Happy Sunday! It's been a little bit since my last post, so I thought that some quick coverage of some random items would be a nice way of getting back into the swing of things.
Pregnancy skin can be so fickle. For about 18 weeks, my skin--everywhere--was all over the place. It was disheartening to say the least. As an avid beauty lover, I've read and heard my whole life that pregnancy is when your skin will look its best. I'd heard unendingly about the "pregnancy glow", and then I get there and all of the sudden I'm thinking "well, who lied to me?". I thought it would never end, and there were few correcting products deemed safe to use during that time.
But then 18 weeks hit...and everything snapped back into place. And even better than before! Let's hope this is a trend in...*ahem*..all areas, say post-pregnancy. Now I seem to be able to use whatever I like without any reaction at all (knock on wood). It's sort of reminding me of my high school/university years--those days when I could have poured hot grease on my face, and there'd have been no ill effect.
Lately, I've been loving the effect of re-introducing a serum into my routine. Thanks to Mrs Ruffles & Rouge, I found the wonder that is Lumene's Bright Radiance Skin Nectar, paired with their Vitamin C+ Pure Radiance 24 hr Lotion. The active arctic cloudberry encourages circulation, consequently smoothening the texture of the skin. After the first day of use, I could see a visible change in brightness. It doesn't weigh on the skin like a thick gel, but rather absorbs quickly and non-stickily. The lotion is a nice combination, as is also quite light, yet hydrating. I don't think I'll be switching anytime soon!
To add to the fun, I've thrown in my new favorite facial sunscreen. Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense (SPF 50), which was just introduced in a larger bottle. This is a very lightweight sunscreen that can be patted into the skin directly after moisturizing. Although I think it's important to apply sunscreen, I often skip it because many formulas congest my skin. This one does not at all, and is very thin and runny. It absorbs quickly and does not leave a white cast. I do prefer the dispenser on the smaller bottle however, as it is narrow and pointed--eliminating any potential spillage mess.
My nails have been changing throughout the weeks, from neon to pastel, to nudes, and back to brights. I can't seem to make up my mind about which Spring/Summer shades are my favorite. China Glaze's Pool Party is a throwback from their Poolside 2010 Collection.

It dries to a surprisingly matte finish (ew, yuck, barf), so there was no question about topping it with a glossy top coat. Looking at the bottle, you'd think it was a hot pink--but it ends up leaning a little red/orange on the nail. This one received a lot of unexpected compliments (don't they always though? The ones you can't make up your mind about receive all the compliments..).
Lastly, there was a silver bow ring pictured in my last belly photo. I received a handful of tweets asking me where I found it. Well, none other than Forever 21! Cheap and cheerful it was, to pop into our new 3-story Forever 21 and find a few chunky and fun silver rings. I don't expect any of them to last all that long (you get what you pay for), but they made me smile on an otherwise boring shopping day.
I gravitate towards pieces that are unique--sometimes chunky, other times so delicate that they appear breakable. Clearly, this was a chunky mood day :)
How goes your weekend, and what have you been up to? For those of you in the states, happy Memorial Day weekend!