Starting a blog just days before my second baby is due is probably not the smartest idea I’ve ever had. It goes without saying that at some point in the next couple of weeks I’m going to be a little too busy to update! But, as I’m nearing the end of my pregnancy I thought I could take this opportunity to list my top 5 beauty products from the last nine months. Some of these I couldn’t have coped without and some have just cheered me up and made me feel a bit pampered, which is something every pregnant woman needs!

Palmers Cocoa Butter – I used this all the way through my first pregnancy and I’ve done the same this time. I don’t believe there is any miracle way to prevent stretch marks but this product has kept my skin soft and supple and eased the horrible, tight feeling that you can get as your bump grows. I found the sweet smell a bit nauseating in the first 12 weeks but I’ve since discovered they do an unscented version which would suit anyone who’s suffering from morning sickness (or who just doesn’t like the smell!)

LUSH Olive Branch Shower Gel -I think alot of people assume that because the smell of a Lush shop is sooooo overwhelming, all the products must be highly scented and a bit OTT. However, there are some truly beautiful products that often get overlooked in the store because they smell much more subtle and aren’t quite as eye-catching as the bright pink, sparkly bubble bars and ballistics. The Olive Branch is one such product, you just can’t appreciate the smell in store. It has a blend of bergamot essential oil and mandarin juice and is simply the most moisturising shower gel I’ve ever used. Each bottle contains 3% olive oil and it leaves your skin incredibly soft. Bergamot is a great oil for helping to ground your emotions and leave you feeling comforted which I think makes it perfect during pregnancy (or for whenever you feel things are getting a little crazy).

LUSH Ceridwen’s Cauldron Luxury Bath Melt – This is a HG product for me all the time, but especially during pregnancy. It looks a little strange, a chunk of cocoa butter wrapped in a muslin bag and tied with red cord, but when you drop it in your bath it really works its magic. It contains oats which turn your bath milky as the cocoa butter melts and a blend of five essential oils that help tone your skin. Again, this doesn’t have an incredibly overwhelming smell, it’s quite a delicate floral. Oats are fantastic for dry or sensitive skin and after the cocoa butter has melted you’re left with a muslin bag full of them. Rubbing this over your body is like a mini-spa treatment that leaves your skin feeling incredible. This product always leaves me feeling very pampered.

Neals Yard Palmarosa Face Wash – At the beginning of this pregnancy my skin went absolutely INSANE. I had the worst spots I had ever had in my life and they left me feeling incredibly down (not helped by constant nausea and the ‘wobbly’ stage that precedes a proper baby bump). I tried a couple of facials and some dermalogica products that I had a really bad allergic reaction to before venturing into Neals Yard. This face wash cleared up my spots really quickly and didn’t cause any redness or flakiness, I’m sure because it’s free of nasty chemicals. It is slightly astringent but it doesn’t leave my skin feeling dry at all. I’m onto my second bottle and it’s the first time in ages that I haven’t felt tempted to stray from a skincare routine.

Lavender Essential Oil – I have used this in so many ways over the last nine months… in my bath, on my pillow at night, in an oil burner, for massage. It always relaxes me and helps me sleep. I have both a spray and massage oil containing lavender made up for labour I love it that much! It also helps 4 year olds get to sleep… my daughter asks for my ‘magic sleep potion’ when she’s having trouble nodding off!

Loveaudrey xxx