Monday, August 31, 2009

GWP (Gift with Purchase) in Sweetsation Baby World.

The time has come. There are some great changes occurred in Sweetsation Therapy and there are a lot of reasons to be excited about. So to celebrate them we are announcing Gift with Purchase event.


Starting 08/31/09 till 09/06/09

With every purchase of 3 full size Baby skin Care products you will receive a travel kit containing generous sizes of the following products:

1. 1.7oz Bubbles'n'Bubbles Organic Foaming Baby Shampoo
2. 1oz Bottoms"Up Organic Baby Massage Oil
3. 1oz Chamomile Milk Baby Bath Soaking Essence
4. 0.5oz Organic Baby Calendula Cream or Yummi*Tummi Organic Baby Choco Butter ( your choice)
5. 0.25oz Sun'n'Fun Organic Baby Sunscreen
6. 0.5oz Bum*Bum Balm or Chub*Stick Diaper Rash Ointment (your choice)
7. 1 Full size Organic Baby Lip Balm (not on picture)
8. All tucked in beautiful draw-string vinyl bag.

Total Value $30.00

This event will continue till September 6th, 2009, or while supplies last.

Please feel free to leave us a comment about what type of promotions you would like to see in the future. Feedback is always appreciated. If not, then go Shopping!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

You named your baby what??? 25 weirdest celebrity baby names.

There is no shortage of weird baby names, especially in Celebrity world -- in fact, the hard part is narrowing the list down! When a celebrity has a baby, everything from where the couple registers for presents to the hospital where the mom-to-be gives birth gets examined and criticized. Perhaps it's that inherent intrusiveness that leads stars to use some truly unusual and wacky baby names? Whatever the reason, check out the top 25 weird celebrity baby names.

Celebrities can have some pretty unusual tastes in baby names. We devoured lists of stars and their babies to come up with the 25 most unusual celebrity baby names.

25. Hopper

When a congressmen submits a proposed bill in the House of Representatives, he or she puts it ceremoniously into the hopper, a brown wooden box located on the floor of the house.

Hopper is also the name of the son of Sean Penn and Robin Wright, which Penn said in a 2004 interview with New York Magazine, that he and his like liked the name "aesthetically."

24. Apple

It's the forbidden fruit, it'll keep the doctor away and it's the epitome of Americanism. But Apple is also the name of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin's first daughter. They got the idea from one of Martin's band mates, who also has a child named Apple.

In an interview with Oprah, Paltrow said that she liked how it sounded "wholesome" and "clean." Pictured is Gwyneth and Apple.

23. Poppy Honey, Daisy Boo and Petal Blossom Rainbow

Leave it to a renowned chef to bring in vibrant names to the table when naming their children. Jamie Oliver and his wife, Jools, named their daughters Poppy, Daisy and Petal. Apparently the floral motif is big for naming in the Oliver clan.

22. Calico, Dash and Sonora Rose

What name purrs like a kitten? Alice Cooper and wife Sheryl's daughter Calico. But move over, commonly colored cat, this Calico is a talented singer and actress. Cooper's penchant for unusual names also extended to his other kids, Dash and Sonora Rose.

21. Sage Moonblood and Seargeoh

When you hear the names of this pair, you can't help but get stuck on Sage Moonblood. What does that even mean? But look past it, and see Seargeoh ... then picture dad

Sylvester Stallone pronouncing it. It just fits.

20. Aurelius

Back in the time of the Romans, Aurelii was the name of an elite group of families. Aurelius was the male version of the name, and it's also the name of the youngest son of Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson and Arpad Busson (who's now engaged to Uma Thurman).

19. Blue Angel

Some people name their children after family members, others name them for Biblical figures. But U2's The Edge and Aislinn O'Sullivan? They went for Blue Angel. Sounds like a clothing line, doesn't it?

18. Bluebell Madonna

Back in the late 90s, the Spice Girls were known for their shrinking hemlines and get-up-and-move music. These days though, many of the Spice Girls have taken on a new role: mom.

Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice") is no exception ... and her daughter's name pays homage to both music and beautiful flowers: Bluebell Madonna. The British mother-daughter duo are pictured left.

17. Fifi TrixibellE, Peaches and Pixie

File this one under "What were they thinking??". Bob Geldof and Paula Yates named their firstborn daughter Fifi Trixibelle.

Meanwhile, their other daughters fared no better with Peaches Honeyblossom and Pixie. The late Paula Yates went on to have one more daughter, this one with (also late) INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence. The child is known as Tiger, which is a whole lot simpler to remember than her given name: Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily.

16. Destry

Somewhere between destiny and destroy is Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw's daughter Destry.

15. Diezel Ky

Alternate spellings can be a cool way to customize a name, and that's what Toni Braxton and Keri Lewis did with their son, Diezel Ky. Diezel's older brother is named Denim Cole.

14. Willow Camille Reign

Back in the 90s, Will Smith was best known as the Fresh Prince, so it's pretty darn appropriate that he and wife Jada Pinkett-Smith incorporated a royal moniker like Reign into their daughter's name.

13. Marquise

There is something mighty noble about rapper 50 Cent's son's name, Marquise. The word means French nobleman.

12. Zola Ivy

Parents Eddie Murphy and Nicole Mitchell created one of those names that flows nicely together, although it's an unexpected combination. The name? Zola Ivy. Eddie Murphy's other kids include Bella Zahra, Shane Audra, Brea and Angel Iris Murphy Brown (the last was with Spice Girl Melanie Brown).

11. Tallulah, Scout and Rumer

You can't bring one of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore's children into the name list without the other two. The couple, who divorced in 2000, named their kids Tallulah, Scout and Rumer. And boy, did Demi make rumors when she started dating her current husband, Ashton Kutcher -- who is 16 years her junior.

10. Ocean, Sonnet and True

There is something poetic about Forest Whitaker's kids names: Ocean, Sonnet and True ...

9. Shiloh Nouvel

Parents of six, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, have a cache of unusual names, but their biological daughter Shiloh's name takes the cake in the clan (siblings include Maddox, Zahara, Pax, Knox and Vivienne). Pictured is Shiloh with Papa Pitt.

8. Seven Sirius, Puma Sabti and Mars Merkaba

Naming a baby really is serious business. When Andre Benjamin and Erykah Badu named their son, they took that to heart with Seven Sirius (say it outloud). Badu has since given birth to two more kids, Puma (hello, sneakers!) and Mars (the red planet?).

7. Satchel

Babies are so cute, you just want to scoop them up and keep them close. Maybe that's why Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee named their child for bag that's great for carrying things: Satchel.

6. Kyd

David Duchovny and Tea Leoni spared no creativity here, naming thier son ... wait for it ... wait for it ... Kyd. Guess that makes calling the child over a cinch.

5. Moxie CrimeFighter and Zolten

Illusionist Penn Jillette isn't fooling anyone with the unusual names for his kids: Moxie CrimeFighter and Zolten. Do you think Zolten is a CrimeFighter with Moxie?

4. Pilot Inspektor

Some things just aren't intended to be names. Sometimes, if you want to choose an unusal name, it's better to balance it with a more traditional name. Of course, Jason Lee and Beth Riesgraf didn't get that memo when they named Pilot Inspektor.

3. Kal-El

Superman has a fan in Nicholas Cage, who named his son Kal-El ... which is the first name of the Man of Steel.

2. Jermajesty

Jerm-Jerma .... no, no, no. This name is pronounced like Her Majesty, but with a J at the start of it. That one comes from parents Jermaine Jackson and Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza. 'Nuff said.

1. Moon Unit, Dweezil and Diva Muffin

You can't have a list of unusual celebrity baby names without mentioning the kids of Frank Zappa -- Moon Unit, Dweezil and Diva Muffin. The man is a pioneer in the naming division, for sure.






Friday, August 21, 2009

Facing Facts About Acne

Though it's often portrayed as a scourge of the teen years, acne can affect people of all ages. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), about 80 percent of people between the ages of 11 and 30 have outbreaks of the skin disorder at some point.

"Many see their acne go away by the time they reach their 30s," says Jane Liedtka, a medical officer at the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). "But for some, acne persists into their 40s and 50s."

Spurred by inflammation of skin glands and of tiny, narrow canals in the skin known as hair follicles, acne is marked by pimples and other lesions. It commonly appears on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders.

Acne is not usually a serious health condition. "But it can cause significant emotional distress, as well as permanent scarring of skin tissue," says Liedtka, who has 15 years of clinical experience treating acne. She now works in CDER's Division of Dermatology and Dental Products.

A Disease of the PSUs

Clinically, acne is described as a disease of features known as pilosebaceous units (PSUs). Found just under the skin, PSUs are numerous on the face, upper back, and chest, and contain sebaceous glands that are connected to hair follicles. The sebaceous glands produce sebum, an oily substance that empties onto the skin via the hair follicle.

Liedtka explains, "it is known that acne is partly the result of the action of hormones on the skin's oil glands and the hair follicles," she says. "The earliest lesion of acne is a plugging of the pores of the skin."

Factors believed to be related to acne formation include

  • increases in sex hormones called androgens that occur in both boys and girls during puberty. Androgens cause sebaceous glands to enlarge and make more sebum in hair follicles
  • hormonal changes related to pregnancy or to starting or stopping use of birth control pills
  • genetics

Beware of Myths

"There are many misconceptions out there about how acne forms, as well as on how to treat the condition," says Liedtka.

Here are some facts about acne:

  • There is no known way to prevent the development of acne.
  • Acne is not caused by poor hygiene, sweating, or not washing. "These factors do not cause the clogged pores that contribute to acne development," says Liedtka. While medicated washes containing benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, salicylic acid, and sulfur are one form of treatment for acne, simple soap and water does not treat the condition, she adds.
  • Acne is not caused by diet. No scientific connection has been found between diet and acne. No food—not chocolate, fries, pizza, or any other food—has been shown to cause acne.
  • Acne does not need to be allowed to run its course. "The condition can be treated," says Liedtka. "There are prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) products for it. If products you have tried haven’t worked, consider seeing a dermatologist."

Types of Acne

Every mark on the skin produced by acne is a type of lesion. The mildest cases of acne produce blackheads and whiteheads. (The color of these is determined by whether the plugged follicle remains open or closed. If it is closed, it is a whitehead.)

More troublesome acne lesions include

  • papules – inflamed lesions that usually appear as small, pink bumps on the skin and can be tender to the touch
  • pustules (pimples) – white or yellow pus-filled lesions that may be red at the base
  • nodules – large, painful, solid lesions lodged deep within the skin
  • cysts – deep, painful, pus-filled lesions that can cause scarring

Treatments

The type of treatment people with acne get depends on the severity of the outbreak. "There are OTC products for mild cases, while a visit to a health care professional such as a dermatologist may be in order for the more stubborn cases," says Liedtka.

Acne treatments are regulated by FDA under the same provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act covering prescription and non-prescription (or OTC) products.

Topical OTC medicines are applied to the skin and come in many forms, including gels, lotions, creams, soaps, and pads. Typical OTC treatments for mild acne include benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, salicylic acid, and sulfur.

"It is best to read the labels or talk to your health care professional before you use any of these products, so that you know which is right for you, what if any side effects may occur, and when you can expect to see results," says Liedtka.

Types of prescription topical medicines used to treat acne include antibiotics, benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid, dapsone, and vitamin A derivatives known as retinoids.

People with moderate to severe inflammatory acne may be treated with prescription topical or oral medicines, alone or in combination. And people with nodules or cysts should be treated by a dermatologist.

Caution with Isotretinoin

Patients with severe nodular acne that does not improve with the use of other treatments may be prescribed isotretinoin, which is sold under the brand names Accutane, Sotret, Claravis, and Amnesteem.

Isotretinoin is a vitamin A derivative that is taken orally once or twice a day with food for 15 to 20 weeks. It reduces the size of the oil glands so that less oil is produced.

Although effective, isotretinoin is associated with serious side effects, especially for pregnant women. According to the medication guides for these products, isotretinoin can cause serious birth defects in the developing fetus of a pregnant woman. It is vital that women of childbearing age are not pregnant and do not get pregnant while they take isotretinoin, or for 30 days after completion of treatment.

Because isotretinoin can cause birth defects, it is only for patients who can understand and agree to carry out all of the instructions in iPLEDGE, a mandatory distribution program intended to prevent the use of the drug during pregnancy due to the high risk of birth defects.

Products containing isotretinoin may cause serious mental health problems in persons taking the drug. Other side effects include dry eyes, mouth, lips, nose, or skin; itching; nosebleeds; muscle aches; sensitivity to the sun; poor night vision; changes in the blood, such as an increase in fats in the blood; and changes in liver function.

Keeping Acne in Check

Meanwhile, it helps to know what can cause or worsen an outbreak. According to the National Institutes of Health, these factors can make acne worse:

  • changes in hormone levels in adolescent girls and adult women 2 to 7 days before their menstrual period starts
  • oil from skin products (moisturizers or cosmetics) or grease encountered in the work environment (for example, a kitchen with fry vats)
  • pressure from sports helmets or equipment, backpacks, tight collars, or tight sports uniforms
  • environmental irritants, such as pollution and high humidity
  • squeezing or picking at blemishes
  • hard scrubbing of the skin
  • stress

The Web site KidsHealth.org suggests that if you use skin products, such as lotions or makeup, look for ones that are noncomedogenic or nonacnegenic, which means that they don't clog pores.

"Acne can cause a lot of distress," says Liedtka. "But consumers have treatment options. Just remember to learn as many facts as possible, and to disregard the myths. And do not hesitate to talk to a health care professional about your treatment options."

This article appears on FDA’s Consumer Updates page, which features the latest on all FDA-regulated products.

ProActive. Does it realy work? And what's in it?


The Proactiv acne treatment line of products has become well known in recent years due mainly to heavy advertising campaigns that feature paid endorsements from stars like Jessica Simpson, Vanessa Williams, Lindsay Lohan, Ella McPherson, and Kelly Clarkson. No matter how much these celebs brag about Proactiv, the fact is that it is only the ingredients contained by the products that could possibly possess healing powers for your face.

*NOTE* For a full listing of each and every ingredient in each and every Proactiv product please scroll to the bottom of this article.

So, what are Proactiv’s ingredients? Let’s take a look: Proactiv acne solutions basic three-component stock package is composed of the Renewing Cleanser, Revitalizing Toner, and the Repairing Lotion. The Renewing Cleanser is first applied. It provides finely macerated apricot pits to unclog pores thus allowing the active ingredient, 2.5 percent benzoyl peroxide, to penetrate individual hair follicles and attack bacterium. The inactive ingredients are water and about twenty others that are unknown to all except the chemical engineers amongst us.

The Revitalizing Toner is an alcohol-free substance that further removes dead skin cells and unplugs the pores. Thus it helps to prevent future outbreaks. It lists no active ingredients. It is comprised of water, witch hazel, and several extracts of flowers and fruits. It also contains soothing botanicals such as panthenol and allantoin. It is said to leave the skin in a baby-new, radiant, and fragile state.

The final step of the Proactiv regime is the Repairing Lotion. As with the first step, its only active ingredient is 2.5 percent benzoyl peroxide. This is said to be milled, prescription-grade benzoyl peroxide. Other inactive ingredients are again water combined with several hard-to-pronounce chemical elements.

To put it all in a nutshell, Proactiv’s interesting ingredients are benzoyl peroxide, witch hazel, and some herbal extracts. The remainders of the products are simply combinations of water and other inert components. It is noteworthy that the benzoyl peroxide lists possible, and commonly incurred, side effects including drying, itching, flaking, reddening and/or swelling facial flesh. Users are repetitively instructed to apply a sunscreen after each of the twice-daily applications of the products. They are also warned of the bleaching effects of the benzoyl peroxide on the user’s towels, washcloths, carpets and clothing.

A Full Rundown of All the Ingredients in the 3 Proactiv Products

Step 1: Renewing Cleanser
Active Ingredient: benzoyl peroxide 2.5%.
Inactive Ingredients: water (aqua), magnesium aluminum silicate, glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate, disodium dimethicone copolyol sulfosuccinate, sorbitol, dimethyl isosorbide, polyethylene, tridecyl stearate, neopentyl glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate, tridecyl trimellitate, cetyl esters, anthemis nobilis flower extract, sodium hyaluronate, sodium PCA, propylene glycol, xanthan gum, imidazolidinyl urea, methylparaben, propylparaben, fragrance (parfum).

Step 2: Revitalizing Toner
Ingredients: water (aqua), glycolic acid, hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) extract, anthemis nobilis flower extract, rosa canina fruit extract, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, sodium PCA, panthenol, glycerin, propylene glycol, allantoin, polysorbate-20, hydroxyethylcellulose, sodium hydroxide, benzophenone-4, tetrasodium EDTA, methylparaben, propylparaben, imidazolidinyl urea, fragrance (parfum), blue 1, yellow 5.

Step 3: Repairing Lotion
Active Ingredient: benzoyl peroxide 2.5%.
Inactive Ingredients: water (aqua), cyclomethicone, ethoxydiglycol, propylene glycol, glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate, cetearyl alcohol, dimethicone, panthenol, allantoin, carbomer, ceteareth-20, xanthan gum, triethanolamine, diazolidinyl urea, methylparaben, propylparaben, fragrance (parfum).

Help support Nature's Baby Organics in Target Stores.


Nature's Baby Organics is currently being tested in Select Target Stores, around 303 to be exact.

And they asking for your assistance and support by spreading the word to your friends, family, and social network groups as they have been given only 2 months for their products to be tested on their shelves. Adena (the owner) has worked so hard for so many years and this truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity and she is hoping that with your help they can make this a success story.

Below is a list of the items available and also a link to the stores that will be carrying their products.

8oz Shampoo/Body Washes in Vanilla Tangerine
8oz Shampoo Body Wash in Lavender Chamomile
8oz Fragrance Face & Body Moisturizer
12oz Bubble Bath in Tangy Tangerine
http://www.naturesbabyproducts.com/target.html

Please be a part of their "Street Team" by encouraging your friends and family to purchase Nature's Baby Organics products at Target (and Target.com) and spread the word! Their products are not only made with clean ingredients but they are rich and luxurious.

Please help them to spread the awareness amongst moms and dads (to help their products stay on the shelves!) You will not only be supporting their mom-run, family owned business, you will be supporting organic farmers, and promoting awareness for healthy products (free of dangerous phthalates, parabens and 1,4 Dioxane). Your support means everything! Thank you so much in advance!

About Nature's Baby Organic

Nature's Baby Organics is a family owned and operated company dedicated to bringing families only the finest and purest products available. Created by a mother of two when both her daughters suffered from severe skin allergies and eczema. Nature's Baby Organics has 5 USDA Certified Organic products on the market while the majority of the rest of the line is made with 70%-95% Certified Organic Ingredients. Products also receive 1-2 ratings on the Skin Deep Cosmetic Database Web-site.

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Even though it may seem weird for Sweetsation Therapy to promote their direct competitor, we think that when it comes to human's and especially babies health, it doesn't matter whose products you buy, as long as you care for your baby's well-being and your baby's skin Organically - we are happy.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Mom Entrepreneur in Spotlight - Kidzsack

As many of you know I belong to various entrepreneur / inventor network groups, so recently I had a pleasure to meet a mom of 4, who is really passionate about what she does and who created a wonderful product that I think no kid should be without. I would like to introduce her to you.
Her name is Tina Hill and she is the owner of Kidzsack, She is a 44 year old happily married mother of four children ages 13, 11, 9, & 7 and has put her heart and soul into making a great eco friendly activity that both kids and parents will embrace. She has a passion for good food, loves to cook, and designing clothing is something that will always hold a place in her heart. As far back as she can remember, she has loved to draw and color. She graduated from FIT in NYC with an Associate's Degree in Fashion Design and worked as a fashion designer in New York for 12+ years traveling all over Europe and the Far East. She stopped working when she became pregnant with her third daughter but never stopped dreaming of being creative again. Kidzsack was founded in the fall of 2007 with the goal of creating an environmentally conscious and creative product.
Kidzsack is a line of eco friendly backsacks that are made from 100% recycled fabric. The fronts are screenrpinted with her original artwork and there are 8 washable markers included in the packaging. Kids color, wash, and recolor. It's a great reusable activity! Kidzsack products are designed to inspire creative play, with the highest level of quality and safety. The company is located in West Newbury, MA and the bags are both screenprinted and manufactured in Massachusetts as well.


Great product for the Great kidz!!!
Get one for your active kid NOW.

Monday, August 17, 2009

GIVEAWAY - Glowing Beauty Organic Age Defying Gift Set


The set we are giving away is a complete set of age-defying Organic skin care called "Glowing Beauty". It's been created with pregnant moma in mind, without any chemical or other types of substances and ingredients that may harm developing baby. But being so pure Organic and natural it can be used absolutely by anyone, even men, who care for their skin and health in general (since skin is our largest organ and everything we put on it eventually ends up in our bloodstream).

To participate please click the link to The Funkey Monkey Blog site. This event ends on August 22nd, 2009.

Good Luck!!!