Time off

I've never really been religious when it comes to blogging and social media. I've always had the attitude of its my blog and I will write when and if I want to.

Recently I have been more quite than usual. It was never a conscious decision to have a set amount of time off apart from a few days over Christmas but those few days have turned into a few weeks and I have felt better for it.

With a few birthdays of loved ones in December, Christmas and my anniversary with my beloved I wanted to take time off from blog work to enjoy time with loved ones and cherish the moments without having pressure of blog work floating in my thoughts when trying to make the most of the time.

Beauty routine for a busy life

Being a busy mum with very limited - extremely rare should I say -  ‘me’ time I often have very little or no time at all to spare on my looks.

Gone are the days when I would always have my hair styled to perfection and my face fully made up beautifully before I left the house. Hours dedicated to pampering and getting ready before special occasions and mad nights out are a distant memory.

Now I rock a messy mum hairstyle on a daily basis and my makeup bag is severely neglected with my makeup routine being non-existent. On a typical busy day with no time at all to think of making sure I look presentable before we dash out of the house for the school run - heck getting the kids fed and dressed is a priority - a splash of water on my face and lip balm on my lips is job done.

As I have vowed to make more time for me (organisation is key here) and invest in making myself look and feel good I have been finding ways to get ready quicker and products to help me preen myself on busy, early mornings.

Here are the tips and products I have been using to get ready quickly and easily -

Keep it simple

Whilst I want to make more of an effort with how I look I do not need to go full out on a makeup-tastic face that has been primed, contoured, glossed and adorned with eyeshadow and lipstick to within an inch of its life - I just don’t have the time to go to those beautifying extremes.

Keeping my makeup routine and style simple is the key. Mastering a simple yet beautiful makeup routine will mean I can get ready quickly without having to skip wearing makeup. So far I have been able to implement my simple makeup routine into my morning. It is refreshing to be able to pamper and give myself a little love, and I love having a dash of colour on my eyelids, a flick of mascara and a slick of gloss on my lips.

Be prepared

It may seem obvious but being prepared and having all the products I need for my hair and makeup routine in one place means I have the time to get ready and do not have to panic where anything is which wastes time and causes stress. My makeup bag is kept tidy and clean and left on my dresser next to my makeup mirror, with any products I take out to use when out and about returned of an evening ready for the morning. Hair care products are also stored on my dresser ready to use.

Hair care

I have bought a tangle teezer to help tame my wild hair, with it being amazing to quickly detangle my hair before styling. I have also found using quickdry gloves a lifesaver as they gently dry my hair quickly.

When not styling my hair in a basic plait or making the most of my natural curls, I have also been straightening my hair regularly with my Lee Stafford Straightener. Using these sleek straighteners which boasts ionic function technology my hair is smooth and frizz free.

Love those lashes

Inspired by my past pampering ways I have once again started getting my eyelashes tinted. Having tinted eyelashes means that if I don’t have time to do my full makeup routine my eyelashes still look lovely and alluring. With tinted eyelashes, a moisturised face and glossed lips I achieve a refreshingly simple natural look that leaves me feeling happy and relaxed.

On days where I make use of my makeup routine, mascara finishes off my look perfectly by enhancing my eyelashes. At the moment I am loving Benefit They’re Real! Mascara as it lifts and extends my lashes which being non-smudging and non-flaking.

And for times when I want to go all out on my makeup routine for special occasions or rare nights out to paint the town red I opt for false eyelashes for a dramatic, glamorous look.

Skin care

I am making an effort to care for my skin better. I am drinking more water to make sure it is hydrated and I have a good skin care routine of exfoliating, cleaning and caring implemented.

One product I love at the moment which is heaven to my skin is Weleda Skin Food. It is amazing for giving instant moisturisation and it is also brilliant as a super-hydrating mask treatment. On busy morning when getting ready I can also mix it with foundation for a moisturising foundation.

Other products that  I have found great for skin care and are great for quick makeup routines where time is limited and moisturising, priming, concealing, and applying foundation is too time consuming are 2 in 1 or 3 in 1 skin care products. Tinted moisturisers are great for moisturising and adding a hint of foundation. SPF creams are very moisturising so you can skip the moisturiser and use SPF lotion then foundation. 3 in 1 skin care products that work as a primer, concealer and foundation are great at giving a flawless finish that lasts in one go quickly.

Multiuse products

Like 3 in 1 foundations there are a huge range of other beauty products that are 2 in 1 / 3 in 1, or are products that are very versatile and can be used in many ways to achieve the look you want. Double pencils can be used for eyes and brows, lip stains can be used on cheeks as well as lips, and there are beauty products that work great on eyes, cheeks, and lips.

A few of my favourite versatile makeup products include The Multiple by NARS, Benetint Lip & Cheek Stain by Benefit, Crayon Combo by Pixi, and Master Contour V Stick by Maybelline (fabulous for contouring and highlighting).

What beauty products do you love to use for a quick and simple beauty routine?

* Collaborative post * 

A family law solicitor's guide to self-care during divorce

When you go through a divorce, it becomes easy to spread yourself too thin and forget about yourself. If you’re wondering about your kids, your ex, your parents, your friends, your work, or really anyone who isn’t you, then it’s time to stop. When you start looking after yourself, looking after other people won’t be an effort anymore. It will happen naturally and be more genuine, leaving everyone with more energy and positive feelings at the end of it.

As divorce lawyers in London, we see countless men and women come through our doors who are harried, stressed and emotionally exhausted. Living in London is stressful enough, without the ultimate stress and emotional hardship of a divorce. You may wonder how we’re qualified to advise people about what to do right, when we make our living from what’s gone wrong, but the reality is we see how many people aren’t taking care of themselves. Divorce solicitors in London have countless experiences of dealing with distressed individuals, and we’re experts in keeping a calm and professional demeanor while encouraging self-care.

This has such a knock-on aspect on every area of their life, leading to less rational decision making, further breakdown in relationships and a tougher time for the kids — as well as just being unhealthy for you. It’s time to take charge and take care of yourself. Here’s our advice for how — and why — to go about self-care during your divorce.

Lee Stafford Academy Ionic Flat Iron Hair Straightener review

My current straighteners are a good 10 years old. Since becoming a parent they have very little use as I often find I don’t have the energy or inclination to bother straightening my hair. When I do manage to use them to tame my hair I love the result and find once straightened my hair is a lot easier to style…..yay for less knots and frizz!

Whilst I love the result of straightening my hair, more often than not I don’t straighten it and tend to stick with a messy bun or quick messy plait just to get my hair up and out of the way.

As I have recently vowed to myself to put more time and effort into ‘me’, taking time for pampering and actually buying myself new clothes once in awhile I also want to make more of an effort with my hair. Pre-kids I used to go to the hairdressers regularly, I dyed my hair and styled it daily but now I tend to only give my hair a little trim myself, never dye it anymore and rarely bother styling or straightening it.

Maternity leave survival plan.

Whilst my maternity leave pre-baby is sure to fly by in a flash and I'll be in the full throes of nesting , I hope to make sure I get some ‘ME’ time and rest (in between daily family life that is) before the baby arrives.

As I hope to get some rest and relaxation before the hecticness of having a new addition to the family happens, I have created a maternity leave survival plan with a few key ideas of how to slow down and take some time out.

Reading

I have always had a love of the written word and love nothing more than getting lost in a good book. But since having Bug and getting lost in the busyness of family life the time I dedicate to sitting down to read a book has become non-existent. Top of my plans for my pre-baby maternity leave rest time is to read a few books, devour the words and get lost in a tale or two.

I also hope to use my rest time whilst on maternity leave to catch up with a few blogs as I have found that I have missed reading a number of my favourite blogs of late due to a lack of time and energy.

Room for Improvement.

When I recently got the opportunity to get involved with the MoneySupermarket.com Room For Improvement challenge I was excited at the prospect of getting creative and hopefully improving a room or space in our home.  MoneySupermarket are aiming to highlight that home improvements do not have to cost the earth and that a room can be transformed even with an affordable budget.

To prove that you can transform the look and feel of a room or space, making a big difference, with a small budget a Room for Improvement challenge has been created.  MoneySupermarket have challenged bloggers to improve a room or space within their home with a budget of £50.

Lush bath treat (Project 365 - 20/365)