07.01.08
Butter’s Up!
Nourishing ingredients are key in skin care for expectant moms.
By Melissa Meisel
Associate Editor
The Hollywood baby boom is showing no signs of slowing down. Gwen Stefani, Nicole Kidman and Angelina Jolie are set to deliver bundles of joy this summer–and let’s not forget the gurgling batch of tykes who have been born to Jessica Alba, Jamie Lynn Spears and Tori Spelling.
There is an increased awareness toward motherhood—as seen in celebrity media—but also in a range of cocoa butter-infused skin care products designed just for expectant moms. These women have special needs during the nine-month span that if not attended to can leave visible effects behind, even stretch marks.
Noodle & Boo recently launched Believe Honey Bar. |
Some products tout MDs on their label as company creators. Belli (www.belliskincare.com) was founded in 2002 by doctor-and-mom team Jason and Annette Rubin and touts non-toxic ingredients. According to the company, Belli skin care products are researched and carefully tested while undergoing extensive teratology screening, the study of chemicals that are harmful to a developing baby.
A top-selling SKU from the brand is its Belli Elasticity Belly Oil, a blend of gotu kola extract, vitamin E and collagen hydrolysates. Lavender and sweet almond oil soothe and calm the senses and help skin stretch without damage.
Indeed, good-for-you ingredients are at the top of the list for expectant moms. A popular independent skin care line is Susan Brown’s Baby (http://susanbrownsbaby.com), a luxurious skin care range for new families. The collection is botanically based, efficacious and chemical-free, paraben-free and mineral oil-free. Mom’s pampering favorites include: Dead Sea Salt Foot Soak or Foot Therapy Cream and Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer. Susan Brown’s Baby also offers an entire Stretch Therapy line for moms who want a preventative and/or corrective treatment to help reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
Another trendy brand of skin care for moms to-be is Noodle & Boo’s Glowology (www.noodleandboo.com). The line was originally intended for babies but then branched out to include moms with sensitive skin, and the most recent release is the Believe Honey Bar, where profits from the sale of the soap will go directly to the Raise Your Hand Campaign, a crusade to fund international water purification systems. Glowology skin care is made with mild surfactant systems at lower levels and includes skin regeneration ingredients. The pampering product collection features everything from a Sugar Mama Honey Scrub to a balm for hands and feet. After all, for new moms, their lives may transform drastically with a new arrival, but their appearance doesn’t have to change.