Sleepgoddess Shower Mists + Luxury Scrunchies

*This post contains PR samples.

I'll be honest - at 37 weeks pregnant, sleep is a sensitive subject for me right now. I'm uncomfortable with all the extra weight of pregnancy and sleeping in certain positions, I'm still regularly co-sleeping with our toddler (don't ask how it's going to work when baby arrives), and our household has just been struck down with colds (yes, in July.) I need all the help I can get when it comes to sleep because I'm exhausted now, and with an imminent newborn arrival I'm not sure it's going to get better anytime soon!

Enter Sleepgoddess: their products are vegan, cruelty-free and British-made, making them a go-to for ethical beauty sleep purchases. I was immediately intrigued by their faux-silk pillow case covers (SUCH a smart design, not to mention that it's so hard to find hair-friendly pillowcases that are vegan!) from a beauty perspective but they have so much else to offer...

Lyonsleaf Giveaway + Discount Code!

*This post contains PR samples/affiliate links

It's Plastic Free July, so what better way to celebrate than hosting a giveaway with one of my favourite low-waste brands, the wonderful Lyonsleaf?

The lovely folk over at Lyonsleaf and I are giving away a Mum & Baby Skincare Survival kit, perfectly timed as my little one is due a month today! The kit contains Beauty Balm, and two types of natural nappy cream (I've reviewed both of these on my blog previously, see links.) It also contains a cleansing cloth which Mama can use with the Beauty Balm (this product contains essential oils to give it its delicious fragrance, so not one to share with baby.) But none of these products are a one-trick pony: the Calendula and Marshmallow Balm has received many accolades when used as a nipple cream which I wish I'd known about last time, whilst the Beauty Balm can double up as cleanser, moisturiser and even primer. Knowing that I can trust these products for their versatility and reliability, this kit has gone straight into my birth bag. If that all sounds good and you'd like to win a set yourself, details on how to enter the giveaway are at the bottom of this post!

A low waste baby wishlist

Contrary to what marketing would have us believe, the truth is, babies don't need that much *stuff*. Now that I'm having my second baby I've realised how much equipment we had last time that didn't really get used. Carrycot? Nope, she hated it so we used a sling. Baby toys? Nah, not really interested. Cute outfits? Thanks, but she mostly lived in sleepsuits due to those double digit nappy changes. In our loft there's a box full of almost untouched rattles and toys that we'll probably get out again and put away almost unused. We already were trying to live low waste when I had Eden, but this time my baby wishlist has changed even more. Having done it all before, I thought I'd share some idea for baby gifts of dreams without the waste!

TTC // Working with a nutritionist

I've honestly been meaning to write this post for MONTHS considering I'm now 33 weeks pregnant, but better late than never! Trying to conceive is a significantly more emotional process than I ever realised. Eden was a surprise pregnancy (the best surprise ever, as it turns out) so the complexities of actually trying to have another baby were unexpected to me. As women, for much of our lives we often focus on trying not to conceive as the matter of contraception tends to fall to us. So one could be forgiven for thinking that as soon as you started trying to have a baby, surely you'd get pregnant straight away. And that does happen! - for a lucky few. For the rest of us it takes a little more time, patience, and for me, getting in tune with my body.

Our breastfeeding journey

Around a month ago, more or less on her second birthday, Eden "officially" stopped breastfeeding. This was entirely led by her - I'd fully expected to be tandem feeding come August!

Zero Zen Greener Lifestyle eco store

[Paid partnership with Zero Zen - all opinions my own]

Recently, Zero Zen put together an eco care package for me from their greener lifestyle store, so for the past couple of weeks I've been diligently testing out the products. Whilst I'm a big believer in plastic free, eco-friendly swaps, I'm also conscious that when it comes to eco living it's ALWAYS better for the environment to use what you already have than to buy new items (even when they're eco!) So I am quite thorough when testing products to see whether they are truly worth purchasing. I'm happy to say I'm very impressed with the items I've trialled from Zero Zen, so here's what I've been checking out to share here..

Bonding with baby as a second-time mama

The most notable difference with a second pregnancy for me has been the lack of time you have to think about things the second time around! Unlike last time, when baby is ALL I thought about, my energy goes into looking after my beautiful toddler girl and sometimes I kinda forget I'm pregnant until my big bump gets in the way or Sprout gives me a little kick or nudge as if to say "hey, I'm here too!" Luckily, I've found a few ways to bond with our little baby when I get a moment...

Seaspiracy & why we need to STOP fishing

I am dedicated to making eco swaps and trying to switch from single use plastics to reusable alternatives wherever we can. But the biggest cause of plastic pollution in our ocean by FAR is caused by the fishing industry. This week we watched Seaspiracy and I was shocked and appalled at the ethical and environmental impact of the fishing industry. Here are some reasons why...

Petit Lulu prefold cloth nappies

*This post features PR samples.

Today's post is a spotlight on Petit Lulu nappies, which are a wonderful brand but often seem to be overlooked for some reason! These are genuinely one of my favourite nappy solutions we've had so I want to chat about a few new additions to our nappy rotation and share some love for their designs.

How to have a confident plant-based pregnancy

I'm lucky that I've always been met with positivity when it comes to having a healthy vegan pregnancy, but I know for many this can be a worry. I want to share some of the things I've done throughout both of my vegan pregnancies which reassure me that baby is thriving when it comes to fuelling my body!

Lyonsleaf Unscented Marshmallow Facial Oil review + discount code!

[Features press samples and affliate links - see disclaimer]

Over the past few months I've really started to take better care of my skin and be more conscious of what products I use and when. Incorporating a facial oil or serum is a step widely known to be an important step in a skincare routine, but until recently I've largely stuck to creams and moisturisers. I've mentioned many times here how much a fan I am of Lyonsleaf products so when I decided to up my skincare game I knew I wanted to try the Lyonsleaf Unscented Marshmallow Facial Oil, which has already made a huge difference to my skin.

The Marshmallow Facial Oil is unscented, hypoallergenic, and 100% natural. It is also cruelty free and vegan. It contains rosehip oil, which is meant to be amazing for skintone and scarring, but the star ingredient is Marshmallow extract (the oil makes up 50% of the product!) which is known for it's anti-aging and rejuvenating properties. It helps to plump the skin and reduce fine lines, while also being incredibly restorative for tired or damaged skin (I know this as I love the Lyonsleaf Calendula & Marshmallow Balm for my incredibly dry hands!) As always, the formula is completely water-free leaving room for 100% active ingredients.

As always, Lyonsleaf products always look fantastic on paper, but how does it actually perform? Well - unsurprisingly, I think this is brilliant. It feels very gentle and not too heavy - though incredibly moisturising, this doesn't feel uncomfortably slick on the skin once massaged in. Just one pump is necessary as a little goes a long way, as with all facial oils and Lyonsleaf products. The formula is designed to be used at night so I use this after toning, either on it's own or layered underneath a moisturiser. It's rich enough that I feel I can use it on its own at night although I do really like to lock this in underneath a night mask too for super plumped, hydrated skin. Using this regularly really has made a difference at helping reduce marks, keep my skin plump and moisturised, and heal the hormonal pregnancy breakouts I've been experiencing much faster. This time of year the chill in the air can really dry out my skin, but since using this I've had no problems with dry or tight areas.

Fragrance wise, the scent of this oil reminds me of seeds (think pumpkin, sunflower) - not in an unpleasant way, but given that I adore the fragrance of the Lyonsleaf Beauty Balm I think next time I'll try the scented version of the facial oil. I'd tried unscented to err on the safe side in case my skin had trouble getting on with a facial oil in the first place, but I needn't have worried as introducing an oil has only done good things for my skin. The scented version would be particular lovely when used with my facial roller or rose quartz gua sha stone, for a truly relaxing and sensory experience.

From an eco perspective, I really appreciate Lyonsleaf's ethos when it comes to packaging. As the products are water-free, this means products are concentrated meaning smaller pots and therefore less packaging. Bottles and jars are all 100% recyclable and their postal packaging is also biodegradable. I really appreciate that Lyonsleaf are conscious of their environmental impact and are open about their aims as a small business to reduce carbon emissions. Plus, I love that Lyonsleaf herbs are grown organically on their farm in Somerset.

So that summarises the experience I've had so far with this facial oil - I think it's safe to say I'm a convert! So, with Mother's Day approaching, Lyonsleaf have kindly given me a code for you to get 20% off your own purchase! If you fancy treating yourself or a loved one to some beautiful skincare, just pop in my code VEGANMAMA at checkout to get your 20% off. Are you a fan of facial oils - will you be trying this one?

Jolie Beauty Second Skin Powder Highlighter review + swatches

[Features press samples - see disclaimer]

The secret is out about my pregnancy, but I'm yet to find that idealised "pregnancy glow"... I've really struggled with exhaustion and nausea this first trimester, and as a result my skin has taken a toll. It's been more dull, more tired, more dry and there's been some inevitable hormonal breakouts too. Between this, and spending the first trimester in lockdown and therefore not getting myself ready as usual as there's nowhere to go and no one to see, I've been feeling a bit down about my appearance. For me I think there's some truth behind "look good, feel better" (looking good of course being totally subjective) and I wanted to get comfortable in my own skin again. So I bought the Caroline Hirons Skincare book, started paying more attention to what I use on my skin, and refreshed some of my cosmetics collection too... including what I use to fake a pregnancy "glow!"

Welcome, Shroom 2.0*

I'm beyond excited to share that we are expecting another little one to join our pack in August!

We loved the idea of Eden having a sibling so this is beyond exciting. Recently I've loved looking back on my previous pregnancy posts and reminiscing about my experiences, so I'll be sharing a bit about my experience of this first trimester. Feel free to read on if, like me, you enjoy hearing about how the pregnancy experience differs for all of us, even from child to child.

Veganuary: Five Cruelty Free, Vegan Beauty Favourites

[Features press sample - see disclaimer]

Somehow, we're halfway through January - usually I find this month drags its heels, but somewhat mercifully it's passing quite quickly! However, before the month is through I want to chat more about Veganuary - but NOT about food. There's more to veganism than what we consume in our diet, it's about our consumer and lifestyle choices as a whole, and something I learned early on in my vegan journey was the importance of cruelty free beauty. Even a few years ago, finding products that were both cruelty free and vegan could be quite difficult as labelling wasn't always clear. Fortunately for us this market has expanded widely and now boasts some INCREDIBLE products which make you question why you'd ever choose something that uses animal testing when you can instead opt for beautiful, conscientious, plant based products. And today I'll be sharing five of my favourites (new and old!) to inspire you this Veganuary. Sound good? Let's get started...

Veganuary: How to be Vegan in a non-plant based household

Firstly - I feel you! I grew up as a vegetarian in a non-veggie home, and for a long time J ate meat - I never thought I'd see the day when he went vegan! Whether your household is likely to transition or not, here are a couple of tips for how to live harmoniously. 💚

2020: The Year I Became A #PlantParent

Happy New Year! I hope everybody is keeping well and coping with the new UK lockdown announcement. To say 2020 was a ride of a year would be an understatement, and sadly 2021 still continues to carry many of the same burdens, albeit with more progress (and therefore hope) behind us.

2020 was the year that more of us spent more time indoors, in our homes, than ever before. Aside from baking sourdough and banana bread, lots of us looked to self or home improvements to keep us busy, whether that's learning a new skill or redecorating a room. Of course, my lockdown was spent with a toddler, the kind who likes to be with her mama at all times, so whilst it wasn't the MOST productive way to spend a year we probably did a lot more than I give myself credit for! One thing I did repeatedly was to try and tidy and improve the appearance of our house and garden (this is always very much a two-steps-forward, one-step-back situation if you live with a toddler) and I noticed I really missed being able to pop to the shops and garden centres easily to pick things up to brighten up our home. Even when we weren't locked down, it still felt like more of a mission and more of a risk to venture out to the shops - and almost everywhere else. (Have you remembered your mask? Hand sanitiser? What are the rules on meeting people in any given moment? Are you standing 2 metres away? How on earth do you keep a toddler 2 metres away and stop them touching everything?!)