Skincare is one of my favorite topics, and one of my favorite things to do everyday (who doesn’t love to savor a few minutes to themselves?!). I also love to try new products… so it’s really no surprise that for “fun” I am a Mary Kay consultant! The best of all worlds – I get to use the best skincare, have early access to new products, and I get to share skincare products with people. I love the range of products and the ability to mix and match product lines to create my own perfect combination.
Flexibility with my skincare routine and products is great since I’ve experienced some huge life milestones and events over the last year! As always, I want to look my best, and that includes glow-y skin. The health and appearance of skin is dependent on so many things – food intake, water, exercise, stress, weather, hormones, and products/skincare routine. Some of which we don’t have full control over, but some we can help alleviate through our skincare routines. So, if you’re getting married or having a baby (or doing both in rapid succession), keep reading! These are the products and things I have leaned on –
Wedding-Ready
Oh my! The “big” day. All eyes are on you, and you want to look your best. Plus, you’re taking a million pictures, and let’s be honest, we all want to look back and see a face full of blissful happiness, NOT a covered-up breakout. The factors I was battling leading up to our wedding:
- Stress – this is a huge trigger for my skin, and impacts so many areas of my life which in turn impact my skin
- Sleep – thank you stress, and just being a very wound-tight human
- Time of year – we got married in May, when things are beginning to heat up both in the valley where we live, and at the hay ranch where we were getting married
- The elements – the week leading up to our wedding we worked to get the venue ready, which meant being outside sweating in the sun and dirt
Ahh, a perfect recipe for a breakout! I knew these things were coming, so the products/things I did to combat these:
- I made my skincare a priority. Sounds simple, but we have all been tired and stressed, and thought, “oh one night with my makeup won’t be that big of a deal”. Mhm, ONE night maybe, but this tends to become a habit! So I made a conscious effort, no matter how tired I was, to wash my face morning AND night.
- I relied on a gentle, but effective facewash. The Mary Kay Timewise Normal to Dry Cleanser was my choice. I also paired it with the Timewise Day Cream (with SPF!) and Night Cream (sometimes I would sub the Timewise Repair Night Cream with Retinol). My skin has gotten drier the older I have gotten, and I feel as though this cleanser did a great job getting the dirt and makeup off my skin without drying it out. (They also have a Combo to Oily version if you have oilier skin!) I also love the smell of this cleanser, it is very relaxing and calming.
- Oh my lord, the Skinvigorate Brush. This brush is a must for me no matter what, but with the sun, sweat, and dirt, this brush was a necessity. This brush gets 4x more dirt and grime off your skin compared to regular hand washing (plus it is a little at-home spa experience). The new Skinvigorate Brush also comes with a massaging head… and yes I absolutely used this after my moisturizer when I needed a little extra relaxation!
- When I felt like my pores needed an extra cleansing boost, I used the ClearProof Toner. Not an everyday product for me (unless I’m in the midst of a breakout, or recommended if you experience really oily skin), but a great supplement after a long day outside or a hard, sweaty workout.
- Microdermabrasion Refine. I mentioned the dirt, sun, and sweat… this was the perfect way to combat those elements! I love the grittiness of this exfoliator – it made my skin feel polished and oh so clean. I liked to add a little dollop with my cleanser for everyday use. This exfoliator is great for getting rid of old, dead skin that bacteria and sweat can get stuck under (hello breakouts). This was a regular part of my routine anyway, but was used much more frequently leading up to the wedding!
- Clinical Solutions set. Brand new this year and PERFECT timing for wedding season! Clinical Solutions is a set of clinical grade retinol and Calm + Restore Moisturizing Facial Milk. Knowing my skin would take a beating and I would likely have an extra tired look to my face, I started using this as soon as possible. It is clinical grade retinol, so it takes a few weeks to work up to its full potency (another reason I got my hands on it as quick as possible). This set calmed a lot of the fears I had about looking extra tired and wrinkled (and aged!) on our big day. After using this set regularly, I felt like my skin looked much more youthful and smooth. Plus the Moisturizing Facial Milk was great to use in general for a soothing, gentle, extra boost of hydration.
- Timewise Repair Volu-Firm Eye Renewal Cream, Jade Roller, and Gua Sha. The combination of these three was awesome, and helped lighten and brighten my eyes/face! Again, I was trying to prevent the tired, aged look in my face. The Eye Renewal Cream helped amplify the work of the Clinical Solutions set, and the Jade Roller and Gua Sha helped take care of my skin as a whole, and provided a few minutes of relaxation each day.
- I mentioned that my skin has gotten drier over the years, so I use(d) the Moisture Renewing Gel Mask a lot! It is great for adding hydration back to your skin, which is necessary for youthful, supple-looking skin. I prefer applying mine at night after I wash my face, and sleep with it on.
- When really tired, the Soothing Eye Gel and the Hydrogel Eye Patches were great! They bring some spark back into my undereye area, and are great for relieving undereye bags and puffiness (tip: pack on your bachelorette party!).
- Since good skincare isn’t just about the products you use, it’s about your general health and practices, I also limited/eliminated makeup the week of our wedding. I didn’t want to add anything to my skin that wasn’t necessary, and could potentially clog my pores.
Other notes:
I am also a regular face-waxer (I go to Steff at Lift Beauty and Wellness regularly!). I feel better about myself after getting my face waxed, and my make up goes on smoother and easier (both of which I wanted for my day-of look!). However, when you get your face waxed, you also open all of your pores, and increase the chance of a breakout. So I made sure to schedule my wax at least 3 weeks before the wedding. This gave my skin time to adjust, and gave me time to head off any breakouts. (I use the Clearproof Toner regularly in the days following a face wax to keep impurities out of those opened pores.)
I mentioned working outside in the sun getting the venue ready… which, yes, led to some tan lines. So I called in my makeup pro for a spray tan. I am so glad I did this! I didn’t think I would need one, but in hindsight recommend to everyone, no matter what your dress looks like or the details leading up to your big day. Having nice, tan skin is an extra boost of confidence in itself, especially so when it evens out any lines that could distract from your wedding dress!! I worked with Pure Makeup in Eureka (love Maria!) . It was an awesome experience, and I loved how she made me look and feel. (She also did my final eye brow wax/touches before the big day.)
With these products and practices I felt confident and happy with how my skin looked! (Maria at Pure Makeup obviously played an important role, too!)
First comes love, then comes baby
Well, much to our surprise, we quickly jumped into the next chapter of our lives… parenthood! As you know by now I also have a passion for health and non-toxic living. So when I found out I was pregnant I wanted to use the cleanest products possible, without sacrificing my skincare. Pregnancy also wreaked some havoc on my skin and it has gotten even drier… Kudos to those who “glow” during pregnancy, I hate you a little bit! Kidding, but “glow” has not been my reality. So, taking both the cleanliness of products and my newfound extra-dry skin into account, I leaned on:
- The Mary Kay Naturally line. This is a newer line for Mary Kay – it is free of parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrance, synthetic dyes, and SLS/SLES. It is third-party certified by COSMOS Natural certified by ECOCERT, “which evaluates everything from the sourcing and processing of ingredients to product manufacturing and packaging”. I feel really confident with this skincare set. While I love the gentleness of the cleanser, the moisturizing oil is my favorite! It is a blend of sweet almond, olive, and sesame oils. It feels so smooth going on and my skin drinks it up.
- Skinvigorate Brush – while I am going gentler on my skin (fewer exfoliators and deep cleansers), I still want all the dirt and makeup off my skin!
- Extra Emollient Night Cream – I mentioned my dry skin… so I have leaned on this product a lot! It helps seal in moisture and prevent moisture loss. I use it specifically on my extra-dry patches. Since it does contain Petrolatum I have tried to cut back how much I use it, but do love how it helps my dry skin!
- Young Living Lavender Essential Oil – I use this directly on my skin and my dry patches! I also add a drop into the Naturally Moisturizing Oil before applying to my whole face. It is great for soothing my irritated, dry skin and is so relaxing to apply before bed!
Given the demands of this new phase of life, I am also leaning on a few other products to help keep my skin hydrated, while simultaneously keeping my routine minimal, simple, and clean. Here’s what I’m using:
- Burt’s Bee’s Mama Belly Butter
- Young Living Lavender Body Lotion
This skincare list is much shorter than my pre-wedding routine for a lot of reasons. Life is still stressful, and my hormones and food-intake are a bit crazy right now… but I am no longer trying to look perfect for one day. My sleep has improved drastically (hello no energy) and pregnancy has forced me to slow down, minimize, simplify, and be the healthiest version of myself that I can be. All of which help support clear skin, and effects my skincare needs.
And there you have it – skincare tips and products to get you through everything from weddings to pregnancy! I hope this was helpful, and if you’re preparing for either of these life-changing events, congrats! Enjoy the moment and let skincare be the last of your worries.
Please like and share this post, and be sure to follow the blog! If you have more questions on skincare and specifics for your skin, want samples, or want to order product – just message me! I love connecting people with great skincare and makeup. My Mary Kay website is also: Mary Kay – Jillian.
Beer in a Martini World 