babyurbeautiful

In celebration of International Kissing Day on Saturday 6th July 2013,  Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics are attempting to set the new GUINNESS WORLD RECORD for the most lip prints collected in 12 consecutive hours.

The current record of 22,174 lipstick prints collected in 12 hours was set by Oriflame Slovakia at 89 locations throughout Slovakia in 2010.

Supporters can head to their nearest Lush store on Saturday 6th July 2013, from 11:00am, to take part in setting the new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title!




So why is this of interest?

Lush has a range of cruelty free and preservative free cosmetics, and is a supporter of the Be Cruelty-Free campaign run by animal campaigners, Humane Society
International. Be Cruelty-Free is the largest global campaign to end animal testing of cosmetics worldwide. (Sign the pledge here).

Being vegan myself, I decided to try their Liquid Lips collection, which is 100% vegan and has a mega moisturising base of jojoba oil, candelilla wax and rose wax. There are 13 colours to choose from, depending on your mood. Here is a cool little tool for selecting your colour according to your mood:
https://www.lush.co.uk/emotionalbrilliance/ 

Emotional Brilliance Collection- £14.50/5g


Today I am feeling the Power Red, a golden red which is great for daytime wear to liven up a tired mother's face. It comes in a jar with a sponge applicator and is not runny but rather creamy and goes on very well with no bleeding or smudging and no stickiness. Also has good staying power. It also looks quite natural for a red! I wore it out shopping with bubs and got a few smiles which cheered me up:








Customers who pop into a Lush store on 6th July 213 will be able to prep their lips in-store before leaving their kiss print.

First:
...is to scrub away any dried skin with a Lip Scrub (£5.25); which comes in three flavours, each with a gentle exfoliating base of castor sugar and softening jojoba oil. I decided to test out the Mint Julips flavour (£5.25/25g). The mint chocolate scrub smells good enough to eat- and you can (not the whole pot!). The idea is to buff your lips with it then lick off the excess! All natural ingredients: castor sugar, organic jojoba oil, vanilla extract, tagetes oil and peppermint oil. Wow! It also makes your lips feel lush!



Second:
...is to moisturise lips with an aerated Lip Balm. You can choose from the classic
Lip Service; chocolate orange Whipstick; the vanilla, peppermint and honey flavoured Honey Trap; or the vegan None of Your Beeswax (£5.50/10g). None are greasy but rather moisturising. The vegan version has some fantastic softening ingredients: a fresh lemon infusion blended with extra virgin coconut oil, fair trade shea butter, capuacu butter, murumuru butter, japan wax and carnauba wax. Gorgeous!



Third:
...apply your Emotional Brilliance shade as detailed above, and pucker up!


Being a pregnant and breastfeeding Mum I am interested in using more natural products and I have definitely been converted to trying out more ethical and vegan products now. They are lush!

To find your nearest Lush store and for LUSH Online contact 01202 668
545, or visit www.lush.co.uk


If you can't make it to your store:
Follow @LushLtd on Twitter and tweet your pictures of our Guinness World Record attempt #crueltyfreekisses

Follow the Humane Society International on Twitter @hsiglobal #becrueltyfree or visit www.hsi.org/becrueltyfree

Daddy and I had the pleasure of attending the launch of a new Brazilian street food venue last week. 

Most of us have stress in our daily lives, thanks to everyday situations with work, commuting, finances or family issues. But for pregnant women there are always a few additional stress factors (not least the prospect of labour!), and a sustained amount of stress could be unhealthy for mum and baby.

Normally our bodies are able to cope with stress as long as we have down time in between those stressful periods but we often just can't cope with a sustained level. Symptoms that your body is not coping with stress include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other digestive problems, an increase in blood pressure, water retention and weight gain, and interrupted sleep.

But according to nutritionist Ian Marber, author of 'Super Eating' there are foods we can eat (and not eat) to help our bodies cope.  The high adrenaline levels that stress creates result in a situation where we run low on certain nutrients, such as phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin B5.















To help your body get back premium levels of these nutrients, Marber recommends including the following foods in your diet, as long as they are safe for you to eat during pregnancy.

Phosphorus: a major component of energy used by the body when metabolic processes speed up in times of stress
Foods: eggs and dairy, pulses, quinoa, nuts and seeds
Avoid: high intake of fruit sugars so limit amount of fruit eaten each day and cut out concentrated fruit juice

Potassium: required for metabolism of proteins and enzymes that contribute to formation of energy from glucose
Foods: avocado, tomato (all forms), dried fruit, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, cucumber, peppers, banana and dark green veg (steamed not overcooked)
Avoid: Licorice and excessive salt

Vitamin C: required for the formation of adrenaline and cortisol (stress management hormones)
Foods: peppers, potatoes, dark green leafy veg like kale, citrus fruits, cantaloupe melons, pineapples, kiwi, strawberries
Avoid: vitamin C is easily excreted with excess water so if you're drinking more than usual, increase your intake to compensate

Vitamin B5: used to make stress hormones
Foods: found in all foods but high levels found in liver and kidneys, poultry and red meat, yoghurt, avocado and lentils. Good levels in tomato paste and puree, potatoes and sunflower seeds
Avoid: freezing and processing of food depletes B5 levels in food

Magnesium: required for adrenal gland function
Foods: Oats, brown rice, quinoa, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, whole grains, nuts, lentils and dark green leafy veg
Avoid: carbonated drinks, low calcium intake

Essential fatty acids with vitamin E: in times of stress the immune system is lowered and inflammation is more likely. Stress also thickens the blood. Both essential fats and vitamin E can help counteract these effects
Foods: fish, nuts, avocado, seeds and seed oils
Avoid: saturated fats

My daughter is almost 8 months old but it's really only been since month 6 that I've started to look a bit more like my old self. I think a combination of that unique brand of tiredness that only parents feel and hormones playing havoc with my skin and body made me feel less than special, properly unattractive and extremely worried that this was it for me forever.

Sound dramatic? Well, I suppose it is a bit. But motherhood can be overwhelming enough without getting a shock every time you look in the mirror!

I'm not saying that this will happen to everyone, but if I was about to give birth now there are definitely some things I would do differently to look and feel better.

1. Go to bed early
I know this sounds like a no brainer but let me explain. Sleeping when the baby sleeps doesn't really work for many women after the first couple of weeks. There's just too much to do. And going to bed early can sometimes feel pointless if you just have to get up in an hour with the baby anyway.  When you can sleep will depend on your baby's sleeping patterns, so keep a note of them for a couple of days and then figure out what time you can go to bed that will get you at least a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.

2. Get out in the sunshine
I know, I know, what sunshine right?  But it is summer so make the most of it. Getting out of the house will allow you and your baby to soak up some valuable Vitamin D and getting some fresh air will clear your head, put some colour in your cheeks, and could help the baby sleep better. Trust me, as soon as I'd caught the sun a bit on my face I looked 10 times better! Just don't forget the sunscreen.

3. If you can't bake, fake
If the sun ain't shining then there's no harm in a little fake tan to give you a lift. Read our article on fake tanning for mums and mums-to-be.

4. Put some moisture back in your skin
It's hard as a new mum to remember to drink enough water and you could end up feeling a bit shrivelled, especially if you're breastfeeding. To remind myself, I now leave glasses of water around the house! But some external help is also needed. If you bought Bio Oil while pregnant to stave off those stretch marks, carry on using it on your body and on your face. I've found that using this on my face at night instead of my regular moisturiser has really helped get my skin back to normal (ie. not puffy, patchy and dry!)

5. Get to the salon
As soon as you're comfortable leaving your baby with your partner or a relative for a couple of hours, get yourself down to a hair salon for some pampering. We all know how good we feel after a lovely hair cut, so why wait? And if you can sneak a bit of extra time get your nails done too!

6. Eat a few more healthy things!
When you're knackered and you've got no time you don't really feel like cooking. I know I've had more than my share of takeaways and naughty food in the last 8 months. So I'm not saying don't treat yourself, but in among all that do make sure you're feeding your body some healthy stuff too. Try simple things like adding vitamin boosting foods to sandwiches (peppers, avocado, tomato) and cutting up some raw veg to snack on during the day. Shopping will be a pain, so getting your groceries delivered is the best way to make sure you have good stuff in the house.

RL xx

I would avoid spray tanning yourself in case of breathing it in- best left to the experts anyway or you may end up with orange feet and hands (yes this has happened to me in the past).

My top fake tanning tip is to use bath gloves to scrub your body every day of the year all over, including face and neck, then you will never ever get streaks.

If you are pregnant you will find that as time goes on you won't need to tan anyway because during pregnancy your melanin levels naturally increase (I am guessing this is to protect your unborn child from the sun) so by the time you give birth you will look like you have been fake tanning-it happened to me. Hubby kept asking if I had fake tan on but I didn't and it was winter!

Finally, if time is too short for tanning (which it is for me working with a toddler) I just cheat and use Guerlain teraccota bronzing powder and Nars Super orgasm blush, to  cheat myself a pregnancy 'glow'.

It feels slightly odd me homing in on one brand, as in my job I write about hundreds. So when I home in on one - it feels like an advertorial. But lets be honest, some brands DO deserve a little show of love for various reasons.

We've all used baby products on ourselves before we had kids. I always had a bottle of baby lotion tucked away somewhere and in my youth, to my shame, I may have used baby oil instead of, ahem, sun screen.

But now I do have a baby and am currently on a beauty budget I'm wondering, does it really make sense to buy separate products for each of us? Baby beauty products are, after all, made for super sensitive baby skin, so I thought why not give them a try on baby and on me and see how we get on.

The lovely people at Marks and Spencer have sent over a few products from their Pure Baby range, so last week I gave these the Baby vs Mumma test.

Over a period of 3 days I used the following products on my baby and on myself, although the uses of each product varied in some cases!


Pure baby hair and body wash
On Baby: A delicate formula with a subtle almost smoky scent, my daughter was fine with me washing her hair and body with this. Inevitably the soapy water went in her eyes and she didn't cry so I guess it didn't sting them. I haven't used proper baby shampoo on her before this, only generic baby wash, and actually her hair does seem a bit softer and it is sticking up in a fan again which is nice.
On Me: I had to use quite a bit of this in my hair to get a good lather and the smoky smell was stronger. The result was fine on my hair but since I had to use conditioner anyway I think for me at least, this one should stay just for the baby.


Pure baby body lotion
On Baby: A very light non-greasy lotion which is easy to apply. I'm not sure that my baby's skin was softer afterwards but that's because her skin is already lovely and soft!
On Me: I liked this lotion, my skin felt soft for quite a while after I had applied it. Not sure about the smell though. It's subtle but smells a little like cloves which for me brings back bad memories from childhood!

Pure baby bottom butter
On Baby: This has a really nice feel to it and it definitely made the baby's bum lovely and soft. I'm not sure if I'd use it all the time though as sometimes I think less it more when it comes to baby products!
On Me: I on the other hand need plenty of product and it's kind of nice to treat your bum with the same respect you give to your face. So, I might just steal this one for myself!

Pure baby wonder balm
On Baby: I tried this on her bum when it got a bit red and it seemed to do the trick. The redness was gone by the next nappy change. In some ways it's easier to apply than Sudocrem because it's more like a lip balm texture. However, it is a small pot so you'd run out pretty quickly if you used it regularly.
On Me: I tried this on dry patches on my hands which was quite effective temporarily. It wouldn't be very practical to use it for this purpose all the time though. I also tried it on my 'bumcne' (a hangover symptom from pregnancy) and it did actually help so I'm impressed.

M&S baby products are free from parabens, artificial colours and fragrances and mineral oils.

Visit the website to order your baby products and to see what they have for mums-to-be.

RL xx

Kim Kardashian and partner Kanye West have announced that their daughter's name is North. While this does subscribe somewhat to the batty celeb baby name club, it's actually quite touching when you think of the meaning behind it. Especially as Kim confessed to experiencing what she described as a difficult and painful pregnancy. (OK, if the baby takes Kanye's surname she'll be 'North West' but whatever)

Despite glowing in this pic taken shortly before she gave birth, there are tell-tale signs of those things that many pregnant women suffer through. The swollen ankles and breasts were no doubt very uncomfortable. And the obviously low bump shows how the baby had moved into position - probably resulting in more than a few trips to the loo every day!

Yet there is much to be envious about, not least her smooth, tanned and blemish/stretch mark free skin. And one can't deny that Kim looks lovely with a less is more approach to make-up! Maybe she'll keep it up now she has a little one to care for.

My poor baby has been teething the last few days and I think it's her top teeth because they apparently cause more pain than bottom ones. I've done Calpol and teething gel but neither of those was that effective. As much as I feel bad for the poor thing, her constant wailing is driving me up the wall!

Luckily I met up with a friend from NCT last week whose baby was going through the same thing and she recommended a totally different solution. Being an ex-nanny she knows a lot of effective remedies. She suggested I try Anbesol Liquid.

Anbesol is rubbed on the gums like gel but unlike gel it doesn't instantly slip off your finger or get sucked up by greedy little tongues.  Needless to say I tried it this afternoon and it was an almost instant relief. In fact she was playing so quietly all afternoon I got a bit worried - I was used to all the constant whining! But now I have my happy baby back :-)

Now, before you run out and buy this, remember I'm not a doctor, midwife or pharmacist so please do check with yours before using a new medication, especially as this is an over-the-counter one. Also please read the label yourself to make sure it's safe for your little one in case they are allergic to any of the ingredients.

Since this medicine is also for adults it might be a handy one for pregnant ladies who are suffering from sore gums. But, as above, do check with your GP or pharmacist first!

And while we're on the subject of teething, I also have a top tip from my mum! She told me that when a baby is teething their poo is more acidic and so if they do a poo and you don't change the nappy for a while it burns their bum. And I have noticed that my daughter's bum has been a bit red and sore looking the last couple of days so for now I'm using good old Sudacrem during every nappy change to help protect her precious little derriere!

Higgidy (those of pie fame) are running a competition on their website for parents-to-be, who are expecting at the same time as Kate & Wills.

Not sure what the link between pies, and royals expecting is - but there we go... (pie/bun in the oven?)

New parents can win the chance to get their fridge filled with lovingly homemade pies and quiches from Higgidy in preparation for after the birth when cooking home cooked meals is low down on the priority list low as parents navigate the sleepless nights and joyful time with their new arrival.

Lucky winners will also receive an extra special pie, which will be personalised to the name of the new born.



BABY PIE.

The competition can be entered via Higgidy’s website and will be running until a week after the birth.

x

After hiding away in the winter months while my body readjusted to not being pregnant and to being knackered all the time, I'm only just getting used to wearing make-up regularly again. And now it's summer I don't want to wear anything heavy or unnecessary.

In my make up bag this month are three must-have favourites I reckon I'll be sticking with all summer.

With the huge array of beauty products now claiming to be 'safe' and good for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, it's hard to know where to start. I decided to test out an easy option. A one week trial of the same fragrance-free and nasties-free baby products I use on my 17 month old bubba.

Greenpeople produces a range of products free from parabens, SLS and artificial fragrances. I recently tried their Aloe Vera body wash which was nice but still had a lingering scent of lavender which I find they put in most 'mother's' products! However, the Organic babies range and Organic children's range are even more pure than the adult versions.


I decided to try the Scent Free Baby Wash and Shampoo which I found lathered up really nicely, with soft silky bubbles, and truly has practically no scent at all (comparing this to Sanex zero or Simple bath products which smell a bit chemical, especially with my heightened pregnancy nose!). This really does work as both a body wash and shampoo saving time and space in the bathroom too, especially when sharing with bubs and even the hubby! It leaves hair quite squeaky clean so a bit of conditioner may be required if you are used to a softer feel.


For face and body after the bath, I tried out the Organic babies Scent-free Baby Oil which is a totally natural blend of evening primrose, roship, elderflower and pomegranite seed oils. It doesn't leave a scent and is easily absorbed and makes my eye wrinkles disappear by morning! However, you do need quite a large amount to cover body surface (of course for bubs that isn't the case), and it's not cheap at nearly £10, but i think definitely worth it. Really softened my dry feet too!


For lips the Baby Rescue Balm is a natural alternative to Vaseline or lip balm, and can double as nappy cream in the changing bag, although I find it a bit too greasy for bubba's botty!


Finally, the Scent Free Sun Lotion is perfect for minimising holiday packing as it doubles for both you and bubs. It is quite thick, so do make sure you rub it in before you leave the house or you will end up looking very white and pasty! It seems to work well though and once rubbed in, doesn't leave a residue and protects well.

So- if you are looking for space-saving options and guaranteed minimal nasties I would definitely recommend sharing Organic babies products with your family. Not the cheapest option out there though, and to be honest I can't resist a gorgeous feel-good new product made espcially for me, so I don't think I will be sticking with this permanently!!

Caprice is definitely a glowing yummy mummy-to-be, despite the prospect of having to care for a new born baby boy while 8/9 months pregnant!

The model, 41, was told she was likely not to conceive naturally and so enlisted the help of a surrogate to carry her child. However within weeks of the surrogate confirming pregnancy, she fell pregnant herself.

Caprice looks effortlessly elegant and chic at 6 months pregnant. I hope she can keep it up with two little babies in tow! We wish her the best of luck!

Friends keep telling me I'm going to look SWELL during pregnancy and imagine I'll be a trendy mummy rather than a slummy (they don't see me at weekends, believe me). So for that reason I feel pressured to look funky rather than frumpy. That means occasional little Urban Outfitters blow-outs, throwing in a bit of Primarni and All Saints.

However, drastic dwindling funds have put paid to THOSE shopping addictions - so I'm making do with what I have.  Luckily for me, IBS ensured I bought loose tops (often looked like I had a 6 month curry baby at times) so I have a nice selection of loose numbers, teamed with simple black leggings, shiny leggings or 3/4 on-trend midi skirts - BOOM!

Here's a little round up of some AZTEC inspired online buys I've got my beady baby eye on .... and if anyone wants to offer to buy them for me I'm waiting....




Mamlicious Printed Jersey Jumpsuit £42.00, Asos.com

Swedish Hasbeen 'NANDALS' in Natural Sky £155, Asos.com

Ecote Bali Midi Dress, £65 Urban Outfitters nationwide and LOOK - she has the Swedish Hasbeen NANDALS on!!!

All Saints Elm Shirt Dress, £88 All saints nationwide



All Saints Rubik Dress, £98 All Saints nationwide

Mamalicious Irena Monocrome Aztec Maxi Dress, £34.99, New Look nationwide

Every summer I go to buy sunscreen and am always shocked by the cost. And the higher the spf the costlier it becomes.

I'm at the age where I need to wear a high factor cream on my face so I don't end up looking like an old leather handbag, but I also need to buy protection for my baby to shield her lovely soft virgin skin.

On a trip to the beach recently I popped into Superdrug to pick up some baby sunscreen and found this Solait 50spf version at just £2.48 for 100ml. Confused about the price I thought it must be crap, but actually it was really good. It went on evenly, didn't make my baby's skin too sticky and also didn't make her skin look purple either like some high factor creams do.

So now we're both using it and happily not sunburnt. Now all we need is plenty more days of sun!

R xx

Frankie Sandford, 24, is expecting her first child -  boy, is she enjoying this one!

The usually super slim star looks effortlessly cool in her (not sure if they're Isabel Marant or Ash) trainers, leggings and loose top. But I have to say I think she's due in October....?
I'm due in November and no sign of thighs, bum or bump this big. I'll say I'm VERY lucky atm - however for what she has gained in lbs - I've gained in acne!

ASOS.com is going to have a meltdown. Why, we ask? Coz the Royal Bump is sporting none other than a bargain maternity outfit from our favourite shopping site in, of course, royal blue.

We predict a royal stampede as the blue belted number is a snip at £17.50 (reduced from £25.00)

So pregnant ladies, if you want to get the Middleton maternity look, get online quick before it sells out!

True, I did give birth over 6 months ago and by rights I should be well back on track to getting my pre-baby body back. But I'm not and I really want to take my little one swimming this summer, so I was pretty happy to hear in the Daily Mail that one-piece swimsuits are back in fashion in a big way.

Apparently we ladies are more body conscious than ever before and are buying fewer bikinis in favour of the trusty one-piece. Celebs are embracing the trend too, with curvier girls like Sam Faiers and Amy Childs recently showing theirs off on their holidays.


But forget the TOWIE look for a minute. For us mums to do this right, we have to aim for classy while avoiding the frump-factor! It's got to disguise the flub, lumps and bumps and be sexy and elegant. With that in mind, here are a few swimsuits I've got my eye on.



ASOS bandeau

Lands End @ Debenhams

Motel @ ASOS.com

ForLuna.co.uk

Seafolly @ ASOS.com

When I decided to become a mum, one thing I wasn't quite prepared for was how different I would look and feel. Sometimes I look at my old self in photos and don't know quite what happened. I've gone up two dress sizes, my boobs have dropped, my skin is a mess and I look my age for the first time ever! I do have this plan to get back to my old self one day soon, but in the meantime I need a little help to keep from feeling like I'm too far gone.

In part, this blog is about finding those magic products that keep us feeling like beautiful sexy women in the face of puking, water retention, stubborn baby weight, exhaustion and a general lack of time to keep up our old health and beauty routine. It's about making our lives as mums a little easier and a little more fun, so we can hold onto a part of our old selves. Because when we look good, we feel good too.

This summer, I'll be trying to lose some of my baby weight, work out what the hell to do with my lacklustre hair, and find some good value summer beauty products that fit my somewhat limited maternity leave budget.

R. xoxo