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| *This post contains PR samples |
When I was pregnant I tested multiple different belly balms, creams and oils for my stretch marks and this is how I discovered Little Butterfly London. I've been testing more products from their range since just before I had Summer, and I have to say I'm completely enamoured.
All of the Little Butterfly London products are cruelty free, and they are planning to change all of their products to vegan by the end of the year. In terms of packaging, the Little Butterfly London range is certified by Ecocert, so all of the packaging is fully recyclable. The cardboard is made from sustainable sources and the bottle caps are made from wood to reduce plastic waste. The only thing that is plastic is the small waterproof disc which is in the cap to prevent leakage. This is important to me when choosing cosmetics as choosing good quality, ethical products is important to me but I don't want the planet to pay a high price for these.
During my pregnancy, I used the "Fall Into Dreams" Mother and
Baby Massage Oil at least once daily. The texture of this oil is beautiful and it spreads easily (I found some oils I tried didn't rub in well and it felt like I had to use so much product per application - this went a lot further, which I appreciated because it's gorgeous.) It smells absolutely delicious, like oranges, and kept my skin feeling really smooth and supple - this was no mean feat considering I carried VERY big this pregnancy and had a 9lb 9oz baby. During my pregnancy I also used this oil with Eden for some bonding time - in the evenings I'd use it on her after her bath and do a little bit of massage while we spoke about things including about what would happen when the baby was being born. This really helped prepare her for our separation during my labour in such a calming and soothing way, which in turn helped to reduce my own stress around the subject.
Due to Summer's skin sensitivities, very soon after she was born I realised I had to really strip back on any products that I used on myself, laundry, and of course on her, and introduce anything new really cautiously. This was tricky as not only was she a rashy baby, she was also a baby with very dry, almost scaly skin, which meant that I instinctively wanted to use oils on her. Particularly as she's grown and developed a little bit of cradle cap (super normal!) I've wanted to oil her scalp, and I've found she doesn't react with this oil which I'm SO thrilled about because I absolutely adore the scent and it gives me such a visceral memory of my pregnancy.
The Little Butterfly London "Cocoon of Bliss"
Stretch Mark Butter won first prize in the Green Parent Natural Beauty Awards which made me want to give it a try. This cream contains bio-actives, essential fatty acids and skin-replenishing vitamins, and is certified organic. I found this butter really nourishing and soothing on my itchy bump. I am aware that stretch marks cannot be avoided solely by using topical treatments like oils or creams - there are many other factors that will determine the likelihood of getting them, including genetics, staying hydrated, etc. However I do think that keeping the skin as moisturised as possible reduces itching and stress on the skin from it stretching so quickly. This surely reduces the chance of getting any extra, avoidable stretch marks - how the skin copes at the deeper layers is out of our control however. I actually didn't get any stretch marks on my tummy again during this pregnancy and I do believe that keeping my skin well hydrated was a contributing factor to this. I used this cream towards the end of my pregnancy, by which time I really was carrying enormously, and while it felt lovely on it's own I really liked to apply this after the oil - it felt like it really locked moisture into the skin this way and kept my bump feeling smooth and beautiful. The cream is thick and the smell is unusual - honestly, at first I wasn't even sure whether I liked it - but it was worth it to really provide nourishment to my bump, my skin really deserved a cream of that richness as it was stretching so far to accommodate our baby.
The
Dewdrops at Dawn Body Lotion is another product with a soft, gentle scent - it is, like all of the Little Butterfly London products, innately calming. It's a rich lotion which I've used not only on Eden, for after bath massage, but on myself to try and soothe redness on my arms from keratosis pilaris. It feels thick and luxurious on the skin, but rubs in easily. This won a gold award in the Green Parent Natural Beauty Awards and it's not hard to see why - this contains cucumber seed oil, nourishing cocoa butter and calming aloe vera, plus papaya, peach and apricot oils, to add antioxidants, moisture, soothe, and relieve redness. This is truly lovely and is both relaxing and nourishing, Eden now often runs to me after her bath with this tube and asks me for her "massage" which has been a lovely thing to incorporate into her routine.
Perhaps the last thing I found our groove with was the Little Butterfly London Wrapped In Love Calming Anti-Pollution
Baby Face Cream. This has been formulated to protect little people's skin and act as a barrier against environmental pollutants. It's made from completely natural, organic ingredients, and is great for calming and soothing irritated skin. It can help calm specific skin complaints including eczema, dribble rashes and dry skin. I was even told that some adults choose to use this cream on their own skin flare ups. Although I'm careful with what we use on our toddler's skin she's never been overly sensitive, so having a new little one so prone to flare ups has been a real learning curve. I now tend to get nervous to try any products to calm her young skin in case it has the opposite effect and makes the problem worse, but actually I've found this cream is fine for her and does help to alleviate any dryness or redness if she's had a reaction to something. I've also been using this around Eden's mouth as she's had some redness and soreness from cold weather, and it's healed it really quickly.
Overall I'm so thrilled with these products - they really are such luxury, beautiful items and they've made pregnancy and postpartum bodycare a really dreamy, enjoyable experience with their rich textures and gentle but blissful scents.
Have you tried Little Butterfly London products? Which of these appeals most to you?
How to Grow A Baby by Natalie Meddings - my lovely hypnobirthing teacher Sarah passed this on to me as part of her course and I am SO pleased to have read it before I birth this baby. There are so many labouring scenarios I relate to in this book and wonder if I'd read it last time if I'd have responded differently. While it addresses birth scenarios and interventions I'd say it's still leaning on the holistic side so it's maybe one to skip if you know from the get go you'll be having an elective. Highlights include the concept of "the two rooms" of birth (aka. not jumping the gun and how to relax and take your time at the start of a very long labour), statistic based discussion on birth choices and coping mechanisms, and the importance of cake (seriously!)
