hello kittens!
long time no talk, but i’ve been neck deep trying keep this little person o’mine alive and thriving.
every day is a milestone.
each bottle i get her to finish feels like an olympic, gold medal victory.
i throw disneyland-sized parades {complete with their own fireworks} for each diaper change we make it through without crying…both of us not crying…i have to hold myself together too.
motherhood is hard.
but let’s move on to things that really matter:
beauty.
this post is the love child, birthed from a text conversation i had, yesterday, with my friend, alexei, who asked me for a moisturizer recommendation. “plain, everyday moisturizer, no spf.”
i have lots of them. recommendations…at different price points and for various job descriptions.
my hands down, favorite moisturizer, if money was no object, and baby didn’t need formula, is tata harper’s repairative moisturizer. it’s perfect day or night, and leaves your face feeling and looking dewy. no matter what time of year or climate you’re living in, your skin is rendered silk to the touch. the scent is very farmfreshy–let’s put our hair in braids-wear some gingham-and go milk a buck-toothed cow, with a daisy behind her ear. prepare to throw down $100 for this milk-maid skin.
kate somerville daily moisturizer is another higher end price point at $65. it’s a solid, no-nonsense, non-aggravating moisturizer. it promises to deliver anti-aging benefits as well as hydration, but i just really liked the smooth, even finish it gave my skin. this is your ultimate dependable, no-drama, always delivers, got-your-back moisturizer—if you’re more time magazine than usweekly, then this is your product.
weleda wild rose smoothing cream is a favorite of mine–i’ve re-purchased this, sweet-smelling, fuchsia tube many times. i like that it’s easy to tote around in your purse or gym bag. readily available at your local health food stores such as a mothers market, whole foods or sprouts, the rose smoothing cream feels a bit more heavy-duty than some of the others. its rose hip seed oil and peach kernel oil keep skin elastic, but never greasy. i’ve seen this available anywhere from $15-$20. this cream appeals to my inner 1950’s housewife-the one who still wears a housedress and isotoner slippers for my morning coffee-what? it’s a look; the rose scent smells old fashioned and lovely, it slows me down a bit—which, by itself, is a major beauty booster.
i’m a big fan of andalou naturals: an all natural skincare line using fruit stem cell science in the fight against aging; i used their super goji peptide perfecting cream during my pregnancy.
my skin/jowls kept taut even with copious amounts of vomiting. and although it’s a cream, it still didn’t feel heavy on my skin.
another day cream i love is acure organics day cream…at around $15 this product is vegan, gluten-free, synthetic fragrance free, silicone free, phthalate free, with fair trade certified ingredients–and yet it still manages to effectively hydrate and improve the appearance of {my} sleep-deprived skin. it has a matte finish with a multi-vitamin worthy cocktail of anti-aging ingredients. i like that i can wear this to the gym and not worry about it burning my eyes if i sweat. sometimes all of the fancy, albeit worthy, ingredients can irritate my eyes and skin when i teach/take a spin class–this cream passes the sweat test.
and for all of you green juice junkies out there, alba botanica oil-free radiance cream is truly your moisturizer!
this product literally has an anti-oxidant, phytonutrient blend of kale, spinach, + swiss chard in its formulation; which also gives the cream a super fresh {i think delicious} “green” scent. the least expensive of all the moisturizers; i bought this at my local drugstore for $8; probably less than most the green juices these days. it’s oil-free and super light on the skin.
ok. i’m sorry but i have to go there. i want to punch myself in the face for being such a cliché, but i cannot lie:
i really DO use coconut oil on my face.
{ducking under my desk so you don’t throw your beer at me.}
the coconut oil fad is real because it works!
i slather my face up in this bullion!
{and then scramble my eggs with the residual stuff that drips off my chin.}
but seriously i dip into this jar of coconut oil {that i bought in what? 2013??} all day long.
sure my face looks greasy for about two minutes. but then i’m a hydrated fool!–and i smell like maui.
alaffia is my go-to brand…i use their face wash and their body lotion too.–it lasts forever.
i promise i draw the line at coconut oil—you’ll never see me sipping that god awful coconut water {gag me}—if i wanted to drink rancid IV water i have a hospital a block away from me.
so i showed you mine, you show me yours now…what are your favorite go-to moisturizers?
tuesday happy to you m’loves!!
~as always, all the above brands are cruelty free: no animal testing and no animal products.
