Recently in Lotions/Sunscreen Category

I love Mustela for the super moisturizing texture of their body milk cream. I use it for myself and love the scent but for newborns with sensitive skin all that fragrance is unnecessary and irritating. This is the case for my nephew so I decided to get him the Mustela new sensitive line, Stelaprotect, which has the same soft texture and moisturizing benefits with no fragrance, preventatives, colorant or paraben. It has a neutral scent from all the ingredients are in it so it isn't absolutely fragrance free like water is but it is definitely the best you can do. It is on the watery side, which is great for babies for ease of application but don't be fooled, this is nutritional stuff for the skin. It's perfect for newborns shedding the vernix (a protective covering while in the tummy), doctors will tell you to leave it alone but if it bothers you (it bothers me!!), use a little bit of the Mustela Stelaprotect to rub it off. I would use any type of lotion or cream very sparingly on a newborn but I have found that this is very sensitive and non-irritating for those times when it is needed. Mustela Stelaprotect Body Milk at Drugstore.com for $18.

Let's just cut to the chase here, this stuff WORKS!! I have heard that this is a favorite among models but how much help do models need really? I need the strong stuff, not the superficial cream for minor blemishes, I've got serious problems here! That is why I haven't tried it until it was given to me to review. After having 2 kids, the skin on my stomach looks like something out of a sci-fi alien movie, it was certainly not the human skin I was born with. I don't mind sporting my pooch but I stop at wrinkly, bunchy, wavy skin. It is enough to make me phone a plastic surgeon. I've tried every kind of cream, very expensive ones, and they had some positive results but none like this one. After 2 weeks of use, the skin on my tummy is visibly smoother. I can't say much for the actual loss of fat but it definitely makes me look nicer and therefore in my mind skinnier. The main ingredient is L-carnitine which is natural in the body and metabolized fat into energy. It comes with dietary supplements that will help this process but I am taking other vitamins already so I did not take these (and I still had results!). Nivea Good Bye Cellulite with 30 day supplements at Amazon for $20.47.

Lazy summer days can end with multiple bug bites for our tots not to mention late afternoon bar-b-ques where I get eaten alive myself! I have literally tried everything in the market and the only thing that's been somewhat effective are Avon Skin So Soft Bug Guard and Towlettes. They're super convenient in individually packed pouches so you can keep a few in the car, in the beach bag and by the pool. Repels deer-ticks for 12 hours and mosquitoes for 8 hours. Each toweltte has enough solution on it to apply on a family of four. The main ingredient is Picaridin, an effective alternative ingredient to DEET. Pack of 8 for $14.00 here.

Did you know that August has the most births of the year? Hmm, it must be the drinking at all those holiday parties =) Not only for births but it seems like this is the season for baby showers as well. I love gift baskets but these wagon sets are ridiculously cute. It requires no wrapping and is super impressive. The My Lil Farmhouse Wagon ($68.50) comes with a lamb bodysuit, cow face booties, horsie hat, piggy bib, patchwork quilt, plush lamb, corn rattle and colorful layette wrapped in an organza bag with a printed ribbon. The Just Ducky Welcome Wagon ($40) has baby lotion, baby wash, baby soap, bar, puffy sponge and of course a rubber ducky. Excellent bang for the buck!

The applying of sunscreen is a total drag. Tots hate getting it done and trying to do it quickly leads to no good - either sun burn on missed spots or crying because it gets in their eyes. I have my techniques but nothing beats this - a wipe that is saturated with sunscreen! It was created by moms, of course! Pediatrician moms at that. They know the importance of applying sunscreen and to make sure we are doing the job properly and without annoyance, they came up with the absolute most perfect solution! One wipe has enough sunscreen to cover your tot from head to toe. Maneuver around the eyes and get it in every crevice with no fuss or muss. No more excuses for avoiding the sunscreen every time you head outdoors this summer! This easy to dispense and use towelette will make your summer a total dream! At Pure and Honest Kids for $26.

Violet Affleck with the Wallaroo "Sophia" Hat (in the stroller)

If there is one thing we know about celebrities, it is that they're good at preserving their good looks. And of course they would extend this to their precious tots. Violet Affleck is seen, not exactly wearing, but we're assuming at some point she was wearing the Wallaroo hat in the Sohpia fairly princess style. These hats are SFP50+ and protects against 97.5% of the sun's rays. Style and function! That's what we're always after, isn't it? The wide brim keeps the glare out of their eyes so they can enjoy the summer sun. At Wallaroo Hats for $24. Other styles available, for grown ups too.

Vivesana means clean living in Spanish and that is what their products are all about. This Solar Polar Baby sunscreen ($32) with synthetic-free SPF 42 is the highest you'll find. It is all organic, nourishing, gentle, hypoallergenic and even comes in a BPA-free aluminum tubing. It is a thick cream but I don't mind, although it does take rubbing to work it in the skin. Even with the heavy texture, it does not leave a greasy film and was easy to clean off. My 4 year old has extremely sensitive skin and with most sunscreen will break out in little red dots that look like acne. It is from clogged pores and sometimes is caused by what she eats but with the Vivesana sunscreen, that did not happen. Also comes in a grown up version, Solar to Polar Ultra SPF 40 for $29 which I use and love. Save 25% with coupon code friendfamily25 through May 5.

Okay, my four year old is hardly a baby (he can almost pick me up-- not kidding!) not to mention he acts like his father sometimes and calls me "Miss Chatterbox" (cute but irritating!) but his silky soft skin is still like a baby's and I protect it as such. We've used California Baby since he was born and it's still my absolute favorite brand. I keep a tube of California Baby 30SPF sunscreen ($19.99) in my car in case we decide to go to the park after school. I know, this is as expensive and I've tried other brands but California Baby is the only one that doesn't irritate his eyes or make him scream when he jumps in the pool. I recently got the Citronella version ($19.99) with organic essential oils that also keeps bugs away, naturally. This is extremely useful in humid Texas summers when bugs are just everywhere! Both types are non-chemical. At California Baby.com