Call me Mix-Master!

Bloggers, I have decided to become a chemist...well kind of...I just have found the most delightful, anti-stretchmarks, anti-dryness mixture that I have created by combining 2 of my favorite products. I combine Lalicious Body Oil in Coconut Creme (smells amazing!) and Cetaphil Moisturizing Body Cream and voila instant moisture that is the perfect consistency. What I do is pour about 2-3 tablespoons of the oil into a half filled tub of the Cetaphil. I stir it around and then just keep it in the tub. I love this stuff! I slather it all over my body right when I get out of the shower and am still a tad damp. Then I wait for it to dry a bit (So yes this preggo is walking around naked for a few minutes during this time! Scary!) and while I'm waiting I put on my face moisturizer and put on my leave in conditioner. This dynamic duo that I use is fantastic and leaves my skin so soft. Love it!!

Hair Rehab

Happy Monday! I have to say that this was one of my favorite weekends :) The temperature was perfect (70s) and Kevin and I had no plans. We had a few nice meals out together, did a little baby stuff shopping and relaxed...So nothing crazy, but it is just so nice to relax and spend time with Kevin. We laugh a lot and daydream what life with Baby B will be like...Its a very sweet time for us :)

This summer I have not been kind to my hair. I have been swimming a bunch and haven't had a trim in 4 months (the woman who does my cuts has been out on maternity leave). I also just had it colored/highlighted last week (different person cuts vs colors me) and that always makes it dry. Also, I haven't been doing much as far as deep conditioning either. So basically my hair is the longest its ever been and pretty dry :( So, first thing is first, I just scheduled my hair cut and will take off a few inches. Next up is I need to find a good mask/deep conditioner (and you better believe I'll post about it!). 3rd is I need to use my "go to" dry hair products. So today that's what I'm writing about. An old but effective favorite: Redkin Extreme-Anti Snap Treatment. This leave in treatment has proteins in it and it smooths your hail cuticle making breakage less likely. It also has fruit acids that help with shine. I use this after I'm out of the shower (and have already shampooed and conditioned). I towel dry my hair and put a quarter size amount onto my ends. I really feel like this makes my hair stronger, which now that I'm rehabbing it-it certainly needs :) This stuff is sold at beauty supply stores and isn't too pricey. A bottle will last for a long time. Have a great day!!

TMI Week: Body Mint

Happy Friday!! Doesn't it just feel like time is flying by?? Love it. So thank goodness today is the last day of TMI Week. Honestly, I haven't enjoyed blogging about the unglam stuff as much as my usual products. But i committed to a week of it so here we are on the final day. Today's product is called Body Mint. It is called a "breath and body freshening tablet". Here is info from the company that makes its:

"Body Mint tablets are made from an all-natural, highly specialized, derivative of chlorophyll. Body Mint's unique formulation gives it the power to remedy body odors from multiple sources, like bad breath (halitosis), underarm odor, perspiration odor and foot odor. Body Mint works from the inside, out. Take it twice daily and it works to reduce everyday bad breath (halitosis) and body odor both day and night."
And
"Body Mint Is The New Way To Smell Your Best! Made From A Special Derivative Of Chlorophyll And Taken Like A Daily Vitamin, Body Mint Reduces Breath, Underarm And Foot Odors, As Well As Oll Over Body Odors, Also Has Been Proven To Help Bad Breath Cause From A Low Carb Diet Lifestyle
The First 100% Natural Total-body Deodorant, Body Mint Was Originally Created F Or The People Of Hawaii To Suit Their Outdoor/Active Lifestyles, "barefoot" Cul Ture And The Year Round Tropical Heat."

I think it kind of boils down to: you are what you eat. And that includes how you smell...if you eat a lot of onions, cumin, garlic, curry, etc. and don't drink a lot of water then you might not smell as sweet and fresh as someone who eats a lot of fruit, cucumbers, lettuce, etc. So these pills are like short cut!
Whew-done with TMI Week!!! Have a fab weekend!!!

TMI Week: Sweat Buster

Bloggers-Its hot out there!! Especially here in Southern CA where we are having a major heat wave. So in addition to bathing and deodorant what can we do? Well, I personally am a baby powder fan. I sprinkle anywhere that may get sweaty (which when you are preggo is everywhere!). I especially love the Johnson's Baby Powder in Lavender and Chamomile-it smells amazing!! Original baby powder smell reminds me of diapers-so I avoid that smell when possible! Good new is that it is supposed to cool down this weekend!

TMI Week: If All Else Fails...

Bloggers, by now you probably know that I'm a fiber fanatic! I think it is the key to weight control and it is such a necessary component to a healthy diet. And the obvious bonus is that it keeps me, um , well, regular. So this product isn't very necessary for me on a day to day basis...but when I travel everything doesn't stay as "regular" as I'd like. So today's product is great-it is called PlumSmart and is available at most grocery stores in the juice section. It is prune juice with added fiber. It tastes pretty good (so be careful to just have one serving!) and it works like a charm! Especially my fellow preggos (who can suffer from constipation) this drink gets things going. And its healthy! Not only does it have fiber, but it also has potassium and over 100% of your daily vitamin C. They make a diet version too that has fewer calories (which I like bc I normally don't want to waste my calories on juice if I can help it!). So drink up and enjoy!

TMI Week: Pull My Finger??

Ok, so there are few thing grosser and more embarrassing than gas...especially when gas translates into stinky farts. I'm sorry I have to be so vulgar Product Junkies, but we are all friends here :) So if you know that there are certain foods that make you, well, pass gas, then I have the remedy for you!! Charcoal Pills! They work like a charm!! And are cheap! Much better than Gas-EX or Beano. Just take 2 caps w/ water (or what ever you are drinking) when you are eating your "trigger food" (for some its beans, high fiber foods, dairy, etc). The charcoal pills will protect you and the people around you from having to deal with the smell :) Also if you don't have specific foods that you know make you gassy-but you notice that you are indeed tooting, you can take these magical pills and it should take care of the problem :) They are natural and safe (although Preggos-I'm not sure if these are a go for us-so Id avoid them!). There are a bunch of different brands and are sold at all drug stores and of course at Target and Amazon. A Must-Have!! Well-I'm glad we got through this stinky subject!

TMI Week!!!

Happy Monday Bloggers!! So today starts what I am calling "TMI Week"! Lets face it-products aren't always glam, in fact, there are some things that need products/attention that are just plain embarrassing which leads me to TMI Week. Most of you (who know me) know that I am very open...about everything...maybe too open? Well, I don't believe in hiding stuff. No one is perfect and the people who pretend to be are bound to get tired of living a fake life.

To kick off this week I thought I would post about an old favorite...Certain Dri! It is a prescription strength antiperspirant roll on that is doctor recommended but you don't need a prescription you can get it a CVS or Target...And this stuff works!!! I first discovered this in college during sorority rush. Its was very hot and we were wearing tight baby tees (they were in style back then-I promise!) and I was looking around to a sea of sweaty pits...not very cute. So I did some investigative work and haven't had a sweaty pit since!! Certain Dri can be used for men or women. You should put it on at night right before bed. It does have an annoying side effect: it makes your armpits itch, which is why I liked to use it after I had a few cocktails bc then I'd pass out w/out the itching keeping me up :) In the morning you can use your normal everyday deodorant. You don't need to use this daily maybe start with doing it a few times in a week and soon-you will have dry pits!! I havent used it in years (and wouldn't use it while preggo) but you better believe I have a bottle of it in my cabinet!

I've been a sucky blogger :( BUT I do have a fun new face wash!!

Happy Friday Bloggers!! Sorry-this week has been kind of strange and I haven't had my normal routine(wake up, make coffee(decaf!) or send hubby to get a Starbucks, sit in the office and blog, read other blogs, check babycenter, check facebook, etc) so I haven't been on top of my blogging...sorry!! I just had a bunch of appointments/classes/etc and I never feel like getting on the computer later in the day. I promise next week will be better :)
So, I really like this new cleanser from Clarins!! Its the One Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser and its is great! Now, lets not get ahead of ourselves and think that this exfoliater is better or can be used instead of the buff puff scrubber pads from Target-because no cleanser will do what those pads do, but it is a nice refreshing addition to my skincare regime. I found this because I got a sample of it at Sephora (or was it Nordies?), I like it because it leaves my skin nice and soft, has a clean scent and isn't too scrubby.
Alright-I need to get some stuff done. Kevin and I are having a romantic date night tonight and shaving legs takes longer than it used too :(
Have a great weekend!!

Fall Happiness

Ok so I know it is hot outside in Southern California...BUT I still am feeling fall-ish and can't wait for it to cool down a bit!! I was sorting through my mail and got the Fall Pottery Barn Catalog and I could practically feel the seasons change as I looked at all of the cute fall stuff!! I love nothing more than a sunny fall day that is cool (70ish degrees), with football on, the smell of pumpkin candles burning and me making something delicious to eat (this could be chili, cookies, pumpkin bread, etc). And don't get me started on how much I love fall fashion...it is the best! If I wasn't spending an arm and a leg on everything baby-this Burberry coat would be my must have for the season...Love it!!! Just writing this post makes me happy :)

Why Am I Such a Wimp???

Well Bloggers, as most of you know, I'm enjoying a summer of rest and relaxation. I have always loved reading (check out my must read book list coming out this week!) and I'm a TV lover too. I LOVE suggestions and when I hear that I need to watch a series or read a certain book-I generally do so without a second thought...Which leads me to this wimpiness. Basically everyone I know tells me the show Dexter is great. Maybe better than great. One of my most favoritest girls on the planet (that's you Twinkie!!), who doesn't even watch TV (except for Nancy Grace but that's a whole other discussion) says it is her favorite show and I'll love it and I'll hope that Baby B is just like Dexter...but maybe without the killing...Anyway, my issue is that I don't like violence or blood and guts and the last thing I want is nightmares....So I ordered he 1st Season of Dexter from Netflix and now its just sitting there collecting dust....What should I do? Toughen up and watch it?? Scary...

The other wimpy thing is about the bestseller "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo". Everyone I know loves it! The book is everywhere! One of my 2 book clubs is choosing it for this month's book! My wimpy problem? One friend mentioned that it is violent and hard to read at times and now I can't force myself to pick it up and start reading it...I just finished another book club's book, and could easily start Girl w/ the Dragon but my inner wimp is not allowing it....

An All Natural Zit Blaster

Happy Monday Product Junkies!! Today I want to share my latest discovery : Burt's Bees Herbal Blemish Stick. I found this bc being preggo, I'm not aloud to use any of the heavy duty stuff that I normally like. It is all natural and believe it or not-it works like a charm :) Even Kevin had what appeared to be a zit (he claims mosquito bite-but whatever it was totally a zit) and I dabbed a little bit of this in it and voila-they next day it was much better! Its cheap too!! It smells a tad herb-ish, but that's nothing. It goes on clear and dries very quickly so you could definitely "touch up" with it during the day!! Enjoy!

Side Note: I'm making lentil soup today! I'm trying to get more iron and protein in my diet...I'll keep you posted and let you know how this recipe turns out and I'll share it if its any good!

A Produce Saving Goody & a Party for a Bestie

Happy Friday Bloggers!!!! Is it me or is time flying?? I love it! I have to say that I'm a 2nd half of the year kinda gal. From 4th of July to December 31st-I'm always happy :) Right now it is feeling like "back to school" time and I love that feeling. Kevin is gearing up for all of his fantasy football craziness (3 teams this year!) and I am really looking forward to our trip to Lake Tahoe over Labor Day....Ahhhh life is so good right now :)
On another very cute note, I got a Facebook message from a very sweet friend who had a product to share w/ us junkies!!! Here it is:
"Hey I was reading your blog the other day (my sephora list has tripled!) and I noticed how you were complaining about produce going bad. I used to have this problem all the time, buying a bunch and then it going bad before we can use it. Then I discovered Debbie Meyer green bags- yes those ones in the As Seen on TV section at Bed Bath and Beyond or CVS. They work miracles, it's seriously silly! Honestly, I can buy a head of lettuce and know now that it will last almost 2 weeks. They are reusable too, which I only do like once because I get creeped out and they aren't the easiest to clean. Seriously give them a try, they have saved our produce. :-)

Cheers!
xo
-Lura"
Well Miss Lura, thank you so much for the suggestion!!! I am in desperate need of these and will be heading out to Bed, Bath and Beyond for them this weekend (I'll be sure to bring my 20% off coupon! Whoop!) I love, love, love when friends share their ideas/products that they use-so please keep them coming!!!

Lastly, this weekend I'm going to be in Manhattan Beach for one of my closest friend's Engagement Party. I'm so happy that Megan has found such a wonderful hubby-to-be and am truly honored to be a bridesmaid!! Her wedding is in Hawaii next June and Kevin, Baby B and I can't wait!!!

3 things that every Product Junkie should have in their car

As Product Junkies, we must always be prepared and ready to face any beauty disaster (A stray hair??!!?? On my cheek??!!!??) that comes our way. We should also set up beauty rituals and be efficient so that they are easy to maintain. A perfect example of this is car time. As a former pharmaceutical sales representative, I logged countless hours in the ugly company car and I've got to tell you: my cuticles have never looked better...coincidence? Not a chance.
I keep a little bottle of Solar Oil in my car at all times. Solar Oil is a sweet little combo of Jojoba Oil and Vitamin E and it is super moisturizing and penetrates tough skin. When I get in my car-my ritual is to turn it on, get my AC and radio all squared away, put on my glasses, dab some solar oil on my cuticles and then apply a hand creme with SPF on my hands. This literally takes 30 seconds and it is well worth the effort. Don't use a heavy/greasy hand creme or your steering wheel will get slick and that's dangerous!! Right now I'm using Keihl's Unusually Rich-But Not Greasy At All Hand Creme SPF 10. It's not the best in the world-but it does the trick. Car time is also great for plucking...NOT while driving-but in a parking lot or driveway. I do my best plucking in good natural sunlight-so I have found that it is very worth while to keep a good pair of tweezers in my car. I personally like the Tweezerman Stainless Steel Slant Tweezer(in Pink!). So to summarize the 3 things that every Product Junkie should keep in their car is:
1. Cuticle Oil
2. Hand Creme with SPF
3. Tweezers
Have a good day everyone!! Be safe on the road!!

Old School Favorite!

Okay Bloggers-this one goes back, way back to my College days...maybe even my High School days??? It is Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. It is an amazing mask for oily skin or it can be used as a spot treatment on a zit(or one of those terrible pre-zits that we all hate-where it hurts and you know a zit is going to pop up and it is just a matter of time? Uggg hate those!). It is a clay mask, so it is heavy and has mint in it so it feels nice and tingly. I used to use it 1-2 times a week in college and in my early 20s-but my skin has changed and I do not have oily skin anymore-so now I use this as a spot treatment. One of the best parts about this little gem is that it is super cheap-this entire tube is less than $3!! You can find it at drug stores and on Amazon!!

PSA: Last night I fell down my stairs and sprained my ankle :( Soooooo annoying bc I have all sorts of crap to get done in the next week or so. The baby is fine-but my ankle is the size of a tennis ball :( So the PSA is don't text and walk down/up stairs at the same time!!

Nursery Insanity and a Sign!!

Oh Bloggers-why am I being such a lunatic about my stupid nursery?? When I thought I was having a girl-I had the nursery 100% figured out (well-it was figured out in my head). Now that we know Baby B is a boy-I have been soooooo indecisive about the colors, his bedding, ect. I am normally very opinionated/decisive and make good solid decisions without much thought. But for some reason this one small task is KILLING me!! I spent less time choosing a husband that I have choosing this bedding...Definitely less time buying our 1st home than this...I mean, come on-I'm so wishy-washy that I'm annoying myself over this :) I have ordered fabric swatches from all of the usual suspects: Restoration Hardware Baby & Child, Serena & Lily, The Land of Nod, Pottery Barn Kids and Ive ordered and returned bedding from most of those places too :( Uggghhhhhh my issue with most baby boy bedding is that its so "theme-y". Like cars, boats, jungle theme, sports, etc and I hate that! I just want a sweet, cute, bright nursery that is a happy place to be in and that is comfy and safe for our little guy. So finally, some inspiration: A Sign. Literally and figuratively speaking. I found this darling vintage-y custom sign that has the sweet words from "You Are My Sunshine". This will serve as my starting ground to get the ball rolling...I love the aqua and the yellow and Baby B's room will be a vintage-y, beachy, happy cute room :) I think Ive also found the bedding I want(Serena & Lily-and will post on that later), my glider comes Thursday (Pottery Barn Kids Eco Glider in Stone), I need to order my crib and we already received the changing table (both PB kids) and then just order the fun stuff: our stroller and my diaper bag and I'm all set!! Well- almost, I of course need all the other baby stuff and need to actually deliver this baby-but both of those things are way less frightening than finally deciding on my nursery stuff!!

Monday Routine

Well, this one isn't too glamorous :) As I did my little Monday routine-I thought I may as well blog about it in case any of you are not as efficient as you'd like. So every Tuesday our garbage gets collected very early-which means Kevin's chore is to take our big trash cans/bins/toters(I mean what do you call those things-the big huge ones that are either trash, recycle or green waste?) and put them on the street on Monday. Sooooo that means that every Monday I clean out our fridge. I throw away anything that isn't going to get used (sadly its mainly produce since I still can't quite get great at planning our meals) and wipe down any mess that is in our fridge. This is the best day to do this bc then I wont have stinky food in our cans for very long. I also throw away my kitchen sponge every Monday and get a new one. During the week-when ever I run the dishwasher (which is very often) I put the sponge in the washer to sterilize it. I also clean our garbage disposal with this cute little product called a Plink. You can get these anywhere-I always see them at my grocery stores that I go to (Pavilions and Gelson's). They are a cleaner and deodorizer and works like a charm!! I read this book on cleaning and organization and the author was all about segmenting little tasks like these and doing them on the same day each week-I have to say, it really helps me get everything done!! Now if I could just figure out a way to deal with all of our mail we get....

Side note: I saw the movie "Ramona and Beezus" this weekend with a girlfriend and I have to say it was soooooo cute!!! I read all of the Ramona Quimby books as a child and the movie was happy and funny and I loved it :)

A Special Day and an AMAZING Sunscreen!!!

Happy Friday Bloggers!!! Is it just me or are the weeks just flying by?? Insane! I like it!!
A few weeks ago I had the privilege to walk in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life in Redondo Beach. Two of my fabulous friends (Heidi and Christina) organized a team and a booth and we seriously had the best time. There was walking (duh, it is a relay!), lots of talking(and catching up!), eating(BBQ-yum!), shopping(people sold things at booths), selling(we sold baked goods at our booth) and honoring loved ones. Here are pics from Christina's Blog:

http://www.christinadelyphotography.com/search/label/Specialty%20Items

She did an amazing job with these photos. I feel like Im there again when I see them. I can't wait for next year!!

Another great thing that came out of the Relay is I found what could be my #1 newest favorite product on the planet...Move over Clarins SPF 40, there is a new sunscreen in town!!! La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 is ridiculous. Like ridiculous in a good way. I remember hearing about this treasure about 7ish years ago when I worked in the plastic surgery business and the La Roche-Posay reps would talk about the most effective sunscreen-but it was only available in Europe. Well, its been in the states for a while-but I was so loyal to my beloved Clarins that I never thought to try it. At the Relay for Life-they had samples of it and I picked up a few and OMG it is fabulous!! Goes on so easily and doesn't leave my face white at all(that was the major downside of the Clarins). I think it is as good of a block as the Clarins-but time will have to tell with that. Its cheaper too!! And you can get it at CVS or Amazon!

Love this Moisturizer!!

They got me. I really thought I was just going in to buy my lip balm and I didn't even see them coming...they are fast, sneaky and very good at what they do...Cosmetic Sales People!! So I was just walking by the Philosophy counter and I must have looked weak bc next thing you know I'm swiping my card for $200+ worth of youth and beauty promising goodies. Good news is I like everything I bought! So I had to blog specifically about this fantastic anti aging moisturizer: Philosophy Miracle Worker. I love it!!! I use it at night after I wash my face and apply eye cream and it is both light and moisturizing. It instantly makes my cheeks super soft and gives my skin a nice glow! Even Kevin noticed and said he loves how soft my face is :) Love it when my hard work pays off!!! So it is $55 they have it at Nordies, Sephora and most places that sells Philosophy. I was very honest with the girls at the counter bc Ive tried another Philosophy Moisturizer and it sucked!! Hated it!! As soon I said it they knew which one I was talking about and promised that is one is a billion times better and they were right! It is terrific!

My AHA! Moment!!!

Alright. I am so happy to be preggo. I love this little bean inside of me more than life itself. I can't wait to meet him and see who he looks like. I can't wait to kiss his cute baby cheeks and spoil him rotten. That being said-there have been some hard parts to this pregnancy...I mean-not crazy hard, but it is definitely a life changing/body changing experience. My body has gotten a lot bigger and softer. My boobs need their own zip code. My hair has gotten much dryer (weird right?). My skin has been good to me (no stretchmarks yet knock on wood!!). But still lots of changes. So the one that really through me for a loop was that all of a sudden I have a lot of wrinkles around my eyes!! WTF???!!! I'm so good about always putting on eye cream, always wearing glasses and we all know I've dabbled in some Botox from time to time...so what is going on???!!!??? It is driving me crazy!! Well, I finally figured it out: At a certain point in your pregnancy, they advise you to sleep on your sides bc its better for your blood flow and for your baby. I have always been a back sleeper ever since I read that Heather Locklear swears this is her #1 stay young secret. But being paranoid and a directions follower, I have been snuggling up to Kevin or my body pillow and sleeping on my side...well that's the culprit! It smashes my face and pinches my wrinkles together and makes me look old!!! :( Whew-I'm glad I figured out what was the deal!! Another factor was I switched to these super cute brown glasses instead of my usual black ones and think I'll go back to darker bc I do find that I'm squinting quite a bit more in the brown ones. So for now I'll keep sleeping on my side but I'll try to not smush my face so much, I'll switch to darker glasses, I'm going to bump up my eye cream and after this baby boy gets here and I'm done breastfeeding him, I will march my butt to the closest dermatologist and get my face shot up with Botox galore!