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!

(Somewhat) irrational hair thought of the moment

So for the past few months, I have been trying very hard to avoid the reality of labor and delivery.  And let me tell you, this stage of pregnancy has been hard to avoid.  I swear every BabyCenter newsletter has a whole section dedicated to "live births" or people want to volunteer the details of their traumatic experience.  So you ask, why am I trying to avoid all of this and remain in a state of ignorant bliss?  Quite simply, it scares the crap out of me.  The pain, the hospital, the fact that anything can happen...all of it.  I miss the days of believing the stork brought my little brother to our house.

But one thing I keep thinking about is holding my beautiful little girl and our first moments together.  So I'm giving you fair warning to laugh at me or think I'm some crazy pregnant lady but I wonder, is it wrong if the first glimpses my child eventually gets of me are weavealicous vs. natural?

Again, I prefaced this all with the fact that this thought is probably super irrational, trivial, silly, etc., but it is one that I keep thinking about.  Probably because my hair is one of few things that I an actually control.  Am I some type of a fraud if she sees me with with my weave and lashes (oh yes, lash extensions are my latest obsession -- post coming about that)?  Or should I be stripped down and natural like her?

I'm leaning towards the weave because I can only imagine how my natural hair would look after hours of labor.... it wouldn't be cute.  And maybe I am slightly vain for wanting to look somewhat decent when my child comes into the world.  It would be nice to have a fresh pedicure and for my hair to look presentable.

And quite frankly, I can't be the only one who has had this thought.  I know that some woman have full make up on, fresh for those post delivery pictures with their little bundle of joy.  Soo poo on you if you are judging me!  I'm just writing down what some people are thinking about :o).

It has been TOO long...

Hi Lovelies!  It has been WAY too long.  After my summer internship in New York City, I moved back to Ithaca for my last year at Cornell.  School mixed with wedding planning and recruiting made for a hectic life.  So for the most part, I have been rockin' my natural hair.  I did however get a weave for our engagement pictures.  Here is one for your viewing pleasure :).

Photo by Love Life Images, Inc.

So let's talk about the weave.  My weave was beautiful, but I decided to leave some of my real hair out to make it look more natural.  I have never done this before.  I usually get full weaves, not exposing any of my natural hair.  Here is a close up (you know I can't resist showing off my handsome fiancé).  This was a hasty decision because I didn't think about the maintenance for keeping my hair straight, especially since I have a trainer 3 times a week.  When my hair was freshly straightened, it blended very well with the weave (this time I used wavy Indian Remy human hair).  But as the days went on it was harder and harder to blend.  I ended up putting heat on my hair 3 times a week and using that much heat on my hair concerned me.  Since I rarely straighten my hair, I didn't want the heat to alter my curl pattern for that one section that I left out.  I was very good about using heat protecting products before any heat touched my hair, but that still didn't make me feel comfortable.

Another issue I had to deal with was due to my hair thinning due to Alopecia.  Making sure my scalp wasn't exposed was difficult and really left me feeling insecure.  I did discover "hair shadow" which is basically eyeshadow for your scalp.  The stuff is great.  I was able to put this on my scalp to give the appearance of hair; this stuff was a lifesaver.

Well I managed to leave my weave in only for one month.  I'm going to Brazil (yay) for 10 days and the thought of having to deal with the heat, humidity and my hair, was too much to think about.  I have noticed that my curls are more relaxed in that one spot that I was flat ironing on a regular basis.

I'm glad to have my natural hair back.  I'm still following my same wash, condition, and styling routine, but I am finding that I experiment with how I wear my twist outs a lot more.  Here are some pics of my latest 'do.  Also, I put a clear rinse in my hair a few months ago.  I'm sure it has rinsed by now, but I'm loving my hair color (most of the henna has grown out).

Reasonably priced products alert! Check out Pooka.

Hello lovelies.  As my internship ends, reality has set in and I'm slowly realizing that I am once again a broke student (only one more year of this, praise the Lord).

Pooka Pure and Simple is an all natural, handmade beautycare line that was conceived after the creator, Dawn Fitch, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.  She decided to take a natural approach to hair and skincare by making her own products.  I was even happier when I realized that the products are *gasp* affordable!

  

 

I had the pleasure of trying the Shea & Olive Hair Butter (4 ounces) and the Nectar Hair Oil & Treatment (4 ounces).  Following are the ingredients for each:

Shea & Olive Hair Butter - Shea Butter, Olive Oil, Beeswax, Rosemary Oil, Lavender Oil, Fragrance
Nectar Hair Oil & Treatment - Avocado Oil, Olive Oil, Rosemary Oil, Lemon Oil, Lavender Oil, Peppermint Oil, Fragrance, Lavender Buds, Rosemary Leaf, Lemon Peel

The first thing I noticed, about both products, was the amazing smell.  Both products smell so crisp and fresh and made me even more eager to try them.  The great thing about the Nectar Hair Oil & Treatment, is that it comes with a dropper, which makes scalp application a breeze!  The Nectar Hair Oil & Treatment claims to stimulate growth which I think is something that should be evaluated on a case by case basis.  As you all know, my hair doesn't "love" oils, so I've been using the Nectar Hair Oil & Treatment for nightly scalp massages.  This product also doubles as a hot oil treatment, which I have yet to try.

I've been using the Shea & Olive Hair Butter once or twice a week as a moisturizer for my twists.  What is great about this product is that it doubles as a body moisturizer as well.

I can easily see both products becoming staples in my hair routine.  Give them a try.  I don't think you will be disappointed.

Weekly Shampoo, Condition, & Twist Routine

I thought that I would post a video of my current weekly routine.  Right now, this seems to be working for me, but I will keep everyone updated if I start to do something a bit different.

I'm Coming Home!

Hi lovelies. I know that I have been MIA for the past month or so, but I am getting back into the swing of things. In the past month, I finished my first year of business school, moved to NYC, and started my internship where I am working on a hair care brand. As you can imagine, I am in heaven.
I'm writing specifically today to share that I am taking the weave out (if I can get it out) this weekend. It's time to unleash the curls and see what I am working with. I'm feeling so anxious, excited, and ready for a change. I've missed my natural hair and have had hair envy walking through the streets of NYC.
Summer in the city calls for rocking my curls. Stay tuned for updates and pictures.