As a mommy, it’s not always a convenience or financial priority to spend a day at the spa. I only wear makeup once every few months, but I still need a little something to feel pretty. During this pregnancy, I ramped up my arsenal of beauty products, and I will tell you exactly what I do to pamper myself and feel fresh without having to see a professional.
Let’s take care of our hair first. There are nearly endless brands to choose from, but I currently use the Keratin Hair Treatment from Maree. Amazing product. It is made with coconut oil, jojoba oil, vitamins, avocado oil, hyaluronic acid, collagen and chamomile. First I brush out any tangles. My hair is long, so when I apply the mask, I focus on the ends and any spots that feel dry. I never apply it to my roots because I don’t like the way my hair acts with moisture on the scalp. When the lengths of my hair are saturated, I rake my hair into a bun and wash my hands.
Next I get ready to dermaplane by applying my homemade skin oil. I make it myself by combining grapeseed, lavender, copaiba balsam and frankincense oils. It smells great and does not irritate my skin in the least. I use plenty for an dermaplane session because it all ends up getting scraped off. My mom, our “Nonna”, also loves this oil and uses it on her hands and arms daily.
Use a light swiping motion to remove the dead skin and hair. Do not go over the same spot multiple times, and do not bear down. You will create abrasions, and your skin will look and feel worse than it did before. I start at the forehead and work my way down, being extra gentle around the nose and eyes, and I don’t touch the areas under my brows. If there are stray hairs there, I pluck them individually with tweezers. My upper lip and cheeks usually need extra attention to remove all the fuzz. Dermaplaning does take off the top layers of your skin, so doing it more than once a week is not recommended.
After I dermaplane, I use a warm wet cloth or gentle cleanser to remove excess oil and dirt before I apply a face mask. I don’t particularly care for sheet masks because they make it harder to do other things while they sit. You can use whatever you like, of course, but my favorites right now are the Green Apply Pregnancy Mask and Antioxidant Mask from Juice Beauty. Clay masks over-dry my skin and cause me to need extra moisturizer later, which seems counterproductive. They can also be more difficult to remove. I leave my mask for the suggested amount of time and use a warm wet cloth to wipe it away.
Now before you finish up with your face, you may want to go ahead and rinse your hair so that you have an opportunity to remove any mask residue that gets on your skin during the process, so go ahead and do that. Rinse thoroughly with warm water (really take your time) and wrap your hair in a towel.
You can use your gentle cleanser on your face once more if you want an extra clean finish. Blot it dry gingerly. You already exfoliated plenty. I always comb through my hair again and put it back to let my face dry completely. Then I finish with Manuka Doctor facial serum, which smells like heaven to me and does not reclog my pores, and Overnight Lip Butter from Maree. This lip butter is so smooth, and the taste reminds me of a lip balm I had as a kid.
Everyone has their way of doing things, but I’m sharing my little technique in case you’re not accustomed to working on your own skin and hair at home. If you’re feeling frumpy or just plain yucky, spending 30 minutes this way can be just what you need to turn your day around. Take care of yourself, mamas!
Red Branch Mama 
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