Today’s post is my third guest beauty fix and I’ve handed over the reigns to my beautiful and six months pregnant cousin Raquelle to give her perspective on beauty and how her routine has changed throughout her pregnancy….
“My day to day routine consists mainly of Kiehl’s skincare, I always cleanse in the morning and of course before bed usually after removing my eye make up with Simple eye make up remover on a cotton disc. Next up a little splash of toner and at nighttime the Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line Reducing. Concentrate followed by the Midnight Recovery
Concentrate. In the mornings I use a lighter moisturizer.
The first symptom of pregnancy for me was actually eczema, something which I used to suffer from when I was younger. The difficulty with being pregnant was that I couldn’t use standard medication to treat it, it took me a while to find something that was strong enough to calm it but also mild enough for the baby, I now use E45 both on my body and the special E45 cream on the affected areas which is still not gone down completely but it’s calmed it down significantly. Skinwise, I always used to suffer from the odd oily patch and a few spots here and there- although I’ve been quite lucky with my skin in general. Now, at 26 weeks my skin has never been better, it’s glowing and I’ve not had a spot in a good few months. I think that’s down to both hormones and my skincare routine. I also have really struggled with chapped lips throughout my pregnancy (especially during the first few months in the harsh winter cold) and I’ve tried numerous products to rectify the problem, I finally found Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment *ednote. Which was recommended by me!* which leave my lips feeling silky smooth and they offer lip balms with a little tint, which is lovely as I then don’t feel the need for lipstick (which can be very drying). Ironically the Dr told me to use Vaseline, which only exacerbated the problem! So I’m really happy to have found the right fit for me. I’m obsessed with bio oil to combat any potential stretch marks, I’m really aware of how your body changes and I’ve already noticed an increase in cellulite on my bum and thighs so I’m making a special effort to use the Cocoa Butter mild exfoliator in the shower followed by Dove Anti-Aging cocoa butter for pregnancy on the bump and Bio Oil on all the potential problem areas- staying on top of this makes me feel more confidant that I will be able to combat any future stretch marks to the best of my ability.
I’ve noticed my hair is thicker since the pregnancy, as apparently you don’t shed as much hair which is really nice! I’m a big advocate for Kerastase and have been using the orange one for normal hair because I love the shine factor and the smell is unbelievable. I leave my hair to dry naturally, I’m lucky to have straight hair. Once it’s dry I rub some of the Kerastas Elixir oil (just a small pump) onto the lengths and ends to give it a silky finish. And then a good brush and I’m ready to go!
Chantecaille is my favourite for primer and base- I love the Ultra Sun Portection SP5 50 PA +++ followed by the Just Skin tinted moisturizer, because it’s so natural and protects my skin at the same time. It also leaves such a lovely radiant finish, those two followed by the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Powder in N30 to mattify the dewy finish. To add a glow to my cheeks I use the Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess which I love (I also love the perfume which smells like Summer in a bottle). For my lashes I use Benefit They’re Real to give an eye-opening but natural finish. If I’m going out I add some Chantecaille Gel Liner in black on the top lid. It’s going to be hard to keep up such a time consuming skincare routine after the baby is born, but I’m going to try! I may have to invest in a good undereye concealer for the sleepless nights that await me!”