New! The Motherproduct™
Honest parent, baby and beauty reviews and recommendations from my access-all-areas experience and expetese (in some things more than others, granted...)
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 30 I was working as Beauty Editor of Look magazine. Remember that mag? I was on the launch team, my job was the dream; Among other things, to test every new beauty product and service that came onto the market and share my recommendations of the really good stuff. I’d also work and ultimately make friends with some of the most talented, skilled and incredibly knowledgable creatives in the hair and makeup world. And then, almost overnight, I lost my entire physical identity to chemotherapy and realised the actual importance of what I was doing. Beauty had the power to help me reclaim some of what I’d lost.
I learned to colour in the parting of my wig with brow pencil to make it seem much more natural. My friends hooked me up with the place to get the best wigs at the best prices in the first place. I had countless PR friends help me out with clean skincare or products that would help soothe my skin, protect my nails, restore some faux colour to my cheeks. And I built up confidence not only to venture out into the world again, but to share my knowledge with other people who might find it useful in this particular circumstance. That turned out to be (sadly) a LOT. My blog was called Sophie Feels Better, and writing it out, having a purpose, putting my career to good use whilst on this health sabbatical, helped me through my treatment. It also made me fully understand the power of beauty and the joy something as simple as a brilliant product could bring.
And now? I’ve reached the second point where my 20 odd years of beauty journalism experience fortuitously collides with real life. Beauty + Baby-raising = Actually Really Quite Useful. But on top of that I’m now a - what would you call it - a ‘mother’ journalist? A parenting writer? A surrogacy expert? - too. I’ve accrued a lovely collective of contacts, access, knowledge and experience in that glorious minefield of ‘stuff’, and so, if you’re interested, I’d love to share, again.
So. This is The Motherproduct - a Motherproject sibling. The baby sister if you will. A regular round up of reviews and recommendations for the things that will get us all through. If I find something wonderful I want to tell you about it. A pram pillow that allows my baby to sit up to digest her milk when I haven’t had time to burp her properly before the rush to nursery drop off. The under eye brightener that all of my industry friends think is their secret weapon against eyebags. The hair oil that conditions and conceals the fact I haven’t, erm, actually washed it for…er, 4 days and counting. The skin-breathing, spot- friendly foundation that allows me to look glowing and bouncy in about 3 seconds or even the treat-yourself-gift-appropriate ready-made spicy picante that you absolutely deserve at 16.30 on a Tuesday afternoon. (Then the parent-approved supplements that help cancel that out the next day).
Essentially, I love to hunt, shop, discover, trial, research and secure the good stuff. It’s gone from the most fun part of a job I love to a savvy-shopping past-time I adore, so if you’d like to keep up with the fruits of my labour, make use the exclusive special offer or 7 (see below), let me know what you’d love to try or find out more about, then please, add The Motherproduct to your inbox and lets get on with the first edition, shall we?
(As a HUGE thank you the continued support of my paid subscribers I’m delighted to share the below special offers, for a limited time only! I’ll work on bringing you more with each new MotherProduct email, but as it’s kick-off, I’m going to decree this a Week Of MotherProducts. I promise to send a (short, I swear) email every day for a week with one or two mini reviews, recommendations and exclusive special offers for my paid subscribers.)
Please let me know in the comments if there are any specific review requests, or to ask me anything beauty or baby. Thank you as ever for reading and supporting my writing. The first one is a welcome for you all.
S x
From The Baby Cupboard:
Issue: Bottle feeds + Screaming baby. Night feeds + screaming baby etc.
MotherProduct: Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced, £239
In the Tommee Tippee V’s Baby Brezza debate this is where I stand; I used the Tommy Tippee prep machine last time. It was reeaaaally great. Two minutes to make a bottle, exact right temp etc. So I have an excellent frame of reference. The Baby Brezza is a total, utter, sweep-the board-godsend. TWELVE SECONDS it takes to make a bottle. Plus it houses the formula in the machine so you don’t need to keep measuring, forgetting what you measured cos it’s 3am, start again etc. No filters to update. Looks smart, nicely compact. This is an absolute gem of a saviour product for all parents of babies and I couldn’t recommend it highly enough. (Plus, they now do a mini version for £199 - discount works on both.
This voucher will give 10% off on any purchases on cheekyrascals.co.uk and babybrezza.co.uk
From The Beauty Cupboard:
Issue: Hair deeply overdue a cut/dull AF etc.
MotherProduct: Larry King Spoilt For Choice Hair Oil, £55
I adore Larry. Have known him for years, he is a master at what he does and he literally bottles it for you. This is a miracle oil - as someone who avoids oil in my hair like the plague. 1. It’s very very hard working - a strengthening hair mask, scalp remedy, styling and finishing product. 2. It seals my ends so well it doesn’t look like I am five months overdue a cut (don’t @ me Larry). 3. Is smells insanely good.
VIP SPECIAL OFFER: 20% off any product on Larryking.co.uk
From The Baby Cupboard:
Issue: My toddler wants to scoot but is she ready?
MotherProduct: Scoot & Ride Highway Kick 1, £114
We got this for Marlies when she was fresh into her ‘I AM A BIG GIRL’ phase, but still too little for scooting. The most brilliant way to teach them from age 1 to about 5. Plus you can adjust it mid-walk without needing any tools for the ‘MY LEGS ARE TOO TIRED’ phase.
Also, can we talk about Oxygen Boutique, where this is from pls. It’s one of my favourite places to shop for kid stuff because it also has a brilliant grown up style section should your eye accidentally wander while you’re shopping for scooter essentials…..
VIP SPECIAL OFFER: 20% off site wide at Oxygen Boutique
From The Beauty Cupboard:
Issue: General self-neglect because there are too many other people to consider first.
MotherProduct: Symprove Daily Essentials Gut Health Supplement £49.99 p/month
I first got heavily into Symprove when I was recovering from my mastectomy and my body was ruined from the surgery, the anaesthetic, the drugs, the treatment. I wanted to feel in control, like I could do myself some good on a daily basis. Since then I’ve gone back to it every time I’ve had any kind of gut issues, felt run down, needed to get on top of my health game etc. and I can 100% feel the difference. One shot every morning rebalances the gut microbiome and within a few weeks I personally find I’m significantly less bloated, have more energy, am more, ahem, regular and my skin looks much better for it (clearer, more glowing). Huge advocate over here.
VIP SPECIAL OFFER: 50% off monthly rolling subscription (can be cancelled at any time) for new UK customers.
IN YOUR INBOX TOMORROW: The worlds smallest buggy board, and a very special offer from a VERY special candle brand…
ACCESS ALL AREAS: VIP codes revealed below