There is a certain special way that an expecting mother will want to take care of herself to ensure optimum health for her new infant.  Anything and everything you put in and ON your body can be ingested by the baby, so look for a few of these fantastic products for that mother- to - be on your list!

FARMAESTHETICS New & Nursing Mothers Gift Box
Includes nourishing herbal cream, lavender milk, softening salve, solar salt mineral bath, lemon balm remedy oil, and deep lavender rub.  Best of all, ingredients are 100% natural!

$57 - Farmaesthetics www.farmaesthetics.com

PHILOSOPHY Welcome Baby Set
Includes purity made simple, hope in a jar, grace foaming bath and shower cream, and pure grace body lotion.  A few of this brands classics, for ultimate mommy pampering!!

$30 - Philosophy www.philosophy.com

CLARINS Bust Beauty Firming Lotion
Don't let the fact that you have a baby coming keep you from looking radiant, especially where it counts!

$54 - Sephora Stores www.sephora.com

STRIVECTIN SD Intensive Concrentrate for Stretch Marks and Wrinkles
The original with a cult following! Splurge a little and stop those stretch marks in their tracks!!!

$135 - StriVectin www.strivectin.com

A common occurrence, especially in the winter months...your skin isn't overly dry, it just looks, well, dead, for the lack of a better word.  Your complexion is gray and your attitude is starting to match....

Luckily, new science involving oxygen infusions can help brighten that dull complexion, breathing new life into your skin...and hopefully, your attitude!

START by using an oxygen peel or mask.  I recommend

PHILOSOPHY Oxygen Peel
When theses two components meet on the skin, they deliver a direct supply of oxygen to the skin, killing bacteria and rejuvenating dull cells.

$70 - $90 Intraceauticals www.intraceuticals.com

LAST, for immediate results, use a reflective serum with or instead of makeup.  Your first thought when battling dull skin will be to cover it with makeup, but that is the opposite of what you want.  Caking on makeup will make it obvious that you are trying to cover up something, so tone it down, and add a brighter.  You will be surprised by the instant results!

NARS Brightening Serum
This may seem like a frivolous indulgence, but a little goes a long way, and you will be impressed with the investment!
$61 - NARS Cosmetics www.narscosmetics.com

OK, so now that we are all officially back for the New Year, let's see what we can do to counteract all of the binge eating, drinking, etc that we all know is what makes the holidays the holidays!  Fortunately, there are some AMAZING products out there that can bring your skin back to life!!!!

FIRST, you are going to want to stay away from skin-drying peels and masks.  In the winter months, dry heat makes skin more sensitive, dry, and in extreme cases, flaky.  You are going to want to use a peel or mask that is instead detoxifying and moisturizing.  Try,

PHILOSOPHY The Oxygen Peel
I found that this peel is a sure-fire way to improve brightness, texture, and tone...especially if you are experiencing post-holiday breakouts.  The special catalase enzyme formula releases a burst of pure oxygen onto the surface of the skin, which clears impurities, and brightens tone.  Use three days in a row, and once a week afterwards for maximum brightening.  TIP: Use warm water to to rinse off the peel instead of the enclosed spatula if your skin is sensitive!

$50 - Philosophy www.philosophy.com

NEXT, Use a hydrating skin cream with a heavy-dose of antioxidants.  Antioxidant power will combat free radicals in the skin and combat sun damage, fatigue from excess partying, and tighten / tone.

EXUVIANCE Ultra Restorative Creme
Formulated with a double dose of antioxidants, and polyhydroxy acids (PHA's) which are the next generation of the amazingly beneficial alphahydroxy acids (AHA's).  TIP: This creme is very thick, and a little goes a long way.  I recommend warming between palms before applying to the face!

$45 - Neo Strata www.neostrata.com

THEN, Use a complexion enhancer serum with light-reflecting properties.  This will create an instant glow and combat that winter "grey" face look.  I really like..

OSMOTICS Inner Light Instant Complexion Enhancer
Whether used over moisturizer, or mixed with your foundation, this serum bounces light away from fine lines and wrinkles, creating the instant appearance of a youthful glow, which is key to combat your post-holiday fatigue.

$35 - Osmotics Cosmeceuticals www.osmotics.com

LAST..as with any skincare routine, apply a good quality sunscreen like

BIOELEMENTS Sun Diffusing Protector
With 5 sunscreens to provide SPF 15 UVA and UVB protection.

$50 - Bioelements www.bioelements.com

Also, remember that the skin repairs itself while you sleep, so make sure to use a good quality restorative night cream as part of your post-holiday recovery!!

So the week is coming to a close, so I decided to finish off my summer beauty week with my top ten products that every girl (or boy) should keep in their arsenal to look trendy, fresh, and gorgeous this summer!

1. FEKKAI Beachcomber Leave-In Conditioner
Overexposure to the sun's damaging rays, combined with salty air can wreak havoc on your gorgeous locks. With Fekkai's leave in, you will never have this problem again! Fortified with marine peptides (protein) and algae, it adds softness and strength without weighing hair down.

$23 - Sephora Stores www.sephora.com

2. O.P.I. Brights Collection Nail Lacquer
These fun and funky colors are perfect for brightening up your summer, with the quality that only O.P.I. provides. With colors like "In My Back Pocket", "Shorts Story", and "No Room For The Blues", you certainly won't get bored!

$8.50 - Ricky's NYC www.rickysnyc.com and Drug Stores Nationwide

3. LALICIOUS Brown Sugar Vanilla Souffle
From sun exposure to temperature changes, avoid chalky skin by keeping your body exfoliated and moisturized with this luxurious sugar scrub. There is a continuous debate between sea salt scrubs and sugar scrubs and the choice is up to you. I like this one because it contains coconut oil, vitamin e oil, and almond oil to nourish and replenish the skin's moisture (with a decadent scent). Whether you choose this one or another, a body scrub is a MUST for smooth summer skin!

$32 - LaLicious www.lalicious.com

4. MENAJI Glycolic Skin Toner
A perfect repair treatment to tackle those signs of aging caused by the sun! This toner features glycolic acid, as well as a rich blend of nourishing botanicals including aloe and lemon. It helps diminish the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, sun damage and enlarged pores while releasing ingrown hairs and preventing blemishes. The complexion becomes smoother, brighter and younger-looking.

$26 - Menaji www.glow.com

5. YSL Touche Eclat
A MUST-HAVE for EVERYONE!!!! If you wear no other makeup or buy no other product this summer, buy this product. This highlighter is your INSTANT cure to tired, puffy eyes, and is an instant 8-hour night sleep! Simply apply a line under each eye, the bridge of the nose, and across the forehead for a refreshed, bright, clean look!

$40 - Sephora Stores www.sephora.com

6. PHILOSOPHY Supernatural Gloss
Beauty experts are finding that lip gloss is harmful to the delicate skin of your lips because it MAGNIFIES the suns rays! If you are a gloss addict as I am, you don't have to compromise. This gloss has SPF 15 to protect your lips from the harsh rays.

$17 - Sephora Stores www.sephora.com

7. TARTE Naural Cheek Stain
Tarte cosmetics use only all natural ingredients that nourish the skin. Available in several shades to complement any skin tone, this stain gives the faces a healthy glow while avoiding the caked on look that many powder blushes can leave.

$30 - Tarte www.tartecosmetics.com

8. URBAN DECAY Midnight Cowboy Body Shimmer Lotion
For those summer evenings when you just need that little extra glamour, this nourishing moisture lotion has micro-gold shimmer to leave you looking like a million bucks! Pay extra attention to shoulders, collarbone, and top of breasts to really emphasize that dewy summer glow!

$28 - Sephora Stores www.sephora.com

9. MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Eyes
These waterproof eyeliner pencils come in 25 colors to enhance any mood or outfit! Its summer, so get creative, especially at night! My favorites for summer are taupes, blues, and gold. Combine colors for an even more extreme effect! Go aheah, go swimming...this eyeliner will not budge!

$20 - Sephora Stores www.sephora.com

10. DIOR DiorShow Waterproof Mascara
Dior set the standard for fierce catwalk lashes and is now available in a waterproof version! Whether you are swimming, splashing, or sweating, this mascara gives you all day glamour. Try brown for a fresh daytime look, and switch to black for that smokey lash every girl dreams of!

$24 - Sephora Stores www.sephora.com