Skincare

Skincare tips, skin product reviews and DIY products using natural ingredients.

  • Beauty, Motherhood, New Mom, Skincare, Sponsored

    Postpartum Body: Treating My Stretch Marks After Pregnancy

    This post is sponsored by Palmer’s. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

    I first discovered some stretch marks on my stomach after I gave birth to my first child. They were small and sat so low down my stomach that they were barely noticeable. I took that as a win, I was happy and I even embraced these little lines on my stomach as proof that I brought life to the earth. Pregnancy changes so much of our body and to be honest, postpartum I just moved forward not knowing that I could treat those stretch marks and over time fade their appearance until last month. I attended the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula launch event for their enhanced Stretch Marks line that is free of parabens, mineral oil and phthalates and I got inspired, to take better care of my skin and maybe fade my stretch marks on my postpartum body.

     

    I don’t know about anyone else but my post-baby belly skin 12 weeks after having my precious daughter (my third child) is soft, a little wrinkly and can be dry if I’m not on top of it. I carried a baby who was born over 8 pounds and as my body continues to recover I’m excited to try these products especially because of the amazing ingredients like shea butter, collagen, elastin, and argan oil. The products are designed to target the collagen and elasticity breakdown that pregnancy hormones cause.

    So far, I’ve tried the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Cream Concentrate Massage Creme for Stretch Marks and I’m really proud of how consistent I’ve been applying it twice a day. That’s the thing that was stressed the most, the importance of consistency. According to the brand, it takes two months of consistent usage to start noticing some improvements. I can’t wait!

    Chatting with my friends and girlfriends and posting Instagram stories so many of you shared success stories using the Palmer’s Stretch Mark line that I was truly impressed. It helps to believe in a product when so many people swear it’s a holy grail and that helped my confidence and my determination to remain consistent on this journey to fade my stretch marks.

    Besides the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Cream Concentrate Massage Creme,  line also includes the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Cream Concentrate Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks and the  Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Cream Tummy Butter for Stretch Marks that are now and available at all food, drug and mass retailers nationwide and priced between $6 – $8.

     

    Have you had any success treating stretch marks after pregnancy?

  • Beauty, Breastfeeding, Motherhood, New Born, New Mom, Pregnancy, Skincare, Sponsored

    Mommy and Baby Fall and Winter Care Products

     This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com. As usual, all opinions are my own. 

    I’m still in nesting mode and if you follow my Instagram stories and realized that I didn’t post much this weekend it’s because we stayed in and cleaned, decluttered and organized. We’re making space for baby and all her things. With her due date in the midst of the fall season, I’ve been thinking about how to make her as comfortable as possible. Fortunately, Babbleboxx sent over a box of mommy and baby fall and winter care products to try out. Some of these brands I was already familiar with while others turned out to be an incredible surprise. Here are all the items that came in the box and below I share my thoughts on all of them.

    For Mommy:

    Vichy – Mineral 89

     

    I couldn’t wait to tell y’all about the Vichy Mineral 89! I’ve been telling anyone who would listen to me, even my husband (who could care less about skincare products) but it’s that good.  I’ve never used a face moisturizer that made me feel so radiant and gave my skin such a natural glow. It’s perfect for the cold dry season too. Apparently, the secret to Mineral 89 is Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Water from the French Volcanoes.  If you want to try it out (and you really should) use the code: “BabbleBox” for an offer of 20% off and free shipping until 11/30/2017.

     

    Playtex Nursing Bra Collection

    Okay, so we’ve all seen the memes about getting home and taking off your bra to feel comfortable. Well, pregnancy and breastfeeding don’t really work like that. I personally feel better wearing a bra will pregnant and nursing as my body changes and the support of a bra makes me comfortable. It needs to be the right bra though. I started using nursing bras since my first pregnancy and they’re fantastic for sleeping, support and most importantly feeding the baby.  The Playtex Nursing bra was one of the first products in the box I started using and I really love how comfortable it is.  One of the best features of this particular nursing bra is the front adjustable clasps that allow the same bra to span two cup sizes and one band size as our body transitions during our pregnancy and after giving birth.

    Mumbrella

    If you’ve ever got caught out in the rain with a stroller, you probably know how frustrating it is to hold an umbrella and push it not to mention hold one or two little hands.  The Mumbrella will definitely come in handy when my daughter gets here as I love to go for walks as it can easily be attached to the stroller and you get hands-free rain coverage. Check out all the styles and pretty prints over on their website and use the code “BABBLEBOXX” for free shipping.

    For Baby:

    Boudreaux’s Butt Paste Maximum Strength Jar

    I remember reading up on preventing diaper rashes prior to having my first baby and the number one tip was to keep baby’s butt dry and as well as add a layer of protection between the skin and the diaper. I always keep a special towel just for drying my babies butt after a diaper change and then apply a small amount of Boudreaux’s Butt Paste Maximum Strength Jar. I got introduced to it when I had my son and became a big fan because although I had found similar products, their ingredients were questionable while Boudreaux doesn’t contain any harsh ingredients

    Land’s End Diaper Bag

    This Land’s End diaper bag is going to be our stroller bag and it’s great  as it is designed to loop on to stroller handles. I also plan to use it to pack all of my baby’s things for the hospital so we have our own separate bags. I love that with this bag there is easy access and it easy to navigate for moms on the move.

    Mustela: Hydra Bébé ® Body Lotion

    Baby Fall and Winter Care Products

    When I received my Babbleboxx and shared a quick unboxing in my Instagram stories so many of you messaged to tell me how much you love Mustela products. Well, I was really impressed with the Mustela: Hydra Bébé ® Body Lotion and I’ve been using it on my two older children who have very different skin types. Since it’s hypoallergenic and 97% of its ingredients are from natural origin, I don’t have to worry about using it especially on my daughter who has very sensitive skin. So far she loves it and I love the sweet baby fragrance. If you want to try Mustela or stock up on more use the code “BABBLEBOX17″ to receive 20% off.

    Osh Kosh – Baby B’Gosh

    Osh Kosh – Baby B’Gosh is a CLASSIC! One of my earliest fashion memories is wearing a pair of their short yellow overalls back when I was probably 3 or 4. Now, they even go up to 5T which is my son’s size. Of course, I had to get my daughter their overalls too but I am also a huge fan of their baby clothes. How cute is this outfit though? Get 20% off $40+ purchase with the online code: OKBG3352 and Retail code: 036992 next time you shop there.

    Do you use any of these products for yourself or your baby?

  • Beauty, Lifestyle, Motherhood, Skincare, Sponsored

    Smooth Underarms With Dove

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    Today, I partnered with one of my favorite brands, Dove to share my not-so-fun journey with antiperspirants which started way younger than I imagine it did for many of you. I can’t remember the day of the week, but it was an evening after school that my grandmother presented me with a paper bag, inside was my very first antiperspirant. She said that I ran around way too much at school and was starting to smell like “outside” which wasn’t a good smell for a girl in her opinion.  Basically, it was time for me to trade up from baby powder. I must admit, I was a bit embarrassed, there is nothing worse than embarrassment about the way you smell.  Even though I was only a child, I made it my mission to never be in a situation to get a paper bag with antiperspirant again. I thought myself to do a discreet sniff test with a slight arm raise to determine if all was good.

    As I grew older, my body changed and I found myself trading up my antiperspirant at just about every point from puberty, pregnancies to postpartum. In the past few years, I’ve found some really good antiperspirants as well as others that turned out to be disastrous.

    Smooth Underarms With Dove

    Along with body changes, my lifestyle has also changed and I have less time but more need to take great care of myself especially now that I am in my thirties. Tasks that used to take me relatively no time and energy now take much longer with two little ones in tow and even though The Super Knight is three, I find myself carrying him around still.

    Mom Life Trade Up

    All this to say, I needed to trade up to a long lasting antiperspirant that would keep me dry, not transfer to my clothes and smells great. My most recent upgrade is to Dove Advanced Care Antiperspirant. Now, I was mainly attracted to its 48-hour odor and wetness protection which means I no longer have to walk with my antiperspirant in my bag to freshen up during the day (which isn’t fun with two kids staring at you asking “Mommy what are you doing?”). However, I’ve found that my seriously smooth underarm skin is the best thing about using Dove Advanced Care.

    Mom Life Trade Up

    The combination of Dove ¼ moisturizers and NutriumMoisture really makes for a smooth underarms which is very welcomed after years of feeling like I was damaging my skin to stay fresh. I can horse around with my kids as much as I want to without worry.

     

    Have you tried Dove Advanced Care Antiperspirant?

     

    This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Dove Advanced Care Antiperspirant.