Honey from Tummy to Toes

I am so excited that we are having a spring baby. That means we can be out and about with the baby all summer, not cooped up, hanging around the house, dreading the 4:30 pm sunsets. But being pregnant over the winter does have one major drawback: itchy, irritated winter skin is kicked up a notch (or more...) due to hormones and all the stretching that comes with a growing baby bump.

Lucky for me, I found Bella B.'s Tummy Honey Butter ($19.95) It's a thick butter designed to prevent stretch marks and alleviate the itching of stretched-thin skin. In the tub, it's a solid - think of a true butter, not a cream-described-as-butter. It is not water-based, so on initial application it feels a bit greasy, but it spreads easily and absorbs quickly into skin. Still, because I like to dress and go in the morning, I reserve this for nightime use.

There's a subtle texture within the butter - like a very fine grain, maybe it's the cornstarch? - which actually helps to relieve itching as you rub it in (and probably helps exfoliate as well). Tummy Honey Butter includes such key ingredients as Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Vitamins D and E, wheat germ oil, olive oil (a sworn-by remedy in middle eastern cultures), avocado oil, jojoba oil, sesame oil, almond oil, and aloe vera.

The fragrance is a real pleasure too. Lots of pregnant gals are super-sensitive to smells, so sniff before you buy. This product has a very subtle scent coming from the cocoa butter, but it has a slightly floral aspect so it's not too chocolatey (like the Palmers products on the market). Natural-product lovers will appreciate that it's free of petroleum, lanolin and parabens, and has not been tested on animals. Not pregnant? I'd suggest trying this butter to re-hydrate cracked hands, elbows and feet, to relieve itchy eczema spots and to hydrate split cuticles.

Another fave product from this line is the Tummy to Toes, Feet & Leg Revitalizer ($18.99). I was recently on a business trip that required a 6-hour flight followed by days and nights on my feet (and in heels no less, hey - I was trying to be stylish!)... and my poor feet took a major beating. This thick cream provides enough slip so that you can deeply massage it into tired feet and calves - or better, get someone else to do it for you! There's a mild cooling sensation that helps revitalize tired feet, but doesn't have an overpowering menthol smell. Again, this would be appreciated by anyone who is tough on her feet, not just moms to be!

Have an expectant friend? Send her a gift set of Tummy Honey products. She'll thank you!

Pregnant Pause

I'm not ignoring my blog - at least not on purpose, anyway. But it is true that my posts have recently become fewer and further between. What's my excuse? Well, I've been a little distracted...

Yes, this beauty chick has a new little chick on the way! We're expecting a little boy (who I sincerely hope won't roll his eyes at his mother's obsession with fragrances, bath products and makeup...). Overall, I've been feeling great but of course with the new excitement in our lives and a whole new calendar full of doctor's visits, my time has been a little bit stretched. I want to thank the patient readers who keep returning to pay me a visit!

Needless to say, my beauty routine has changed a bit as well. For starters, I didn't even want to go near fragrance in the first trimester, talk about a personality change for me! New obsessions? All sorts of creams, butters and oils to hydrate skin and prevent stretch marks. And do I have a bunch to share with you! Even if you don't have a stretching belly to care for, these products are great for parched winter skin. So stay tuned, more posts (and a bundle of joy) on the way...