Beauty Review: Belli Pregnancy Friendly Anti-Blemish Face Wash & Acne Control Spot Treatment

Belli Skin Care is skincare that is absolutely safe to use while you’re pregnant. Not all skincare is, we all know that. Some skincare contains harsh chemicals that should be avoided. The chemicals that are in our skin/hair care does seep into our bloodstream through the cells in our skin/hair follicles, so going safe is the only way to go!

My skin goes OVERTIME while I’m pregnant, I swear! At the beginning half of the pregnancy my face is covered in oil it seamed. I had acne more when I was pregnant then I EVER did when I was a teenager. I guess it is just all the pregnancy hormones, but I wasn’t “glowing” at all, except from oil.

My hormones were running rampant, making me BEG for something to get rid of the acne. I couldn’t handle my once beautiful acne-free skin so full of blemishes, and not being able to do anything about it.

I was excited to be able to review two of the Belli Skin Care Acne Prone Skin Products. They sent me the Anti-Blemish Facial Wash (Complexion Perfection) and the Acne Control Spot Treatment.

This is the Belli Anti-Blemish Facial Wash, which is totally free of any dyes, phthalates, and preservatives. I love that this is a multipurpose acne cleanser. It can be used as a regular face wash or it can be left on for 5 minutes as a mask.

I rotate between the two. If I feel like my face is exceptionally oily, I’ll use this as a face mask and keep it on for the 5 minutes, but if I’m in a hurry I’ll use it as a cleanser. It works unbelievably amazing as both!

This cleanser/mask is completely clear, you can immediately tell that there aren’t any dyes inside. It smells really good, reminds me of citrus cleaner. My face feels SO clean after using this, and it isn’t overly dry. It just cleanses the extra oil, while keeping the natural oils on your face from being stripped.

A dime sized portion is all that is needed to cleanse the entire face. This ONE bottle is sure to last quite some time even if you use it twice on a daily basis. It is great for calming the skin and helping rid of that pesky acne that is keeping you from “glowing” like every mommy-to-be wants to.

This has completely canceled out my acne already, and I’ve only been using it for about 3 weeks. I could see a change within just the first week, which was astonishing. You don’t have to be pregnant to use this, it are amazing for anyone who suffers from acne-prone skin that doesn’t want to be subjected to harsh chemicals, dyes, and preservatives!

Regular acne medicine contains salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and/or benzoyl peroxide-- common acne fighting ingredients that should be avoided during pregnancy. This face wash has none of those ingredients in it. It has lactic acid as the acne fighting ingredient, which IS safe to use during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Contains lemon peel oil, a natural anti-bacterial and skin brightener

With green tea extract and cucumber, both are rich in antioxidants

About the Cleanser:

Acne Clearing Facial Wash is an exfoliating wash; rich in powerful acne-ridding ingredients that leaves skin clear and refined, without over-drying. The safest acne solution for pregnancy, Belli Acne Clearing Facial Wash uses hydroxyacid to lift away dirt, oil and bacteria, promoting clean and blemish-free skin. Most acne treatments are contra-indicated during pregnancy because of adverse effects to baby. Belli's breakthrough formulation is the first to safely address pregnancy-related acne using lactic acid ¿ an ingredient that is naturally found in the body.

Buy it: Belli Anti-Blemish Facial Wash $22 for 6.7 oz..

 

The second item I received was the Belli Skin Care Acne Control Spot Treatment.

When pairing this with the amazing Anti-Blemish Face Wash, it just amazed me at how quickly the already formed blemishes were gone. I was thinking it would take at least 3 days to be rid of them, but with just the first use it totally dried them up.

It smells a little because it has sulfur as an ingredient, but the smell doesn’t last long and it isn’t overwhelming. You can use this as a spot treatment or rub a little on your entire face after washing. I’ve been swiping a little all over in hopes that it will stop the forming blemishes as well as dry up those that were already formed.

I loved how quickly it soaked into the skin. This can be used both morning and night, and can be worn under makeup, moisturizer, or even sunblock! The more you use it, the quicker results you’ll get.

It’s shocking how well these work together and how quickly they show results. I didn’t want to be walking around looking like a proactive commercial beginning. It’s gross and makes you think you look horrifying. You don’t have to be trapped with hormonal acne, and feel the need to hide!

If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or just want something all natural to help with the acne.. you should definitely try both of these! They rock!

About the Acne Control Spot Treatment

An acne spot treatment that helps reduce the severity of acne blemishes and may be used during pregnancy.

Features sulfur to clear acne blemishes AND help prevent new breakouts

FREE of salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and benzoyl peroxide-- common acne fighting ingredients that should be avoided during pregnancy

Applicator tip for easy targeted treatment

Absorbs quickly; non-greasy

Buy it: Belli Skin Care Acne Control Spot Treatment $15 for 0.5 oz.

About Belli Skincare:

Giving birth to your baby is so much more than a physical act. It's a life-altering experience, full of emotion, beauty and meaning. For expectant and new mothers, it's also a time of uncertainty, with a changing body, unique skin care issues, heightened safety concerns and a new baby to care for.

Connect with Belli Skincare online:

Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest

 

Jessica Renee

Beauty Review: Secret Agent Lip Gloss Golden Spy & Diamond Girl

Secret Agent Beauty, even the name seems mystique, unique, and makes you want to know more right? I was excited to be able to review to work with them on reviewing 2 of their Secret Agent Lip Glosses.

These lip glosses are both clear and may look alike, but it couldn’t be more far from the truth. They are exact opposites are far as glosses go. They both may look like they are just the regular clear glosses seen on every shelf in the beauty aisle, but think again.

 

Diamond Girl Detective

The Diamond Girl Detective Lip Gloss is a moisture packed, aloe-infused lip gloss in a crystal-clear, high-shine gloss that reveals a “level 1” delivery of naturally hydrating & cell-plumping ingredients including aloe vera, peppermint, vitamin e, and sacha inchi.

This is a really amazing gloss. Not only does it feel amazing on the lips, it helps to plump them too. When I first used this, my lips were dry, a little on the cracked side, and I had a slight fever blister. This instantly cooled the burn, while making my lips look super fabulous.

This can be worn under or over your favorite lip stick to give it high shine and moisture. I instantly fell in love after it soothed, healed, and moisturized my too dry lips. I had been a little on the sick side, plus tanning (double double dry!) and within 2 days, they were back to normal.

Lips crave moisture, why leave them in the dark? This awesome lip gloss is packed with ingredients that will naturally help your lips regain the beauty they had been missing! Believe me, I know!

The wand on these glosses are absolutely the perfect shape to get every inch of the lips without getting too much gloss. It’s like they were built to naturally form to the lips. Instead of it being big and round, it’s long and flat Unlike the larger made tips that apply so much gloss that it’s practically dripping gloss off my lips when I’m done.

This is a level 1 plumping gloss, which means it plumps the lips at the lowest level, but it feels amazing. I love the soothing coolness that I immediately feel when I apply this gloss. It’s not thick and cheap looking, which I very much appreciate.

You can tell that these are high quality glosses, because they wear perfectly and smell nice!

About the ingredients:

• Pure Aloe Very Extract that cools, soothes and heals lips. It's packed with amino acids, vitamins A, C, F, B, niacin and vitamin B12 that hydrate and restore moisture to lips.
• Sacha Inchi Oil, which is rich in omegas 3, 6 and 9 as well as iodine, vitamin A & E. These fatty acids help reduce dry flakey skin by preventing dehydration of delicate lip cells leaving lips looking plumper and more youthful.
• Peppermint Oil Extract & Menthol, which are soothing all natural muscle relaxants that leave lips luscious. Their deep penetrating properties impart a tingling sensation that swells lips allowing for a fuller pucker.

Agent Golden Spy

You have GOT to indulge your lips in this Secret Agent Golden Spy lip gloss, it is amazing! This is also Aloe and Vitamin E infused, so all natural moisture, isn’t that what your lips are asking of you? This is collagen infused though, so your lips won’t only be kissable-smooth, but will also be plumped up and looking healthy!

This also contains the oils of sunflower, jojoba, and almonds. This gloss contains all the extra moisture that you’ve been needing for those moisture-seeking lips. You don’t just have to wear this as a lipgloss. This can also be work as a primer for your favorite lipstick or use it as night as a lip-mask!

What makes me fall in love with this is the Gold flakes inside. YES, I said REAL gold flakes. If you look closely, you can see the gold flakes swimming around. It’s an old ancient secret that the gold flakes protect, hydrate, and smooth the lips.

I never knew the secret until receiving the Golden Spy Gloss, but it’s true. My lips have never felt more hydrated, luscious, or healthy. In all my lip gloss use through the years, I’ve never met any that could even slightly compare to these two right here.

The gold flakes just seem to sink right into the lips, there is absolutely no glittery look or feel to it at all. I love how silky this feels without being sticky and gooey. Who wouldn’t feel absolutely luxurious wearing Gold Flakes on their lips? You are now an undercover Super Agent!!

Like the Diamond Girl (and all the other Secret Agent Glosses) they’ve been made over. They now have a new and improved look, which is a bigger tube with a bigger bang! AND the application stick is OH so amazing! It fits my lips perfectly!

• Vitamin E
• Natural Aloe Vera
• Sunflower, Almond & Jojoba Oils.
• Natural Gold Flakes

The Diamond Girl is more for soothing, healing, and hydrating lips. Agent Golden Spy is more for plumping, moisturizing,and drawing attention!

Most plumping glosses contain cinnamon, which can slightly burn or tingle when you put them on. These glosses don’t, you can’t feel any tingling or burning sensation at all. This is awesome because even those with sensitive skin/lips can use this!

Both of these are incredible for showing off your makeup without wanting to wear a lip color! It brings the attention right to your face, and enhances the boldness of your lips! Incredible staying power, and actually hydrates the lips.

These Secret Agent glosses are available at SecretAgentBeauty for $18 a piece

Connect with Secret Agent Beauty online:

Facebook and Twitter

 

-Jessica

What Does your handwriting say about you?

 

Handwriting IS personal to us. Have you ever wondered if your handwriting could be a key to your personality style?

 

I’ve always been interested in Handwriting tests, when I’ve found them. Do you write big or small, close together or wide apart?

 

Look at the infographic below and tell me if you think it’s accurate to your personality!

What Does Your Handwriting Say About You? infographic

Thanks for stopping by,

-Jessica

Kids’ Review & Giveaway: Doodle Pants Leggings

I was excited when DoodlePants emailed me back saying that they definitely wanted to work together on a review and giveaway. I wasn’t sure which doodle pants leggings we were going to get, but it didn’t matter because all of the leggings on the website are absolutely adorable.

My daughter is 4 and ALL girl. She loves wearing dresses, but in the winter it just gets too cold for her to wear a dress with just panty hose. That’s where these legging come in. They look amazing with dresses and even t-shirts, while keeping her warm.

We ended up getting the Pink Monster Doodle Pants. I pulled them out of the box and they were so adorable! They are a lighter hot pink, one leg has polka dots and the other stripes. On the butt, there’s the pink monster.

Of course, as soon as I opened the box and Adisyn seen them, she took off her clothes and put these on with a dress. Gotta love her, LOL.

She immediately fell in love with them. She said “they’re so pretty!” They are really stretchy and incredibly soft because they are made of a poly/nylon blend. They are thick enough to be worn under dresses in the fall/winter without her legs getting cold, but they aren’t too thick that she will she burns up in them now that it’s summer.

I love that they are stretchy, so they will fit her for awhile, she’s been growing quite quickly these days. I love that there are so many designs on the website, that way we can add to her collection! She really LOVES those unicorn ones!

She just thinks she’s the coolest girl on the block with her new doodle pants. When my mom, Adam’s mom, and just about Anybody walked through the door- “look at my monster pants, the monsters on my butt”. Kids and the things they say. LOL

There are even some for boys! How cool is that? They make them as small as 3 months, and they are designed with cloth diapers in mind. So, those that cloth diaper (or even use regular diapers) will have lots of room to move around!

Here are some of the boy ones.

"Doodle Pants focus on providing the most unique and creative side to toddler fashion. Owned and operated by Lorain Danus, the creator of Lotus Bumz premium cloth diapers, Doodle Pants is the sister company offering a line-up that's geared toward your tiny tots. Doodle Pants' exclusive collection is both trendy and one-of-a-kind. There's simply nothing cuter than a crawler in Doodle Pants" 

The leggings sell for $24.99 on the doodle pants website

You can find Doodle Pants on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest

Keep a watch out for the Giveaway!!

Jessica Renee

Chic Mom Review: House of Botori Ginika Tote Diaper Bag

I was super excited when House of Botori wanted to work with me. You just don’t even know how much I fell in love with their website and EVERY product in it. House of Botori is definitely not your average baby/mama items.

She took items that we need for our everyday lives and made them beautiful, modern, and absolutely irresistible. As I was browsing through the House of Botori Diaper Bags, I was instantly drawn in to the beautiful colors, modern designs, and the much needed accessories that accompany these beautifully designed bags.

There are 5 different varieties of diaper bags on the website, and each one has it’s own name, which I loved! They are each constructed with their own individual style, so that you can express yours. That’s the reason I had so much trouble choosing. Each diaper bag has it’s own separate characteristics that make it exclusive to that bag, so I was debating HARD LOL. I was like a kid at a candy store.

Each one has a different number, size, design and placement of pockets, zippers, and storage areas. When you click on a diaper bag, it’ll show you that you can choose any design (some have more color design options than others) you want in the bag structure you want! So, if you like the Kaira Diaper Bag better but was thinking.. “Ooh, I would love to have that in bright pink or dark blue.” You could most definitely get it, shown below are the Kaira Diaper bags in Skipper Rum (pink) and Braid Sapphire (Blue).

That’s what surprised me. There are all these super fabulous diaper bags that made me want each one anyway, and then to find out they are available in a variety of colors too? I was super impressed, so much that I think my jaw possibly dropped.

So, I began looking at what the bags themselves offered. I always think about the benefits and perks of each item. Which design will better fit my lifestyle? Which would expand the amount of items I can carry without being too bulky? More pockets to store stuff so there’s less space for single items to roll around and I have to dig to find them? Or more space to store bigger items and less pockets?  What accessories come with them?

The designs are very exclusive to House of Botori, I had never seen a Bowler style diaper bag before in my life. I was already exceptionally impressed with their meticulous planning of each item before I even chose the bag. I could already tell that a considerable amount of time had been put into the design process of each item. A lot of thought was definitely put into each one, designed with busy moms in mind. How can this ease her stress and save her time? That’s definitely what I thought!

I ended up getting the Ginika Tote in Twirl Tangerine. I immediately fell in love with the bright orange color with the pretty whimsical flowers on the outside. The design is super modern, practical, and it isn’t too big or too small. It’s exactly the right size.

Why be subjected to using a plain, boring, lifeless diaper bag when you don’t have to? You don’t have to give up your fashionable style just because you’re a mom now. Now you don’t have to sacrifice style for functionality and convenience, you can get both! Rock that style mama!

Since becoming a first time mom in 2007, I’ve been through a lot of different varieties of diaper bags. During that time there weren’t many stylish options available, you just picked the necessity diaper bag (the size you needed to suit babies needs) and hoped for the best. The stylish options that were available at that time were very expensive, a regular mom like me couldn’t afford a $400 diaper bag..

Now we stylish mamas can stand up and give House of Botori a bow! Thank you, thank you! Fashionable bags that hold all of your child’s needs. The Ginika Tote is very spacious, and has 10 pockets to keep everything organized and within reach.

This is the inside of the bag, I love the bright inside that is also spill and stain resistant. Having a child, doesn’t matter if it’s a baby or a toddler- spills are almost inevitable with the bottles, sippy cups, and snack containers. So, I love that the interior has made it easy for a busy mom on the go.To clean just grab a baby wipe or wet paper towel and wipe the mess clean, it beats having to throw it in the washer! WIN!

This is just one side of the inside pockets. There are two huge pockets for your mama needs such as sunglasses, cell phone, and any other accessories you might want to bring. There are also 2 tiny pockets on the right for pens/pencils. Then the zippered pocket for keeping your personal stuff/valuables.

Do you know how AMAZING it is to have a key fob right on the inside of the diaper bag? You don’t even want to know how much time I’ve wasted digging for lost keys. Now, the searching is over. The key fob is high quality, made to snap around your key ring so they aren’t rolling around in the bottom of the bag.

I also adore that my full size wallet will fit in any of the inside pockets without a problem. Usually when we go out for the entire day I don’t bring a purse at all. It saves me time, a headache, and possibly a backache as well. So, it’s nice to be able to put my own items in this one as well!

The other side of pockets can be used exclusively for your childs’ needs. Whether it’s diapers or pull ups, wipes, toys, snacks, medicine, or bibs and hats. No matter what you need to fit inside, including the extra clothes, they’ll fit!

On each side of the bag there are PEVA lined pot pockets. These can also hold whatever.. it’s the right size for holding extra empty bottles, baby lotion, or a larger snack container (like little puffs). That’s just the inside pockets, which consist of seven. Of course we can’t forget that giant opening for putting extra clothing for your little one. We ALL know that it’s better to keep at least 2 extra clothing changes on hand at a time.

I was thrilled to see so much room inside those pockets. Pockets are VERY essential to me. I’ve had other HUGE diaper bags, but organizing everything was a hassle because there wasn’t any inside pockets. If I wanted the clothes separate from the bottles or sippy cups, toys, and diapers/wipes I would have to pack them individually in separate bags and then put them inside the diaper bag. So when I seen the pockets, I was VERY impressed.

The outside of the bag is just as spectacular as the inside. I am IN love with the bold colors and eye catching design. The first picture below is the back pocket with the magnet closure. This is where I put the changing pad (that comes with it). It fits in their perfectly! The side pocket you see in the picture, there is another on the other side as well.

This is the front of the bag. I love that it can easily hold the tablet so my daughter can play games while we wait at the doctor. With all the space, I never have to worry about a tantrum being thrown because I can pack all the toys she wants to play with!

It comes with all these accessories, with the same beautiful design as the exterior. I loved that they take this extra step for mamas. I’ve never seen a diaper bag offer all these selections in the same bag.

There are 2 drawstring dirty clothes sacks, an insulated bottle holder, a pacifier holder, a changing pad and padded shoulder straps. Everything here is essential to the life of a mom yet no other diaper bag company goes above and beyond like this to offer all the accessories shown AND at such a cheap price.

It makes the diaper bag that much more lovable because I can pack it without the regular strap digging into my shoulder. The shoulder strap prevents that, so it’s comfortable. I love that everything that I need is in reach, and I know which pocket or space it’s in. It makes being the mom of 2 children exceptionally more easy and definitely more enjoyable.

PLUS, when you no longer NEED a diaper bag, this would make an awesome laptop bag!

Buy it: House of Botori Ginika Tote Diaper Bag $79.97

Connect with House of Botori online:

Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Youtube

Jessica Renee