Being Bridget

Archives for April 2019

Affordable Maternity Clothes

Top: Chambray Stripe Top {only $7!} // Bottoms: Maternity Poplin Shorts {come in 4 colors!} // Sneakers: White Sneakers {also similar here} // Bag: Round Straw bag {also similar here}

As soon as I became pregnant, I started thinking about maternity fashion. Would I wear ‘regular’ clothes and just size up? Would I splurge on items that could only be worn for a few short months? I honestly didn’t know. What I did know, however, was that pretty soon my jeans were becoming a weeeeee bit too tight, and I needed to find another solution. Enter in the search for maternity jeans. You guys – this is where you all came in! I was only looking at the same designer brands I was wearing non-pregnant and they just weren’t working for me. So many of you recommended more affordable retailers like Walmart and said I should not miss what they had to offer!

Walmart and I go way, way back. Growing up it’s where I bought all my clothes. There was one pretty close to our beach house in Mississippi and my cousin and I would save up all our money and go buy whatever our moms wouldn’t let us wear {I bought my first ever bra there lol} As I grew up, my love for Walmart and the accessibility and assortment of products offered only grew. As a camp counselor in hill country, Texas, I spent many a night wandering around the local Walmart, restocking on portable fans, new swimsuits, and sunscreen. Long story short – Walmart is an amazing place to find a huge assortment of goods, and I’m so glad so many of you reminded me of this when it came to buying maternity clothing.

The maternity section on Walmart.com is HUGE – and I mean huge. There are literally thousands upon thousands of items available, and I actually had a really hard time narrowing down my favorites! These shorts were my #1 though because it is about to get so incredibly hot in Texas and I need all the bump friendly shorts I can get. They come in 4 colors and have this super soft elastic waistband that sits under the bump comfortably. I love the army green color so much, I think I’m going to have to get the black version as well {you seriously can *not* beat the price}. Speaking of price, can you believe this striped chambray top is only $7?! I’m sorry – what?! This maternity top is so cute and comfortable and could easily transition to postpartum life as well. Other items I ordered were these jeans {such a great dupe of my fav AGs!} this nursing friendly dress and these super comfortable overalls.

I think I can officially say that I’m much more interested in spending money on affordable maternity wear than investing tons in something I can only wear for a few short months {or even weeks!}. Walmart has so many items to choose from – what are your favorites?

Photos: The Retro Penguin

thank you to Walmart for sponsoring this post!

Sephora Sale Favorites

image via

It’s one of my favorite times of the year – the Sephora Spring Bonus Sale event! So many of my favorite products are on sale, and there are so many more I want to try. Now that I’m nearly the end of my pregnancy, I feel like I can start to get a little more adventurous with my skincare as well {once baby is here of course!} Below are a few tried & true favorites, and a few new items I want right now!

WANT RIGHT NOW

Let’s start with what I’m most excited about – the items I am dying to get my hands on right this second!

Clarins Extra-Firming Anti-Wrinkle Neck Rejuvenating Cream – all the reviews on this product speak wonders about this stuff, and boy do I need some help in the neck wrinkle area. I feel like I have a younger {or atleast age appropriate face} but the wrinkles on my neck make me look older than my years. I know I can’t reverse ‘damage done’ but it’s never too early to try and prevent more from happening! This cream is going in the basket ASAP.

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum – This is one of those products that has been around for years it seems and everyone swears by it that tries it. I’ve heard it works wonders overnight and is just one of those solid does-what-it-says-it-does products. I’m going to buy the smallest bottle and give it a try!

Isle of Paradise Tan Drops – one of my girlfriends who knows way more about beauty than I do swears by these drops. She just started using them a few months ago and says they’re amazing – they don’t stain or leave you feeling stinky, and they really work. Color me interested! Especially since they have the stamp of ‘Clean Beauty’ approval from Sephora!

Drunk Elephant C-Firma Vitamin C Day Serum – Did you all hear about the massive lawsuit between Drunk Elephant and Skinceuticals over this serum? At twice the price, Skinceuticals cult-worthy CE Ferluic acid has been the best of the best on the market for years, but who can compete with that price difference – especially if the serums are similar and/or the same. Atleast that’s my takeaway from the lawsuit – that the product is so similar and/or an identical that Skinceuticals feels threatened and is trying to get it taken off the market! What that tells me is that I should buy up the much less expensive Drunk Elephant ‘dupe’ before it’s gone for forever!

Clarins Intensive Mask Wrap – Maybe because I’m feeling super puffy these days, or maybe because I’m getting older, but something about this mask is calling my name. It claims to fill fine lines, reduce puffiness and bring radiance back to otherwise dull skin – From Sephora: “Discover the solution to morning puffiness and swelling caused by stress, heat, and hormonal changes. This luxurious cream-mousse formula is rich in plant extracts that visibly relieve facial puffiness and brighten skin tone in as little as 10 minutes.” Um hell yes – do you now understand why I *need* this mask? Who doesn’t struggle with those things!? Especially while pregnant, this mask sounds like a Godsend. Oh – and because Clarins is a french company, the product is held to much stricter ingredient laws. This mask is free from parabens and phthalates. Winning!

Dr. Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Hydrating Serum – If you’ve been following me for a while on Instagram, then you know I love the DDG Marine Hydrating Modeling Mask. This serum seems to be the best part of the mask that you can use on a daily basis! Again, love that it is free from parabans, sulfates, phthalates. This product is also vegan and cruelty-free.

HAVE AND LOVE

Where do I begin? I have so many products I love at different times for different reasons. For the sake of brevity, I will try to pick only my absolute favorites!

Dr. Dennis Gross Marine Hydrating Mask – I love this mask. It’s hydrating and cooling and feels so great on the skin. It’s also super easy to get off {I hate masks that are hard to take off}. Once you mix the powder with the liquid, the mixture turns into a gel and then hardens. I love this type of mask and it always feels like a luxury when I use it!

Belif Moisturizer – This is one of my favorite moisturizers. It’s incredibly gentle on the skin and has a gel like consistency that goes on so smooth. My mom has extra sensitive skin and finds most products break her out – I convinced her to try this moisturizer and she loves it! It’s my favorite for the summer when I don’t want a super heavy moisturizer on the skin. I also love this moisturizer which is a super lightweight option for summer!

Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen and Poof! Scalp Mineral Powder – I have always loved Supergoop! products and these two are at the top of my love list. The Unseen Sunscreen is so lightweight and non-greasy, and absorbs right into the skin. It also comes out clear so you never have to worry about white or brown streaks across your face. The Poof! scalp SPF is an answer to my prayers – this new product from Supergoop! is going to be incredible for keeping my scalp from frying {something it always does}. I also love that it is a powder with SPF in it so it also won’t get your hair all greasy {normally I have to apply sunscreen with my fingertips and it always leaves my hair looking gross}.

Summer Friday Jet Lag Mask – I love this super hydrating mask – especially when I’m traveling! It sells out all the time, so make sure to scoop it up during this sale. I’ve had mine for over a year and still have half the tube left – a little goes a long way!

Erno Lazlo Vitamin C Mask – this may be my all time favorite mask for brightening. It works wonders and just gives your face the best looking glow. It also leaves it feeling buttery soft. I especially love this mask if I have an important event coming up – it gives such a nice glow for making you stand out!

There are so many more products out there I love – click here, here and here to read older sale posts where I go into more detail on Sephora products I love! And be sure to shop the sale while the discount lasts!

Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen

Much to my dismay, I was born into a family with very fair skin. I have distinct memories of being a kid at the beach in the summer, dressed and ready to swim, but my mom insisting we all be rubbed down before we were allowed out into the sun. She would line up all 6 kids and slather us head-to-toe in bullfrog {the highest SPF on the market at the time}. It was oily and slimy and smelled like rubbing alcohol and we all hated it. But – as you can imagine – mother knows best, and with fair skin of her own, and a few too many close calls with skin cancer, she wasn’t letting us take any chances.

Fast forward to high school, and my mom suggested I start using a daily SPF. My beauty routine was nonexistent at the time, so I walked to our local Walgreens, picked out the cheapest option and started using it. Simple as that. At this point, my mom’s own experience had scared me enough to want to avoid the effects of long term sun damage, so I stayed on this simple, yet effective routine for 10+ years. Seriously – besides a moisturizer, I didn’t wear any products on my face until I was in my mid-20s! 

It was only in the last few years that I started realizing not all sunscreens are created equal. Some are thicker, some are more moisturizing, some are full of chemicals, and others too drying, too lightweight, too overpriced and so on. And every single one of them was either white or a shade of brown trying to match my skin tone. Eugh.

Enter in Supergoop!’s Unseen Sunscreen. This is the first daily sunscreen I have ever seen that is clear. It goes on invisible, allowing it to work on all skin types and tones.The texture of the product is velvety smooth and absorbs right into the skin, making it a great primer for under makeup. It’s lightweight, non-greasy, and feels buttery soft which always feels good on my dryer-than-normal skin. Supergoop! is dedicated to creating the best sun-prevention products on the market, using the cleanest ingredients to help you live a safer life. Also, if you’re wondering if the Unseen Sunscreen is safe for pregnancy, I used the EWG to help me feel truly feel confident when making my decision. I also know that Supergoop avoids controversial ingredients like oxybenzone and parabens to make formulas as healthy as possible for any mama-to-be! That being said, I advise that you contact your doctor to discuss what’s right for you and your baby!

So, long story short, if you aren’t using a daily sunscreen, you need to be. Men, women, and children should be wearing atleast spf 30 every single day – even when it rains, and even during the winter because the sun is a powerful force, and will affect and age your skin more than you even realize. I’m all about prevention, so stock up on Supergoop!’s Unseen Sunscreen before we really start spending all our time outdoors and I promise, you’ll thank me later!

Photos: The Retro Penguin

thank you to Supergoop! for sponsoring this post!

 

The Great Stroller Debate and How I Decided Which Were Best for Us

One of the most important items you will need when you have a baby is a stroller. Whether walking the streets of Europe, or simply going around the block, a good stroller is something you’ll need and be using constantly for toting your little one around. But how do you choose? There are so many options out there and it can be totally overwhelming! I, luckily, was able to consult my friends and family and decided on three strollers that should take me from now until my youngest has grown out of them {we hope we are blessed with several children!} Below are three strollers that I registered for and why!

Doona Infant Car Seat/Stroller with Base

Any new mom will tell you that the Doona is a game changer. It is a car seat and stroller in one and makes moving your baby around so much easier. No more lugging your sleeping baby around in a super heavy/oversized/bulky car seat while moving to/from! The Doona attaches to a base in your car and then pops out and immediately becomes a stroller once ready to get moving. The wheels just from flip underneath as shown above! I can’t tell you how many of my mom friends say this is their number one baby must-have/splurge. I’ve also heard that it is amazing for restaurants (not as bulky; same height as typical tables, no need to place baby on the ground or flip over a highchair to place car seat in to get it to table height – this always looks so unsteady and makes me nervous!) It’s also a great options for travel (fits well in an airplane seat, and you don’t have to bring a stroller AND a car seat!) Make sure to buy an extra base for your significant other and/or anyone who will be driving baby often.

UPPAbaby VISTA Stroller {also here}

The Uppababy Vista is our ‘all-purpose’ stroller. It does it all, and will be perfect for everyday activities like visiting the doctor or walking to the park. The best thing about the Uppababy Vista is that it grows with your family – it conveniently converts to a seated double and even has an attachment for a 3rd to stand! So, if you are planning to have more than one child, the Vista stroller is ideal for you. This means that you won’t have to buy a second stroller once you’re ready for baby number 2 {or 3!}  It also comes with bassinet that attaches to the stroller, which is great for going on walks in the early months AND can also be used as a bassinet for next to your bed using this stand. You might also want to purchase the stroller organizer and the cup holder {these are sold separately but total must-haves IMO}

BABYZEN YOYO Travel Stroller {also here & here}

This is our lightweight stroller option. With how much travel we do, I know this stroller is a must have. The main reason why it is above and beyond the rest is because it folds up small enough to fit in the overhead compartment. You don’t have to gate check this stroller!!! My sisters-in-law swear by it and say it is a total travel game changer. Luckily for me, they also did some legwork and tried out the main travel stroller competitor, the pocket, and said the Yoyo was lightyears better and well worth the larger investment.

To summarize, below are some of the key features that you need to check off before deciding on the right stroller for you.

  • Make sure your stroller can accommodate a newborn {many don’t} Even though the newborn phase lasts for such a short amount of time, it is still crucial to have a carrier that is suitable for an infant so this is something important to double check.
  • Make sure it is easy to open/close. You’d be surprised how complicated a stroller can be – make sure you can easily collapse your choice before bringing it home.
  • Babies are messy, so make sure you are choosing a stroller that has washable fabric. Whether it’s spit up or crushed up goldfish, you want to make sure you can remove it and clean it when needed.
  • Make sure your stroller has a proper sun canopy – there is nothing worse than being on a walk and having the direct sunlight blind your baby. The sun canopy will provide ample shade, and also a little quiet if you decide to pull it all the way down.
  • Stroller basket – where else are you supposed to put your purse?? Make sure the stroller you choose has a basket you’re happy with.
  • Last but not least  – accessories! I registered for a clip on fan, the Uppababy organizer, the YOYO footmuff, and a cup holder. There is also the Uppababy stand {for toddlers}, the rain guard {for YOYO, for Uppababy}, and the YOYO travel bag that a lot of people love as well!

Ok! So that’s it, I hope that’s helpful for everyone! I know three strollers is kind of a lot, but I’m hoping that these are the only strollers I’ll ever need as we grow and transition as a family. Let me know in the comments which strollers you have used and loved and why! Always curious to hear other people’s experiences.