Baby Bump Fitness Review and Giveaway

I just came across this program by a fellow Canadian who is the creator of Baby Bump Fitness. The focus is for soon-to-be moms and new moms. Jacqueline provides safe, quick & effective fitness solutions that really work, including workouts, rehab exercises and nutrition tips.

Recently, Jacqueline published two new E-books for sale on her site. They are Pregnancy Fitness Program and Busy Moms Fitness Program. Each E-book sells for $29.99, but three lucky winners will have a chance to win the E-book of their choice. Here is a summary of each E-book in more detail:

Jacqueline takes moms through those first post-pregnancy weeks to really focusing on getting that pre-pregnancy body back. The six-week program provides slow and steady pacing that is essential to proper progression and injury prevention. Similar to the Pregnancy workout, excellent step-by-step instructions and photos are provided. This is a great workout for travel as well. It’s super easy to just print a copy for your purse or suitcase and your workouts will always be on hand.

I'm hoping to win free copies of these ebooks to kick start my fitness and build my strength in those first few weeks post-pregnancy. You can enter to win too!

WIN FREE E-BOOKS! – To enter for a chance to win your choice of Baby Bump Pregnancy Fitness System or Baby Bump Busy Moms Fitness Program.

Visit Coach Jen at Personal Fit Coach for her review and details on how to WIN.

Hairstyles to Flatter your Face Shape

The Thread, Does Your Hairstyle Flatter Your Face Shape? @ Yahoo! Video

Superfoods for Incredible Hair

By Lucy Danziger, SELF Editor-in-Chief -

Iron
Iron helps bolster hair growth. Find it in meat, shellfish, fortified grains and leafy greens.

Protein
Protein is the building block of every strand, but it can be high in fat. To keep your saturated fat intake low, opt for lean cuts of meat, mix light meat with dark, or choose seafood.

Biotin, B6 and B12
Biotin, B6 and B12 promote new growth within the follicles. Good sources include whole-grain breads, oatmeal, skim milk, lowfat cheese, eggs, salmon, nuts and nut butters.

Zinc
Zinc strengthens natural oils that coat the hair shaft, creating shine. Feast on meat, nuts, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds and yogurt.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps promote cell renewal in the scalp. Get your fill in the form of brightly colored fruits and veggies. Strawberries and kiwis are surprising super sources, as are raspberries, mangoes, oranges and red bell peppers.

Vitamin A
Vitamin A is also a hair helper; look for it in apples, apricots and sweet potatoes.

Antioxidants
Antioxidants found in herbs, dark chocolate and fresh berries promote a healthy scalp by sparking cell turnover.

Want easy ways to weave these superfoods into your diet? Follow this sample menu by Lona Sandon, R.D., a spokeswoman in Dallas for the American Dietetic Association.

Breakfast:
Make your first meal rich in biotin and protein, hair’s primary components.
• Option 1: Whole-grain tortilla [BIOTIN] with 1 slice lowfat cheese [BIOTIN]; 2 scrambled eggs [BIOTIN]; 3 slices mango
• Option 2: 1 cup oatmeal [BIOTIN] with skim milk [BIOTIN] and a small handful of walnuts [BIOTIN] and dried apricots; 1/2 grapefruit

Lunch:
Munch on foods containing growth-promoting iron midday.
• Option 1: 3 oz roast beef [IRON] or turkey [IRON] on whole-wheat toast [IRON] with 1 slice lowfat cheese and 1/2 avocado (instead of mayo)
• Option 2: 3 oz grilled chicken breast; small baked sweet potato; salad of 4 cups romaine [IRON], 1/2 cup each red bell pepper and chickpeas; 1 tbsp olive oil and lemon juice to taste

Snack:
Antioxidant-rich bites between meals make for a healthy scalp.
• Option 1: 1/2 cup unsalted edamame [ANTIOXIDANTS] sprinkled with chili powder
• Option 2: 1 oz dark chocolate [ANTIOXIDANTS]; 1/2 cup raspberries [ANTIOXIDANTS AND BIOTIN]

Dinner:
Protein for your final meal boosts hair and your energy levels.
• Option 1: 2 1/2 cups veggie chili consisting of 1/2 cup each red kidney beans [PROTEIN], carrots, potato, peas [PROTEIN] and tomatoes
• Option 2: 6 oz grilled wild salmon [PROTEIN AND BIOTIN] or steak [PROTEIN]; a salad of 4 cups spinach, 1/2 cup orange slices, 1 oz goat cheese, a handful each of pumpkin seeds and raisins; 1 tbsp olive oil and lemon juice to taste

Cutesy name: Beach Hippie, 17 Hairstyles That Take Less Than 10 Minutes

Cutesy name: Beach Hippie, 17 Hairstyles That Take Less Than 10 Minutes

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Maternity Jeans

I must admit maternity clothes have come a long ways since our moms were pregnant with us, so I should be grateful. I finally realized I needed to pick up some maternity jeans last week when even using a rubber band to hold my pants up, they still felt so tight I started feeling faint and ended up sick in the bathroom. I tried on the pair of maternity jeans I had picked up during my previous pregnancy and could not have felt more disgusted. They made my butt and hips look incredibly wide and droopy and were not quite long enough in the inseam (a big pet peeve) no wonder I felt so self conscious during my last pregnancy. That weekend, I took the opportunity to go shopping on my own in search of some kind of maternity jeans that did not make me look like I was wearing high-waters, or a diaper. I'll admit there was a pretty decent selection of maternity jeans that look OK on the shelf. I tried on a few pairs, but quickly grew more and more depressed with my choices. They all had the same problems, they were totally unflattering, all of them were just 1/2 inch or so too short in the inseam, I didn't like the maternity band, or the denim felt more like paper than denim. Finally I decided to try on some of the expensive designer jeans just to compare and see if all maternity jeans had to be this way. Man on man was there a difference! I tried on Citizens, Sevens and Joes and they all looked so cute...and did not scream Pregnant pants! They looked just as cute as jeans should look when you aren't pregnant. I was so excited when I could turn around to check out my rear and see that it still looked like it's supposed to. And did I mention they all have like a 34 inch inseam so length is not a problem, if you need them shortened then having them hemmed to perfection is no big deal. So, after browsing the tops and seeing what a rip off they all were, I decided I would splurge on a nice pair of jeans for my pregnancy. I'm a jeans girl so this felt like a definite must have item. And based on the current fashion, you can get the rest of your tops a stores like forever 21 for cheap since most of the tops there are long and flowy and meant to go with leggings...they make perfect tops for a pregnant woman.

I decided to go with the Joe's Jeans, they looked the best and were on sale. I am loving them and I really enjoy the new secret belly fit, it is so comfortable and does not create seams or lines like my old maternity jeans did. My piece of advice after going through this is to just find the pair of jeans you like the best, try them on a figure out what size you need, then try buying them on ebay if you aren't in a rush, you could save yourself a lot of money or get them on sale through Amazon. I've posted a link below to the same pair I just purchased.

Campaign for Safe Cosmetics

What's going on? That is the question poised on the safe cosmetics website, which includes EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database. You would assume your body lotion or your baby's shampoo would be safe right? Well, now you can find out just how safe many of the cosmetic products you have in your home really are. Go into the Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database and look up some of the products you regularly use in your household.

I randomly searched Jergen's Moisturizing Body wash, which came up with a hazard score of 8 (out of 10) and informs you that ingredients in the product are related to cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, allergies and immunotoxicity, Other concerns for ingredients used in this product:
Neurotoxicity, Endocrine disruption, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Miscellaneous, Multiple, additive exposure sources, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Enhanced skin absorption, Contamination concerns, Occupational hazards, Biochemical or cellular level changes

The report goes on with more in depth information. However, this website is not to freak you and out depress you about all the products we have access to being hazardous to our health, you can use this website to find better products. For another website that lists some links to more great natural cosmetics, click HERE.

The Makeup Face Lift

Sherri Hubner, Education Executive with Bobbi Brown Cosmetics and my best friend's mom shares the secrets of the Bobbie Brown 5 step process called "The Makeup Face Lift".

Bobbi's Five Instant Look Lifters

1. Plump
Layer skincare formulas (a wet, hydrating cream under a rich dense balm) to give skin a plumped-up, cushiony look.


*Hydrating Eye Cream
*Intensive Skin Supplement
*Extra Moisturizing Balm
*Extra Soothing Balm (press into skin over foundation to give a glow to dehydrated skin)
*Extra Face Oil

2. Brighten
Lighten the under-eye area and draw your attention up with a pink or peach toned corrective concealer paired with a yellow toned concealer. Be sure to apply concealer close to the lashes and to the inner corner of the eye as well.

*Tinted Eye Brightener can be worn alone, or used before corrector and concealer if extremely dark under the eye (skip eye cream if needed)
*Suggest Tinted Eye Brightener as an option for your day off, going the gym, or to be worn with Tinted Moisture Balm

Foundation Tips:
• Focus on plumpness and illumination of the skin
• Luminous Moisturizing Foundation (Super-moisturizing with anti-aging benefits. Luminous Moisturizing Foundation is formulated with a natural collagen boosting, skin firming blend of Hexapeptides and Milk Thistle Extract. Instantly moisturizes and keeps skin hydrated all day. Softens fine lines and imperfections. Skin looks and feels refreshed, renewed and beautifully luminous. Buildable formula offers medium-to-full coverage. For Normal to Dry Skins).
• Tinted Moisturizing Balm
• Teach your customer to apply foundation like a lotion or cream, and buff it out with the Foundation Brush
• Use your hands to press foundation into skin
• Put effort into covering spots and concerns

Powder Tips:
• Powder only where needed (usually avoiding the cheeks)
• Powder around the mouth (above the lip) for those who sweat

3. Pop
Dust blush high on the apples of your cheeks

*Use multifunctional colors (Pot Rouge can be worn on cheeks and lips)
*Teach your customer to blend Pot Rouge above and below the cheek bone to give a flushed appearance to the skin
*When using Shimmer Brick, apply to the smoothest part of the skin

4. Define
When lining eyes, extend the liner ever so slightly at the outer corner of the eye. Make sure the liner is thick enough and visible when your eyes are open

*Black Gel Eyeliner (no skin should be showing along lash line)
*Use Eye Shadow to line along and slightly above Gel Eyeliner to blend out a harsh line

Eye Shadow Tips
• Highlight the brow bone (Bone, White)
• Brow bone should be the lightest part of the skin
• If doing a crease color, the height of the shadow should be at the arch of the brow bone
• Non shimmer shades are less intimidating to your "mature" customer

Mascara Tips
• Cream mascara (Everything Mascara) dries matte
• Gel Mascara (No Smudge and Lash Glamour) hold curl
• Sell two mascaras by layering a gel over a cream to get lashes that create an impact (use Everything Mascara as a lash primer)

5. Finish
After applying lipstick and pencil, layer a light shade of light reflecting, high shine lip gloss


*Concentrate lip liner on the outer corners of the mouth to give a fuller appearance
*Brightening Lip Gloss is infused with brightening pearls giving lips a luminous, glowing sheen. The effect immediately brightens and lifts your look

"I've learned that it's not about looking young for your age - it's about looking great for your age."
- Bobbi Brown

Inspired by Chapter 3 in "Living Beauty" by Bobbi Brown.