OUFIT DETAILS

RACERBACK TANK: Treasure & Bond | LEGGINGS: Commando | CARDIGAN: very old [similiar styles HERE, HERE, & HERE] | HOUSE SLIPPERS: BP | WATCH: Michele | EARRINGS: Nadri | LIPS: ‘Stripdown’ + ‘Kim KW’ + ’No Color’

NATURAL WELLNESS / BEAUTY TIPS

I’ve been doing beauty posts each week for the past couple of years and I usually do them mid-week but todays is one I am REALLY excited about! So, yesterday on my IG stories I had a lot of people be like “wait what makeup are you wearing?” and inquiring about everything I had used! It’s actually all of the same things I always use – you can read my Best Beauty of 2018 post to see my top used products which are what I used yesterday! BUT I have been trying out some new products that are HUGE hits. First of all, I will admit I am not using strictly vegan products or strictly clean products all around, however, I do try to swap out when I can- especially been pregnant. When it comes to skincare there are TONS of good products on the market now that work as well as any other and are free of parabens or fragrances – or just anything harmful. I was on the Wellness / Beauty tab on Nordstrom’s site and realized a lot of brands I already love and use are filed under that tab. Once I started browsing the brands and products and making order I kept coming back to the Nordstrom site to order more. Over time I’ve been taking notes and realized there were a few products that I could tell were game changers. I literally got so excited once I had more than 3 because I felt like that was enough to do a full blog post! ANYWHO, just scroll down to read about some off them!

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Hum Nutrition ‘Glow’ Supplements | These are targeted to those of us with dry / dull skin which is 100% me whenever I’m pregnant! I do not get that *glow* that many pregnant women expect. Rather, I get the opposite effect – straight dullness. These supplements have a hyaluronic acid in them, which is a supplement I began taking last spring to keep my skin more hydrated and plumped. These however have Vitamin C & E in them as well + Hyaluronic Acid. If you have read any of my previous posts about skincare, you probably already know I’m an HA freak! HA is amazing for plumping your skin and its main purpose is to hold on to moisture as we age. As you get older, your body doesn’t product as much HA so taking HA daily has been a must for me. I would recommend taking these for 6 weeks at least before you see a huge difference though – as with anything in skincare – it takes time for anything to really show. In addition to having HA, these have Vitamin C which is amazing because it keeps your skin from being damaged by toxins – which often can keep your skin from having that glow! I could go on forever – but I just wanted to give you all a little summary on these. I have people ask me SO often how I am keeping my skin healthy and plump and this is one of the key ingredients [amongst other things].

Superfood Firm & Brighten Serum | Okay, this is relatively new to me… as in, I can’t say I’ve used it for several months straight but I can say I absolutely LOVE this product. Again, I’ve written in many of my skincare posts that I use HA serums daily – and the one I was using was over $100 & I was going through it every 6-8 weeks. The last time I ran out I was kind of annoyed that it didn’t last longer BUT I did some research and I found THIS ONE which is very clean [aka none of the bad ‘stuff’, plus it is cruelty free, & Vegan]. This one is not only made up of HA but it also has Vitamin C & Tripeptides. I use this immediately after cleansing my skin and I add my moisturizer on top. This essentially works to keep all moisture within the skin & also brighten & firm [Vit C]. It’s also $62 VS $110 so I think I am officially sticking with this one since it works as well and comes at a better price point. Also, I have been traveling with it and have not had any issues with the packaging – as I was concerned about it being in a glass bottle initially.

Erno Lazlo Eye Serum Masks | Oh – Em – Gee! These things are you BFFLs if you are anything like me.. between travel, work, a 20 month old, growing a human inside of me, building a new home, laundry, etc. I just DO NOT feel like myself. I did a bump date last week and I wish I would have just come out and said it – I totally am not the same Emily I once was! I lack energy, I’m tired, I’m nauseous, I’m hungry, I’m stressed, OH! And since being pregnant I find myself crying more. LOL, no joking. I used to not cry that often but this pregnancy has caused me to be a cry baby. Like if I have a long day and get overwhelmed I crave a hot bath where I take off my makeup and tear up a little. It’s so funny because I recognize it is not me and I know it is all hormonal but it’s what I have done probably once per month this pregnancy! ANYWAY, point is, I my eyes have taken a hard hitting [not literally] with this pregnancy. I’ve been trying numerous eye masks and none really hit the spot until I found THESE. First of all, when I wake up I am ON THE GO – no sitting around! So I liked that these actually stick to your under eye are and stay put. I try to wear them for 30 minutes while I do laundry, make coffee, make Luke breakfast, etc. I love that they do not slide down or just fall off. Secondly, whatever is in them is a game changer! They are made to target lines, wrinkles, dark circles, & puffiness [all of which I have!] & they are instant gratification! I’ve said previously that with skincare you need to stick to a routine for 6 weeks to see a change but I do love that these help from Day 1. I keep mine in my fridge & it is THE best feeling to put them on – they feel so refreshing when they are cold!

Elemis Aching Muscle Super Soak | I mentioned before that this pregnancy has totally worn me down and the only way I can get a boost is to take a hot bath. I don’t think I’ve ever spent more money on bath products until this pregnancy! I’ve had a lot of people recommend certain products for my migraines, back aches, etc. so I use them all and I am so grateful for your advice. I recently purchased this Aching Muscle Bath Soak – and I was skeptical… its $63! But I have to admit it is SO refreshing and just typing this is making me want to take a bath!! I’m not going to say its 100% worth the money but I will say its worth a shot if you need relief.

Dry Brush / Jade Roller | Both of these are things that are incredible during the winter time & also anytime you are needing a pick-me-up! First of all, I’ve talked about dry brushing a bit on here before but not in depth. It’s got benefits of all types – not only does it exfoliate [which I need BADLY in the winter!], but it helps to stimulate and tone your skin. I won’t lie – my main reason for purchasing one was to exfoliate. I use self tanner all year round and in the winter it can get dry looking so I have to dry brush before I get in the bath tub! If you want more info on how it can help with toning and circulation – there are tons of good videos on YouTube that are educational. As far as jade rolling, this is something I’ve shown on my stories before & also posted about and it really is amazing! First of all, you can use jade or quartz and you do not have to buy the $60 ones! I leave mine in the freezer while at home and I also travel with one and leave it in the fridge at our hotel – just a tip in case you like the cooling sensation. This helps to de-puff and get rid of swelling when you wake up in the morning – amongst other things. I mainly do it for the de-puffing reasons. [PS. I am holding THIS lotion in the photo – it smells amazing!] [PS. Just want to add this THIS coffee scrub is amazing for exfoliating in the shower and removing self tanner! I am out right now so I just added it to my cart.]

Kopari Skin Care | I did a post with Kopari last summer and they sent me all of the products to try and I loved! There were a few products I loved more than others like the lip balm, cleansing oil, & body glow oil. I have a cousin who is very cruelty free and so her mom [my aunt] had to switch to cruelty free makeup haha! When they came over last I gave my aunt a lot of my Kopari stuff! I did end up buying an extra Body Glow Oil though! Also – I have been getting lash extensions for the past year and I don’t like to use a lot of oil cleansers on my eyes so just a heads up to be cautious!

Supergoop SPF | I have a lot of people inquire about skincare regularly and specifically while pregnant. I wanted to recommend this again because I talked about it a lot this summer. First of all SPF is your BFF… I think people skip on it a lot – especially during the winter but you need it DAILY. I really love that this brand in particular has a wide variety of products. I didn’t include them in this shoot because I’ve mentioned them before but they have a setting spray w/ SPF, a setting powder with a brush attached– and its small enough to keep in your handbag, and a lot of other options. They are also free of parabaens and fragrances. I just think its important to note that these do perform well under makeup and will not change the way your makeup looks.

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Thanks to Nordstrom for sponsoring todays post.