Hi all this post is slightly different than the regular beauty posts that I do as since becoming a mum I've found that I don't have as much time (as much being none!) To spend on myself.
The idea for this post came from a friend telling me about a cream her sister bought for her baby but now uses on herself. It got me thinking about how much time and money could be saved by investing in dual use products that are not only suitable but really work for mum and baby.
I have tested out a couple of different products for this post I have only included the ones that I really liked as I want the post to only focus on what works.
I'm going to start with the basics and move along from there.
Simple Baby Moisturising Shampoo
You will start to see a pattern during this post that there is a very well known baby brand completely left out and the reason is I simply don't like it. So this led me from the beginning to explore other brands for baby essentials. This has been a great find for me not only is it really gentle on my little boy but since giving birth I've gotten a serious case of dry scalp! My problem with my scalp is that regular shampoos that work eg head and shoulders is just far to harsh on me at the moment. Well to say I am delighted is an understatement this shampoo has been great since first use it moisturised and stopped my itching ( majorly embarrassing thing to have ) I shouldn't be surprised as simple is one of my favourite brands. This one will be a firm fixture for the future.
Cussons Mum & Me Wash
I am in love with this baby wash it smells like a newborn baby in a bottle its just so warm and fuzzy that I just want to wrap myself up in it :)
I'm pretty sure I bought this to make up the price to get free delivery on a boots order but I am so glad that I did. I have tested a little for myself too of course and its a great wash that can be used by all of the family. I really like the packaging and the pump is so handy when you are trying to get baby bath ready you would be surprised how inconvenient it can be to have to open a bottle lid. So as I said although it can be used by everyone I am going to keep this one special just for baby's baths so I can keep the lovely feeling that I get every time I smell it associated with the lovely ritual of bathing baby!
Elave Baby Lotion
I'm delighted to be able to include an Irish brand in this post as I always like to support them if I can. So it isn't advertised as such but I have been using this and finding it really good for clearing up baby's cradle cap. It looks very messy at first when you use it for this so I'd maybe suggest using it at night and washing baby's hair the next morning as at first it goes clumpy and looks way worse but then when you wash it using a little shampoo and a soft cloth it just slides away. Of course this is also a great general baby lotion and very handy to use on yourself I apply to my arms while standing beside the changing table every morning and I have to say they are baby soft. It takes slightly longer to dry in than regular body lotions that mums might be used to but to be honest it is worth the wait as the results are so much better than what I had expected. This lotion is approved by paediatricians for use from newborn and it contains no (take a breath!) sulfates,parabens, perfumes, formaldehyde, alcohol & soap. Its also a great price retailing at just under €8 a quality product at a budget price. This was my first time to use this brand and I am looking forward to trying out some more of their stuff.
Pure Potions Lavender Nappy Salve
This little pot of nappy balm is absolutely the stand out of the bunch, its like a magic potion that can be used for everything! It does so much it would almost be easier for them to only list what it doesn't do.
The only rule with this is that as it is a nappy balm if you want to use it for all of the other things you absolutely have to maintain a strict no double dip policy.
Once you keep to that rule it is first of all a great nappy balm that clears up any redness & sore spots within a couple of hours you just need to warm it between your fingertips before applying. This doubles as a really good lip balm for mum - again only if you keep your double dip rule! I also used this on some really stubborn dry patches I was having around my nose I applied morning and night and my skin was almost back to normal after only two days. I fell in love with lavender while I was pregnant as I religiously used waxperts beautiful body oil and I loved being pregnant so the scent has lovely associations for me. The salve is made with 100% natural ingredients with no perfume or parabens.
All in all a very good investment retailing at £ 8.99.
Bioderma atoderm nourishing cream
Bioderma is a French skincare brand that is new to Ireland, it is gaining popularity really quickly. I have tried a couple of products from their range which I'll be talking about in an upcoming post but today the focus is on the nourishing cream from the atoderm range for dry skin. The atoderm range is suitable for babies from newborn or 7 weeks depending on the particular product.
This is the one product from this post that is aimed towards grown ups with the bonus of being suitable for baby. As I mentioned before since giving birth I have been suffering with very dry skin and having a new baby have not had much time to do anything about it. I have been using this cream every morning on both baby and me to combat the dryness. It works instantly and has a gorgeous texture that holds the moisture in skin but dosnt feel greasy. My absolute favourite thing about this cream is that you can use it on your face as well as your body which saves time and money! I must add here that this cream is suitable for use on dermatitis. The cream is fragrance & paraben free and the rrp is €12.50.
