Jo Loves Pink Vetiver

Jo Malone is a household name. Everyone has their favourite (Lime Basil & Mandarin since you ask) and for some of us it's the ultimate house gift. However, not so many people know that Jo Malone (MBE) left the eponymous brand in 2006 and 2011 after trouncing a particularly aggressive form of cancer came back with a new company Jo Loves.

As a brand Jo Malone, now owned by Estee Lauder, is huge and available worldwide - everything about it, even the black framed cream packaging is luxurious. Jo Loves feels different. Of course it's on a smaller scale, it's a relativley new company created by someone who has her name on products she created, in a design she wanted but is no longer affiliated to. That must be incredibly difficult. You need to it look different, you need to come up with a whole different range of fragrances and ideas. And she's done it. Jo Loves feels intimate, personal, boutique. She seems to be able to create the most amazing and unique smells and Jo Loves doesn't disappoint. Pomelo, Mandarine, Mango Thai Lime, White Rose and Lemon Leaves or my favourite, Green Orange and Coriander.

August 2017 Empties

First video since having a baby and as you can see my brain is still on the go-slow! But my empties bag was full so here they are. All products listed below.

Waitrose Bath Foam
Mane 'n Tail Deep Moisturising Conditioner
Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Deep Moisture Body Lotion
Dove DIY Hair Treatment for Aging Hair
The Body Shop Nutriganics Cleansing oil
Origins Gin ZIng Eye Cream
Mama Mio The Tummy Rub Oil 
Le Marsaillais Hand Soap
This Works In Transit Camera Close Up 

My Reviews:
Waitrose Bath Foam
Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Deep Moisture Body Lotion 
The Body Shop Nutriganics Cleansing Oil
This Works In Transit Camera Close Up
Mama Mio The Tummy Rub Oil

How to Pack your Wash Bag

This may seem really obvious to some but it's actually something that has taken me a long time to get right. Being pretty obsessed with skincare and make-up meant I spent much of my teens and twenties traveling around with bulging wash bags and make-up kits - often adding masses of weight to my luggage and I'd say at least 70% of the stuff never needed or looked at.

In this list I'm not including the obvious things like toothpaste and toothbrush. I of course pack those and a small plastic box with cotton buds and pads in. I also always have a small size talc with me... can't bear clammy feet! I used to just be slightly scared of my wash bag, there was always something leaking in there and I'd just cram more stuff in. Now I start with an empty wash bag and pack what I need for that trip (thanks to my double wash bag situation which you can see below). It doesn't take very long and I no longer have the leak/terror issue. So here's how to pack your wash bag.

Mama Mio The Tummy Rub Oil

If you've read through my previous two pregnancies you'll know that I'm a little dubious as to whether any stretch mark oils/creams/gels/potions actually work or whether it's just down to your skin, the baby, the time of year, whatever. I mean. It's a hard one to judge.I hardly used anything at all with Ned and was fine. I used Rosehip oil all the way through Jim and thought I got away with it until a sad looking (huge) jelly fish of stretch marks appeared about two days before he was born. Thanks Jim.

I jumped at the chance when offered this to try though as this is not only a bit pricier than I would normally pay - do you get what you pay for with stretch marks? But I have heard great things about it and it has a lot of good reviews.

I'm not entirely comfortable paying £27 for something that is, to my mind, not guaranteed to work. But, so far, there is not a new stretch mark in sight and a little of this goes a long way. I have been using it for three months now and I'm pretty sure it will last me until I've had the baby in July. I've been using it mostly on the bump and a bit on the tops of my thighs which are the places I usually get stretch marks. If there's any left over then after the baby is born I'll use it on my boobs as it's when the milk comes in that they tend to get stretch marks. If I run out before I have the baby I may while buy a new bottle.

March News

Photo from the Benefit UK website

So. I thought I'd start doing a sort of round-up post at the end of the month. I get a lot of emails from PR's about new trends and releases that, for whatever reason, never make it onto the blog but may be worth a mention here. There are also lots of new launches that I love the look of but, obviously can't buy everything. So they'll be listed here too. Let me know if it's useful/interesting.

New Releases

Benefit have released a new blusher, Gal'ifornia which looks beautiful and the Cheek Parade which is a lovely mix of some of their most famous bronzers and blushers and their new one Galifornia. This isn't cheap but all of these are wearable and would suit most skin types so if you are someone who loves a bit of blush this is a great treat. I know the Hula Light is a new shade but I'm not sure that both are necessary - my favourite (Sugarbomb) is not included.

Blogging

God, I fell out of love with blogging in a big way at the end of last year. It's been coming for a while and came to head in October(ish) when writing any blog post became a real struggle. I've never written about it for fear of sounding resentful or hard done by but then thought maybe you are feeling the same way?

Eleven years ago I was 22, just out of uni, working in publishing, living with my bestie and obsessed with make-up, beauty, skincare and writing. Clever bestie suggested I started a blog, they were reasonably new and exciting and a great way for wannabe writers to... well write. So I set up Little Miss B and write I did. I ranted and raved and enthused and eventually built up relationships with PRs and added a few affiliate accounts. Then mid-20s hit and I was having fun and blogging took a back seat and during that time beauty blogging really took off - completely unnoticed by me. Instagram happened, brands became more blogger savvy - no more having to sound apologetic on the phone there were actual 'portals' for bloggers and I blissfully missed it. By the time I got my teeth back into it I had a lot to learn.

Waitrose Foam Bath

Every now and again Waitrose really knock it out of the park. Their baby bottom butter is still one of the best moisturisers you can get and now they've come up with a great, reasonably priced foam baths I've tried.

And I tried them by accident. We were tightening our belts before Christmas and when looking for something to go in my bath I decided to go for the cheapest thing I could find and these happened to be on a 3 for 2 offer. So I ordered 3 for £3 and they are great.

Firstly, the choice of smells is really well thought out and quite unusual. No coconut or vanilla (or Lavender sadly as I was trying to find something soothing but anyway) but Ginger and Clementine (not overpoweringly orange or ginger which was unexpected), Fig Leaf & Sandlewood and Amber & Bergamot. Now these smell incredible in the bottle and are quite a lot less strong once they are in the bath but they do smell, and they smell good which for £1.50 is fantastic.

London is a hardwater area and the majority of bubble baths I try the actual bubbles are slim to none but this actually gives you bubbles. So you have smell and bubbles and it's not budget breaking. I should also mention that it has not dried my skin out, something which has happened in the past with foam baths, particularly the cheaper ones.

How to Get Great Summer Legs

So I've been trying to shift the baby weight and one year on I've still at least 1 stone to go. I don't fit into many of my clothes which is upsetting but the first thing to trim down is always my calves and though we may not have much chance to get our legs out in the UK in the summertime when the sun does appear I for one don't want to be caught with legs that could blind people at 100 paces. But I don't have time for full leg waxes, spray tans and massages (sadly, I wish I did) but I do have a fail-safe routine for keeping my pins presentable. I do it on two consecutive nights but you can do it all on one if you have to.

I'm an unashamed leg shaver. I've tried everything and the only thing that works for me is shaving or waxing and as I've mentioned above, I don't have time for a full leg wax (there are other areas that take up my child-allotted wax time). So I shave and exfoliate my legs on the first night. Shaving is pretty self-explanatory, I use soap and a men's razor. Not my husbands. That doesn't go well for anyone. Then I exfoliate. Now, I'm not a huge exfoliator but I do do it every now and then and when I'm prepping my legs properly I do it as I find it does make a difference to fake tan application.

I really like the St Grape Aqua Bliss Face and Body scrub which I would never use on my face but love using on the tops of my arms and my legs pre-tan. It's incredibly moisturising and effective without being too abrasive. It uses mineral sea salt as the main exfoliator so it's pretty gentle. No silicone, parabans. I don't love the smell but it's not that strong and it's floral, not offensive. I then moisturise when I get out of the bath, as I do every time I get out of the bath. For my legs I like to use a reasonably priced quite thick moisturiser I really like the ones from Nutrogena and Dove. I keep the expensive Clarins Renew Plus Body Serum for my upper body but I will use it to get rid of the keratosis pilaris on the tops of my thighs when it's time to tan (see my original review here).

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Velvet Body Oil

Some people really pull it out the bag when you have a baby and my friend A nailed it when Jim came along by giving me this and some delicious biscuits. Although I usually wear Coco rather than Coco Mademoiselle this is absolutely beautiful on the skin where maybe Coco would be a full on. And I love that if I apply this after the gym in the morning and then put on either Coco or Eau Dynamisante in the evening this will work with them rather than clashing.

I usually believe that body products designed around a fragrance don't really do what they are supposed to, even if they are from brands who usually deliver great skincare, but this is a genuinely good body oil. It is quickly absorbed, nourishing and comes in a proper spray bottle with a lid. No naffing about pouring it into your hands and back into the bottle.

If like me you have very dry skin then this is not enough on its own but as mentioned, I use it after the shower at the gym and it's just lovely and means that if I forget to put scent on I smell faintly of Coco Mademoiselle even by the end of the day.

What You Need to Know - Coco Mademoiselle Velvet Body Oil

• £42 or US$57
• 200ml
• Available in the UK from Debenhams, Boots, Feel Unique, John Lewis,
• Available in the US from Nordstrom,

Goe Oil

Some products fit in so easily with your life that you forget to review them - Gao Oil is one of these. I was given it by a friend who'd been to the US on holiday and had become obsessed with it, as did I. It went into my washbag and every time I use it I think 'I must review that' and then forget. Well review it I will.

I rather absent-mindedly assumed this was the latest cool Korean product she'd just happened to find in the US but Jao brand are actually from Pennsylvania and Goe stands for Garden of Eden - a little insight into the idea behind this wonder product. It's been a decade or so since everyone fell in love with Paw Paw oil and Goe is a very similar product though, if possible, even more multi-tasking. I have used it as a body moisturiser, on my dry skin patches that would have become eczema, as an eye make-up remover and a tamer of frizzy hair and apparently it can also be used as aftersun. The reason it went straight into my washbag is that it means you have every eventuality covered in one tube; cracked heels, rough cuticles, eye make-up remover, tame flyaways, moisturiser, soothing shave-rash, chapped lips or nose from a cold. This will sort out all of these and more. And it's incredibly cool packaging makes it acceptably unisex.

Chiropodist or Podiatrist?

This isn't going to be a glamorous post. It seems that nowadays you have to have beautiful photos and only glam products on your blog but that's never been my way. It started for a love of and interest in beauty products, skincare and general bodily well-being (on the outside... ) and that continues. So if you are not interested in feet or are going to be grossed out at the mention of foot ailments then this probably isn't the post for you. If you are then do continue...

Clarins Renew Plus Body Serum

People who have read this blog for a while (Hello and thank you) will know that I have Keratosis pilaris also known as 'chicken skin' (lovely) or as I call it, bumpy tops of my arms. I've always had, I was told I would grow out of it and never have. Nor have I found anything to get rid of it. I tried Environ Derma-Lac which helped a bit but as soon as I stopped using it, it was just as it always was.

I have been told by a couple of people that the Clarins Renew Plus Body Serum would help but I was dubious. It's not cheap and I have a lot of body moisturisers to work my way through. But in a fit of post-baby body loathing I thought I would give it a go and snuck it into an order with Euan the dream sheep and a bath thermometer.

Helmies

I was dubious of Helmies. But I needed them. Between being in that new-baby state of self loathing for the state you're in and a the 3 year old saying 'I don't like those pink nails you have on Mummy [my natural nails] but the red ones back on' I needed a way to paint my nails and write the numerous emails/blog posts I had lined up or change a nappy if necessary. Mr Harrod has a habit of working late... quite a lot.

Dove DermaSpa

Years and years ago Dove Spa sent me some products and in it was a big tub of whipped body moisturiser that was (and is) without doubt one of my favourite moisturisers ever. Then they stopped making it. I've kept the remaining bit of my last pot for years using it only when I'm feeling particularly dry and crispy I would use it. As a treat.

When companies stop making things, or go out of business altogether, it can be a nightmare for those who really love their products (why oh why didn't I stock up on MyFace MyMix Foundation when I had the chance? By far the best high street foundation there's ever been). So I'm really excited to be trying out the new Dove DermaSpa range. I have incredibly dry skin on my body so a good affordable moisturiser is a must and I have high hopes that the Goodness Body Cream will be similar and as good, if not better than the whipped body moisturiser I loved all those years ago...

Professor Scrubbington

This is going to be one of those weird cross-over posts that works on both blogs (if you didn't know I have another blog here) so that's where it's going... on both blogs.

I was very kindly sent some gorgeous Professor Scrubbington products to try out. They arrived just before Jim and therefore sat, neglected on the side in my kitchen in their gorgeous suitcase packaging until finally I actually listened when Ned said he wanted to take it downstairs (where his bedroom and bathroom are) and they made their way to the bathroom. We've been using them (for Ned, not Jim, he's too little) ever since and I LOVE them.

Like many parents I am a slave to Johnson's Bedtime Bath because we will do anything that implies it may help our child sleep. Jim is too tiny to be having actual bubbles in his bath but I use the Johnson's Bedtime Body Wash but Ned, well Ned is a good sleeper (so far) and not that keen on bubbles or having his hair washed, so he was good and ready to try something new.

Professor Scrubbington's Emporioum of Clean is aimed at 'young people who want to take charge of their own ablutions', from the age of 3 up. To that end they are completely child-user-friendly, foams that don't slip off the hand, containers that are squeezable with one hand and the packaging and design is very cool. I also really love the smell, much more 'grown-up' than I was expecting and have been really impressed with the products I've tried. Ned is too, he really likes that they aren't for babies (he's quite superior now he's a big brother) the design and the name. One thing I would say is that initially it's quite hard to work out how to open them but once you do it's actually very clever and will stop the entire product being squirted out by little hands while your back is turned.

So my top picks from the Professor Scrubbington range are...

Scrubbington's Magically Foaming Face and Handwash - £5 for 150ml we have this in the bathroom next to the kitchen for post-loo handwashing and when we need a good sleuce down after supper. Ned really loves that he can pump the soap out himself and stops the shouting about me scrubbing pesto off his face - he can do it himself.

Scrubbington's Magically Foaming Hair and Body Wash - £5 for 150ml. Great for super-quick baths or as an all-in-one to have in the wash bag.
 
Scrubbington's Magically Foaming Shampoo - £5 for 150ml. If you child is a fan of bubbles in their bath then this is a great shampoo to use instead of the hair and body wash above. Smells great and leaves the hair clean and shiny.

These are incredibly reasonably priced so I really urge you to try them out - you can see them in action in my video coming soon

Nip + Fab Detox Blend Bath Soak and Body Scrub

Finding a body scrub that effectively exfoliates dry skin without leaving it angry and red is quite difficult so I was really impressed with Nip + Fab's Detox Blend Body Scrub. It exfoliates but gently so was perfectly suited to my dry, sensitive skin. I've been trying it out for a month, using it once or twice a week on the tops of my arms and they are smoother and softer. If you want something really hardcore (I don't know why you would) then this isn't it. The exfoliating ingredient is very fine pieces of walnut shell - your bath won't be gritty after using it - which is hard enough to be an effective exfoliator but won't break up and become harsh on the skin.Great for getting the tops of your arms ready for spring and at £9.99 for 200ml so should last you a while if you use it once or twice a week. I wouldn't recommend using this on your face.

The Nip + Fab Detox Blend Bath Soak I wasn't sure of at first as it's quite an unusual smell (if you know what Tea Tree smells like then you'll know what I mean) but I genuinely believe it has been relaxing me when I've used it and now I deliberately soak in it after a stressful day. Tea Tree, Green tea and jasmine work together to rejuvenate and detox the body and mind though I can't vouch for it actually detoxing the body tea tree has long been used on the skin for skin allergies and as an antiseptic. Frankincense oil is believed to be comforting and stress busting and this bath soak makes a great change from my usual nice-smell-but-nothing-else bath choices. For 217ml I think this is very reasonably priced at £8.99.

Neutrogena Norweigian Formula Deep Moisture Body Lotion for Dry Skin - Quick Review Friday Video

This has shot to the top my list of favourite body moisturisers. Helps the horrible itchy dry skin I get at this time of year and I feel moisturised for 24 hours. There is no need to spend all your money on a good moisturiser - this is £4-5 for 400ml

Butter London Nail Foundation Flawless Finish

Since using this base coat I have not bought or used another one, even when I go for a manicure or pedicure I take this with me - it is my absolute number one nail base and I can't see that changing.

I originally bought it when I was first pregnant with Ned and was worried about the amount of toxic things I was no doubt pumping into my body without realising - I got my hair coloured throughout my pregnancy, wear make-up everyday and have nails painted most of the time. Butter London is a fantastic company which not only does the most stunning range of colours and finishes (and has recently branched out into make-up as well) but does a 3-Free range meaning no Dibutyl Phthalate, Toluene, and Formaldehyde. I supposed there was no point buying 3-Free lacquer's if I wasn't careful about what was in my base coat which led me to trying the Nail Foundation. 

The colours are not the longest lasting I've tried (though this is more due to my lousy application - it was their colour Snog that lasted months when I had the best pedicure I've ever had) but this base coat is so good that, if you are a fan of nude nails, you could wear it on it's own. It is like a make-up primer for the nails, creating a smooth surface covering all ridges and leaving a lovely silky matte finish. Fast drying it creates the perfect base on which to paint the colour of your choice and prevents staining even from the most treacherous colours and keeps nails in great condition.

What you need to know - Butter London Nail Foundation

• £13 but prices vary widely
• Free from Dibutyl Phthalate, Toluene, and Formaldehyde
• Available from Butter London, Look Fantastic, Boots,  Selfridges, Bath & Unwind

The Best Pedicure I've Ever Had

Do not take this statement lightly. I would love to pretend to be one of those low maintenance women who can say they once got a pedicure because they got a free voucher. I'm not. I love pedicures and I will use anything as an excuse to have one. Pregnancy is the best I've come up with so far especially awesome that I literally couldn't touch my feet or get shoes on them past 6 months so I had to wear flip-flops and it would have been rude of me to not have nicely done feet as they were on show all the time. Even if they were three times their normal size and seemingly made of dough. I love manicure's too but can live without them but the bliss of having someone else deal with and rub my feet is something I find a necessity especially since having Ned. The bliss of an hour with a cup of tea and a magazine while technically doing something. I mean I can't wander around whilst my nails are being done. That would be silly.

My love of a pedicure does not mean that I get them regularly however, no no, my mostly-stay-at-home-mum bank account doesn't stretch to such luxuries on a regular basis but my sister and I decided it would be nice to treat my mum when she came up to London on her birthday in September. We didn't have a lot of time so a pedicure seemed like the perfect thing but where in Chiswick? There were a number of options and I left it up to my sister to books it having mentioned a couple of places I thought looked good. She chose The Beauty Lounge on Turnham Green Terrace and without knowing it we walked in to the best pedicure I've ever had.

I actually think it was a fab place to choose for a birthday as it looks pretty lovely and chic but that's not what was so fantastic. What makes this place worth mentioning (let it be noted I don't review every beauty treatment I have on this blog) is that we had our nails done on September 13th and I eventually removed the nail varnish on November 8th not because it needed it - there was not even the smallest of chips - but because my nails had grown so much there were huge half moons of pink toe showing. I suppose I should have left it on to see just how long it lasted but I can't bear bare toes. I had cut them and still no chip. That is amazing longevity of polish and therefore value for money. And it wasn't just me - my mum came to stay and said 'is your toe nail polish still on?' she'd been on a beach holiday and hers was still going strong.

The pedicure itself (we had the Beauty Lounge Pedicure) wasn't the cheapest at £35 for an hour but this was properly done even without knowing how long the colour was going to last. There's a lovely range of Essie and OPI colours to choose from (I took my own from Butter London) and your feet are soaked in lovely hot water - so often it can be tepid-cold which is hardly relaxing or I would have thought very helpful at softening the skin. I am also a big fan of the use of those terrifying razor-blade things rather than a file - such is the dryness of my feet - but they used a file and got my feet completely smooth. The massage was done properly and for long enough and the colour perfect, beautiful and long lasting. 

If you are in West London and want to go somewhere were they really know what they are doing, have incredible service and long-lasting results go to the Beauty Lounge on Turnham Green Terrace.

p.s I spoke to my mother about writing this post and she said she eventually removed hers on the 18th November because the regrowth was more than the colour and there was still not a chip to be seen. She confirms it to be the best pedicure she's ever had.

Friday Video - Three Non-Glamorous Products I Wouldn't Be Without

YouTube is full of people reviewing glamorous designer make-up products so I thought... what are the three least glam things in my bathroom that I buy over and over again. And here they are...

Derma-Lac Lotion by Environ
In-Grow Go by Skin Doctors
JML Ped Egg

My original Ped Egg review is here