pregnancy

Review & Giveaway: Belli Skincare

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There are a number of prenatal and postnatal beauty products out there today and it can be a real challenge to figure out which ones you should try and which ones you should just pass on.  I recently received a package from Belli Skincare containing their Your Best Baby Bump Duo and their Anti-Chloasma Facial Sunscreen.  Although all three items had their pros and cons, I absolutely loved them all and would recommend everything.  I really look forward to trying products from Belli’s Motherhood Line and maybe even their Baby Line. Check out my review of each product below:

Your Best Baby Bump Duo $49.99

I received the “Your Best Baby Bump Duo” which includes the Elasticity Belly Oil and the All Day Moisture Body Lotion

Elasticity Belly Oil (regularly $39)

Maintains the look of smooth, healthy skin with scientifically researched* ingredients that help prepare skin for stretching during pregnancy.

  • A luxurious blend of pure plant extracts to nourish and moisturize the skin
  • The aromatherapy benefit of lavender soothes and calms the senses
  • Contains Vitamin E and grapeseed oil, both are rich in antioxidants
  • Used in fine spas as a pre-natal massage oil

Pro: I love the smell! It is really wonderful and I am looking forward to packing it up and taking it to the birthing center with us so that Neil can use it to massage my back. I also love how it sprays on so easily and isn’t too greasy feeling. Neil also loves the smell of this oil.

Con: The spray is nice but sometimes it goes on a little wild- I have learned to remove my shirt before putting it on now so it won’t get all over my clothes. The other con is the price- it is a little expensive at $39.

Would I recommend? I would and I AM recommending it to moms-to-be.  I would recommend getting the Your Best Baby Bump Duo because it is a good deal and has both the oil and the lotion.

All Day Moisture Body Lotion (regularly $19)

Deeply moisturizes, soothes and comforts dry skin.

  • Features lemon oil which is known for its uplifting qualities
  • Chamomile soothes and refreshes
  • Shea butter moisturizes and smooths

Pro: Smells like lemon cookies! I absolutely love this lotion and so does Neil. We both used it after spending too much time in the sun and it did a good job at soothing our burnt skin.  It also really does a great job at moisturizing.  I also love that it smells like lemon cookies but the smell isn’t over powering and really mellows out shortly after applying.

Cons: I really can’t think of any cons! It is a little on the more expensive side for some but honestly I think the price is pretty competitive for the quality.

Would I recommend? I would definitely recommended this to anyone regardless of whether you are pregnant or not.

Anti-Chloasma Facial Sunscreen SPF-25 $24

Shield yourself from UVA and UVB rays with pregnancy-friendly sunscreen ingredients.

  • Features zinc oxide & titanium dioxide– minerals that act as physical sunscreen filters
  • Sun exposure during pregnancy can result in chloasma– dark brown spots that 70% of pregnant women experience
  • Lightly tinted to blend in with all skin types
  • Oil-free
  • May be worn alone or under makeup

Pro: It doesn’t have the normal sunscreen smell (which I hate). Although it is tinted it blends right in and I find it evens my skin tone out just a bit (maybe I’m the only one who notices though). It isn’t heavy on the skin and it works really well with my makeup.  I usually wear a tinted moisturizer and lately I have just been wearing the Belli sunscreen instead.

Con: It is a little expensive, especially if you plan to reapply frequently or if you are a little heavy handed with it.  I wouldn’t wear this as my go to sunscreen if I were heading to the pool or the beach but it is good for everyday wear.

Would I recommend? I would recommend this, however, if you know you really need a lot of sunscreen in the summer and/or spend a lot of time lounging on the beach I would also have another facial sunscreen for that and use this as more everyday use.

Giveaway: (closed)

Winner:

One lucky reader will win both the  Your Best Baby Bump Duo and the Anti-Chloasma Facial Sunscreen. This giveaway is open to U.S. & Canada residents only. Giveaway is open until June 8, 2012 at 6pm EST.

To Enter:

Mandatory: Visit the Belli Skincare site and tell me something you learned or a about a product that interest you.

Additional Entries (leave a separate comment for each entry):

  • Follow @Belliskincare on Twitter
  • Tweet about this giveaway: “I want to win @runwithtongs @BelliSkincare giveaway http://wp.me/pFVWo-3jU”

Disclaimer: Belli Skincare provided me with these products at no cost. I was under no obligation to review them if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway.

Did you know? You can take advantage of savings on Belli products by clicking on the bright pink Share & Save button that appears on the far right-hand side of belliskincare.com.  When they click the button and share Belli with at least 3 of their friends via email, Facebook or Twitter, they and their friends can receive an exclusive promo code good for 20% off their purchase at belliskincare.com.

Weekend Wrap Up: Good Eats & a Giveaway (Closed)

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If you are looking for the giveaway you’ll just go nuts about scroll down! 

This weekend Neil and I were fairly busy and it seems that things aren’t going to be slowing down anytime soon!  We started the weekend off with a homemade Mexican pizza (recipe to come tomorrow) which was absolutely delicious.

Here it is all fixed up with a sprinkle of baby arugula, fresh tomatoes and sour supreme.  We enjoyed our slices, went for a walk and settled on the couch to watch a few shows.

Saturday morning I got up bright and early to bake up a batch of Babycakes gluten free Pumpkin Spice Muffins for our early morning birthing class.  Around 8:30 our birthing class teacher arrived (we are taking private classes) and we served up coffee, muffins and fruit before starting our four hours of class. In other news our birthing class teacher is also a doula and last week after doing a bunch of reading Neil and I made a last minute decision to hire a doula for the birth.  I checked with Sarah (our birth coach) to see if she had any July openings and she did so after our class we decided to hire her to be our doula (she is really wonderful and so comfortable to be around).  I’ll discuss more of this doula talk in Thursday’s update post.

After our four plus hours of birthing class Neil and I were so hungry we decided to use up the remaining homemade dough and make another small pizza for lunch and then I passed out for a few hours.  When I finally woke up Neil was going a little stir crazy and was ready to get out of the house so we decided to have a date night downtown including window shopping, drinks (beer for him and water for me) and dinner out at A Single Pebble <–Neil had a gift card from work so free (almost) dinner for us! After dinner we headed home and cuddled on the couch while watching the remainder of the Yankees game, we should have just gone to bed though such a bad game.

Sunday we enjoyed a lazy morning before heading out for brunch with friends that we hadn’t seen since last July.  We spent over two hours enjoying food, conversation and having tons of belly laughs at Duino Duende.  It was so nice not to have a rushed meal and really enjoy the company.  After brunch we rean a few errands, took a nap, Neil did a training run and I watched House Hunters International.

While Neil finished up his run I made dinner of arugula walnut pesto with peas and white beans, a side of kale and leftover tofu from dinner at A Single Pebble.  After dinner we went for a stroll and then relaxed on the couch. What did you do this weekend?

Now that you’ve read my weekend recap keep scrolling and you’ll find a great giveaway! 

Review and Giveaway: Doug’s Nuts

A few weeks ago Doug’s Nuts sent me a few complimentary bags of their nuts to try out and ever since then I have been in love.  When I first open the nuts I am expecting them to be sugary based on their shiny coating but they were super mild and really delicious.  They are coated with a flavorful glaze consisting of organic evaporated sugarcane juice, honey, oatmeal stout beer <– my husband saw beer and had to try them immediately, sea salt, organic vanilla extract, and other natural flavors. In the mix are roasted almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, and pumpkin seeds (the hazelnuts and pecans are my favorites).

I unfortunately finished off my two pouches pretty quickly (time to get some more I guess!)  but boy where they good.  I enjoyed them over soy yogurt, by the palm-full and my favorite way as a topping for apple “nachos”.  What are apple nachos? Simply thinly sliced apples (I use my mandolin) drizzled with almond butter and topped with a sprinkling of Doug’s Nuts and a few mini chocolate chips for good measure.

Giveaway Details- Open Until Friday May 11th at 8pm EST: CLOSED

  • Doug’s Nuts will provide and ship one 6-pack of Doug’s Nuts to the winner ($30 + shipping costs value) – OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY
Winner:

To enter:

  • Visit the Doug’s Nuts and come back and leave a comment letting me know something that you have learned. (Mandatory)
Additional Entries: (Leave a separate entry for each)
  • Follow Doug’s Nuts on Twitter
  • Follow Running With Tongs on Twitter
  • Tweet “I’d go nuts to win @runwithtongs @dougsnuts giveaway http://wp.me/pFVWo-3fL”

{Pregnancy Update} 22 Weeks

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How far along are you: 22 Weeks

How big is the baby: At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he’s even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. (source)

 

Baby’s Gender: Still a secret.  We had our anatomical ultrasound last week and we didn’t find out and honestly for the past few days Neil and I have been kicking ourselves for not finding out.  Oh well! I did have my first gender specific dream and we had a girl!

Any guesses?

Baby’s Name: Status is still the same- 5 boy names and 5 girls.

Weight Gained: No scale so I haven’t weighed myself this week.

Clothes:  I finally bought myself new and much bigger bras, my chest has never thanked me so much. I also picked up a new tank top and two new dresses.  I have maternity pants that I like but if I don’t wash them after every wear they don’t stay up.

How are you feeling: I’m feeling good, no complaints!

What do you miss: Running. Sprouts. Wearing normal clothes.

Symptoms: Occasional heart burn. Minor swelling in my hands…I think I will be taking my wedding rings off in the next few weeks.

Cravings: Fresh Veggies and Fruit. Lots of berries.

How are you sleeping: This week I have been sleeping pretty well.  I think it’s the bigger bed and not having to get up for work.

Workouts: I have been on top of my workouts this week! Lots of walks and I did an at home mini-yoga session as well.  I will blog about the details in tomorrows Fitness Friday post.

Next Midwife Appointment:  March 28th.

Babymoon: We are currently on our pre-baby getaway.  It’s not exactly a babymoon as we are staying with my parents but we have been having a great time and have been able to have a few days to ourself- last Saturday in Boston and yesterday we went to Charleston.