Posts Tagged ‘Bathtime’
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By Tamsin Oxford in Reviews on
12 August, 2010 at 5:00 pm
I’m a huge fan of anti-aging lotions and tend to ignore the media hype about them not working (except for the Boots one apparently) because, whether psychosomatic or not, I’ve found that some of them really do work.
Recently on a big shop at Tesco I found that they were having a massive sale on the entire Dove Pro-Age range of products so I decided to get the body lotion and the hand cream.
My hands tend to edge towards dryness and I have suffered from really bad dry skin in the winter, so I’m constantly looking for a hand cream that will ease the dryness without being too oily.
This Dove hand cream boasts that it will reduce the appearance of age spots and wrinkles and that it is enriched with all sorts of magical things. Apparently the AHA removes dull surface skin cells and then the Vitamin B3 gallops in to improve skin tone, while the lipids improve elasticity.
Now, I don’t have age spots yet so I can’t tell you if that works, but I can say that I rather love this Dove Pro-Age hand cream. It smells delicious for starters. And rubs on verrry smoothly. Although, and I say this with all creams, it takes a while to be absorbed.
I tend to put mine on in the morning, once or twice during the day, and last thing at night. I even tried the mad “put loads of cream on and then your gloves and sleep all night” thing but that just made my hands sweaty and I didn’t see any difference really.
So yes, Dove Pro-Age hand cream is light, creamy and very moisturising. It takes a while to be absorbed but in light of how well it works, I don’t mind.
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By Sarah Kensington in Deals on
7 August, 2010 at 11:00 am
 Ohhh I’m in SO much trouble! I adore towels. I don’t need any more towels. It will take all my super powers of restraint to tell you about these towels and NOT buy any.
I love opening the airing cupboard door and seeing piles and piles of soft fluffy towels all folded neatly, and bundled together in the right colours.
There is something amazingly comforting about wrapping yourself up in a soft cotton bath towel, warmed on the radiator whilst you’ve been in the shower. These classic white bath towels measure 70cms x 140cms and have been reduced from £12.32 right down to £3.50, which is an absolute bargain for a 500gsm cotton towel.
Standard delivery is £4.95 and whilst it sounds a lot, I’m assuming you’re not in the market for just one towel because that would make this one of the worst deals in history; however, if you’re looking to replace your towel collection, or creating a new one from scratch, then you’re going to save yourself a fair few quid here as there are lots of towel bargains up for grabs.
I went to a private beauty spa which was run by a Russian lady and she had THE softest towels in the world! I asked her to tell me her secret and this is what she told me:
- DON’T ever use fabric softener when you wash towels – it doesn’t make them softer it just reduces their absorbency.
- DON’T dry them in direct sunshine – this will make them go crispy!
- DO tumble dry your towels on a low heat for just enough time to dry them, not enough time to cook them.
Thanks to ristac over at HUKD!
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By Tamsin Oxford in Freebies on
4 August, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Fancy trying out a sample of the new Johnson’s baby range? Oooh, how I wish my tot was teeny enough to give these a go, because they look utterly delicious. This is their first line of baby skincare products to combine the soothing gentleness of their Johnson’s Baby range and the power of nature. And you can nab yourself a delectable freebie for your baby.
the lotion has a unique blend of olive leaf extract, pure Vitamin E, and essential minerals and is all about soothing baby’s skin and keeping it soft and supple. This is a great lotion for those of you who live in hard water areas as it’s specifically for dry skin or dry skin conditions. I know I hated it when my little one had patches of dry skin and this seems like a good product to try out.
It claims to moisturise for 24hours and is fast absorbing and non-greasy. I also rather like the packaging, that light green is easy on the eye and very pretty. So, fill in the form and get yourself a free sample of the lotion and be sure to pop back here and let us know what you think.
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By Tamsin Oxford in Deals on
2 August, 2010 at 4:00 pm
 Ok, when I first heard about this comb I was a tad bemused. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for nit combs or any form of nit removal at all, but this one came with trumpets and fanfares and all sorts. When I ambled on over to the site I nearly fell over. Even Jason Donovan apparently loves this comb. Who knew?
Right, so the Nitty Gritty Comb comes with a long list of accolades and praise and all sorts. If you have your sound on when you visit the site you’ll even hear a radio show host praising the comb to the skies. Impressive indeed. The comb is small and handy and nets those nits.
It removes all the head lice, nits and eggs and needs no chemicals to work. I like this! You can even bulk up you r Anti Nit Cupboard (yes, I have one of those, am in fear of nits) with sprays, solutions and all sorts. The comb sort of “pops” the nits and lice off your child’s head. Gross, awesome, but gross.
In fact my head is itching right now! But, for £10.99 this looks like a great investment for the Back to School nit fest. Oh, and they currently have a special on for any two products for £18.99.
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By Sarah Kensington in Deals on
28 July, 2010 at 10:00 am
 I love, love, LOVE it when Sainsbury’s make all their baby toiletries half price!
I’m not sure whether this applies to all Sainsbury’s stores ‘in the real’ but in virtual internet land it’s half price deals a-go-go! And although this offer runs until Tuesday 3 August, I wouldn’t hang around as the terms also state that the offer is subject to stock availablility too.
When The Teenagers were small I used to keep a very beady eye open for deals like this – with two small children just a year apart in age, I used to get through an obscene amount of baby wipes.
I still keep half an eye open for half price baby toiletries offers because, quite frankly, baby wipes have to be one of the most useful inventions known to man and it just makes economic sense to stock up when you can!
My favourite? Johnson’s Baby Skincare Wipes and a pack of four will only cost you £2.44 instead of £4.88.
 There are lots of other Johnson’s toiletry products on offer – baby lotion (another permanent feature in my house), bedtime bath and grab a few of these if you can – Johnson’s Soothing Naturals lotion – because it’s LOVE-R-LY and has been reduced from £1.94 down to 97p!!
And just quickly – the parents’ favourite, Sudocreme, is also on offer – £1.78 for the big 250g pot.
If this offer isn’t running in your local Sainsbury’s then standard delivery is just £3.95.
Thanks to darknessfairy over at HUKD!
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By Tamsin Oxford in Freebies on
16 July, 2010 at 6:00 pm
 Sorry chaps, turn away and read another post now please. This one is juuust for the ladies. I’ve often moaned about how we have to pay so much for this kind of kit so whenever I uncover someone giving stuff away for free I’m on it faster than you can say, “Omar Sharif.”!
This range includes the Extra Dry Extra Long Natural liners, Extra Dry Normal Natural liners, and the Ultra Normal Natural with Wings. You have to register with the site in order to be eligible for your freebie and it will take around 28 days for delivery.
If you’re not yet a member of the site (er, not a site I’d have signed up for straight up if I am honest) then you’ll have to fill in a couple of details to get the ball rolling. It shouldn’t take you too long to get it sorted out and soon your  samples will be yours!
New Bodyform Natural Normal Liners with natural extracts of Aloe Vera and Camomile known for their soothing action and the neutralising of unwanted odours. They are extra absorbent to capture moisture and the soft super dry surface locks away moisture and odours giving you guaranteed security at anytime. And did I mention that they were free?
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By Tamsin Oxford in Freebies on
16 July, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Ladies and gents I am on a roll this week! Freebies are being uncovered across the interwebs and here lies another delightful deal that will hopefully get you grinning. This free sample pack of QV products includes their amazing moisturiser that is number one in Oz (apparently).
All you have to do is fill in the registration form on the page and they’ll send you a free pack of yummy goodies. Please note that these can only be despatched to UK addresses, so if you live in Ireland then get a UK mate to send you one!
This bumper freebie gift has come about because QV are launching in the UK and are trying to get as many people involved as possible. You never know, these products may be better than anything you’ve used before.
In fact, I am dying to know what you mums with babies think of these products so, if you do order this freebie, then please pop back on here and let me know. It would be good to hear your reviews.
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By Lynley Oram in Reviews on
16 July, 2010 at 1:00 pm
I suspect that I am the target market for the FlexiBath Baby Bath Tub. It came as quite a surprise to me to find that I turned germ-phobic when my son was born. And chemical-phobic. He was well over a year old before I was able to brave the local soft play centre. It seems weird to me now but then there’s a lot of reactions that aren’t exactly rational when you’re a first time mother.
When on maternity leave I did a lot of travelling, and while I could find a travel alternative for just about everything (see the Samsonite Pop-Up Travel Cot for example), there was nothing at the time to take the place of a baby bath. Instead I travelled with a spray bottle of cleaner (natural of course) and used a towel to keep some distance between baby and the bath tub in hotels, and the bottom of the shower cubicle in the RV we rented the other side of the Atlantic!
The FlexiBath baby bath tub is foldable. So handy for small bathrooms, for throwing in the boot for a weekend at the in-laws/parents, and for taking when travelling in some situations. Although at 1.3kg it might be too heavy for air travel.
Sadly I don’t have a baby to try this bath out on anymore. So I gave it to PlayPennies mum Emma to test instead.
First impressions
Emma wasn’t quite sure what she was in for. “I had imagined a plastic contraption which might possibly leak. But when I opened up the flexi-bath, it IS plastic sheets but the seams are all made of some rubber material, so there’s no chance of leakage at all. I was pleasantly surprised at the excellent design that has gone into this product. It was flat-packed, and popped open when I poked at it.“
According to the manufacturer’s website, the FlexiBath is made from Polypropylene (PP) and Thermoplastic Elastomeric (TPE). It claims that both types of raw materials are free from PVC, phthalates, heavy metals and other harmful or hazardous materials.
The FlexiBath can be folded together and stored flat against the wall, or in a cupboard, under a bed – you get the picture. The bath tub has a non-slip surface. It comes in a wide range of colours, including transparent.
Bathtime
The specifications on the website don’t really give an idea of the capacity of the bath. Just the size of the bath – 66.5cm long, 38.9cm wide and 23.8cm high.
 “When we first tried out the flexi-bath at baby’s bedtime“, Emma explains, “I had to put about six kettles of water in it to get it to a decent level for my little one. Baby got in, splashed around a bit, and found the bath pretty comfortable, or so I assume. She’s 2 months old, and she could easily stretch out to her full length in the bath.”
Emptying the bath provides a slight logistical problem. “For emptying, I carried the bath over to the sink, and easily removed the stopper from the bottom, and watched all the water wash away into oblivion.” she said.
Read the manual
“I decided to read the instructions after I had used the bath for the first time.” Emma confessed, although she didn’t really miss out on anything.
“They say all the usual things, such as don’t leave your child unattended, don’t heat the water in the bath itself… etc. Most are just common sense. If you don’t actually possess any common sense, you’d be better off reading the instructions!“
And finally
Emma wasn’t sure though when you might need the FlexiBath. Personally I agree. In a tiny bathroom in a small flat, surely the basin would do until baby was big enough to go in the bath comfortably? And in hotels, there’s always the towel on the floor of the bath tub option.
Emma commented that “I was trying to think of where and when this product would be useful. My partner said it would be handy if you were  going on holidays, or even just off to a hotel for the weekend. You could pop the flexi-bath in your car for whenever you need it.“
But then there’s people like me who are far more comfortable using the same bath that’s solely for their baby’s use. And if you can’t be a little bit irrational when in charge of a new baby, when can you?
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By Tamsin Oxford in Features on
15 July, 2010 at 1:00 pm
It’s been a long day. You’re tired, you’re fed-up, and you could happily curl into a tiny ball and rock back and forth muttering. The last thing you feel like doing is cooking a healthy meal, or entertaining your tot, or undergoing some rigorous housework.
Think of the theme tune from Friends, “You lost your job, you’re broke, your love life’s DOA.” Hey, even when you’re married the last bit can count if you’ve bitten your other half’s head off just because they said good morning.
 So, your day has been crazy , your tot is driving you nuts and you decide to throw caution to the winds and just give them whatever they want. Have you ever just handed over an ice-cream for lunch? Used the TV as a babysitter? I commanded our PlayPennies mums to make their confessions and here are some corkers…
“The phone rang while my son, Jack, was on the toilet one day so I ran to answer it,” confessed Sarah, “I came back 20 minutes later to find him fast asleep with his bum still hanging over the pan. I completely forgot my son!”
Sarah’s confession made us all laugh. I have to admit that even writing it made me laugh. However, a sleep deprived parent is going to end up forgetting all sorts of things. One mum I know went to the shops, did all her shopping and wandered home without her baby in the pram. Her panic was heartbreaking, but fortunately she was well known in the area and her boy was safe and sound when she got there.
 Last year my husband and I had a rare bash at our house, a Halloween party that was just fantastic. Unfortunately, the next day we both had such bad hangovers we could barely move or talk. Our poor daughter had the most boring day of her life. We tried to drum up the energy to feel guilty about sticking her in front of the TV for an entire day, but even that was too much hard work.
“I had spent all night working and had literally only crawled into bed at around 5am,” said Lynley, “My husband was away on business, so I had about half an hour’s sleep before my son woke me up. I was so tired that when he asked me if he could have an iced lolly for breakfast, I gave it to him without thinking.”
“I ran out of breakfast things,” said Shirley, “There was absolutely nothing in the house and I had two hungry kids staring at me in dismay. What did I do? I made them custard. Yes, custard for breakfast.”
 It isn’t just forgetting food or kids, though; parents have a tendency to get all sorts of things muddled up when they’re busy/tired/all of the above. One of my favourite stories has to be another of Lynley’s…
“I slept in one morning and realised that we were running horribly late for school,” she said, “I was yelling at him non-stop to hurry up, get dressed, we’ve GOT TO GO NOW, only to arrive at the school gates and find them shut. It was an inset day. He’d been trying to tell me…”
Still feeling bad about that one time you happened to do something that you were positive would bring the Parenting Police crashing into your living room? Well, here are some more.
“My best one wasn’t actually with my own child, it was my best friend’s little boy,” said Kelly, “He was about six months old and I was minding him for the day. I gave him his bottle but hadn’t put the lid on properly and, as I fed him, the top came off and emptied the entire contents over his face.
 And I laughed. Hysterically. For about ten minutes. So did his mum when I told her. Now he is ten he is quite amused by the tale too.”
Why am I telling you all of this? Because there are some myths that are worth dispelling. Some things you can get away with from time to time and, to be a calm and relaxed parent, sometimes you have to let things slide. Your child’s brain won’t rot because you let them watch TV all afternoon, their teeth won’t give up and leave because they had custard for breakfast, and (we asked him) they probably won’t remember that you let them fall asleep on the loo.
Parenthood is stressful and if you search for guilt on Google you’ll be amazed at how many articles cover a range of topics on why parents shouldn’t feel guilty. So, while there are always those things that we should avoid doing as best we can, try not to beat yourself up if you make a couple of mistakes here and there.
After all, we’re all still here and I’m sure we’ve all had an ice-cream for breakfast at least once.
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By Tamsin Oxford in Deals on
14 July, 2010 at 6:00 pm
There are some stunning bargains to be had at Fragrance Direct, with savings of up to 70% on the usual high street prices. So much so, that I’m wondering what truck they all fell off! Seriously, if your beauty cupboard needs some sorting out and plumping up, then amble on over here.
Once again I have to mention that the intrepid Amibees was the man who helped us find this lovely deal and he should get a hearty round of applause. This is an ace find! Some of the darlings I discovered include the following….
Bourjois Volume Glamour Mascara £4.50, Elizabeth Arden All Gone Eye and Make-Up Remover £5.00, Olay Quench Ultra Moisture Mousse £2.50, Calvin Klein Purity Pressed Powder £5.95, Skin Doctors Potent C Skin Renewal System £49.95 (down from £99).
The site is really quite cute and I love the pink and blue people hovering over the products to tell you whether or not they are suitable for girls or boys. A really nice touch, I thought, that meant guys wouldn’t have to spend hours clicking on the wrong products. Or girls. Grin.
Thanks to amibees at HUKD!
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