Pregnancy is a time when all sorts of peculiar things begin happening to your body. Here are a handful of products to smooth the path of all involved…
Pregnancy is a time when all sorts of peculiar things begin happening to your body. Sure, some have it smooth sailing, but others – and I’m in this category– aren’t so lucky, becoming best friends with the paper bag and stalking odd foods in the supermarket aisle.
While all that’s going on, there’s the bump factor. This in itself is a sight to behold, let alone to process in one’s head. Add stretch marks and hormonal madness and the need to adapt one’s traditional beauty and skin care routine becomes apparent.
So if you’re in the baby-bump camp, or have little ones climbing all over you, here are a handful of products to smooth the path of all involved.
All artwork has been created exclusively for this feature, by Willow Sharp. Thanks, Willow!
Neutrogena Body Oil
This concoction looks a little bit like rice wine vinegar, an observation no doubt tainted by the fact that everything smells like vinegar right now. (Who would have thought smell could become so extreme you want to move house because of it?) Billed as a “sheer moisturising experience”, it is light and yes, very sheer; it soaks into the skin instantly. You can use it in the bath or straight onto the skin, whichever tickles your fancy. With a very subtle fragrance that’s akin to musk and vanilla, it’s a satisfying product that is pleasant to use and helps keep skin elasticity high. RRP $21.49
Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturising Lotion
This product supports the skin and reduces the likelihood of stretch marks. It has a 24 hour moisture retention rate so, if you’re out and about a lot in the cold air it’s an ideal product. Enriched with oat meal, it’s kind to irritated or chapped skin. I found it great on my legs, which are prone to fish-scale dryness. RRP$ 13.49
Murad Sheer Lustre Day Moisture SP15
When I first got pregnant, people purred about the glowing skin I’d imminently be blessed with. While this hasn’t eventuated, my skin care routine has necessitated some re-attention. Who would have thought rough pores could appear with such vengeance on traditionally oily territory? Murad’s rather luscious day cream is a bit of a self-spoil designed for hormonal skin. It smells divine; is dermatogically approved; and comes with an SP15 factor. It’s a product I’ll save for days when I know I’ll be outside, exposed to the sun and needing just that little bit of extra TLC. Impossible not to love. RRP $145.00
Trilogy Rosehip Oil
I’ve just been introduced to this home-grown New Zealand brand. Quite apart from the fact that their hand cream transformed my sandpaper paws into civilised and genteel instruments, any brand which aims for that all elusive ‘eco’ factor will score my undivided attention. My positive experience with the hand cream has been followed by a similar one with this certified organic Rosehip Oil. Celebrities are apparently sluicing it like liquid gold but the truly winning element of this product is its plain deliciousness. It is full of Omega fatty acids (minimum 80%) and feels ten times too good to use on hips and invisible bits, however stretch-mark prone they might be. Instead, it has assumed an essential role in my skincare routine. Wrinkles, beware…RRP $39.90
made4baby
Made4baby is the brain child of a New Zealand couple who wanted to create a brand that was natural and practical at the same time. The ‘4’ stands for no harsh detergents, petrochemicals, artificial fragrances or parabens, all of which – incredibly – are common culprits on the baby product front. With a bevy of goodness for squeaky new arrivals as well as older children, these are lovely products that are cheerful, no fuss and just a little bit continental in their branding. Oh la!
made4baby Belly Oil
The name “Belly oil” brings dancing divas to mind in exotic desert locations. Considering this product contains Moroccan Argan Oil, perhaps that’s no surprise; produced by a women’s cooperative in said country, this rich ingredient is full of stretch-mark snuffers like Vitamin E and essential fatty acids. (It also includes avocado, jojoba seed and sweet almond oil.) Belly Oil is a luxury product at an affordable price; its lightweight quality makes it an absolutely addictive pregnancy must-have. RRP $18.00
made4baby Bubbles! Bubbles! Bubble Bath
If you’ve ever worried that bubbly fiestas in the bath come at an environmental price, worry no more. Here you have a non-irritating, no-nasties concoction that, I can attest, is just as much fun as an adult as it would be for a child…RRP $17.75
made4baby starter pack
This is a great way to go if you want an “all in one” option. You get four full size products which cover all the essentials of clean and happy baby skin. Foaming Hair and Body Wash is a non-irritating formula that uses a self-foaming bottle to get that lather up. For skin hydration, there’s the All Over Baby Lotion, which is boosted with shea and cocoa butters; the Sleep Tight Massage Oil is perfect for getting little people off to sleep (and, needless to say, is mineral oil free). When it comes to nappy rash, the Botty Barrier Crème offers a soothing line-up that includes sweet almond oil, beeswax and rosehip oil for keeping uncomfortable bottoms at bay. RRP $60.00
Happy Little Poppets
New Zealand is proving that natural skin care can be achieved brilliantly right here at home. Happy Little Poppets is another local brand that might be new to the scene, but it’s sure to make an impact with its super cute and cheerful branding. Oh, and did I mention that these guys are also passionate about products that are kind to the skin, as well as the environment?
Happy Little Poppets Kiss It Better All Over Baby Balm
The ingredient list reads like a menu: calendula oil, rosehip oil, vitamin E. With a line up like that, it’s no surprise it’s a multi-tasker for dry skin, scrapes, nappy rash and cradle cap. RRP $17.90
Happy Little Poppets Oh So Gentle Handcrafted Soap
“As gentle as mummy’s touch” is the catch-phrase for this beautifully packaged and gentle product. With manuka honey, calendula and lavender oil, I’m not sure it will last until the baby is born…RRP $5.50
Happy Little Poppets Fresh as a Daisy Hair and Body Wash
This chemical free formula is enriched with all the good oils to protect your little one’s skin: lavender, calendula, manuka honey. It’s an all-in-one liquid that is suitable for hair and as well as body, keeping things simple and straight forward – just the way you’ll want them at bath time! RRP $15.90
Happy Little Poppets Smooth as a Baby’s Bottom Moisturising Lotion
This product guards against the impacts of the big wide world. Cocoa butter and manuka honey nourish the skin and smell dreamily of bedtime and stories. RRP $15.90
Blackmores Pre-Conception Conceive Well Gold
Getting pregnant is one of those things. You think it’s going to happen instantly but…it often doesn’t. This product is designed to support the female reproductive system and provide a string of nutrients and oils needed in early conception, including folic acid and iodine. Preparing the ground before the seeds get sown is a rather limp analogy, but hey, if at the end of the day you get happy plants – what’s not to love? RRP $52.25
Blackmores Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Gold
Pregnancy seems rife with hunger pains. It’s also rife with scary statistics in the baby development camp if you miss out on a few key nutrients. This product supplies iodine and folic acid, the two big ‘must haves’, along with Vitamin D3 to aid calcium absorption and healthy bone development in said small person. There are mercury-tested fish oils in there too. Nice. The fact that it can be taken after the baby is born will help maintain the mother’s nutrient levels. Easy as pie! RRP $ 51.30
Words, and photos and illustrations, all by Willow Sharp
16 August 2013
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