If you’ve been following for a bit, you might remember that I have some pretty hefty dental anxiety. Aside from a handful of traumatizing incidents, I have acidic saliva, which predisposes me to decay, so I’m always worried about cavities and such, since I’m prone despite my best efforts. I am extra diligent about at-home dental care to be both preemptive and proactive, and that has certainly helped.
Coming to y’all with a little beauty roundup today! I’ve shared these items over on my instagram a bunch, especially in stories, but wanted to take a minute and chat about them over here on the blog. I’ve been ripping and roaring through beauty products during my pregnancy- the piles in our bathroom are out of control- and these are some of the ones I keep steady in the rotation.
When I got pregnant, I immediately started stressing about stretch marks. My hips and booty are covered in faded ones (I used to yo-yo thirty pounds or so in college, and it was tough on my body) and I knew my skin was predisposed to them. So from early on, I’ve been obsessive about lubricating my skin for the inevitable stretch. I tried a bunch of different lotions and belly balms, cocoa butter, shea butter, coconut oil, bio-oil, and this belly oil from Hatch was a serious winner.
It hydrates incredibly but absorbs fast, so I didn’t leave greasy spots on my clothes (that was the issue with bio-oil, which I’ve always loved and used to fade my old stretch marks). It’s made with sweet almond and jojoba oils, packed with calendula and other botanicals. I enjoyed the pretty, as well as functional bottle, and it’s generously sized to last an entire pregnancy- I’ve used it twice a day since about ten weeks and am just now 2/3s way through. And most importantly- it works. I’ve made it to 35 weeks and nearly triple my previous waist measurement without any new stretch marks so far. I’m probably jinxing myself by saying that, but this stuff is really impressive.
Every natural deodorant someone has raved about, I’ve tried. And every single one broke me out in itchy, painful, hives (I’m pretty sure it’s the baking soda that does it to me). But this Kopari coconut oil deodorant changes that game for me. It’s gentle and moisturizing, prettily scented but not cloying l, and does a great job of keeping my hormonal stinkiness at bay, even in the crazy melting heat we’ve been having.
Speaking of that heat- it’s been tag teaming with hormones to make my skin crazytown. It’s been oily with dry peely patches, and generally troublesome. I’ve been using this Son and Park beauty water as a second toner after P50, and I really like the soothing hydration and light feeling. When I really love most is for an afternoon refresh though- a few swipes with a cotton pad gets rid of the greasies and the grime.
I’ve been a longtime facial oil fan, and this deeply clarifying face oil from Uma Oils is my holy grail. Clove, tea tree, juniper, lavender, clary sage and geranium oils, among others, employ the wisdom of Ayurvedic principles to balance congested skin. It’s amazing. It soothes and heals, combats blemishes and moisturizes. I’ve seen a serious difference in my skin since I added this to my regimen- breakouts are rare, and tiny (just a clogged pore or two) rather than disastrous to my complexion.
I keep a few sleeping masks on my nightstand, and have been using this Sound Sleep Cocoon from Dermalogica lots lately. Not only does it seal in my nighttime routine and pamper my skin overnight, it feels super soothing. And since I’ve been wrestling with pregnancy insomnia, the French lavender, patchouli and sandalwood oils that help bring on restful sleep are especially welcome.
And of course, you don’t need to be pregnant to use and enjoy the benefits of these products… they’ve just been working exceptionally well for me during this time!
Xoxo Ravayna
This post is brought to you in partnership with Neutrogena, a brand I’ve used and loved for years. But as always, all opinions are my own, and I don’t share anything I don’t love. Thanks in advance for supporting the brands that make LoveRavayna possible.
I remember being 13 years old. My family lived in a little suburb about an hour outside New York, and if I did all my chores and made good grades, I earned $20 per week as allowance. Even then, I was fascinated by beauty and skincare, and spent the majority of the money I made on makeup and masks, lotions and potions- often at the Rite Aid just down the street. Then, Seventeen and Teen magazines were my info sources, and they turned me on to Neutrogena products. Affordable, accessible, and effective, I bought them frequently- and some things never change.
You all know how seriously I take my skincare, and how important it is to me that it not only feel luxurious, but also be effective. I like science behind my skincare. So I was super excited to have an opportunity to host some of my favorite blogger girlfriends and get to introduce them to the loveliness that is Thann skincare, a line that hails from Thailand.
I’ve mentioned over and over on my instagram that I’m trying to work out more frequently and improve my strength and flexibility. Getting in shape is seriously hard work, but it’s really rewarding. Still though, some days it’s really hard to drag myself out of bed and to the gym, and I’d guess most of y’all can commiserate, so I wanted to share some things I’ve found helpful along my quest to become all fit.
This blush and black ensemble has been one of my favorites lately. I’ve worn it to multiple birthday dinners, including my own, and to a handful of pageant events in different cities. When I like an outfit, I have no problem repeating and remixing for different audiences.
One of those times, before our friend Mike’s birthday dinner, I got to feel all fancy as Janah got my face all glowy and prettified. It felt so luxurious to relax and laugh while someone else did the work, and she was so fun to hang with!
We went for a dewy look, nothing too heavy, and I loved the way it all came out. I’m wearing these three highlighters, this lipstick, and double-stacked lashes.
I’d been lusting after this Givenchy cape when I found this cape blazer online, at Target of all places! It’s from the Who What Wear collection there. Once I spotted the blazer, I scoured the collection and grabbed the skirt (the blush is sold out!) as well. Each was under $40, so pretty painless.
Y’all know I’m all about the accessories. I’ve been obsessed with my north star earrings since I got them for my birthday, and I added a pearl ring as well. My heels are Betsey Johnson from several years ago, but the blush straps, black lace accent and classic style are totally still in my rotation.
similar skirt, shinier, maxi version under $40 // top // similar cape blazer, another only $26! // ring // earrings // purse //
loveRavayna
I’ve shared before about my K-beauty skincare obsession, and the more I learn, the deeper it goes. I’d so much rather focus on skincare than makeup and invest in the long term, and am glad to be seeing the results.
Peach and Lily, a Korean skincare boutique, recently opened their first LA store, in Macy’s at the Westfield Santa Anita. They invited me to come check out the opening and I obviously said yes. I mean, have we met? The shop is a lovely little oasis and I loved being able to sniff and try on all the product! I’ve done almost all of my kbeauty shopping online, so the hands-on aspect was new to me. They had many brands I’d heard of, some I’d used and many completely new to me.
I’m always in pursuit of pretty, so I love when packaging and branding is so beautifully done. And more so when the product is equally awesome- like in the case of these Aromatica toners. They smell so incredible, like the essence of the plant is simply and perfectly distilled.
Each of us ladies invited had a chance to sit down and talk privately with Alicia Yoon, the CEO of Peach and Lily. I’mobviously knowledgeable about skincare, but her expertise is encyclopedic. I was thrilled to ask her advice and have her help me enhance my routine. She gave such fabulous recommendations!
She’s a major bossbabe, with the most beautiful skin I’ve ever seen up close- seriously inspirational.
Alicia was kind enough to host us ladies for an afternoon of high tea at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena. It’s such a gorgeous space, and the tea service was so delicious!
What else does a group of bloggers do but snap pictures of all the prettiness?
But we pretty quickly got down to drinking tea and sparkling rosè, devouring the spread, and discussing all manner of things- skincare and blogging, yes, but also families, fitness, feminism and more.
We snapped a group shot before hopping into our Ubers and heading home.
Our luncheon swags bags were incredibly generous- Alicia had taken notes during our private consultations, and filled them with some of her suggested products.
I really loved the Mizon masks, and the 7 days sheet masks were so refreshing when chilled in the fridge to help cool off while doing my skincare routine. The polisher is gentle but effective at eradicating the flaky bits that sometimes result from retin-a. I’m on the hunt for my holy grail first essence, and have been trying both the Bitgoa Hue Essence and Sk-II Facial Treatment Essence. Shangpree gold mask is rubbery and shimmery on and super moisturizing (also in silver). Pixi Glow Tonic is still in the rotation, and Ole Henriksen Truth Serum has been my recent vitamin c step. Embryolisse, ceramidin, and my everyday Biore sunscreen are still my skincare standbys.
The product I was most excited about was the Cremorlab shadow-off eye cream. My biggest skin complaint lately has been my extra-dark circles. Truthfully, My sleep has been nonexistent or vampiric, and this creams coupled with these gel eye masks have really helped.
And although most wipes are terrible for your skin, I wanted to share these two that I’ve been using while traveling. They are pretty amazing- the skinfood brown rice oil wipes are actually a first cleanser, and the micellar wipes from trader joe’s are incredibly gentle. I just made it through a month on the road and six flights using these without a major breakout, so the proof is in the pudding.
Let me know if you try any of these!
loveRavayna
I’ve always taken care of my hair, but now, more than ever, I baby it. It’s in great condition, but I’d like it to remain silky and vibrant, so I do my best to minimize heat damage. Since I prefer my hair styled in waves or curls, I’ve had to try heatless methods that go beyond my favorite curling rod, hot rollers (both under $20!), and curling iron.
For both the methods I’m sharing, I start with clean, slightly damp hair. Here, my extensions were out and I spritzed in some leave-in conditioner, rough dried it and brushed it out before adding some texturizing styling cream. If I’m working with second-day hair, I scrunch it with wet hands to dampen, then add product.
I tend to sleep with my hair set and wake up wavy, but some people prefer to just let it set for a few hours- it’s up to you and your hair! I use the sponge rollers for tighter curls, but most of the time I use my Savvycurls band for waves. And truth booth- taking pictures in my pajamas, at bedtime and wakeup, just felt a little ridiculous.
These rollers look enormous, but are super soft and squishy. I just section evenly but randomly, and roll. I have to make sure not to wind them too tight, though, or I wind up looking like Shirley Temple.
This is my favorite method for tight curls, like when I’m prepping for a faux bob or a braided up do.
This Savvy Curls band is what I use most nights, because a softer wave is totally my jam. I just slip the headband on and wrap the hair on each side around it towards the back. I keep wrapping it at the back of my head, then catch the end with a bobby pin across the roll.
From there, it’s bedtime. The Savvy Curl has a thermal core that reflects body heat to help set the wave, and it’s super comfy to sleep in. I even know some people who just wear it out and about, because it looks like a casual up-do!
It’s not nearly as neat or pretty when I wake up- I sleep hard- but that totally doesn’t matter. Once I remove the bobby pin, I gently pull out the band and let the curls unfurl.
And all I have to do is run my fingers through my hair, add a pinch of pomade on any frizzy bits, and hair is handled, with minimal time and effort, and no heat damage. Not too shabby!
Savvycurls sent me this product for my review, but all opinions are my own.
loveRavayna
