The Latest in Natural Indie Bath & Beauty

Relaxation! So important for a new Mama! Or most of us really! Mama or not, we wear many hats and have countless responsibilities. With work lined up around the corner, I am creating little pockets of calm for me. Recharging pockets!
Yoga in the morning, a mask, bath, meditation or back rub at night... the little things are making all the difference.

I have recently tried some wonderful pampering products from some cute Indie Beauty labels.

Freya's Nourishment has won me over with their Rose Hand Scrub. Constant hand washing and nappy changing have left my hands a little dry and rough in some parts and this is such a treat! Very restoring with a gorgeous balancing Rose scent I kept the little jar close to the basin and have enjoyed it so, so much! This would make such a lovely gift as well!
Freya's Nourishment is a small batch Australian beauty company with beautiful handmade bath & beauty products! The products are vegan and cruelty-free.
I have really enjoyed her Rose And Pomegranate Bath Salt and Wild Rose & Peony Candle.
(All her candles are phthalate free made with non-toxic fragrance!).
I felt comfortable burning this one beside my bath at night. Real Mama bliss.
(With our little baby in the house I am currently not burning any candles or oils in rooms that she is in. Babies developing lungs are very sensitive and it's best not to perfume the house!) 

Another one to watch is Bear Lake Finds. It's an online store with a small selection of indie beauty products imported from the USA & carefully curated by the founder, who wanted to bring her favourite beauty products home and make them available in Australia. 
Most products are on the website are natural, all are cruelty-free and from small batch beauty labels.
I had never heard of the brands or products that she stocks so I was naturally curious!
Moon Rivers Naturals is a true gem. With Organic Ingredients and cool eco-friendly packaging, the products are great quality.
I discovered a luxurious Peppermint Lavender Body Scrub & Rose Geranium Bath Soak that made my skin glow and worries melt away. I am always on the hunt for a candle made with 100% essential oils and no synthetic fragrance, which is very hard to find! A candle that was so pretty I just wanted to keep it out on the shelf and sniff it.... Yep, that's the Slow North Lavender & Cedar Candle. If you like candles you will love these! And non-toxic !!! Stock up!
(We actually have a trip to the mountains coming up and I can't wait to light it there when soaking in the jacuzzi of our little chalet) 

And last but not least: Good Vibes Oil!
Which smells of Hippie (in a good way!) I have used it a few times when my emails and phone calls were overwhelming, with great success and a now carrying it in my handbag! Just in case... When the need arises I use a few drops on temples & neck and voila. Good Vibes all around! It is minty fresh with some earthy notes. Def unisex, on the masculine side. Not all the magical oils are revealed on the ingredient list, but we can be sure about chamomile & lavender working their soothing magic. It's a blend of organic flowers, essential oils and even a little quartz crystal swims in the little bottle. 

I will do a separate post about Aromatherapy for Mum's real soon! Stay tuned. 
Now excuse me while I take a bath in candle light ;)

Our easy peasy cloth nappy setup

It's Plastic Free July! That calls for a post to inspire others to use cloth nappies! 
I am overdue to share my postpartum care tips and my hospital bag list but since the great initiative of Plastic Free July, I will start with this.

We are trying to do all things baby as sustainable as possible and I was always sure that I wanted to use cloth diapers.
A few months in and I am LOVING our setup. It's easy peasy. I am not even kidding.
Below you find some tricks and products that make the whole thing a breeze.

Cloth Nappy Benefits
Besides that its great for the environment (simply do a bit of research on how much waste disposable nappies create!) cloth diapering saves you heaps of money and looks way cuter. I love looking at Faye's little bum covered in bulky but colourful nappies. It's a total win-win.
It's also very gentle on babies skin and causes less diaper rash.

Is cloth diapering a lot of work?
Nope! It's not! All you need is a good setup. I was a little bit scared beforehand questioning if I am just taking on one too many things with baby, work, blog etc. but I find it surprisingly easy.
Also, I am really not someone that is great with housework. I couldn't live without a dishwasher and Dave does the majority of our cleaning. What I am trying to say is, if I can do it anyone can :) Even though we are living in an apartment and have no drier it's still easy to do.

Cloth Diapering for Beginners Guide
Three months in I am by no means an expert but we have found a system that works brilliantly for us. If you want to attain expert status and look into all the different options of cloth nappies there is a great overview here. If you are afterwards confused, don't despair. Just decide for something that gets good overall reviews and go for it. That's what I have done. After quite some complicated research we settled for a whole set of Bumgenius Original 5.0 nappies.
They are one size fits all, which is a HUGE plus for me, as I didn't
want to work out sizes of an ever growing baby. This set will last us until Faye is toilet trained. YAY!
I am not claiming they are the best, as I can't compare them to others but they work really well for us. No fuzz, no leaks or spills and easy to use. There are probably lots of lovely more local companies or some that are all organic etc. So please comment, if you are using a different brand that you love. You will need a set of about 24 if you want to wash every other day.
You don't need to wash every day but I also won't recommend leaving the dirty nappies any longer. :) For obvious reasons...

Our Setup:
We use a simple pedal bin, lined with a washable & waterproof cloth liner. Places that sell cloth nappies usually sell accessories like this. We have 2 bin liners, as one would usually go in the wash. The nappies get thrown in here as they are for now. I separate the insert and the nappy cover, so I won't have to touch the dirty nappy again when washing.
(once Faye eats solids we will need to empty her poo into the toilet and use a sprayer which we have installed at our toilet)
Our change table is a chest of drawers that we will be able to keep for Faye's clothes. It's a beautiful piece of furniture and it won't go to waste once we no longer need a change table.
We use a toxin-free & organic change table mat from Pottery Barn Kids.
And a Diaper Caddy which also came with a wipeable change mat thingy, which we always use under Fayes Bum, so we won't need to wash the change mat cover all the time.

UPDATE: OUR BELOVED EDIBLE BUBBA PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED BUT EDIBLE BEAUTY STILL DOES THE BOTTOM CREME. Find it here:
Edible Beauty Mum & Bub Coco Barrier Cream (no rashes ever!!!)
The caddy contains Faye's whole line of bath products by Edible Bubba, that I keep raving about, bum cleanser, nail scissors and all sorts of bits and pieces.
In the top drawer of change table we store all our nappies and inserts. The other top drawer contains two Tupperware like containers with our washable wipes! We use Cheeky Wipes. Read more about them below:

Washable Baby Wipes:
Midwives and doctors recommended staying away from conventional baby wipes as they contain too many nasty chemicals. While there are some toxin-free, natural alternatives they will still end up as waste and will also end up costing a small fortune.
To keep things super convenient we got a clever system of reusable wipes.
Cheeky Wipes not only come with storage containers for clean and dirty wipes but also with essential oils to keep them fresh and little travel bags for use on the go. Soooo good.
They also do a better job in cleaning than regular wipes!
Basically, you fill the containers with water and a couple of drops of the oil, chuck in the wipes and let them soak up the liquid. The dirty wipes container has a mesh lining with a drawstring, so you won't have to touch the dirty wipes again when washing them. You just throw the whole mesh bag with your dirty nappies into the washing machine.
Another beautiful little washable thing to have on hand are reusable Flannelette Cloths.
Soft enough to wipe little faces, wipe up spit and all sorts of stuff. We got some cute looking ones pictured above.
To keep Faye's skin protected, clean and soft as a babies bottom should be we are using:


The Worlds Best Bum Cleanser (as far as I know)
The French know a thing or two about skincare! Inspired by a traditional French Olive Oil mixture two Bondi based Mums (who are French!) started up their own business, Petit Kiddo, selling the worlds best bum cleanser. It's like a cream cleaner for babies bottom, which doesn't require water or rinse off. It protects the skin with a natural barrier, preventing nappy rash. I use it with a cheeky wipe, damp or dry. It's really good stuff and gets those little rolls clean!

Do the nappies come out clean? What about laundry detergent?
Yes, they do. We wash them at 60degrees on the Baby Care cycle of our washing machine.
This cycle has a prewash and rinse included. We use Rockin Green laundry powder. It's vegan, toxin-free and au naturale, while being powerful enough to get the stink and stains out.
We then hang them out in the sun, which also bleaches the inserts. If you own a dryer you can use that. On rainy days we hang up inside on a rack. Our inserts are microfibre and dry pretty quickly.

What do I do if I travel?

Day trips:
If we leave the house for the day we are all set, bringing a wetbag for the dirty nappies along.
They are cute looking, waterproof and washable bags to store any dirty nappies or wet clothes in. We bring along Cheeky Wipes in their little travel pouches and we are all good to go. We always bring our favourite natural & organic hand sanitizer by Divine. (pictured above)

Long Trips:
That's where you have to decide. You can either bring your collection with you if you can wash on your trip or do what most cloth diaper families do these days: use eco disposables for the time being. The best that I have found are Bambo Nature, they are the most absorbent and also the cleanest brand with the best eco credentials. These puppies are toxin-free and really work. We are happy using these on holidays together with organic wipes or water wipes.

Do you need a ginormous nappy bag?
Yep, all new parents do. Cloth diapering or not you happen to carry a lot of stuff with you in the early days. We love our vegan unisex nappy backpack. Backpacks are so much easier. Especially if you are carrying a baby as well. We have gotten lot's of compliments on our Honest Co City Backpack

Time For Your Winter Glow! Exclusive offer for Liv Well Readers

I don't know about you but for me, it's time to get my Winter Glow on!
And I have a pretty amazing deal waiting for you:
When purchasing the Divine Natural Bronze you will receive a FREE full-size Exfoliating Scrub.
Simply use the code: winterglow at checkout and get glowing.
Now let me tell you why you would want them:

I am a bit of a Winter phobic and definitely a Summer girl, but I made this commitment a few years back to not ever again complain about Winter, but to rather celebrate it and making the most out of it! This has led to buying fun beanies, cool boots and chic coats and to get some tan on when needed. To stocking up on yummy teas and baking vegan treats.
Winter is fun and beautiful after all!

While I tan quite well naturally over the warmer months, right now I can do with a bit of an extra colour. And thanks to my new full-time job as Mama it's especially important that I only use clean, green, non-toxic and ideally Certified Organic products on myself.
My latest discovery is the Divine Natural Bronze & Exfoliating Body Scrub Duo.
Of course, it's all vegan & certified organic, packed with luxurious ingredients to pamper the skin. Let me tell you about the products:

Natural Bronze is a gradual tan, which makes it more mistake proof. I am in a bit of a hurry these days when having a shower. (Anyone that has taken care of a Newborn can probably relate! ) Yet I come out even and streak free. I do always use a mitt when applying tan, which saves me from scrubbing my hands so much afterwards and it does save time. Of course, you can just use your hands if you prefer. I also take good care to exfoliate at least 24h before ideally using an exfoliating glove! Only apply your tan very lightly around dry areas like knees, elbows & feet. You will always have to do some good skin preparation before tanning but I find gradual tans way more forgiving. ( I am sure most of you are tanning experts but just in case there are some newbies)
This one will work for fair to medium skin tones and is buildable. My own skin is never too pale, so the colour looked very natural on myself. All natural tans only use the active tanning ingredient, no synthetic colours. Most conventional tans now have a lot of green and blue pigment added to their formulas, which create more olive results. Natural tans will always be a bit more on the warmer side.The lighter your skin the more careful you will need to apply. You use it as many days in a row as you like until you have achieved the bronze tone that you like, then you can maintain your glow by applying only every 3 days. This lotion feels very moisturising and has a very subtle natural scent.

Exfoliating Body Scrub
This is one nice body scrub! I really like the subtle natural smell and the super fine Pumice & Walnut Shell Powder does a great job exfoliating without being too scratchy. It's a very creamy texture and super easy to use. Of course, it's also nicely hydrating. It's perfect to prep your skin for tanning or just on it's own.

I hope you enjoy this special cooler season!
 

Possibly The Best Body Scrub! Ever.

My favourite Body Scrub, which I kinda forgot to include into my fav body products video is the Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub by Eco Tan.

(Do you know how much I love their Face Tan Water? I wrote about it here.)

The scrub is recommended to be used on dry skin prior to stepping into the shower.
I LOVE it. Makes me feel as if I am having a Spa treatment. It gets rid of any dryness and nourishes the skin instantly. Once you shower it off you come out of the shower smooth and supple, no body lotion needed. That's why they recommend using it 48h before using a self-tan, as otherwise, I can imagine the tan not sticking as well. I use this as my regular scrub not matter if I choose to use any self-tan or not. Living in Sydney and loving the outdoors I hardly ever use a fake tan. There have been exceptions lately, as this Summer was just full of either heat wave days or rain, not many opportunities to get some sun :( Plus being pregnant I haven't been able to tolerate heat very well. So I became used to helping my bronze along with some natural, bottled options. I think I am not the only one smitten by this products, as it's won quite a few awards already.

I am also a fan of the Cacao Firming Body Mousse, which I have been applying before our maternity shoot and also before my baby shower. It's so easy to apply and gives a nice even glow.
I have always left it on for 4hours to get a bit more colour out of it. As I am naturally quite tanned I just want it to even out my skin and make it glow, it doesn't really make it any darker, which would be different if you are very fair, to begin with. The most amazing thing is that the product is all organic, no nasties here! That's why I was happy to even use it now during pregnancy.

I am looking forward to using it in Winter postpartum, to make myself feel in good shape!
Now in pregnancy, it really helps to conceal all the little spider veins over my legs. (I am crossing my fingers they will disappear after pregnancy...I have just been on my feet working way too much during this pregnancy and have quite bad veins showing) 

The best thing is that it's non-smelly and super quick and easy to use.

Check out all my other favourite hair& body products here.

Third trimester Survival Tips & Essentials

Photo by Gabriela Fearn from our Maternity Session

The third trimester will get uncomfortable everyone warned me.

Mine was pretty fine.
No major symptoms. A few sleepless nights here and there, a few leg cramps but overall I have felt energised and was able to exercise and enjoy my days. Now in my final days, I do feel the weight and pressure of our baby girl and definitely feel some discomfort, but nothing so major that it would keep me from walking.

I do feel that my vegan plant-based diet has contributed to this a lot! When you eat well, you feel well, your body does have energy naturally and you feel emotionally more balanced too.

I made a big commitment to myself to really look after myself during this special time, no matter how busy life and work got, I made my health and wellbeing a priority. And trust me, I know it's not always easy, but at the same time, there is nothing more important to do.

I am by no means an expert and this is my first pregnancy, yet all the things below have made my life so much easier and helped me feeling great during this final trimester:

Body Products / Cosmetics For The Third Trimester

Magnesium Spray & Bath Salts
Read my review about them here. If I ever got sore after too much exercise or just from too much standing or baby pressing on my lower back and pelvis a bath in these sorted me out real quick.
It also really helps with sleep, which is another common problem for many in the third trimester, as it can get a little harder to get comfy with this big belly. A warm bath in these at the end of the day really helped to knock me out and get the best sleep.

Face Tan Water
I have been raving about it before. It just helps my skin look more even and glowing without using makeup, which I kinda got too lazy for lately.
Read my review here

Perineum Massage Oil
I got myself a bottle of the Weleda Perineum Massage Oil. I will keep you updated after birth if it helped at all.
I thought it won't hurt to try it. It's developed by midwives and absolutely safe.
The idea is to keep the area well hydrated and elastic to help stretch the skin and prevent any tearing during birth.

Favourite Exercises During The Third Trimester

Gurmukhs Prenatal Kundalini Yoga
I did a class I found on Youtube over and over, as I missed out to get myself the official DVD's earlier. So: My hot tip is on getting your hands on these in time at the beginning of pregnancy. She is such an amazing teacher and I always feel great after this class.

Walking
It's probably not really news to you, but I still wanted to mention that walking has been great. Not comfortable at all days, but always worth it. Walking lots during pregnancy is recommended everywhere, helps the baby into a good position and has countless other benefits.

Swimming
I envisioned myself being able to swim every day in this third trimester, but the weather in March this year was rather horrendous and lead to too much pollution in the harbour beaches around my house on most days. I still managed to swim as much as possible and it always made me SO happy. I just doing normal breaststroke laps, nothing that looks like an olympic sport. ( I am not that sporty!) But even these simple movements and the water supporting the weight, just felt magical every time.

Favourite Meditations During The Third Trimester

I also thought I would meditate every morning during the last trimester since being off work for the last weeks. I am usually quite committed to my practice, but I also wanted to enjoy my sleep. So I did do regular meditations, but not every morning.

Kundalini Meditations from Gurmukhs book Bountiful Beautiful Blissful
Meditations from the Calmbirth Course
(If your partner is up for it, it's really great doing meditations together, Dave and I have been doing some of the partner meditations in Gurmukhs book and also listened to the Calmbirth meditations together)

My fit ball, or also called labour ball by the midwives. I just got myself a cheapy one from Kmart and used it to sit on when working on my desk. It really helps with posture. And posture is kind of a big deal when the growing belly & boobs are pulling you forward. Exercise, of course, helps to open up the chest and to stretch out the shoulders, but I still catch myself in the mirror slouching a lot. The ball is also great for little labour prep exercises and apparently an amazing tool in labour too. We will see...

My Favourite Foods & Superfoods During the Third Trimester

Raw Protein Powder
Dave always tells me I don't need it, but since you DO need more protein during pregnancy and it fills me up, stops cravings and also helps me with exercise plus makes my smoothie bowls taste extra creamy and tasty I have been loving it! It's true though that you won't NEED isolated proteins to your diet. This one , which I have also used in my Bliss Ball recipe, is a very healthy, balanced, organic, wholefoods one though and again, I have been loving it!

Everything that is fermented and probiotic!
As baby inherits your gut flora, which is the base for all good health and a healthy immune system, it's important to load up on these foods during pregnancy. Besides that it helps to keep you regular and keeps you overall happy and healthy.
I incorporated the following:

Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with the mother
I use it in salad dressings, but also like to drink a tablespoon mixed in a glass of water.
It also helps to stabilise blood sugar and to avoid sweet cravings.

Kimchi (which also has garlic and spices that work as prebiotics!)
I am addicted to the one that About Life makes, they have it in their fresh food bar and also sell their own jars of it, although it's often sold out. If you live in Sydney, you have to try this one! Husband is a fan as well.

Coconut Water Kefir, I really love the taste. It reminds me of Champagne. (Yeah, I am weird!)
This is a watery sparkling drink, I am NOT talking about Coconut Kefir, which is a rich yoghurt like food, which is made from Coconut Milk. It's healthy too, but I much prefer just taking a sip of the Water Kefir and found the other one too creamy tasting.

Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
It's an old natural herbal remedy to tone the uterus and prepare it for birth. There are so many different recommendations on when to start and how much to drink. I checked with our doula and recommend you ask your providers for approval and do your own research. I really enjoy the taste, but I know many don't and mixes it with other herbs, drink it as iced tea etc.

Lots of fresh food and veggies!
Duh... You have heard this one before, I bet!
Starting every day with a smoothie bowl gives me a portion of greens already right when I wake up. I will share my favourite recipe on the blog soon! I have had salads for lunch and steamed, grilled or baked veggies for dinner...Veggies, veggies, veggies. And fruit snacks ofcourse! If I really wanted something sweet I had a Bliss Ball or made myself a Dandelion Chai Latte with Soy Milk. Sometimes also a Tumeric Latte, yum....

That's it! I hope you enjoyed it. Again, these are just things that have worked for me. Everyone is different and so is every pregnancy, always check with your providers about exercise, foods and supplements that are suitable for you.