When I was a teenager and I had my typical adolescent breakouts, my mom would tell me to "sit in the sun". So, I'd head out to the back yard with an issue of Seventeen and a bottle of Sun-In.

I found that sitting in the sun was a mixed bag: if I just let the sun hit my skin very briefly, then it might help a little...but not a sufficient amount. If I sat out a few minutes too long, my fair skin would burn. Aside from the horrible sun damage that burns cause,  when the burns were healing my skin would get incredibly oily. This would actually defeat the purpose because it would make the acne look more red and irritatated. The oily complexion wasn't helping my case much either! I found if I applied sunblock to prevent the burn, that could sometimes clog my pores. So, I am not convinced that this theory of sun being a cure-all for acne is valid at all because there just doesn't seem to be a winning formula that keeps your skin safe and blemish-free. Sorry, mom! (And, mom, I'm not sure your theories on taking a hot bath to cure everything from a head ache to poison ivy are that reliable either...)

Today we know even more about the damage that sun causes your skin than when I was a kid - early aging and in worst case scenarios, cancer. (I shudder to think about my sister taking those album covers and covering them with aluminum foil to get that extra reflection of UV). That's why when you're experiencing pregnancy acne, you should use a gentle facial wash that's good for all skin types, and then protect your skin with sunscreen and really avoid too much exposure to the sun.

You can do both of these, of course, with Belli's Acne Clearing Facial Wash and Anti-Chloasma Facial Sunscreen. Sold together in the Complexion Protection Duo kit.  These aren't just your complexion's best friends during the summer, either.  They're great all year round.

Regardless of what you use - we here at Belli hope you protect your skin and have a safe, healthy and happy summer!

Happy Father's Day everyone!!!

While this represents a great day to celebrate your husband, your dad or family members/friends that are fathers, it also indicates that we are very close to the 4th of July. The 4th of July to me at least always feels like the first day that I am going to have to get in a bathing suit in public. There's always some pool party or something at the beach. In addition to boosting my cardio and sculpting work-outs, I like to really up the stakes in my skin care routine.

One thing that really makes a difference for your skin (especially if you plan to apply a little self tanner), is sloughing off dead skin and exfoliating all over. This makes your skin soft and gives it a healthy glow -- which is nice for bikini season. (By the way, if you are using a self-tanner, make sure it's paraben free!!)

Belli's Skin Smoothing Body Exfoliator is a great pre-bathing suit body scrub.  It is rich in anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients. Super effective at sweeping away old skin cells to reveal that healthy skin.

Check out Belli's big bargain of the moment: "Say No to Stretchmarks" VALUE SET Features Full size Elasticity Belly Oil (4 oz) and Full Size Stretchmark Minimizing Cream (6.7 oz) - typically $94.00 - NOW $74.00

Hey moms - happy sunny days! Now that summer is here, it's really important to protect your baby's skin and keep it moisturized. In the spirit of beach weather, we thought we would share some reminders from the Belli team:

Belli's Tips to Keep Baby’s Skin Safe in Sunny Weather

• Moisturize your baby’s skin daily to prevent it from dehydration and irritation, while protecting your baby's health
• When in the sun, apply SPF 50 (at least) to your baby several times through out the day
• Keep your baby’s head protected with a hat to avoid their scalp from getting sun burn
• Pick a spot near shade so the baby’s skin doesn’t have too much exposure to the sun

Nourish Me Enriched Body Lotion is pure and gentle hydration for baby's delicate skin. Fun fact: it also doubles as a baby massage cream.

P.S. Mommies can keep themselves safe with the Anti-Chloasma Facial Sunscreen SPF 25

Quick social network note: if you haven't already, be sure to friend Belli Skin Care on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @BelliSkincare

Ok, ladies, no more excuses. Time to get your tootsies ready for summer time. Since we're all being economical these days, many of us choose to give ourselves pedicures at home. Our suggestion is to turn it into a ritual for yourself. Invest in a kit (clipper, cuticle pusher, et al) and some fun colors (apparently yellow is the color for summer '09...?)

Applying your latest color is not the only fun part of pampering your feet. A good pedicure starts with a soak and then you should follow it up with a soothing, moisturizing cream. Belli's Foot Relief Cream is a great choice for any pedicure, it features peppermint, tea tree oil and shea butter and leaves skin feeling cool and refreshed. It actually cools your feet on these 80 degree days (and stops those proverbial dogs from barking.)

As we all know, for pregnant women, bellies are not the only things that grow and swell during pregnancy. Swollen feet and sore legs are common side effects for moms-to-be. Belli’s Foot Relief Cream soothes and refreshes tired legs and feet while eliminating discomfort, making up for a long day out and about in the hot summer sun.

I have many, many friends that measure a house or apartment by whether or not is has a good bathtub. Some friends of mine in New York City have ruled out perfectly good apartments just because they only had standing showers! Other friends in the suburbs look at houses and if the bathtubs don't measure up to their expectations - forget it!

Many of us can agree that the reason we have these bathtub standards is because there really is nothing like a good soak in the tub. Add some bubbles, candles, a bath pillow (optional) and background music (or just simple silence) and you are transported.

Aromatherapy contributes a lot to a good bathtime. Belli's Pampered Pregnancy Body Wash has the scents of lavender and chamomile - total relaxing essences. Another great thing about the Pampered Pregnancy Body Wash is that it is sooo gentle and doesn't irritate even your most sensitive skin (in fact, many new moms use the product when they're able to take baths, even if they're still sore!)

Pampered Pregnancy Body Wash is from Belli's Pregnancy line -- the safest pregnancy skin care products.