LilSugar

Plastic Surgery Book: Kid Friendly or Are You Kidding?

LilSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:00:36 PDT

If mommy's going in for a lil nip and tuck, there's no reason to hide it.

Or so believes, Michael Salzhauer, M.D. who wrote the new children's book on plastic surgery, My Beautiful Mommy! ($20) published by Big Tent Books.

The text is intended to help kids cope with their altered mama -whether she's two sizes smaller, invested in ballooned breasts or a different nose - in a nonthreatening way.

The story and coordinating illustrations walk wee ones through surgery and recovery.

OnSugar Blog: 5 Must Haves For a Clean, Stylish, Happy Baby and Mommy

OnSugar Blog — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 03:15:36 PDT

Lots of moms and mommies-to-be like to think out loud, and Nicole Pearl, the Beauty Girl is one of them. She recently posted about her favorite products for baby and mom on her The Beauty Girl blog.

It's only Tuesday and it's already been a big week of celeb news: Kim K's divorcing and Jessica Simpson's having a baby! Breakups suck, but personal experience proves they make you stronger. Babies, on the other hand, are the biggest gift of love. I can't believe my little man Rex is already 8 weeks old! I admit, the past couple of months have been grueling between the sleepless nights and never-ending bouts of spit up. But they've also been the most rewarding, magical moments of my life.

Jessica's announcement got me thinking about how far I've come as a mom. Like, I went from not knowing what a breast pump was to being able to put the parts together in the dark. And the full five minutes it once took me to change a diaper has been shaved down to seconds. In just two months, I've become fluent in baby from gadgets to products. I still have a lot to learn, and I've been grateful to all the moms who have shared their tips with me. Now, it's my turn to pay it forward. I've listed a few of my favorite finds (more installments to come!). Hopefully these will come in just as handy for baby Simpson and all the future tots-to-be.

Burt's Bees Baby Bee Shampoo & Wash: After washing Rex's hair and body with this, he smells just like a baby should - fresh, clean and yummy all at once. I've been sent a lot of baby bath products from a bunch of different companies and will report back on the others as I give them a try.

Kicky Pants, Ralph Lauren and Splendid onesies: A onesie is the baby equivalent of a dress. Just slip it on and the look is complete. From preppy to hipster, I love dressing Rex up in stylish looks, and I've fallen in love with the fashions from these three brands. Kicky Pants onesies come in fun prints and are made with a bamboo fabric that's so soft, I wish they made clothes for adults. Rex may as well be a model for Ralph Lauren because every other thing he wears is RL baby. From the most precious white nightie to a velour jumper, there's a wealth of adorable options, especially for boys. Splendid wins for creating mini versions of fashions that you'd wear yourself. Like the brand's adult line, the clothes are comfy and cute. Check out Rex in the lower photo with his teddy. He's rocking a Splendid hooded onesie.

Baby Aquaphor: I oil Rex up from head to toe every night. I keep a tub by his changing table and a tube in my diaper bag. I swear by this ointment. It's kept his pretty baby face acne free, has fended off diaper rash and stopped the first signs of cradle cap in its tracks.

Keep reading to see the rest of The Beauty Girl's recommendations.

OnSugar Blog: Preggo Products I Can't Live Without

OnSugar Blog — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 03:46:11 PDT

Lots of moms and mommies-to-be like to think out loud, and Nicole Pearl, the Beauty Girl is one of them. She recently posted about her favorite pregnancy products on her The Beauty Girl blog.

I'm having a baby! I'm in the final weeks and am happy to be able to say I'm still feeling good. I haven't gotten swollen or stretched out to the point that I'm miserable. Perhaps I can attribute this to my diligent application of skin softening products that relieve me every time my tummy feels itchy or so big it's going to burst. For the past nine months I've slathered on balms, oils and creams day and night like a champ and have whittled it down to the ones I just couldn't live without. Here they are . . .

As you can see from the above picture, I used every last drop of this incredible salve. It's thick and waxy and melts into skin, but don't be surprised if the Bella B Tummy Honey Butter gets stuck under your nails. I used this religiously before bed. If you're slathering on during the day, be sure to give it at least 10 minutes to fully absorb or else it could end up on your clothes. I learned this the hard way.

I've come to love the feel of oil on my belly. Erbaviva stretch mark oil and Mama Mio Tummy Rub (shown above) are two of my favorites. I pour a quarter-size amount into my palm and rub it on in sweeping circular motions. This has become part of my morning ritual, which is really relaxing for me and baby. And whenever I need some mid-day relief, I usually reach for Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter (shown above). The lightweight cream spreads evenly, dries fast and doesn't feel greasy.

By the way, I have no clue what to do once the baby comes, but at least right now I know I'm doing something right - I'm proud to say I'm stretch mark free!

Want to see more? Start following The Beauty Girl blog or start your own OnSugar blog. It's easy, it's free, and we just might feature your content on our site!

What Can I Do to Make My Skin Less Prone to Sunburn?

Real Beauty — Thu, 12 May 2011 06:00:00 PDT

We're excited to announce our new partnership with one of our favorite sites, Real Beauty! Each week we'll be bringing you some of their best advice, news, and how-tos. We're kicking things off with must-read information on preventing sunburn:

Q:

Is there anything I can do to make my skin less prone to sunburn in the summer?

A:

Obviously applying sunscreen is a must. Generously apply a broad-spectrum, water resistant formula with SPF of at least 30 to all exposed areas, including your scalp. Apply enough to fill a shot glass to your body and 1/2 a teaspoon to your face and reapply every two hours.

RELATED: Summer skin tips

In addition, wear protective clothing that is tightly woven and dark in color along with a hat and sunglasses. Several companies now make UV-absorbing clothes that have a high Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating, indicating the amount of rays it absorbs. A 50 UPF fabirc will only allow 1/50th of the sun's rays to penetrate.

Last, if you use any products with retinol or glycolic and salicylic acid, consider taking a break from them as they can make you more sensitive to the sun. You can also take Heliocare supplements (available OTC at most drugstores), which have antioxidant properties and if taken before sun exposure can help maintain the skin's ability to protect against sun damage.

Photo credit: Izvorinka Jankovic

Fab Exclusive! Gwen Stefani Talks L.A.M.B, Trends, Trousers

FabSugar — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:46:14 PST

Gwen Stefani left her LA life behind temporarily to attend the Fall presentation of L.A.M.B. at New York Fashion Week. How cool is this shot of her with her models? But before we check out her latest rockin' chic designs, let's hear what one of the coolest mommies in Hollywood said about her Fall inspirations, her favorite trends, and design aspirations. Be sure to also hear Gwen's thoughts on red lipstick and her new fragrance.

Her design aspirations:
I just want to make stuff that I want to wear . . . Stuff I want to wear every day that's to the left enough that it makes you feel unique and individual, but also you can wear it. That's my ultimate goal . . . I think the collection has a lot of that in it . . . That's the hardest thing to do. It's easy to make some glamorous dress and put all of your energy into that. To make that T-shirt that you just throw on that's actually cool and funky and makes people go, "Whoa!" When they're jealous, that's what I want to do.

To hear what else Gwen said and to see her Fall '10 line,

read more. On the Fall collection: The collection is kind of based on this vintage, naughty Hollywood girl - starlet girl, and then a little bit of a modern, futuristic girl, and a little bit of a soldier girl . . . What I've learned is that you kind of have the inspiration, you have the picture, you have an idea, and what I love about fashion and about doing it is that it just sort of evolves into whatever it's going to be . . . A lot of things drop out, a lot of things don't make it, but at the end of the day it's like the creative process of that picture and that drama that makes you very creative and come up with things that you wouldn't. And some of my favorite looks of the show are things where we were like, "There's nothing on this rack!" And then you put it together, and there is actually something on the rack. I can't wait to see it all together, with the music, and the girls, and the girls look so beautiful. They blow my mind. On trend she's looking forward to: I just love when things that I love come back into trend. It's funny because it does recycle, doesn't it? I don't really know what the trends, are; obviously my team kind of does that thing and I listen, whatever I like I just kind of go for. Current trends she's loving: My whole life I always wore men's pants, trousers, and would be that look. And I had to fight for years to try to get people to like want me to - and now they're in. They're gonna always be in for me. Like when they're out, I'll still wear trousers.

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Tunes and Texts: Munro Leaf Books

LilSugar — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:00:00 PST

I had the chance to peruse some seriously trendy children's stores and boutiques on Beverly Drive in Los Angeles recently and noticed many of them had the somewhat old school Munro Leaf books, Manners Can Be Fun, Brushing Your Teeth Can Be Fun, How to Speak Politely and Why, How to Behave and Why and Reading Can Be Fun (all about $15), on display. Leaf is known to most as the author of the controversial children's book The Story of Ferdinand, but published about 40 kitschy guide books for children in the '30s and '40s, many of which have been reprinted in the last few years. Aesthetically, the books are beautiful, bright and fun to look at (I couldn't help but think they'd look very matchy matchy with a Reading Is Cool poster!), and hidden inside are messages that ring true no matter what the decade. The series features stick-figure illustrations and wholesome, verse-y text aimed at teaching children the rules of thoughtfulness and etiquette. My mommy gift meter says these could help add a serious tone to a goofy present and would be a nice addition to any bedtime story lineup.

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Guess the Musical Mama!

babysugar — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 07:00:25 PDT

Many musically talented ladies share their beautiful voices for our listening pleasure and some have even bared their baby bumps on magazine covers to appease our voyeuristic minds. Like many working women, these moms have kept up their singing careers while being mommy all the while. Take my quiz to see if you can guess the musical mama!

Question 1 of 6

Which mama often likes to sport sweat pants when she's not on stage?

Texts and Tunes: The Kissing Hand

babysugar — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:00:09 PST

A dear friend of mine gave my sweet babe an adorable book by Audrey Penn, The Kissing Hand. The New York Times #1 Best Seller quickly showed me how it earned the prestigious title.

To learn why his book is such a treat,

read more. Chester the raccoon is sent off to school for the very first time. Like many children, he is scared to leave his mother. She eases his nerves by teaching him the "Kissing Hand." She smooches the palm of his hand and says:

Now, whenever you feel lonely and need a little loving from home, just press your hand to your cheek and think, "Mommy loves you. Mommy loves you." And that very kiss will jump to your face and fill you with toasty warm thoughts.

Just before Chester heads into school for the first time, the lil guy leans over and smacked his mum's paw. He then tells her, "Now you have the Kissing Hand, too." I assume my baby girl loves this beautiful story because she enjoys giving and receiving kisses. And there is nothing that pleases me more than watching her smack my palm and smile up at me. Perfect for Valentine's Day, this treasure comes with heart stickers to place in your lil one's tiny hands to remind them of their own "Kissing Hand." It is also great for children who are anxious about attending a new school.