I’m SO thrilled to introduce this week’s nonstopmama Podcast, in which I chat all things natural beauty with the lovely Nicola Elliott, founder of NEOM Luxury Organics!

Click on the link below to listen to the Podcast:

(Or, if the link isn’t showing on your iPad/similar, then you can download it here!)

I know how much nonstopmamas ♥ this GORGEOUS range of all-natural goodies for the bath, body and home (along with high profile fans including the Duchess of Cambridge) and Nicola’s story is inspiring.

During our chat, she tells us what inspired her to create the range, why she’s passionate about au naturel beauty and why she believes real life beauty and wellbeing is NOT about conquering your ‘To do’ list or doing a hundred ‘butt lifts’ at dawn!

Stay tuned for Nicola’s personal ‘natural’ make-up favourites, too (and maybe skip over the bit where we get onto ‘green’ loo cleaning and cat litter trays) …

At the start of the show, in beauty news, I also mention these new summer nail colours …

…. from Butter London and Little Bu!

Show notes:

Click here for info and to buy the NEW NEOM Enchantment scented candle and diffuser  (below) …

Nicola and I also mention Dr Hauschka; naturissimo.com; Balance Me; Sarah Chapman skincare; Trilogy; A’Kin; Burt’s Bees; Green People; The Organic Pharmacy; Lavera; Earth Friendly Baby; Ecover; Weleda; Bare Minerals and the Lily Lolo range.

Thanks SO much to Nicola for being my podcast guest this week, and thanks to you SO much for listening and spreading the word, nonstopmamas!!

So, when I was a little girl I used to play ‘radio shows’ (did you ever do that? Or was it just me?).

I’d tape them on my big brother John’s tape recorder (how prehistoric does that sound?) and get SO excited about the whole thing.

I even sang the jingles (let’s not go there).

Hence, my inner 8 year old got REALLY excited about launching the NEW nonstopmama Podcast!

And, remarkably, lots of lovely beauty, homes and fashion insiders have agreed to come onto my grown-up (not) ‘show’ and chat about what they’re up to.

It’s a bit more high-tech, now, too. My (super-patient) husband hooks an enormous white microphone up to my laptop and tells me not to press anything (because I am the most untechy person you could hope to meet).

Plus, I get to wear pro-style headphones, too, which makes me feel like Roz from Frasier.

But that’s when any professional similarity ends.

So, Sian – one of the co-founders of the amazingness that is the Mama Mio skincare range – is one of my first guests and, really, was very lovely about the fact that I am learning-this-as-I-go-along!

Click the link below to play this Podcast!

(If the mp3 player doesn’t appear (if you’re viewing this on an iPad, for example) –  then click here instead!)

During our chat, we talk pregnancy beauty tips and, MOST excitingly, about the upcoming Royal arrival and how nonstopmamas can enter to WIN two places on the Mama Mio ‘Royal’ Baby Shower, being held in Central London, on Wednesday 19 June (all details and to enter here – GO, GO, GO, mamas!).

So – here it is, after some serious editing (in which I attempted to keep Sian’s good stuff in, and zap my rambling).

This meant I did skip out some bits which I’d have loved to keep in – such as Sian and I chatting about how fab the TED podcast talks are – but if I’d done any more fiddling, it wouldn’t be up until Christmas.

If there are any Woody Allen fans in the house, the scene from Manhattan Murder Mystery where they’re splicing the actress’s recording?

Not. Far. Off.

We’ll get better as we go and, if you’re up for it Sian, I’d love to do another one!!

You’ll be relieved to know, I didn’t sing the jingle.

Show notes! (Which sounds pro, anyway!)

The Mama Mio skincare range is available at stores nationwide, and online at mamamio.com.

Key products mentioned in the Podcast include Tummy Rub Oil or Butter, Lucky Legs (except, actually, that bit missed the edit, but the product is a MUST for pregnancy pins!!) and Boob Tube. <
The mamas would also love to welcome you over at the Mama Mio Musings blog!/blockquote>

LOVE (via Pinterest)!!

Happy Wednesday, nonstopmamas!!

No jumping on top of taxis now … and only attempt mid-air splits if you KNOW no one’s watching.

HAPPY FRIDAY-EVENING-THE-WEEKEND-STARTS-HERE, everyone!!

To end the week, a couple of links I’ve been meaning to post since, well, Monday in fact …

First up, I was HUGELY honoured to be asked by the totally lovely Fiona of The Beauty Shortlist to guest post as part of her all-things-natural-beauty-awesomeness Green Beauty Week!

If anyone knows their ‘green beauty’ onions, it’s Fiona – she knows all those oh-so-cool, off-the-beaten-track natural beauty brands, as well as being an authority on the big names loved by any organically inclined beauty buff worth her ‘no nasties’ nail polish.

Throughout the week, Fiona asked a crop of beauty insiders and founders of ‘green’ labels for their Top 5 desert island beauty staples and ‘green’ beauty tricks and tips (I cheated and counted five nail polishes as one pick. Oops!).

Be inspired by what everyone had to say here (I was SO thrilled to be asked – thank you so much, Fi!!).

Also, a couple of Pinterest links to share.

Have you seen the AMAZING new summer jewellery in M&S?

They’ve done THE most beautiful, very retro-looking and oh-so-on-trend rhinestone and pastel-stoned statement necklaces, many with a touch of diamanté, that look truly vintage.

And earrings, like these …

And then, just this evening, I stumbled on this …

… what better way to start the weekend?!!

Have a lovely one, whatever you are doing!! XX

This giveaway has now closed and the winner (drawn by computer, thanks to random.org!) is Stacey Morgan – BIG congrats to Stacey, and thanks so much to everyone who took part!!

More gorgeous giveaways still open, and LOTS more to come at nonstopmama!

Grapevine/Zumba/power walk away from the baggy t-shirts and stretched-beyond-all-recognition leggings, nonstopmamas-to-be!

I’m THRILLED that fabulouso maternity fitness wear label FittaMamma is teaming up with us to give away this totally gorgeous, maternity workout outfit!

It’s part of a full range of specialist clothing designed to ‘Love your bump’ while you exercise (there are different styles to suit various activities) …

I think the combo of the Gentle Support Top (£32.99) and Mamma Shorts (£39.99), pictured top, work really well together and would be perfect for summer workouts.

Check out the FittaMamma website, too, for fitness and nutrition tips!

To enter the giveaway to WIN the outfit above (in your size!), all you need to do is:

 1. ‘Like’ the nonstopmama Facebook page or Follow us on Twitter, at @jbadenh or Pinterest (JBadenHoward) – OR all three!

If you’re following on Twitter, please tweet the message “I’ve entered to #WIN a FittaMamma workout outfit with@jbadenh and @FittaMamma at nonstopmama: http://bit.ly/10Y7lnB”.

2.  ‘Like’ the FittaMamma Facebook page or Follow FittaMamma (@FittaMamma) on Twitter or Pinterest!

3.  Then simply leave a Comment below, to let us know you’ve done the above!

That’s it!!

The winner will be chosen at random by computer (we’ll email them to arrange for the delivery of their FittaMamma workout outfit!).

Please take a mo to check out the giveaway rules here, thanks so much!

This giveaway will close at midnight on Saturday, 1 June 2013.

This giveaway has been promoted at Loquax and ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions.