Trying to bring pretty back

At nineteen weeks and some change, I finally feel like I'm coming into my own with this pregnancy. Having more energy and a cute little baby bump to boot have inspired me to take more pride in my appearance as opposed to those first couple of months, when just rolling out of bed and showering required supreme effort. Blow-drying my hair? Ha! Don't make me laugh.

Now, though? I'm not sure where to start.

I desperately need a hair cut, but my stylist is in Chicago and I'm not brave enough to try somebody new, so that will have to wait until the end of October, when Luke, Kara, and I will make the trip for little Danny's baptism. I plan on adding to my maternity wardrobe, but new clothes aren't enough. As always, whether I'm gestating or not, my biggest problem has to do with my skin.

Before returning to work in March, I went on a postpartum shopping spree to load up on products that I hoped would reduce the appearance of blemishes and even out my color. And once I went back, I took great care to apply the moisturizer, primer, and foundation. I used Philosophy's "On a Clear Day" kit and was pleased with the results. It was groovy, baby.

Now that I'm knocked up again, though, the tools at my disposal have changed. I love the overall effect of Philosophy's acne products, but the magical step-two serum is now off-limits until I deliver, and it seems like a waste of time and money to use the others out of sequene. For a while I continued to buy the facewash, but I'm going to run out of my current supply any day now, and it doesn't appear to be as effective without the added boost of the serum and the creams. Also, I'm too lazy to go to the mall and buy more, so I'm scratching that, too, even though it would also give me the opportunity to restock on my absolute favorite Clinique product in the whole entire world. End result? Right now I'm going the drugstore route and relying on Aveeno to keep my face clean and moisturized until Baby Brother makes his debut.

Did I ever tell you about how the rest of my beauty finds worked out? Of course I didn't, otherwise I wouldn't have set myself up to talk about them right here and now.

Since 2005, I had been utilizing every last drop of my bottle of Becca's Mattifying Primer because of how silky the mousse-like texture felt on my skin. So on my back-to-work shopping spree, I originally searched for that. However, the gal at Sephora said the brand had been discontinued and pimped the Smashbox Photofinish Light Foundation Primer as a worthy alternative. Amalah is a huge fan of Smashbox as well, so I gave it a shot. And I liked it! But it was one of the few times in my cosmetic history where I actually depleted a product over the span of a couple of months as opposed to a couple of YEARS. And when that product is forty buck a pop, that will. not. do.

So I went back to Sephora, where this time Laura Mercier's Foundation Primer was pimped out instead, and I said yes because it was ten dollars cheaper. But this primer? I do not like. It feels good going on but leaves my face greasy and shiny all the livelong day. According to some of the reviewers who faced the same problem, this probably isn't the best choice for those with oily or combination skin.

I still have a lot left, but because I don't like it, I've stopped wearing make-up altogether, even though I actually quite enjoy the LORAC foundation I found in March. This means I've been showing up to work in all my prenatal, pimply glory. I have finally decided this must stop.

So in vain I looked up Becca on Google, and what do you know, the brand wasn't discontinued after all. And oh, look, there's my primer! So did the Sephora girl lie to my face, or did she mean to imply that Sephora discontinued the stocking of Becca products? If it's the latter, she certainly could've MENTIONED the ability to buy it elsewhere. But whatever. I'm thisclose to doing exactly that. I'm sure my complexion and my coworkers will thank me.

Before my Oops, I Did It Again Moment in May, physically I was in a good place. I felt more confident about how I looked, and I was on the right track to losing the last few pounds of my baby weight. Pregnancy is a blessing, but hot damn, am I excited to do that again.

So, to sum up, Aveeno cleanser and moisturizer (including night cream! my, but I'm fancy), Becca primer, and LORAC foundation. I guess I DO know where to start. Carry on, then, but not without sharing your own favorite beauty and skincare products. You know, for future reference. Sisters have to help each other out, you know?

Comments

[Two Lines On a Stick]

Well, I started selling Avon about a year ago and since then have switched over to all their products. I really like their Clearskin line for facewash. I use the Rejuvenate eye cream and night cream. They just introduced a new makeup primer called Magix Face Perfector (you might have seen the ads with Reese Witherspoon) and I have never used a primer before but I am hooked on that stuff. And it's all much, much cheaper than department store/Sephora/even drugstore type stuff. Prior to Avon I used Neutrogena bar soap and mostly Clinique makeup.

[ambitiousmrs]

I have also struggled all my life with skin issues (try starting to get acne at 8 years old!) Although I know there is no magic potion for anyone here is my magic combo that has really been working for me: Neutrogena Mask/Cleanser combo; Duac prescription medication (can be used during pregnancy, basically prevents bacteria from infecting pores); Murad line moisturizers. The Murad stuff is the real miracle here - I've never found a lotion with sunscreen I could use AT ALL before this.

[Holly]

Oh, but the Laura Mercier primer comes in an OIL-FREE version, and I love-love-love it! For SHAME on them for not steering you to that!! I like it especially because it sorta doubles as moisturizer (though it doesn't contain SPF), but yet it's not goopy or greasy, and so I even wear it under the Laura Mercier oil-free tinted moisturizer. You know, in pursuit of that smooth, baby's butt-like skin texture I will never actually be able to attain.

[Jen L.]

Have you ever used any Beauti Control products? It's kind of like Avon, sold by representatives. I keep discovering new people in my life who sell it! Anyway, they have this stuff called shadow control creme that you put on under your eye shadow (or instead of it if you're pressed for time!). It keeps you from getting those weird creases in the middle. I love it. And one tube lasts for years. They also have a sugar body scrub that is to die for.

Avon sells great stuff, too, especially their sunscreen and skin-so-soft bug spray!

I have very sensitive skin, which was made worse by pregnancy, so I've been using Neutroena's gentle foaming facial cleanser. I'm also trying out the new Garnier stuff that Sarah Jessica Parker pushes on TV and liking it. I LOVE their anti-frizz hair serum! My hair is naturally a bit curly, though not in a cute way...it's kind of a frizzy mess so I usually straighten with a dryer and then a flat iron. (In my life before baby, that was.) Now, I just let it air dry, but I find that the Garnier serum helps it to not frizz too badly.

Philosophy ROCKS.

[Katie]

well i'm not pregnant so i can't weigh in on that...BUT i do have some wacky sensitive yet breakout-prone skin that doesn't respond well to ANYTHING.

i impulsively bought some Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap a few months ago, mostly because i'll try anything once, and it was super cheap...and holy cow, that is the first thing that has stopped my breakouts without making my face all dry and cracky.
http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/LS.htm
the peppermint is what i started out with, but i've also tried the tea tree too...that's a little more drying so it'd be good for oily skin.

as far as foundation, the only one that i've ever truly LOVED is ridiculously expensive and i can't justify spending $60 on a tiny bottle of foundation (although i wish i could because this stuff is amazing)
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P119802

[Dawn]

My guess is the Sephora girl wasn't aware of the difference between "we've discontinued stocking it" and "it's gone from the world entirely now". I'm glad you were able to find it, though! Score one for the Google!

[Frema]

Holly: I'm actually talking about the oil-free, non-SPF version! Oil-free is a must-have ingredient for me.

If it wasn't totally weird to offer half-used make-up to your blog readers, I would mail the rest of the bottle to you.

[Katie]

Female beauty rituals are one of my biggest hangups. I refuse to play into the cultural version of what is beautiful. Yet I still want to look beautiful, and I haven't been able to shake those cultural expectations yet. As for what I actually do, right now: I wear my hair in a bun nearly every day. This is super hot. If you're a 90-year old librarian. I wash my face with whatever soap is in the shower. This is usually Oil of Olay soap, as my *husband* requests it. (He is not a metrosexual or anything of the sort, he just hates dry skin.) I never wash my face any other time. I never moisturize or wear sunscreen. Occasionally I'll put some coconut oil on my face after I get out of the shower, but I forget 9 times out of 10. I have never worn base/foundation a day in my life (OK, maybe 5 days ever). I don't wear makeup at all these days. I painted my toenails a few weeks ago. I wish I had a real life girlfriend to hold my hand and haul me down to the mall and show me what to do. Also, to perform CPR and pick me up off the floor when the salesgirl tells me how much each product costs. Then I'll flip it over, read the ingredients, and say "no way" and be back where I started!

[eva]

Ditto EVERYTHING Katie said!! Except I use Philosophy cleanser when I remember and sunblock on my face. Why can't you use the Philosophy serum while pregnant?

[Erica]

I use Philosophy too. I think we have talked about this before...I am not that pleased with it, I think I bought the wrong kind, or it could be the fact that half of the time I don't wash my face at night, only in the morning. Horrible I know. I am really interested in the primer. Sounds awesome.

[daddyd]

As a guy I can not help out with that quest.
Not that I don't want to help. It is just too much bio-chemical stuff for me to deal with.

[Amy]

Too much for me to deal with, too! I wash my face in the shower with whatever non-animal-tested body wash I am using on the rest of me, and I put on unscented Curel lotion if I feel dry. About twice a month I spot on foundation on any pimples that have shown up, but mostly I don't care (I don't get that many fortunately). I don't believe in beauty products beyond getting me clean and not feeling dry. Maybe someday I will, but I'm past 30 and just haven't cared yet!

I did wear a little makeup in ninth grade, but that's the last time I did!

[r+k+mama]

My face has sucked since about 5 months postpartum. I WAS just going to douse it with gasoline, start it on fire and have a space age plastic surgeon give me a new one but this Philosophy stuff sounds like it's worth a try first. Also, less painful. Thanks for the tip- and how bout some pictures of that cute baby bump? and Kara? She's probably riding a tricycle already...