My 7 "Must Have" Summer Products

So I notice that every few months, I have a new set of “go to” products.  I thought that I would share my summertime products.  All are pregnant (according to my doctor -- check with yours if you have any concerns) and non-pregnant girl friendly.

Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing Brush

$22 on Amazon

I bought this brush out of desperation.  My face was a mess (flashback to a previous post), yet I wasn’t willing to spend $200+ on one of the high end facial brushes (like the Clarisonic brushes).  After doing some research and watching a lot of YouTube reviews, I was convinced that the Olay brush was just as good.  I have been really pleased and have seen a huge difference in the look and texture of my skin.  I tend to forget to exfoliate once a week, so at least by using this, I am removing some dead skin cells on a daily basis.

DermaQuest Anti-Bacterial Enzyme Cleanser

$21 on Amazon

This stuff right here is a miracle worker.  My waxer suggested it since I was having a lot of skin issues during my 2nd trimester.  I wish I had known about this way before I got pregnant.  After just a few days of using this product, my skin was clear and has been ever since.  I wash my face twice a day using the Olay brush and I couldn’t be happier.  If you are prone to breakouts, I highly suggest this cleanser. It will not leave our face dry like some acne cleansers.

Carol’s Daughter Sexy Belly

2 for $22 from Carol’s Daughter

No woman, pregnant or not, wants to deal with dreaded stretch marks.  I admit that my body is not stretch mark free due to my fluctuating weight that finally stabilized before I got married and pregnant (go figure).   Anyways, I tend to be skeptical of stretch mark fading/preventing creams and potions but my good friend told me to use this every day the minute I found out I was pregnant.  I am happy to report that so far (*knocking on wood*), I don’t have any new stretch marks.  Now whether this is because of Sexy Belly or genetics, I don’t know, but I can tell you that I will keep using this stuff every day.   This product also is supposed to prevent stretch marks, so I encourage every to give it a try. I will be using it post pregnancy.  The price tag isn’t horrible so if after one jar you aren’t happy, sell the other on eBay :o).

Aveda Brillant Anti-Humectant Pomade

$20 at Aveda

I've always loved this product.  Whether I am wearing my hair straight or trying to maintain the length of a dry twist out, the anti-humectant pomade is great.  Don't let the word "pomade" fool you.  It has the texture of a light grease and a little goes a long ways.  Since I have left my natural out on my sides and in the back for the current weave I am wearing, I use this to help my hair from reverting.  I think this should be a staple in your collection if you are natural or relaxed.

Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Cream

$9 on BurtsBees.com

This stuff is the truth. In full disclosure, I work for the company that owns Burt's Bees, but I still paid full price for this product and will continue to do so. It smells great and will bring anyone's dry feet back to life. It goes on a little greasy at first, but it will soak in, leaving your feet super soft and hydrated. It is light enough to use during the summer and still works great when the weather turns cold. And it is by a brand that is known for wonderful natural products.

NARS The Multiple in Maui

$39 at Sephora

First of all, I am obsessed with anything made by NARS. The colors really compliment all skin tones and the products are high quality. I own NARS lip sticks, glosses, and a tinted moisturizer. I've never felt like the price wasn't justified. Since I've pretty much given up on wearing make up, the stick is an easy way for me to get a little color on cheeks in under a minute. It glides on easy like a cream, blends well, and drys like a powder. The color lasts all day long. I'm tempted to try another color... maybe G-Spot or Orgasm (got to love the names).

Anastasia Brow Wiz in Brunette

$21 at Sephora

I love thick, full brows. This pencil is soft and delivers just enough coverage to fill in your brows where they are sparse. I promise your eyebrows won't look painted on. They will look amazing and full.

Have you used any of these products?  Share your thoughts!

Pregnancy Hair & Skin Advice

I’m 29 weeks today!  Part of me is screaming “YAY” and the other part of me is screaming “Oh s$*&, I’m not ready yet!”  But as I enter the last phase of my pregnancy, I have been reflecting on the journey not only my body has been through, but the journey my hair and skin have both experienced.  I thought that I would share some advice for others who are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant because I found that a lot of what I was reading in books and on the Internet, caused me more stress than help.  As always I am going to keep it real, which may result in some TMI moments.

Your skin may freak out.  If you are prone to breakouts when you are on your period, your face will probably go ape s&*% crazy when you get pregnant.

• Take it from me, facials do nothing so don’t waste your money.  My face was HORRIBLE so I immediately ran to my esthetician.  After 3 times of spending at least $100 per session, my face still looked a hot mess.  The breakouts are caused by the hormones running through your body.  So your face may look good for a day or two, but eventually you will look a mess again.
• Talk to your doctor about what products are safe.  Do NOT rely on the Internet.  A lot of the stuff I banned from my bathroom for months due to all of the Mommy boards scaring the crap out of me, turned out to be perfectly safe in my doctor’s opinion.
• Drink a lot of water.  I’ve always drank a lot of water, but at one point during my first trimester, my skin was super dry, so stay hydrated!
• Keep your hands out of your face.
• Wash your face twice a day.  You can't do much about your hormones, but you can keep your face dirt and oil free as much as possible.
• Do not wear a ton of make-up.  I never wore a lot of makeup before all hell broke loose on my face.  But after waking up several times, looking at myself in the mirror, and crying, I felt like the only thing I could do was to cover it up with make-up.  Not only did this probably make matters worse, but I brought more attention upon myself because of my sudden use of make-up.  If you can’t imagine leaving the house with a bare face, at least keep things light and just use powder or a light tinted moisturizer.
• Do not beat yourself up.  Your body is doing amazing things to grow your beautiful baby.  In the grand scheme of things, your breakouts are truly a blip on the radar and are temporary.  By the middle of the second trimester, my skin went back to normal for the most part.

Your hair will grow like crazy but you probably won't feel like doing it.  Non pregnant people still ask me, “Why do you have a weave? Your hair has grown so much!”  I tell them until they have been pregnant and understand how incredibly tired I am, especially during the 1^st trimester, do not say this to me.  The last thing I feel like doing is my hair and I don’t want the health of my hair to suffer.  Wearing a weave has been a lifesaver.  Granted I still need to take great care of my hair, but it doesn't take me nearly as long to do my hair on a weekly and daily basis.  Pick a protective hair style that will be easy for you maintain and make you feel great.

Your hair will grow like crazy...everywhere.  You will become besties with your waxer but eventually you will probably not care anymore because you won’t be able to see anything below your hips.  The moment when I discovered I could no longer comfortably bend down to shave my legs, was quite humbling and amusing.  My advice - wear pants or maxi dresses and keep it moving.

I can laugh now because I am not longer in the moment or just don’t care anymore.  But I am willing to endure anything for my baby girl!  Would love to hear any skin and hair tips from pregnant lovelies or moms!

Bio-Oil - Is it the real deal?

Well hello Lovelies!

My wedding is quickly approaching (less than 6 months away) and I am trying maintain my skin care regimen.  I have been doing very well with my face regimen (I haven't had a breakout in more than 6 months) but now I am starting to pay more attention to my overall body.

A few years ago, I was about 50 pounds heavier (thankfully I have managed to lose that weight and keep it off).  I put on the weight pretty quickly, so I have stretch marks.  Luckily for me, my stretch marks aren't terribly noticeable, but I want to be as close to perfect as possible when I am lounging in sun with my new hubby on our honeymoon in Mo'orea!  With that said, I have heard about Bio-Oil for years, but never bought it.  Mainly because of the price tag - about $14 for a 2 ounce bottle. But after doing some reviews, I decided to bite the bullet.  Many black women have seen success with Bio-Oil, so I figured I would give it a shot.

The key with this product seems to be consistency.  The instructions on the bottle say to use twice a day for at least 3 months... woah.  I will definitely report back in 3 months to see if I have started to see any results.

Top 5 Beauty "Must Haves"

I know I usually stick to hair, but I really wanted to share my top 5 beauty "must haves".  But before I get to that, I wanted to share pictures of my straight hair and trimmed ends - and yes I trimmed them myself (thank you Amber for giving me the confidence to do it)!  Check out the pictures below and look at how long my hair has gotten!

Okay so now on to my top 5 beauty "must haves".

1. Proactiv - I never had acne or blemish problems as a teenager, but as of lately, my skin has been acting crazy.  So after talking to my best friend about her experience with Proactiv, I decided to get some.  Already after about 3 weeks of using it, my face looks amazing!  I once again feel confident and comfortable leaving the house without foundation.  This stuff is a "must have" if you are experiencing skin problems.
2. Sexy Curves Mascara by Rimmel - I LOVE mascara.  I am actually pretty crazed when it comes to mascara.  I have tried it all too.  From the expensive stuff like Dior Show to the cheap drugstore stuff.  And I must say, I have better success with the mascara I buy from CVS.  I was skeptical about Sexy Curves when it came out, but I am in love with it now!  The mascara actually does it what it says it going to do.  Love it!
3. Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash with Shea Butter - I haven't experienced dry skin since I started using this body wash years ago.  Sometimes, especially in the summer, I can go without lotion or just use baby oil after a shower.
4. Wen Hair Cleanser - Anyone who has read my blog knows that I love Wen Hair Cleanser.  It is sulfate-free and can be used as a cleanser/conditioner/detangler/leave-in.  It is definitely worth the money!
5. Bare Escentuals - Once I tried the foundation, I never looked back.  It is easy to control how much or little coverage you want and it feels like you aren't wearing any make up!  I never had a problem matching my shade.  Since the make up is all natural, if you happen to fall asleep without washing your face, you won't break out.  Their products are great for sensitive skin.  I use the foundation, eye shadows and shimmers.