Mojo, groove, sparkle - whatever you want to call it. Like many new mum's, I've felt like mine has been missing for a while now. I don't know if it's the weather (slowly) warming up or I've just subconsciously decided it's 'time' but recently I've found myself in the mood to dust off the cobwebs and rediscover myself as an individual, as well as my baby's mum. It's a bit like a personal spring cleaning mission I suppose and with it I think I'm starting to regain a bit of self confidence that had gone slightly AWOL in the past year or so. I love being a new parent (even though it can be both scary and bewildering at times) but as I've mentioned before in this post self care is so important. Personally I am trying to be a bit kinder to myself and I feel like it's paying off so I thought I'd share a few ways I'm getting my 'sparkle' back nearly one year on after having my baby.
Cleaning out my closet
A couple of weeks ago I'd suddenly had enough of my wardrobe. Everything was grey or black and I was still living in river island vests that I'd bought about 6 years ago when I lived in Hammersmith. Most of my tops and cardigans were pilled and faded and a lot of clothes just didn't flatter me. I was even still wearing maternity tops - you know the ones with ruched sides to account for big baby bumps- and feeling distinctly un-sexy and generally frumpy in them. I decided that something had to give and I no longer needed nor wanted the majority of tat that had accumulated in my chest of draws. So I had a clear out and ended up with two sacks for charity shops and one sack of straight up rubbish. It felt good and weirdly liberating to be so brutal with my belongings but really, what's the sense of hanging onto a pair of disco pants with a broken zipper and hole in the crotch and what purpose does a bra that's now two cup sizes too big and never properly fitted me in the first place actually serve?
Indulging in beautiful lingerie
...Or at least matching bra and knickers. Lately I've found myself revisiting that self confidence hack I used to be quite fond of. That is, wearing matching bra and knickers underneath any clothing to instantly make you feel more put-together and weirdly more in control. I don't know why but it really is an instant confidence boost! The good old matching bra and undies hack is even more special when they're in a super cute design like this one by Promise from UK Lingerie. Just add red lipstick for a little extra boost of self belief!
Rediscovering my love of skincare
Ah, skincare. My love of skincare is pretty much what drove me to start this blog in the first place back in 2011 and I've learned so much about ingredients and formulas along the way. I used to be genuinely fascinated by the science behind cleansers and serums and loved researching ingredients I'd not heard of before and I can feel myself becoming interested again. Skincare will always trump makeup for me and with so many innovative new launches happening lately I'm loving feeling inspired again.
Mastering the art of the 5 minute face
While I've never really been one for spending hours getting ready before I leave the house, now that I've got a tiny human constantly trying to scale the furniture/ me, I've had to step things up a notch to look semi-presentable at super speed. This is where multi tasking products and easy peasy makeup bits come in very handy. To get myself looking like a better version of me, I've all but ditched the foundation and opted for a touch of concealer and Charlotte Tilbury's latest innovation - Hollywood Flawless Filter. If you've not tried this incredible product yet, you really should because it's bloody marvelous. Once I've got my face looking glowy and dewy, it's time to groom and fill my brows with Glossier Boy Brow (I use shade Brown), pat on some Lord and Berry Sculpt and Glow Cream Bronzer and curl and lengthen my lashes in one fell swoop with a swipe of Benefit Rollerlash.
Ditching the Mummy Guilt
I'm not quite there yet with this one but I've found myself starting to get better at accepting help with the baby. Sometimes I even ask for it, which is a bit shocking for me! But there have been times in the past few months that I've fancied having my hair done or just wanted a few hours on my own to do blog-related duties, and I've done it. Whenever I'm away from my little one I'm always thinking about him but it's so good to just hang out with Hannah every now and then.
Cleaning out my closet
A couple of weeks ago I'd suddenly had enough of my wardrobe. Everything was grey or black and I was still living in river island vests that I'd bought about 6 years ago when I lived in Hammersmith. Most of my tops and cardigans were pilled and faded and a lot of clothes just didn't flatter me. I was even still wearing maternity tops - you know the ones with ruched sides to account for big baby bumps- and feeling distinctly un-sexy and generally frumpy in them. I decided that something had to give and I no longer needed nor wanted the majority of tat that had accumulated in my chest of draws. So I had a clear out and ended up with two sacks for charity shops and one sack of straight up rubbish. It felt good and weirdly liberating to be so brutal with my belongings but really, what's the sense of hanging onto a pair of disco pants with a broken zipper and hole in the crotch and what purpose does a bra that's now two cup sizes too big and never properly fitted me in the first place actually serve?
Indulging in beautiful lingerie
...Or at least matching bra and knickers. Lately I've found myself revisiting that self confidence hack I used to be quite fond of. That is, wearing matching bra and knickers underneath any clothing to instantly make you feel more put-together and weirdly more in control. I don't know why but it really is an instant confidence boost! The good old matching bra and undies hack is even more special when they're in a super cute design like this one by Promise from UK Lingerie. Just add red lipstick for a little extra boost of self belief!
Rediscovering my love of skincare
Ah, skincare. My love of skincare is pretty much what drove me to start this blog in the first place back in 2011 and I've learned so much about ingredients and formulas along the way. I used to be genuinely fascinated by the science behind cleansers and serums and loved researching ingredients I'd not heard of before and I can feel myself becoming interested again. Skincare will always trump makeup for me and with so many innovative new launches happening lately I'm loving feeling inspired again.
Mastering the art of the 5 minute face
While I've never really been one for spending hours getting ready before I leave the house, now that I've got a tiny human constantly trying to scale the furniture/ me, I've had to step things up a notch to look semi-presentable at super speed. This is where multi tasking products and easy peasy makeup bits come in very handy. To get myself looking like a better version of me, I've all but ditched the foundation and opted for a touch of concealer and Charlotte Tilbury's latest innovation - Hollywood Flawless Filter. If you've not tried this incredible product yet, you really should because it's bloody marvelous. Once I've got my face looking glowy and dewy, it's time to groom and fill my brows with Glossier Boy Brow (I use shade Brown), pat on some Lord and Berry Sculpt and Glow Cream Bronzer and curl and lengthen my lashes in one fell swoop with a swipe of Benefit Rollerlash.
Ditching the Mummy Guilt
I'm not quite there yet with this one but I've found myself starting to get better at accepting help with the baby. Sometimes I even ask for it, which is a bit shocking for me! But there have been times in the past few months that I've fancied having my hair done or just wanted a few hours on my own to do blog-related duties, and I've done it. Whenever I'm away from my little one I'm always thinking about him but it's so good to just hang out with Hannah every now and then.
So there you have it - those are five ways I'm slowly reclaiming my mojo. I'd love to know how you helped yourself feel more like...yourself after having a baby or experiencing another life changing event. Let me know in the comments!
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