Read article : Stretch Mark Prevention During Pregnancy and Clear Skin Essentials by KNC Beauty Crush
Kristen Noel Crawley, jewelry designer and co-owner of Chicago's RSVP Gallery, a.k.a. KNC, became fixated on beauty products in high school, when she suffered from bad acne. "Stress from pre-college courses, ACT prep, and a shitty boyfriend destroyed my skin," says KNC, who tried hundreds of treatments in her quest for clear skin before honing in on the perfect mix. "I'm so excited to share with everyone all of my secrets."Welcome to KNC's Beauty Crush.
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Guys, I'm pregnant with my second child! The moment you find out that you're having a baby, everything changes. For me that included my skin care routine. I could no longer use my beloved 'extreme clean' techniques and products and my chemical peels that I get every other month went out the window. So what would I do now that my options were so limited? I decided to go au naturel. I didn't want to put anything on my skin that would harm my baby. The products below gave me the peace of mind that I was searching for and kept my skin clear even through my difficult first trimester.
Clear Skin Essentials
My skin was really bad when I first got pregnant. I had those teenage-style breakouts. I'm talking cheeks, chin, forehead, nose, everything. And I couldn't use any of my regular cleansers because they all had glycolic and salicylic acid in them (a no-no in pregnancy). I tried a lot of different organic and all-natural cleansers but I found that the NUDE Perfect Cleanse Clarifying Oil worked well for me. Not only is it vegan, but it's loaded with omegas 3, 5, 6, 9 and it doesn't include any of the bad stuff (parabens, sulfates, phthalates, PEGs, DEA, etc). I'm following this with the Dr. Sebagh Vitamin C powder cream, Serum Repair, and finishing up with the Kate Somerville Dilo Oil. The Vitamin C cream gives me a nice glow and brightens my complexion. The Dilo Oil is really nice as well. It's 100 percent natural and works in unison with the skin's lipid layer. I'm exfoliating as well, but I have to use a gentler approach. I'm using the M-61 SuperSoothe E Microdermabrasion Scrub two to three times a week. It took about two weeks for my skin to fully adjust to the new routine, but I would say that it looks just as good if not better than before.
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Because I've been breaking out a lot more, I've really had to step up my mask game. I'm using a face mask every night, which might seem excessive, but I enjoy it. It's relaxing and helps my skin. I'm actually really glad that I did research on all-natural products and brands because I've discovered one of my new favorites, May Lindstrom. She's a small, indie brand out of Los Angeles. I've been using her Problem Solver mask three times a week and it's helped tremendously. It's a powder that you mix with water and apply with a brush. I use it on my neck and décolletage as well. I also am obsessed with the Honey Mud from her line. It's so luxurious. If my skin weren't so prone to breakouts at the moment, I would use it as an everyday cleanser, but for now I'm using it as a mask. Speaking of breakouts, because my skin is so crazy right now, I had to invest in a spot treatment, the Blue Clay from Herbivore Botanicals works wonders and dries my bumps up in just a few hours. Sometimes I even put it on in the morning if I'm working at home that day.
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Spa Treatments
I've been doing a lot of treatments. I asked my peel lady what I could do and she made a custom fruit peel for me. It includes all natural ingredients derived from fruit enzymes. It burned like hell but man did it work. My skin was glowing after. I get all of my peels from Tricia Dikes in Beverly Hills. I also tried the pregnancy facial at Kate Somerville. The spa there is so chic, I felt like I was in another world. They had an amazing blueberry mask that was included in the facial that really hydrated my skin. My face looked incredible after. I'll definitely be visiting this spa for the rest of my pregnancy and maybe even after when I'm breastfeeding. When I travel I like to always try the spa at the hotel that I'm staying at. We went to Chicago a few weeks ago and stayed at the Langham. They happened to have a really nice spa and they offered a pregnancy massage and facial. I've been so tired and worn down this time around, so the massage was needed, especially after traveling. The Chaun Spa at the Langham is definitely one of the most luxurious I've been to, highly recommended to anyone, pregnant or not.
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My Bathtime Ritual
Bath time has been a staple now that I'm in my second trimester. It's part of my nighttime routine. I run a bath every night and soak for about 15-25 minutes. So naturally, I'm now obsessed with bath bombs, oils, and soaks. I love Laura Mercier's Honey Bath in Fresh Fig because it leaves skin silky and smells so nice. I like oils as well; the REN Moroccan rose oil is really nice and of course I love the smell of roses. If I'm feeling fancy, I'll use the Diptyque precious oils. I've been shopping at LUSH a lot too. One product in particular that I love from Lush is their Ceridwen's Caldron. It's a little bag filled with cocoa butter, oats, walnut oil, and lavender. You just throw it into a full bath and when it's done melting you can use the bag to scrub your skin with the remaining oats. Milk baths are also a new favorite of mine. I like the Cleopatra's Milk Bath from Organic Pharmacy. It has cute little mini rose buds in each jar and smells amazing. Herbivore Botanicals makes this amazing coconut rose body polish that I use probably two times a week. I haven't been using body scrubs that much because I don't want to scratch my ever-expanding skin, but this scrub is gentle enough that it won't damage my skin.
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My Stretch Mark Prevention Plan
I think one of the biggest things that I worry about with my changing body is stretch marks. I didn't get any with my first pregnancy and I am so serious about not getting any with this one. Every morning I apply an oil. Usually coconut oil but if you're a morning shower person, I highly recommend the Clarins Tonic Body Treatment Oil. You apply it while your skin is still damp and then rinse it off with cold water. It has a cooling effect, which has been super helpful in these hot summer months and the smell is so divine. At nighttime after my bath, I use the African Botanics Marula Stretch Mark Botanical Body Oil. After the oil absorbs, I rub down my body with raw shea butter. I apply this every night religiously. It's a bit greasy at first so I usually have to wait a few minutes before I put on clothes or get into the bed. It's also extremely important to drink a lot of water. I drink at least a gallon a day. It helps to keep your energy up and your skin elasticity. It also helps with the breakouts because you're constantly flushing out anything in your body. Another one of my secrets is a homemade body mask. I call it the BBB mask: boobs, belly, and butt! I mix two ripe avocados with a half-cup of honey and apply generously to the BBB area. I wait about 15 minutes then rinse it off in the shower. I do this once a week and it really hydrates my skin. So far I haven't gotten any stretch marks and I plan on doing this routine up until and after I give birth.
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KNC
For more fromKNC, check outKNC Beauty Crush: 17 Game-Changing Summer Products.
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