(Baby) Body Prep

Okies, some of you may know already from my Youtube annoucement, FB & Twitter that I am expecting a baby! However, what some of you may not be aware of is the body skin care prepping I am currently obsessed with.

I have been avidly researching a lot of the skin care ranges out there specifically targeting expectant mothers - well that is any products perpetuating to "fight stretch marks" like some super beauty hero not to mention "tone" the skin during & after pregnancy.

There are many brands on the market, but admittedly I was particularly intrigued by a range mentioned in a rave review/overview on Youtube by the one & only Kandee Johnson where she divulged the wonders of Mama Mio in preventing stretch marks & I had to find out more. Video here

To cut a long story short I was impressed by the reviews I read & went on a journey to find the cheapest & easiest buy of the Mamo Mia products...I ended up getting the Mama Mio Countdown Kit from Babies Galore as it was reduced (from $119 to $69) & had the Tummy Rub Butter as well as a Calming Facial Spritz, Wonder-Full Balm & Massage Oil. Plus the range stresses paraben, petrolatum & colourant free as well as no animal testing (thumbs up there!)

Mama Mio Countdown Kit - a good little gift for the mum-to-be full of skin caring goodies

I also picked up the See-No-Scar Solution (reduced from $54U to $32AU - albeit it appears to have been even reduced further since I bought it!) as it sounded perfect for my old tummy scars.

I figured since there is going to be a lot of attention around the tummy region, it seemed a good time to reduce these scars; or as it states on the pack "help magic away the remainders of any serious scars". That "magic" is apparently dimethicone derived from quartz shown to minimise the visibility of medical scarring.

Mama Mio See-No-Scar Solution (30ml)

I am also desperately on the look out for the Boob Tube (gotta love that name - as below) for the "upper chest area". It is readily available at a lot of baby stores (such as Baby Kingdom) & online, but I am wanting to get the best price (appears to retail in AU for $59-$64.95) for the full size of 100ml. I may even end up getting a mini size in a pack...

On the hunt for the Mama Mio Boob Tube

I have been plying my tummy area & chest (even neck) with the Tummy Rub & the See-No-Scar Solution on my two major medical scars for close to a month now. It is too soon to see any visible differences in my existing marks & scars but I can definitely feel a lovely suppleness & smoothness but time will tell over & after the next 6 months so I will keep you posted!

I must also add that the Gravida fragrance which is apparently "10 pregnancy specific oils" smells like sweet lemon to me (or that yummy lemon icy-pole scent) which I find calming & not overpowering which is good since my sensitivity to smells is at an all-time high & possibily increasing.

The Wonders of Bio-Oil

Even before the Mama Mio I purchased a 60ml Bio-Oil (from Big W but you can pick this at most chemists, Target, K Mart, Woolworths & Coles) for around $9 ok, give or take a few cents or a dollar!.

I got the Bio-Oil for numerous reasons - hydrating my skin in summer, evening skin tone, improving scars as well as reducing & preventing stretch marks. I am employing this little bottle on my arms & legs & have been slathering myself in it for almost 2 months.

I seem to have had some fading of existing scars on my arms & they feel lovely & smooth (or so the hubby reckons) but I am really wanting some "fading" of the marks on my upper thighs (yep, gotta admit I have them there). I will wait another month before making some judgements there but I am also hoping this little wonder will help in preventing any new marks around there.

So at this stage it's a review-in-progress of these skincare goodies in my "growing baby" body. I will no doubt be getting some more brands but I want to keep Mama Mio & Bio-Oil as the main stays.

Of course, not to fear, there are still many other beauty hauls & reviews I will be posting without mention of the "little one" but I hope you have found this pre-baby booty interesting at least. (So keep any requests coming!)

If you have, are having or know of, any skin care products during pregnancy (& even after) OR of course, any skincare ranges you would recommend - please leave me a comment below...

Tag You're It!

I've been Tagged!

Aha! At last a blog from yours truly & what better way to kick off a post in 2011 than with a tag & a fun one by the lovely beauty blogger Beeneelicious!

If you haven't already, check out her tag post here & follow

These are my "10 Beauty Confessions" to start off the New Year...gulp!

1. The first time I wore make up

I think it wasn't until my very late teens! Not until around 17 did I really wear any makeup (my mother didn't quite approve of it). It would be a smidgen of lipstick & awfully darkened brows.

Why, oh why did I think that exaggerating my eyebrows in jet black of all things would make my eyes (?!) stand out from behind my large, dark blue rimmed glasses (oh sadly yes). Ha ha...live & learn.

2. The very first make up item I bought/was given

Hmm, does those makeup sets as a kid count? or stuff I would raid from my mothers yummy smelling makeup draw to play with? (oh how I loved the smell of her Max Factor foundation compact & her Estee Lauder lippies). I guess the first item I actually bought was some Covergirl mascara, as it seemed to be the thing to do at uni in the '90's (!).

3. My first high end make up item

Would have been a Dior lipstick my mother-in-law (at the time, er yes been married before) gave me that she didn't like. I think someone gave it to her but it was too dark for her so she passed it to me (unused I would like to think!).

It is "Brun Swing/Jazzy Brown", um I have to admit I still have it! Oh my gosh yes, yes well past its use by date & I don't even use it but it is a sort of sentimental value & I love the tube! Ha ha plus I haven't had any Dior products since!

4. My first "going out" look (as a teen, so talking dinner, not clubbing)

Oooohhh, going out look...if you can't tell from my answer to question 1 it wasn't much!

I suppose there were a few "dolled" up versions to that where I would wear some hideous shade of dark red lipstick that my mother had (suited her wonderfully, but not me!).

Ok, I admit I remember this because I have a few photos of some dinner party/outings...but no way am I gonna post them...shudder central! Thank the heavens Facebook wasn't around then!!

5. My first make up faux pas

I think my eyebrow darkening disaster as part of question 1 again says everything! Then I moved on to plucking like mad in my early twenties & foregoing the e/b pencil & now I'm in my 30's & having to go back to filling them in! Now that's a faux pas ;-)

5. My first favourite beauty brands

Definitely L'Oreal for foundation (that is when I finally discovered it) & Revlon for lipstick.

6. As opposed to my favourite make up brands now

Covergirl, MAC, NYX, e.l.f & Bourgois (ok who am I kidding I could fill a page with faves & way to many body lotions to mention!)

7. My first perfume

Think it was a fragrance mini set by Cacheral & I loved Anai Anai as my favourite. In fact it still is my favourite scent! A light floral scent...

8. My first beauty obsession

Mascara - lots & lots of mascara...top & bottom lashes. Oh boy, they must have been clumpy! Thank goodness I discovered lash combs...although I still have my moments.

9. My first favourite hair & body items

Hair: Would have been some horrid wax like stuff to sculpt my hair when it was short back at varsity...ugh...even when I went an intense paprika red (say no more)

Body items: Have to make a note of the beauty brands for moisturisers that I loved back in the day - St Ives & Oil of Ulan (Olay).

10. My first nail polish

Gosh, I can't really remember...I never used to be bothered with my nails except for a bit of clear lacquer & kept them short & sweet. I have only really tried to grow & polish them in the last few years & now I am obsessed with any pretty colour!

Well that was it...gee, why did that leave me feeling a little queasy going down tragic makeup memory lane? :)

Now bini has tagged a lot of those who I cannot wait to see or read a response from (eg, danniibeauty, jadegrrrl, vulcanella etc etcetera!). But some others I would love to tag are:

pearlbeauty1020, lucky, nissyrae, brainsRbeauty & everyone reading this right now - yes that's YOU!