Skin and Body in Pregnancy: My Experience & Products I Use

Excitement levels are running high - I only have six weeks left until my due date! How crazy is that? But before our baby boy arrives, I wanted to write one last pregnancy-related post about my experience of carrying a human bean in my belly for over 9 months. If you're not interested in preggo stuff - please click away now, I may be oversharing some details; I do however think it's important to have an open discussion among women about their different experiences and struggles. Knowledge is power!

Baby bump at 32 weeks; photo by my talented BFF Mariya.

Overall, I am very grateful to have had an easy, comfortable, and healthy pregnancy thus far. If you remember my two other pregnancy updates (announcement here and gender reveal here), right from the very beginning I've been feeling well and suffered very few pregnancy symptoms that can make a preggo's life a living hell. I have not had any nausea whatsoever, in general I have maintained good energy levels, I have been sleeping well (even with the frequent bathroom trips), I haven't had almost any digestive issues or swelling, no cramping or bleeding. I have had the most normal pregnancy imaginable - but not only has my well-being been great, more importantly, as far as all tests and scans go, the baby has also been doing great, growing and developing steadily and swimming energetically from one side of my belly to the other (especially at 3am in the morning ;)

I am stressing all this because I'm sure all women, especially of child-bearing age, have heard pregnancy horror stories left and right, be it from well-meaning family members or anxious friends. Personally, after hearing all these accounts and retellings, it almost seemed to me like it was impossible to feel well and enjoy being pregnant - like things were bound to go downhill at some point or another. I only knew of one friend whose pregnancy experience has been overwhelmingly positive - ONE! If you've been considering having a child (or children) some time in the future but are worried about how your body will handle growing another human; please don't be. There's no way to predict what your personal experience may be, and feeling stressed and anxious over it certainly won't make anything better. I don't think there's any guarantee one way or another - sure, it's good to keep in shape and practice healthy habits beforehand, but as to specific symptoms etc... We really can't know until we get there. I was in fact quite resigned to the fact that I may be feeling awful when pregnant, and I was also worried about being able to conceive due to some medical history I won't bore you with - but all of that stress and anxiety turned out to be completely unfounded and unnecessary. Pregnancy CAN be healthy, enjoyable and happy; let's all try to remember that.

Now in my third trimester, I have definitely started feeling... quite pregnant. As of my last doctor's appointment, I have gained approx. 25 pounds. My family and friends are kind enough to claim that it's all in the bump; I do feel like my belly is rather on the large size, and it protrudes a lot in the front (I like to call it a watermelon). I have gone up between 1-2 bra sizes (larger cup as well as band size) and I think my hips are somewhat bigger as well, but all things considered I think it's not too bad. Because of the size/ weight of the baby bump and joint-loosening hormones coursing through my body, I have been experiencing pain in my left hip/ inner thigh area, which is making walking increasingly challenging - but you know, living in NYC, I still do it anyway - and then silently curse myself for not taking a cab ;)

So far - knock on wood - I have not noticed any stretch marks anywhere on my body. I have not had any stretch marks prior to pregnancy either, but I also realize I may still get them mere weeks before delivery, so I guess we will just have to wait and see. As far as bodycare, I have been using lots of moisturizers on the bump & rump area every single evening after shower, sometimes in the morning as well. I also like to scrub and massage my body quite thoroughly in the shower using lots of body wash and a loofa to get some good blood circulation and exfoliate all those dead skin cells. I haven't personally experienced a lot of dry skin or itchiness, which I understand can be quite common. The eczema on my hands, if anything, has been a bit better than in the past few years.

When it comes to the actual products I've been reaching for, I have not bought a single anti-stretch mark cream or belly balm or any of those other lotions and potions geared specifically towards pregnant women. As far as I know, stretch marks are genetic anyway, and while moisturizing your body can go a long way towards minimizing them/ making them heal faster, there's no proven skincare ingredient to completely prevent them or have them disappear. So I didn't bother paying more just to have a product labelled for pregnancy, and instead have been using lotions I've already had in my stash, as well as my new favorite body oil, the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Usage Dry Oil* ($45 for 100ml/ 3.3 fl. oz spray bottle at us.nuxe.com and Ulta, smaller sizes also available - the Limited Edition bottle in the photo looks full because it's my second one; my husband also uses it as a beard oil). It smells heavenly of sweet tropical florals and absorbs quickly into the skin, sealing in moisture. I have also been using the Prodigieux Shower Oil* ($15 for 200ml/ 6.7 fl. oz, here and here) from the same range, which feels nourishing on the skin and gives excellent slip for shaving. It also makes my skin look very luminous thanks to all the luxurious golden shimmer :) I have tried using coconut oil as well but felt like it was a bit too heavy for me, whereas most regular body lotions are currently too thin/ lightweight. I think for me personally, body butters and oils are the way to go.

I haven't observed any major changes in my hair or nails. My nails have always been strong and they grow fast, and that hasn't changed. My hair also grows quite quickly, and since I haven't dyed it for over two years now, it's all healthy, shiny, sleek virgin hair. I do use good conditioners and leave-in sprays in my hair, but it's now quite long and I do not have any split ends - that's probably a first. In my photos, you may catch a glimpse of my baby bangs; I now have long baby hair growing on both sides of my forehead. I've also noticed a lot less hair on my brush after detangling or styling, but I wouldn't say my hair looks or feels any thicker or fuller than before. That may actually be a good thing - I'm hoping to avoid dramatic hair loss post partum.

As far as the skin on my face - which is probably the most important to the vast majority of women - I'm very happy to say that it improved in pregnancy. Prior to getting pregnant, I have struggled with acne for most of my teenage and adult life. I have noticed quite quickly - within the first couple of months - that I was getting a lot less breakouts and absolutely no cystic acne, which had been my biggest struggle in the past. Overall, my skin is now more even in texture and tone, but I think my sebum production is only slightly diminished - my skin type is still combination. It can get very oily on the T-zone, but we're also currently in the hot & humid summer season here in NYC, so I'm sure that contributes to the oiliness as well. To help with any congestion, I have been quite diligent about using chemical exfoliants on my face twice a day; you can read more about my current skincare routine here.

The only acne/ skin texture I have been somewhat struggling with during pregnancy has been on my chest - and, uhm, belly. I had had congested pores on my chest before getting pregnant as well, but I feel that for the first 4-5 months, it unfortunately got worse. I just tried not to pay too much attention to it, made sure I was washing that area thoroughly every night and extended all of my facial exfoliants all the way down my neck and chest, and after those 5 months, it has pretty much all cleared up - either thanks to my efforts or just a spontaneous shift in hormones. But now that I've been acne-free, I have noticed a different issue - lots of tiny little skin tags all over my mid-section. They're so little that they eventually dry out and get scrubbed off anyway, but they're just... a bit strange and slightly annoying, especially if I mindlessly scratch one by accident. I do hope they go away post-partum :)

In terms of hyperpigmentation or melasma, which are also common concerns in pregnancy, I have not noticed anything out of ordinary. I am quite fair and naturally prone to freckles and hyperpigmenation anyway, so I have been making sure to apply lots of high SPF sunscreen on my face and chest (Mentholatum Sunplay SPF 50+ Super Block PA++++, reviewed here) as well as other exposed areas of my body (Neutrogena Sensitive Skin SPF 60+) any time I go outside, and I try to limit my sun exposure as much as possible. So far, I don't think my existing dark spots have gotten any worse or that I have got a lot of new ones, although I am always somewhat more freckly in the summer - that's just hard to avoid completely with my coloring. Speaking of pigmentation, I do have quite a visible linea negra on my belly, but thankfully it's not super dark - just a tan color, pretty much exactly the shade of my freckles. I'm sure it will fade completely a few months after delivery.

In general, I have not been very particular about avoiding lots of specific ingredients in skincare (or even my food aside from the obvious ones like alcohol or raw meat). Sure, I've put away all of my retinol and salicylic acid products for the time being, but I haven't been scrutinizing INCI lists looking for ingredients some people deem toxic, or irritating to the skin. I pay a lot of attention to ingredients any time I shop for skincare anyway, so I feel like I've done my due diligence regardless of pregnancy. There's lots of fear mongering out there and many pregnant women make the decision to switch to natural/ organic/ green beauty products, believing they're much better for them and safer for the baby. However, reality is a little more complicated than that - especially that the natural beauty market isn't in fact regulated by law in the United States. What I'm saying is - just do your own research.

I think that's about all I wanted to say on this topic - please let me know if you have any questions by leaving me a comment. The gorgeous maternity photos I used to illustrate this post were taken by my talented best friend Mariya, who flew all the way from Seattle to spend a few days with me and give me the much needed female emotional support. Thank you, bae! Big thanks to Claire from the Land of Lorp and Allison from 10am Beauty for listening to my rants on Twitter and giving lots of helpful preggo/mama advice. And lastly, thanks to Nuxe for providing me with ample amounts of Huile Prodigieuse to smear all over my watermelon belly :) Just a few more weeks to go, you guys!!!

----

Some of the K-Beauty brands & products you can score at the Peach & Lily Sample Sale.

In completely other news, me and Kar Yi are planning to attend the Peach & Lily 2nd Annual K-Beauty Sample Sale on Wednesday 8/24 at Stollway 250 W 39th St (between 7th & 8th Ave). The sale starts at 8am and goes on until 10pm (or until supplies last) and I thought I'd share this event with you in case you're a fellow Korean Beauty lover. RSVP by emailing events@peachandlily.com - even if you're not quite sure you're coming yet, it doesn't cost anything to get your name on the list. The brands you can grab at up to 80% off include Be The Skin, Cremorlab, May Coop, Mizo, Kicho, Lagom, Shangpree, Dr.Dream, 24/7 and Lady&Skin. Peach & Lily recommend to get there as early as you can, and only carry your funds with you (cash & credit cards accepted) instead of a whole purse (I don't know how doable that will be for me though, lol). If you happen to be there around noon and see a heavily pregnant lady waddling about, please come over and say hello!

Disclaimer: Products marked with an asterix (*) were press samples I received from the brands' PR for review consideration. I purchased everything else myself. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided free of charge. Thank you for reading!

Minimalist Monday: 3 Years Into My Low Buy and Plans for 2016

I've wanted to discuss something that's recently been on my mind a lot, namely my experiences with doing a make-up low-buy for three years now and my plans for 2016. Before we dive in, there's one thing I'd like to clarify: I'm not trying to advocate any minimalist agenda or forcefully attempt to convince you to change your habits in any way. If you're happy with your stash and your purchases, GREAT - I envy you, and you do you. The reason I'm stating the obvious (to me at least) is that I've recently come across this sentiment that some minimalism-leaning bloggers can come across as a bit militant in their opinions. I have no such intention - this is just a personal blog and I'm coming here to share MY feelings and struggles, and if it inspires someone to change something they've been uncomfortable with anyway, then that makes me really happy; but if not, that's okay too.

Alright, enough of boring disclaimers, let's get to it. Above is the main reason for this post - the contents of my back-up skincare drawer. That's right, it's all back-ups, meaning it's not even all of my skincare; the stuff I'm currently using is in my bathroom cabinet, which I'll show you an update on some other time. In my defense, very few products inside this bin are what I've purchased myself; probably 90% is gifts, gifts with purchase and press samples. But you see the problem, yes? YES?! It's freaking 15 pounds worth of skincare I'm not using, it's just sitting around, waiting for its prime. I don't need or want all that... so what to do?

In my first couple years of beauty obsessing and documenting it on the blog, I had set a loose monthly budget for myself in the amount of $50. It was supposed to include all 'fun' expenditures such as clothing and accessories as well as make-up, skincare, nail polish, you name it. It seemed reasonable at the time, and the amount was something I was comfortable with spending for non-essentials. Looking back on it now, I can honestly say that a beauty budget did NOT work for me. I wasn't very dilligent in tracking my expenses, meaning that I very often went over the $50, but the main problem is that it resulted in a proliferation of cheap thrills in my wardrobe and beauty stash. I'm not saying cheap to be offensive - I'm all for affordable things if they're good quality. Unfortunately, most of what I bought wasn't, and on top of that, I was soon overwhelmed with the amount of clothes and products in my possession.

Enter phase two, which was my beauty low-buy, introduced at the beginning of 2013 as a 'No Back-Ups Challenge' (read the original post here). I decided to give myself an allowance of two make-up products per month, without setting any budget goals, and work hard on using up all my extra products across several categories, mostly skincare. I'm not going to lie - it was VERY difficult at first. For someone used to popping into a drugstore 'just to see what's new', and usually leaving with a couple make-up toys in tow, having to thoroughly think through all my purchases, plan ahead and only get two out of the large pool of everything I fancied was hard. So I did stumble here and there, and definitely at the end of 2013 I had accumulated more than just 24 new make-up products, but I did make a large dent in my back-up stash, and it was a start (here are my thoughts at the end of the year). So I just stuck to the same low buy again in 2014, and added in another stash-reducing challenge via Project Make A Dent and various declutters. This time it went even better than the previous year; I was able to stick to my resolution more, and developped some strategies to help fight lemmings and urges to shop while learning to appreciate what I already had (final post for 2014 can be found here).

Now this year, I do think that my low-buy has really taken hold and taught me a valuable lesson. In 2015, I've been able not only to limit my purchases, but actually change my behavior and thought patterns when it comes to beauty shopping. I think I'll discuss my experience and strategies in more detail in a separate post next month, but I wanted to share my back story with you mostly to show you that in my case, it has truly been a slow evolution towards the ultimate goal of an edited capsule collection that makes me happy and grateful instead of causing anxiety and stress. It's definitely a loosely defined goal, and as such, the particulars of it keeping changing, namely towards even smaller and simpler stash.

But let's get back on track - if I've been such a pro at reducing and editing my stash, why that skincare back-up explosion, I hear you ask? Well, first off, it was actually worse than that in the past *gulp*. On top of that drawer, I had another drawer, and then a lot of products under the bathroom sink. In fact, I even had a hanging organizer on the bathroom door at one point because I had so much extra stuff. The organizer is now gone, and my bathroom cabinet currently houses just haircare and travel items, so this drawer plus what I've dubbed my 'soap box', pictured above, is all that I have left - and it would be much less than that if not for generous friends and PRs. But still, for me, the contents of those two containers are way more than I would like to keep on hand at any given time. Which is why for 2016, I decided to do go full throttle and introduce a complete SKINCARE (for the face AND body) NO BUY. It's like the ultimate challenge for a beauty junkie, am I right?

I think that this time, the challenge won't be so much in fighting lemmings because I feel that I've gotten pretty good at keeping myself in check. However, I may struggle a bit with not purchasing products that are more convenient to use than what I already have on hand for that purpose. For example, I'm not really loving bar soaps as much anymore - I got used to fancy shower gels now, and it's nicer to indulge in a scented body lotion than slather your limbs in a natural plant oil. I realize that in this scenario, many of you would just get rid of the surplus bar soaps & oils and happily purchase your favorites in their stead, but to me it feels wasteful and unnecessary. My other reason for attempting to use and use up these particular products is that they're more eco-friendly and sustainable, as well as less irritating for my sensitive skin. The second issue I'm foreseeing here is that like a true hoarder, I'm slightly worried about not having enough face cleansers or toners to last me an entire year. But you know what, I'm determined to make it work - I could just as well DIY a cleansing oil like Gummy, or try the Oil Cleansing Method again. I'll make do; as long as my skin is happy. If for any reason any of my back-up products turn out to harm my skin, I will pass them along and ultimately purchase a replacement if no more back-ups remain in my queue. Simple as that.

I will definitely document my progress with photos in a year's time, or sooner, if that turns out to be the case (ha! I wish). I would also like to point out that my no buy does not mean I won't be accepting press samples or gifts. While the influx of products for review consideration may seem to hinder my progress, this is a beauty blog after all, and I enjoy trying and reviewing products for you. I also very frequently pass things along to family and friends, and it makes me happy that I can give back and share great products in this way. But enough about me - do you guys have any stash-reducing plans for 2016? Have you ever attempted a beauty no buy? If so, what was your experience like?

What's In My Shower

I don't believe I've ever shared my shower routine on the blog; it probably has something to do with the fact that I'm predominantly a bath person, but recently I've started going to the gym and so the need for a post-workout shower has arisen - and at any rate, I use pretty much the same products when I shower as I do when I bathe. Having trudged through this completely superfluous introduction, we can now jump straight to the products I keep in my shower/ bathtub!

Starting with bodycare, I have come to the conclusion that I am not a bar soap person and much prefer the convenience of a shower gel. To that effect, I've been using the Pacifica Sulfate-Free Body Wash in Malibu Lemon Blossom for a better part of this year; even though cost per bottle is quite high compared to drugstore shower gels, I find that it lasts a really long time, and most importantly, it's very gentle and non-drying on the skin. The Kneipp In Shower Body Lotion in Black Currant & Pomegranate is the newest addition to my routine; it was a gift from my brother this past Christmas but I just started using it. I expected it to be something along the lines of Lush Body Conditioners or the Nivea In Shower lotion, but it's actually a shower gel and body lotion in one - or simply put, a moisturizing body cleanser that doesn't lather. I'm really liking the different texture and cassis smell, but I've read online that a tube doesn't last long.

I've talked about the Haus of Gloi Bubbling Scrubs numerous times on the blog - it's still one of my absolute favorite body scrub formulas, and the scent Twice is Nice is a delicious concoction of sugar, butter and coconut. I was curious about the 'Fresh Cream' fragrance of this Philosophy Hand Wash when I spotted it at TJMaxx, but it turned out to be just okay; I use this as a bubble bath, by the way. You can use any type of a foaming product as a bubble bath: a shower gel, hand wash, even shampoo, if you so desire - it's a good tip if you have a backstock of products that you want to use up a bit faster.

Now for my haircare, the MoroccanOil Clarifying Shampoo and the Goldwell Rich Repair hair mask both date back to when I used to work in a hair salon, which marked the peak of my interest in hair products. But ultimately, I'm really not a 'hair person' - I just can't be bothered. So even though both of these are lovely products, I'm working on finishing them up and eliminating clarifying shampoos and hair masks from my routine.

My current shampoo and conditioner combo is by the brand OGX (formerly Organics), which has great sulfate-free options at the drugstore. Since my hair is fine and I'm always looking for ways to increase volume in my strands, I opted for the Biotin & Collagen Shampoo - it cleanses very well without stripping. One tip to remember about sulfate-free shampoos is that they don't foam as much as regular shampoos, which is why I find them more effective when I shampoo twice: first with a small dollop to lift most of the dirt and grease, secondly with a slightly bigger dollop to really lather up and massage the scalp. I follow with the Coconut Water Conditioner, which is good, but I'm not too particular about conditioners - nearly any will do in my book.

Lastly, the pink razor you see in the first photo is by Dorco, which makes fantastic razors and cartridges at less than half the price of Gillette or Schick razors. If shaving is your preferred method of hair removal, I strongly recommend you to check out Dorco's website - I was sick of paying around $25 every time I need a new pack of cartridges for my Venus razor, and now I don't have to (so you know, more money for make-up...?).

And that's it! Let me know if you have any questions about these products, and please comment down below with what is your current favorite shower product. Thank you for reading!

Project Use Up Those Freakin' Samples: Introduction

The time has come to finally clamp down on those stacks of sample sachets and deluxe minis I seem to hoard in various drawers and pouches. I hinted in my last empties post that I was thinking of doing this project - and then I thought that it would be too much work and maybe using up samples would just happen organically - and now I'm back thinking it won't, so at least I can give this my best shot and see how it goes.

I'd contemplated a total halt on my full-sized products and focusing solely on the samples for about a month, but in the end, I don't feel comfortable doing that; I do think it would be too much of a bother, and I don't want to risk my skin freaking out on me. So instead, I've decided on a more gentle approach: I will incorporate as many samples as I can, substituting some, but not all of the products in my regular routine, and I will switch back and forth depending on how I feel, especially with regards to potentially less troublesome body and haircare.

For the sake of my sanity and enthusiasm for this project, I would like to focus more on discovering some new favorites through using my samples, or at least squashing some lemmings. If it turns out I absolutely hate a given sample - no pressure, I'll just toss it. In the end, its purpose is exactly that: to allow me to try a product out, and if I dislike it, there's the end of that. I'd prefer not to think of this project as some using up race where I need to bang out foil packets with the speed of light in order to succeed.

Since I generally use very little of any given product (maybe except for sunscreen), I'm giving myself two months to focus on this project; one-use sachets usually last me between 2 to 4 uses, so it may take a while before I make any significant progress. I will do a Project Finale towards the end of June to show you the final sample empties count, but in the meantime, if I find some outstanding products, I may do a separate favorites round-up. What do you think? Also, if this sounds appealing to you in any way, I'd be over the moon if you wanted to join me! You don't have to be a fellow blogger, just post on Twitter or Instagram and tag me, or use a hashtag... Why, #useupthosefreakinsamples, of course.

Fake Tanning for the Bahamas with Cocoa Brown

Wait, what?! Tanning, Bahamas - what is all this nonsense about, and in the middle of December to boot, I hear you ask? Well, I kind of hinted here and there that we were going on a short tropical getaway over the Thanksgiving weekend, and it was Bahamas, baby - the Island of New Providence more specifically. But before I could transform myself into a true Bahama Mama (yes, my husband did call me that several times and yes, I did have a few of those cocktails while we were there), I needed some help in the tanning department, and Cocoa Brown kindly sent two of their products to the rescue.

You may remember from this ranty post that I am generally over self-tanning and mostly embrace my pale self. But there are just a few occasions when a warm glow, not even a tan per se, comes in handy - one of them being a beach vacay. What really convinced me to give Cocoa Brown a try was that the company hails from Ireland, the land of fair freckly beauties, and they have very light fake tan options for the palest of pale like me. My husband thought it was hilarious that I got some Irish self tanners to test out :) Cocoa Brown has also just launched on the US market, and their products are now available in Ricky's NYC and Miami beauty stores - if you live in New York, you know there's a Ricky in virtually every neighborhood. (Update: you can now also shop for Cocoa Brown products at Ricky's online store here.) If you're not in the US or Ireland, you can also shop for Cocoa Brown products online at FeelUnique.com, which offers free worldwide delivery with a minium $15 order.

I decided to go for the big guns first and try the Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan Mousse* (can't find the official MSRP in the US, but it's $11.27 for 150ml on FeelUnique), which I applied with their Tanning Mitt* ($4.82 each). I'd never tried a self-tanning mousse before, so the experience was both terrifying and fun. The 1 Hour Tan Mousse comes out as an incredibly fluffy khaki-toned blob when you press down the nozzle, which I then tried to vigorously but evenly blend into my skin. It spreads easily but dries down rather quickly, so I'd recommend working in smaller sections. At this point, I panicked just a little bit, because it gives an instant olive tan to the skin and I was starting not to look myself, but it's just a guide color to help you apply evenly and not miss any spots. The guide sets on the skin and doesn't transfer or rub off, so no worries about getting the fake tan on your clothes or your bedsheets.

Since my skin is fair and I chickened out, I only kept the tan on my skin for an hour (you can also wait 2 hours for a medium tan or 3 for a dark tan - or opt for the Dark Mousse), which is when I rinsed it off under the shower. All of the dark olive guide color came right off with just running water, and when I stepped out and carefully toweled myself dry, I was left with just a hint of a peachy brown tan. Husband couldn't see anything at all, but to me, my skin had that pretty warm glow, no streaks, no dark patches, overall very natural looking and exactly what I was hoping for. While the mousse has a pleasant gardenia scent once it's on your skin, I did get a faint whiff of fake tan after I rinsed it off in the shower, but nothing that couldn't be masked with a fragranced body butter. Since the one hour application only gave me a very faint tan, I'd probably go for an hour and a half next time now that I've got my courage up.

Now, the Gentle Bronze Gradual Tan* ($9.66 for 200ml on FeelUnique) is definitely something I'm more familiar with, as gradual self-tanning lotions used to be my weapon of choice back when I was still reaching for a fake tan here and there. The gradual lotion has a nice light consistency that sinks right in and the same gardenia scent. Again, one application gives just a little bit of color that warms up my skintone from the plucked chicken into the 'we sometimes let her out of the cellar' territory. I will definitely reach for this one more often once the temperature rises and my legs are not always covered with pants or tights.

In terms of fading, the 1 Hour Tan Mousse washed away very gradually without me really noticing; with that little bit of sunshine in Nassau, it was almost as if my natural holiday tan blended in perfectly with the self-tan glow. I experienced no random pale patches for the five days or so when I still had some self-tanner on my skin and I was really happy with my more radiant, outdoorsy skin. With the help of Gentle Bronze, I'm now able to extend my holiday glow for an extra couple weeks; again, the effect is so subtle that it fades evenly and gradually.

If you've made it this far into this unseasonal review, here's a special bonus for you! I've decided to include a couple photos from our trip - not that you can see my tan in any of them - but rather to feast your eyes on some beautiful colors and hopefully warm up your day:

Overall, I'm very pleased with the results achieved with the two Cocoa Brown tans I've tried, especially the 1 Hour Tan - it was just so easy to use! At this price point, I can definitely see myself repurchasing. Do you guys use self-tanners? What is your favorite tanning product?

Disclaimer: Products featured in this post and marked with an asterix (*) are press samples I received from the brand's PR for review consideration. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided as free press samples. Thank you for reading!

Beauty Product Empties: 3rd Quarter 2014

It's hard to believe we're now almost into the last quarter of the year; I'm saying this not to bore you with the usual surprise at the inevitable passage of time, but rather the change of heart from when I first embarked on my stash downsizing project at the beginning of the year. In January, the challenge loomed ahead like a great commitment and immediately caused nervous doubts of the 'Can I do this?!' variety, but now it has come to feel almost like second nature; it feels good to throw away more than to buy. And it feels really, really good to enjoy using fantastic products I had stashed away as multiple back-ups, and then buy new things only when the old ones run out. Simple, right? ;)

The reason I'm doing the empties round-up a little bit early is because I've had so many that they started spilling from the bag and overtaking our apartment (well, that is a *slight* exaggerration, but I do dislike clutter). Because of the amount of products and your comments after my last empties post, I'm continuing with the same mini review format.

Bodycare and perfume. Some progress in using up my collection of bar soaps, and a big achievement by way of finishing a small bottle of L'Occitane Rose et Reines EDT. I'm hoping to use up one more full-sized bottle of perfume by the end of the year, and continue downsizing my collection of fragrance minis.
Products I disliked and wouldn't repurchase: The Body Shop Honeymania Bubble Bath Melt (scent was meh, not enough bubbles), Sande Cocoa Mint bar soap and Archipelago Pomegranate bar soap.
Products I enjoyed, but I'm trying out other things: Neom Three Nights of Peace Bath Oils (reviewed here, loved it but it's a bit pricey to indulge in on a regular basis), The Body Shop Coconut Shower Cream, L'Occitane Rose et Reines Eau de Toilette.
Products I would repurchase (but am probably trying out other things too): The Body Shop Body Butter in Brazilian Nut, Haus of Gloi Bubbling Scrub in Plotter's Breakfast (my HG body scrub formula but this scent wasn't my favorite).

Haircare - not a lot of progress for now, but I'm very nearly out of both shampoo and conditioner, as well as dry shampoo, all of which you'll see in my next empties post. I wouldn't repurchase either of these products, and while KMS Sea Salt Spray and Redken Powder Refresh Dry Shampoo were decent but not spectacular, I absolutely hated Pureology's Radiance Amplifier (a shine mist): it managed to be both greasy and drying at the same time, and smelt atrocious.

Skincare - so many things running out at the same time! But fear not, of course I had multiple back-ups waiting to be used, so no new purchases were made. I've linked reviews here for you in case you're curious, as most of these things deserved a post of their own.
Products I disliked and wouldn't repurchase: Kate Somerville ExfoliKate - tossed, check out Larie's mini review here; in short, it contains plastic micro beads that end up polluting the Great Lakes, and I have no interest in using or ever purchasing a scrub that's harmful to the environment.
Products I enjoyed, but I'm trying out other things: Wedderspoon Raw Manuka Honey (used as a cleanser and a mask, reviewed here), Avene Eau Thermale Thermal Spring Water, Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion (reviewed here), Murad Essential-C Night Moisture (mentioned here), Murad Renewing Eye Cream (review and comparison of different Murad eye creams here), Osmia Honey-Myrrh Lip Repair (reviewed here).
Products I would repurchase (but am probably trying out other things too): TATCHA One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil (reviewed here), Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil (mentioned here and here).

Make-up! Is this what you've all been waiting for?
Products I disliked and wouldn't repurchase: Everyday Minerals Jojoba Base (tossing, mentioned here), Benefit They're Real mascara, fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment in Honey (tossing because it's turned, but the shade is also wrong on me. I do like Rose and Passion though), bareMinerals Original Foundation deluxe sample (I much prefer Laura Mercier's Mineral Powder SPF 15 for a mineral foundation).
Products I enjoyed, but I'm trying out other things: Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in Slippin n' Dippin (dried out, I liked the shade okay), Gosh Waterproof Eye Liner Pencil in Black Ink (there are better black eyeliners out there).

Now, for a plethora of sample packets: you can read my detailed review of Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Ampoule and First Treatment Essence here, the various Asian sheet masks are reviewed here, and my overview of exfoliating pads can be found here. Most of these samples were pretty unremarkable, although I do have a full size of L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream - I'm quite unsure whether it's worth the rather high price tag, as it does very little when my hands are suffering from eczema flare-ups.

Well, that's a lot of empty containers headed for the trash can, which makes me quite happy indeed. Have you been using up or stocking up on more products recently?

Bedside Beauty Edit

It's a sign of a true beauty junkie to have a specific collection of products just for the bedside pampering, always within reach when you're all snuggled up in bed and ready to doze off. I'm pretty nosey and love to know what beauty products people keep at their nighstands, so I thought you lovely people may also be interested in what I use every day before bed.

First off - gotta take care of that dry and scaly bod'. I know it's probably more effective to moisturize your body right after you get out of the shower, while your skin is still damp; but truth is, I already spend way too much time in the bathroom on different ablutions, so I've moved that part of the routine to my bedside. I've been using The Body Shop Brazil Nut Body Butter ($20 for 6.9 oz) for the past couple months and I really, really like it - smells like fresh nutty donuts. I also find it very moisturizing, but it absorbs quite easily, and doesn't get all over my sheets.

I don't slather my whole body in The Body Shop butter every night, so when I'm feeling lazy (most days), I just do my hands, knees and elbows using The Body Shop Almond Hand & Nail Cream ($20 for 100ml/ 3.3 fl oz). It's a pretty lightweight lotion that sinks in quickly, so when eczema strikes, I bring out the big guns - Neosalus Cream. It's a prescription moisturizer/ barrier cream that feels very tacky at first, but then absorbs fully into the skin, forming an invisible layer to seal in all the moisture. I realize that talking of Rx creams may not be super helpful to everyone, but I also know many of you struggle with extremely dry, itchy skin conditions, so maybe ask your dermatologist about it next time you're in for a visit - if you'd rather go the OTC route, I also recommend the CeraVe lotion.

For my dry, peeling cuticles, I like reaching for the Badger Organic Cuticle Care ($5.99 for 0.75 oz). It's a solid balm in the tin (by the way, how cute is that packaging?!) that melts into an oil on your skin, and smells absolutely amazing: like mandarin oranges, lemongrass & ginger. It does feel quite oily on the skin and doesn't sink in immediately, so I try to use it as the very last step before going to sleep. On my lips, I always use Osmia Organics Honey-Myrrh Lip Repair ($22 for 0.28 oz); you can read my detailed review and comparison to Nuxe Reve de Miel over here.

Lastly, two sleep potions: a pillow spray and an oil rollerball. When I feel a bit anxious and have some trouble winding down from the day, I like to spray the Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Sleep Lavender Vanilla Pillow Mist ($10 for 5.3 oz) on our bedsheets. It's a sweet, comforting, almost creamy lavender, not too overbearing but the scent does linger on the linens for about an hour to two hours; I'd say it's a good alternative to more expensive pillow sprays, especially when you're not quite decided yet if it's a product you'll get a lot of use out of. For a more natural, essential oil option, I use the 21 Drops in 18 - Sleep ($29 for 8 ml/ 0.27 fl oz). It's a blend of sandalwood, ylang ylang, palmarosa and vetiver essential oils that you can roll onto your wrists, temples and sides of your neck to help with a racing mind and restlessness. I do think aromatherapy and scents in general can help evoke different emotional states, and breathing in this slightly spicy, sensual woodsy concoction aids in letting go of stressful, worried thoughts before hitting the hay.

Do you have your own little stash of products you like to use before drifting off? What are your favorites for a bedside pamper session?

Everything's Coming Up Roses...

... but no, I mean it - just about everything. You guessed it: it's all because of the dreaded Valentine's Day, or Cupid's Day of Doom as I like to call it; well, maybe not exactly, but you might have correctly inferred that I harbor a strong dislike for February 14. I DO like roses though, so I thought we could meet in the middle - you'll be conjuring images of glitter, pink hearts and romantic dinners, if that's your thang, and I'll just talk about one of my favorite flowers. Deal? Or does everyone hate me now?

Anyhow. I'm not sure exactly how it happened, but it turns out I have a good variety of rose-centric beauty products - I won't lie, I mostly enjoy using them due to the sweet but sophisticated, feminine floral aroma, although rose (or more specifically, rose essential oil and rosehip oil) has a number of skin loving properties too. Rather nifty coincidence, right?

Starting with skincare, I've waxed lyrical about the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum ($54 for 30ml/$150 for 100ml) before, but here's a quick recap: it's a beautifully-scented hydrating serum rich in natural ingredients including anti-aging rosa canina fruit oil (rosehip oil), which helps to diminish scars, lighten pigmentation and nourish dry skin. I've also recently picked up a bottle of organic Rose Hydrosol from Mountain Rose Herbs ($4.50 for 3 oz spray bottle); hydrosols or flower waters are by-products of essential oil steam distillation and offer all the beneficial components of a whole plant. Rose hydrosol/ rosewater has antibacterial properties, helps balance sebum production and tighten pores, calms and relieves anxiety. I like best using it as a toner or a natural pillow spray.

My rose-scented bath selection includes an old favorite, Lush's Rose Jam Bubbleroon ($6.25 for 3.5 oz), previously metioned here (thank you Kar Yi for reuniting me with it!), and a new find: Neom Organics Complete Bliss Bath Oil ($56 for 100ml) with Moroccan Blush Rose, a perfectly relaxing, moisturizing treat. In terms of scent difference, Lush's Turkish rose is a bit sweeter, jammier and more edible, while Neom's Moroccan rose smells greener, sharper, more rose geranium. To complete our rose world tour, I was gifted this Bulgarian rose soap by my mom; this hot pink bar smells like garden rose petals, fresh, clean, slightly musky. The soap came in a set with a little vial of rosewater, which I can't wait to use for scenting pot pourri sachets or in a diffuser.

While browsing The Body Shop's hand cream offerings, I couldn't resist a purse size tube of their Wild Rose Hand Cream ($20 for 3.3 fl oz/100 ml, I believe my smaller size was $10). This luscious cream contains rosehip and brazil nut oil (by the way, I love The Body Shop's Brazil Nut Body Butter, it pretty much smells like nutty donuts) and it's aimed at more mature skin types but I find that it works perfectly for my dry, eczema-prone hands; it's richly moisturizing yet soaks in without leaving a greasy layer, and the rose scent is not too overpowering - it has a sharp, soapy edge to it.

Last but not least, my beautiful vintage-inspired bottle of L'Occitane Rose Quatre Reines Eau de Toilette ($22 for 0.66 fl oz/20 ml). This rose soliflore is composed of four different varieties of rose: the Grasse rose, the Bulgarian rose, the Moroccan rose and the Turkish rose. This light, refreshing EDT becomes more powdery and musky as it dries down on the skin without turning too old lady - it still retains an effortless, sunny, summery quality. If you're after a feminine, but not overly complicated rose perfume, I do recommend you give it a sniff.

Now that I've been smelling all these rose-scented products for the past hour, I may actually use one or two this Friday night... but I'm not promising anything! What are your favorite rose-themed beauty products?

Drugstore Discoveries: Gourmand Bath and Body Treats

In this episode, I not only show you some very nearly edible and inexpensive bath and body products, but also take you on a fascinating journey to my bathroom; well, it's more like you get a peek of the tub, really. But we have to start somewhere... because 'A journey is like a marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it.' (just when you were thinking I was going to go all Lao Tzu on you, you get John Steinbeck instead. I know).

Anyway, as much as I love my more luxurious (read: expensive) bath treats, I occasionally grow weary of shelling out big bucks for something that gets washed down the drain after a dozen minutes. Which is why I'm perpetually checking the drugstore for bath and body goodies that really perform, and I think this month I've found some things worth looking into.

One of the hardest bath things to find, I believe, is a nicely scented, non-drying, relatively inexpensive bubble bath. Something you might not know about me - I'm primarily a bath person, because I get quite cold and uncomfortable in the shower, so a good bubble bath is an absolute staple; and let's face it, while Lush Bubble Bars are a lot of fun, there's no way I could use them every night. Enter Deep Steep Bubble Bath in Brown Sugar Vanilla ($9.99-11.95 for 17.5 fl oz), a cruelty-free, vegan bubble magic formulated without parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, artificial fragrances or preservatives. I really don't know HOW they do it without all the drying SLS, but two squirts under running water result in mounds of fluffy, fragrant bubbles. The Brown Sugar Vanilla scent isn't overly gourmand, actually; it's more of a sweet, comforting floral. I ordered mine through drugstore.com, but they also have a website or can be purchased in-store at Ricky's in NY.

After I'm submerged in bubbles up to my neck, I can begin the actual washing-up process with the aid of Dove Nutrium Moisture Shea Butter Body Wash in Warm Vanilla & Brown Sugar ($8.99 for 24 fl oz). Fun fact: Dove was probably the most used body wash brand in my parental home, Poland. Now, this unfortunately does have SLS and a bunch of scary sounding chemicals; but it also has the aforementioned shea butter as well as soybean and sunflower oils. Even with the evil sulfates, it still manages to feel very creamy and moisturizing on the skin, lather nicely and smells... sweet and clean, not really like a bakery. I thought the scent might be too much for the manly part of the household, but no complaints there.

Lastly, something I'm sure everyone has used at least at some point in their lives - well, except for me. Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Concentrated Cream with Vitamin E ($3.37-4.49 for 3.75 oz/ 100g) is the last word in the cupcake-scented world of bodycare; the fragrance is quite strong and slightly artificial vanillin at first, but settles down nicely into vanilla sugar with some cocoa mixed in for good measure. We use it as a hand cream and it works great for that purpose - sinks in quickly with little to none greasy feel and hydrates effectively. And... it's just so, so inexpensive!

Now, tell me - do you like to splurge on your bath & body products or do you go cheap and cheerful? Have you discovered anything amazing at the drugstore recently?

Rocaille Reviews: Sande Handmade Natural Soaps

As regular readers of this blog may know, I am a bit of a natural skincare afficionado: if I can find a natural product that's just as effective as its more chemical-laden brethren, I'm going to treasure it for a long time. I've been on the lookout for natural bar soaps for a while now and have tried a number of small, independent companies, so when Pam from Sande Handmade Natural contacted me and graciously asked whether I'd be interested in reviewing her products, I jumped at the chance - and was very pleasantly surprised!

First off, the soaps came snuggly wedged in a mountain of peanuts with pink tissue and individually wrapped in bubble wrap. That's possibly one of the few things I would suggest changing; I hate packing peanuts with a passion and they are detrimental to our environment, so there. The full-sized soaps came all with cardboard sleeves with a bit more information about the product, and the very generous sample size soaps came wrapped in brown paper, as you can see above. I received 7 of the big soaps and 4 samples, all in different scents, and a natural washcloth.

One of my immediate favorites when I opened the box was the Hearts Desire Soap ($6.95), complete with a pink heart jutting out the top and some iridescent glitter. Heart's Desire is a 'romantic delicately scented soap, formulated with essential oils of rose geranium, tangerine, and lavender' and to me, it would make a perfect Valentine's Day gift. It's a very feminine, fresh soapy floral without the usual green tomato vine aspect of rose geranium. As far as I've noticed, all of Sande soaps feel quite creamy and soft to the touch, thanks to a mix of base oils (olive, coconut, palm and sweet almond oils) but lather well to a dense, rich foam that rinses with no residue but also without leaving the skin 'squeaky' clean. They're not as moisturizing as my Shikai shower gel or L'Occitane Shower Oil but a lot less drying than something like Lush bar soaps.

The suspiciously dark Cocoa Mint Soap ($5.95) smells just like After Eights, or Starbucks Peppermint Mochas. 'This luxurious soap smells subtly of peppermint and chocolate. Cocoa Butter is a rich emollient that moisturizes your skin while the peppermint essential oil energizes and awakens the mind and adds in a refreshing cooling sensation'; this would be just perfect for a quick morning shower. Apart from cocoa butter, this soap also contains aloe, shea and illipe butters and truly feels very decadent and pampering on the skin. Another favorite!

Now, something for lavender lovers: the Lavender Oatmeal soap ($6.95) is 'beautifully scented with lavender essential oil and textured with oatmeal to make a mild exfoliating soap scrub'. As opposed to rock-hard Porridge from Lush, the oatmeal particles are much smaller, softer and scaterred more sparsely throughout the bar so that the soap feels more knubbly than scratchy on the skin. The top of the soap is decorated with lavender buds and the soap smells of fresh, slightly sweeter lavender without the pungent herbaceous notes that I tend to dislike in lavender scents.

The Patchouli Rose ($6.95) is probably the single soap I don't love from the selection I received; it smells of extremely earthy aspects of both patchouli and rose, a bit like kaolin clay and geranium, which again, I quite dislike. 'A dreamy blend of citrus oils with warm lavender and added lemon balm leaves makes this soap one of a kind'. I don't get any of the lemon and lime used, to be honest, and I wish the scent was a bit brighter - but I'm sure there are soap fanatics out there who love this.

'Strong and sultry, our rosemary soap gives off a powerful, refreshing aroma to stimulate the skin and mind. Made with botanical oils, shea butter and pure rosemary essential oil to energize and renew' ($3 for travel size). Again, this would be fantastic as a morning and/or summer soap, as the rosemary is both vivacious and herbal with a touch of coolness. My only complaint is that after a couple weeks, the rosemary aroma is a bit less pronounced than when I first got it but I'm not sure if that could be helped.

The Kitchen Blend soap ($6.95) is a pleasant mix of lemon, lime, orange and rosemary essential oils that help to neutralize cooking odors; you know, like when you have this lovely combination of onion and garlic from your bolognese sauce right on your fingertips? Kitchen Blend is also nicely textured with coriander, sesame, poppy, fenugreek and celery seeds - it's almost like the contents of my spice and herb drawer in one lovely soap.

 

I also received four sample-sized soaps, from left to right: a Lemongrass soap ($6.95) with orange peel, cedarwood and of course lemongrass essential oil, which health benefits include helping the nervous system, toning, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. This is also blended with cornmeal to mildly exfoliate the skin. Next, the Sweet Hearts glycerin soap ($6.95) is a musky pink lotus and golden amber blend with moisturizing mango and shea butter, and it looks super cute with its dark pink hearts design although the color transferred onto my skin slightly. The unassuming creamy bar to the right is another favorite, a Gardenia & Grapefruit soap ($6.95) smells like an exotic getaway with clean floral and citrus notes. And lastly, the Dark Amber soap has a spicier, more sensual scent with maybe a touch of vanilla and it's the one I currently keep in my soap dish.

Pam also included a 100% Natural Ayate/ Agave Washcloth ($6). When dry, it looks absolutely terrifying and scratchy but when soaked in warm water, it turns soft and pliable and makes a great exfoliator for the skin. It also helps to spread the lather on your body nicely without wasting too much soap. Personally, I'm not a big fan of washcloths in the bath/shower, although this makes for a great natural and more durable alternative to a loofah.

All in all, I really enjoyed trying Sande Handmade Natural soaps and I've definitely found a couple of new favorites among her scents. Sande Handmade Natural now also carries natural perfume oils, bath salts, mineral mud masks as well as lots and lots of other delicious soaps; I particularly like the sound of Honey Almond Oatmeal soap and Eucalyptus & Lemongrass soap with Dead Sea Salt. If you're looking for a new soap company to try, definitely check out Sande's Etsy shop, link here.

Do you prefer using bar soaps or shower gels for your body? What is your favorite soap brand?

Disclaimer: The article above features products I received for review consideration from Sande Handmade Natural. All opinions are 100% honest and my own. Thank you for reading!