Wednesday 5 December 2012

Must-have beauty essentials to keep you feeling pampered and healthy throughout your pregnancy

As well as having a maternity wardrobe that will keep you looking stylish throughout your pregnancy, pampering yourself and ensuring you stay healthy will also ensure you enjoy the nine moths.

Regular facials to help combat that problematic pregnancy skin, is one way to do this, while massages designed specially for pregnancy are a great way to relax.

However, if you're watching those pennies then there's a great range of pamper products and pregnancy essentials on the highstreet.

We've put together a little list of what we think should appear in every pregnant ladies bathroom and handbag.

Massage bar Therapy by Lush.
This little piece of loveliness has been designed specifically with expectant mums in mind.

It's a moisturising massage bar with cocoa and shea butters to make skin feel softer and improve elasticity, which is claimed to help reduce the appearance of stretch marks and scars, as well as being an all round fabulous product to keep the whole body in tip top condition.

With a blend of organic sweet orange oil, lavender oil and neroli, Therapy is also 100 percent certified organic. £6.25 for 65g from Lush

Bio-Oil.
A favourite with mums-to-be this miracle oil is designed to maximise the skin elasticity, helping to prevent the appearance of stretch marks common to over 75 percent of pregnancies.

It combines some of the most important skincare ingredients including vitamin A and E, essential oils, and unique revolutionary ingredient PurCellin Oil.

And it's a fave with celebrity mums  such as Tess Daly, Denise Van Outen and Kym Marsh.
Available on the highstreet at an RRP of £8.95 for 60ml.

Sea-Band Mama!
If like Kate Middleton you're suffering from extreme or even mild morning sickness - we know neither is nice - then why not try these bands, which are claimed to provide 75 percent of mums-to-be suffering with an all natural relief.

There's three unique products to choose from: an acupressure writstband, an essential oil ginger and spearmint rollete, and ginger and folic acid lozenges, offer a relief to suit everybody. Using natural remedies such as acupressure and essential oils help to gently alleviate feelings of nausea and block feelings of pain, allowing women to enjoy their pregnancy without worrying about affecting their unborn babies. The folic acid is also claimed to help prevent defects of the central nervous system of unborn babies.

Sea-Band Mama! wristbands, rollete and lozenges are available from www.seabandmama.com, independent health food stores and pharmacies. Priced at £8.15 (wristband), £4.99 (10ml rollete) and £3.99 (20 lozenges).

Miaroma Lavender Pure Essential Oil.
This blended aromatherapy essential oil comforts and soothes the mind and body. With its sweet and floral aroma, this soothing lavender essential oil has been found to be beneficial in supporting relaxation and sleep.

This can be vital during pregnancy as anxiety, sickness, discomfort and a weakened bladder cause 80% of women to suffer with sleep disturbance or insomnia during pregnancy.
Miaroma Lavender Essential Oil is available from Holland & Barrett stores, £7.49 for 10ml

Peaks of London creates pregnant Kate Middleton maternity wardrobe

The news that Kate Middleton is pregnant has caused a fashion furore, with everyone speculating what the Duchess will be wearing to show off her bump in the coming months.

Peaks of London has joined the club, coming up with a range of gorgeous pieces fit for the princess and of course pregnant women everywhere.

Designed with the Duchess of Cambridge in mind, its Audrey dress is a must-have item for any sartorially conscious mothers-to-be.

Not only will it see you through pregnancy with it’s adjustable waistline but also into breastfeeding.

Additionally the stretchy material of the company's Marilyn dress - which is almost identical to the famous Issa frock Kate wore at her engagement announcement, will ensure it grows with your bump.

We also love the Drape dress, which features an adjustable ribbon that can be loosened or tightened through the stages or pregnancy.

Take a cue from Kate and go for a blue palate, which is tipped to be one of the top colours for this party season and through into SS13.

See some of the company's princess inspired pieces in the gallery below.

Peaks of Londons' Marylin dress is very similar to Kate's Issa engagement dress, making any pregnant and breastfeeding lady feel like a princess.



The Audrey dress has been designed with the pregnant princess in mind

The Drape dress, which features an adjustable ribbon that can be loosened or tightened through the stages or pregnancy.

Channel Kate's love of blue with this breastfeeding tee




Tuesday 4 December 2012

Pregnant Kate Middleton's maternity wardrobe: Evening dresses which are also great for the Christmas party season

Now that Kate Middleton has announced she's expecting, having a bump is set to become one of the hottest trends of the season.

And we can't wait to see what maternity style she'll be rocking once her bump begins to show.

Until then we've looked at her current wardrobe and matched up some maternity dresses that would slot in perfectly.

Kate's style has always been very classic,  with her love of wrap dresses coming through at a range of occasions. Most notably the blue Issa wrap frock she wore when her engagement to Prince William was announced. Thankfully this silhouette flows perfectly into maternity wear with wrap dresses being a key way to show off your bump.

V-neck frocks as well as lace just below the knee styles are two other staple pieces which can be found in the Duchess' wardrobe, with Kate channelling these looks more than a handful of times on the red carpet and at evening events. Again, this is great for her maternity wardrobe with these styles also flattering bumps

A colour palate of blues, silvers and black may also prevail in Kate's maternity wardrobe.

With this in mind we've hunted around the virtual highstreet to come up with a range of maternity evening dress styles Kate may go for.

Buy them now and get ahead of the Royal maternity fashion game,  as with Kate's love of highstreet items we think some of these may be flying off the virtual shelves.

Kate's love of blue and wrap frocks, makes this Ruched wrap maternity dress
£119, Isabella Oliver, a perfect piece for her maternity wardrobe.

This gorgeous Grecian one shoulder shimmer pleat maternity maxi dress, £149, Rock-a-bye-Rosie, is similar to styles Kate has been spotted in. 

This breastfeeding dress, £169, Peaks of London, is great for Kate now, and post birth too.

This simple, yet elegant dress, reminds us of a certain Alexander McQueen frock the Duchess was spotted in last year. Anastasia, £169 at Tiffany Rose

Lace is one of Kate's loves. We heart this maternity frock, £42 Topshop

Monday 3 December 2012

Autumn/Winter 2012 trends: The kooky tee. We pick our top maternity ones as well as novelty Christmas prints

Being pregnant is a fun and exciting time for any mum-to-be and thanks to one autumn/winter 2012 trend, you can channel these feelings through your style.

This season Burberry, Marc by Marc Jacobs and 3.1 Phillip Lim were just a few designers who decided to add a playful element to their collections, teaming up key grown up pieces such as tweed skirts and blazers with playful kooky print tees.

And the great thing about this trend is anything goes. Team up a motif tee, that's a staple maternity piece, with a sensible work skirt or be more daring and go for cartoon character prints with smart trousers for that perfect autumn/winter 2012 inspired fashion clash.

We've picked out our fave kooky tees, including some novelty Christmas inspired ranges, to help you follow this trend in the gallery below.

Kooky tees, like this one at Burberry, were hot on the Autumn/Winter 2012 catwalks

Go for an illustrated tee, like this one from Asos, £12, to show off the trend.

Christmas is coming, and this novelty maternity long sleeved tee, £17.45, from Zazzle, is a great way to stay on-trend as well as celebrate the festive season.

We heart this Cookie Monster long sleeved tee, which is great for a playful take on the trend. Blooming Marvelous at Mothercare, £12,


This Mr Men inspired tee is a great cheeky take on the trend. £12.50 Mothercare



Go all grown up and loosely channel this trend with this motif vest from Topshop, £18.






The Duchess of Cambridge, aka Kate Middleton and Prince William annouce they are pregnant

After speculations and rumours running rife it's finally been confirmed that Kate Middleton is pregnant.

St James' Palace has announced that the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William are expecting their first child.

However, it has not been plain sailing for Kate who is said to have been admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital in central London with acute morning sickness, known as hyperemesis gravidarum.

A spokesman said: “As the pregnancy is in its very early stages, Her Royal Highness is expected to stay in hospital for several days and will require a period of rest thereafter.”

It is understood that the pregnancy has not passed the 12 week point and today's announcement was made as a result of the Duchess's medical condition.

We're wishing the couple a huge congratulations and hope Kate makes a full recovery soon. Check back tomorrow for what maternity clothes and style the Duchess will be channelling during her pregnancy.