In the picture

June 8th, 2010

Its Your StorySince personalised gifts always go down well with children (from named mugs to photo jigsaws et al), we were keen to check out the It’s Your Story range of books which star the recipient with their name and photo (both feature throughout).

The result is a real treat and done very well. Other special details are woven into the story, such as the child’s favourite food, colour and so on, along with a personal message from you on the first page.It's Your Story

There are 16 books to take your pick from (the Zoo Adventure is being promoted right now as a fun, fresh idea for children to give Dads for Father’s Day – coming up on Sunday, 20 June –  so Dad appears in the pictures and goes on an adventure with the child in the story). Very cute.

A special offer for readers of nonstopmama, It’s Your Story are offering a 10 % discount on all orders placed online until 31 August 2010. Simply enter the code “NONSTOPMAMA10″ at checkout.

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Five minutes with … Louise Galvin

June 4th, 2010

Louise GalvinCelebrity colourist Louise Galvin has the sort of golden, impossibly well behaved-looking mane that prompts us to tear pictures out of glossies to present to our own colourists, with an apologetic “I know it won’t look exactly like this, but …”.  (Mine is always ready for it. She even pauses to see what I’ve rustled up this time, before mixing up the peroxide in her little plastic bowl in our kitchen).

The hotly sought after tinter (on both sides of the Atlantic) and daughter of UK hairdressing legend Daniel, Louise is currently expecting her second child. Meanwhile, her professional “babies”, the hugely popular and very gorgeous Natural Locks and Sacred Locks product ranges, are a hit with Louise’s high profile clients and beauty editors and have scooped awards. Made without the use of parabens, SLS, petrochemicals, silicones or synthetic fragrances, both collections are formulated especially to give colour-treated tresses ultra-gentle, specialist care (for more info and to buy online, visit louisegalvin.com. Nonstopmama readers can snag an exclusive  20 % discount on any order – simply enter the code “nonstopmama” at checkout!).

‘Some people are lucky enough to have luscious locks throughout their pregnancy and beyond,’ Louise tells us. ‘But others find the rush of changing hormones makes their hair greasier/thinner or simply ‘different’ to how it has always been.’.

Just for nonstopmama, Louise shares her expert tricks for keeping hair in tip-top condition – during pregnancy and thereafter – below.

Louise Galvin Natural Locks Pure Shine Shampoo•  Keep it simple! Don’t go for a drastic change in hairstyle. Pregnancy is a time when you want to feel your most feminine. Keep hair in good condition for ultimate shine and movement.

•  If you colour your hair, speak with your colourist to establish the best time for colour just before the birth. This will give you time to enjoy your new arrival and not have to worry about roots and re-growth in those precious first weeks. Brunettes should try semi-permanent glosses that will add shine and depth to colour. Most colourists will be happy to mix you a colour to take home for between salon visits. If you have highlights, keep them soft and natural. The current trend allows for a little re-growth.

•  Use gentle products like my Sacred Locks or Natural Locks line, which won’t strip colour and will add shine and moisture to really nourish hair. I developed the Mother To Be line to be fragrance-free. I found when I was pregnant, I couldn’t bare any smells – even the delicious citrus oils in my own products. There is also research that suggests in the first months of a baby’s life, fragrances worn by the mother can act as a barrier to mother and baby bonding. The products are created to use on babies too, gentle, paraben and fragrance-free.  I used my Mother to Be products on my daughter Ophelia for the first two years.

•  The less is more philosophy is one that can be carried throughout pregnancy and beyond. Keep colour to a minimum. And even when those nasty grey hairs start to come through, get your colourist to paint between the lights to disguise the grey rather than going for a tint and lights. And remember healthy, shiny hair will always be more manageable and look more youthful.

The Louise Galvin Natural Locks and Sacred Locks ranges are available at louisegalvin.com. Don’t forget that you can claim 20 % off any order by entering the code “nonstopmama” at checkout.

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Wave reviews

May 18th, 2010

Pure Chesil CDWriggling sunscreen targets and sand in your picnic aside, one of the more relaxing things about being at the beach is the sound of the waves lapping onto the shore. Recorded at Chesil Beach, Dorset, the Pure Chesil CD instantly transports you surfside, wherever you are – in the living room doing a spot of stretching or Pilates, say, or (more likely in our case) just before conking out at bedtime …

Sales of the CD help to support the CD support The Sea Watch Foundation, a conservation charity which monitors whale and dolphin populations around the British Isles (more info at their site) and is affiliated with Adopt a Dolphin UK.

Nonstopmama readers can buy Pure Chesil for the discounted price of £9.99, including P&P (usually £13.45), by sending a cheque payable to IOLE to PO Box 5700, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 7XZ. Remember to include your home address and mention ’Nonstopmama offer’ with your order. Surf’s up!

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Have your cake!

March 10th, 2010

Karen Hastings, founder of CupcakeWhat a great name for a mama and child-friendly spa: Cupcake. With locations in Putney and Wandsworth, London, Cupcake is a hotpsot for mamas and mamas-to-be to bring their littles ones to play at the Mini-Cupcake Club crèche while they chill out in The Treatment Rooms at Cupcake, take an exercise class or catch up with friends at the Cupcake Café. Cupcake is also used as a fun, funky venue for antenatal classes, baby showers and children’s parties.

Fresh from scooping Specialist Salon of the Year at The Professional Beauty Awards 2010 this week, Cupcake’s founder Karen Hastings shares her nonstop tips, below, for enjoying a little spa-time at home.

* A weekly face mask will boost your skin and make you feel radiant and glowing. Slap the mask on, leave for the time directed, then wash off. This can be done whilst still walking around the house, so you don’t lose any precious time.

Cupcake treatment room* Treat yourself to a vigorous body scrub whilst in the bath or shower. It’ll help your skin to feel alive again and you will feel invigorated afterwards.

* Put your feet up with a good book and a heated wheat bag on your shoulders. This instantly helps to take away any pain or tension and the heat will ensure you get the relaxation you deserve. A mini-massage at home!

* Perk up those puffy eyes with the classic cucumber slice treatment. Cooling and refreshing, it will make you feel ten years younger.

STOP PRESS! nonstopmama exclusive deal: enjoy a 15% discount on March 2010 spa bookings. Just quote “nonstopmarch10″ when booking a visit, tel: 020- 8875 1065.

For more details on treatments and classes, visit cupcakemum.com.

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Boo Boo

December 17th, 2009

Boo Boo Body WashGorgeous to look at, smell and use (can you tell nonstopmama is a big fan?), Boo Boo is a lovely range of top-to-toe treats formulated by two British nonstopmamas, Jenn and Corinna. Boo Boo is offering nonstopmamas a 15% discount on all orders from boobooshop.com.

They say: ‘After having our babies (four in total) we started to wonder about what we were putting on our babies’ skin at bathtime. Two of them had especially dry, sensitive little bods and when we looked more closely at ingredients we couldn’t believe they were filled with harsh detergents and scary synthetics! We couldn’t find anything on the shelves that met our demands – full of natural ingredients, affordable and luxurious – so we decided to make our own pampering products.

‘The Boo Boo Baby range is packed with natural ingredients that won’t upset your baby’s delicate skin. We also wanted to make sure our lovely prods looked gorgeous too! And the flip top lids come in very handy, especially when you’ve got a wriggly little botty that needs changing! We hope you and your little pumpkins enjoy using Boo Boo Baby as much as we do.’ Made in the UK, the Boo Boo range is free from parabens, sulphates, TEA petrochemicals, synthetic colours and DEA.

Enter the voucher code BBM2 in the ‘promo code’ section at checkout.

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Miamoo

November 1st, 2009

miamooFounded by TV presenter (of BBC’s Beat The Boss) and natural beauty ‘mumpreneur’ Saira Khan – watch out for her nonstopmama interview, coming soon – miamoo is offering 25% off your first order from miamoo.co.uk.

They say: ‘miamoo is a range of gentle skincare products  that don’t contain any  Parabens, Petrochemcials, SLS, PEGS, Synthetic colours/ fragrance and protect delicate skin naturally and are over 97% natural’.

Enter the voucher code ‘mama’ at checkout.

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Nirvana Natural

November 1st, 2009

nirvananaturalWe love Nirvana Natural’s range of gorgeous, gentle yet results-orientated shampoos, conditioners and styling products. They are offering nonstopmamas £2 off their first order at nirvananatural.co.uk. Loved by British beauty editors, the latest addition to the line-up is the Pure Nirvana range of bath and body washes and lotions.

They say: ‘Free from SLS, SLES, parabens, synthetic colour and synthetic fragrance. Detox, hydrate and rejuvenate your skin……..trust us, your skin will thank you for it.’

Enter the voucher code ‘NSM002′ at the Google Checkout.

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Balance Me

November 1st, 2009

balancemeFormulating products that feel as gorgeous on the skin as they look, natural beauty company Balance Me are offering nonstopmama readers 15 % off all orders at balanceme.co.uk.

They say:  ‘Balance Me invites you to experience our luxurious, results-orientated, easy-to-use, Ecocert accredited aromatherapy range blended with pure essential oils. Enjoy our bespoke aromas with skin-boosting benefits and therapeutic properties to optimise health, wellbeing and natural beauty. According to the Saturday Telegraph Magazine:  Balance Me has the kind of innovation that gives a brand longevity, and the formulas are free from petrochemicals and parabens – ingredients it would be good to see the back of…”.’

Enter the voucher code ‘nonstopmama’ at checkout.

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Bloom and Blossom

November 1st, 2009

bloomblossomPerfect for nonstopmamas-to-be and new mothers, Bloom and Blossom is a lovely new British skincare range. To celebrate their launch and the launch of nonstopmama (!), it is offering a 20% discount off all orders from bloomandblossom.com.

They say: ‘Bloom and Blossom is a new premium skincare range for mothers, mothers-to-be and babies, using the minimum number of ingredients to achieve the maximum results. This is the simple philosophy behind Bloom and Blossom. The collection uses only the absolute essential number of high quality ingredients required to deliver exceptional results.  Every ingredient has earned its right to be there – simply ingredients that work.  Bloom and Blossom gift sets make the ideal new arrival, congratulatory or baby shower gift.’

Enter the voucher code ‘BBNONSTOPMAMA’ at checkout.

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About

Jenni Baden HowardHi and a HUGE welcome to nonstopmama, the click-to glossy for time-crunched mamas!

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Jenni Baden Howard
Editor

Jenni Baden Howard writes for a range of UK glossies and websites and was beauty editor on The Daily Telegraph's Style pages for six years. She has a weakness for dark chocolate and silicone kitchen gadgets and keeps meaning to do more exercise.

New! Nonstopmama is excited to announce we'll be featuring guest articles and video spots from a range of beauty, fashion, food, homes and parenting experts, along with writers from other websites, blogs, magazines and newspapers. If you'd like to contribute, do drop us an email!

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