TAKE FIVE TUESDAY

I mentioned it briefly awhile back, but this past Spring my skin was in a tizzy. I could chock it up to stress, hormones, or the dry Swell Rio climate—I just knew I wanted to fix it, but I wasn't sure how. After testing a bunch of preggo-safe beauty products, nothing seemed to work. I felt like I was being kicked when I was down. That "glow" that everyone talks about felt like a ginormous load of malarkey, because my skin certainly wasn't getting any better. I scrolled through countless product reviews and spent hours reading blog posts with advice from the pregnant pros. Finally, I switched up my regimen and incorporated these Mario Badescu products into my daily routine. After using these five products for the past few months, I thought they were worthy of a little bloggie praise.

1. Enzyme Cleansing Gel $7 // In addition to properly moisturizing my skin, I attribute most of my recent success to this cleanser. I use it once a day with my Clarisonic, and it removes the day's makeup without drying my complexion. Hallelujah!
2. Haluronic Eye Cream $18 // Lightweight and doesn't agitate my sensitive skin. I can't say that I've noticed any immediate results, but I love the way it hydrates my skin—prepping and priming the under-eye area for my trusty NARS concealer.
3. Vitamin C Serum $45 // I've tried a handful of various serums (all price points), but I never found one that I really loved. Like most people, I want to see some results and FAST—I guess patience has never really been m' thing! I typically apply 3-4 drops to my face each evening before I apply my night cream. Paired together, these two allow my sensitive skin to retain moisture. I'm pleased with the way the serum has brightened my overall complexion and has smoothed the texture of my skin.
4. Oil-Free Moisturizer $22 // I knew I needed a moisturizer with SPF; however, my skin is easily irritated, so I never really found one that I loved. This one is gentle, moisturizing, and doesn't leave me feeling greasy. Pesky breakouts be gone. Woo Hoo!
5. Seaweed Night Cream $20 // It's moisturizing, but doesn't feel heavy—hydrating without feeling oily. I've found that it's perfect for my combination skin and soothes any redness in my complexion. I wake up and my skin feels smooth, not greasy. A little goes a long way, so you can't beat the price, especially with all of the spendy night creams available. 

I realize this post is heavy on the Mario Badescu end. While it's not a sponsored post, I've had a lot of success with their line since I started dabbling with their products (off and on) about three years ago. I'm really pleased with the results, and I noticed my overall outlook on pregnancy turned around once I stopped battling with icky breakouts and dryness. Thank goodness! I should note that some women don't experience any of this nonsense while they're expecting. In the name of keeping things real around here, I felt it was important to share my side of the story. When your hormones are whack and your body is changing, it's nice to have a win.

Are there any skincare products that you swear by?! The product junkie inside me is just dying to know.