New In / The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Collection

Looking for a refreshing scent this summer? Look no further than the trusty british The Body Shop which came out with another cracking collection for summer!

Virgin Mojito include notes of crisp mint leaves from the Caribbean and zesty lime juice and - as always with The Body Shop - the smell is spot on and accurate  (without naughty calories).

The range includes 5 products: start the day with a refreshing shower with the shower gel and invigorating body scrub; follow with a cooling and moisturising body sorbet or the 24hr hydration of the traditional body butter. Finally, add another layer with the body splash which is a light fragrance to keep your skin beautifully scented and refreshed all day.

I'm not too good with overpowering fragrances as they give me an headache; also, you don't want something too concentrated in the summer as the combination with the heat can created irritation too.

The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Body Splash* is such a revelation!

It's like splashing your body with a parfumed water that wraps you in a fluffy cloud of scent all day long.   

The combination is immediately uplifting for the soul, especially if you're confined to the office instead of lazing and relaxing on a beach, this summer.

The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Body Sorbet* is definitely my favourite of the line. 

The skin quenching gel texture leaves the skin with a beautiful glossy sheen, perfect for these exposed legs and arms.

It's such a pleasant experience to massage into the skin and instantly absorbs, without any sticky residue.

I'm a long time lover of the body butters, but I've become an immediately converted to the body sorbets now - for summer and hectic days.

I don't find you compromise on hydration and it leaves the skin smooth to the touch.

Have you tried this range yet? The invigorating and balmy scrub is next on my list to try.

Baby / Breastfeeding & I

Let me just start saying that breastfeeding is not a walk in the park...

Lara is now 6 months old and I'm glad and proud that I managed to exclusively breastfeed until now as I set myself to do. 

Here are some considerations on the subject:

I was lucky because breastfeeding came quite naturally to me and I never had any 'technical' challenge, like cracked nipples or engorged breasts. I had the occasional soreness during the first few weeks and I used Lansinoh HPA Lanolin which sorted the situation out in a matter of few days; it's expensive but I can really recommend this cream, also because it doesn't need to be washed off before breastfeeding. Btw, a midwife told me to avoid vaseline because apparently has been linked to mouth cancer (I think she meant in babies).

If you've really set your heart on breastfeeding, I recommend to give it a month. 

You may be tempted to give up sooner... but you really need to experience the 3 weeks growing spur... to understand that you can do it!

Then if there are any real problems, the midwives or health visitors will be the first ones to tell you to switch to formula (but it's not likely).

Also, don't buy any formula to keep in the cupboard 'just in case'; nowadays there are many Tescos 24hrs and you can easy get some if really required, butwould be too easy to use during a particularly tiring evening or emotional night... and then you may regret it in the morning.

My biggest challenge was not knowing, all the guesswork: you can't really tell how much your baby is eating, you need to trust that she is getting what she needs and then rely on the scale.. so the days between weight ins were a bit stressful in the early days but surely enough she kept putting weight on steadily and following her growing curve without issues.

I resent comment that breastfeeding mums are judgemental toward bottle-feeding mums; I actually feel the opposite and I rarely volunteer the information if not asked.

At the end of the day, it's your decision - Personally, I felt that giving a bottle would have been easier in terms of logistic/practicality but at the same it was paramount FOR ME to do what I though was the best for my daughter. 

This was my priority, my personal decision and you shouldn't be threatened by it!

Now: I plan on carry on breastfeeding, of course. The aim is to gradually end up with a morning and an evening feed until she is about two (working schedule and baby routine permitting).

Finally, I'm gonna conclude with some numbers that may help you make this decision:

By exclusively breastfeeding for 1 month - you have given your baby significant protection against respiratory allergy at 17 years of age;

... for 2 months - you have given your baby significant protection against food allergy at 3 years of age;

... for 3 months - you have also given your baby between a 19 and 27 percent reduction in incidence of childhood Type 1 Diabetes;

... for 4 months - you have reduced your baby’s risk of SIDS;

...for 5/6 months - You are now in the 1% of mothers who have breastfed for this long!

You have also given your baby a 19 percent decrease in risk of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia and a 15 percent decrease in the risk of acute myelogenous leukemia. 

more facts here: http://www.thealphaparent.com/2011/12/timeline-of-breastfed-baby.html 

Review / Living Nature Fragrance Free Thickening Mascara

I think we all agree that mascara is one of those beauty steps that you can't skip; even when you are short on time, you may pay less attention to a flawless complexion or perfectly blended eyeshadows but nothing will make you look more 'done' than a few coats of mascara.

... now, having said that - I also have sensitive eyes  that can react badly to some chemicals and don't thank me for the make-up removing sessions at the end of the day.

The new improved Living Nature Thickening Mascara* is now also fragrance-free and one step closer to nature!

It is completely free from synthetic and animal derivates and Lavender Oil which can be a trigger for sensitivity.

It includes halloyside clay to amplify the glance, candelilla and carnauba waxes, jojoba esters, manuka honey and Vitamin E to provide a smooth application and nourish and protect the lashes.

It is available in Jet Black - for an more intense effect - or Blackened Brown - or a nude look.

I like the long and 'old-school' fat wand that coats the lashes with one swipe and it's also impressively lengthening; the formulation is not too wet - just how I like it - and doesn't leave any clumps. Personally, I found that even after few coats it gives a natural effect, with separation and holding the curl all day... but most importantly NO MORE compromises between itchy, streaming and torturing eyes or wearing eye make up! Yay!

Have you tried Living Nature before? Do you also have sensitive eyes?

Introducing / Naturalmente Haircare

It's no secret that after a pregnancy, women may struggle with their locks; apparently, as a consequence of all the hormones leaving your body, you tend to see an increase in hairloss and I certainly noticed this unpleasant 'side effect'.

For this and other reasons, I have also started to made a conscious choice of using more natural products and when I heard of Naturalmente - an Italian brand - I couldn't pass on the chance to try this line from my home land.

As the name suggests, their products are created using pure essential oils and substances of flowers and plants that are grown organically and protecting the ecosystem; even the energy used to produce comes from wind power generated in Tuscany and with very low CO2 emissions. 

The fragrances also service as Aromatherapy for the soul and  they have banned silicons, parabens, petrochemical oils and by products, artificial colouring and SLS too.

Basically, Naturalmente strongly believes in the respect and nourishment of both the person and the planet.

I was surprised to see such a huge range of products for a (relatively) small and local company and they really cater for every need; you have shampoos and conditioners but also masks, styling products, treatments and colour enhancers.

The first product I'm testing is the Naturalmente Solution-Pac Ricostruttore Multivitaminico Aloe e Sandalo*.

I have never heard of a 'Solution Pac' before which is a protein rebuilder to be used pre-shampoo; it is full of vitamins, minerals and proteins to repair and protect the scalp & hair from environmental and mechanical factors, like heat styling tools.

I've also been trying out the Naturalmente Shampoo Agrumi Volumizzante e Rinforzante* which has a lovely citrusy scent. 

Because of the lack of chemicals, I wasn't expecting any or very little foam, but I actually found that the shampoo lathered  and spread well.

The volumizing effect is real and my hair were left full of body, light and silky to the touch - and because of the impressive result after the first wash, I have no reason to doubt the revitalising benefits in the long run.

In conclusion, I can hearty recommend the Naturalmente range for fast results and ethical approach. You can easily pick up these 50ml sample bottles from http://gentlebeauty.co.uk  for around a fiver each.

 Have you tried this brand yet?

Maternity / The Things That Noone Tells You About

When you are pregnant, google becomes your best and worst friend. I learned to stick to 'reputable' message boards and NHS endorsed websites, but in any case you will most likely find yourself googling A LOT: a new twitch in your pelvis area or kicks (umm) down there.. and as soon as the mighty line starts auto-populate, you feel relief and that you're not alone.

On your dozen searches a day - kidding (not really!) - you will read A LOT and come across the same stuff/tips all the times... so why the hell was I not prepared for these??!!:

- Growing Spurs: at around 3 weeks, your newborn will want to feed ALL THE TIME! Like that, out of the blue, she started wanting to feed every hour and I was pretty much nursing around the clock. Again, a quick search on the web and you come across the growing spurs... AND WHY NOBODY PREPARED YOU FOR THIS? They are exactly what they sound like: baby growing, hence wanting more food. And rejoy, there are several in the first year - but you will learn to recognise them.

- Wonder Weeks: so your baby is 12 weeks and has become incredibly cranky, doesn't sleep well and putting 2 & 2 together, you realise that he is going through another development leap. These are basically like growing spurs but for the brain where babies learn new skills/reach milestones.

- The 4 month Sleep Regression: (Touch wood) Lara has been having a smooth transition with this change. I don't like the word 'regression' - it's more like a change where the infant starts to sleep in cycles like an adult so having 'light sleep phases'  where she is prone to wake up because she hasn't learnt to self-soothe yet.
And your best defence is the attack: teach your baby to self-soothe from the beginning! It will probably save you a lot of stressful and tearful time when you attempt to sleep training, later on.

- TMI ALERT!!! Your first Number 2 after birth... is like giving birth all over again! And I had a c-section, mind you, so it's possible that I may be a tad exaggerating here but - BELIEVE ME - I was kind of glad that I had a caesarean. 

Sure! You may be worried to pull stitches down there but I was also wary to pull my stitches inside and outside (which I really hope it takes more than that!).
 It's not only a psychological block, so if you're still pregnant get your doctor/midwife to give you some Lactulose that is like a sugary syrup and makes all the difference (also safe for breastfeeding). That way you don't need to waste time to the GP once your newborn is here and a million other things to think about. 

Please, be aware that  this is to be viewed like a checklist - Topics that I'd recommend you read about because there are reasons behind your baby suddenly temperament changes. There are plenty of exhaustive information out there and what I found interesting is that, althought very baby is unique, they do follow the same developments/stages in quite a set timeframe... and it's reassuring to know that it is 'normal'!