During pregnancy and after your skin has to be a lot of stretching and shrinking. As our tummies (and other more unfortunate body parts) expand I think it is extremely important to take care of your skin. While a healthy/nutrient-dense pregnancy diet can seriously increase the elasticity of your skin (I'll do a post on this at some point) there are also plenty on skincare products out there to pamper yourself with. Even before getting pregnant I made it a priority to use skincare products that were free of all the nasty chemicals such as phthalates, parabens and synthetic fragrances. I will admit I am not always the best at dissecting ingredient lists but I do my best. Now that I am pregnant it has become even more critical to watch what I put on my skin. I really want to keep my chemical exposure to a minimum especially when it comes to something I slather all over myself every day.
So, have you ever heard of
Mama Mio? This incredible company creates rich skincare products free from all nasty chemicals. So far I have been using the
Boob Tube and the
Tummy Rub Butter. The Boob Tube helps fight the affects of gravity on the girls and the Tummy Rub Butter increases the elasticity and suppleness of your skin to help prevent the dreaded stretch marks. I am completely in love with both products. I also have the
Pregnancy Essentials pictured above to take along traveling with me. While these products are a little pricier than I would like I think they are worth the investment (you also don't have to use them every day). I would highly recommend these product to any woman, pregnant or not.
Another company that has caught my eye is
Earth Mama Angel Baby. I am very interested in trying out their postpartum products. Wouldn't this
Postpartum Recovery Essentials Bundle make the perfect gift for a new mama? You could also go ahead and get this
Birth & Baby Kit to cover all the essentials for the new mama and baby.
I have to mention Burt's Bees because I have been using their products for years. I was just looking through the
Burt's Bees Baby website and spotted many items I think would be lovely to use on this new baby of mine. The lovely thing about Burt's Bees products is that they are available in most drugstores so there is no need to order them online, convenience is key.
Lastly... coconut oil... the nectar of the gods, haha. I use it as makeup remover and face moisturizer in the evenings. It can be slathered all over your skin. With its moisturizing and antimicrobial properties it truly has endless uses. I would highly recommend that everyone have some in their bathroom and kitchen. Just check out these
101 used for coconut oil and try and tell me it isn't the greatest thing ever.
Here is a great link breaking down how to choose what kind of coconut oil to buy.
