babyurbeautiful

There is much debate about whether deodorants/anti-perspirants are safe to use, since it was suggested that there could be a link to breast cancer. There have a been studies and the evidence does not confirm a link (see the Cancer Research site info on  this here). However, the ingredients in question are aluminium based or parabens.

(Anti-perspirants block the pores from sweating, whereas deodorants prevent odour by using fragrance as well as reducing the levels of underarm bacteria.)

Now, I decided to stop using deodorant/anti-perspirants during breastfeeding in case any of these nasties filter into the breast milk. I am now 18 weeks pregnant with my second baby, and still breastfeeding my first, so I imagine it will be a good while before I go back to conventional anti-perspirants (if at all).

Now, I seem to sweat a lot more during pregnancy and breastfeeding, (apparently down to the crazy hormones), so that combined with my extra keen sense of smell means that I can smell myself and it makes me feel sick! Oh dear! A solution is required!

So I decided to test some 'natural' deodorants, to save me and everyone else around me:

Green People Aloe Vera Deodorant, £7.95 for 75ml



Top of my list, this deodorant contains no aluminium, parabens, alcohol or artificial fragrances, and contains soothing aloe vera.

I am a fan of Green People produtcs because they combine natural ingredients with the science to make them actually work. They use Zinc ricinoleate together with a solution of Ammonium alum in their range of roll-on deodorants. They state on their website that whilst Ammonium alum does contain some aluminium, it is bonded into a molecule that is physically too large to penetrate the skin. Zinc ricinoleate is the zinc salt of ricinoleic acid, extracted from the seeds of the castor oil plant. Zinc ricinoleate does not inhibit normal perspiration, and will not interfere with the natural flora of the skin. Instead, it ‘fixes’ the odours produced by bacterial decomposition in sweat so that they cannot be released into the atmosphere and cause the characteristic sweaty smell. (See the Green People site for more details here).

It seems to work well. No strong scent. Nice and natural. Roll-on so takes a few minutes to dry. No noticeable marks left on my clothes.

This product is 89% certified organic and contains fairly traded ingredients.

Green People Rosemary Deodorant, £7.95 for 75ml



Again no nasties as per the aloe vera version. This is for more sensitive skin. Also a roll-on so allow drying time.


I found this scent more herbal/medicinal, so I personally preferred the aloe vera one, but both worked equally well.

Aubrey Organics E Plus High C Deodorant- £7.49 for 85ml
www.aubreyorganicsuk.co.uk



Aubrey Organics produce a range of all-natural skincare products. Using herbal, plant extracts and natural vitamins in all their products with no petrochemicals or artificial colours or fragrances. They also support the Cruelty Free campaign against animal testing. This product is Vegan too (yay!).

This deodorant is made with certified organic ingredients: natural vitamin E, organic aloe and other skin soothers such as lavender and witch hazel. Does contain alcohol though.

I'm afraid I sweated through this one and had slightly sticky armpits after a few hours (however the test may have been unfair since it was during the heatwave- a really hot day!). Smells lovely though with essential oils, and I didn't actually smell bad so it must have done something! It's a roll-on so takes a few minutes to dry. No noticeable marks left on my clothes.

Pitrok Crystal Roll-On Deodorant for Women- £3.05 for 50ml from Boots


PitROK Crystal deodorants are based on pure natural mineral salts and formulated with aloe vera and grapefruit seed extract. PitROK is dermatologically tested, not animal tested, does not block pores and is alcohol free. PitROK does not contain aluminium chlorohydrate, aluminium zirconium, parabens, SLS or SLES, propylene glycol or silicone.With aloe vera and grapeseed oil smells nice. Very gentle scent like a nice perfume. Another roll-on so takes a few minutes to dry. Kept me dry all day. Again no nasty marks on clothes.

Pitrok Crystal Deodorant Wipes- 20 for £2.49 
on Amazon.co.uk


Brilliant! For a quick freshen up before you rush out after a busy couple of hours with bubs, or to pop in your handbag for freshening on the go. Again smell lovely.

Forever Living Aloe Ever-Shield Deodorant Stick , £6.07 for 92g
www.foreverliving.com





This is a dry stick so no waiting time. Made with stabilized Aloe Vera gel, this gentle blend of ingredients contains no aluminum salts. Forever produces pure and fresh aloe by using natural farming methods with no fertilisers and pesticides. However, I decided not to try this as unfortunately contains Triclosan (which is used to reduce and control the growth of bacteria on the skin) and there is some research to show that Tricolsan can have a negative impact on the body's endocrine system, see: http://www.wjla.com/articles/2013/05/liquid-soap-safety-and-triclosan-88322.html. 

Dr.Organic Pomegranate Deodorant, £5.19 for 50ml
available from Holland and Barrett



Dr Organic’s range of 100% natural deodorants come in six combinations of 100% organic; Lavender, Manuka Honey, Tea Tree, Aloe Vera, Pomegranate, and Vitamin E. I tried the Pomegranate.

Smells pleasant not too strong. Works well. Dries quickly. Suitable for Vegans which is a bonus point. Does contain a form of alcohol though if you're being fussy!

Faith in Nature Crystal Stick Deodorant Unscented- £3.85 for 100g
available from www.beautynaturals.com


This comes in a push-up stick format. To use it apply after a shower or bath to wet skin or dampen the crystal first and then rinse the stick after use.

The pure natural rock crystal in this push-up stick is supposed to get rid of odour-causing bacteria. There are no parabens and no aluminium chlorohydrate, but is made from ammonium alum (natural mineral salts) only, to control bacteria. (See details above in the Green People section for Ammonium Alum).

I didn't actually feel sticky with this and didn't smell bad but I could still smell something that wasn't nice when I sniffed up close! So maybe it's not killing off all the bacteria it should? I think it could also do with something else in it to mask any odour. No marks on my clothes though and dried quickly. Nice to have only one ingredient instead of lots. I get the feeling this would last a good while too.

Hopefully this will help you make your world smell a little better whilst being a bit kinder to your breasts and (if nursing) your breastmilk.

CB

It's pretty safe to say that summer has ruined my feet. I've been living in flip flops and while this might be good for the inside of my feet, it's made the outsides pretty crusty. Yeugh!

As mum to a nearly 10 month old, taking time to beautify all parts of my body just doesn't happen and I mostly have to strategically pick the most obvious bits to focus on. And it's not just time. I can't afford to go for manicures, pedicures, waxes and hair salon trips, so yes, things like my feet are suffering.

As a result I've put together my own quick home pedicure which I need to do every couple of weeks to stop a backslide. The only thing I don't do is trim back the nail cuticles.

Here is one of my icky feet before:





















1. If you've got hard skin on heels and balls of your feet, start by using a stainless steel foot file like this one from Fragrancedirect.com to get the worst of the tough skin off and to soften it up for treatment.

2. Next, use a smoothing foot file to get right down to the soft skin underneath. You should use this all over your foot including the tips of your toes. I use the rough side first and then the smoother side to finish. This one from Boots should do the job.

3. After you've exposed all that new skin you need to offer it some TLC with a deep moisturising treatment. There are any number of specialist foot moisturisers you could use, but I've found rather randomly that Superdrug's new mum nipple cream at 99p is great for this. And it doubles as a hand cream too.

4. Give the moisturiser a couple of minutes to sink in and then treat your feet to some tingly minty foot gel like Amphora's Peppermint Foot Gel.  Or if you have a willing partner, a foot massage with a lovely coconutty oil is fab. I'm still working on this with my husband but it is my birthday soon so fingers crossed :-)

5. Now turn your attention to your toes. Trim your nails and file them with your usual tools. Then pick a fun nail polish to cheer you up - one that's tough enough to take a beating for a week or two! I like this range from ORLY. Though I'm slightly regretting my choice of green so I might be changing that!

Here is my foot after:





















I did this during Lucy's nap and in total it took me 15 minutes which isn't bad - I even had time for a cup of tea and a biscuit afterwards!

RL xx

Stats Day 27
Weight: 64kg
Naughty foods: Chinese takeaway - eek!

~

As you can see I haven't exactly stuck to my pledge to post daily on my weight and food habits. Somehow things just went horribly wrong this month and while I haven't put any weight on, I haven't exactly hit any weight loss targets.

I'm not fooling myself. I haven't been doing the exercise and even though I haven't been stuffing my face with crisps and chocolate, I've not been doing my best work either.

Now I know there are no cheats and that it's got to be the hard way or not bother at all. But desperate times and all that. So, I've got a few firming creams to try over the next few weeks before I go abroad. Look out for updates on what appears to be working and what isn't.

I don't have high hopes but you never know!

RL x

Any mum-to-be who finds their new body incredible is lying! 

Since my hormones have been returning to normal post-birth, my skin has unfortunately remembered how much it enjoys a good spot or three! Honestly, at 34 years old you'd think my skin would be spot-free but maybe I'll have to wait until I'm 44.

At any rate I'm always up for trying new skincare products that help with blemishes, so when the lovely people at Good Things sent over a couple of their products I jumped at the chance to try them out.

Good Things Deep Pore Anti Blemish Lotion - £4.99 (look out for this soon on Boots.com)

This is a clear lotion that looks a bit like a toner in the bottle but it's actually much gentler and less astringent. You cleanse with the liquid on a piece of cotton wool then leave it to dry, which feels a bit counter-intuitive but at least you get to keep the gorgeous smell on your skin. Seriously, this smells amazing. The combination of strawberry and fig is surprisingly tasty!  I've only used it a few times so far, so I can't say whether it'll really clear up my skin but I'll keep at it for a week or so and let you know.





Miracle Mattifier Moisturiser - £5.33 at Boots

I was a bit worried that this moisturiser might dry my skin out as that is what usually happens with these types of products, but it didn't. And the matt effect is pretty good. Made with goji berries and blackcurrants, it's not as tasty smelling as the lotion, but it's ok. I think this is a great product for summer as, while it's nice for your skin to have a glow, nobody likes an oil slick!






All Good Things products use superfruit in their formulations and are free from parabens, mineral oils, sodium laureth sulphate and animal ingredients. I fear they may be targeted at younger skin than mine so who knows if it will be as effective but for a product that smells this good I'm willing to give it a go!

You can find out more about the range on their website www.goodthingsbeauty.com

RL xx

Neal's Yard Mother Gift Box, £35.00


I was lucky enough to receive a Neal's Yard Mother Gift Box  as a gift when I was three months pregnant with my first baby. I then became addicted to the products which I continue to use now for my second pregnancy.

This lovely gift box for for mums-to-be contains:

• Mothers Balm 50g 
• Mothers Bath Oil 100ml 
• Mothers Massage Oil 100ml 

All the products are safe to use during and after pregnancy, and are designed to keep that stretching skin supple and soft. They also contain relaxing oils to de-stress a tired mother or mum-to-be.

Of course, the three products can also be bought separately. Below are the details for and my review of each:

Mother's Balm, £19.75 for 120g



This balm is fragrance free, and contains Coconut oil, Apricot kernel oil, Beeswax, Almond oil and Macadamia seed oil. It is designed to prevent or treat stretch marks, a common side-effect of pregnancy. I am happy to say that having used this throughout my pregnancy and afterwards, I am lucky enough to have no resulting stretch marks. Anyone who has seen me in a bikini will testify!

The balm is solid but when you scoop it onto your fingers and start rubbing in, it becomes more like an oil. It is best to leave it to sink in for a few minutes before putting on your clothes or you may get 'grease marks'. In fact, it's best to use only at night after a bath really as it does leave skin a bit greasy feeling. It feels lovely though and you will feel really moisturised.

Mothers Bath Oil, £14.75 for 100ml


Infused with relaxing fragrant essential oils ((Bergamot, Ylang ylang, Lavender and Cardamon) mixed with moisturising olive, apricot and almond oils, this 'mother's treat' bath oil smells lovely and is really relaxing, without making the bath feel too oily. A bottle should last 6 - 8 baths. It is safe for expecting mums and after the birth. I use this every time I bathe to relax and moisturise my skin and bump.

Mothers Massage Oil, £19.50 for 100ml 

This oil is a gorgeous silky mix of essential oils chosen for both their beneficial properties on the skin as well as their gentle aromatherapeutic benefits on the mind. It contains neroli and mandarin oils, mixed with soya and almond.

Unfortunately, I have to persuade the hubby to help with this one so don't use it as often as I would like. If I am in desperate need and then will dab a little on my shoulders and rub it in myself, and just the smell helps to relax my tired typing shoulders!!



I also love these Neal's Yard products because they are mainly organic and carry the animal Cruelty Free promise as well as being suitable for Vegans like me!

CB

Konjac Natural Baby Sponge



The Konjac Baby Sponge is made only with 100% Konjac plant root mixed with volcanic spring water from the Island of Jeju, (Korea), so there are no chemical nasties. This is great for delicate baby skin, especially if sensitive or for eczema sufferers. A naturally moisture rich plant fibre, the net-like structure of the sponge gently massages skin leaving it clean and refreshed with no need for additional cleansers or soaps.


My first question was how green and natural are these?

Apparently the spring water is naturally filtered by the volcanic rocks, so is particularly mineral rich and very pure. The Konjac plant is from the potato family and grows native in Asia. The plant is also farmed for food; the root is ground down to make very fine food grade flour. For centuries this flour has been used to make noodles, as a thickening agent in foods, and in dietary supplements for its high fibre and vitamin content. To make the sponge, The Konjac Sponge Company mix the flour with the water, then ferment the flour, having poured the mixture into moulds. Once fermented, they steam and bake the sponges.

After use you just rinse sponge and hang to dry using the string attached. Due to the sponges being biodegradable they apparently begin to show wear and tear after 1-3 months so the drier they are kept between uses the better.

Also another great green and eco feature is that after use they are compostable!

I found this very soft and gentle on bubba's skin, although a little slippery to hold on to when she wriggles around to get away from me! I would definitely recommend this over an artifical or sea sponge any day.

There are various different types of sponge in addition to the Natural Sponge. The different clay sponges treat different skin problems with the added clay. I decided to use the bamboo charcoal one:

Konjac Bamboo Charcoal Sponge



I chose this one because it is meant to be good for oily skin prone to spots and outbreaks, so it's great for my hormonal pregnant skin.

The Bamboo Charcoal contains activated carbon and various minerals that enhance absorptive ability, perfect for removing excess oil. Bamboo Charcoal is also a natural antioxidant so it helps to fight acne-causing bacteria.

I have been using this for a week now and I really love it. It is gently exfoliating, and very soft, not like a sea sponge or synthetic sponge. My skin looks really glowing afterwards and feels lovely and soft.

Apparently you can use it to remove make-up but I prefer to remove mine then use this afterwards instead of facial wash.

This is a great natural, safe alternative to foaming cleansers and exfoliators for pregnant and/or breastfeeding mothers.

The Konjac Round Sponges are £6.99 and stocked in Harvey Nichols and Selfridges as well as www.konjacspongecompany.com 

CB

Girls Aloud singer Nadine Coyle announced today via Instagram that she is pregnant with her first child. Judging by her excited tweets of late alluding to the news, we're assuming she's pleased!


However, as the skinniest of the Girls Aloud team (and that's saying something!), I don't honestly know where she's going to keep a growing baby! But we're certain she'll pull off the extra weight with aplomb.

I am 4 months pregnant and breastfeeding my 18 month old.

Other pregnant/breastfeeding mums out there may empathise with my desire to find cosmetics and beauty products with the least possible chemical nasties, so they hopefully won't be absorbed and filter through to the bubbas. I find that this is difficult with any decent kind of make-up.

The idea of a BB Cream (or Beauty Balm) is an all-in-one product that works like a tinted moisturiser but with a bit more coverage so that it evens skin tone and hides any blemishes. (In the Asian markets, it's called Blemish Balm and actually often has skin lightening and smoothing properties).

BB Creams are a great 'face-lift' for a tired mum who doesn't have time to put on a full foundation face much of the time these days. They can also been worn alone as a moisturiser that lifts the skin a bit, (and hubby won't know you are in make-up! ha ha)

I decided to test some BB creams, with a preference for those containing predominantly 'natural' products. Here are my faves:

Winner!

Decleor Hydra Floral BB Cream 24hr Moisture Activator SPF 15 40ml


£29.00 with FREE Deliveryfrom Feelunique.com
This tinted cream contains Wild Pansy and Samphire Extracts, Grapefruit Essential Oil and Mineral Pigments amongst other things. It smells gorgeous and adapts to any skin tone. It makes your skin feel really soft and smooth and smells gorgeous. With SPF15 this is perfect for wearing without any other make-up on a hot sunny day! Good staying power too.

Lavera 6 in 1 Beauty Balm

£17.90 from soorganic.com

This  beauty balm is made from organic Acaci berry and natural mineral pigments. It claims to have 6 different effects in 1 product:

1) Even, glowing complexion

2) Provides 24 hour moisturisation

3) Smoothes imperfections

4) Refines pores

5) Ensures a matte complexion

6) Protects the skin against free radicals

I can't say I noticed an amazing change in all of the above but I did like this cream as a light alternative for real no-make-up days. I found that it needs to be well blended in, otherwise it can look a bit streaky, but once on properly it gives a nice natural warmth to the skin without looking like you are wearing make-up. It also smells quite nice. I have been wearing it on days when I don't have time to do make-up (e.g. taking bubs to nursery at 7.30am).


The Body Shop Vitamin E Cool BB Cream, £10 for 50ml

The Body Shop claims that this new BB cream illuminates, evens skin tone and protects with moisture, for 12 hours. It comes in one shade fits all. I really loved using this product which is nearly as thick as foundation but gives much lighter coverage, is easy to blend, and gives a lovely sheen to the skin afterwards. It could be worn with or without other make-up. It feels very moisturising too and smells nice. I don't think it lasts 12 hours though, not like a foundation would. I felt I would need to re-apply after around 6 hours to get the coverage achieved when first applied.

Here are before and after pics where you can see I look much better afterwards!

Before-
 After-


This was actually my joint favourite to use, and with Shea Butter and Vitamin E it sounds perfect, but unfortunately after looking at the ingredients list I discovered some chemicals that I am trying to avoid such as various parabens, propylene glycol etc. Despite the uncertainty around their safety, they have been approved for use in many cosmetic products so it's hard to say if they actually have a negative effect, but personally I am trying to avoid anything whilst pregnant and nursing, where there is any doubt over whether it might filter through to the unborn one! This was a bit disappointing as I am a regular user of The Body Shop products due to their great quality, as well as their Cruelty Free and Fairtrade policies.

This is good value for money though, and definitely gives better performance than many other BB creams I have tried.

CB

EXCESS HAIR

So, it's definitely true then that holidays are going to be the exact opposite of relaxing from now on. At least they will be if my week in Wales is anything to go by.

This past week, the husband, Lucy and I were away in Tenby to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary in Welsh style.  Since we took the baby and sampled several different hotels I thought I'd share my thoughts on the baby-friendliness of the places we visited. All hotels were booked at the very last minute!

Day 1: The Park Hotel, Tenby - we paid £100 for a twin room with ensuite and breakfast
This hotel is situated at the highest point in Tenby and has spectacular views of the town and the bay. We had a great experience here despite booking last minute. The staff were really helpful, friendly and accommodating (for this one night we had hubby's family with us including dog!).

The room we had was small but we managed to fit the travel cot ok. Very clean rooms - Lucy enjoyed her bath as they had a non-slip mat.

We ate dinner in the bar because of the dog, but the food was really nice and reasonably priced.  Because we'd left Lucy in the room we had the baby monitor but it didn't work past a certain point in the room so the lady at the bar kindly kept an eye on it for us just in case.

At breakfast they'd printed a lovely personalised welcome note and had set up a table ready for the whole family, including a booster seat for Lucy. Despite it not being a buffet where we could help ourselves, they were happy to bring a Weetabix and fill Lucy's cup with fresh water for us.

There was an outdoor swimming pool too and in the morning we saw a few kids splashing about, but we weren't brave enough as it would have been too cold for Lucy.  All in all a great place to stay and we would definitely come again.

Day 2/3: Begelly Arms, Kilgetty - we paid £67.50 for a double with ensuite and breakfast
When we first pulled up to the car park our hearts sank. There were tons of dubious looking people milling about outside including one young girl who looked like she was touting for business through a car window! It turned out though that the hotel's function room was booked out for a gypsy funeral for which a hundred people had turned up. Naturally, our first thought was 'shit what valuable stuff did we leave in the car?'

However, once inside the hotel we could see that it had recently been refurbished with a really smart reception and bar/restaurant area and separate bar with tv and pool table.  The hotel manager who checked us in was super friendly and gave us a larger room when he saw we had a baby.

The room we had was large and clean with decent basic facilities. It also had free wifi and full Sky TV (not just a few channels).  Breakfast was buffet style with two choices of cereal along with a Full English option. The food was very good and there was a highchair for Lucy. Every member of staff we met was lovely, including the cleaners who arranged all Lucy's teddies in a row inside her cot :-)

The only downside was our room faced the main road, and while it wasn't all that noisy from cars, it did mean that we got smoke from people sitting on the pub tables directly below the window, and on the first night we were treated to a show - two of the travellers engaging in a fist fight!

All in all we really liked it at the Begelly and decided to stay two nights instead of one.





Day 4: Llwynygog Guesthouse, Aberystwyth - we paid £70 for a double with ensuite and breakfast
This was in a nice location near the beach and the town and the owners were lovely people - very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately their standards of cleanliness for their guesthouse aren't quite as lovely. The worst was the suspicious crusty stains on the bed sheets and the mouldy shower but there were many other small things that meant we wouldn't come here again. Plus the breakfast was awful.
It's a shame because the room was big enough for the cot and the owners were great with letting us store the buggy in their private sitting room so in theory the place is baby friendly.

Needless to say this experience put us off staying away from home any longer and so I'm writing this from the comfort of my own sofa with a nice cuppa and nice memories of all the lovely people we met in Wales. I really believe it is the friendliest place in Britain. Even the gypsies seemed nice!

RL xx

Before I gave birth to my daughter I spent a lot of time researching the best products for the baby and for the birth, and with ideas of retaining modesty during childbirth I purchased a couple of 'birthing shirts'. The advice is to find something to wear for the birth and afterwards which allows for skin-to-skin contact/breastfeeding afterwards, such as a button-down birth nightie.

I bought mine (two) from the Birthing Shirt Company (www.thebirthingshirtcompany.com) @ £39.99 each.



These shirts have lots of features appropriate to the birth/nursing such as: buttons down nearly to navel, made from bamboo which is not only an ethically sourced fabric but also has cooling properties, and a loose ruched fit with short sleeves. I found them very soft and comfortable to wear. However, I did feel a bit 'geeky' in them as they aren't at all sexy.

The main problem I had though was that I became so hot when giving birth that the shirt soon became soaked in sweat (yuk), and after many hours of labour I ditched it and went fully nude in front of my hubby, mother-in-law, and the midwife! I was ridiculously hot and couldn't stand it. (I'm sure this wasn't the design of the shirt, I believe this would have happened with any type). So it was lucky really that I bought two, because afterwards I was able to wear the clean one for nursing and recovery.

However, I ended up staying in the hospital for a week because my daughter had to stay in the special care unit due to complications (I understand the usual time is about 48 hours), which meant that I was very under-prepared and ended up wearing the same shirt for a few days until relatives brought me some other bits to wear. I wore track-suit bottoms on my legs too because I was actually cold in the air-conditioning. I lived in my dressing gown too, and wore a pair of disposable slippers I had from a spa hotel visit so I could chuck them afterwards.

Therefore, my recommendation to any new mums-to-be would be: go prepared with the appropriate birthwear but don't expect to stay in it, and pack some spare maternity/nursing pyjamas and a dressing gown for afterwards! Also, get a few items that are versatile for breastfeeding for use in the months after the birth, and that actually look nice!

Here are some of my faves for during and after the birth:

The Tayla Birthing Dress by Mummy Darling, £39.99

This is made of cotton and comes in three colours. It is a wrap-style that allows for breastfeeding and fetal monitoring, and has buttons up the back to allow for epidurals and TENS machines. It is also quite a nice style which could be worn during pregnancy and afterwards for nursing.

JoJoMamanBebe Navy Kimono Labour Wrap, £35.00

Made mainly from Cotton (95%) and a bit of elastane for shape, this wrap dress is a sexier option, yet still designed for comfort, as well as being easy to take off quickly if necessary! Again this could easily be worn before and after the birth.

Amoralia Super Soft Pyjama Bottoms from Isabella Oliver, £39.00


Perfect for pregnancy and for after the birth while your tummy is still big and sore! Stylish yet comfy. You could wear these to the hospital cafe and not be embarrassed!

Amoralia Soft Button Down Nursing Vest from Isabella Oliver, £25

This could be worn during the birth if you were really suffering from the heat, but also definitely great for afterwards to match with your jim-jams!

Amoralia Super-Soft Waterfall Cardigan from Isabella Oliver, £49

Be the most stylish new mum on the ward, by pairing the above vest and bottoms with this gorgeous super-soft cardigan which can replace your frumpy dressing gown. Great for pregnancy and nursing too.

Good luck to all you mums to be. I shall certainly be looking a little nicer this time around! (My second baby is due on 18th January 2014!)

CB

WHEN preparing yourself for motherhood, it's easy to let little things slide.

LN

Kardashian Beauty Lip Plumping Shimmer Gloss £11.95 FOR 11g
with free delivery, from www.feelunique.com

The Kardashian sisters have recently launched Kardashian Beauty after a re-brand, and the products are only available in the UK from www.feelunique.com.

In all honesty, we are not amazed by some of their products we have tried, although I did like this honey flavoured microsphere lip plumping gloss. Apparently it works with your body to restore hydration and volume to lips, making lip tissue as plump as naturally possible without the use of invasive procedures.

It smells like real honey, and when applied makes lips tingle with a slightly minty flavour. It also stays on for a good while and isn't too sticky; it feels more like a thick balm. (I detest a sticky lip gloss where your hair gets stuck in it etc). My lips do feel a little plumper but I'll be honest the effect isn't particularly noticeable as I think a slick of lip gloss makes anyone's lips look fuller anyway!

Here are my before and after piccies! Let me know what you think!

Before:

After:




For more info visit www.feelunique.com


CB

Lovely long hot showers are a thing of the past for me, so when it comes to hair washing I've recently been giving 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioners a try.  In the past I've not been impressed - anyone remember 'Wash 'n' Go'? But recently I was desperate for something to wash my hair and stumbled upon Timotei 2-in-1 which wasn't bad at all.

As I'm on holiday this week I still wanted something quick for the shower (a quickie would be nice but seems out of the question with the baby in the room!). So I am giving Herbal Essences 2-in-1 a go.  And I'm even more impressed with this one.


My hair is quite long due to not making it to the hairdressers for almost a year! And it's also fine but I have a lot of it so quite dense iyswim.  This means that it starts to look greasy and lank if I don't wash it every day. But this shampoo is making it look quite glossy and good condition as well as keeping it looking fresh.  It's also pretty easy to pull a comb through when wet which is the main thing for me as my hair can get quite knotty.

I won't say go out and swop your regular shampoo and conditioner for this, but if you need something to take to the gym or for other emergency situations, give this gem a try!


RL xx

Stats: Monday 5 August
Weight 64.8kg
Naughty food: travel snacks (crisps), 2 pints of lager

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This will be my last weigh-in until the weekend as I'm on holiday with the family in Wales. Not a scale in sight (unless you count my legs post-beach). It's going to be tough to keep up some form of diet but there is a lot of seafood on offer here in Tenby so as long as I stick to that and don't get a side of chips too often I might be ok!

Exercise-wise there will be plenty of walking up and down the beach, weather permitting, but honestly, doing strenuous stuff will be hard. However my friend kindly (?!) gave me this link to the squats from hell session so I will give it a try and see how far I get. Apparently you can feel it working straight away. I assume if you can't walk or sit that means it's working :-)

Give it a try?

RL xx

Another quickie!

Just discovered that John Lewis stock my fave maternity wear brand Seraphine maternity! Beautiful and practical maternity wear at a reasonable price, which mostly doubles from maternity to nursing. Great maternity work wear selection.

Check it out here.

Again the same reasons to buy from John Lewis including top customer service, easy returns, free delivery over £50, and the Never Knowingly Undersold price match promise!

Here are a couple of faves:

Seraphine Skinny Grey Jeans £52

I wear these everywhere!

Seraphine Nessa Jumper £39.20






Perfect for maternity then for nursing after you give birth.

Seraphine Gemma Button Down Nightie £35.00




Practical for both nursing and pregnancy but also still quite cute and sexy!


Visit www.johnlewis.com for more details

Have a good day!

CB