormones have given me some pretty sweet pimples to brag about. Psh. Seriously, my neck makes me so self conscious. I wish I had "that pregnancy glow". I have to pile on makeup to make myself look & feel better, which in turn contributes to more break outs, which requires more makeup to cover them up. Vicious cycle. What sucks a big one is that you have to be careful what you apply on your body while pregnant, because many products could potentially harm the tiny human friend in your uterus. I haven't completely tamed my prego skin problems & I am no expert...BUT it has gotten better with a few tweaks to my "beauty routine" based on experimentation, friendly advice, & internet research.
L'OREAL minerals...the bareMinerals for a baller on a budget with a baby on the way. I have currently given up on using concealer or foundation, & just focus on using this powder when necessary. While it doesn't give the BEST coverage in all the land, it works pretty damn well & doesn't seem to lead to additional break outs. I still need to add some color to my face, & Physicians Formula products are pretty safe for sensitive skin.
As almost everyone & their mom knows, toothpaste it great for spot treatment on zits. Leaving it on overnight will help dry out & shrink your lovely lady lumps. Check it out. Just don't forget it's on your face/neck/chest & answer your front door. You will get a strange look from the FedEx lady. She will perhaps think you attended a great frat party the previous evening. Even if you are pregnant, I guess.
Since salicylic acid is a NO NO, witch hazel is a great alternative to use as a toner. It's also good for bulging butt veins (AKA hemorrhoids), a common romantical itchy side effect of pregnancy poops.
We've all read & heard all about the wonders of coconut oil. Put it in your hair, on your face, in your mouth, on your butt. Whatever you want. The world is your oyster & coconut oil is your gorgeous pearl. I never thought I would be one to try oil pulling, but I am now a fan. I try to swoosh the oil around for about 20 mins before spitting it out in the trash can (DO NOT CLOG YOUR DRAIN!). I know spitters are quitters, but I will admit that I have gagged a few times or had to spit it out early. I feel like my teeth are noticeably whiter (in my opinion), & there are also supposedly some other cool perks, but since this post is about vanity, that's all I'll mention.
Let's get back to the ultra sexy topic of adult acne, shall we? We shall. My wonderful friend Michelle recommended using tea tree oil in moderation to treat my skin. I used tea tree oil & coconut oil as a sort of sweaty looking grease mask/makeup remover every night for over a week straight & definitely noticed that my skin improved. My boyfriend told me that I smell like turpentine in the process, but I didn't ask him so I do not care. I dabbed tea tree oil on my face, neck, & chest, then rubbed in coconut oil. I left it on for about 15-20 mins & scrubbed it lightly with a wet washcloth. I followed with witch hazel, & this tea tree oil blemish touch stick. It is safe enough to be used 5-6 times a day, & it works great! I have done this routine since, but not on the daily. I imagine if I am consistent, I will either attain that "glow" I want, or just be a big ol grease ball. Either way. Now for some experiments...
This is pretty self explanatory. I mixed these ingredients (only a couple drops of the tea tree oil) until it was the consistency of...a scrub? haha. I used it in the shower & actually had to get out to grab more sea salt because the scrub felt too greasy. I'm nervous that maybe I went a little overboard & let too much go down the drain, & I did clog my razor because I decided to exfoliate my pits with this scrub. While I have felt soft & smooth all day, I obviously do not know what kind of effect it will or would end up having on pimples. I used this stuff on every inch of my skin. Seriously. I do plan on trying it again, but need to dilute it with something so that I do not feel that I am simply slathering myself in Crisco. I shall report back when I have a stronger opinion on this scrub trial.
Baking Soda is another crazy useful product. I mixed it with water to make a paste, the same way that you would if you were to use it as a teeth whitener. I scrubbed this all over my face, neck, & chest. It burned, but in a good way. Hurts so good. I left it on long enough for it to completely dry (about 15 minutes), & then rinsed off & patted my skin dry. I read that this can really dry out your skin & that you want to use an oil free moisturizer afterward. Tonight was the first time that I have done this, & I have to say that I feel good about it. I'd do it maybe every other day, unless it irritated my skin.
I read this over & over about my hormonal acne...wash hair every day to avoid dirty, greasy hair causing blemishes by touching your skin. Having naturally thin hair, it gets greasy fast anyway. So I SHOULDN'T wash it every day typically, because then it will become overly dry & my scalp will produce even more oil, resulting in even greasier hair. BLEH. However, I have decided to give this a go during pregnancy/until my skin problems are alleviated. Whichever happens first. Seeing how I am due in 4 weeks, I am guessing it will be the latter. Everything is magical lately, so I have included Head & Shoulders in the photo because pregnancy has also blessed me with some attractive dandruff. WOOHOO! I've used a dollop of it along with my regular shampooing routine for almost my entire pregnancy & haven't noticed any more flakes. That's a good thing, since that's what this product is supposed to do. Go H&S, doing your job n sheeit.
The same wonderful Michelle who recommended the tea tree oil has also shared with me this fine chart of honey masks. I am excited to try several of these, especially the apple or tea tree oil versions. Of course, I will review my experiences on this here interweb journal. This blog also has great ideas for foods to use as part of your skin care routine. It's actually what inspired me to add sea salt & brown sugar to coconut oil today.
I look forward to finding some kind of miracle cure for this hormonal acne dilemma, but life isn't all unicorns & glitter farts. If you have any natural, safe remedies for skin problems, send them my way! Thanks, fools.
xoxo, Jenna :)
