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. 

Whats in my hospital bags?

Hi everyone
a little break from my regular beauty posts to share what I have been packing into my hospital bag for my upcoming labour! I actually cant believe that I am at 36 weeks already this stage has just flown around for me and with the packing of the bag is now getting very real.

Lots of hospital lists are already out there and have such diversity so this is just my version I will be bringing a bag for labour, one for my hospital stay and as a beauty blogger the important one my washbag! I am a FTM so there may be some bits that I wont use and others that I will send for so dont judge me too harshly! I am just going to dive straight in and if anyone has any questions re quantities ect you can leave a comment at end :)

Labour Bag

2 nightdresses with button down front if you can get them
Maternity Pads-green pack
Long sleeve sleep suit
vest
Nappy
Hat & Mitts
Socks (adult ones!)
Glucose sweets
Cereal Bars
Water

Wash Bag 
This will be in my labour bag to start.

travel size where possible to save space

Shampoo- think I packed head and shoulders!
Shower gel - body shop vanilla brulee
Water Spray I've got LA Roche posay and avene and am considering adding in voya ritzy spritzy for making me feel lovely after! ( am I going overboard with these?)
toothbrush & paste
dental floss
deoderant
razor
2 face cloths
Lip balm - I've a Mia and Dom peppermint & lavender pot and LA Roche posay stick balm.
Simple moisturizer
Bioderma micellar water travel size
Hair band,clips & bobbins
Holos happy momma oil
Vaseline & sudocreme

All of this is housed in the beautiful eve wash bag from the quintessential .

Of course there is also my make up to consider , I will be going minimalist with it but I still need a little bit. It took me a while to decide what would come with me but I have decided on rimmel 25 hour foundation and my real techniques buffing brush for application, physicians formula happy booster blush its so pretty plus has the bonus of having a mirror if I can't get one elsewhere. I also would of added my physicians formula mineral wear powder but it got smashed and so would be far too messy :(
Next in is fuschia eyebrow kit and an angle brush for application, my rimmel scandal eyes mascara will also be making the trip as will wet n wild lipstick in pinkerbell to give me a pop of colour. So that's pretty minimalistic at only 5 makeup items especially when I imagine I'm going to need every bit of make up I can lay my hands on!

Main Bag

My main bag is mostly made up of very practical things

2 dark towels
Nightdresses & PJs - I got a tip from friend to get the button down front PJs, to wear a vest top with bottoms and then use the shirt part instead of a dressing gown for when I need it as in July it should be too hot to use gown.
Bridget jonses , lol you all know what I mean :-)
4 packs maternity towels
1 pack size 1 nappies - I've gone for pampers
Cotton wool
Water wipes
Cellular blankets
Baby towels
Muslin cloths
Baby hats & scratch mitts
8 baby sleep suits
8 vests
Cardigans- my mam knitted these as I couldn't find any and just couldn't get into the mind frame of knitting them myself.
Bibs
Breast pads
2 nursing bras even though I'm not planning to BF
Flip flops
Phone charger-very important for all the showing off after I imagine :-).

All of the baby clothes I have bought in size 0-1 as at 35 weeks baby is already 6lb and I've been told is gonna be a big baby!

I'd really appreciate if you would let me know any tips or anything you think I have left out in the comments so I can add more to my stash :-)

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 

Shop for beauty :budget beauty technic

Hi all sorry for the lack of consistency with posts lately but baby sparkle will be arriving very soon and is already keeping me very busy!

Todays post is a collaboration with new website http://www.shopforbeauty.co.uk/ shop for beauty specialises in cheap or i prefer budget makeup. They are stockists of lots of well known makeup brands e.g. max factor and barry m among lots of others.
Today I am bringing you a review of Technic make up from the site.
Technic is the definition of budget make up its price point is very low and so Its definitely accessible to all, I dont normally go this budget with my make up but was pleasantly surprised with it in particular with the eye shadow palette, read on below for my thoughts.

Technic Matte 6 eyeshadow palette £2.29

http://www.shopforbeauty.co.uk/technic-matte-6-eyeshadow-palette.html

the palette consists of nude, pink and brown shades. Its probably the kind of palette that will appeal to everyone and that everyone should own one of as the neutral colours are so wearable.
To my surprise the pink a colour I wouldnt normally even try was my absolute favourite. It is a really soft powdery pink and looks absolutely gorgeous as a base all over shadow. The browns allow you to add definition over the base pink or nudes and as there are 3 different shades to choose from you can create a day to more dramatic night look all with the same palette. The palette comes with a double ended applicator which I didnt use, I am just not a fan of them I always use brushes and probably wouldnt even be able to attempt application without one!

The best thing about this palette is most definitely its value for money price It is ridiculously low priced for the quality and range that it does allow. On my testing It wore from 8am until about lunchtime 2pm which for a palette costing only £2.29 gives serious lasting in my opinion.

Technic Cheek sculpt contour blusher and brush rosy £2.95

http://www.shopforbeauty.co.uk/technic-cheek-sculpt-contouring-blusher-brush-rosy.html

I have to admit that I never really got into contouring and the little that I did do is the type this provides!

a bronzer for underneath cheek bones and a blush for the apples of my cheeks!
The blush comes with a flip up mirror and a little brush thats really useful for sticking into your handbag for on the go. The colours of the blush are very subtle so definitely for more of a daytime look. Its probably best for a young teenager just starting to get into make up but again at the price of £2.95 it wouldnt be out of place in anyones makeup bag.

Technic Slanted Blusher Brush £2.95

http://www.shopforbeauty.co.uk/technic-slanted-blusher-brush.html

the final product I reviewed was the slanted blush brush, a bargain at £2.95. this is a synthetic brush and for a budget brush Its actually quiet nice. the brush is really soft and again ideally suited to a young teens first makeup kit. The only slight negative is that you have to use a bit more product than normal as the brush dosnt pick it up as well as others.

Check out http://www.shopforbeauty.co.uk/ for lots of other fab budget beauty buys. I love doing budget beauty posts and hope you have enjoyed this one. Im really hoping to be back with another one really soon x