My Beauty Bundle Review

What could be a better fit for Mellow mummy than the rather scrumptious combination of pregnancy and new mum products with natural and organic luxury skincare? Well, My beauty Bundle do just that - little monthly bundles of smellies designed specifically for your stage of pregnancy or motherhood.

You can buy a subscription to My Beauty Bundle from £15 a month for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months and each month you will receive a little pampering package of 4 to 5 products tailored to your stage. For me, I like the idea of trying out lots of products I wouldn't normally have heard about and the convenience of having these delivered to me, rather than having to go shopping for them myself.



In my bundle I received a Bourjois quick-drying nail varnish, Lavera foot balm, Green Baby one-size baby hat and sample sizes of two luxury products - Madara's ecoface organic deep moisturising fluid and Primavera's rose & pomegranate revitalising cream. I had never tried a Lavera product before and the footbalm is so cooling and rejuvenating that since receiving my bundle I have been out and bought more products from the Lavera range. You can also buy full-size versions of the individual products on the My Beauty Bundle shop if you try out something in your bundle that you turn out to love.

I will admit to feeling a little disappointed when I opened my bundle to find the size of the package and some of the samples inside. I know some of the products are seriously expensive but personally I'd prefer to receive a full-sized product of a lower value than a single-use sample of a pricey skincare product. Saying that, I'd probably be even more disappointed if I received a full-sized product that I didn't enjoy using, or wasn't suitable for me so I guess it works out better in the long run and leaves me with the decision about whether to buy more.

Despite this, I think the monthly pregnancy beauty bundle concept is perfect, particularly as a gift (so, if any of my male readers have got this far through the review then consider this a hint to buy your other halves a subscription when the time is right). My Beauty Bundle features some of my favourite natural skincare brands such as Madara and Weleda and the quality of all of the products is high.

Liz Earle Facial at the John Lewis Retreat, Reading

Tucked away beneath the hustle and bustle of Reading town centre is a little oasis of calm; the brand new John Lewis Beauty Retreat. The basement of John Lewis in Reading, previously home to consumer electronics, has been given the feminine touch with a nail bar for Jessica nails and a Blink eyebrow bar alongside a series of treatment rooms from my three favourite skincare brands on the planet - Decleor, Elemis and Liz Earle so that now, as well as popping into John Lewis to top up my skincare supplies I can experience these products at their best with a professional treatment.

Last week I was lucky enough to be treated to a 60 minute Liz Earle Healthy Beautiful Skin Facial in the new John Lewis Beauty Retreat in Reading. At £65 I think it is the best value facial on offer at the retreat and is one of the best facials I have ever enjoyed - a very welcome treat in these later stages of pregnancy (most facials are unsuitable for pregnant women during their first trimester).

The Healthy Beautiful Skin Facial is a prescriptive facial where your beauty consultant will adapt the products they choose to suit your skin. After a really welcome gentle cleanse and exfoliation with the Gentle Face Exfoliator, I was treated to a long, indulging facial massage with the heady scent of neroli oil. The facial massage included focussed on key areas including the neck and decolletage.

Towards the end of the facial my skin was treated with the intensive Nourishing Treatment Mask - a very light yet deeply hydrating mask. Small areas of my skin were also treated with the Deep Cleansing Mask and then, as the masks did their work, my consultant tried her very best to wrestle the stress and strain of a busy computer programmer's life from my neck and shoulders!

There was a large massage element to the facial but that didn't mean I felt starved of my fair share of gorgeous natural products - the Healthy Beautiful Skin Facial is a great introduction to the entire Liz Earle Naturally Active range.

I loved my facial and am still loving its effects now. My only negative point of the whole experience was the noise - I think that the treatment room in question is being worked on in the very near future to reduce the sound of the footsteps above. Actually, I didn't find the noise too much of a disturbance but I was certainly aware of the gentle clump of thousands of busy shoppers above me. I would also say that the sounds of people talking and walking are very noticeable in the main reception area where some of the non-facial treatments take place.

You can contact the Beauty Retreat for John Lewis, Reading on 0118 952 5947 for appointments and details of treatments.

The Sunday Review – Boots Protect & Perfect Serum

Just before Christmas I went to a beauty blogger event and discovered that most of the people there considered themselves more as make-up bloggers than skincare bloggers. I was totally astounded to hear that some of them had never tried Boots Protect & Perfect serum! Here's why I think it is an essential beauty item.

When the Boots Protect and Perfect range was launched there were waiting lists for their serum, it was so popular. The reason why is easy – it was the only facial skincare product ever to be proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. A number of other products have come along since and I'm sure they're all equally as effective but I have a soft spot for the Boots Protect and Perfect Intense Beauty Serum.

The serum is a very light lotion dispensed by a pump. It is ever-so-slightly greasy in a way that leaves your skin feeling silky to touch. You use a tiny amount on your face, particularly around the sides of the eyes and the mouth and then you put your normal moisturiser on over the top. You don't need to be old and crusty to use an anti-ageing product like this. I've used anti-ageing products since my mid-twenties as a preventative action! And anyway, the effect of the Protect & Perfect serum is more than just line-reducing, its a general improvement in appearence.

When I first used the serum, I noticed the effect after a matter of days but the label suggests it could be more like 4 weeks before people start to notice. The effect that I notice is a levelling of the skin – a general evenness that is absent without it. There are times when I don't own a bottle of Protect & Perfect and then, I really do miss it. I've no idea how I could ever measure whether the lines on my face were less when I'm using this product, but I do know that I notice a difference. I don't care if other people don't notice – it's about me feeling good.

In the mornings, if I've used the serum over night, then I can still feel that silkiness when I wake. If I use it in the mornings before I go to work (which, actually, I rarely do), then I can feel the 'goodness' all through the morning.

I've tried some of the other products in the Boots Protect and Perfect range. I quite like their night cream but I wouldn't say that it was world-beating (which I would of their serum).

A 30ml bottle of serum costs around £21 currently at Boots.com

10 Tips to Beauty on a Budget

Hi I am Becky and I blog at Baby Budgeting. I have guest post swapped with Emma so you’ll find her over at Baby Budgeting, my blog for thrifty creative family living with under 5’s. As you know Emma is well up on her health and beauty so I thought I would bring you some health and beauty on a budget.

As your baby get s older you start to think again about that all-important but easily forgotten person – you. If you’re like many women who treat themselves by shopping, you’ll have to get creative, because for mums on a budget retail therapy is not always possible.

Instead why not try one or more of my top 5 tips to make the most of your looks without breaking the bank.

RECIPROCAL MANICURES – A manicure can easily cost £20 or more, so save yourself some money but still treat your nails to a bit of tlc. Have a friend do your nails, then when your nail varnish is dry, you can do hers in return. You will both feel a million dollars but won’t have spent a single penny. Men, too, have been known to do a great paint job on nails, so ask your partner or husband if he has some free time. To survive looking after a baby, you’re best off with clear polish and short tidy nails. But your toes can be transformed in a trice (and they don’t get scuffed through nappy changes) and you’ll feel über glamorous in no time.

A SKILL SWAP – Do you have a friend who cuts or colours hair? Perhaps if you’re lucky enough to have such a friend, she can do your hair and you can babysit for her in return, or even do her ironing?

GO MOBILE – If hairdresser friends are few and far between, then you can save money by switching from a salon to a mobile hairdresser. Of course, you could always dye your own hair. I have a friend who went back to her natural hair colour after having her baby so she could more easily dye it herself: her locks looked luscious and she saved an absolute fortune. Mobile hairdressers can fit in well with your children, particularly if you are a full-time mum. I always have my hair ‘done’ as my birthday, Christmas and Mother’s day gifts from my husband. It is pricey but it makes me feel fabulous.

GET INTO SHAPE – When you’re feeling tired, it’s so easy to reach for the biscuit tin, jump in the car instead of walking and flop down on the sofa whenever you get a moment. Try to resist the urge to lounge about, if you feel overweight and unfit this will just make you feel worse. What’s stopping you? Running up the stairs, skipping in the garden, riding a bike and walking to the shops and park are all free – plus, you’ll look and feel better for some endorphin-releasing activity.

DITCH THE JUNK FOOD – Eat simple, healthy meals and shun the sugar-filled nibbles – not only are they sending your blood sugar on a rollercoaster ride, they’re expensive too.

NATURE’S PLAYGROUND – Get lots of fresh air: it does wonders for your skin and makes you feel energised; what’s more, if you take baby along too, the daylight exposure can help them sleep well at night. (It’s easy to remember your baby’s SPF and easy to forget yours, choose an SPF of 15 or more.)

SORT THOSE HAIRS OUT – Someone’s got to say it! Your bikini line may well have been abandoned during pregnancy but now you can see it again you really should do something about it. While you’re there, tidy up your eyebrows and sort out any hairy armpits or legs. These looks may be low maintenance but, if you took care of these areas before and don’t now, you could end up feeling untidy and possibly unsexy. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with embracing the hairy look if
it’s one you love.

GET SOME EXCELLENT BASICS – You won’t be able to spend money on clothes like you used to, and now practicality is key. But, whatever you wear, you can still be clean and stylish. Jeans and a plain white long sleeved t-shirt always look good, with comfy but hardwearing shoes (I live in my Converse – they’re worth every penny and wash well too).Once you’ve found the jeans for you, you can wear them
endlessly – dressed down or up. Accessories update your look – a new bag or hairband in this season’s colours can make you look bang on trend for little cost.

A GOOD SKIN CARE ROUTINE – It’s all too easy to neglect your
own skin care when you are a busy mum with someone else’s face to wash, teeth to clean, etc. So, at the least, aim to cleanse and moisturise your skin once a day. Having a good skin care routine combined with fresh air, eating well and drinking water are all key components to looking good. (If you want a little extra help a tube of lip gloss can go a long way, takes mere seconds to apply and
can cost very little. I always keep one in my bag!)

THE MAGICAL POT OF VASELINE – If you are going to buy one beauty item, make sure it’s Vaseline. You can style your eyebrows with it, put it on your cheekbones, use it as a hand and foot cream and, of course, as lip gloss. Vaseline is cheap, cheerful and the small pots fit in your handbag(and can even double as nappy cream). Give your cheeks a pinch for some colour and use an old toothbrush to brush those eyebrows. Tell yourself loud and proud: you are gorgeous!

Ultimately, I know none of the above matters; being happy and healthy is most important in life. But it is true that looking good can make you feel good, and when it’s affordable, why not?

Becky xx