Belli Skin Care announces the launch of their new and improved Web site on August 5, 2008! If you read our first post on Belli Skin Care ~ For the Baby Bump and Beyond, you know how fabulous this product line really is. Belli has skin and body care products geared towards new moms, moms to be, and babies, and it is now right up my alley…yes, at the time of writing this post, I am now expecting!

So, with the exciting launch of their new site, Belli is offering Beauty Chat readers an exclusive discount of 30% off of everything! (Regular visitors to the Belli site will only be getting 25 %) This offer will run from 8/5/08 through 8/22/08. That’s right; Beauty Chat readers have been specially selected to receive this offer. Just use the following code: VIPBLOG30.

Erin from Belli said that they wanted to thank Beauty Chat and its readers by offering them this fabulous deal. Also, be sure to extend the offer to your friends and family. And that’s not it! If you log on to the Belli site, you can enter fabulous giveaways! They will be holding drawings every day through August 21 (to enter everyday, visit Belli and click the link on the home page). On August 22, they will draw one lucky winner to win EVERYTHING that has been given away over the promo period! WOW!

Thanks Erin and the Belli team for sharing this with our readers!

I met Erin at the Total Beauty Summit…I know, how many fabulous people did I meet there? A lot. But Erin, and the company she works for, really stood out amongst the crowd. You see, Erin works for this AMAZING company called Belli. Belli is dedicated to specialty skin care focused on making sure that mom, baby, and unborn baby are safe and healthy.

How, you ask? Well, Belli products are specifically designed for expecting and new mothers. It is geared to help aid them in a time of uncertainty, when their bodies are changing and they are experiencing unique skin care issues — a time when their concern for safety is heightened. The brand supports the expectant mother and provides her with choices in skin care, for both herself and baby.

Belli specialty skin care comes in three lines:

• Belli Pregnancy is a line that has set a higher standard for prenatal safety, as the only skin care in the world that is teratology screened (which means they have excluded ingredients linked to birth defects or other problems with pregnancy).

• Belli Motherhood is LACT-MED screened to avoid ingredients associated with harmful effects during breastfeeding.

• Belli Baby is screened for xenoestrogens — chemicals which can act like hormones that interfere with normal development of the reproductive system.

Now, since I’m not a new mother (my son is 5), or with child, I was hesitant to try out the Belli products. However, since Erin gushed about how wonderful the line was for her (like me, she isn’t a new mom or expecting), I had to give them a try. However, I did pass a few products on to my co-worker Jana, who just give birth to baby Logan born June 14.

I tried the Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer, the Anti-Chloasma Facial Sunscreen with SPF 25, and the All Day Moisturizer. I have to tell you, I love this line! The hand sanitizer is non-drying. It keeps the germs away and does not leave my hands feeling tight or dehydrated.

The All Day Moisturizer is fabulous! It has a soft lemony-chamomile scent and it left my skin feeling hydrated and smooth. The lotion is meant to help expecting mothers relax and soothe dry, itchy skin. With the essential oil of lemon, it is known for its uplifting qualities and aroma-therapeutic ability to calm upset stomachs.

The Anti-Chloasma Facial Sunscreen with SPF-25 is great as well. It is a tad tinted to help cover splotchy skin that is common during pregnancy, but it acted almost like a foundation for me!

Be sure to check back for Belli part 2- when the new mom puts it to the test. I’m looking forward to hearing back from Jana about how she did with the Eye Brightening Cream and Surgical Scar Reducer.

All I can say is that Belli is a fantastic company with a great focus. With all the harmful stuff out there, it is nice to know there are people who care and are trying to make this world better. I highly recommend checking out Belli (and their blog- by Erin). Stop by to say hello to her, and tell her that Denice at Beauty Chat sent you!

With everyone and everything “Going Green” these days, I did not want to be left behind. Although I own my “Green” car (a Toyota Prius, which I love) and I make sure that I buy energy-efficient appliances, I never really gave my skin care that extra-conscious thought until now.

So I started doing my research on what is actually in some of the products I use, and it is amazing how many things I cannot pronounce! Well, I found a company that is fabulous and specializes in natural skin care: Noodle & Boo. I am big on tag lines, and this one was great:

Think: glow – ol – o – gy (n.) the art of celebrating the beauty in every woman

Glowology is a new collection by Noodle & Boo, which is an amazing company founded by Christine Burger (and named after her two children). Her goal was to develop products for her children’s sensitive skin. So she teamed up with professionals who specialize in natural, holistic skin care, and they developed exclusive formulas to nourish, replenish, and protect delicate and sensitive skin.

Not only are Noodle & Boo products made from natural, non-toxic ingredients; they are also cased in biodegradable packaging! The Glowology line was designed with a signature scent created especially for those individuals who are usually irritated by fragrances. Glowology is also safe for use during pregnancy. Some of the gals around the office (including myself!), tried out some of the products from this new collection.

Here is what we thought:

Jacquie – “Sugar Mama Honey Bar”
This is a wonderful soap. I am not one to use bar soap because it makes my skin tight, dry and itchy, and it is not as convenient as liquid soap. I was asked to give the honey bar a try, and I am glad I did because I love it. I suffer from dry skin, so finding a soap that does not dry me out is hard. This bar soap does what it says; it leaves you clean and smelling wonderful without drying out your skin. I recommend it to everyone. Even my 3-year old daughter loved it.

Denice – “Sugar Mama Honey Scrub”
Never having used a body scrub before, I was a little apprehensive. I was unsure of what exactly a body scrub would do to my skin. To my surprise, it did FABULOUS things! Besides making my skin feel baby
soft, it smelled wonderful! My skin was moisturized and felt wonderful. I love how the dead, dry skin was just washed away. When I woke up the next morning, I could still smell the honey and shea butter on my skin.

Jana – “Elasticity Oil”
The skin elasticity oil made my skin feel firm and less dry. I have been using it mostly on my breasts, because since I have been pregnant, they have really been sad. I had breast augmentation a year ago, and my skin had already been stretched, and with my pregnancy, they are being stretched even more. Using the oil made them feel silky and smooth, and helped me feel sexier rather than saggy! I tried to apply it as much as possible; after each shower, before bed, and when I woke up in the morning. The scent was minimal and faint, so it did not overpower my perfume.

If you are looking for new and improved skin care and body products I suggest you check out Noodle and Boo, especially their Glowology line!

(Jana, this one’s for you!)

Although I have never been pregnant, I do have many friends who are mothers. So, I know the struggles that women go through when trying to find clothing to wear while they’re carrying a child. Having a baby is a joyous occasion, and finding fashionable clothing shouldn’t damper the experience.

Things have changed dramatically since our mothers carried us. While basic cotton tees and bulky pants were the norm, say 20 or 30 years ago, women now expect designers to produce garments that are attractive. Boring doesn’t fly anymore with the consumers of our day and age.

In fact, many maternity tops can easily be mistaken for trendy, fashionable items (think the popular flowing, babydoll shirts that are in right now). The goal is to help women look good in their clothing, with the special details that embrace pregnancy in subtle, chic styles versus plain and practical.

To give yourself a “Mommy Makeover” (with or without plastic surgery), you may first consider the amount that you want to spend. Pretty much, all large-scale stores carry clothing for expectant mothers. I have grouped some popular retail chains in cost categories, basing my comparisons on the average prices of their blouses, for the sake of example. Here are the roundabout prices that you can expect to shell out for cute maternity blouses at some of our favorite, affordable retail outlets:

Target and Old Navy: About $20

Kohl’s and JCPenny: Around $30

Gap and Ann Taylor LOFT: In the range of $40-$50

(Keep in mind that the above is only a general statement. Of course there are more and less expensive shirts that these stores carry.)

If you aren’t willing to purchase a whole new wardrobe to wear during your pregnancy months, focus on buying the essentials. Basic colors are always helpful. A staple sweater or pair of jeans can be worn frequently, but maybe paired with different items. You can even use jewelry to your advantage. It may be surprising how easily an eye-catching necklace can make an outfit look completely different.

And, as your mother may have taught you growing up…share! If you have friends, family, or co-workers who have had children, ask to borrow their maternity clothing. If they aren’t currently pregnant, then those clothes are probably just sitting in their closets.

Be resourceful!

Photo Credits: www.pregnant-celebrities.com

PlasticSurgery.com’s “Biggest Loser” challenge has come to an end. And today, I am disappointed to announce that I did not win! But I AM down 9.5 pounds (still not enough to take the lead and win the grand prize though). Congratulations to Beauty Chatter Denice with 17 pounds shed, and PS.com’s Creative Manager (Dan) losing 10.

Everyone told me getting the weight off was going to be more of a challenge this time around (my second pregnancy), but I did not expect it to be this hard. I am 3 pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight, but my body shape is completely gone.

I have been using Weight Watchers instead of The Daily Plate to stick to my diet. It is a little easier because I don’t have to think about how much fat and protein I am getting – Weight Watchers does it for me. It seems to be working because 3 of the 9 pounds were lost this week.

That said, however, I have not incorporated exercise into my weight loss plan as I had hoped to do. But now, with the sun staying out a bit later, I intend to bring it on!

Just 22 more pounds to go… I am determined to stay focused! (This is me, feeling “pretty in pink!’)

My son is now 13 weeks old (that’s me carrying Jonas at 8 months prego), and because I am no longer nursing; I am embarking on my journey back to a healthy body. The plan is that I am going to focus on how I feel and how my clothes fit versus the number on the scale.

Along with my PlasticSurgery.com co-workers and Beauty Chat contributors, we are all challenging each other to an in-office “Biggest Loser” contest. The winner gets a pot of money, which is inspiring me to lose my baby weight.

I have 30 pounds to lose and three to four dress sizes to go down to. My goal is to continue tracking my calories and fat on TheDailyPlate.com, walk on my lunches with Jennifer, and do some Pilates at home when the kids are in bed (I also have a 3 year-old daughter).

I would love to hear your weight loss suggestions, and of course your support is appreciated.

Track along with me and personal story on Beauty Chat!

‘Til next time…

Photo Credit: A Beauty Chat exclusive, taken at our recent Bejeweled photo shoot!

Pregnancy is an interesting time for most women – myself included.  Coworkers have been watching me go through all kinds of changes, from hormone surges to walking around scratching my ever-expanding belly (with a mini tummy tuck or full tummy tuck surgery being an option after I’ve finished giving birth). There is not much I can do to help with the hormones and the random tears that often sneak out.  I have, however, been trying every product I can find to reduce the itching, and with any luck, keep the stretch marks at bay.

I am eight months pregnant, and I have a cupboard full of different lotions containing vitamin E oil and cocoa butter.  Most have done nothing for me.  It seems that either I had to keep applying the product in only a short amount of time, or it looked like I had butter on my skin. Instead of being absorbed by my skin, sometimes they would just stain my shirt!  Belly Balm by Belly Basics is different.

Receiving Belly Balm from a friend, I excitedly applied it to my tummy, breasts, and bum the first chance I got. I was pleasantly surprised by the non-greasy, moisturizing feel.  The smell of Belly Balm was pleasing as well; soft and calming, and not way overpowering. It contains cocoa, shea and mango butter. These ingredients are supposed to help relieve the itches and help prevent stretch marks.

I have been using the Belly Balm pregnancy cream for a few months now, and I am very pleased with the results.  I apply it in the morning and in the evening, and honestly, it seems to be really helping. I haven’t strolled around the office scratching in awhile!

As for my first signs of stretch marks, well these horrible red lines seem to just run in the family.  I don’t think the fair skin helps either. Even with the use of Belly Balm, I truly feel nothing can stop them from showing up.

I have nine weeks left, and I am sadly running out of the wonderful pregnancy cream that has truly saved me from insane scratches day in and day out. Nooooo! (I’ll have to order more from www.bellybasics.com) I suggest that every mom-to-be with the itches try Belly Balm to get rid of some discomfort.  

~ Jacquie

Product Image Credit: www.bellybasics.com