Bioderma Atoderm Huile de Douche

Bioderma has just introduced a number of new products to the Irish market which is always an exciting release. The one that has caught my attention is the Ultra  nourishing anti irritation shower oil. To explain why I have been drawn to this particular product I go back a few months to my little boy(1) being rushed to hospital with suspected menangitis. While thankfully the suspicions were unfounded he was still seriously ill. After a number of tests we found out he had a bacterial blood infection caused by staphylococcus bacteria. This bacteria lives on all of our skin but my little man had rubbed it into his bloodstream through a small patch of eczema under his eye. It was a truly terrifying time for us and took almost two weeks on iv antibiotics and a couple of overnights in hospital to be cleared. After that it took about 3 months for his little body and happy self to return to normal.
The skin barrier therapy patent of this oil claims to biologically prevent the binding of staphylococcus bacteria. What I understand from this is that the formula protects the skin from being attacked by this bacteria that causes flare ups in dry skin conditions. For me anything that can reduce the likelihood of this bacteria entering the bloodstream is definitely worth a try!  I started using the shower oil about a week ago to clean the little mans face and behind his knees morning and evening (where he has his eczema) and then using all over in his bath. After two days I could notice an enormous improvement in the skin on his face and had a few others comment on how much better it was looking.
I then picked up the atoderm cream and have been using that along with the oil.
I'm so impressed with how this is working. For the very first time my baby has baby soft skin not rough skin with giant red flare ups.
I've only been using it on him for a short time so I hope it continues to impress but with the science behind it's definitely one I'll keep using with my fingers crossed I never hear the word staphylococcus infection again.
I have focused on the barrier therapy part of this product but they're are also some other great points about it. It feels lovely 😊 it claims to be a non greasy oil and it really isn't , it's a pleasure to use as is the cream.
It also contains vegetable biolipids and vitamin PP which do the following.

Vegetal biolipids* soothe the feeling of tightness and increase the resistance of the skin by recreating a protective film of the skin. Vitamin PP, capable of increasing the synthesis of lipids, helps to restore the skin barrier which improves the skin's suppleness and durably restores comfort.

It can be used by anyone from 0 months to 100+ years.
It retails for €7.50 for 200ml and €15.50 for 1litre so for anyone used to buying products for eczema it's definitely on the affordable side .
Among Bioderma new releases they have a hydrobio mask. I'm hoping to get my hands on this really soon and this one will be all for me!

#not a PR sample

Mum & Baby : Multi use products

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.

Voya Ritzy Spritzy

I was first introduced to Voya a few months ago during a trip to The Twelve hotel in Barna.
All of the products supplied in the suite were Voya and it definitely added to the luxury of our stay, fast forward a few months when I was asked if I would like to review Ritzy Spritzy I didn't think twice I was just like hells yeah they're products were amazing I definitely want to try more!
It also helped that I am in the final stretch of my third trimester and I was told that Ritzy Spritzy ( isn't the name amazing!) Would help to keep me cool in the hot weather, seeing as I feel like I'm on fire from the inside I doubted it could do me any harm.

So Ritzy Spritzy is an anti-ageing toner from Voya made with an impressive 94.5% organic ingredients the main one being Voya trade mark ingredient of hand harvested seaweed. Voya has very popular seaweed baths in Sligo which sound amazing and have made the top of my must visit list for next years summer holidays :-)
Voya prides themselves on the simplicity and honesty of their products and it really is something they should be proud of.
I tested Ritzy Spritzy daily for over two weeks before this review and each spray was as lovely as the one before. I used it morning after cleansing before applying make up and then at numerous times during the day to keep myself cool and just to refresh my face a little. The second that you spray it you get that luxury that you would normally associate with a salon treatment, one whiff and you can just tell how good the quality of the product is, I hope you understand what I mean by that? I find with lower end products they can be overly perfumed and just smell cheap.
My wrinkles are definitely less visible but I can't give all the credit to this as I am 39 weeks pregnant right now so I know my face is slightly more 'plump' than it would be regularly ;-) but I definitely notice it more hydrated which I will give 100% credit to Voya for. This worked absolute wonders for keeping me cool in the hot weather that we were having during the testing especially as I felt on fire from the inside out!
I was so impressed with the way that it kept me cool while giving me some luxury that the rest of the bottle is currently sitting in my labour bag waiting to provide me with some loveliness in what I am told is a tropical delivery room.

I am seriously impressed with this product and Voya as a brand especially because they are Irish, actually I may try to do another block of my beautiful Irish brands series and feature some more Voya loveliness in the future. Log onto www.voya.ie take a peek and get yourself some of their products if they are all like the ones I have tried you will not be disappointed. 

Mia & Dom skincare

Holding my hands up in apology as I start this post I'm a day late getting published! Had some pregnancy news that floored me a bit yesterday ( all good) :-) 
I've been testing these bits from Mia and Dom skincare which FYI is named after creator Jennifer's children which I adore and also wonder if there is a fast and furious connection?
I have tested out the calming baby massage oil, spearmint & lavender lip balm and the organic morning sickness balm.
As I am in my third trimester I have tested the morning sickness balm and the baby massage oil in slightly differ:-) ent way than intended but I think its good to show a products diversity :-) 

Calming baby massage oil
Starting off with the massage oil obviously as I am still pregnant it means that baby isn't here yet ( that's how it works ;) but I have been using this as a belly massage oil to soothe myself and baby when there is lots of kicking going on. Now this might be true I have no idea but I have wrangled a few lovely gentle belly massages from my lovely husband on the pretense that it is his bonding time with baby, I don't normally set out to trick but the massages are so relaxing!
This massage oil has a gorgeous consistency its just a little thick just enough that it doesn't run off your hands when you pump it on. Its not greasy feeling at all but just a small amount allows a good length of massage before it dries in. The massage oil also gives a lovely warming sensation while your using it. The oil left my skin feeling really soft and moisturized feeling very supple. I am very excited to use this on baby when he/she arrives and will report on that experience in the future.

Organic morning sickness balm

Oh how I wish I had this in the first 18 weeks of my pregnancy when I was suffering with hypermesis and living in misery! Fortunately the morning sickness went away but it does mean that this balm couldn't be tested properly for its true purpose. I have however been having a fair bit of nausea over the last few weeks not sure if its anxiety from impending arrival or if its from lack of space in my belly? So I have been using the nausea as a mild replica of morning sickness to test out this balm. To use you rub some under your nostrils and onto your temples. It has a really refreshing scent which I can imagine would help you feel better during morning sickness ( I used to smell Vick vapo rub!) So for a quick fix you could just open lid and take a whiff. I used as instructed and it definitely removed or greatly reduced my nausea, I have to admit I've been carrying this in my handbag not for any sickness reasons but just that I like how refreshed it makes me feel when I use it :-)  so although I haven't been able to comment on its true purpose I do like the balm.

Lavender and peppermint lip balm

When I fell pregnant something very strange happened , well actually lots of strange things happened but the one I'm referring to is that I started to really like lavender? it was my most hated fragrance before and since being pregnant is one of my favorites i have even used a lavender body oil the whole way through to combat stretch marks! 

When i saw lavender and peppermint in the same tin though i did wonder a bit its not really something i would of ever put together but i stand corrected because it is really really nice. You kind of get the refreshing tingle of peppermint with lovely relaxing slightly luxurious lavender. Its funny when you smellit in the tin too because you can definitely pick out the two distinct scents but they blend so well together at same time. THe lip balm is fab for keeping moisturised especially in this hot weather and this one has now made its way directly into my labour bag :-) 

I have really enjoyed testing these and will be rushing back to find more once baby has arrived to make sure he/she has lots of lovely things! 

You can purchase all of the products mentioned and more on 

Miadomskincare.com

And dont forget to give them a follow on their social media accounts too 

Facebook: mia & dom skin care

Twitter: @miaanddom

Apologies im on my phone just putting in these details but once home later i will change these to direct links x