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Dear Daisy, It is your first day at school...

Is The Hype Around YourGoodSkin Really Worth It? | Skincare Review


It wasn't long before I noticed an influx of ladies sharing their experiences of YourGoodSkin on Instagram, sharing makeup less selfies and posting hopeful messages that they would see a difference in just 28 days later. They were reaching out for more and more people to give it a go, they were giving out skincare products for free and I although usually I would pass on this kind of thing as I just don't have the time to pursue it and review etc, something drew me and made me go for it.

Tropic Skincare review

mum skincare regime


So it is no secret that I was sponsored to share my 28 day challenge with my Instagram audience, that was a non biased account of how I actually found it. I was entitled to share otherwise if I felt I needed to but in this case I absolutely did really enjoy using the products and yes, I did notice a change in my face. So much so that I thought I would come on to this little space of mine to share it too, and this is is no way commissioned, all off my own back.

I have to start with my hero product, the Hot Cloth Cleanser. First up i have to say this product is £8.99, and I really couldn't believe it when I looked up the price of this. I have paid MUCH more for a cleanser like this and have easily substituted it for this version. It is gentle, smells beautifully spa like and leaves my face feeling fresh and clean. My only negative would be that it does leave behind a little bit of eye make up, but again that could be me being a little too precarious (if there is such a thing) around my eye area. anything to avoid more wrinkles!

To combat the eye make up trouble I either use one of my micellar waters that I still love and will always use or I reach for one of their makeup wipes to just remove those impurities quickly and easily. I am not a massive fan of wipes, I do find them a little rough on my skin and a little drying at times, but these are great to have in my bathroom basket to reach for when I need to just finish off before bed.

The final product I wanted to mention was the Balancing Skin Concentrate, RRP £16.99. It aims to restore & maintain skin's natural balance. Designed to improve the 5 key signs of healthy looking skin; skin texture, skin tone evenness, radiance, moisture levels & oiliness. (extract from YourGoodSkin Website). Moisturisers, serums and products of this consistency usually make me nervous. I have skin that is easily upset and I don't like to risk using a product that could leave me feeling oily, blotchy or give me a break out. But I am absolutely loving this product. It leaves me feeling moisturised but barely noticeable, I can't feel it on my skin, I just feel fresh faced.

Is The Hype Around YourGoodSkin Really Worth It? | Skincare Review


So if you get the chance to try out this product I really recommend you do, I really don't have a bad word to say.

Hayley x



Why Won't My Baby Sleep? | Sleep Regressions & Sleep Training SOS


Now I wish I was here offering you some SOS on sleeping, getting babies and toddlers to sleep. But hell no I am not! I have a 19 year old little rascal, Alex, who has only ever slept through the night twice in his life!

Wonder Weeks sleep

Daisy had ups and downs and reading back on my blog makes me realise that perhaps she wasn't always a sound sleeper and that she too had a few weeks of disruptions, but by all accounts (and those of my poor memory) it was nothing like this. I certainly wasn't up and down most of the night with her.

Alex is waking every single night, at least once. Usually 2-3 times. He doesn't usually take a lot to settle and if I bring him into our bed he does usually dose off pretty quickly and we all get a little bit of sleep, all be it a little disrupted, awkward and uncomfortable. I am in no way against co-sleeping, if he was a pleasure to lie next to then I would have him in there no trouble, but he is a kicker, wriggler and climber! An absolute terror to have squeezed in between you both.

If this was just a stage then I would certainly say he was going through a sleep regression. But how can he have been regressing since the day he was born?! It is just becoming a nightmare. I haven't been well since well before Christmas and I just know the power of decent sleep would do me the power of good. Not that I am complaining of course!

Maybe it is just him, he isn't a sleeper. He needs the comfort, doesn't need the 8-10 hours worth of sleep most kids need and he just doesn't like to settle. I just don't get it. He has busy, action packed days, he doesn't stop and he eats well. Why wouldn't he sleep?

So what can I do to stop this? I know some responses will be controlled crying. We have been there with him and he will settle himself to sleep no problem, but it is a few hours later when he wants to wake up again that the trouble starts. I also fear leaving him to cry in the night in case he wakes up Daisy, which just never goes down well. That is a girl who really does need 11/12 hours sleep a night to function properly the next day!

co-sleeping sos


So help. SOS! I am admitting defeat....

Little Life update | A Personal Diary

SO, hello! Happy 2018!

Where do we start? Where we are now I guess...


Things are still very busy here which is why I have been a little quiet here for a while, that and the usual Christmas madness of course. Our house renovations are still in progress, and although it feels like we may actually be getting somewhere now, it has just taken so long! Or perhaps it has just felt that way.

Why Do i blog?


We have been living with my parents now for well over a month, it could actually be longer to be honest. It probably feels about 10 years to them, poor devils! We are hoping though to be back home within the next couple of weeks though. It is looking really good and it is so worth all of the struggles and ridiculous expense but my goodness sometimes I think to myself was it really worth it? I guess time will tell.

Work is still busy, I have lots of travel booked in for the first half of the year and lots of London trips, which is where my head office is based. Personally I don't like this sound of the role I am in as it just disrupts routine for all of us, and I am a stickler for a bit of structure. But the littlies don't ever seem to notice and sometimes at least I get some sleep!

I am still working my 4 days and the balance really does feel right at the moment, sometimes I wonder if I could drop one more day but I really am not sure I could (1) do my job in 3 days, I struggle as it is to fit it all in and (2) be the mum I would want to be. I find that a Wednesday is lovely, we spend the day swimming, having a rest watching films and getting on top of a few things that need sorting, you know general life admin. And then I have 2 more days at work and its the weekend. When I say I am not sure I would be right for another day dropped, I mean I am not sure if I am enough for them at the moment. They both need so much stimulation, particularly Alex. And patience. And when the terror is still not sleeping through that tends to shine through in my patience (or lack of it).

sleep regression


Alex is 19 months old and not sleeping all night. He often wants to come into our bed or have milk and comfort, I know these are all the big NO NO's but anything for an easy life and some sleep, particularly when we are all living at my parents house. Anything to make it easier and more pleasant for everyone else too. I have a feeling when we get into our house it is going to be time for some mummy boot camp. That child will sleep! Or will he? I have heard of boys (why is it always boys?) not sleeping until they are like 4 years old? I pray this isn't the case, my eye bags couldn't carry another 2 and a half years worth of sleep deprivation. Other than his sleep troubles he is a bright, overly intelligent little creature! He is brilliant, he certainly thinks he is the joker!

fussy eating sos



Daisy is also doing fab, loving nursery and is brighter than ever too. She knows a little too much and this comes through in her attitude at times, but it is brilliant to watch / hear! She makes us laugh, she is becoming very sure of herself. Our only concern with Daisy is her diet, she is still having problems with not trying new foods. Point blank refusing them. I think I may do a post about that in the coming weeks as this doesn't feel the place for it.

Over and out,

Hayley x

A Fresh Start | My New Years Resolutions


Another year has whizzed on by, so another set of goals is at the front of my mind. I don't like to have resolutions as such, more mind sets and fresh, positive ways of thinking.

A Fresh Start | My New Years Resolutions


Last year I aimed for a positive mind; getting out more, spending more time on myself and to de-clutter. I would like to say I fully succeeded and in some aspects I did but other ways, not so much. I definitely got rid of "stuff" from our house and found it easier to manage at home, easier to keep clean and tidy. We had some new storage solutions put in for the kid's toys and things and that seemed to do the trick.

A big part of my years goals was: Plan to plan. Make plans. Simple. Fill the diary with travel, breaks, coffee dates. Which means we see the world like we love to but are planned and organised, we see people and socialise. 

And really I guess in some aspects I did do that, but not as much as I would have liked to have. We had lots of adventures as families but outside of that, not so much.

So a big part of this years is to change that up a little bit. Even popping out to the gym for an hour makes the world of difference, it is that break away from home life and work, giving a slightly more positive balance. I think a realistic goal would be that once a month I spend and plan to have time for me. Things like a cinema trip, drinks with the girls, date night with Ben, all things where I am treating myself, allowing myself to be Hayley as well as Mum. Ben and I planned to go out once a month in 2017 for tea or something similar, we did it a fair few times but no where near once a month, life does just tend to get in the way. We did however get to Prague for a child free weekend! Not planned I should add, I won it in a competition and would never have dreamt of going without them. I actually dreaded the time away from them. But it was nice, it reminded me just how easy travel was without the little ones, it was different. I love travelling with the children, it isn't easy and it certainly isn't hassle free but it is worth the stress and panics most of the time. But to get away, just the two of us, really was a nice break away.

My blog changed a little over the last 12- 18 months, bringing more photography and travel based posts into the design and a big switch up of the generic design made it more simple, clean and minimal. I am happy with it at the moment, as always I wanted to put more content out but with working full time (well, 4 days) and spending time with the babies around that, it does get pushed aside a little. And I am okay with that. With everything going on at the house too, it really can not be top of the priority list. It can only get easier though hey!

My DA score (jargon if you aren't into this SEO kind of rubbish!) has been better than it ever has been in2 017, so to continue that would be the dream. It has turned into a little revenue stream for me too, not enough to ever consider it becoming self sufficient or to be able to drop hours at work or anything like that, but enough to make me feel proud that something I love has started to make a little bit of money. I have however stepped away from some of the personal posts that I started this blog with, so this year I want to go back to writing more from the heart, more natural, personal type posts. So expect that this year!

Do you have any goals or resolutions for 2018?

Hayley x