Beauty and the bump: oils

Being a pregnant beauty editor definitely draws its benefits. I'm always offered to test treatments for free and as many of you mothers know, pregnancy is a time when these kind of opportunities are especially appreciated. So look out for regular 'Beauty and the bump' posts that will see me reviewing old and new beauty-bump remedies and treatments. These are also going to pop up on the fab website nonstopmama where I'm a guest contributor.

During my first pregnancy (that's me above 8 months gone with Oliver) I tested a few potions to keep stretch marks at bay. Oils were always a popular choice as their moisturising properties are second to none (their lighter formula allow them to penentrate deeper into skin than regular moisturisers normally do). But there was one contender that really stood out and I know for sure it's one that my fellow beauty mum's also swear by: Clarins Aroma Body Care Body Treatment Oil. I got through 4 bottles and during this pregnancy I've nearly finished my 5th! Honest, I'd drink it if I could.

So what makes it such a bump must-have? Apart from smelling divine, think clean-sheets hanging in a garden centre - its texture is perfect. It leaves no greasy leftovers as it sinks into skin almost straight away. Okay, it's pricey at just under £35 a bottle, but it works. I have no stretch marks to show for Oliver, and none so far this time (fingers crossed). Plus as a daily luxury, the fact that it makes you feel better about yourself too during months when you don't often feel your very best, makes it worth its weight in gold.

This time around I've also found another can't-live-without-it oil, but this time for my face! Since having Oliver, I have suffered quite badly with hormone-induced pigmentation. Dark patchy spots around my upper lip, chin and cheeks (attractive)! So when a beauty PR friend of mine heard me whining about it one day, she offered to send me a bottle of (supposedly) pigmentation-reducing face oil. And after 3 months of nightly usage, D'Arphin's Organic Orange Blossom Aromatic Care Face Oil has also made it to the top of my beauty and the bump list.

So what does it do? Well for me, it made my skin look more vibrant and even. Apparantly it's the liquorice extract and carrot essential oil that helps blend away any uneven patches. Using an oil on the face feels like a luxury too. Some of you might think it would leave you looking and feeling like a chip-shop assistant, but far from it - skin appears plump and healthy with a 'rich-looking' glow. You know the one that's reserved for supermodels and celebs.

I really am a big fan of oils, and this probably isn't the last post that I shall dedicate to their wonderful benefits. I really do believe they should be part of everyone's beauty regime, pregnant or not, oily skin or non-oily skin. So why not try one out and make them a part of your beauty routine?

Donnax

Another beauty blog?

I'm not new to this blogging lark! In fact, not to blow my own trumpet - I was one of the first beauty journalists to create a blog with my best fashion stylist mate - see it @ donnaandnavaz.blogspot.com - way back in 2007. We even got mentioned in Vogue as a 'blog to watch.' And since then, the media world has gone blogging mad with wannabe journo's competing alongside award-winning eds to be the top of the blogging lists.

To be honest, I didn't get blogs at first. Yes, they were a great way of providing a portal for getting your name established in the media, or raise awareness for your brand but did they really supply the same service that magazines provided? That is to entertain, educate and aspire their readers?

Well if their rising popularity is anything to go by, it seems that they do fill a gap that magazines simply can't. Their biggest strength being that they're unbiased. Unlike glossy magazines, they don't have to 'payback' their advertisers with 'good' reviews about 'mediocre' products. They can be as friendly and funny as they like, and likewise posts can be shocking too. And they're free!

It's clear the blogging phenomena is not going to go away. Even the world's biggest companies are taking them seriously as an informative and serious media contender. In the beauty world alone, the most powerful conglomerates like Estee Lauder and L'Oreal are appointing departments to target bloggers to get them 'on side'. As a media professional and as a reader, I log on to my favourite blogs on a daily basis. And I'm addicted!

But is there room for me? Is there room for the Beauty Mum? Beauty has gone barmy for blogs. Why have another one?

Time will tell and I must admit, I'm jumping on the blogging bandwagon again to fulfill what is due to be a bit of a gap in my career as a magazine Beauty Editor. I'm pregnant with my second child you see, and apart from my foreseeable future being filled with the school-run and sudocream, I still need to fulfill my needs for all things beautiful. I don't want to disappear into suburban motherhood without still tapping into the glamorous and trendy side of my life. I adore my career but as I want my mummy-time to take priority I cannot commit 100% to deadlines, shows and launches. So here I am blatantly using the blogging phenomena to write about my other passion - beauty!

So what makes The Beauty Mum different from other beauty blogs? I'm not sure it has a USP really! Apart from mixing beauty chat with motherhood rants, but there are other blogs that do that brilliantly too. What I do know is that The Beauty Mum's content will provide its readers with the blogging benefits - honest, unbiased free, friendly advice about beauty products, trends and treatments, as well as the odd observation/rant/tip about my life as a suburban mum.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I will!

Donnax