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Author of Sunday Times bestselling book Parenting The Shit Out of Life and founder of Flex Appeal – a campaign to fight for flexible working for all - Anna Whitehouse aka Mother Pukka talks about postpartum beauty and why a catseye flick is not crossing the line.

The first (and last) ever beauty vlog I did was called ‘How Not To Scare People With Your Face’. The basic premise of it was cobbling together a vague look in 60 seconds with a toddler hanging off your left leg – quite the challenge if you’re attempting a catseye flick. Either way, I had come to the realization that phrases like ‘this look will take you seamlessly from day to night’ and ‘a slick of neon yellow eyeshadow’ just didn’t wash on the nursery run. So with a make-up bag that was once brimming with versatility, I ended up with three items: Benefit’s concealer for dark circles, NARS orgasm blush to make it look like I might have some life in me and – somewhat punchily – Tom Ford’s Liquid Liner.

Having never considered that feline flick because of the sheer skill it requires, the beauty director at Stylist magazine where I was working at the time told me to give Tom Ford’s pen a go. One steady slick across my sleep-ravaged eyelid and I was sold. In 10 seconds my eyes were crow-barred open and as the tiredness got more intense, the flick heightened like some sort of exhaustion graph.

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Our guide to gifting this Mother’s Day is here to help you decide which set might be the best fit for your mum. Whether you have absolutely no idea what to get, or you just need a little push in the right direction, here’s a selection of gift sets that make it seem easy.

The Busy Mum

For the mum that never stops, our Signature Hand & Body selection is a godsend. As well as the Refresh hand wash and lotion, this set features our bestselling Relax bath and shower gel and body lotion, making it perfect for the mum that needs to take a minute- or thirty- and slow down.

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Our latest collaboration is with Etta Loves, the range of sensory muslin squares featuring prints designed with an expert in children’s vision to support babies’ visual and cognitive development. We spoke to founder Jen Fuller about the highs and lows of launching her own business and what might be next.

What was your background before launching Etta Loves – had you always hoped to run your own business?

'I’ve spent the past 20 years working in a media agency, mostly client service and media planning. I’ve loved every minute but have always been searching for an idea good enough to take a chance and start something for myself, to afford me the flexibility and freedom around my family.'

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We love meeting people who share our passion for honest, natural beauty and who have something to bring to the wellness conversation. Jade Jasmin left a career in the music industry to set up on her own, practising holistic massage therapy, teaching yoga, mindfulness and meditation. She has curated retreats and wellness spaces around the world and has called Sri Lanka, London and now Portugal home.

'I spent over five years working in busy creative roles in music, marketing, management and events, and became acutely aware of the physical and emotional impact of these hectic industries and stressful job roles. Yoga and Holistic Therapies have always been a part of my lifestyle so in 2016 I made the move into the wellness industry, starting with massage therapy, yoga and meditation to help redress my own balance, and now I love helping others find theirs. My approach to wellbeing is simple and personable. Over the last few years I have continued to grow and develop my skills specialising in Holistic Massage Therapy, Reiki, teaching Yoga, Mindfulness and Meditation.

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This spring we are delighted to launch a limited edition collection of superpower-infused products with award-winning fashion brand Scamp & Dude. Here we find out more about founder Jo Tutchener Sharp, the highs and lows of launching your own business and why she decided Cowshed was the perfect partner.

'A couple of years ago my life took an unexpected turn when I suffered a brain haemmorhage.  I had to face surgery and the fact I might leave my boys, who were then just one and three years old, without a mummy. It was missing my boys in hospital while recovering from surgery that inspired the creation of Scamp & Dude.

When I was facing brain surgery and the fact I may die, I found myself asking myself if I was proud of how I’d lived my life, if I had done enough to help other people. I decided that running a PR agency had been a lot of fun, but I had definitely not helped enough people and made a difference, so I made a promise to myself that if I made it through surgery, I would do more good. 

I came up with the idea for Superhero Sleep Buddies when missing my kids in hospital and wishing I could have given them a Superhero to watch over them while we were apart. The Superhero Sleep Buddies have a pocket on the back to hold a photograph of whomever they want to hold close. We donate one to a child who has lost a parent or is seriously ill themselves for every one sold. This is at the heart of Scamp & Dude.'

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The head esthetician at Cowshed Chicago keeps her team on the cutting edge of beauty trends.

Monday

'Under-27 members go half price on Monday, so it's busy. I show up early to check supplies and then pull a double shift; 10 straight hours in the spa doing facials and waxing. It's a fun time to catch up with clients and hear about their latest work drama, or how the big proposal went down, while we cleanse. I love how they trust me with their skin and as a friend.'

Tuesday

'We also get a lot of regulars on Tuesday, when there's a member discount. I feel a bond with many of them. One lady I've been seeing since we opened five years ago was depressed because she and her husband couldn't conceive. But last year it finally happened. I remember her walking in, crying with happiness. Clients can be vulnerable with me in the spa. It's intimate.'

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Here are three DIY beauty hacks that you can do at home, tried and tested by Cowshed’s treatment trainer Jessica Sproson.

‘When I make ground coffee in a cafetiere, I save my granules rather than throwing them down the sink and I scrub my body with them. Either mix them with a little bit of olive oil, or to make it more abrasive mix with dead sea salt. I leave it on my skin – it’s really good for the digestive system and I use it on my face too – it’s really detoxifying and brightens everything up. I do that about once a week – usually at the weekend when I’ve made a coffee at home. Afterwards everything smells lovely and coffee-like – it’s very ‘wakening’!

I do facial massage every night – I use Wonder Balm as my massage medium but you could use any of our facial oils. Normally I just get into bed, I’ve washed my face already and all my make-up’s gone, then I warm it up in my hands and I press it into my skin first - forehead, chin and cheeks – and then I do draining motions along my jaw and lifting along my cheeks on the diagonal, quite firmly – as if you’re pulling towards you ears because that’s the way the muscles lie, working up onto the forehead. Then to finish I gently massage down the sides of the neck, one side followed by the other, just to help with lymphatic drainage.

When I’ve been out drinking, in the morning I wash my skin with ice. The first thing I do is I’ll get up, get an ice cube from the freezer and use it as my ‘water’ – all over my face, over my eyes, it’s melting, cooling everything down, reducing the puffiness that you get after you’ve had a drink. I’ll have taken my make-up off the night before using whatever’s to hand – maybe a micellar water – but in the morning, I’ll do another cleanse to get every last trace of make-up off. I prefer a cream cleanser to a gel after I’ve been drinking because my skin is super dehydrated.’

We asked Bathe author Suzanne Duckett to explain the transformative power of a long soak in the tub.

There are few pleasures to rival the rare, innate idleness and exquisite stillness of a soak in a bath. Baths are the ultimate equaliser and the most accessible and universal form of self-care for both men and women, with the remarkable power to instantly transform how we look and feel. For some, baths are a weekly exercise in self-indulgence and a luxurious personal ritual with twinkling candles, oils or salts poured into the water and a glass of wine to hand. For others, a daily wash while reading a crinkled book is part of their wind-down schedule before bed. For many, having a bath is the only time in the day when they can simply shut the door on the world and be on their own; it is an indulgent moment of privacy and solitude.

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Our new bespoke treatment lets you create your own tailored experience in consultation with your therapist, so you get something that's designed to address your specific needs. We asked Cowshed Carnaby's Danielle to explain a bit more about what to expect from our Bespoke Body treatment, which can be 60 or 90 minutes long depending on how much time you have.

'The baseline of the treatment is a bespoke salt scrub massage – every version includes that. You get the body brushing, the scrub and the massage. The bespoke part is the products or the areas that the client wants us to focus on. It’s a mixture of how they’re feeling and any physical areas they want to address. So, if they want something a bit more relaxing we might use the Knackered or the Lazy oils which are more calming. If they’ve got concerns with things like cellulite or water retention we’ve got the Slender Cow products that we could use. If they've got dry skin and they’re wanting something a bit more hydrating, we’ve got richer products with butters and coconut oil in the Udderly Gorgeous range.'

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