Media Maven: The Elite Socialista

Lenny Kravitz Joins Toms as a new creative designer and Style Maverick! What do you think?

“Toms is known for their charitable efforts (every pair purchased, Toms will donate a pair to a child in need) and after some urging from his daughter Zoe, Lenny lent a helping hand in designing several styles.” - StyleBlazer.

Check Out Lenny Kravitz’s Creations for TOMS (stylenews.peoplestylewatch.com)

Lenny Kravitz Joins Toms as a new creative designer and Style Maverick! What do you think?

Check Out Lenny Kravitz’s Creations for TOMS (stylenews.peoplestylewatch.com)

goddesspr will design a digital press kit for $5!

Elite Socialistas & Victoria’s Secret Angels Reveal What’s Sexy Now!

Bohemian Goddess Glow With Fake Bake; A Review!

Celebrity Baby Scoop Brings You The Latest Baby Boom & Hairdo News

Hello Lovelies,

Media Maven here and we present to you the following feature courtesy of Celebrity Baby Scoop:

Celebrity Baby Scoop is always on top of things when it comes to celebrity baby and parent news, including providing curious fans with fun roundups of fashion, beauty and parenting trends.

The popular website recently put together two fun roundups - a list of celebrity moms expecting new bundles of joy with their feature âHollywood Baby Boom: 20 Pregnant Celebritiesâ and a look at celeb tot haircuts with their feature âCelebrity Kids & Their Haircuts.â

Below is a sampling of âHollywood Baby Boom: 20 Pregnant Celebritiesâ:

BeyoncÃ© Knowles
Pop diva BeyoncÃ© Knowles shocked audiences at the MTV Video Music Awards when she debuted her baby bump in a gorgeous orange gown.

“I have a surprise!” Knowles, 29, teased. Her rep later confirmed, “I’m happy to say it’s true.”

But the real shocker is if that baby bump is even real! According to the Wendy Williams Show, there is video evidence that BeyoncÃ© may very well be faking her pregnancy!

Jennifer Garner
After weeks of speculation, Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck recently confirmed that they are expecting their third child.

The couple, who are already parents to girls Violet, 5, and Seraphina, 2, said they are “thrilled” to be adding another baby to their family.

Hilary Duff
Disney darling Hilary Duff and her husband Mike Comrie recently announced that they’re expecting baby No. 1.

When she dished the exciting news, the 23-year-old Lizzie McGuire star reflected on her marriage â she and hockey star Comrie, 30, wed on August 14, 2010 â and then happily stated:

“We also want to share the exciting news thatâ¦ BABY MAKES THREE,” she wrote. “We are extremely happy and ready to start this new chapter of our lives.”

Jenna Fischer
The Office’s Jenna Fischer and her husband Lee Kirk are expecting their first child - a boy - next month.

In an appearance on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno the 37-year-old actress revealed, “Me and my husband, we’re due in the fall, September. We’re in what they call the home stretch.”

Niki Taylor
Model mom Niki Taylor and husband Burney Lamar are expecting their second child together.

In May, the 36-year-old model announced her third pregnancy via Twitter: âGuess whatâs in this photo?â referring to an image of herself holding an ultrasound picture. She followed that note with another shot of herself, hubby Burney and their 2-year-old daughter Ciel, writing, âWooohooo!! YES!! We r expecting our 4th child!! So happy & blessed!!â

See the complete feature âHollywood Baby Boom: 20 Pregnant Celebrities.â

Below is a sampling of âCelebrity Kids & Their Haircutsâ:

Cindy Crawford’s gorgeous son Presley recently cut off his blonde locks!

Britney Spears’ sons went from a buzz cut to longer locks.

Kate Hudson’s son Ryder sported long locks for the longest time.

Heidi Klum’s boys recently went for the buzz cut.

Katie Holmes & Tom Cruise’s daughter Suri looked so cute with a short bob!

See the complete feature âCelebrity Kids & Their Haircuts.âÂ

Celebrity Baby Scoop is one of the most popular blogs on the topic and the foremost provider of everything celebrity-baby, featuring baby fashion, baby names, baby trends and up-to-the-minute celebrity baby gossip and pics. Get all the latest news, updates, and photos about Hollywoodâs most beloved celebrity moms, dads and their babies. Whoâs the latest Tinseltown baby? Whoâs due next and who just announced a pregnancy? Itâs all on Celebrity Baby Scoop.

Original Article

Beauty Maven **Exclusive** by Paula Begoun, the Cosmetics Cop

Pregnancy & Skin Care
Find Out What’s Safe to Use and What to Avoid by Paula Begoun, The Cosmetics Cop
Pregnancy is an exciting time for women, but it comes with many health-related challenges, for both the baby and the mom-to-be. Concerns include everything from what to eat and what not to eat, what medicines you can take or not, and what to do or not to do about the many changes your body is going through. Pregnant women also wonder about which skin-care products are okay to use and which ones are not—that’s where we can help!

Because some ingredients—both from prescription drugs and from some skin-care products—are absorbed into the body when applied to skin, you need to know what’s safe for use during pregnancy and what to avoid. The Paula’s Choice Research Team turned to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Heather Rogers of Seattle’s Madison Skin & Laser Center for answers. Being a new mom herself, Dr. Rogers is in a unique position to offer advice based on science and on her and personal keen understanding of the skin-care concerns many pregnant women have.

Although it is always important for you to check with your own physician, Dr. Rogers points out that, as a general rule, “regular” skin-care products such as cleansers, toners, moisturizers, eye creams, scrubs, and lip balms that do not contain “active” or prescription ingredients are fine for use throughout your pregnancy. However, prescription and many over-the-counter skin-care drugs are a different issue. Here is what you need to know….

Using Topical Prescription Drugs During Pregnancy
The United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) requires that all prescription drugs be classified according to their risk if you are pregnant, into one of five lettered categories: A, B, C, D, or X, as follows:

• A = Controlled Studies Show No Risk. Studies in pregnant women show the medication causes no increased risk to the baby during pregnancy.

• B = No Evidence of Risk in Humans. Studies in pregnant women have not shown increased risk of fetal abnormalities. In the absence of human studies, animal studies show no increased fetal risk.

• C = Risk Cannot Be Ruled Out. Human or animal studies are unavailable. There is a chance of harm to the baby if Category C drugs are used during pregnancy, but in certain cases the potential benefits may outweigh the risk. The anti-aging prescription drug tretinoin (Renova, Retin-A) falls into this category, as do anti-acne drugs benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. You should discurss the level of risk with your physician.

• D = Positive Evidence of Risk. Studies in pregnant women have demonstrated a risk to the baby. However, the benefits may outweigh the risks if the mother’s life is in danger. Examples include the antibiotics tetracycline, doxycycline, and minocycline.

• X = Contraindicated in Pregnancy. Studies in animals or pregnant women have demonstrated positive evidence of fetal abnormalities. The use of the product is not recommended in women who are or may become pregnant. The best skin-care example of a Category X drug is isotretinoin (formerly Accutane).

You should avoid any prescription medicine in Category D or X during pregnancy unless the mother’s life is at risk and the physician and the mother decide otherwise.

Using Over-the-Counter Topical Drugs During Pregnancy
We’re often asked about whether or not over-the-counter drugs such as benzoyl peroxide, hydroquinone, sunscreen actives, and salicylic acid are safe to use during pregnancy or while nursing. It appears that many pregnant women’s physicians don’t have a ready answer, leaving the mothers-to-be frustrated and confused. Dr. Rogers explained that lots of physicians don’t know what to say because “there are very few studies evaluating the safety during pregnancy of the active ingredients in many skin-care products. This makes it difficult for physicians to say with certainty that a specific ingredient is completely safe to use regularly throughout pregnancy.”

Rogers also commented that “Because pregnancy is a very important and very temporary state, it is easy for physicians to simply recommend avoidance, but that can lead to a LONG nine months for mom!” Here’s what Dr. Rogers told us about common active skin-care ingredients during pregnancy:

• Hydroquinone is in Category C, which means that risk cannot be ruled out. It is probably best to wait until your third trimester (months 7–9 of pregnancy) before using skin-lightening products that contain hydroquinone. Even then, it is advised to not use products with hydroquinone every day; rather, use them only 2–3 times per week.
• Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid (BHA) are in Category C, so risk cannot be ruled out. Because these ingredients can be absorbed through the skin, their use during pregnancy and while nursing is likely best avoided.
• Sunscreen actives are not categorized based on the rating system described above, but many pregnant women wonder about them. Following is Dr. Rogers’ advice about sunscreen actives:

“To date, the majority of research on the safety of sunscreen ingredients is studies where animals were exposed to systemically high doses (fed massive quantities) of the ingredient in question. This makes it difficult to apply any findings from this research to the typical woman’s use of sunscreens. Yet, to err on the side of caution, during pregnancy I encourage patients to first cover up by using long sleeves, hats, and sunglasses. For the face, I recommend the use of broad-spectrum sunscreen with a preference for the physical blockers zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.”

Within the Paula’s Choice line, you may want to consider Skin Recovery Daily Moisturizing Lotion with SPF 15, RESIST Cellular Defense Daily Moisturizer with SPF 25, or Pure Mineral Sunscreen SPF 15. All of these contain the mineral active ingredients Dr. Rogers recommends. You can find options from other brands on Beautypedia. Be sure to apply the sunscreen liberally to ensure you’re getting the amount of protection stated on the label. You can also layer SPF-rated products for increased protection.

Skin-Care Concerns During Pregnancy
Based on the restrictions above, you may be wondering how you’re going to manage your skin-care concerns while you’re pregnant. Don’t worry; there are workarounds you can use to take great care of your skin while having peace of mind that your baby is safe. Here’s what you can do, depending on your concern…

Skin discolorations (hyperpigmentation) during pregnancy:

• Apply a physical (“mineral”) sunscreen whose active ingredients are titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide, and make sure it is rated SPF 15 or greater. Note that many foundations and pressed powders with sunscreen contain these gentle active ingredients. You must apply sunscreen daily, rain or shine, and apply it liberally!
• Use an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) exfoliant daily or consider a series of AHA peels from your dermatologist.
• Consider using a product with hydroquinone during your third trimester (make sure to get your physician’s OK), but only a few times per week.
• Talk to your physician about a prescription azelaic acid product (such as Azelex). This drug is considered safe for use during pregnancy and can be effective for treating hyperpigmentation.

Acne during pregnancy:

• Because your doctor may advise against using salicylic acid, consider exfoliating with an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) product and/or having a series of AHA peels.
• Instead of benzoyl peroxide, ask your physician for a prescription topical antibiotic, such as erythromycin or clindamycin, both of which are considered safe for use during pregnancy.
• Azelaic acid (brand name Azelex) is another prescription option for acne that is considered safe for use during pregnancy.

Rosacea during pregnancy:

• Metronidazole (the active ingredient in MetroCream and Lotion) is considered safe for use during pregnancy.
• Azelaic acid can help with acne and discolorations, but some find it effective for controlling symptoms of rosacea as well. It is safe for use during pregnancy.
• A gentle mineral sunscreen with titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide is advised for those with rosacea, whether they’re pregnant or not. For extra protection, use a foundation or tinted moisturizer with a mineral-based sunscreen, too.

Anti-aging/wrinkles during pregnancy:

• Avoid prescription retinoids (e.g., Renova, Retin-A, Differin, Tazorac, and generic tretinoin) and over-the-counter products with retinol.
• There is no documented concern about common “cosmeceutical” ingredients, such as vitamin C, niacinamide, or peptides, being used during pregnancy.
• In-office treatments, such as a series of AHA peels and microdermabrasion, are generally fine during pregnancy. Discuss with your doctor the safety of intense pulsed light or laser treatments during pregnancy.
• Ongoing use of skin-care products loaded with antioxidants and skin-repairing ingredients is highly recommended, but again, be sure to check with your physician and follow his or her advice.

Although the information above is not exhaustive, it should give you a clear idea of what’s OK to use during pregnancy and what should be avoided. Most important, you can achieve your skin-care goals during pregnancy, and that’s sure to put your mind at ease! As a friendly reminder, it is always a good idea to consult your physician about the use of any over-the-counter or prescription drugs you’re considering while pregnant or nursing.

[caption id=”attachment_781” align=”alignnone” width=”300” caption=”Photo by Torsten Mangner”][/caption]

Original Article

Alice Inoue Feng Shui Series: Creating Energetically Secure Bathrooms

By Alice Inoue

Bathrooms and Feng Shui

Bathrooms are intimate rooms of transition. We go from dirty to clean and from no make-up to being made up. It is a room in which we let go of the old and release our toxins, as well as our tears. The bathroom assists us in processing that which we no longer want to keep within us.

It is the most private room of the home, and in public, it is the only place where we can get privacy. As such, the bathroom is a very important place in which to create comfort and support, especially when you are transitioning in your life and going through changes. When you are feeling vulnerable, make sure that your bathrooms are protected energetically.

What is a good color?

Most people will agree that being naked is a vulnerable state to be in. Imagine yourself naked in a sterile white bathroom. Does the thought make you feel uncomfortable? White bathrooms offer minimal energetic security and comfort. In feng shui, the color white represents metal. Metal has the qualities of being cold, hard, and unyielding and can transfer to the “feel” of a bathroom.

[caption id=”attachment_790” align=”alignnone” width=”283” caption=”©istockphoto.com/aliceinoue”][/caption]

If you want a bathroom that is energetically supportive, choose colors that are deep and saturated to create a surrounding that is rich and enveloping. Creating more of the “womb” energy allows users to feel protected and nurtured while there. Earth tones, jewel tones, and deeper color values are excellent for the bathroom.

That being said, due to personal taste, some prefer light-colored, airy bathrooms and feel claustrophobic in anything else. In this case, just use a few accent pieces (area rugs, towels, curtains, shower curtains) in complementary earth tones to offer a bit of stability and warmth. You can also choose to add images of nature scenes to bring in more supportive energy.

Aren’t bathrooms “bad” feng shui?

Bathrooms are filled with drains and are thought of as “bad” because of the idea that water, which represents flow and abundance, gets flushed away or goes down the drain via the bathroom.

Bathrooms can actually be “cured” or fixed so that they lose a minimal amount of energy. Of the cures I mention below, you can choose to do all or just a few.

Simple bathroom cures

• Keep the door shut whenever you can.
• Keep the toilet lid down and the drains closed when not in use.
• Add upward-growing, “strong-looking” plants instead of droopy and delicate plants to counter the downward energetic force of the toilet and drains.
• Hang a full-length mirror outside the door to deflect the energy. If you can’t hang a full-length mirror, hang one that is half-length, or at least one that you can see your head in.
• Create a “wow” bathroom with your décor. This will help to raise the energy. I have seen Victorian, Elvis, cat, dog, and pig themes in bathrooms. If guests use your bathroom and come out complimenting it, they have helped you to keep the energy high!

[caption id=”attachment_690” align=”alignnone” width=”210” caption=”Alice Inoue is a life guide that uses the modalities of feng shui, astrology and spirituality in her work. Her offerings include award-winning, mind-body-spirit themed books, as well as a series of feng shui instructional DVD’s. For more information visit www.aliceinspired.com. Sign up for her newsletter to receive monthly articles on feng shui, astrology and life wisdom.”][/caption]