But fast forward to now and every beauty purchase I make seems to come with a huge side of guilt. I stand in Boots wondering, should I be spending money on Toni & Guy hair products when I could save money by using a cheaper brand? Should I buy this anti-wrinkle cream or buy Lucy a new toy or outfit? Is the money even mine to spend anymore or is it 'our' money that has to be accounted for and spent more wisely?

These questions plague me and I sometimes start to cave in and think, why bother, is it even worth the stress?

But on reflection, I think that it is worth it. There are already so many things I feel guilty about now I'm a mum, so why add to that list?  Maybe I won't be able to get my hair highlighted until I go back to work and start earning again, but I am not going to give up the beauty basics.  So, I'll switch to cheaper alternatives where I can. But my husband will not see me with unnecessarily hairy legs. I will not live with dry skin. And I will smell nice!

I'm sure my husband would agree with this and had rather I spent a bit of money to look nice and a bit more like the woman he married instead of like a frumpy unattractive mum. And even if he spends hardly anything on his toiletries, why should I suffer with the same beauty budget as him?

Having said all that, I doubt I'll ever really get rid of the nagging guilt that sprouts in the back of my mind when I spend money on myself. I'll just have to live with it (and hope that I get a considerable pay rise in the future!).

Am I alone in this? Are there other mums out there who feel this way too? Or am I being completely shallow?  Please share your thoughts and 'can't live without' beauty products in our comments or on twitter using hashtag #cantlivewithout

RL x