What’s In My Beach Bag…

There is nothing quite like the smell of suncream to get you in to the holiday mood and with only a few days before we depart to sunny Greece, my beauty packing has already begun. Us girls spend a fortune on day creams, night creams, eye creams, lip creams, you name it – we buy an expensive cream for it, but when it comes to sun cream, perhaps the most important of them all – we get what’s on offer at Boots! Well this holiday I am living it up with a beach bag full of designer products, some of which I would like to share with you…

Dermalogica Super Sensitive Shield SPF30

I will never go less than a 30 on my face, sun is a catalyst to the ageing process and with only a few days left in my 20′s, it doesn’t need any additional help! It’s not a total sun block so you will still return home with a holiday glow, but always find a trusted brand with a high factor for this delicate skin.

Clinique SPF35 Targeted Protection Stick

Lips can get quite dry in the sun, obviously I don’t intend to let this happen with the amount of cocktails I plan on consuming but just in case, this is a lovely smooth stick that can also be used under the eyes or anywhere else that is suffering in the sun!

Clarins Sun Care Milk Lotion Spray SPF20

This spray really is the smell of summer and moisturises beautifully on to your body.

Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil

I’ll be getting my roots done just a couple of days before the holiday so to avoid my hair regressing into bleached straw, I will be spraying it generously with this hair veil from Aveda.

Arbonne Baby Sun Cream SPF30

Savannah will be coated in this cream from head to toe. Born in December and with less than a week of real sunshine since, her fair and sensitive skin is not at all used to the sun and heat so it is important to use protection especially created for infants.

Proderm Kids Sun Mousse SPF30

This is a fantastic mousse that rubs in easily, great for manic toddlers that won’t sit still!

Avon Skin So Soft Dry Oil Body Spray

With a high dose of citronella, it is a great alternative to mosquito repellant and highly recommended by mums!

Dermalogica After Sun Repair

If I don’t quite make it back to the room before starting on my evening cocktails, it’s best to keep this on me – some people keep it in the fridge, cold lotions give me no pleasure whatsoever, burnt or not.

And the Beach Bag? My trusty Le Pliage of course…

JoJo Maman Bébé Press Day

We’ve not even had a full week of sun and I am already sampling the new Christmas collection at JoJo Maman Bébé. Depressing? Not really, aside from the sneak preview in to the gorgeous AW13 collection, press events are great for 2 things – good catering and bulging goody bags!

Held at their impressive design studios in Battersea, Savannah and I were greeted by the PR team and introduced to the glamourous Laura Tenison, the founder of JoJo Maman Bébé who is right now celebrating 20 years success of this fabulous brand. She is a celebrity in the business world for being one of the most inspirational female entrepreneurs. Laura set up this business whilst looking after two young children with a £50k capital in to the £36 million business it is today. It was evident as she showed me items from the AW13 collection that one key to her success is her hands on approach and getting involved at every level.

The AW13 collection was just as you would expect from this brand; bright, playful and brilliant quality. The breton stripes remain, but for the upcoming season they are adorned with fabulous appliqué patterns adding a little extra style to a wardrobe staple. The waterproofs have been improved to be even more water proof, stitching to be even more comfortable, and the cashmere mix knitwear even cosier.

There are new nursery collections and improved stylish and sparkly maternity wear, (all of which I will go into in more detail in future posts), but it was the “Royal” collection that really caught my eye… To celebrate the royal baby due in July, JoJo have bought out a beautiful collection of baby wear with embroidered crowns – it’s the most perfect gift for any little prince or princess!

What was lethal however, was the sample sale. Almost everything was £5 or under and there was BUCKET loads… Luckily it was cash only and with less than £50 in my wallet my spending was capped, but the girls are definitely kitted out for our holiday in a couple of weeks!

The Easy Way To Look Good This Summer

3 consecutive days of sunshine can only mean one thing… It’s time for some new clothes! I was totally unprepared for the highs of 20 degrees last week and had nothing to wear, now I know this is a phrase massively overused and usually unjust but this time, I really didn’t! Pregnant last summer, breast feeding the summer before, and pregnant the summer before that! Well I’m not about to get caught out like that again… These summer days are far too short lived so next time the sun is out so will I be in my new clothes! Gone are the days of just walking in to French Connection and thinking “that’s nice! I’ll ‘av it.” Now the mental checklist needs to be ticked before making any purchase…

1. Am I going to be able to chase Scarlett in it?

2. Am I going to mind Savannah throwing up on it?

3. Can I get it on in less than 30 seconds and still look alright in it?

But it’s key not to get too wrapped up in the practicalities of mummy fashion, you need to feel good wearing it otherwise post natal depression sets in (a slight exaggeration but a good one to use on the husband when the parcels start arriving).

So below are a few essentials that won’t break the bank, are practical to wear and will keep you looking fabulous throughout SS13: (click on any pics for more details!)

The Maxi Skirt

Fat, Thin, Short, Tall – this is THE most flattering skirt you can get. Just try and avoid the tube maxi – they go baggy on the bum and knees and you have no hope of rescuing your child from the top of the climbing frame in them.

Loose Fit Vests

Perfect to tuck in to jeans and maxi skirts for a smarter look but equally stylish when thrown on and left loose with a tight mini skirt. Compliment with a low drop statement necklace.

The Shoes

The summer essentials include elegant wedges (try Dune –  they always have the best selection), practical gladiator sandals and some brightly coloured Toms…

Bright Skinnies

As predictable as I have become – you just can’t beat GAP! They regularly have discount event days in store so register with them for weekly updates and offers. These skimmer khakis are such a bargain at £15, I’d suggest stocking up in a few colours!

The Maxi Dress

A bold print maxi dress is the best style cheat of all… Dress up with bold jewellery and your high wedges for summer BBQs or sling on with your gladiators for an afternoon down the park. This one is from Mango costing £90 but there are hundreds online to choose from, check out boohoo.com and New Look for a great selection at bargain prices!

The Garden Shorts

I shocked myself with this purchase from Tesco but they are a really great fit, decent quality and are perfect for those hot days spent in the garden!

A Worthy Cause!

A good friend of mine has recently joined a very interesting and exciting company offering everybody the opportunity to give to charity by simply doing what we do best… gossiping! It is such an innovative yet simple concept that I offered to devote a blog post to spread the word to my followers! So for this week only, I shall be stepping out of my fashion and beauty comfort zone and instead sharing with you how you can do a good deed every day by doing absolutely nothing different!

The company is called Donate Mobile, and in a nutshell, whatever you pay each month on your phone bill – 10% of the total will be donated to a charity of your choice. Absolutely no catch whatsoever! They use Vodafone for network coverage but bills and donations are managed by Donate Mobile (works the same way as Tesco Mobile for example), they offer you everything you would expect from going direct to one of the big networks but instead of taking all the profit themselves – they pass 10% of it on to any charity you decide to support.

 

 

If your contract isn’t due to run out any time soon, Pre Register with them here, they will send you a little reminder a month before your contract expires so that you can get in touch with them. You can keep your existing number, choose from a number of competitive tariffs and handsets or just go with a SIM only option. Perhaps you are looking to get a contract for your child and they might like to choose a charity to donate to, Born Free Foundation the Animal Welfare charity is popular with the kids! I actually chose to donate to CLIC Sargent when testing this system which is a great charity helping children with cancer.

What is really great, is that you can check each month how much you have donated to your charity within your account, far more rewarding than just checking your bank statement to see how much you’ve gone over your tariff!

With marathon season upon us and our Facebook News Feeds rife with “just giving” requests, do your bit for charity and share this wholly honourable business with friends so that they too can donate just by chatting on the phone! For more information, check out their site www.donate-mobile.com

Stylish Swimwear

Swimming costumes have always been a fashion oversight as far as I’m concerned. To find a fabulous bikini to flaunt on holiday is a necessity, but is prancing around a grotty indoor public pool looking stylish really as essential?! Apparently so! I was totally put to shame last week at Scarlett’s first Swimming lesson, the glamour mums wearing bright and fabulous one pieces and tankinis made a laughing stock out of my faded black, thread-bear-on-the-bum cossie I bought 2 years ago for a last minute aqua fit class. So, I shan’t be making that mistake again, this week I’ve been on a mission to find something more suited to a sun bed in St Tropez as opposed to the delights of Bracknell’s Coral Reef just to fit in! Swimming Costumes are quite an exciting buy actually, you don’t need to worry about the tan lines or whether or not its going to go with your towel (honestly I don’t really do that), and there is a such a huge variety to choose from whatever the season. Here are a few of my favourites…

Most Flattering

This costume by Lascana has all the tricks to make for a curvy silhouette; the bold print, the dark colours, rushed detail around the waist and a halter neck.

Best for Posing

Special K eat ya heart out! Should you dare risk a plunging neckline (and money is no object) this Karla Colletto costume at Net-a-Porter is simply divine!

Best for Swimming

Can’t beat Speedo, not just because of the technology within the fabric, but because of the feminine cut offering unbeatable support as well as flattering your shape!

Great Value

Found this little number by George in Asda, at only £12 what a bargain!

Most Stylish

Biba swimwear is just as glamourous as their dresses and this black 60′s inspired one-piece complimented with bold red nails and gold simple jewellery is the ultimate in swimwear style.

A £99 Wonder Cream And Your Chance To Win It!

It’s no secret that bloggers receive a lot of freebies from brands looking for some free exposure to an untouched audience. But, to maintain a credible reputation it’s key that the blogger only recommends brands and products they genuinely favour. If I don’t like a product, then you simply won’t know about it, if I like it and think you will too, then I’ll include it in a weekly feature, if I love it – they get a blog post all to themselves…

When Elemis asked me if I would like to review their limited edition Pro-Collagen Marine Cream to celebrate 10 years, I thought, ok, another moisturiser… Then I noticed the £99 RRP in the press release… How on earth can this cost be justified!? I was desperate to start smothering this liquid gold all over my face and neck to see if it really was worth almost a weeks maternity allowance and my word, it is.

I have been using this for 7 days now and can honestly say that I have already noticed a difference in the appearance of my skin. 4 days in, I said to Paul “I look younger don’t I!” I don’t think he actually looked up from the duvet before agreeing but that doesn’t matter, I knew I did… My skin had a natural, healthy glow and where my sleep deprivation has taken its toll around my eyes, the dark circles definitely seemed reduced!

The subtle smell of this product is divine and totally indescribable! The gel-cream texture smooths on like a luxurious serum but quickly absorbs in to the skin like a rich moisturiser, and the effects of this fabulous cream make the price tag worth every penny. It’s just wonderful!

Upon further research of this wonder product I have discovered that it has won 21 awards which doesn’t surprise me.

So now for your chance to get your hands on a tub… One lucky reader of Scarlett and Me can expect a full size, limited edition Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream worth almost £100 and here’s how…

There are a number of different ways you can enter to WIN this product and each way will count as a new entry!

• Follow the blog by entering your email address top right of this post

• Share this post on your Facebook page via the icon below

• ReTweet the latest update on the Scarlett and Me Twitter page at twitter.com/scarlettandme1

The extremely lucky winner will be notified on 23rd April 2013

Good Luck! 

Style Cheats For Practical Mums

There is always that one mum that just gets it right isn’t there… You can’t help but stare at their freshly washed hair and immaculate make up and wonder how on earth they found the time? It wouldn’t be so hard to accept but most toddler groups start at 9.30 in the morning! I have to be honest, we don’t attend many of these early morning groups for that very reason – Scarlett does well to get out of bed before 8 (not that I’m complaining) and the very notion of getting all 3 of us fed, washed and dressed before 9 doesn’t bear thinking about! Instead we go to toddler and baby classes starting at a more sociable time of day whereby I stand at least half a chance of looking presentable! Having 2 babies has reduced my “me” time by approximately 100%. I can’t remember the last time I had a shower without Oopsie Daisy and Peppa Pig popping their heads around the curtain or was able to put on my make up without having to breast feed at the same time! So the key is to find some fashion and beauty short cuts to give the most stylish mum at toddler group a run for her money…

Renowned for their effortless chic style, I have turned to the French for some fashion inspiration and as obvious as it may be, I’m starting with stripes. This print can’t help but look smart and is incredibly easy to wear. Already a major fan of Petit Bateau for beautiful children’s wear, I choose the Kitsune Marinier jersey for its fabulous fit and brilliant quality. Worn with cropped trousers and a smart rain coat (both at Petit Bateau) it is the perfect combination of casual and elegant.

Although my slip on Converse trainers do the job of keeping it practical whilst still maintaining an ounce of style, the most stylish footwear for yummy mummies are without doubt the Tory Burch Serena ballet pumps. And yes, they are pricey at £205, but like the Chanel 2.55, the Hermes H belt and the Burberry Trench, these little designer staples will remain at the top of the essentials list for years to come.

If like me, the nail salon is a place you can only dream of these days, find 15 minutes a week to polish your nails in this seasons Chanel Le Vernis shades. For your DIY manicure make sure to keep the nails short and squoval.

And now for the biggest cheat of all… Fake tan! A slight glow to your face will transform your tired pale skin from recent sleepless nights into the picture of health! Everyone looks better with a tan, fact, but not one to speed up the ageing process I try to avoid too much sun on my face and instead get a natural bronzed appearance with Total Glow Elemis Self Tanning Cream. It doesn’t have that nasty fake tan smell so many have, and the results are incredibly subtle so you don’t have to worry about streaks or lines. Simply exfoliate, moisturise and apply for an instant sun kissed glow!

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