When I first found out I was pregnant with Mia, I knew I wanted to learn everything I could about how to keep the both of us as healthy and safe as possible for our 9-month journey.
So I changed my diet and gave up deli meats, gas station sushi, beef tartar, most herbal teas, stimulating supplements (like ashwaghanda and mushrooms), and anything else that I googled and made it on my "avoid" list.
Next, I modified my activities. Unfortunately I couldn't participate in the TWO snowboarding trips I had planned or learn how to scuba dive in Hawaii, but I made the most of what I could do and had a lot of fun staying active with my new, changing body.
The third piece of the pregnancy wellness puzzle was going through the self care and home care products I was using on a daily basis. I swapped almost all of my bathroom and kitchen cleaning products for more natural alternatives (or required my husband to do the cleaning 😉), mainly focusing on removing harsh chemicals and artificial fragrance including candles. But that was easy compared to swapping my skincare products for pregnancy-safe options.
I had been using a acne-clearing regime for my face, but salicylic acid is a big no-no for pregnancy (even if extracted naturally), so I went searching for an alternative. I got sucked into buying into anything that was labeled with Mama, Motherhood, or Natural and quickly learned that even if something is labeled as "safe for pregnancy," it doesn't mean 1. that it's actually free from hormone-disrupting ingredients, and 2. that it's actually going to work for my skin (or anyone's skin!). But I thought these products were my only options, so I spent 9+ months with dry and oily skin, breakouts, rosacea, and feeling blah.
Luckily, this time around (with baby #2!) I discovered a brand of self care that focuses not only on all-natural, vegan, and effective skincare products... but ALSO ensures that they use ZERO known [and potential] hormone-disrupting chemicals (HDCs) in any of their formulations! What does this mean? Well, hormone-disrupting chemicals enter the bloodstream and act as faux hormones, attaching to receptors and messing with our natural hormone balance. Many HDCs mimic estrogen, a super important hormone for fertility, pregnancy, menstruation, and pretty much all humans.
I learned that "natural" doesn't always equate to "safe," as well. Some common all-natural essential oils, such as lavender and tea tree oils, are known HDCs, too. And if you're like me and love the smell of lavender, you are probably putting it all over [and in] your body through soap, lotion, sleep balms, and essential oil diffusers. Because we thought it was safe!
But back to the good news. I found 4 pregnancy- and hormone-safe products to replace the 10+ products I had been piecing together to get somewhat clear, glowy skin from head-to-toe, and let me tell you something... MY SKIN HAS NEVER LOOKED BETTER. I get so many compliments on my "pregnancy glow" and skin tone, and I have had less than a handful of small blemishes my entire pregnancy.
Oh, and did I mention that I now use only 2 products for my face? 😱
I was the person who layered toner, serum, eye cream, moisturizer AND face oil on my face every night (and most mornings). It was time-consuming, frustrating (because it didn't do much for me), and really expensive. And now I just have 2 luxurious, lightweight, all-in-one serums (one for day and one for night) that have given me so much time, money and peace back to my life.
*enter harp music while sipping cucumber water*
So if you're ready to first, make the swap to safer self care products, and second, use something that simply works, then you have to try the Hugh & Grace collection. It's literally FOUR products that take care of your entire skin: a cleansing bar (for body & face), a body oil (that dries instantly and you can use on your babies, too), and the two magical face serums I mentioned before. Saying that I LOVE these products is an understatement, because they have truly changed my life- from how my skin looks to removing one pregnancy stressor.
Don't just take my word for it, try it for yourself! I know you'll love the entire collection, but if you have to start with one swap... go with the Restoring & Renewing face serums. They will make you toss (or donate) everything currently on your bathroom counter, because you won't need them anymore.
Are you ready to experience it for yourself?
Shop my personal Hugh & Grace website, and take $10 off with my special code 3247.
You're going to fall in love with taking care of yourself all over again! ❤️