So today I was spoilt with endless cups of peppermint tea (which massively quenched my craving to drink tea tree oil!) numerous pieces of lemon and lime cake, chocolate and avocado cake, hand massages and some good old pampering. That's living the dream right there! Being 34 weeks pregnant and having a very busy 2 year old to occupy my body is very much going through it paces so I've been looking for some pick me ups and little life savers to get me through the last few weeks. I'm already an avid fan of LUSH Cosmetics anyway so when I was invited to come along for a Mothers bloggers morning I almost threw myself at the chance and I wasn't disappointed. It was so interesting learning about what products were beneficial to not only myself but to my little ones and made me look at LUSH in a whole new light! They really are about more than just bubble bars and bath ballistics. Below I've listed the products we had demonstrated to us and some information about them that I learnt and would love to share with you especially if your a Mummy to be or a new Mummy wanting to buy the best for baby and yourself.
After our stunning tea and cakes supplied by the lovely people at Waterloo Tea (ill tell you a bit more about these lovely people a bit later on) we were split into two groups to look around the stores two floors. Our pack leaders were Catrin and Casey. Casey is a Mummy herself so she knew first hand the benefits of certain products so I was super excited with what she had to say. She explained to us that her little girl suffers with eczema and she has found certain LUSH products have stopped any flair ups and to date (touch wood) shes eczema free! Yay! So here is a rundown of what we were shown and what I've personally used and can honestly comment on and what fantastic qualities they have :
Butterball Bath Bomb = Dry, itchy, irritated, sensitive skin? Here's your little lifesaver. I was suffering with itchy pregnancy skin and couldn't make it go away, so I wasn't too excited about this small but mighty bath bomb but boy was I wrong! The baking soda /bicarbonate really eradicated the itch and the melted cocoa butter pieces smoothed my skin like nothing I've ever felt before! LUSH have numerous exciting bath bombs but this actually works and does as it says so its my go to every time. I've used this product numerous times but didn't buy one at the morning event as I already had a stash, so I had a bath with one when I got home. Lovely!
Ickle Baby Bot = This little blue fella is my little girls secret weapon to go to sleep. Hes infused with lavender, is super gentle to little skin, makes the water a baby blue colour and is generally a favourite at bedtime. I also found at summertime it helped her skin when she caught a bit of sun and soothed her warm/sun caught (not burnt!) skin. Even though it states its gentle enough to use on babies over 6 months, I believe if you break it up into little pieces it will be perfect for newborns as well as it truly is very gentle and the smell is gorgeous. You'll find yourself borrowing one, I have numerous times!
FUN = A super cute product that can be used 4 different ways. It can be used as a soap, bubble bar, solid shampoo and bath time play doh! Also it can soften little ones clothes if you pop a lump into the washing machine. It comes in 5 different colours normally but at the moment theres a few more options due to Christmas and Halloween having special creations. The size of FUN tubes are generous and lasts us a good old while, as of course I 'borrow' some from time to time! These smell absolutely divine and they linger on my little girls skin and hair for a day or two afterwards, she especially smells like sweets when we use the pink one :)
Ro's Argan Body Conditioner = My favourite product at the moment. This smells utterly delicious and makes my skin feel a million dollars I truly do love it. Its particularly useful on little ones skin to help treat eczema, like Casey did with her baby and touch wood as she says there hasn't been a flare up since using this once a week in her daughters bath! As you wash it on your skin then rinse off theres no need to moisturise when you get out of the bath, just pat yourself dry and your all moisturised and ready to go. Or ready to put on a baby grow and put little one to bed smelling of roses and Turkish delight. Also there is another body conditioner called African Paradise if you want a less girly sweet smell and more earthy spicy sweet :)
Dream Cream = I had a sample of this before and wasn't too keen, but after trying some more at the morning event I fell in love with it. My hand/forearm felt divine all day and there was a significant difference between my untreated hand/arm and the one that had a mini massage on. A product suggested for dry, itchy, upset skin and I can honestly say it will work for you as it soothes, calms and hydrates without clogging you up and making you feel all tacky and over perfumed. The oat milk, rose and chamomile blue help calm the skin and make you feel truly nourished. I'm almost 100% sure Casey said uses this on her little girl as shes got a lot more wriggly and wont sit still for a baby massage using a massage bar, so to help banish her eczema, and as stated, no eczema in sight at the moment! Definitely a product worth investing in not only for Mums with itchy skin due to stretching with pregnancy but fantastic for little sensitive skin that is prone to eczema and dryness.
Peace Massage Bar = We were given one of these in our bags and I'm very grateful for it! Such a lovely bar especially when used for baby massage :) It is so smooth and nourishing and the smell of it is very citrusy, earthy and relaxing whilst being very refreshing. What I love about this bar more than anything is the principles behind it. The cocoa butter comes from the Peace Villages of San Jose De Apatardo in Colombia and the Fair Trade olive oil is from Sindyanna Women's Cooperative in Galilee. LUSH truly do go out of their way to provide the best for us and the best for others all over the world, they haven't just put the word Peace on it as its for massage etc, they've really but love behind it. Ill re buy this just because of that reason as well.
Therapy Massage Bar = I have one of these due to the fact it contains Neroli oil which helps scar tissue as it increases serotonin in the skin so it helps the tone and texture. First thing I thought....STRETCH MARKS! I use this every day and it has lasted me a good old while. I have plenty left and what I adore is the little nubbin on the bar which represents that 1 in 4 babies is born with an outtie belly button. Adorable!! This bar also contains an essential oil which is a natural anti depressant which can really help lighten your mood especially as us pregnant women can go from 0-angry, emotional crying mess on the mood scale in less than 5 seconds flat! And breathe.....
Trichomania Solid Shampoo = A little chunk of loveliness. This ultra hydrating, scalp loving creamed coconut soap is not only wonderfully nourishing for Mams hair but is also super effective on baby cradle cap! Its really good for sensitive scalps which is why its recommended for baby aswell as Mam. All you do is work it into a big foamy lather on your hair or rub a little bit onto babies head and rinse off. The smell is utterly delicious and the finished results are stunning on my hair, haven't used on baby yet as shes not due until November, but I will be :)
Fair Trade Foot Lotion = Wow, wow, wow! I have found a saviour. This minty pink goo has completely saved my super tired, worn out, swollen, dry skinned, cracked pregnant feet. I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS CREAM!! I'm investing in the biggest pot I can find as it works wonderfully and my feet feel amazing. I honestly cant rate it enough. I put it on before bed with big thick socks over the top and wake up with new feet every time, THANK YOU LUSH!
Other products I haven't used = We were also shown Buffy, King Of Skin, Aqua Mirabilis, Shower Jelly, Its Raining Men, Ultrabalm (fantastic for sore nipples, cuticles, hands and nappy rash!) and Fairly Traded Honey Shampoo. As I've never used these products I didn't want to guess about them and just write about what I've heard. They all smell and feel stunning and there are a few things I will definitely invest in. I will say I was utterly impressed with Ultrabalm and will definitely be purchasing some as it reminds me of a mash up of Bepanthen, Lanisoh and Sudocrem all in one little pot. Marvellous!
Now back to the lovely people at Waterloo Tea. They have 3 cafes based in Cardiff Centre, Penarth and Pen Y Lan. They produce the most fantastic cakes, absolutely fantastic. Super moist, soft, tasty, healthy, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, homemade cakes that are made locally, use local produce, have an array of options and are basically the kings of tea and cake! If you have special dietary requirements they are more than happy to accommodate you and probably will have a cake tailored to your needs on offer anyway! You can breast feed in their cafes, they are family friendly, they have an extensive menu to chose from using fresh ingredients and if your little ones have any intolerance's or allergies they can also make off the menu for you so little belly's don't get upset. Their coffee is fresh and locally roasted, filter coffee is always freshly ground and made to order, their tea menu is huge and they do afternoon tea and cakes made to order for parties etc. A fantastic cafe to check out, just click the image of my freebie above and you'll be directed to the site :) Enjoy your cuppa.
As you can see in my title there is an asterisk indicating I had gifts. I received a bar of Peace, a sample of Trichomania, some Fair Trade Foot Lotion and some lovely tea from Waterloo Tea. Everything else I have bought and tried myself and these opinions are my own.
ELLIE