Five mum and baby beauty finds

I’m a bit of reformed beauty junkie. OK, so only ‘reformed’ because I don’t work in central London any more, where I had easy access to big chemists and the delights of Space NK and so on. And loads of time to kill waiting for friends in the evening, and delayed trains, and a full-time wage with no dependants when it was fine to buy lots of things on a whim just because I’d read about them that morning in Stylist.

But I still love trying new things out. Here’s a recent beauty round-up of products suitable for both mums and babies. OK, so not strictly ‘finds’ as such; but things I’ve recently been sent to review for the blog that I’ve liked and would definitely recommend.

1) Organic Babies mum and baby rescue balm, around £10. A multi-purpose wonder balm, this is designed to tackle dry skin, sore nipples and any delicate or sensitive areas. Organic Babies is a familiar brand; we’ve used the dry skin lotion before, and regularly buy Eliza the bath wash, usually in turn with Weleda.

I’ve loved using the rescue balm, not least because it’s probably about as natural as you can get, being 91% organic and Soil Association certified. It also works really well – especially with toddler skin I’d otherwise be hesitant to put adult-suitable cream on.

It’s a great one for use during pregnancy, too, as it’s so organic. And you can also use it on your perineum – I presume as a pre-baby exit massage lotion – which I’m yet to try, I have to admit (and not sure I will this time, considering the speed at which Eliza came out…I don’t think anything would have helped!)

2) La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 (soothing repairing balm). Around £6. Another multi-purpose soothing wonder balm, this is designed for the whole family. It’s a thickish cream that absorbs like a normal moisturiser. This is brilliant stuff; I have sensitive skin that gets really dry when I’m pregnant, and  it’s been super-handy. It’s great for really overwashed hands too. I’ve also used a touch on E’s dry patches or any irritated skin.

I was also sent an anti-aging cream by La Roche-Posay, which I like but I’m not yet wowed by the results. However. I have since independently bought several other products from the range which have all been really good, and I’ll probably buy more.

In addition, I’ve also been sent another Birchbox – this is the beauty subscription box I reviewed recently. Here’s my top picks from the box (I was sent it in March, so am a bit behind on this)

3) Eyeko /skinny mini liquid eyeliner in black. Despite dalliances with liquid eyeliner in my teens, I’ve stuck to the stick or shadow version ever since. However, trying this out – and the handy ‘how-to’ instructions that came as part of the packaging – I was struck by how instantly awake it makes you look. It’s a really bold black, and stays put for most of the day.

4) Leighton Denny nail varnish in ‘Leading Lady.’ Painting your nails – toes and fingers – is one of the sure-fire ways to instantly feel more together and better about yourself when you’re sleep deprived, I find. There’s a certain badge of pride in doing this when you’re a mum, isn’t there? It’s the whole ‘look, I managed to find some hands-free time between baby and being asleep where I did this and let it dry properly.’ This is a pretty good polish, and lasted a couple of days chip-free. I really like the colour. It’s a greigy / pinky / nude that looks pretty, but is natural enough that any chips aren’t instantly noticeable. A really good spring / summer neutral.

5) Urban Veda daily purifying facial wash. A new brand for me, this is another natural product designed for oil-prone skin aka mine during pregnancy. It smells really lovely; fresh and minty, and contains loads of goodness like eucalyptus and witch hazel. I’m a big Liz Earle fan when it comes to cleanser, but have been trying this out on alternative days and am liking it so far.

These were my favourite products from the box out of about seven, but as with the first Birchbox I tried, I was also impressed with the overall experience. From the packaging – colourful and modern yet retro-fabulous – to the hints and tips that are included, the mini bag and the box itself, as well as the blog, website and Twitter feed. As I said before, it does depend on the quality and what you receive each month but out of the beauty box subscription services, from what I’ve read this continues to be one of the best.

What beauty finds have you been trying recently?

We were sent a selection of products to review, but I’ve only picked the ones I really liked. Thanks to La Roche-Posay, Organic Babies and Birchbox.