YUMMY MUMMY TIME SAVERS

I think it's safe to say every mum knows the struggle of getting ready in the mornings or trying to go out anywhere that requires more decent clothing than sweatpants, having washed hair and makeup!! As soon as baby seems calm enough and settled, you sit down to start putting a face on to hide those glorious eye bags.. then 2 seconds later, baby needs you again! What previously took only 30 minutes now ends up taking 3 hours of interrupted glam-time! Know what I'm talking about mamas?! Having a newborn and trying to get ready to go out the house is a nightmare!!

Now anyone who knows me knows I am a proper girly girl. I'm no beauty expert but I do love my makeup, nails, tan etc... the full works!! And being a new mum I didn't want to change my girly ways, otherwise I just wouldn't feel like myself! But it definitely is a lot harder to achieve with a baby that needs around the clock care! I think it is important for us mummy's to still try and pamper ourselves when we can, as being a mum is a tough job so we deserve a little pampering here and there!! I have now been a mummy for just over a month, and I've come across a few amazing products that are little time (and life) savers for day-to-day use. These help me still feel semi-pretty, human and make me presentable for facing the world!! So I thought I'd share these "yummy mummy hacks" I've discovered with you, and hopefully they'll help another mama out too!!  
​

LEFT TO RIGHT: Batise Dry Shampoo, Benefit Gimme Brow, L'Oreal NUDE GLAM CC Cream, Yummy Mummy pouch from SimplySmallCo, Bondi Sands Dry-oil, Rimmel SUPERGel polishes, Sainsburys Eyelash curlers

​Rimmel SUPERGel Nail Polish
One of my absolute favourite things is having painted nails. I literally DISPISE having chipped, wonky or naked nails, it's just one of those things that bug the hell out of me and make me feel dirty (...major OCD I know!!) One day when shopping in Boots, I saw the Rimmel SUPERGel nail varnishes and thought I'd give it a go. I'd had Gel nails done professionally before, so I wasn't very optimistic about how well these would turn out... BUT I am now hooked!! Not only does this nail polish hardly ever chip and last almost as long as professional gels, but it literally dries so quickly - I was amazed!! And it's not even branded as fast drying (like Rimmel's 60 second drying nail polishes.) So calling all mums... this is PERFECT if you are trying to do your nails with a new baby, as you haven't got that awkwardly long time of not being able to touch anything!! I think we all know the dilemma of smudging that fresh new layer of polish but your baby has just woken up crying and needs you - URGH!! So yes, I couldn't recommend this polish more... Not only does this nail polish dry amazingly fast, it rarely chips, and the top coat gives a perfect shine, without having to find time to get yourself to the beauty salon, sitting there for 45 minutes and paying 10 x times the amount of buying this one over the counter!!

L'Oréal Anti-Redness GLAM NUDE CC Cream
Now this product I came across while I was still pregnant because it helped as an extra layer under my foundation to take down the redness of my pregnancy acne I got during the third trimester. However since having baby Maddison (and now my acne has pretty much cleared up!), I've rather taken to wearing this as a light foundation base on its own!! Not only does it take away any redness of blemishes but it also leaves behind a nice tint of colour, like a foundation would!! It's perfect if you just need a quick layer to brighten up your skin if you've got guests coming over (which happens a lot when you've got a new bundle of joy!) or so you look half alive for answering the door to the postman! Then I just top it off with the normal routine of powder, blush, bronze etc. I know it's not technically designed to be used as a foundation, but boy does it save time!! And lets be honest... who has the time to faff with things like contouring when you have a newborn!?! That now only happens on special occasions haha! Major mummy life saver!!

Dry Shampoo
This might be an obvious one but WOW, dry shampoo when you've haven't got time to wash your hair but it's just that little bit too greasy to get away with! I literally love whoever came up with the idea of dry shampoo. A few quick sprays, brush it through, and you're good to go! Many times has dry shampoo sorted me out at the last minute! I have always gone for the brand Batiste as they do a version for brunettes (I use dark & deep), which blends and rubs in a lot better for dark hair then the light/white colour other sprays come out as!! Even if you end up still opting for the convenient and easy "mum bun" top-knot look, at least your hair won't look greasy!! The only downside I've found with dry shampoo, is yes it saves time of washing your hair and taking away the greasy look... but use too much and you'll find the brown colour starts rubbing off onto your pillows at night! Which obviously causes more washing and more work to do!!
 
Eyelash Curlers
I honestly have no idea why it's taken me all my 24 years in the world to discover and try using eyelash curlers!?! (Makes me feel like a beauty novice!) Normally, pre-baby, I'd take the time to sit there and do my eyelashes in stages, letting the first layer dry, then using a different type of brush to make sure they're not clumpy etc. you'd think I was making my eyelashes into a piece of artwork the amount of time I'd waste doing them! But who honestly has time for all of that now?! Not this mama!! Prepping my eyelashes with curlers makes it so much quicker and easier, gives them a glorious lift, then topped off with one layer of mascara and my eyes actually look alive!! And I pretty much get the same look/affect as I did when I used to waste all that time on them before - duh?! I literally picked up a pair from Sainsburys beauty section one night and haven't looked back since!

Bondi Sands Dry-oil Self Tan
Some people like tanning, others don't. Fake tan is a beauty "Marmite" as you either love it or hate it. For me I've always preferred having a boost of colour on my skin all year round! Otherwise I look like a pale, sick, washed out ghost! I've always LOVED Bondi Sands tanning products, the tan has always come out streak free and not a horrendous fake orange colour! But recently I tried their dry-oil out (because like the whole theme of this blog post) I don't have time to stand there naked drying off with a newborn baby!!! And I do not want to ruin all of Maddie's clothes with orange fake tan marks!! This Dry-oil is amazing, literally a few pumps over your body, rub it in with a tanning mitt and you can then put clothes on straight away as it doesn't leave you sticky!! It's a gradual tanner, so don't go overboard! But is just quick, easy and smells like coconuts and a bit tropically (not like other tanning products that leave that biscuit fake tan stench!!) Another yummy mummy time saving winner!!

Benefit Gimme Brow
Finally my brows. Now I have major eyebrow OCD. I think it's because I've always had super thick and dark eyebrows, when I was younger before I discovered tweezers, I honestly looked like a wolf with these crazy bushy brows! So I'm constantly trying to keep them immaculately in shape everyday! (maybe even paranoid?!)... As my brows are so dark and thick, I have never needed to colour them in, so I literally just neaten them up! If I have a little bit longer, I will use an eyebrow pencil to just fill in any gaps and then use Benefits Gimme Brow over the top. It's a coloured gel on a brush, that you literally comb over your brows and it holds them in place perfectly!! Since having Maddison, I don't really have time for always using an eyebrow pencil, so just a quick brush through with the Gimme Brow is perfect and good to go for the day!! I think it helps that the gel has a slight colour, so it does give them a 'filled-in' look as well as holding any pesky hairs in place but take half the time!! 


So those are my favourite little life savers right now!! All of them take minimal effort and time yet still make me feel a bit glamorous in a world full of baby poop and spew!!! If you've ever used any of these products or decide to give them a go, I'd love to hear what you think, agree or disagree?! Or if you have any time-saving great products for us yummy mummy's I'd love to give them a try as well!!
​
Feel free to comment below or message me via the Social Page! Love x