Rebalancing after pregnancy :part one skincare

 Baby sparkle is now 8 months old and thankfully he now has a full bill of health. I'm not sure if it's the norm or if it's because I had a really difficult time after but my body just went crazy in particular my skin and hair. It took me about 6 months of trialing different products to finally get the right balance again, I am still searching for the right exfoliator to finish the routine so I'd love for you to comment with any reccomendations. 

I kept reading so much about a double cleanse I figured it would be a good place to start so I use 

Blumain organics cleansing oil

This is lovely as it's really gentle and adds moisture rather than taking away like most cleansers. This also has the added bonus of being completely natural. 

Rrp: €19.95

Followed by 

NIA cleansing balm 

This is a little touch of luxury for daily routine it comes in a fab tin with cloths included. You apply onto face with sticks provided( I couldn't get hang so used my fingers!) it feels lovely on leaves a really nice softness and again isn't drying at all. 

Rrp: €19.95

For toner I have been using 

Lotion yonka 

I absolutely love this it's pure luxury but really good value for money as the bottle goes very far. Just a little spritz adds lovely glow to your face and keeps it from drying. It smells amazing too a definite favorite that will be repurchased for many years to come. 

Rrp: €30.50

 For moisturiser and this little treasure from NeoStrata 

Its a really moisturising really comfortable cream and like it says on the tin it really does restore! 

My skin before was deeply lined, greyish looking and plagued with flaky patches around my nose, chin, hairline and brows. Even thinking back makes me shudder. 

My skin after is a lot more youthful looking its softer and holds moisture in a huge leap forward from the dehydrated mess I started with! 

Rrp: €46.95 40g 

As I said I'm still on the hunt for the right exfoliator as the ones I have always used are way too harsh for me now. 

Did your skin totally change with pregnancy? Let me know in comments x 

This post features pr samples. 

Blumain Organics 100th post!!

Hi welcome to me & Julie's first co-post ;) and what better way to start than with the blogs 100th post and a new Irish beauty brand Blumain organics. Every once in a while you come across something that far exceeds your expectations and this range has blown our socks off! Julie and I have reviewed some products each which we will tell you about here. As a special celebration of our 100th post Sinead of Blumain Organics has put together an amazing hamper for one lucky reader, entry details can be found at the end of the post. 

Julie says being an extremely busy mom with two very active young boys , it's no wonder my skin looks so tired and dull.
I used to have a great skincare routine but that has long gone out the window.
So when I received the Blumain hydrating orange blossom cleansing milk €19.95  & blackcurrant & geranium age-defy moisturiser €25 l figured now is a good time to get back into my routine.

The cleansing milk contains castor oil, alpha hydroxyl acid, orange blossom water and essential oils.
The cleansing milk says to rinse with water and remove with a damp cloth but I just used damp cotton wool as I always do. When I first applied it, the scents of the essential oils are very apparent & slightly heady. But that soon settles & if you're a fan of essential oil based products then you will be sure to love it. The texture is quite creamy so I didn't think I'd like it on my skin but I did. With just two cotton pads & two pumps of product, my skin was clear of makeup. It also didn't feel oily like some of these products can. 

I did splash my face with water before applying the moisturiser,  which again had a creamy texture, albeit a thicker consistency. It had a silkcocks base look when applying which I didn't like but it soon soaked into my skin, well actually my skin sucked in every ounce of product which I obviously needed & didn't leave an oily residue which these products can. I didn't get much of a smell of blackcurrant but the smell of lavender, geranium & Orange is just divine. The Moisturiser contains argan and pumpkin seed oils, Hylauronic acid, coenzyme q10, blackcurrant extract and geranium oil.
I have used these products for two weeks now & I can honestly say I'm hooked. I am telling everyone who will listen about them.
I have had bad acne since i had my second boy a year ago and nothing seemed to work. But since using this, it has reduced significantly. This is definitely down to the properties of the oils.

Clare says, this cleansing oil €19.95 has completely won me over, it has won a bronze "free from" award for being free from ingredients that usually cause allergic reactions. When I first tried it I thought it felt more like honey than oil and while applying it felt a little sticky going on , I then used warm water and a muslin to remove and then came the wow moment after literally just one use I could feel the moisture in my skin. Normally after cleansing my skin is sucked of all moisture but this is fantastic and after continued use has really changed the texture of my skin. it's also only very lightly scented so easy to use. The pump on the bottle is great,  I think it could benefit from having a muslin cloth included as I always think it's a nice touch with a cleanser ;) 

Sinead just like Julie is owner of her own beauty salon " finishing touch" in mallow, cork. Blumain organics was launched in June 2014 and to date has 24 products in the range. The products are currently sold from Sineads salon and through her website www.blumainorganicskincare.ie 

One lucky reader ( ireland only) can get their hands on a hamper just in time for Christmas enter through our twitter good luck!

Impress nails winter collection

Impress nails have just launched a new winter collection with some new shades that are even more realistic looking than the predecessor. 

The nails are shinier even more similar to gel nails and the colours that have been added are really versatile for every day and special occasion wear. 

My particular favorites are the nude (riot act) and grey (rumor mill) shades I think they look really natural and the type of colours I would normally go for. 

I'd love to see them mix it up a little and maybe add in the option of a sparkly accent nail ( maybe they will put my idea on file ;p) of course you can do this yourself by mixing and matching between packs. I've since been informed that impress do in fact do these packs of nails and I've seen a picture and they are beautiful ( I'll add it on my instagram for you) 

Anyone who has read previous posts of mine on impress nails will know I'm a giant fan these not only look real but I have personally tested their staying power. They can be applied in under 4 minutes and lasted about 6 days on for me just make sure you leave them on for a while maybe an hour before you wash your hands as it can affect the adhesive. 

These are fantastic for the party season as you can easily change up your look for each party night. 

Impress nails are available in Dunnes stores and pharmacies nationwide retailing at € 9.99. 

Boots Black Friday 2015

Check out these amazing offers for Black Friday from boots valid from Friday to Sunday enjoy x 

1.      BareMinerals Enchanted Garden Eye Palette: Go demure or dramatic with this palette of gorgeous must-haves for glowing skin, blooming cheeks, and captivating eyes and lips.

Was €36.00 Now €23.99 SAVE 1/3

 

2.      Smashbox Mini Double Exposure Palette: Each shadow changes in one of four ways when wet — amps up vibrancy, gets deeper, turns metallic or adds sparkle — the possibilities are endless. Was €19 Now €12.66 SAVE 1/3

 

3.      No7 Online Bundle #1:

 A selection of No7's most loved products. Contains 14 full sized products

Worth €267.50 Now €71.00 - Online on Boots.ie only

 

4.      No7 Online Bundle #2: 

A selection of No7's most loved products. Contains 25 full sized products

Worth €476.50 Now €139.00-  Online on Boots.ie only

 

5.      Save 10% on our luxury beauty best sellers including Benefit They’re Real Mascara Limited Edition: Mascara helps lengthen, curl,volumise, lift and separate lashes, with a jet black, longwearing formula that won’t smudge or dry out. Featuring a sophisticated matte-black tube and cap encrusted with Swarovski® crystals, it’s the season’s glitziest accessory!

Was €28 Now €25.20 SAVE 10%

 

6.      Paco Rabanne Lady Million Eau de Parfum (50ml) A fresh woody floral scent, Lady Million Eau  de Toilette is a multifaceted, luminous, fresh and transparent interpretation of the original fragrance.

Was €65.00 Now €39.99 SAVE OVER 30%

 

7.      Babyliss Curl Secret Diamond Shine Radiance Collection:

Exclusive to Boots, the Diamond Shine Radiance Collection features the new limited edition Diamond Curl Secret and Diamond Dryer – the ultimate gift set for professional drying and styling.  

Was €259.99 Now €173.30 SAVE 1/3

 

8.      Remington Shine Therapy Hair Straightener: When it comes to hair must haves, shine always comes top. To get an irresistible combination of sleek and glossy hair, choose these amazing straighteners.

Was €104.99 Now €39.37 BETTER THAN HALF PRICE

 

Christmas Gifts 2015

Can you believe that it's Christmas again! It's my favorite time of year lovely cosy nights in by the fire and shopping for gifts! I am especially looking forward to christmas dinner this year as I missed out last year with morning sickness!

This year I have tried to cater for different ages as opposed to just beauty gifts although they are in there too! 

For small girls or boys I came across some beautiful Christmas themed books. I am such a book nerd my little boy is only 4 months old and already has a shelf full of books complete with some really cool dinosaur book ends (thanks julie!) 

This one is gorgeous one about Santa Claus visiting Ireland. Its a nice little story and nice to have some familiar place names too. I picked this up in tesco for €6

Next up is a gift for any man or football loving lady it is literally a gift for all ages from small boy to grandad! A personalised football from mitre.com. i was told that as footballs go mitre are really amazing ones and so a personalised one is a very special gift that will be treasured for years. The one featured here is a size 5 Training quality ball and retails for £30.
it arrives fully pumped and in a display box.

You can find all of the details to pick up one of these babies on www.mitre.com 

I have a teenage girl to try and buy for this year, i really think its the most difficult age to try buy for as i think a lot of the time they dont know what they want themselves! 

I have put together two options that you could choose either together or gift seperately both of which id be pretty happy with myself so although I'm aiming at teens they really are a great gift across the board. 

The first is a gorgeous wash bag from the quintessential by collier cambell filled with some goodies from wetnwild. Ive paired these two together as young teens starting off with makeup will often choose a more budget friendly brand like wet n wild and this wash bag is so pretty and such a great size that it makes a really lovely gift. 

The quintessential is a wholesale company (featured again below) so make sure to tell your local shopsto get onto them quickly and become stockists. http://www.thequintessential.co.uk/

Wet n wild is available in most pharmacies and dunnes stores nationwide prices for wet n' wild are from €1.99 to €6.49.

So also from the quintessential is this beautiful shawl\scarf  from their folk collection these colours are perfect for brightening up any Christmas outfits and their fabrics are fantastic quality. as the quintessential are wholesale be sure to ask your local shops to become stockists so you can get your hand on their fantastic range!

So lets get to the Christmas bit so every year christmas decor gets better and more sophisticated my absolute favorite i have seen this year is this pair of silver baby deer for on top of mantelpiece/bookshelf/window from thechristmasboutique.co.uk this is not only a christmas piece i would be quiet happy to have these in my house all year long. 

These retail at £ 14.95

Some other pieces from the christmas boutique are this hessian santa sack currently half price at         £ 4.48

And this lovely wooden  Advent house currently on offer at £22.46 

My favorite gift to get every year is one from the body shop its been a christmas tradition in my house since the time of their partnership with WWF in the 1990s  as always the body shop has teamed up with a great charity so you get to do good while getting something really lovely. This years charity is water aid and "With every specially selected gift bought this Christmas, The Body Shop will provide a family in Ethiopia with one day of safe drinking water"

the gift that caught my eye immediately is this one for the boys, the Maca Root Shaving Kit €39.95 its got gorgeous packaging and I think is a really practical gift too. 

The body shop always brings out a new festive scent ( I'm a massive fan of glazed apple) this years is frosted plum and I think the bath fizzies look like a gorgeous gift! € 20.50.

And last but not least. 

The new Instyler max is one that has been on my wishlist for a while at €120 it straightens, curls and adds volume. Having a new baby I don't get any me time so something that will give me a salon style without taking too much effort or time gets my thumbs up!

If I have missed out on any groups or you would like any more info or gift ideas drop me a comment or a tweet

clare x