Beautiful Belly Bar

Morning All,

I have the pleasure of bringing you an amazing little product today. When you hear people say that great things come in small packages, they were obviously referring to Lisa Heeney's 'Beautiful Belly Bar'. Lisa kindly sent this to me to try on my growing bump and I genuinely love it. 

First impressions are definitely lasting . . . 

When I mentioned to some of my pregnant friends, that this little gem was on its way to me, they were uber jealous. They had all heard about Lisa's products and have been wanting to try them for a while. This added to the build up and hype, so when the product arrived, I was afraid that I might have been left a little disappointed. That certainly wasn't the case. When I opened up the cute little storage tin, WOW, the scent of sweet orange and organic aromas that were released, made my mouth water. I was immediately transported to a holistic, calming environment. For any mom's or bumps to be, I would suggest, setting some time out from the daily grind to really enjoy this product. I had done exactly that, so after a relaxing bath, I had time to indulge this little beauty.

The bar itself is shaped like a pretty flower. 

The instructions Lisa had sent, said to remove from the tin and hold in your hand until it softens slightly and then begin spreading over your bump. I have used products like this before and they really annoyed me because unlike goldilocks, I could never get it "just right'. The products would either take way to long to soften and do the opposite and almost turn to oil. I usually end up using products like that, twice or three times max and then I just leave them there. Like most working man's, time is of the essence and beautifying yourself is awarded the least amount of time in the day. Fortunately,  the belly bar only takes about 20-30 seconds to soften in your hand, and no matter how long you spend using it, it never gets too soft. I found the best technique with this product is to soften slightly in your hand and then start to rub on your bump.Although it won't spread as easily to begin with, flip it over after 10 seconds and voila. 

Now, this product is specially designed for pregnancy bumps, but why stop there, I couldn't! My tummy was so soft, that before I knew it, I was on to legs arms and bum. I don't know if it's down to my ever increasing pregnancy size or just ageing skin but the area between my bum and the top of my legs has been really dry lately. When my other half mentioned it to me, I started putting lashings of creams and lotions on the area but nothing seemed have a lasting moisturising effect. I used the belly bar in the same way and thought "well, we'll see". The change was immediate. I'm not talking about 10 minutes later, because of course, it was going to appear soft and moisturised straight after using the product but the next morning and even the following day I really noticed a change. That change is here to stay it would seem too. I've continued to use the bar on those stubborn dry areas and the skin is so much smoother. The dry bumps have all but gone.

Something I really admired about the belly bar was the lasting effect, I jus touched on.  The specially designed ingredients, work. Lisa has done a great job pulling these products together, creating a nourishing and skin rejuvenating blend. If you were to use this product on a Monday evening and have a shower on Tuesday evening, you will still feel its softness by Wednesday. 

Ingredients:
Organic Thistle Oil, organic Shea butter, Beeswax, Organic rose hip oil, Calendula infusion, Vitamin E oil, Organic Avocado butter, Sweet orange, Lavender, Frankincense, Neroli and Benzoin.

Some reviews are really hard to write because your always trying to strike a balance between good and bad and giving an honest review. The only difficulty in writing this review was knowing when to stop. I think you will agree, it's obvious I am a big fan. 

For more information, on this product or any of Lisa's other products you can visit her website: www.lisaheeney.com

Let me know if you have tried this or other products created by Lisa. Are you a fan?

Warning: May leave you irresistible !

Kel x

NOTD - St. Patricks Day

Morning all,


Here are 4 really really simple nail ideas for today. They literally take 2 minutes but will look like you have made some effort at least to be patriotic.

Have a look through your nail collection, I was surprised by how many, green, white and orange nail varnishes I had. 

Colours used:
Catrice - I'm not a Greenager
Angelica - Emerald Isle
Sally Hanson - White


Lá fhéile Pádraig

Kel x

Rowenta Activ Volume and Shine Review

Good Morning,

This blog post is a review of the Rowenta Active Volume and Shine Styling brush. I purchased the brush back in January when I was in Munich. I was going to do a review on it back then but looking back now, I'm glad that I didn't. I'll tell you why... If I had of reviewed this product back in January when i first got it, I would have told you that it was a piece of crap and not to go near it.
Fast forward 2 months, to when I found and English speaking tutorial on it and "voila", I learned how to use it properly.
After watching the tutorial, I got the brush back out and tried it again. It was like using a new styler altogether. The first time I used it, it got totally knotted up in my hair and how I didn't end up with a bald patch is beyond me. (pregnancy is creating enough bald patches!). Anyway, as I say, when I finally figured out how to use it correctly, I realised what my problem had been. Having not used a rotating brush like this before, I assumed the brush did all the work. It doesn't! (A lesson painfully learned). You need to keep it moving constantly so that it doesn't get tangled up. Don't be afraid of it, you need to keep an element of control, especially as you are controlling the rotation of the head at the same time.

The credentials:

• This is a hairdryer and Styler in one.
• It has 2 heat settings
• It also comes with 2 separate rotation(30mm and 50mm-removable) heads, to create the style/curl you are looking for.
• 1 speed setting (left and right)
• Right/left rotation of the attachment-styling the hair in both directions on both sides of the head
• Integrated anti-static IONIC BOOSTER - Produces up to 40 times more ions, compared to the previous version (CF9220)
• Ceramic coated brushes. 

Now that i have figured out how to use it properly, I am starting to get the best out of this tool and really see its advantages. While, I will never put my Parlux hairdryer into retirement, I find myself using this brush more often. If you are travelling, this would be great to have, as it saves you bringing a big bulky hairdryer and a set of brushes for styling. 

I find the brush really great for 'second day' hair. My hair length is medium to long so can look dead and lifeless the day after my shower. This brush gives my hair a real boost and even on a  second or third day, my hair looks freshly washed. You can create great volume at the roots too.

A little word of warming though! What ever you do....be careful when using this. Just like a hairdryer, your hair, if you are not careful can get sucked into the bottom of the brush. Unlike the hairdryer which usually releases the hair if you catch it quick enough...the Rowenta is not so forgiving. Ouch..get the scissors out!

There are a number of different versions of this brush. The one reviewed today is the Rowenta Rotating Brush CF9320 Hot Air Ionic Booster White-Purple 1000W

Have you used this styler or have you got a similar one that you would recommend?

Kel x

Bebe Bijoux

Hi all,

I have so many posts to write and catch up on, but I shall start with the cutest! Over the past couple of months I have accidentally come across some amazing Irish companies and websites, which specialise in baby products. As much as I would like my child to have all of these treasures for him or herself, I'm sure I can share a few with you ha ha. The first of the new Irish baby companies, I discovered were:











Moobles and Toobles - Creators of the most adorable hand painted baby apparel. The range of bibs, vests and cute gift sets are made from 100% cotton and the ink used in the designs are water based and eco friendly. 

I've been obsessed with the designs over the last few weeks and while the website states that they will print customs colours on request, I'm holding out until Baby arrives before i send in my order. i also plan to purchase gifts for friends that are due babies this year. All designs are unique so they make a great change to the boring pack of vests you would normally grab on the way to visit a   friend who has recently given birth.



You can purchase Moobles and Toobles products from the following stores in Dublin, 
The Jam Factory, Dublin 8
Piquant Baby, Powerscourt, Dublin 2
Cows Lane Designer Studio, Essex Street, Dublin 2



You can get more information on these fab baby sets, by visiting www.mooblesandtoobles.com


Let me know if you have heard of these guys before? I'd love to be the one that introduced them to you :-)


Kel x 

NOTD - Valentines Day 2014

Jour de l'amour

 

 

 

Happy Valentines Day ! To get into the spirit of things I've even got my nails all loved up.

 

 

The colours I used to create this look were:

Catrice - 070, Caught on the Red Carpet
Essence Gel look Top coat
Essence Nail Art - 03, Mr Big
Catrice - 650 Goldfinger

Enjoy your day everyone

Kel x

 



NOTD - Sunday 9th February

It's Sunday and I'm feeling a little restless. I was up early so managed to get what needed to be done around the house finished pretty early. -That never happens! So anyway I'm sitting here not knowing what to do with myself and then, Eureka! I know, I'll paint my nails to pass a bit of time. That was a great idea until I got upstairs and couldn't decide which colour to go for. It's spring so I was thinking go bright for a change but then again the weather is really weird at the moment, 1 minute its sunny the next, the heavens are opening. Queue confusion on what colour to pick.... After about 15 mins I still couldn't decide so this is what happened . . . 

The moral of the story is why pick one colour when you can have 5. !

I hope you're all having a lovely chilled out Sunday. Don't feel bad if your not doing anything productive..remember even the Germans take Sunday off :-)

Kel x






The colours I used were:

Catrice - 770 Put lavender on the Agenda
Nails Inc - 401
Catrice - 420 Dirty Berry
Catrice - 120 Plum play with me
Essence Multi Dimension - 41 Candy Kiss

Pregnancy, week 7 to week 12

Following on from my last pregnancy post, weeks 1-6. Here is the next edition of your baby's growth story.




Week 7 Check out that growth spurt, your little one now measure half an inch! Minute to us, but if you consider the fact that your little one was 10,000 times smaller when it started, it's pretty cool. This stage of rapid growth continues right through to week 20. Bang smack in the middle of the first trimester, I'm sure your feeling it all now, (or not!, remember every pregnancy is different and lack of symptoms does not mean anything is wrong).





Week 8 You have a little raspberry on your hands. In terms of size only, of course. Although still teeny tiny, your baby is starting to look more and more human like. That little tail is disappearing and webbed fingers and toes and starting to show. The usual symptoms probably have you feeling down, but don't fret, baby is happy and unaware of the side effects his growth spurts are having on your body.

Week 9 Baby's basic physiology is in place although it still needs some fine tuning. Measuring about an inch, again there is a lot of progress happening within. Your little one is no doubt moving around now although because he is she is still so small, you wont be able to recognise these movements yet.




Week 10 Happy fetal week! Past the most critical development point, your baby's organ are starting to kick into action. His little limbs can now bend and flex. If you could take a peek inside, you might see him resting his hands across his heart. How cute!

Week 11 Ears!.... "All the better  to hear you with my dear", have moved from their position on the  neck to the side of the head. Hello individual fingers and toes! Like a little ballerina, baby is floating effortlessly in the amniotic fluid, which by the way he or she is also capable of swallowing. Hiccup !!








Week 12 Crown to rump, baby is approximately 2 inches long. This week you are probably looking forward to your first antenatal visit. You will finally see for yourself, the beauty that lies within. Make sure you gets lots of pictures to share with family members and friends, they can be used as a great way to share your news.







How did you feel during the first trimester? I had been so sick. I think I chalked up every pregnancy symptom going. Following a miscarriage during the summer, I'll be honest, I welcomed every sleepy afternoon and toilet bowl hugging sessions. For me, they were affirmations that things were progressing in there. What I didn't bank on was having morning sickness right up to about week 19. With my little girl, I think I may have had maybe 3 days of nausea and that was it, so this was a lot different for me. As I mentioned at the beginning, all pregnancies are different and while there are common traits that run through most, you can never expect your pregnancy to be exactly the same as another woman's. You body is unique and deals with growing a little human in it's own way.

Kel x



(Pregnancy pics taken from Babycentre.com and What to expect when you're expecting website)