Easy Simple Haircare Routine for Mums With Long Hair

Before having Archie I was very much a beauty kind of girl and as you know this little space of mine online was all everything beauty and that was the only kind of content I produced. Then my little bubble came along and everything changed because he became my whole world and focus. Now Archie is three and the whirlwind of having a baby and adjusting to life as a mum settles down, I feel like I'm finally finding my feet again. Whilst I'll always be a mum first, I've also remembered what it feels to be that beauty girl again and slowly but surely I've started taking better care of myself. Being a mum is hard work and it's so easy to pop on those mum leggings, leave the house without makeup and have your hair permanently in a mum bun. Well, mum's I'm here to tell you that it there will come a time where you will be able to put some focus back on yourself again and its all about starting with the little things. For me if my hair is looking rubbish, then it can instantly flatten my mood and make me feel sluggish, especially when I look in the mirror. So many have you have been so sweet over social media and constantly message me asking how I get my hair looking good - FYI I don't think its anything amazing, it certainly doesn't feel it, but having it down in a certain style always makes me feel so much better about myself. So I thought I would give you all the lowdown on my simple haircare routine, because it is SIMPLE and let you know what works for me. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will inspire you to get out of your mum comfort zone and do something so easy that will make you feel a hundred times better about yourself.

Is The Courtyard by Marriott Hotel Luton, Family Friendly - Full Hotel Review

As a parent there is nothing that brings you more joy than seeing your babies experiencing new things and having the time of their lives and for us the best experiences we have with Archie are the ones where we go out and explore new places. Before Archie came into our wold, the hubby and I loved travel - Nothing has changed since becoming a family of three and we are keener than ever now to take Archie to new places and teach him that life is for adventure. However travelling with children of any age comes with its own set of issues, the biggest one for us is finding the right accommodation on our travels and making sure wherever we stay is child and family friendly. There are so many wonderful places to stay, but sometimes it can be hard to tell from a website or photos of hotels if it they would be suited to families. Over the weekend myself, James and Archie were kindly invited to stay at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Luton to see if it was the perfect stay for us and if its a hotel that would be suited to any family on their travels. I can confirm right now we had one of the best weekends this year and I want to take the chance to tell you all in detail why this hotel would be perfect for you and your family if your looking to stay overnight in the Luton area.

Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam - Full Review

Bit of an unrelated mum post for you all today, but I felt like taking it back to how I used to blog a few years ago and talk about beauty. I actually can't remember the last time I posted about a beauty item and I know so many of you are still around for those posts, so here we are. Back when I first started my blog, I used to have a mini series called 'Bronze me Beautiful' so this post is a little ode to that because todays topic is all about the tanning life and what tanning products I'm obsessed with right now.

Why a Girls Holiday is Still Ok When You Become A Mum

On Friday night two weeks ago, I had my bags packed and ready to leave the airpot to head to Ibiza for my best friends Hen Do. Before deciding to commit to the Hen Do, I had a lot of worries and doubts and even considered backing out of my best friends important weekend, all because I had the mum guilt. Mum guilt is very real and I get it in waves about the smallest and simplest of things, so you can imagine what kind of guilt I was feeling about leaving my baby for a long weekend. After some long discussions with the other half, who insisted that I went, I secured my place with my deposit and off I went the other weekend on what I would class as one of the best long weekends away I've had in a long time. I know a lot of us mums get thrown in situations where we feel torn between choosing our children and our desire to do things for ourselves; More often or not our babies win every time (and rightly so), but every now and again it's ok to do something for yourself. So today I thought I'd sit down and tell you why it's ok to get out the house and let your hair down once in a while. Grab a drink and some cake if you have some lying around as this is probably going to be a long post as I have a lot to say about getting over the mum guilt fear.

My Top Tips for Taking The Perfect Photo of You & Your Toddler

Over the last couple of months, I've really tried to switch things up on Instagram and move away from the beauty flatlay's. You guys know that I love my beauty treats but I'm slowly moving away from all of that and focusing on becoming an established mummy/family blogger because that is my main focus on life right now. One thing that I love doing is taking photos of myself and Archie, I find these photos do really well on Instagram and they are great keep sakes for the family photo album. Whilst these kinds of photos are my favourite, they are by far the most difficult to take and I'll warn you now sometimes your photos shoots will be a complete fail. Trust me, I have an album on my laptop with hundreds of crazy blooper photos. Trying to take a photo of a toddler on their own is hard enough as it is but taking a nice photo of you and a three year old who isn't sleeping and refuses to sit still is a nightmare.

As most of the photos that you see of myself and Archie over on my Instagram are taken by myself, I thought today that I would share with you some top tips and things that have really helped me to take those photos. Plus a few of you have been asking how I take these pictures and if my three year old really sits still for the camera (he really doesn't).

Goals for 2019

It's the 9th January and the new year is already in full swing. Every year I like to reflect and set out a few goals that I would like to achieve throughout the year. But I fail miserably, every year without fail I never actually manage to tick anything off. That makes my years sound incredibly uneventful and that I don't actually do much, which is not the case at all. I find that I start well, then life just takes different turns and directions and I never actually achieve the things I originally set out to do. However this year is going to be different, I can already feel it and I'm ready to start making some big changes. Over the last few weeks, I've looked back at previous blog posts that are similar to this one and there is one common thing running between all of these posts and that is I don't set my targets or goals big enough, which may be a factor of not actually achieving the things I've set out. I've always been in the mindset that if I keep my dreams realistic then I take away any pressure and if I don't make them happen then no big deal. Well, this year it is a big deal as I'm a little bit fed up of starting a new year, reflecting on all that I've done in the past and feeling a little bit disappointed. Not anymore! The last few days I've been doing a lot of thinking about what it is exactly I want to achieve and I wan't to share my goals with you all. Some of you may read this and think I'm setting myself unrealistic goals or that I've got my head in the clouds and thats ok. But some of you may read this and feel the exact same as I do year on year out and like me are ready to actually do something about it and are ready to make a change.

What I Got For Christmas - 2018

Hello beauties! Happy New Year to you all and I hope all of you had the most amazing Christmas. I can't believe Christmas is already over and we are almost saying goodbye to the second day in Jan already; The last month has been a whirlwind and I'm sure I'm not the only parent out there who has just been non stop. Christmas is easily my favourite time of year, which is why I decided to have a bit of a break pretty much through the whole of December, I just wanted to spend all my time with my family and make special memories that will last a life time - So forgive me if this post is a little overdue or feels slightly irrelevant now. Don't worry I'll be appearing on your feed again in the next few days with a traditional new years resolutions post!

By Invitation Peony Noir - Michael Bublé Fragrances | The Perfect Christmas Present

I feel like perfume is on a lot of peoples shopping list, especially this time of year - Christmas is just around the corner and I know a lot of you are well under way with your Christmas shopping. I'm feeling very proud of myself this year as nearly all of my Christmas shopping is complete... yay. If you are struggling, a safe bet is picking up some fragrance for someone special. I know its the type of present I always appreciate unwrapping and who doesn't love displaying pretty perfume bottles on their dressing table? Recently I've been trying out the new fragrance from Michael Bublé - By Invitation Peony Noir* and I'm here to tell you it's definitely one that you want to be adding to your Christmas wish lists. 

Hello I'm Back | The Past, Present & Future

Hello everyone! It's been a long time since I've sat at my laptop and felt motivated and inspired to write. I know I've been missing in action for a long time, not just on my blog but across all my social media and to be honest I've needed the break. Before I disappeared my blog posts where few and far between and I think I just felt the pressure of blogging - As you all know comparison is the devil, especially within the online community and I found myself really stuck in a rut. To top it all off my nana who I'm really close with passed away at the end of September which completely zapped all of my creative juices. It was a really hard time for me and my family loosing someone so close and I've never experienced a loss of someone close in my adult life so it was a lot for me to deal with. I've just spent my time over the last few weeks being with my family and focusing all my energy on whats really important to me - Archie. Archie is definitely the best medicine and his little cheeky smile has not only helped me get through my own personal struggles but he is always helping me grow and improve as a mother, he really gives me so much more than he'll ever know. In the back of my mind I've always had that little niggle telling me that I need to get back into the everyday swing of life, but the time has not felt right until now. The break was just what I needed and I feel ready to pick up my camera again and getting those creative juices flowing again. Sorry for the really rambly start to this blog post, I'm really out of practice, but what I'm trying to say is that I'm back, sorry for being gone for so long and that I've missed you all.

My Top Three Transitional Palettes To Take You From Summer To Autumn

Autumn is here, it's officially here and I'm loving that September is off to a colder start. Usually we can get some nice weather this time of year and hold on to that last bit of summer. But this year I'm so ready to whip out all of my cosy jumpers, wear boots with extra fluffy socks and enjoy some cosy nights with the heating on and a hot chocolate in hand - Sounds good right? Whilst I'm pretty much ready to dive right into autumn, I'm not quite ready to change my makeup looks completely and whilst I want to dress for the colder weather, I still want my makeup look glowy and fresh. I think it's nice if makeup has more of a transitional phase into a season, rather than jumping straight in. Slowly my lipstick shades are getting darker and I can't wait to bring out the berry toned lipsticks. Today I want to talk about eyeshadow palettes and I've picked out my top three palettes that I think are perfect for this in-between stage of seasons and that you can carry on using throughout the season.

The Best Lush Bath Bomb for Busy Hardworking Mums

Like most people out there I'm a huge fan of Lush! Actually I'm yet to meet anyone who doesn't like the brand - Lets face it, who doesn't love a company that not only make products that look and smell incredible but who also make the best bath products ever! I've loved Lush since my very early teens, before Lush even became a huge global brand. My aunt lives in Poole, which is the birthplace of Lush so whenever my sister and I used to stay there during the summer holidays, she would always take us to the Lush shop and treat us to a few bath time treats. One of my favourite products back then where the bath bombs and they are probably still my favourite things to buy from Lush almost twenty years later. Picking your favourite product from Lush is just as hard as choosing a favourite family member, so much so that I don't think I've ever tried a product from Lush that I didn't like or fall in love with. I'm always buying things from Lush, so I want to start sharing more of my favourite products from the brand. I thought the perfect way of doing this would be to start up a little mini series where I choose favourite products for all my different needs and today I thought I'd share my favourite bath bomb for us busy hard working mums.... Which of course is Twilight.

End of Summer Favourites

I can't believe August is coming to an end! Does anyone else think this year is just flying past? I was reminiscing the other day on just how good summer has been this year, I know a lot of us all complained about the heatwave, myself included...But I'm not going to lie, I kind of miss the warm weather. August has been a bit of a flop really weather wise and even though my heart is still clinging onto summer, I'm currently sat here typing this post up sat with a hot water bottle on my lap, which says it all really. Anyway, enough of me being a typical Brit and talking about the weather, what I really wanted to share with you all today is some of my favourite summer beauty items, ones that I've reached for time and time again. Over the last few months I've not really tried anything new, and makeup has been kept to a minimum because of the heat, so the things I have been using really have been must haves for me.

New In From Girls With Attitude | Luxury Faux Mink Lashes

Don't you just love it when your favourite brand releases something new! Girls With Attitude have been hard at work again and have brought us out a new lash range which I think might be their best one yet. You guys know me and that I love a good pair of falsies and think they take any makeup look to the next level. The only time I don't wear false lashes these days is when I know I'm just going to be have a lazy pyjama day at home. For everyday wear, I tend to wear lashes that just add a little bit more volume and length, but there are times in your life where you need your lashes to be full of sass and for those kind of occasions you need to check out the new Girls With Attitude Faux Mink Lashes.

How I Edit My Instagram Photos - My New Favourite Editing App

Do you remember the days where everyones Instagram theme was all white and we all used and abused the whitening tool on Face Tune just to get the right effect? Not to mention the most used filter on VSCO Cam - A5. I'll hold my hands up and say that I'm guilty and when I look back on this section on my Instagram theme I really hate it. Actually thats a little extreme, I don't hate it, but it's definitely not what I'm about anymore. Whilst some bloggers still work this theme AND make it look amazing, it's just not me anymore and I'm definitely more about injecting some colour into my feed. For the last couple of months I've been sticking to one consistent colour in my theme, which is pink and I absolutely love it. But over the last few weeks I've tried incorporating some more lifestyle photos in as I feel that this makes things look more personal and I can give you guys a bit more insight into my life. All these changes on the gram means I've been experimenting with different editing apps and seeing what suits my style best. Well, over the last two months the process of editing my photos has never been more fun and I can only put it down to my new favourite app - A colour Story and today I want to tell you all about it and how I use it to edit my Instagram photos.

What's In My Everyday Summer Makeup Bag

As much as I love makeup, I like to keep things to a minimum in the summer. Even though I live nowhere near a beach, I love that 'I've just walked off the beach' kind of look, so less is definitely more. Not to mention with this heat wave we are having, my makeup is just melting away by the afternoon so there really is no need to cake anything on. I thought I'd show you all the contents of my summer makeup bag, just to see what I've been loving recently and it might help you narrow down your essentials too.

EvyTechnology Sunscreen Mousse For Kids | The Best Sunscreen for Kids

This heatwave in Britain right now is amazing and I'm loving all the holiday sunshine at home - Who needs to go abroad when the weather is this good? One thing I get really worried and paranoid about is protecting my skin against the sun and I try to avoid sunburnt skin as much as possible. I worry about sun damage and exposure even more so now that I have Archie and the last thing I want is him burning - It's so important to stay safe in the sun and I'm sure every parent will agree with me that its a top priority when it comes to fun in the sun. Archie's a few months past two now and right from the beginning he has hated me applying suncream to him. I've tried everything from creams to sprays, ones that roll on and ones that say they are easy to apply and are non sticky. Everything I've tried always ends in Archie running away from me, crying because I'm applying lotion onto him and more often or not half a bottle of sunscreen all over me. Not only is the sunscreen application a disaster for us, but Archie is always so sticky afterwards which always makes him look really uncomfortable in the hot sun. I always hoped that there was a solution to my sunscreen nightmares and luckily for me there was. A brand called Evy Technology got in touch with me and their revolutionary sunscreen has changed everything for us. So much so that these nightmares are a thing of the past, so I feel like it's my duty to tell every parent out there about how amazing the Evy Technology Sunscreen is, especially if my story is sounds all too familiar for you.

3 Ways To Keep Your Hair Hydrated & Healthy This Summer

With the heat wave last week, it feels like summer has officially started in England and I love it. This week is still going to be hot and with these scorching high temperatures, it actually feels like I'm abroad and as I'm not actually planning on going away anywhere this year, I'm enjoying every ray of sunshine. With the weather being as hot as it is, it's really important to up our beauty routines and take extra care of our bodies and today I'm focusing on keeping your hair happy and healthy. I mentioned this over on my Instagram the other day, but when I go away on holiday I pack everything to ensure that I look after my body and skin, wether this be taking sun creams, after suns, lip balms, hydrating shampoos.... You get the idea. But I think because we never expect it to get as hot here in England and the majority of us work five days a week, you don't think this heat wave is the same as heat you get when your on holiday - Does that even make sense? I think a few of you will know what I mean. I guess what I'm trying to say in a nutshell that it can be easy to forget to look after yourself in this weather because you're doing normal everyday things still. With this in mind, the last few weeks I've been upping my beauty regime and I thought I would take you though my top 3 tips on keeping hair happy, healthy and hydrated this summer. Right now my hair is in the best condition that its been in for a long time and I can only put it down to these three steps.

New Fantasy Palette from Girls With Attitude | Swatches & Review

Don't you just love it when one of your favourite brands comes out with a new release? Last week saw the launch of the new Girls With Attitude Fantasy Palette. You guys know how much I love my eyeshadow palettes and I'm obsessed with anything from Girls With Attitude, so be prepared for a whole lot of love in this blog post. The new Fantasy Palette features eighteen eyeshadows that have all been beautifully selected and are perfect for any occasion coming up this summer, so if you're on the look out for your new summer makeup bag essential then keep on reading...

A Little Tour of Archie's Nursery

I was scrolling through my blog the other day hoping that some inpirstation would strike (I've had a bad case of the dreaded bloggers block recently) and it occurred to me that I've never shared Archie's Nursery with anyone on the Internet. I know a lot of you who read here are fellow mums or mums to be and I know that I loved reading these posts whilst I was pregnant and I spent way too many hours browsing Pinterest for nursery inspiration. Archie is now two and it makes me a little sad to think that not only is he growing up, but its time to start changing things up a little bit in his room and start making things a little less babyish in there. Theres talk between the hubby and I about upgrading Archie's cot to a bed as he's almost out grown it (he's really tall for his age) and with a new bed I think it's time for a new theme (hello Pinterest). So before everything gets turned upside down and redecorated I thought I would grab some snaps for you guys and myself - Because let's face it, I would be gutted if I didn't have these photo's to look back on in a few years time.

Get the Perfect Summer Skin with GWA Liquid Glow Illuminators

Summer is just around the corner and I don't know if it's just me, but there seems to be a lot of hype and love right now for products that make your skin glow. I know my Instagram feed is full of beautiful products which will illuminate the skin and so many people are raving about the new Sol de Janeiro Ipanema Sunset Glow Oil which looks stunning, but with a price tag of £35.00 it's not at the very top of my wish list of things I need to buy. It got me thinking about cheaper alternatives and straight away my two favourite Liquid Glow Illuminators from Girls With Attitude came to mind. I've had the two illuminators in my makeup stash for a little while now, but have only really used them as highlighters - But it got me thinking about other ways that I can use them to achieve a really similar look to the more pricey Sunset Glow Oil and I thought I'd share with you my top tips on how I use these two GWA Illuminators to get the most gorgeous summer skin.