Beauty Tips for Latina Moms

Last month, research on Latinas’ attitude towards beauty was released by Univision Communications. It came as no real surprise that beauty is extremely importance to Latinas because of the way it "instills confidence, makes us feel younger and improves our self-esteem." And many Latinas felt that outward beauty reflects inner beauty. In fact, 69 percent of Latinas (vs. 46 percent of non-Latinas) agree that "It's very important to wear makeup and look good."

Mamás play a major role in their daughter’s perception of beauty. They are the ones on the "frontlines" so to speak, encouraging their children to take good care of their appearance. According to the study, a whopping 73 percent of Latina moms (vs. 57 percent of non-Latinas) agreed that "I influence my children to take care of their skin, hair, appearance" and 67 percent of Latinas (vs. 50 percent of non-Latinas) agreed that their mothers had a significant impact on their hygiene practices.

So naturally, beauty brands like Avon, Caress, Cover Girl, Dove, Garnier, L'Oreal, Mary Kay, Maybelline, Olay and Pantene have been focusing their marketing funds on Spanish-language media. And new beauty product lines specifically for Latinas, like La Matadora and Latin Girl Cosmetics, are popping up with relative success.

As a Latina mom, I am often torn between the desperate need for speed and/or comfort and the desire to be feminine, beautiful, and, yes, maybe just a teensy bit sexy. I have found a most helpful little widget which I have added to my sidebar. The Beauty Tip of the Day widget is designed to give daily beauty tips from some of the Unilever brands that I use, like Vaseline, Q-tips, Pond's and Dove. Just click on the picture to get today's beauty hint. I hope you, dear readers, find it as useful as I do!

Back-to-School Season Made Easy with ViveMejor

As the "back to school" frenzy begins, many Hispanic mothers find themselves trying to reorganize their family's day-to-day schedule to accommodate an ever-changing agenda. Gone are those leisurely days of summer, replaced by a more hectic morning and evening routine. During this busy season, mothers are encouraged not to let the added responsibilities get the best of them with help from Vivemejor.com, the one-stop lifestyle resource. The site offers Latinas valuable tips and advice, from both celebrity stylist Leonardo Rocco and Chef Marcela Valladolid, on how to manage the back-to-school season while still taking care of their families and themselves!

According to Rocco, no matter how hectic the back to school days get, it is still important to take time out for personal care, as it is an important part of stress management. To help busy Latinas manage stress during this time of the year, Rocco shares his top three personal care tips here:

1. "Turn your own bathroom into a place of rest and relaxation. Start by setting the ambiance by using some of your favorite scented candles which give soft lighting and create a pleasant environment. I also recommend using a body wash with an exfoliating agent, such as Caress(R)Evenly Gorgeous(TM) Body Wash & Beauty Bar with burnt brown sugar and karite butter, to gently message and exfoliate your skin in the tub. Exfoliation can increase circulation and have a calming effect to help you alleviate the stress of the day."

2. "Get enough sleep! Feeling tired and lack of sleep can cause you to drag and feel irritable, which can increase stress. It can also cause skin to look puffy and take on a wrinkled appearance, so make sure to prioritize a good night's sleep to stay well-rested and keep your skin looking youthful and radiant."

3. "To make sure all your personal care needs are covered throughout the day, I recommend putting together a portable 'beauty kit' to store in your car or office desk. There are some essentials all women should keep in this kit: a toothbrush, travel toothpaste, a mirror, comb, and lip gloss. It should also include one of my personal favorites this season, the new Degree(R) Women Fine Fragrance Collection, which has both an antiperspirant/deodorant and a body mist available in three amazing scents, so women can have one fine fragrance infused throughout their day."

After a busy day, the evening approaches and children return home to tackle numerous homework assignments while mom sets off to prepare dinner. According to Marcela, it is more important than ever to spend time with your kids during the start of the school year to learn about their new teachers, upcoming projects and overall excitement. With these easy and useful cooking tips, Latina moms will be able to cut down on the amount of time they spend preparing dinner and dedicate that time to sharing with their families around the table!

1. "When trying to come up with a quick meal idea that is both delicious and filling for the entire family, I encourage Latinas to also think nutritiously. Considerer whipping up a hearty bowl of spaghetti, which on average takes about 10 minutes to prepare! The carbohydrates in the pasta will give your family energy, and by using my favorite, Ragu(R) Old World Style(R) Smooth Pasta Sauce, you'll be giving your loved ones a full serving of veggies in every 1/2 cup of sauce!" Wash it all down with a cold glass of milk to complete your meal with healthy dose of vitamin D and calcium.

2. "Experimentation in the kitchen is a great way of surprising your family with new and exciting meals. To try new dishes, but without wasting time during the 'testing' phase, I recommend going to a reliable source, such as a trusted friend or website, so you can be certain that the recipes have already been tested to perfection. You'll get the chance to try something new, without wasting time with recipe trial and error!"

3. "Rice is a tried-and-true staple of the Hispanic meal. It can be served as the main dish or as a side to any vegetable or meat. To transform your rice from good to great in just seconds, I recommend using Knorr(R) Caldo con Sabor de Pollo. It gives your rice that delicious chicken broth flavor, without having to spend the hours it takes to actually make the broth."

This is just a taste of all the great information that can be found on Vivemejor.com, the one-stop lifestyle resource for Latinas to find valuable tips and recommendations on how to manage the back-to-school season, while still taking care of their families and themselves. For even more recipes, beauty tips, money-saving coupons and samples, don't forget to visit http://www.vivemejor.com!/

Just for Mamis: Caress Your Style

Now that summer’s here, all of us are shedding those hot bulky sweaters and long pants that we used to keep us warm. Instead, we are fired up to throw on some shorts and tank tops, sundresses and swimsuits to cool us off in the heat of the day. Now that we’re showing off a little skin, some of us could probably use a little help. ¡No te preocupes – it’s Caress to the rescue!

This summer, Caress has launched its new Skinwear Collection of body washes and beauty bars to help us get gorgeous skin right out of the shower. They have the yummiest products, like the Evenly Gorgeous Exfoliating Body Wash and Beauty Bar which has burnt brown sugar and karite butter that gently exfoliate and lusciously moisturize, revealing sensually smooth skin that’s even toned and polished to perfection. Or how about my favorite, the Cashmere Luxury Silkening Body Wash which contains the lavishness of white orchid milk and warm vanilla essence that leaves your skin feeling undeniably soft and luxurious. Want something a little more exotic? The Moroccan Exotic Oil Infusions Body Wash entices your skin with cassis cream and starflower oil, leaving it enchantingly smooth.

The new Skinwear Collection has five other fabulous body washes that delight the senses and leave your skin supple, smooth and sumptuous.

In addition, Queer Eye’s fashion expert, Carson Kressley, has teamed up with Caress to show you the season’s hottest styles and how flaunt them with skin as the centerpiece of their look. Check out Caress’s newly launched site – www.caressyourstyle.com – to read Carson’s latest tips for this summer’s fashions and get a coupon for your Caress bar or body wash while you’re at it!

The site also allows you to create your own "Virtual You" by choosing your skin tone, hair and eyes. Then you can dress your virtual self up in some of the season’s hottest styles. New outfits and accessories are being added regularly. Seriously, who wouldn’t love this?

So get over there and have a beauty blast!

Avocado Beauty Recipes

For centuries, the Mayans, Aztecs and Incas have used avocados in their beauty regimens. The fruit is rich in vitamins A, D, E, potassium, sulfur and chlorine (to name a few - see previous post for more benefits) and has deep penetrating and rejuvinating effects for the skin.

If you google "avocado beauty recipes," you will discover ton of sites with facial and hair beauty recipes that utilize this "green gold." Below I have listed a few of my favorite sites along with a recipe from each.

Cucumber Avocado Facial Mask
(from 1001beautysecrets.com)

½ cup chopped cucumber

½ cup chopped avocado

1 egg white

2 tsp. powdered milk

In a blender combine all of the ingredients until they form a smooth, paste-like consistency. You can apply the mask immediately or refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
Apply 2 tablespoons of the cucumber avocado mask to your face and neck in circular upward motions. Leave the mask on for 30 minutes, or until dry. To remove the mask simply rinse your face and neck with warm water, followed by a cold water rinse. Finally, pat dry your face and neck.

California Avocado Moisturizer
(from pioneerthinking.com)

The inside of the avocado peel is actually valuable. The precious oil hidden away in the peel of the avocado is also a wonderful facial moisturizer. To be technical, the oil contains a humectant, a substance that holds moisture. Using gentle upward strokes, lightly massage your face with the inside of the peel. Let the oil residue remain on your skin for about 15 minutes. At that time you may either leave the oil on your skin and go to sleep or, if you intend to put on make-up, wash your face gently with three or four rinses of tepid water and pat dry. The oil will be invisible but it is there, ready to hold your foundation or powder in place for hours.

Shiny Soft Hair Treatment

(from care2.com's green living section)

In a small bowl, mash and combine:

1 avocado (1/2 for shorter hair)

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

Apply to hair and allow to remain 30 minutes or longer, then shampoo and condition as usual. Amazingly silky, shiny, soft hair!

All Natural Beauty also has a section on Homemade Beauty Recipes that I like.

All of these web sites have additional recipes that you might enjoy, so why not do it right and set aside a night when you can grab some amigas and give each other natural beauty makeovers? We all need a little spa-time in our lives!

Zesty Gourmet, Anyone?

I haven't posted on beauty products for a while now, so I thought I'd feature a little something just for mamás. If you are looking for a little pick-me-up on those days that are hard to get out of bed, check out this super shop I found on etsy.

Oliba has some wonderful products for sale, including soaps, body scrubs, lotions and milk baths. Their products are handmade of all-natural ingredients and most use 100% pure organic olive oil as a base. Even better, there is no animal testing on any of their products. They are beautifully packaged so they would make great gifts. But I just like looking at the pictures. Who would have thought that soap would look so sabroso and luscious?

I think the Spanish Lime and Apricot Seed Soap might be just what the doctor prescribes for tired mamis. Oliba describes this soap as "zesty" and "BURSTING with energy." If that's the case, then this is exactly what I need - I think I'm all zested out! The Apricot seeds provide a gentle exfoliation while the fresh squeezed lemon scent delights your senses and works up into a rich lather. It makes me want to go soak in the tub just thinking about it!

But - ay chihuahua! - I think her Cocoa and Mint Whip Soap (shown above) would definitely have to be on my list of sinful indulgences. Made with real cocoa and a splash of spearmint, this gourmet bar looks and sounds good enough to eat, and the thought of just rubbing it on my skin is positively decadent! Who knew that the antioxidants in the chocolate are great for protecting the skin from the sun, pollution and free-radicals? Or that the caffeine helps to calm and soothe the skin? I wonder what would happen if I just rubbed chocolate pudding all over me? Who am I kidding...that pudding would be eaten so fast, my lips wouldn't even benefit. Just my hips.

They also have some yummy baby products. Their Buttermilk Baby Soap contains wheat germ oil, olive oil, and avocado oil - which provide gentle cleansing and are great for keeping baby's (or mami's!) skin nice and soft. And their Buttermilk Baby Gentle Milk Bath is made with real organic buttermilk and soy milk, which are rich in fats and emollients.

What are you waiting for? Get over there and take a look at Oliba's etsy shop! You can find them by clicking here.

Fashion Deals....

Upa! It suddenly occurred to me that I have not posted on any fashion topics for a while. Naturally, my first impulse is to check out Motherwear to see what they have on sale and... BINGO! They have tons of great items for you ladies to check out, though I've narrowed my choices down to two.

The first is this super "On the Go Dress" that is on sale for only 18.95!!! (Normally priced at $59.00) I love this dress because it is simple, sexy, flattering and never likely to go out of fashion. It can be worn while nursing or even if you are not. A great addition to any mamá's wardrobe.

Motherwear also has a bunch of nursing bras on sale. However, I think the one I like best is the "Wrap 'N Snap" nursing bra from La Leche League. I adore the print and it looks SO comfy. I wish that I had known about these when I was nursing my kids. What the hay - I may just go ahead and buy one anyway!

To check out these yummy products, visit Motherwear's site here.

Folic Acid for Latinas

Well, as promised, I am dedicating the next few posts to pregnancy and breastfeeding. To start off, I'm providing you a link to one of the most important issues for pregnant Latinas, and that is the importance of getting enough folic acid. As a group, Latinas have the highest rates of neural tube defects during pregnancy. Many Latinas don't have access to proper health care during their pregnancies, and as a result most likely don't even know what Folic Acid is. But this vital nutrient is a type of B vitamin that helps with tissue growth and cell function. It helps prevent certain birth defects including spina bifida, a condition where the backbone and spinal canal do not close before birth. As a result, newborns may suffer partial or complete paralysis in their legs and the exposed spinal cord is very susceptible to infection.

Good sources of folic acid include citrus fruits/juices, beans/legumes, and dark green leafy veggies, to name a few.

Since folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin that is excreted in the urine, it is hard to overdose on folic acid, so I strongly suggest that all of us Latinas take a multi-vitamin every day. Even if you buy some children's vitamins and pop one in your mouth with breakfast, that would be sufficient. And the other advantages of taking prenatal vitamins include longer, stronger nails, beautiful skin and healthy shiny, hair. You can't beat that!

So get out there, Ladies, and eat some folic acid!

For more information on folic acid, visit the March of Dimes web site here.

For more information on Latinas and pregnancy, check out the National Latina Health Network here.

Holiday Gift Idea for Mamá

What a beautiful necklace for mamás everywhere! This gold-filled chain and daisy spacers with chartreuse coin pearls is an original piece by Adelita Chirino the owner/designer of LITA designs. It even comes with matching pearl earrings. This Cuban-American designer has been creating beautiful jewelry since 1999. Her goal is to create jewelry that not only adds to your outwards appearance, but also affects the way you feel.

If you are looking for a delicate and feminine gift to give a woman in your life, this is the answer!

To view this and other creations by Adelita, click here.

Nursing Necklace

I have to admit, I decided to feature this item after seeing it on my friend, Lisa's, blog. It is too cool not to share with all of you....so check out this beautiful nursing necklace created by Bonnie Alvarez, the owner/designer of Birth Designs. Her beautiful website features a large collection of jewelry. The nursing necklaces are my favorite as they are a great way to bond with baby while nursing or bottle feeding.

To see more of her collection, click here.

Abuelita's Gift

It's funny the way our minds work. At the fair last week, a discussion with one of the other vendors triggered a long-forgotten memory. We were discussing gifts for Mamás and Abuelitas when Dulce Parker of D'Caribbean Gifts mentioned how popular amber necklaces seem to be in Latino families.

"Really?" I said, interested. And then... a teeny, tiny whisper in the back of my head suddenly became a SHOUT!

My great-grandmother, who I called 'Buelita, was the sweetest woman on the planet. She died when I was twelve, but I spent so much of my childhood with her, that I can sometimes still see her laughing next to me. Far from being a fashion diva, my 'Buelita was a very - shall I say huggable? - and down-to-earth lady with no-nonsense shoes and a neat and tidy appearance. I can't remember her ever spending any money buying extravagant accessories (though she did have a nice collection of costume jewelry), but I do remember her amber necklace.

Dulcé mentioned that oftentimes, Latinas will buy amber jewelry that they treasure and then pass down to their daughters and grand-daughters. After further discussion with her husband, Bill, I asked if the appearance of the amber made it more or less valuable.

"No," he said. "It just seems to be a matter of personal taste. Some people prefer the amber with bugs or fauna (plants) inside, while others like the clear."

Not too fond of amber? No problem! D'Caribbean Gifts also carries my newest love, Larimar, the only semiprecious gem with the blue color of the sea found in the Caribbean Islands. Each piece has its own unique natural colors from shades of blue to green.

So for those of you thinking about what to buy your mamá or abuelita for Christmas this year, perhaps a beautiful amber (or larimar!) necklace will earn you an extra hug and besito.

Or maybe it is time for you to buy yourself a little memory to pass on down to your hijas.

To see more of Dulce's jewelry, check out her site here.

Celebrate Day of the Dead continued...

How funny and adorable are these? An absolute MUST for little girls on Dia de los Muertos and even Holloween! A very cute idea by Siiri. These hair clips ship from Australia, so shop now to get them in time for the festivities!

Check these and other products out here.

Yummy Besito

I clearly remember that with pregnancy came some crazy changes to my body, most notably my skin. It looked great, but I did have some sensitive lips that chapped easily - especially con el frio (with the cold). I found this super "Lime Sugar" lip balm on Etsy from 4th Ave Soap Company. Made with shea oil and jojoba, their lip balms are completely natural with the exception of the fragrance. Don't care for lime sugar? Then try out one of their other balms which include "Mildly Minty," "Green Tea Mint," and "Pomegranate." Remarkably only $3.00!!

See here for details.