Age Defying Double D's?

I have a love/hate relationship with make-up. My skin is super sensitive and I can never find a foundation that doesn't either look as though it's been shovelled on because it's really thick or one that just slides off my skin after an hour. I'm not quite at the stage where I'm confident to go out without make up on (I'm very... fair) for fear of looking dead, the struggle is REAL.

I've tried BB cream and could never find one that my skin liked and then CC cream and that just didn't work for me. Colour correcting my butt! When I heard that Green People were bringing out a tinted DD moisturiser, I rolled my eyes. Another joke. But after giving up with my most recent foundation purchase, I was ready to try anything.

I've always been a huge fan of Green People products. We're a very sensitive-skinned family so we don't just put any old crap on our bodies and always aim for natural and organic where possible. I knew this new wonder product would be good on my skin because I've never been able to find fault in Green People and as soon as I opened the sachet and applied it to my face, I was immediately surprised.

DD stands for daily defence (and perhaps your cup size too if you're in the big boobie club) and is an anti-ageing product (BIG FAN). The solution stimulates cell renewal, reduces age spots and moisturises the skin (winning). It contains natural SPF15 protection (if you read any beauty blogs you'll know this is very important) AND colour correction. It glided onto my skin, giving an even tone (YES, FINALLY!) and covered up the red patch on my nose (damn you winter).

I spent about thirty means dicking about trying to find some natural light on a miserable day and just as I was about to give up, the sun came out. Not the best photography but you can just about see a glow to my skin (ignore the unruly eyebrows and semi-wet hair). 

You know I'm a no-bullshit kinda gal and I won't just sing the praises of something if I don't genuinely LOVE something. Well I GENUINELY love this product. It went on evenly and I didn't even need that much. I didn't expect to be bowled over by a DD cream, that's for sure. I can happily say I'd leave the house in just that, I wouldn't really need anything else on (my face). Thank you, Green People, for getting something so right (again)... you've made my week and my make up bag.

I'd recommend this to everyone. If you're looking for something with good coverage that doesn't look as though it's been caked on and is gentle on your skin... this will do the job. 

(Fair skinned ladies like me, you'll need the light version although you're given the choice to select both colours in sample size to try if you aren't sure)

Age Defy+ Tinted DD Moisturiser is made without petrochemicals, methylisothiazolinone, methylchloroisothiazolinone, synthetic colourants and preservatives to bring you the purest DD cream that nature can offer.

You can find out more about the Age Defy+ collection here.

I was sent a sample of the Green People Tinted DD moisturiser to review and as always all opinions are my own. 

Mummy takes a time out.

We don't use the naughty step or time out in this house. That's not to say we haven't tried it, it just didn't work for us. But I'll tell you who it does work for... me.

Today I called in sick. I work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and every single day of the year. Like all mums. I haven't taken a sick day in the almost four years I've worked for my daughter and I haven't taken annual leave either, that's not to say I haven't wanted to. Often.

When you're running on not a lot of sleep, sleep that might seem to your partner as long 11-7(ish) when in actual fact is pretty much nothing when it's disturbed the whole time (the sleep I get), you slowly (dripping tap slowly) start to lose your mind. And when you start to lose your mind at one of the most depressing times of the year, you're heading for a meltdown. Three year old style.

Last night was hard, I was tired(!) and she spent the night coughing and snotting everywhere. At twenty to three she woke up and so we went and ran the shower for a while to help clear her nose. And then she didn't want to go back to sleep because according to her, it was morning. So the whining (her) and shouting (me) continued until five twenty when she decided that actually, she was tired. Until six thirty when my husband took her downstairs. I slept on and off until half eight and then decided that I was going to follow through with my 4am threats to him, I was having a day off.

I got up, showered and dressed and went out wearing pink lipstick because last week I wore it and had a really good day (I'd like to think it was the lipstick that did that). Not bothered that Tuesday's are busy and important in his world because My world was about to explode. I could sit here and write a 3000 word essay on how he simply cannot begin to understand just how I feel but a friend pointed out I couldn't possibly understand how hard it is for him either. She has a point.

What I did this morning was remove myself from a situation I could feel turning unsavoury. It could've gone two ways: I was either going to pack a bag and leave or a have a really messy meltdown that wouldn't have been that nice to watch. I'm glad I took some time out, I went shopping and met a friend and laughed and forgot about the shitstorm that was heading my way. Then I felt relief. Because we are all going through this, together. Every other mother has felt this way at some point. It's part of being a parent.

And then I got home after four hours and that horrible knot in the bottom of my stomach came back. The dread of getting through another night without drowning myself in a bath of vodka. So I gritted my teeth, locked myself in the bathroom for half an hour and cried until I didn't want to scream anymore and now it's time to carry on as usual. Dinner, bath, bed. Because tomorrow is another day.

Except tomorrow I'll be wearing a new pink lipstick.

Pounding Flowers

It doesn't sound so nice, does it? But it's actually a great way to make pretty pictures out of flowers that are about to get chucked out or ones you picked on your walk. And it's a fab activity for kids.

I came across this idea in a fab book called Tinkerlab: A Hands-On Guide For Little Inventors and it's full of experiments to help nurture creative thinking. 

You need a selection of flowers, some waxed paper, some watercolour paper and a big stone (she used her wooden toy hammer).

It's pretty simple... let your little one arrange the flowers on the watercolour paper, cover with waxed paper and bash away. Peel back the waxed paper and flowers to reveal their work of art!

It probably doesn't look much to you but she was super happy with it. And I'm going to frame it. Next time we'll go rambling to find a better selection of flowers.

A great idea for Mother's Day pictures and general spring-y crafts. Spring, oh spring... hurry up!