Over the past few years my hair has been a real issue for me. It has become thin, dull and really hard to style. I have been trying lots of ways to improve this – including using the FUL Intense Moisture Hair Mask.
I’ve avoid using masks in the past as I’ve worried they will weigh my hair down, but the FUL hair mask completely proved me wrong.
The combination of shea butter and cocount oil makes for a silky smoooth mask that is super easy to apply and smells wonderful due to the heady notes of yasmine, fruity plum and warm musk.
My hair felt light and hydrated from the very first use and after a weekly treatment for the past month and I have noticed a marked improvent to the dryness of my hair. I simply washed my hair as usual, combed the mask through and left it in overnight. I can’t wait to try out the rest of the range.
Christmas is fast approaching and it’s time to start thinking about what we are going to be putting under our tree.
As always my guide is a one stop shop as I like to think we all have different likes and tastes and its hard to put these all into one box – so I’ve got sweet treats to naughty tipples, things to help you sleep and things to help your creativity. Take a look now and let me know what you think:
Doing It For The Kids – I have a little selection of some of the top toys this christmas, as well as some beautiful personalised pieces.
Count With Peppa: Who doesn’t love Peppa Pig. I know each and everyone of mine have been huge fans and you can now learn to count with the new Count With Peppa toy. Peppa comes with a purse full of coins that once promoted by Peppa you can slide them into her purse ,she will recognise it and then reply.
As well as being great fun, this toy helps will fine motor skills and colour and number recognition.
Barbie My Ice Cream Shop: Follow recipes, blend different colours and flavours and make delicious ice creams to share with your friends and family with the Barbie My Ice Cream Shop.
This set comes with everything you need to prepare, create and then serve to your family and friends.
Fuzzikins: These super cute characters have been popular for a while now and are avaliable in a whole array of different options. The Home Maker sets are great for stocking fillers and let you draw and decorate the house time and time again due to its easily wipeable surfaces. Another popular set is the Doll Set that comes with three gorgeous cats and the accessories you need to customise them.
Wonderbly Books: Now I have been a fan of Wonderbly books for a long time now. Wonderbly is an online personalised children’s book company with over 40+ personalised books. Their easy to use website allows you to create a perfectly unique book for that special little one in your life, and I have to say I have really fallen for their Christmas collection.
Something Pretty – We all love a little sparkle at Christmas and here are a few thing to help you shine!
Bloom Boutique Christmas Necklace: Bloom Boutique offer beautiful,delicate jewellery and gifts and I have enjoyed many pieces over the years. This Christmas they have a gorgeous range of christmas gifts, including this stunning Secret Star Birthstone Personalised Bracelet.
A Bit Of Beauty – Christmas is a time to receive treats to make us feel special and pampered, so here are a couple of gifts that fit the bill perectly.
Something Silky: Silk is well known for being a luxurious fabric and This Is Silk have some amazing gifts made from the softest silk. This silk pillowcase would make a wonderful present for anyone looking to tame their tresses and be kind to your skin during the night.
Shaving In Style: For those guys that like a traditional shave, this plant based shaving brush will allow for a good shave as well as being kind to the environment – so what’s not to love!
Night, Night: Help getting off to a good nights sleep is something I know I would love and I know that a few sprays of this Echor End Of Day Pillow Spray is a great way to drift of. The gorgeous combination of lavender, geranium, eucalyptus and sweet orange will have you counting sheep in next to no time.
Scrub Up: I love nothing more than getting rid of a days full of dirt and grime with a good facial exfoliator, and this one from Forever Living gently works its magic to reveail soft and healthy looking skin.
Kissable Lips: This time of year plays havoc with the skin, especially our delicate lips; so giving someone something to protect their lips with would be most welcomed. Lansinoh Linolin Lip Balm is 100% natural so as will as soothing the lips, many Mums use it to treat nappy rash or dry skin on their little ones.
Something For The Foodies – Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a foodie treat or two, and I have a few to check out now.
Choccies: You can’t go wrong with chocolates can you, and a classic such as these Guylian Belgian Chocolate Seashells are a luxurious treat for sure. The hazelnut praline covered with luxury Belgian chocolate makes for a winning combination.
Chin, Chin: Along with a lot of others, gin is my tipple of choice. This outstanding gin from The Secret Gin Distillery is made with a combination of different herbs that have been lovingly grown in the garden of a herbologist who is the brainchild behind the brand.
Their Christmas gin is a heady combination of christmassy herbs and spices and would make for a wonderful gift for any gin lover. And their miniatures give you the chance to sample a range or different flavours so you get the chance to pick your favourite!
Get Prepared: Christmas is definitely party season and with party after party this can put a lot of strain on our bodies, so the best thing we could do is give them a little prep before we put on our dancing shoes.
Inside Out drinks are a combination of water, hibiscus, cranberry, goji extract, stevia, milk thistle, potassium sorbate and gree tea extract that helps to support your liver and prevent the dreaded hangover!
Keeping Healthy: Swicily is a day to day natural sugar that melts easily into food, tastes great and is low in calories- making it a great substitute for sugar and a brilliant stocking filler for those looking to improve their health.
Experiences – Gifts don’t always have to be something physical, and I am actually a big fan of creating memories through gifted experiences, and here are a few for you to take a look at.
Racing Ready:Team Sport Karting have 35 indoor go karting tracks across the county and would make for a fantastic day out for any adrenaline junkie. They have a great range of gift vouchers that you can choose from to give someone a very special gift.
Tech Fans – This section is for all those tech fans out there.
I Love Music: Wireless headphones are a great fit for so many people. These TES1 pro true wireless stereo earbuds are noise cancelling, Bluetooth connectable and have a huge 42 hour playtime which is a fantastic feature.
Something For The Home – Something to enhance the home is always a welcome gift. From a simple vase to a beautiful throw, nobody would be disappointed with a gift for the home.
Beautiful Signs: A stunning number to identify your home makes a real difference to the exterior of your home and Village Green Signs are just the people for this. They create beautiful, traditional handpainted house signs as well as more modern acrylic and slate signs – so there is somthing to suit every taste.
Getting Crafty – This is one for all the crafty people out there!
Get Painting: This art palate from mouth and foot painting artists is designed so that people can get creative when they need to use either thier hands or mouth, but it can also be used by hand if wanted.
Looking After Yourself – Here are a few pieces for those people that are conscious of looking after their health.
Getting Organised: Thoses big clumpy pill boxes are now a thing of the past and slick elegant designs have taken their place with pill cases like this lovley tabuu case that is waterproof, durable and fits up to six tablets. Perfect for popping in your bag and taking anywhere you need.
Everyone Getting A Good Nights Sleep: In our house it is me that is the snorer! I get no sleep as my husband continually wakes me up and of course neither does he! Mute could be the answer to these problems with 78% of people breathing better, 75% snoring less and 73% of partners reporting a reduction in snoring.
A small device that sits inside the nose is a hastle free way of getting better sleep so it is definetly worth giving a try.
Mute is available from Boots, Amazon or www.mutesnoring.com starting at the trial pack to find the right size rrp £12.99.
[AD] As with most things at the moment Valentine’s Day is going to be a little different this year. There won’t be any candlelit dinners in cosy restaurants or celebrations over cocktails in swanky bars, but this doesn’t mean the celebrations have to stop – we can have just as much fun indoors and I have got some fantastic ideas from Moonpig to help with the fun.
Moonpig cards are a staple for any celebrations in this house and they couldn’t be handier than they are right now. From humour to romance they have it covered and the abitltiy to personalise your cards with your own photos or even handwriting make them all the more special.
Valentine’s Day and flowers are probably one of the most traditional ways to celelebate and Moonpig offer a fantastic range, with my favourite being the dozen red roses – simple and beautiful.
With the flowers to set the mood then a gorgous sented candle is the perfect accompaniment to set the mood for your date night. Yankee Candles are always a winner and the fresh cut rose scent works so well alondside the bouquet.
Next up would actually be a little treat I would buy myself…we all need to treat ourselves sometimes don’t we! The Valentine Beauty Gift Set from Birchbox has a great selelction of gifts such as lip gloss, nail polish and pillow spray to pamper yourself with.
For something a little different then the At Home Date Night gift card is a great way to plan a night of quizzes, puzzles, musical challanges and more. This alongside a few gin and tonics like the Edinburugh Pink Valentines Gin will make this somewhat different Valentine’s Day go with a bang!
I have written before about dealing with my thinning hair, but it is not just woman that have this worry – in fact it is a much bigger problem for men and it’s something they find much harder to talk about.
There are many reasons that men’s hair begins to thin with the main reason being male pattern baldness. There is currently no cure for this, but there are many things you can do to slow down the process.
Here are a few things that men can do to slow down the process and deal with thinning hair:
• The Right Hair Cut – hair usually begins to thin around the forehead and on the top of the head. Getting the right haircut is a great way to combat this.
• Good Diet – as with a lot of things, what we put into our bodies had an effect on what we look like on the outside. A diet high in protein, omega 3 fatty acids, iron and vitamin C will go a long way to retaining those locks.
• Limit Heat Styling – adding heat to the hair with things such as hairdryers and straightness can add extra stress to the hair making the lifespan less, so avoid using these things as much as possible.
• Hair Pieces – the good way to handle men’s thinning hair for many is to use a hair piece or toupee such as those from Hairbro. They create a full looking head of hair which can boost confidence no end.
[AD] The cold affects our hair more than we know, with ice cold temperatures, rain, strong winds and even the snow, the wild outdoors mixed with the heating of your home or workplace can make for a disastrous combination.
Dryness and dullness are amongst the most common side effects of winter for our locks, so here are some top tips to keep your hair looking and feeling healthy during the colder months.
Keep Washing Hair To A Minimum – I know this isn’t for everyone but hear me out. If possible try and limit washing your hair to just two of three tiles a week. This will help prevent it from drying out in the cold. It also reduces the amount of time you spend drying, straightening and curling it too, which can be harsh on your hair, especially in winter.
Choose The Right Conditioner – For the colder months get yourself some really rich, thick and moisturising conditioner. Take a look at the ingredients list and choose one that contains fatty acids and things such as soy protein and pathanol.
Try Not To Have Boiling Hot Showers – I know it’s tempting to turn the shower up to the hottest setting possible, especially as the mornings are darker and colder, but this can damage your scalp and skin by stripping it of moisture. Throughout winter keep showers and baths to around 10 mins and have water at mid to lukewarm.
Visit Your Hairdresser For Regular Trims – It might sound counterproductive, especially if you are wanting to grow your hair for any reason, but by visiting your hairdresser regularly you’ll keep your hair healthy by getting rid of dry ends.
Keep Your Mane Moisturised – Once a week use a hydrating mask of some kind to restore your hairs natural oils which are stripped away during winter. Brush your mask through with a hairdressing comb and leave the allotted time for luscious locks through the chilly snap. And if you have heating on in the house(which I’m sure you will do), invest in a humidifier to keep even more moisture locked into each strand.
If all else fails then there are some great products on the market that can help you enhance what nature has given you such as hairpieces for women.
Taking care of your hair during winter will set you up for the upcoming season. Make a habit of repeating this routine and you’ll continue to enjoy a luscious, strong, glistening mane for years to come.
[AD] My big 4 0 is fast approaching and my usual routine of soap and water isn’t quite doing it anymore.
Over the past few years I have started to look after my skin a little more as the fine lines have certainly been setting in and the youthful glow has been diminishing.
I’m still pretty clueless when it comes to what I should and shouldn’t be doing and I was in need of a little professional help!
When I was approached by the lovely Gulden at Re NUE London a gorgeous new salon in Banstead, Surrey I knew I was in safe hands.
I opted to try the Hi-Fu Face treatment that is said to be the closest thing to a facelift without surgery. This sounded to good to be true and although Gulden said my skin wasn’t in bad shape this was certainly a treatment I was excited to try.
The minute you walk into Re Nue London you are made to feel at home in their super stylish yet comfortable salon.
After relaxing with a beetroot latte – yes you heard me right, and it is way tastier than I sounds! I gave Gulden a little bit of background knowledge on myself and she set to explaining what the treatment would involve.
The treatment would last a little under two hours and was a painless and non invasive procedure using high intensity focused ultrasound – hence the name!
The ultra sound heats the cells under your skin which are then flushed away naturally by your body over the next three months.
First my skin was mapped out to target the areas that were going to be worked on. My double chin and yowls were areas I was most self conscious about and I was assured there would be immediate results in these areas.
All mapped out the ultrasound treatment started which I found a little uncomfortable but not painful and Gulden checked in on me regularly to check I was comfortable and coping with the treatment.
It took nearly two hours and to be honest this wizzed by and I was over the moon to see definition appear in my jaw area straightaway.
This treatment had really spurred me on to make changes to my diet and water consumption so that I can get the best results from my treatment, so keep an eye out for my final results soon!
As expected I have already fallen behind with this series and am writing up ‘our April’ at the end of May! At least it’s easier to catch up then last years series where I committed to a post a week.
Anyway it’s actually been really lovely looking back and here are a few of the things we got up to.
I kicked off the month at an event set in a tree house in the middle of Shoreditch…yes you heard that right; with Cetraben who have released a new oatmeal based cream that is set to rival their already brilliant creams that are perfect for problematic skin.
It was lovely to catch up with Nadia Sawalha who I had worked with on a campaign last year. She really is a lovely as she comes across on TV.
From here I went onto getting a new hairdo with the lovely Frankie from Blown Away London they I have written all about ‘here’.
It must have been a big boom in babies at this time of year as we have been inundated with kids parties from the teens right down to the little ones.
It was a special time for Frankie who took part in his first Thai Boxing tournament. I think the nerves were running higher in me than him and after he had competed and I took my heart back out of my mouth I realised how proud I was of his grit and determination. He is certainly walking in his Father’s footsteps.
A while ago now a meet a lovely lady called Charlotte who runs an agency called Blooming Mummas. Her love and passion for what she does shines through every time we speak and I have been lucky enough to attend a whole host of events through her.
During the Easter holidays she set up and event at Yo Sushi that brought together a whole range of different, inspiring and wonderful women and their little ones and it made for a fantastic afternoon.
The boys were as hyper as ever when we made our way to the London Transport Museum for a day with Greg Rutherford and the Lego City Hero Academy talking about how to encourage our little ones ‘hero gene’ and of course play with a whole heap of Lego!
It was a pretty event filled Easter holiday and one that really stood out for me was the Easter Egg Hunt. We were invited into the store before opening to take part in an egg hunt that ended in a supermarket sweet style run around the sweet emporium! It was certainly something dreams are made of!
We are still in the process of getting our house complete and as I’m sure everyone knows it can be a costly process so I try to save as much as I can and I find the bargain corner at IKEA brilliant for this. I picked up a beautiful lamp and gorgeous rug for under my dining table which I have since found out looks better on Pinterest as the practicalities of a rug, food and children isn’t really a good combination.
The last two events of the holiday involved a trip to Sony HQ to take a look at the new episodes of the Cookie Monster’s Food Truck that was a barrel of laughs and a trip to London Zoo for the launch of George at ASDA summer range which we all loved.
Just as we were ready to set off for a few days of fun in Chichester for the Bank Holiday weekend we ended up with an overnight stay courtesy of the NHS with a poorly Frankie. He had been suffering with terrible headaches and after a few tests we still didn’t get to the bottom of it but he was fit and well to get on with his holiday.
We certainly didn’t get the weather we were hoping for but we had a few days filled with beach trips and ice cream which is the perfect combination in my eyes.
Date nights are few and far between in our house and I was so happy to be able to get to spend a little adult time with Darren when we went along to see Hall and Oates at Wembley. A night of 80’s cheese is just what I needed.
I ended my month on a high with a treatment at the new Re Nu salon in Banstead which I will be telling you all about very soon.
[AD] My hair has never been my greatest asset, partly due to the fact I never spend more than five minutes on it. A quick rough dry, scrape it back into a ponytail and this is pretty my day and evening look.
When youth was on my side and five pregnancies hadn’t stripped the life out of my hair this was never a problem. I am now however in need of a little more tlc and when the lovely Frankie from Blown Away London asked me to visit I was hopeful she could work some magic!
Blown Away London is a mobile hair dressing company that also works from the gorgeous RE NUE London in Banstead a couple of days a week.
Frankie is an expert in both blowdrys and balayage, offers tape extensions and so much more.
I am one of those annoying clients that enters the salon with not much idea as to what I want. Frankie talked me through a lot of different options that would be good for me and we finally came up with a look that I wasn’t really expecting to go for.
I must admit I was a little hesitant as I hadn’t gone for a lighter colour since my teens but felt it would be a bit softer for me now unlike the usual dark brown I opt for.
The colour started and there was no going back! My faith however was in Frankie and she happily sat and chatted whilst I was waiting for the colour to develop which made the time fly by!
Next up was the cut and having such thin hair I always worry that it will be to thinned our as it has in the past which means me leaving feeling deflated.
In the end all this anxieties and worries were taken away as she unveiled an glossy, bouncy and much welcome change to my hair.
I really couldn’t have been happier with the cut, colour and most importantly the great company!
Well February has been a pretty funny one weather wise hasn’t it. We spent the beginning of the month with everything crossed that the snow flurries were going to settle and give us a couple of ‘snow days’ and then the end of the month stripping back to T-shirts and eating ice cream in the park.
The beginning of the month was actually a cause for celebration in our house as we celebrated granddaughter number two’s imminent arrival with a baby shower for Alice. I haven’t quite got my head around being a nanny to Isla yet and we already have another one on the way to add to the madness of the family.
We also spend a good few hours in the garden getting it ready for the warmer weather. The boys have been really lucky to have a new playhouse, slide and sandpit and we can’t wait to find the perfect paddling pool to make us completely summer ready!
It’s not to often that I socialise in the evenings anymore and I decided this new year that I was going to stop being such a misery and get out with my friends more.
I had a lovely evening with the mums from Oscar’s class. Ate to much a drank more than I should which made for an all round great evening.
Getting back into my fitness has been a great success this month thanks to Jemma’s Heath Hub. Jemma and I had found each other though the wonderful world of Instagram and she asked me to trial her online fitness program which had seen me out of bed super early three times a week to take part in an online exercise session with a whole load of other likeminded women. Go and check her out if you are looking to get back into fitness and want something to do in your own home.
My husband is the romantic one in our relationship and my lack of romantic is something that really gets to him. So this Valentine’s Day we both took a few hours out of our day to grab some lunch and randomly walk around a local museum…not really his idea of a good day out!
One of my first real jobs was working in the food hall at Marks and Spencer. I still have fond memories of this and they were an amazing company to work for. So fast forward a good few years my new job has landed me back at Marks and Spencer…but behind the scenes at head office.
It really is moments like this that make me realise all the hours I put in are most definitely worth it and it was so amazing to be behind the scenes of a place that is so close to my heart.
The boys were gifted scooters from the wonderful Micro Scooters this month and they literally haven’t got off them since. They have always been my first choice for scooters as they are so easy to use and look amazing. They came with use on a trip to the park the other day where we all enjoyed our first ice cream of the year.
We get to explore many parts of London with my job but Battersea is someone I don’t I have ever been and the children certainly haven’t. We had a more than pleasant surprise when we went along to the power station during half term and got to witness what an amazing job they are doing there.
They have some great shops and restaurants and lots of bits and pieces to keep the children occupied along the waterfront. We were actually there to try out a class at the über cool Boom Cycle whist the kids were kept occupied at the lovely ladies from Kids Table. It is definitely one to put on your list.
We actually did a lot of eating in town this half term with a trip to Yo Sushi and Las Iguanas who both offer great deals during the school holidays so keep this in mind for Easter.
Half term was actually a pretty packed one for us and aside from duties of dog sitting at mum and dads we got to enjoy some great events, including a trip to Neville’s in Belgravia for the launch of the new range of hair care from Child’s Farm.
The boys thought they were super models and spent the morning requesting exactly how they wanted their hair styled whilst me and Izzy were treated to some braids and of course a bit of glitter.
The end of month saw an event just for me which is always a welcome change and I attended the launch of the Emma Willis Collection from Next.
It was an amazing evening where I got to see the whole range which was a stylish and gorgeous as Emma herself.
I spent the evening catching up with friends, drinking way to much Prosecco and fan girling Emma for most of the night!
A restful nights sleep and children don’t really go hand and hand in this house, in fact its the complete opposite. My eldest three were all pretty good but the last two have been a different story and bedtimes are a battle ground to say the least.
You name it we have tried it and to be honest the only thing that helps a little is getting into a good routine. When things are all up the wall and there is no set routine then things are certainly that bit harder.
Our routine always consists of bath and a bedtime story to try and get them as calm and relaxed as possible; so I was extremely happy when I was asked by Love Boo to try out their Sleep & Snuggle Room Spray. The 100% natural spay is a combination of chamomile, patchouli and lavender which makes form the perfect combination to aid a restful sleep for you little ones.
Before seeing if this worked its magic though the boys enjoyed a warm bath with the gorgeous smelling Soft & Splashy Bubble, bubble bath that comes from the vast collection of goodies that Love Boo offer. They boys both suffer from eczema and can often be irritated by bath products but this left their skin silky smooth and not an itchy patch in sight.
Super clean and ready for story time the boys excitedly took the Sleep & Snuggle Srpay and spritzed it around the room whilst I informed them it had magical powers to help them get off to sleep. A gorgeous smell engulfed the room and amazingly the boys settled with ease.
I think a combination of the spray and the promises I had implanted in their tiny minds allowed them to settle really well and has now become an important part of our bedtime routine.
Love Boo isn’t just about the children either and once they were all settled I treated myself to a long soak in the bath with their Splendidly Soothing Bath soak full of rose geranium oil, white water lily and mallow followed by soothing myself in their Body Smoother which has my favourite shea butter with its hugely mosterisiing properties it was just what I needed.
I also added a few squirts of the Sleep & Snuggle Spay to my own pillow as I often have trouble with switching off at bedtime and it was a great help.
So if you are in need of some help at bedtime or you want to give yourself a little treat then head over and take a look at the whole range as I can assure you there will be something there you will all love.
*I was gifted these products for the purpose of this review.
