Pregnacy: Keeping It All A-Glow
You’re pregnant?! OMG…Congratulations!!!! You’ve just entered one of the most exciting and, let’s be honest, challenging parts of a woman’s life. You are going to go through so many fascinating changes and moments. Now let’s not kid ourselves, it’ll be daunting and, at times, may seem like too much…but Pure + simple is here to help! We know you’ve worked hard to get your skin where it is today, and we are well aware of what’s to come…so let’s discuss a little of what you can expect and how you can best prepare yourself.
A few of the skin changes you can expect to see during pregnancy include, but are not limited to:
Redness, Acne, Puffiness, Dehydration, Bags under the eyes, Stretch marks, Blue Veins, and Pregnancy Mask.
Wait! Wait!!! Don’t run off. This all sounds far worse than it is…trust me. The great news is that this is all temporary and, if treated correctly, can be remedied. Some of it may happen, some of it may not…heck, you might be one of the lucky gals who doesn’t experience any of it! Like with all skin concerns, the key to controlling and maintaining your skin for the next nine months is HYDRATION, HYDRATION, HYDRATION! …and rest. Lots of that too!
With all that being said, let’s look at pregnancy from a Ayurvedic standpoint. Ayurvedically speaking, when a woman is pregnant both the Pitta and the Kapha doshas start working in overdrive! What this means is that there is a high incidence of both heat and accumulation!
With heat, comes Pitta – and that means inflammation, acne, redness, and increased temperatures (internal and external). Well cool it, baby! Keep hydrating and calming masks on hand, like our Calming Cucumber Mask or Skin Restoration Mask and make sure you use a nourishing serum and heavy moisturizer or oil. I like to pair Pure + simple’s Collagen Elastin Plus with Just Pure’s Calendula Royal Jelly to keep the skin soft, clear, and supple. Oh!…and don’t forget to apply plenty of oil on your tummy and mid-section like Pure + simple’s Jojoba Oil so that the skin is able to adapt to the demands of expansion. If stretch marks are your concern, then this is what you should definitely be paying attention to. Rich oils and creams work best and should be applied regularly! Not only will you help keep these at a minimum, but that nasty tummy itch (due to skin stretching) will be kept at bay.
So we’ve discussed the heat of Pitta…but what about the accumulation of Kapha?! Now is the time that your body is going to want to put everything in reserve! That little bub in your tummy needs a lot of nourishment and the only place he/she is going to get it is from you! You may experience larger than normal blood volume which will likely move at a slower rate. Because of this, the tendency is to feel sluggish and low in energy. The more you move, the more this extra volume of blood can circulate and relieve puffiness and bloating. Your face and body may also retain water and lead to some puffiness or swelling throughout. This is all perfectly normal. We recommend that you massage these areas to get blood and fluid moving (be gentle around the tummy) and be sure to stimulate and drain the lymphatic system to encourage optimal health.
In the next 9 months, your body is going to have an experience that is both exhausting and exhilarating! And to be totally frank, your skin is going to have some moments of “What the…?!” But with a properly maintained routine, a well-tended regime, and a strong team of all-natural and nurturing skincare specialists behind you, you can spend more time experiencing the joy of pregnancy, and less time worried about how you’ll bounce back! We got your back, baby-mama!
For more information, visit our KNOWLEDGE IS POWER section and read more about Pregnant Skin!
