There are a few ways to get this graduated glitter effect but I find the method below the simplest and the quickest:


For the base coat I used Sensationail gel polish in Fuzzy Navel. The finer glitter is Models Own in Northern Lights and the chunkier glitter is Models Own in Pink Fizz. Followed by a top coat of Seche Vite.
P.S. When applying the glitter, don't be too precise, the more irregular this looks the better!

Someone got a hold of my polish this morning and requested 'Spa-kululy Tootsies'. How could I say no?

I've shied away from Mothercare for quite a while, too many primary colours and generally a bit garish for our liking ( John Lewis and M&S you are also guilty of this!). Lately however I have been pleasantly surprised. Recently I've noticed tons of gorgeous knitwear and beautiful french style outfits in muted mauves, taupes and lilacs which we totally heart!! Love the mothercare quality and the price range too of course.

Little E and I are currently obsessed with this cream Fair isle leggings & cardi combo with matching t-shirt, very Pocahontas chic!

There's nothing like a bit of Fair isle to make you feel all warm and Christmassy is there?

One of the most fantastic things about being pregnant, aside from my wonderful bambinos of course, has been the dramatic hair growth. My hair is now the longest that it has ever been but by a cruel twist of fate, over the past 2 months my hair has been falling out by the bucket load. Postpartum hair loss sucks.

Remember I did the oatmeal face mask a while ago? Well it still works a treat but I have been on the lookout for a good skincare routine that would also help calm my sensitive skin. Towards the end of my pregnancy I tried out Dermalogica's Ultra Calming range. It is really lovely and soothing but I did get frustrated having to use both a serum and a moisturiser! Plus, the Dermalogica range is fantastic but not cheap!!

So, I did a little more research and came across Liz Earle's products. I carted the little ones ( Luckily they were both asleep!!) down to the Liz Earle store on Duke of York Square where the fantastic sales assistant recommended their Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser along side the Skin Repair Moisturiser for Dry/Sensitive Skin and the Instant Boost Skin Tonic. I bought the smallest bottles to test out the products and have since been back to buy more!



The Hot Cloth Cleanser: I don't normally use cream cleansers because I find them too heavy for my skin but I find this one really effective in removing my makeup without feeling gunky. I love the ritual of using a hot muslin cloth to remove my make up, it's really soothing and gently. To begin with I just hold the hot cloth over my skin and breathe in the lovely lavender scented cream. I use the muslin (Which you can buy in store) two or three times and then throw it in the washing machine/ tumble dryer with all the Aden & Anais baby muslins.

The Instant Boost Skin Tonic: This is just a fantastic and gently toner, with no alcohol. It smells faintly of rose (but not in a granny's handbag kinda way).

Skin Repair Moisturiser for Dry/Sensitive Skin: A really yummy moisturiser, my skin is quite oily but this doesn't feel at all greasy. One thing I'm not a fan of though is the smell, it reminds me of Veet hair removal cream. This is such a fantastic skin care range though that I can totally forgive the smell, which thankfully doesn't lurk around after the moisturiser has been applied.


I still use my Konjac sponge in the mornings and I find the whole combination works really really well. My skin looks really plumped up and smooth, I feel like I have less lines which just goes to show how many wrinkles are due to dehydration rather than ageing! One of my all-time favourite moisturisers is the incredible Creme de la Mer and I would go so far to say that this is just as good and of course infinitely more affordable.

Since my littlest was born, this summer, I have never felt so slummy in all my life. Apart from the fact that I still have a ton of baby weight to shed and my lovely long thick hair is falling out by the bucket load, I'm so busy with my gorgeous twosome that I barely get a minute to pile on the slap so I do really appreciate having lovely glowing skin that this skin care routine has given me.

I've been recommending this collection to anyone who will listen, have you tried this range?

Today, we stepped out of blogging hibernation to make a trip to Hamleys of Regent Street for a very worthy cause. Thomas the tank engine and friends are undertaking an epic journey this Christmas, to help the Fat Controller deliver gifts to children in hospitals all over the UK & Ireland and their journey began in London, this morning.

We hopped in a taxi, as you can see little E was super excited!!


When we arrived at Hamleys, we had exclusive access to the store for an hour before it opened to the general public. There was face painting, balloon modelling, story telling with the Fat Controller, and of course…. colouring in!!




We stuck around after the store opened to the public at Midday on a mission to get some Christmas gift inspiration. We needn't have worried, little E was very clear with what she 'Needed'. 'I need this' was her phrase du jour.
I've always loved Hamleys and as children my sister and I would beg my parents to take us there whenever we were on a shopping trip to London. My mother always allowed us to choose a small treat each and following in this tradition, little E chose something for herself and for her baby brother. She made a bee line straight for the Peppa Pig section and then chose a teething toy for Rufio.


To find out more about Thomas & Friends Christmas Journey, check out www.tracksforthomas.com
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Hi everyone, long time no blog!

Since my last post, we now have a new addition to the family and seeing as he is now just over a month old I thought it was high time I introduced him to the rest of my blog readers, who don't follow me on Instagram and Twitter.

Say hello to......


Rufus


Everything went exactly to plan with the birth ( I opted for an elective c-section)  and just like his big sister, he is absolutely adorable. Little E has turned out to be the most amazing and caring big sis and we are so incredibly proud of how well she has adjusted to her new role.

The last month has been a whirlwind of nappy changes, bleary eyed night time feeds and midwife visits but once things settle down I can't wait to get back to blogging. If my quest for yummy mummyness was challenging with one little munchkin to look after then two is a whole different ball game so stay tuned....

• Put the oats in a food processor and blend* for 10-20 seconds
• Add the water and honey 
• Blend for a further 30 seconds, or as desired
• Apply to the face and leave on for 20mins
• Wash off with water

The best of the rest:

Kourtney Kardashian: In my opinion, Kourtney, who gave birth to baby Penelope last summer, is by far the most stylish of the Kardashian clan. I absolutely love this red swing dress and black Louboutin combination.
Sienna Miller: It comes as no surprise really that the eternally stylish Sienna had no problems translating her boho chic style in to maternity wear, whilst expecting her daughter Marlowe. The Breton stripe top and jeans look could easily be worn post pregnancy and the cape adds a touch of luxe to the look.
Malin Akerman: Swedish beauty Malin looks effortlessly chic in this flattering black daytime outfit, whist pregnant with baby Sebastian. The brown boots and scarf lift the look and prevent it from looking too sombre.
Fearne Cotton: Fearne Cotton was quite open about the fact that she detested maternity wear and instead opted to wear items from her own range, a few sizes larger than normal. I love her in this blue floral dress which she wore on the red carpet although if you look closely you can tell that it's not maternity wear because it's raised slightly at the front, where the cut of the dress hasn't allowed for a bump.
Kristin Cavallari: As with Lucy-Jo Hudson, I hadn't really paid much attention to 'The Hill's' Star Kristin Cavallari's dress sense, until she became pregnant. This grey evening gown looks super elegant and the ruching flatters her bump impeccably.
Kristen Bell: Kristen looks incredible in this grey billowing Jenny Packham gown, to create a similar look check out the red carpet collection from Tiffany Rose Here!
Fergie: I absolutely adore Fergie in this Mary Katrantzou dress which she wore to the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards earlier this year. Admittedly she was then much earlier on in her pregnancy than some of the other celebs shown, Fergie really shows us how to get away with wearing regular clothes when pregnant ( poor old Kim K really should have been taking note!)
The Duchess of Cambridge: When it comes to dressing the bump, Kate really can do no wrong in the eyes of the public. This peach Tara Jarmon coat has been one of my favourites. However, with every fashion house known to man begging to dress her, I do feel that she has it easier than most so she really should be getting it spot on! I think that she dresses a little old for her age, but it's nothing that a fabulous statement necklace couldn't fix!
And, and I have another teeny weeny bugbear- Kate and I are due the same day and my bump is ( no joke!) 3 times the size of hers. I think it's far easier to dress well when your bump is relatively small.  Meanwhile, I'm sitting at my laptop looking like Mr Greedy, so yes, I am just the slightest bit jealous!




I really debated over whether to do a whole 'what not to wear' section and generally I like to stay away from negativity on the blog ( I need all the good karma I can get right now!) But I will say that whatever style choices you make when pregnant, do not, I repeat DO NOT, even consider wearing nude and Perspex stiletto sandals, when you are suffering from swollen feet, or any vertiginous heels for that matter. I have no problem with women wearing heels during pregnancy but Kim Kardashian's sandals in the photo below just look as though they are cutting off her circulation. I know she has an image to uphold, but this outfit just looks uncomfortable.


*This post is a PR collaboration.

• They are said to last up to 7 days, without the need of a UV light, just a special topcoat which becomes more durable with exposure to natural light. 
• No base coat is needed
• No professional application necessary, it's applied just like regular polish 
• They are quick drying
• Best of all they, can be removed with regular nail polish so no more hours on end spent unglamorously soaking off gels. 

The collection consists of a bottle of the top coat, which you absolutely have to use to get the most out of this product and the shades Lobster Roll, Pink Bikini, Grape Gum and Water Park ( seen below in order). Lobster Roll is a gorgeous bright summery red, Pink Bikini is an almost neon vibrant pink shade. Grape gum is a frosted purple and water park a metallic blue, I don't care much for frosted polishes so not sure how much use I will get out of these two!

Please, please, please excuse my raggedy cuticles seen below, dry hands is one of the things I won't miss about being pregnant!


I am so excited to see if this actually lasts a week, those of you who read my blog regularly will know how frustrated I get with regular polish as it only ever lasts a couple of days on me. Hence the reason why I tend to go for DIY gel manicures.
Have you tried CND's Vinylux system yet or something similar?

• Last weekend we went for to see our little Bean in 3D, and it seems that beanie already bears a striking resemblance to big sis little E! The lips and nose are very very similar. The 3D scan was such a fantastic experience that it deserves a post of it's very own which will be coming soon!!!  
• I'm now just over 30 weeks pregnant and my not so little bean is now the size of a large cabbage!!!
• My regular clothes have been resigned to the back of the wardrobe and I am very very thankful for my wardrobe staples which come in the form of my Seraphine Skinny Maternity Jeans ( the only jeans I could find that actually stayed up!) and my Keungzai Super Soft Maternity Leggings  which are simply amazing!
• 3rd trimester has hit me like a ton of bricks, as soon as I reached the 28 week mark I started to feel exhausted once again, Back pain and SPD has also returned, I feel like I'm constantly complaining about something ( see below!) Moving house, working and looking after little E has taken it's toll and it's definitely time for me to start slowing down, fortunately I only have a few more weeks left in work. 
• Loving having super long and thick hair but not loving drying and styling it because I get far too hot and flustered. Time to make use of the local blowdry bar I think.....
• Thankfully still no sign of the dreaded pregnancy acne this time, instead my skin is really dry and itchy, I have recently discovered Dermalogica's Ultra Calming range which is helping immensely.
• Byebye feet!!!! DIY Pedi's are a thing of the past seeing as I can no longer reach my toes!!! Salon Pedicures are de rigeur for the foreseeable future, with the odd manicure thrown in for good measure!!

1. Like a good (1/2) Greek girl, I love my Feta! THIS recipe for Feta dip from The Londoner, is so easy that even I can make it!!

2. I have recently discovered THIS fantastic 30 minute prenatal yoga clip with Lara Dutta on YouTube, it helps to me to wake up in the morning, which is becoming increasingly difficult as I head towards 28 weeks.

3. I'm coveting THESE monogram studs from Anthropologie, I would of course have the letter E.

4. THIS tutorial for winged eyeliner from The Beauty Department is foolproof and works fantastically well.

Well as you can see, it's not quite what I was looking for and the actual shade is far pinker than the swatch shown on their website. It is also quite sheer so I applied three coats to achieve opacity. Whilst it's quite a pretty shade, it's still rather tame for my tastes so I added a little love heart to make things a little more interesting.
To achieve the heart, I used Gelish Tiger Blossum gel polish. Using a cocktail stick I placed three tiny circles of polish in a triangle shape and then joined them together to create a heart shape and filled it out slightly.


If you have any suggestions for a peach gel polish then please, pretty please, let me know!!!

Luckily the sun popped out to say hi for the first time this year!! It was still a little chilly though.





I'm so excited to see the final results which should be in the first ever issue of Juno Mum magazine, out this summer.
Throughout both pregnancies, I haven't really let anyone take any photos of me. Mainly because I've felt so uncomfortable with myself and how I look, but yesterday I was made to feel like a superstar and everyone was SO lovely. Wouldn't it be great if all mamas could get pampered like that once in a while?

I had so many products that I wanted to use in this post that I decided to split it in to two, one for hands & body and another for facial products. My skin is, to quote my godmother's melodramatic description 'Parched'! so most of these products are super moisturising and generally quite fantastic, even if you're not expecting! Here's the first instalment:


1. St Tropez Gradual Tan Medium/ Dark A few reasons why this is on my list, first of all my skin is currently too dry for regular self tan so the added moisturiser in this product is very very welcome. Secondly, I'm far too tired at night now to bother with tanning lotions and I can slather this one on every morning after my shower. Thirdly, I'm hypersensitive to smells right now and fortunately I can detect only the slightest whiff of eau de fake tan. Finally, I love the glow this gives me and I no longer feel like a pregnant marshmallow. One coat takes the edge off garishly pasty skin and 2-3 coats gives the appearance of having spent a few days in the sun!!
A few points to note, if you're really fair skinned then I would go for the lighter version. Also you still need to maintain this as you would any other fake tan i.e. exfoliate regularly.

2.Superdrug Moisture Cuticle Oil Pen I spotted this in Superdrug a while ago and picked it up mainly because of the convenient pen design with built in cuticle pusher. It slots nicely in to my handbag so I can moisturise my ravaged cuticles when I'm out and about. This contains both Vitamin E and almond oil ( which smells amazing!) and comes in at a bargaintastic £2.99!! Vogue calls this product 'Miraculous', what higher accolade could you ask for?

3. Skintruth Creamy Cuticle Remover I spotted this product whilst having a manicure in a very smart salon in Belgravia and very sneakily took down it's name as I was so impressed with it. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it costs just £3.98 from Sally's. I use this now for my DIY manicures, it seems to dissolve any yucky cuticles in no time at all so I don't even need to bother with the cuticle cutters.

4. Aveda Hand Relief  Don't let the awful name put you off this brilliant hand cream. This was bought for me buy a friend ( a former Aveda colourist!) when I was pregnant with little E, apparently it leaves a barrier on your skin for up to 5 hand washes. This is seriously one of the best hand creams I've tried, non greasy, it smells gorgeous and lasts forever. Try the travel size tube if you're not convinced!
If you'd prefer something fragrance free then try Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Concentrated Hand Cream Unscented.

5. Aveda Blue Oil This teeny little roller ball bottle contains peppermint and chamomile. Whenever I feel a mild headache coming on, I rub this on my temples and at the back of my neck, after a few minutes these areas feel slightly tingly and if I catch my headache in plenty of time it can actually stop it in it's tracks.

6. This Works Perfect Heels Rescue Balm I first reviewed this just before Christmas here. This really helps with dry and cracked skin on your feet and heels and has a really lovely light lavender scent. Earlier on in my pregnancy I really couldn't stand anything perfumed and found Compeed's Dry and Cracked Heel Overnight Cream which is unscented and is also rather wonderful too. 

Well you all know how much I love my nails products so a gift voucher for some nail art from my ever thoughtful sister was the perfect birthday present for me. Yes, my birthday was back in January but what with moving house, whilst trying not to be violently ill or fall asleep, this weekend was the first opportunity I had to get me some nail art.
Little E currently thinks it's hilarious to call her father and myself by our first names, so when I gave my name over the phone to make the  booking, E of course thought this was hilarious. I have no idea how the poor lady on the phone could hear a word I was saying thanks to my daughter screaming Becca! Becca!! Somehow we managed to find a suitable appointment and she also added that the salon was very child friendly if I wanted to bring little E along too!! 'Er no, I think I'll have an afternoon off' was my swift reply, but good to know for future reference.



So on a snowy Saturday afternoon, I waddled down to Hari's salon on the Kings Road where Sophy Robson's nail salon is based, Sophy is known for creating nail designs for the likes of Kylie, Kate Moss and Taylor Swift.  Upon arrival, I was met by the lovely Neringa who was my manicurist that day, I follow Neringa's nail designs on Instagram so I knew I was in good hands.


My appointment was booked for a gel manicure with nail art. I chose Gelish Go Girl as a base and then we looked over a selection of nail art, truthfully there were so many amazing designs that I found it impossible to choose so I just let Neringa work her magic. The final result was perfect, lots of girly glitter, bows and hearts, one happy customer!



I can't believe that this salon has been on my doorstep for the past few years and I haven't been before. I  will definitely be going back for more, next time even I'm contemplating some almond shaped nail extensions!! While I currently feel very pregnant and frumpy, my nails at least will be quite the opposite!

For more information Sophy Robson Nails, check out their website here!

p.s. I did mention on Instagram that I was going write up post about my new sensationail polish which I wore last week but changed my mind after this fabulous mani. I promise to post it next week though.