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Hair & Skincare for New Mums

Hair & Skincare for New Mums

If you’d told me a year ago that I would need a new beauty routine once I’d given birth, I’d have laughed in your face and assumed it was a marketing gimmick. Clearly I was shocked when I found that my skin and hair had indeed changed once again (check out my pregnancy skincare tips here). As a new mum I really didn’t need another thing to worry about, but it happened nevertheless – spots, dry skin, reactions I’ve never had before, treatments not lasting as long as they did before pregnancy… the list goes on.

Skincare for New Mums

  • You might find that your skin is more sensitive since giving birth and it can be useful to add products specifically for sensitive skin to your routine – I switched my daily microfoliant to a daily milkfoliant instead.
  • For those that are breastfeeding, you will still need to avoid certain ingredients such as retinol, salicylic acid and hydroquinone.
  • Nipple balm is a must – I’ve tried a few and found the Lansinoh nipple cream to be the best, especially since you don’t need to remove it before breastfeeding.
  • If you find your skin is drier than usual, I swear by Palmer’s cocoa butter lotion for the body, and Drunk Elephant miracle butter for the face.

Haircare for New Mums

With all the changes happening in your body, you may have noticed your hair looking thicker and shinier during pregnancy. This is because of the hormone changes taking place, leading to less hair shedding. Unfortunately this doesn’t continue after birth; in fact you’ll probably notice you lose more hair than you did before pregnancy and it’s not as thick as it was. Thankfully this hair lose is only temporary and there are things you can do to help.

  • Use a volumising shampoo and conditioner/one made for fine hair.
  • Rosemary oil is a great ingredient – look for products that use it rather than applying the oil directly. I use the Aromatics Rosemary Root Enhancer.
  • Avoid over brushing your hair – contrary to some old wives tales, brushing your hair does not promote growth, it actually pulls at the hair.
  • Consider getting a new hair style that makes your hair appear fuller/thicker – I went for the pixie cut I’d always dreamed about. Plus shorter hair is a lot less hassle when you don’t even have time for a shower.
  • Eat a balanced diet and take post-pregnancy supplements. I’m currently taking Vitabiotics Pregnacare.

Check out more of my beauty and pregnancy articles.
Words and pictures are my own.

  • a selection of skincare for new mums, including nipple cream and body lotion, stands on a bathroom windowsill
  • a selection of skincare for new mums, including nipple cream and body lotion, stands on a bathroom windowsill
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Pregnancy Skincare Routine Tips & Recommendations

  • pregnancy skincare routine tips
  • pregnancy skincare routine tips

Pregnancy Skincare Routine Tips & Recommendations

Did you know you need to change your skincare routine if you’re pregnant?

This was something I found out recently during my first trimester. Thankfully I was too tired or ill during this time to actually carry on with my regular skincare regime, as it turned out it was full of pregnancy skincare routine no-no.

Pregnancy Skincare Routine Tips

You may have heard of “the pregnancy glow”. Well, I’m here to tell you that this is a myth. During pregnancy, you’re skin changes, a lot. You may find that certain products and procedures don’t work like they used to, you have greasier, spottier skin, or dark spots popping up out of nowhere.

That doesn’t mean you can’t help combat it with a skincare routine though. Here are my top tips for your pregnancy skincare routine:

  • Stop using retinoids & salicylic acid – this is because they are absorbed into the skin and could reach the bloodstream and travel to the fetus
  • Moisturise, a lot – Dry skin and itchiness are common in pregnancy. Moisturising can help combat both of these
  • You can still exfoliate – Just because you can’t use certain ingredients doesn’t mean you can’t exfoliate – use products with glycolic acid or lactic acid instead. Exfoliating is also great for combatting those pesky pregnancy dark spots
  • Less is more – Try to keep your skincare routine simple during your pregnancy. You’ll probably find that your skin’s wants and needs change throughout these 9 months

Pregnancy Skincare Routine Recommendations

It can be tiring trying to figure out what to do with your skincare routine whilst you’re pregnant. And the last thing you need to do is buy a whole bunch of products you know nothing about.

Here are some of my recommendations for pregnancy-friendly sites and products:

Thanks for reading!

Check out more of my skincare saviours and tips here.

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5 Skincare Tips for Surviving Winter

  • Skincare Tips for Surviving Winter
  • Skincare Tips for Surviving Winter

5 Skincare Tips for Surviving Winter

Last week I woke up to dry lips – a sure sign for me that colder weather had hit. Winter can be tough on all of us. The combination of lack of sunlight, harsh wind & rain, and cold weather is not ideal. It’s fair to say that we all suffer a little at this time of year. As someone with sensitive skin, I’m always cautious about taking extra care. I thought I’d share my 5 skincare tips for surviving winter with you all.

1. Moisturise like there’s no tomorrow

This is pretty much a given. But did you think about changing up your daily moisturiser? It can be tempting to use up the last of your light summer product, but winter calls for something with a bit more oomf.

Product recommendations: Dr Ceuracle Royal Vita Propolis 33 Cream, The Inkey List Vitamin B, C and E Moisturiser, Dermalogica Awaken Peptide Eye Gel

2. Turn down the heating

Well yes and no. Central heating is pretty much a necessity in the UK during Winter. But it’s pretty dehydrating on your skin. this change can contribute to drying out your skin. If you can set a timer or specific temp, try to stick to this.

Product recommendations: Hey Dewy Portable Facial Humidifier, Panasonic EH-XS01 Facial Steamer

3. Don’t forget to exfoliate

If your skin is dry, it may seem like exfoliating is a no-go but that isn’t the case. Exfoliating is still very important during the winter months, just try not to overdo it. Stick to once a week, and use a gentle, daily exfoliator in-between.

Product recommendations: By Wishtrend Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water, Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant*, Huxley Sweet Therapy Scrub Mask

4. Look after your hair, hands and lips

Cold weather, harsh winds… it can all contribute towards dry skin, and your hair, hands and lips are no different. They can often be overlooked but they should still be a part of your skincare routine. Basically, just moisturise the hell out of your body this winter!

Product recommendations: LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask, Dermalogica Conditioning Hand & Body Wash, Aromatica Rosemary Scalp Shampoo, Hello Sunday the One for Your Hands – Hand Cream Spf30

5. You still need to wear sunscreen!

A lot of people don’t realise that you still need to wear sunscreen in winter. Just because the sun may have disappeared, doesn’t mean it’s harmful UV rays have. Sunscreen is a must all-year-round!

Product recommendations: Shiseido Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Skincare Milk SPF50+, Ultra Violette Queen Screen Lightweight Skinscreen Spf50+

Check out more of my skincare saviours and tips here.

Skincare Tips for Surviving Winter
  • Skincare Tips for Surviving Winter
  • Skincare Tips for Surviving Winter
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Summer Beauty Essentials you can’t live without

Summer Beauty Essentials including dr Dennis gross dark spot sun defines, ultra violet skin screen and cool refreshing mist with spf 15
Summer Beauty Essentials you can’t live without

With a change of season, comes a change in beauty routine. Long gone are the cold nights, cloudy days and lack of sunlight, which brought dry and dull skin. New obstacles have arisen with hotter weather, plenty of sun rays, and a ton of humidity. Thankfully this year we are fully prepared.

From innovative sunscreen to easy solutions, I’ve introduced quite a few new brands to my beauty routine recently, which I’m really excited to share with you. I’ll be spending this Summer focusing on the basics; SPF, moisture and glow. I’ve taken a bit of a break from makeup recently, so clear skin is a must. This means taking care of my skin before and after going out in the sun and making sure I top up my sunscreen on the go.

Without further ado, here are my Summer beauty essentials.

Summer Beauty Essentials for 2021

Not pictured:

I’ve always been an advocate for taking care of your skin first, and I think that’s pretty apparent with this list. I can’t stress enough how important it is to transition to wearing a higher SPF during Summer, even if you’re not going outside. It may not be groundbreaking, but it is practical, and it goes a long way to taking care of your skin… now and in the future!

Don’t forget to check out more of my beauty recommendations and let me know in the comments which products you’ll be coveting this Summer.

Summer Beauty Essentials including caudalie tan prolonging after sun lotion, supergroup unseen sunscreen and Maison margiela replica perfume samples
Summer Beauty Essentials including Dermalogica smart response serum and moisture masque
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Tonic 15 x Suitcase The Carry On K-Beauty Kit

Tonic 15 x Suitcase The Carry On K-Beauty Kit
Tonic 15 x Suitcase The Carry On K-Beauty Kit (Worth £143)

My love affair with the Tonic 15 x Suitcase K-Beauty Carry On started through an Instagram ad… as all good relationships do. At the time I couldn’t justify buying it, which worked out pretty well for my friends, as they actually already had the idea of buying me it for my birthday.

I was beyond ecstatic to be gifted it. Not only because I’m a big fan of the Korean beauty industry and Suitcase magazine, but because I also love being introduced to new brands and products. Naturally the pairing of Tonic 15 – a Korean beauty & make-up store, and Suitcase – a travel & lifestyle magazine, was perfect for me.

Tonic 15 x Suitcase K-Beauty Carry On

A collection of eleven specially selected products – some cult classics and some new – this premium edit is teeming with skincare, body and haircare saviours to give you a beauty boost.

Full-size products

Travel size products

Thoughts?

There are three full-sized products included in the Tonic 15 x Suitcase K-Beauty Carry On. Whereas this is great, the selection is a bit odd. I can’t wait to try the ‘gesgep Bare Cream’ & the ‘AROMATICA Root Enhancer’ (the ‘COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence’ is already a fave of mine), but I would have liked to see a full-size cleanser in the mix. As for the travel size samples, they’re still a decent enough size that you can get an idea of what the products are like, and whether you want to purchase full-size versions later.

There a great selection of Korean beauty products here, no doubt. The kit is priced at £69 but worth over £143, and it includes a lot of the less “mainstream” Korean beauty brands, which I love to see. I’m beyond excited that I received this for my birthday, but I would have happily purchased it myself. You can buy the full kit at Tonic 15.

Don’t forget to check out more of my beauty recommendations and let me know in the comments which products you’d want to try from the Tonic 15 x Suitcase K-Beauty Carry On.

Tonic 15 x Suitcase The Carry On K-Beauty Kit
Tonic 15 x Suitcase The Carry On K-Beauty Kit
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Lockdown Skincare Faves & Tips | Beauty

lockdown skincare
A selection of my favourite lockdown skincare tips and products

New lockdown regulations were brought in on July 24th, meaning that mean many of us will be spending more time wearing a face mask. For a lot of people with sensitive skin (like myself), it can lead to irritation or breakouts due to fabric rubbing, and a warmer/moister environment on the lower part of your face. And whilst these reactions may be frustrating, obviously wearing a mask and protecting yourself and others is more important. So what can you do?

Lockdown Skincare Tips

Thankfully Dermalogica have put together some top tips for keeping your skin healthy and protected, whilst wearing your face mask.  

How to minimise a breakout:

  • Wear a clean mask every day – if you’re using reusable face masks, make sure you have a couple handy, whilst you clean the others.
  • Avoid wearing makeup underneath the mask – not only do you save time on your makeup, but you can focus on making your eyes shine.
  • Take your mask off regularly, where appropriate, to give the skin some fresh air. 
  • Include anti-inflammatory formulas in your regime that include Salicylic Acid to help decongest pores and reduce breakouts.
  • Apply spot treatment formulas twice a day to increase healing.  
  • Exfoliate skin regularly to reduce congestion and build-up. Try a gentle daily use formula to avoid over sensitising the skin.  
  • Keep skin hydrated with a light or oil free moisturiser to improve the skins defensive barrier.

How to ease redness & irritation from a face mask:

  • Choose a soft breathable cotton fabric – ensure your mask fits well and is not too tight.
  • Avoid artificially fragranced products or those with astringent botanicals as they can increase redness and aggravate the sensitivity. 
  • Keep your regime simple with a gentle creamy cleanser and a hydrating moisturiser.  
  • Include a concentrated soothing serum to aid skin healing and try a replenishing masque for extra calming.
  • Betaglucan from oats and Vitamin B5 are great for reducing inflammation and promoting healing.  

Lockdown Skincare Faves

So with the above in mind, I thought I’d share some of my favourite skincare products that have helped me keep my skin in shape during lockdown. Apologies for using empty bottles and not including some items in my photos, but I need to repurchase most of these.

Don’t forget to check out more of my beauty recommendations.

This post is not sponsored, however the tips were provided by Dermalogica. All words, opinions and images remain my own.

lockdown skincare
Lockdown Skincare
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Spring Beauty Essentials | Recommendations

Spring Beauty Essentials for 2020
Spring Beauty Essentials | Recommendations

With a change of season, comes a change in my beauty routine. Long gone are the cold winter nights, cloudy days and lack of sunlight (well, this week anyway) which brought dry and dull skin. But new obstacles have arisen this year – with hotter weather arriving pretty quickly, and the lockdown leaving us all stuck inside for extended periods of time. Thankfully I am fully prepared this year, as always. My trip to Japan in 2019 introduced me to a variety of new favourites, which I have brought through to this year. That said, I’ve continued to keep my beauty routine pretty consistent in terms of origins & brands – with items coming from the UK, Japan, Korea and France.

I’ll be spending this spring focusing on the basics; healthy skin and giving myself a bit of a break from makeup. Not like I have anywhere to wear it to right now anyway… So without further ado, here are my spring beauty essentials.

Spring Beauty Essentials

Not pictured:

I’ve always been an advocate for taking care of your skin first, and I think that’s pretty apparent with this list. I think the most obvious change from my winter beauty products, is the addition of lighter creams and stronger SPFs. It may not be groundbreaking, but it is practical, and it works.

Don’t forget to check out more of my beauty recommendations and let me know in the comments which products you’ll be coveting this spring.

Spring Beauty Essentials for 2020
Spring Beauty Essentials for 2020
Spring Beauty Essentials for 2020