saharasplash

What’s in our travel bags

You’re either two types of person: one who loves packing or one who hates it. After stressing out the day before for about half an hour, I’m generally ok and then I get into it. Although we have flown with Alice before to Ireland, I’m having to organise this one all by myself, so there’s a lot to do! I’d like to show you what’s in our travel bags as we head to Glasgow for the bank holiday weekend…

What’s in Alice’s bag

In Alice’s bag we have:

Mamia nappies and travel wipes from Aldi, we find these are the best value for money and the best quality too.

A few snack pouches for the journey just in case from Piccolo Foods and Aldi. Note that there are no restrictions on baby pouches in hand luggage even though they are technically a liquid, but airport security know that babies need the food!

A spare change of clothes, not that we have ever needed one but you can’t be too careful.

Sebamed diaper rash and baby cream, this stuff is the best in the business.

Nuby teether, as Alice’s top two teeth are now coming through. She bit my arm as I was packing!

Our baby bag is from Fact + Fiction. This bag is designed to look like a ladies handbag, but in fact is equipped with all the changing compartments and storage a baby bag needs. If you’re after a stylish way to travel with a baby, this is the one!

What’s in mummy’s bag

In my bag we have:

Sunglasses by Roberto Cavalli. These come with me on every trip and I don’t really use any other pair.

My trusty Tangle Teezer, as my hair constantly needs brushing and this size is a great one to travel with.

Sass and Belle notebook, in case I need to jot anything down quickly.

Nyx liquid lipstick in my favourite shade: satin ribbon.

Bag: Dune London. You may be thinking why take a white bag on such a journey, but this bag is seriously good quality. Any marks or dirt I get on it comes right off with a baby wipe, which I just so happen to always have on me! I picked this bag up from TK Maxx this Spring.

Living Proof dry shampoo, because lord knows by the end of the weekend I’ll be using it. This won’t be going in my hand luggage as it’s an aerosol but it will definitely be in our main suitcase.

Gluten free snacks, because I never leave home without something to nibble on. The hazelnut cholocate bars from Aldi are so handy and mess free.

Breast pads galore. For some reason I’ve gone back to spontaneously leaking and so to avoid any embarrassing moments, I’ve got a stash of them handy.

Mavala double lash treatment is also coming with me. A weekend trip is a great excuse to take some extra pampering tools along you wouldn’t normally use day to day. I’m giving my lashes a well-deserved treatment over the weekend.

Let’s not forget our Sky Baby, a clever travel mattress which can be used on flights and when travelling with babies. This is probably the last trip we will use it on as Alice approaches her first birthday in October. Look out for my insta uploads for the plane pics! See you on the other side ✈️

What’s on your travel bag essentials list? Let me know in the comments below!

Saharasplash x

PR samples included, all thoughts and views my own 

saharasplash

Living in the body positivity age

You know me, I always like to accompany each blog post with a little bit of a story, words of wisdom or an insight into my real life. This blog post is all about how we are living in the body positivity age, so I’m going to keep it real for you. We all know what’s going on these days on the internet; we wake up and are faced with a million possibilities to scroll through our phones and look at images of other people. Why do we do it? Because it’s fun, habitual or perhaps a way to compare ourselves to others? Whatever your reason, be it a mostly positive or negative experience, we just can’t escape it if we are actively using social media. Living in the body positivity age can be hard if you’ve not got that ‘body positivity’ mindset about your own self. And like the famous saying goes, if you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?

I am a very positive person, but I can also be stubborn, selfish and rude to those who know me well. Also never talk to me when I’m hungry or you may lose a finger. I love having my photo taken, and I also love seeing how others are getting creative in taking their photos too. Even though I am happy in my own skin and I get a lot of positive vibes from friends, family and readers on the way I look, I do have a voice in the back of my head just like you do. It’s impossible not to judge every single detail of a photo that catches your attention. This girl has gorgeous hair, flawless skin, the longest legs. But so many of us out there take these thoughts with us longer than we ought to.

I want to try and spread the word that living in  the body positivity age is doable and you can come out the other side of that phone time without feeling crap about yourself.

These photos below represent me, my aura, my motherhood and all the things you don’t really see unless you get to know me. And this is the point… you don’t know the person in the photo, so why do you want to be jealous of them? That long-legged gazelle may have the worst breath in the world, and how could you tell from a photo?

So, here’s some of my late night musings I’d love for all my readers to take away: try and be positive (daily) about your style, your voice and most importantly your body. Don’t abuse it or be cruel to it. Love it as if you were looking into the mirror for one very last time. What would you tell yourself if you could never see yourself in a reflection again?

I’ve written down a few things that you won’t be able to judge from just these pictures, and all sporting one very cool bikini from UK Swimwear…

I love swimming but hate getting my hair wet

I am one lucky lady for being able to bring my daughter up surrounded by loving family members

I will always be a sassy babe at heart, but will never be able to tan so dialling up the saturation on these images!

I am willing to lay on a cold, hard wooden floor for that perfect insta shot, a determined gal that’s for sure!

The Piha Palm Fever Bikini is available from UK Swimwear 

Be real, be you, and remember you can’t judge a person from a few photos.

Saharasplash x

Thanks for reading living in the body positivity age. If you are after more trends and style, head on over to this post featuring Femme Luxe Finery next.

PR Samples included, all thoughts and views my own

saharasplash

Alice’s weaning journey update

This post has taken me a long time to put together. Mainly because a weaning journey is something that is constantly changing and updating as much as your child grows and learns. Alice’s weaning journey has been a very successful experience in my opinion, and although I haven’t had much to go on being my first time, I think I’ve been incredibly lucky with how Alice has done. She took her first taste of purée at around four months. I felt she was ready, and by the way she started to grab the spoon and feed herself almost immediately I’d say that was a great indication. I’ve listed three categories below to help break things down, and hopefully you will get a good insight into Alice’s weaning journey update.

The tools Alice uses

It’s a little bit daunting when you first enter a baby aisle and see the huge array of products and feeding tools on display. The most important thing to remember is that there isn’t a right or wrong way to approach feeding your baby. Choose what you like, and if it doesn’t work out, that’s ok. We went through quite a few bottles before we found one that Alice liked, so trial and error is your friend!

Here are some really handy NUK tools by Annabel Karmel. Alice just loves the spoons, fruitsicle lolly holders and also the stackable pots below. It’s so easy to fill them with different snacks when out and about rather than taking a whole packet and then having to deal with a half open bag after lunch. These store fruit, crackers, whatever your baby is munching on at the time.

The bibs Alice wears

We are such a fan of the Bibetta bib range. Their neoprene like material make them sturdy, pliable and super easy to wash and clean. We didn’t get on with hard plastic bibs, the paper travel bibs lasted about two seconds before she ripped them off, so these are the ones that fit just right, as Goldilocks would say!

I must also give a quick mention on our clever Bamboo plate, which sticks to our high chair and makes for rather cute insta snaps too!

The food Alice loves

So, we started out with purées and pouches to begin with, and we found that Alice loved this selection from Babease the most. Each pouch has an amazing mix of ingredients which has definitely inspired me in my own kitchen too.

We moved onto things like wafers and soft fruit pieces by the time she was five months. By six months Alice had learnt how to drink through a straw, and so much preferred to suck on a pouch rather than be spoon fed from it. In fact, from about six months she didn’t want to be spoon fed at all. Hand her a chip or slice of pear and she was happy!

We have been doing three meals a day plus snacks for quite a while, she loves anything I give her including marmite covered crumpets!

Here’s one new discovery we have been enjoying recently… they are frozen baby cubes from Lickalix (available at Waitrose + Ocado).

These handy frozen cubes are perfect for adding into any meal to boost fruit/veg portions. Mix the broccoli spinach cubes into some mash, or add the strawberry mango cube into a plain yoghurt. They’re a lot of fun, and Alice is a big fan!

One last group of products I must mention on Alice’s weaning journey update are Piccolo Foods. This Mediterranean inspired brand produces the finest range of meals with flavoursome tastes, and we are loving the new Piccolo squares as well! Harder and larger than the regular baby cracker, these are great for teething tots and keeping them occupied a little while longer I have found!

Tell me all about your weaning journey if you are weaning right now. Pop a comment below or feel free to message me on Twitter too 🙂

Saharasplash x

Fancy some more baby-related blog posts? Then head to my Aldi Baby and Toddler post next!

PR Samples included, all thoughts and views my own 

SHARE:
Comments Off on Alice’s weaning journey update
saharasplash

what’s coming up in this season’s Aldi Specialbuy event

It’s always a privilege to be able to work with your favourite brands as a blogger. I’m always blown away when I am contacted by the likes of Pretty Little Thing, Boohoo, and also supermarkets like Aldi too. It’s been almost a whole year since I brought out my first post on the Aldi Baby and Toddler event when I was expecting Alice, and it’s so nice to keep bringing you new and exciting content and sneak peeks from their collections. So here’s what’s coming up in this season’s Aldi Specialbuy event (and there’s the full list of items and prices at the end for you).

Food time

I thought I would separate the items out into categories, so depending on what items are on your list you can make your way through each section. Lily&Dan never fails to bring out a lovely selection of bibs and clothing and I’m a sucker for a cute pineapple design. What’s also really popular right now is bamboo style dinnerware for kids. This sweet mouse dinner set is just £5.99, I can see this going fast!

Bath time

Now onto bath time. You can never have too many bath essentials when it comes to that time every day. If you’re like me and travel to see family quite frequently, I always make sure to leave some baby bath products wherever I go so I’m not bringing the kitchen sink each time! I can’t get enough of this strawberry shampoo, it makes Alice even tastier. We can’t wait to use our wind up bath toy too, this looks like a lot of fun.

Bed time

Bed time routine is so changeable for us all. Every baby needs something a little bit different and so here is a selection of products coming up in this season’s Aldi Specialbuy event. A great (and short!) book with hidden items under flaps along with a snuggly blanket should help set the mood. Also our top pick this time round is the silicone rabbit night light. It’s so different to anything else out there I’ve seen, creates a soft light in different colours and also doubles up as an interesting toy during the day time! Bye bye boring plugins, hello Mr Rabbit! Also available in pink and white for £6.99

Here’s the full list for you so you can get your shopping list sorted. Products available online from Sunday the 12th August and in store from Thursday 16th August.

Saharasplash x

Femme Luxe Finery awaits you in my latest fashion post- click here for the full post

saharasplash

Step out with confidence featuring Femme Luxe

It’s a hard truth to accept, but most of us just don’t make as much of an effort as we could do in the wardrobe department. It’s so easy to sling on your favourite tee and a pair of jeans, so why bother using extra brain cells in the morning to go with a different look. I’ll tell you why if you keep on reading! Step out with confidence featuring Femme Luxe.

Look 1: I’m casual but still made an effort

It’s so important we feel good in what we wear. Most of us get dressed within the first hour of getting out of bed, be it to go to work, head to the supermarket or just as a part of getting ready for the day. What we wear has a huge impact on not only our self esteem, but it also has an impact on those around you too. This outfit above is as easy as jeans+tee, it’s still two items of clothes… BUT the look and feel of this outfit is so much more. It’s ‘effortless style’ down to a tea.

Look 2: Just stepped off a music video

This outfit is one up from the first look. I’ve braved shiny golden heels and paired it with a khaki lounge set from Femme Luxe to create a look inspired by my gal RiRi. I felt so confident as soon as I put the heels on, so don’t be afraid to spice your look up by ditching the trainers every once in a while. Everyone walks differently in heels, it puts a spring in your step, or so I find. Whether you’re comfortable wearing a wedge, kitten heel or stiletto, definitely be brave and rock it whenever you can.

Look 3: I’m fabulous bitch

So that last shot is totally giving you Morticia Addams vibes right? I just loved shooting this look in the dark, knowing I was a full on rainbow in this low cut jumpsuit. I wanted to capture how nightlife confidence is just as important as your daytime confidence, but they can be entirely different to one another. This look is anything but subtle, so if you’re not afraid of grabbing a few eyes with a bold look, then go for it! You got this, girl.

Saharasplash x

Thanks for reading Step out with confidence featuring Femme Luxe. Go check out their confidence-approved collections and find your own sassy style!

Oh go on then one more blog post… check out some destinations with hidden gems next

PR samples included