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!

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.

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

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.

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.

It's Memorial Day Weekend! Happy long weekend to all of Belli's friends.  So, I have something exciting to share: it's been just over 6 weeks since I started using the Stretchmark Minimizing Cream 2x daily.  The results have been nothing short of extraordinary.  A few years ago, I lost about 60lbs and a lot of the weight came off of my chest; went down about two bra sizes.  I did not realize that you could get stretchmarks from losing weight! I remember distinctly the feeling that I had when I was so excited to go to a friend's beach wedding and show off my slimmer physique, but also horrified that some of the bathing suits I bought did not cover the unsightly stretchmarks.  I have a couple pics of myself laying on the beach in a bikini...with a tank top on. {sigh}

Needless to say, I was very excited to do a case study on myself with the Stretchmark Minimizing Cream.  I would estimate that I saw results very quickly - after about 2 weeks of use.  Now that I am at the 6 week mark, the stretchmarks have been almost completely eliminated.  Just in time for summer! I can now unabashedly wear bathing suits and some lower neck tops and dresses, without fearing that one of those  awful marks will show! So, for all of you who have stretchmarks from losing weight or weight loss -- don't fear, this product is not just for pregnant women!!

An added benefit of sharing the experience with the older child, depending on age, is that moms can teach some important tips on baby care -- changing diapers, general safety, how to bathe (with adult supervision.) Bathing can especially be such a special time for a baby. When the baby is in his/her first months, bath time can be bonding time. And when that baby becomes and infant or a toddler, bath time can be FUN time. No matter what stage, bath time should always be safe.

Belli Baby Bundle of Joy Gift Set is a great bath time kit and the safest. Every product is allergy tested and free of artificial dyes, parabens, fragrances, phthalates, and other xenoestrogens—ingredients which can act like hormones and interfere with normal development of the reproductive system.  Of course, it also makes a great gift for moms.

Oh, and if anyone has any tips on developing a bond between siblings, please comment!

Every time I go for a facial, the esthetician tells me that I have dehydrated skin. It's pretty much a given. I always wonder how my skin could be suffering from dehydration when I drink well over 8 glasses of water a day. What I've learned is that the specific behavior that effectively hydrates your body does help your skin but your skin needs extra help when it suffers from sun damage, drying cleansers or skin products, ineffective moisturizers - and the list goes on.

One thing to keep in mind specifically during the summer when more of our skin is exposed, is that the skin on your face is not the only important skin. The skin on your body should be as hydrated as possible. Belli's All Day Moisture Body Lotion deeply moisturizes, comforts and soothes dry, itchy skin.  What's also really special about this moisturizer, is the delicious lemony scent (and also that it's one of the safest skincare lines around!)

The other fantastic things for summer and vacation? It's less than 3.0 ounces, so you can carry it on the plane (hallelujah - no checking luggage!), it's tinted so you don't need to wear heavy foundation or concealer (gives your skin a great, even tone) and it feels light enough to wear every day. All of these benefits AND if you're one of the 70 percent of pregnant women that experience dark brown splotchy areas on the face (chloasma), this magic sunscreen guards against that. And, of course, we all know that Belli is the safest skincare for pregnant women.  Hmm...all this talk about vacation and sun, makes me think I need to book my next one!

What also seems to matter more now than ever is using phthalate free products (like soap and creams) for your baby. This is because phthalates cause hormonal activities. It's good to know Belli Baby’s offerings are all xenoestrogen and phthalate free products. Belli Baby ingredients have also been screened to meet our RIPT allergy testing standards, which ensures products are gentle enough for a baby’s delicate skin.

And, aside from being safe for your baby, bath time with "Calm Me" Hair and Body Wash is such a special opportunity to bond with your baby.  So you can relax and take advantage of this special moment, knowing all of the ingredients in Belli's products are formulated and tested to ensure your baby's health is secure.  Enjoy!