I don’t claim to be an expert on the subject of stretch marks, but I *will* say that I’m 5′2″ and was pregnant with twins three years ago.  I was pleasantly surprised that stretch marks didn’t get me worse than they did— I was prepared for the worst.  Thankfully, the product I used (and still use, and would happily recommend to you– just email me privately at heatheramyprice (at) gmail (dot) com to ask what I use) actually worked to prevent stretch marks from taking over my life.

In today’s Beauty Exclusives from Paula Begoun, Paula goes over some of the reasons for stretch marks:  when skin is stretched for a period of time from pregnancy or weight gain, it causes the skin’s support structure (elastin and collagen) to break down or even come apart completely.  The ends of each stretch mark are broken bands of elastin.  You can think of a stretch mark as a scar that forms from the inside out.

Paula reminds us and stressed that there is NO scientific proof that cosmetic ingredients or skin care products can actually prevent or improve the appearance of stretch marks.  However, the product I use, as well as many other products, have been proven to help (unscientifically– just ask a group of moms!)

For severe problems, you might consider tretinoin (the active ingredient in Retin-A).  IPL therapy or chemical peels can also be indicated- check with your dermatologist. 

For a minor stretch mark problem, call me- I can help.    216-870-3142.  I use a body lotion which includes a patented complex which helps to reduce the visible signs of aging.  It provides up to ten hours of moisturization.  The company claims that it reduces the appearance of dry skin and helps even the skin tone— they do not make any official claims about stretch marks.  However, my mom friends and I all agree:  IT HELPS WITH STRETCH MARKS!

Heather Price of Cleveland, OH, has been a skin care and beauty consultant since August of 2000. Have you ever wished you had a skin care program that was personalized for your needs by a personal consultant? That’s what Heather does- she sends you home with skin care and color products that meet your specific needs. The result is smoother, softer, younger looking skin. Clients feel better about their appearance which gives them the self confidence they need in their lives. You can join Heather’s email list at http://freeskincarehelp.com – she answers every email response personally.

My friend Felissa Hadas had the idea to start a Jewish Blog Hop when she saw a question on a Jewish Forum about how to promote your blog in order to get followers and readers. I know that blog hops can be unbelievably successful when everyone who participates promotes the event through whatever social media outlets they use. She decided that a Melave Malka Blog Hop would be the perfect way to draw participants.

This Blog Hop was created specifically to link Jewish Bloggers from around the world with each other on a weekly basis in order to connect and network . How it works : You add your link to this McLinky and copy and paste the McLinky code onto your blog . Please remember to visit all the blogs that appear on the list and leave a comment saying hello . Even if you do not create a blog post for this event on its own please create your link to a specific page on your blog that at least mentions the event .

Sooooo if you’re here from the Melave Malka blog hop, hello and welcome and I look forward to networking with you each week!  My name is Heather and I’m a mom of three year old twins.  This blog is all about skin care— acne, wrinkles, dark circles, whatever your issues, I’ve got you covered.  You can click on the topic which interests you on the left side of the page and read what I’ve written about that topic.  Also, please be sure to sign up in the upper right hand corner for my email list to be entered in free drawings each month for free product.  Finally, I’m doing a contest to win a free lipstick.  If that interests you, email me at heatheramyprice (at) gmail (dot) com and I’ll set up a video chat facial appointment with you so that you can enter the contest!  And have you seen my other blog at http://directsalesrelationshipmarketing.com ?  Shavuah tov and have a great week!

Click here to enter your link and view the entire list of entered links…

Heather Price of Cleveland, OH, has been a skin care and beauty consultant since August of 2000. Have you ever wished you had a skin care program that was personalized for your needs by a personal consultant? That’s what Heather does- she sends you home with skin care and color products that meet your specific needs. The result is smoother, softer, younger looking skin. Clients feel better about their appearance which gives them the self confidence they need in their lives. You can join Heather’s email list at http://freeskincarehelp.com – she answers every email response personally.

…. And don’t it feel good?????

Thank you to Felissa Hadas for sending me the amazing Sunshine Award. As a newer blogger, I don’t yet know a lot about bloghops and blog carnivals and blog awards…. but I’m learning! This is my very first blog award and I’m so happy to enjoy it and spread the sunshine!

Here are the rules:
• Put the Logo on your sidebar, or within a post.
•Pass the award onto 12 Bloggers
•Link the nominees within your post.
•Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
•Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award

In random order here are my recipients— these are all women who have mentored or helped me with my businesses or blogs in some way whether they know it or not. Most of them are work at home moms — All of them are moms —- and I appreciate them dearly!

Carrie Wilkerson of Blog Barefoot
Cheryl Hill of Cheryl Hill
Tamara Hancock of Confessions of a Work At Home Mom
Gail Klanchesser of CPR Mom
Brandy Tanner of Happily Blended
Hadassah Sabo-Milner of In The Pink
Julie Anne Jones of Julie Anne Jones
Jennifer Fong of Jen Fong Speaks
Lisa Robbin Young of Direct Sales Marketing Online
Kim DeYoung of MetroMom
Heather Underwood of Not a DIY Life
Ivette Muller of WAHM BAHM

Ladies— love to all of you— go spread some sunshine!

Heather

Heather Price of Cleveland, OH, has been a skin care and beauty consultant since August of 2000. Have you ever wished you had a skin care program that was personalized for your needs by a personal consultant? That’s what Heather does- she sends you home with skin care and color products that meet your specific needs. The result is smoother, softer, younger looking skin. Clients feel better about their appearance which gives them the self confidence they need in their lives. You can join Heather’s email list at http://freeskincarehelp.com – she answers every email response personally.

Announcing our………. “Kiss n Tell Contest”!

Let’s get as many lipstick imprints that we can. I will donate $1 for each turned in to the Mary Kay Foundation (more info about this incredible organization below).

Cleveland locals—— you can come to my home for a free skin care pampering session and makeover and leave your imprint.

Not local to me? email me for a “facial in a bag” and we can set up a video chat appointment and you can send me your imprint! Reach me at heatheramyprice (at) gmail (dot) com.

THE VERY BEST set of lips as chosen by my husband (he doesn’t know this yet, but I know he’ll get a kick out of it) gets a free lipstick, you choose the color.

To enter this contest I must have your lipstick imprint by February 28th and you must be a subscriber to my email list (see the upper right hand corner of this blog). Again, if you are local to me, you’ll do the imprint at your appointment. If you’re not local to me, I will send you a “facial in a bag” including lipstick samples— after your video chat appointment with me where I go over the features and benefits of the products with you (no obligation to make a purchase), you’ll mail me your lipstick imprint.

This should be fun!

The Mary Kay Foundation awards grants to domestic violence shelters across the USA and awards grants to fund cancer research. Just some of its many projects:
——————————-
The American Society of Breast Disease has created the Mary Kay Ash Advanced Training Program in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery. The Foundation has awarded a $225,000 grant to support this innovative program to train breast surgeons in the emerging field.

The March 15, 2009, issue of Genes & Development reported that a study funded in part by the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation produced a cancer research breakthrough. Led by Dr. Roger Greenberg, a 2008 cancer research grant recipient, researchers found that MERIT40, a previously unknown protein, works with other breast cancer genes to help repair damaged DNA.

Since 2003, The Mary Kay Foundation has given $1.3 million to the National Network to End Domestic Violence’s Safety Net Program. The Safety Net team works tirelessly to raise women’s awareness of safety issues concerning the use of technology. In 2007, the Foundation granted Safety Net $200,000 to develop, produce and distribute a CD-ROM titled, Survivors and Technology: An Interactive Safety Planning Tool. In 2008, the Foundation granted funds for translating the CD-ROM into Spanish.
——————————-

Heather Price of Cleveland, OH, has been a skin care and beauty consultant since August of 2000. Have you ever wished you had a skin care program that was personalized for your needs by a personal consultant? That’s what Heather does- she sends you home with skin care and color products that meet your specific needs. The result is smoother, softer, younger looking skin. Clients feel better about their appearance which gives them the self confidence they need in their lives. You can join Heather’s email list at http://freeskincarehelp.com – she answers every email response personally.

Eczema, dryness, cracking, peeling:  it all gets worse during the wintertime.  Personally I have extremely oily skin but even I experience wintertime dryness as the temperature turns colder and the indoor heat gets turned on.

WebMd’s #1 tip for controlling your dry winter skin?  See a specialist.  Even if you’re a drugstore kind of gal the rest of the year, it’s a good idea to see a dermatologist or esthetician at this time of year who will advise you on the types of products you should be using.  In my opinion you should never purchase skin care products at the drugstore: you won’t get a 100% satisfaction guarantee, or unlimited phone and email access to consultants who will make sure your products work for you.  So if seeing a dermatologist or esthetician isn’t in your budget, consider a skin care consultant (like me!).  In 2010 I’m offering something new:  a “facial in a bag” combined with video chat facials!  Sign up for an appointment with me and I’ll send you a facial in a bag in advance with samples of skin care products I choose for you based on questions I ask you about your skin.  Once you receive this packet by mail, we get on skype video chat together and you try the products while I walk you through a full teaching facial– I explain each product’s features and benefits.  Can’t get THAT from a drugstore product!  Email me at heatheramyprice (at) gmail (dot) com to take advantage of this free opportunity.  The appointment with me is completely free– no obligation to make a purchase (of course I hope you may be tempted. 

Here’s another tip for controlling dry, winter skin.  Learn the difference between moisturization and hydration.  I think of it as the difference between drinking water and tossing water directly on your skin– great for two different purposes.  One deals with the dermis and one deals with the epidermis.  In the winter, make sure you’re doing BOTH.  Your regular moisturizer might not be enough.  You may ALSO need a hydrating product.  Email me and I can help you choose a product which best meets your needs— sometimes I recommend an oil based product and sometimes I recommend an oil free gel– it depends on your skin type and how acne prone you may be.

Tune in next time– we’ll talk about winter hand care!

Thanks for reading!

Heather Price of Cleveland, OH, has been a skin care and beauty consultant since August of 2000. Have you ever wished you had a skin care program that was personalized for your needs by a personal consultant? That’s what Heather does- she sends you home with skin care and color products that meet your specific needs. The result is smoother, softer, younger looking skin. Clients feel better about their appearance which gives them the self confidence they need in their lives. You can join Heather’s email list at http://freeskincarehelp.com – she answers every email response personally.

drumroll please?

badum badum dum dum dum.  oh shooooot it’s after midnight and my kids are sleeping.  ok shhhhhhh……. QUIET drumroll…….

The winner is…. Anne-Marie Tvete!  Comment number 18:

Anne-Marie T says:
January 26th, 2010 at 9:15 pm edit

Following you on Twitter (@amt946)

Anne-Marie, email me please at heatheramyprice (at) gmail.com and give me your address and I’ll get your microdermabrasion set in the mail to you!  Thank you so much for entering, everyone!  I enjoyed our first giveaway!  I’ll do another one soon, I promise!  Stay subscribed to the list and to the blog and stay tuned!

–Heather

Who wants to win some AWESOME skin care products?????  I’ll give away something different each month.  This is our very FIRST giveaway, as this is a fairly new blog.

This giveaway is for a home microdermabrasion set with two steps.  One step refines the skin with aluminum oxide crystals and one step replenishes your skin afterwards.  The set has about 20 applications in it and is worth $55.00  — it’s yours free if you win this drawing!

To enter, put your name and email address over there (see me pointing?) at the top of the right hand column.  You’ll be on my email list and will hear about great sales and new product launches that way.

Are you babying your skin this winter?  We’ll get back to YOUR skin in future posts, but for now, let’s get back to our discussion of baby skin.

Eczema:  Common locations for this thick, dry, scaly, and/or red, itchy rash include the elbows, chests, arms, and behind the knees.  The best treatment is to avoid any triggers such as soaps or detergents which are found to be irritants.  Aside from that, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!

Cradle Cap: This waxy and/or red rash is also called seborrheic dermatitis.  Cradle cap is generally caused by excess oil and clears up within the first year of life with or without treatment.  Mostly, it shows up on the scalp, eyebrows, and sides of the nose.  Baby oil can help with cradle cap, but for a severe case, consult your pediatrician because a special shampoo may be necessary.

Suncare:  Keep your infant out of direct sunlight for his/her first 6-8 months of life.  When you’re ready to expose baby to the sun a little bit, use baby sunscreen and a hat.  For a mild sunburn, you can apply a cool cloth.  For a more extreme sunburn, it’s time for a trip to the pediatrician. When choosing a baby sunscreen:  no dyes or fragrances, please!

You know your baby better than anyone— if it looks like a sunburn but you know it isn’t (s/he hasn’t been exposed to sun– it’s the middle of winter), your baby could have an underlying condition that changes the color of his/her skin— this happened to my daughter and it turns out she has a fairly severe case of vascular instability– not so much a skin problem as a circulation problem– but her skin turns funky colors!

When To Call the Pediatrician:  If the skin has small,purple dots, or yellow fluid-filled bumps (these are called pustules), or if s/he is lethargic or has a fever, it’s probably time to call the doctor.

I hope this was helpful!

Heather Price of Cleveland, OH, has been a skin care and beauty consultant since August of 2000. Have you ever wished you had a skin care program that was personalized for your needs by a personal consultant? That’s what Heather does- she sends you home with skin care and color products that meet your specific needs. The result is smoother, softer, younger looking skin. Clients feel better about their appearance which gives them the self confidence they need in their lives. You can join Heather’s email list at http://freeskincarehelp.com – she answers every email response personally.

Hat tip to Alyson of the Gloss Menagerie – this rocks!  I can tell you the month, date, and year any product is produced that you purchase from the brand that I sell because I understand my company’s date coding.  However, I cannot tell you how often someone comes to me to match a lipstick shade and she pulls her “other brand” lipstick out of her purse to show me the color and I can smell it from three feet away.  “It’s too old!” I say.  You need to toss it NOW– I know you’re trying to get to the end of it, but WHEN was this lipstick made?  She doesn’t know.  They never know!  So often my customers can’t even narrow it down to a five year period.  “hmmmm was this lipstick from my wedding, or my sister’s wedding???”  So now we can know for certain for many popular brands.  Calculate your makeup dates and let’s get tossing!
—-I just found out about this spiffy website, the Cosmetic Wizard date calculator. You can input the batchcode on your makeup product and it will tell you when it was made so you can find out how old it is. Cool!