Just Beauty Sleep…

As my teething, British Summer hating, restless baby goes down for what is likely to be another interrupted night of what I can only loosely refer to as “sleep”, I resist the urge to curl up beside her still fully clothed and resembling a harpy to grab the opportunity to pamper myself.

Now I would love to write a post on a beauty routine that involved massage oils, sheet face masks and a glass of bubbly while I languished in the tub but it would be fiction and instead I will give you the best realistic solutions I have found to give me a fighting chance of taking on the following day.

I light a posh candle, grab a good book and throw some Radox into the bath (even if there are a few rogue floating ducks in there)

It is tempting to grab every second of sleep, and sometimes that is the best option, but when you have the opportunity to unwind, savour it. Taking care of yourself is so important, especially if you need to take care of everyone else.

I’m not great at switching off so I love the half an hour of distraction i get from a novel and I really appreciate drifting away into a story.

I make sure to properly take off my makeup. Firstly using a small amount of coconut oil warmed in my hands then massaged all over my face. I love the smell and I love how easily mascara melts away. I then follow up with a small amount of Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash all over my face but avoid the eye area with this. I take everything off with a warm damp flannel and once a week use the Resurfacing mask, usually on a Sunday so my skin feels great to start the week off.

This combination hydrates my dry skin and leaves it incredibly clean without feeling stripped.

To finish off my evening skin care I squeeze a little of Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Clarity toner onto a cotton pad and lightly sweep this over my face and end with Origin’s GinZing eye cream and Night-A-Mins moisturiser. These are cult favourites for a reason and whenever I stray brands I always come back to these.

Once out of the bath I apply Bio-oil while my skin is still damp to lock in moisture, then slather on Champneys foot cream (it is sandal weather after all) before creeping like a stealth trained ninja back into my room.

My absolute must have for the best nights sleep is a wonderful mattress. The Leesa mattress is unlike any other, designed from the inside out with three layers of universal adaptive high quality foam to provide the cooling, contouring and core support everybody needs to achieve amazing sleep.

Add to an incredible mattress freshly washed sheets and that is my idea of heaven.

How do you achieve your best beauty sleep? And what products are your saviours on an evening?

 

 

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Mummy Daughter Outfit Of the Day

These are some photos my partner took of Sienna and I while we were at the seaside, we looked pretty synchronised and I thought they would be great to do my first Mummy and daughter outfit post.

Sienna looked absolutely adorable in an aqua green frilly singlet with pale aqua bows and the knickers to match. These were given to me by a friend so I’m not sure where there are from.

I will be so sad when Sienna outgrows this little outfit, I love her in this colour and it makes such a nice change from pink. It’s a worry sometimes putting a baby girl in what is classed as ‘boys’ colours but I think the frills and bows scream girl, and that is the look I love for her. The sandals she has on are little tan leather butterfly detail gladiators from Next.

I am wearing a pale blue split print maxi skirt from Forever New with a white fitted top and blue necklace also from Forever New. I used to stay away from florals as a rule and I’m still pretty fussy when it comes to prints but I like the softness of the skirt and it has a lovely mixture of blue’s and green’s, which match Sienna’s outfit.

Thanks for stopping by

Speak soon

Nicola x

Just being a Mum…

As a proud mummy of a 14 month old almost all of my conversations start with what new word or action Sienna can do, how she has developed and what new part of herself she has discovered.

In the first year of Sienna’s life, and my first year as a Mum of three I feel like I have also learned a few new things about myself

I love sleep

I took it for granted and I did not give it the respect it deserved. I miss sleep and I await for it’s return with open arms.

Winged eyeliner makes me jealous

How HOW did I ever have time for such frivolities as a cat eye??
I have a full face down in 8 minutes, yet if I attempt to start with my Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner I know there will be a baby wrapped around my leg and it will all end in tears (hers or mine or both)

A shower in peace now has the same effect as a spa day

I need that ten minutes, my sanity depends on it. It is important to make time to unwind, however hard that is and however it comes, take it.

Life is not a competition

I am a worrier by nature, I question and doubt myself and I need to ease up.
I now surround myself with positive encouraging and supportive people. People who listen and are there for me, who can give practical advice and do not pull me down.
There is too much negativity and rivalry in motherhood, who has the best outfits, the best party, the best cake, who looks the happiest on Facebook.
Just be happy do not compete and therefore you have already won. Being a mum is hard work, a few real friends and it is a lot easier.

It is ok to make mistakes

Some days my patience is tested, some days I do not make it out of the house or my pjs
My style of parenting is not what some would agree with (attachment parenting), and my to-do list is never ending, but I try my best and that is and should always be good enough.

I am in love with my kids

Yes I know everyone loves their kids and of course I always knew I was in love with them, however now I see them in a new way and I love who they have become.
They know things that I did not teach them, they are funny and have personalities that are complex and thoughtful. They have their own lives with things going on, relationships and disputes that they need to work through, that I cannot work through for them.
My eldest children are 12 and 9, I hate that the time in my life I get to have them all to myself is running out, they have grown and are growing. I am however so incredibly proud of them I could burst

 

I am sure as my family grows, so will I.
I am not the same person I was last year and I am sure next year when I look back I will see I am now slightly different, growing and changing and trying to be better, I’m sure this is what life is all about.

Thanks for reading

As always

Nicola

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