September favorites

I love monthly favorites posts. Not only do they enable my thirst for fresh, new products to scourer but I’m always intrigued to see if anybody else has an answer to an issue I might be having!

This month has been a huge focus for clean beauty on my end. Being 17 weeks pregnant, I am definitely being more cautious with what I use on my body. I downloaded the “Think Dirty” app after a co-worker was raving about it and got caught up in almost throwing away all of my makeup. Thankfully, it didn’t get that far. I tend to have one of those personalities where I read something, and my whole life has to change to accommodate to what I found out (my poor husband). As I was doing my research, I decided to take everything with a grain of salt and came to the realization that I don’t think I can ever claim to be 100% clean with my cosmetics. However, there are some products that I am scrutinizing further depending on their level of contact on my skin. For example, deodorants, moisturizers and etc.

So there’s my life story for the month of September, let’s get into the favorites!

The Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask has been a favorite of mine all year, but it holds a special place during fall, because, ummm, PUMPKIN! Yes, I am one of those women that run to Starbucks for the PSL, even though they taste different every year. I just love fall and this mask makes me feel festive. However, like I mentioned before, this is a favorite of mine all year round. This is an abrasive mask that scuffs away dead skin cells and almost rejuvenates your skin. Every application provides a smoother surface and decongested pores. I highly recommend this for anyone with congestion issues. I have combo/oily skin so I can’t speak for the benefits that it has on dry skin (I do know that Anna also raves about this product and I’m pretty certain she has skin on the drier side).

The Kenra blow-dry spray is the answer to all of your straight hair goals. No seriously, I recommend this stuff to everyone that will listen. I've been using for over a year, but just this month discovered the correct way to use it for my hair. Since I have very thick hair, instead of dousing my hair with this all at once, I spritz it in sections before I blow dry. My blowout lasts for 4 days and I don't have to touch it up until day 3 with a little touch near my face. GO GET THIS NOW. You won't regret it. 

Ahhh, essential oils... I got suckered into these little potions in 2016 and forgot about my starter kit until about 3 months ago. Being pregnant, you try to find natural answers to all of your issues (migraines, tummy issues, nausea). I have been reading a ton on these potions and I can tell you they do work! I am currently reading Just the essentials - I'm pretty sure it will be a favorite next month- and this book is providing so much guidance on the unknowns. MY personal allegiance is with YoungLiving however I know there are a ton of brands out there! This past month migraines hit me hard and my sciatic nerve was acting up. The Deep Relief roller ball essential oil mix was an amazing help with all of those. It has a very refreshing minty scent and it brings a sense of cooling to the skin when applied. 

My last favorite of the month is the first baby book I finished (yay for reading books to prepare yourself for raising a child..). Now I know no book will give you guidance on how to take care of an infant however it makes me feel so much better that I am reading and training myself to the arrival of our little monster. My friend gave me the book "The SH!T No one Tells You - A guide to surviving your baby's first year- and I was crying and laughing during the whole thing. The author, Dawn Dais is very raw about what to expect with the arrival of your baby. No roses, no butterflies, just raw truth. What I appreciate about her sarcastic humor is that there are so many blogs and articles out there that glorify pregnancy and childbirth. I agree that childbirth and pregnancy are miracles and wonderful things nature has given us but it is so nice to see the realness of what it feels like to be responsible for a mini me! I definitely recommend this book to any expecting mama! 

Until next time,

Dilara