As a mum of three with a business to run, I have nowhere near as much time to spend on myself. Gone are the days where I'd lovingly make my own hair masks, apply and then relax in the bath with a book for an hour. If I attempt a bath I last about 10 minutes before I have a child that either wants to get in with me, wants to take a poo (and it has to be in that toilet even though we have two!) or that decides to come in and sit on the toilet while playing a toy trumpet.
While I've had to adapt my beauty regime over the years to accommodate my changing lifestyle, it is still possible to go from shabby to chic with minimal time and effort, even with the endless interruptions that parenthood entails.
Here are my golden rules to being a yummy mummy:
•Choose products that do a few things at once such as a cleanser that contains glycolic acid, that way you're exfoliating while cleansing. You can also buy cleansers that you can leave on the skin and use as a face masque.
•For loose, pretty waves that make you look like you've made a real effort, plait your hair and sleep in it. For the best waves, two french plaits starting at the hairline look best. If you're not sure how to do them, there are plenty of tutorials online. Even better, if you have a child old enough get them to watch; they'll learn a new skill and you get fab looking hair!
•Olive oil is not just a Jamie Oliver recipe essential, it's also very nourishing. Dry skin, cracked hands, dehydrated hair; slather on some warm olive oil and leave for as long as possible. When washing the oil out of your hair, apply shampoo to dry hair, lather, rinse and repeat.
•Gone are the days where you had to sit around for eight hours looking like you're covered in gravy browning to get a tan. With the new formulations out you can have a natural looking tan in as little as an hour - if you're a breastfeeding mum, this will be your new best friend!
•Speaking of breastfeeding, do you still have a load of nipple cream left over? Use it on your lips at night; they double up as a great lip balm.
•Sleek ponytails can look amazing, but if like me you look more Vicky Pollard than Victoria Beckham with your hair scraped back, invest in a large bun ring; they take two minutes to put in and leave you looking groomed and polished.
•Keep two tablespoons in the fridge (not freezer!) and hold them over closed eyes each morning for about 30 seconds- this will instantly refresh your eyes, increase the blood flow and reduce any puffiness.
•Cleansing is extremely important and missing just one night can really leave the skin looking tired and dull. If you find that when it comes to bed time you really can't be bothered to even wash your face, switch to a creamy cleanser and remove with a warm, cotton flannel. Or - and this may sound like common sense - cleanse earlier prior to getting tired.
•As women, what do we do best? We multi-task! When doing the dishes, smother your hands in hand cream or oil, pop on some rubber gloves and get scrubbing. Not only will the gloves protect your hands and nails from the drying chemicals, but the heat from the water will help your moisturiser penetrate deeper in to the skin. If you do this every day you'll have beautiful, younger looking hands in no time.