Your Number 1 Skin Care Product

I can’t believe that we are at the end of November! Christmas will be here before we know it and Summer is only a week away! Now to most people summer means being outdoors for long periods and enjoying the sunshine. Some people even sun-bake (which makes me cringe) but there is still a large percentage of you who still don’t wear sunscreen, even though you know you should.

Now as some of you know, I worked as a Skin Therapist for 10 years treating everything from acne, to freckles, hair, veins and pigmentation, including pregnancy related pigmentation. It didn't matter what I was treating, sunscreen was always my first recommendation. Sunscreen should be your number one skin care product. Period. I don’t care whether it’s Summer or Winter, I put sunscreen on every single day and it’s a routine I think everyone should get into the habit of. Sunscreen prevents sunburn, premature ageing, wrinkles, broken capillaries, age spots, skin cancer and pigmentation to name a few. Sun damage can take years to actually show on the skin but by looking after your skin and wearing sunscreen you will look years younger than others your own age.

Yes, the sun has its advantages and we do need the sun but we do need to be smart about it. In the top half of Australia, it can only take 10 minutes of accumulative, incidental sun a day to cause sun damage. The southern half wouldn't take much longer. That’s not very much at all considering for most of us it takes longer to drive to work! I saw more sun damage on the right side of the face when compared to the left side of the face in about 90% of my clients. The right side is the driver’s side.

 Australia has one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world so please think before you go outside and make sure you put your sunscreen on! Make sure it’s a 30+ or higher; remembering that just because it’s a higher SPF doesn't mean you should be out in the sun for long periods of time. Lastly, sunscreen works better when two layers are applied. Two layers ensures that you have covered all areas completely so layer up and make sure you reapply if you are out in the sun for long periods or if you go for a swim. Also remember that sunscreen isn't the only thing you need to protect yourself. Most of all though, enjoy Summer!

Until next time,

Kym and Kristy x

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Top 10 Father's Day Ideas

TOP 10 FATHER’S DAY IDEAS

Father’s Day is just around the corner so I thought that I would share some fantastic present ideas for your Partner or Dad.

1.  

          FitBit Flex- I think this is an awesome idea! If your Dad/Partner needs to get fit this little device works a treat. The Fitbit Flex records steps taken, distance travelled, calories burned, hours of sleep and even their quality of sleep. 

1.      Grumpy Old Man Pills – make Dad laugh with some grumpy pills

1.      Every kid thinks their Dad is a Superhero so this poster is such a cute idea.

1.      A Wet/Dry Razor is always a good gift for the Dad who has everything.

1.       How about a Tool Kit! If Dad is handy around the house (or thinks that he is) it’s better to have some good tools on hand – and a handy man’s phone number within reach!

1.      If you are getting tools you might need a toolbox to put them in! Even better is if he doesn’t want it or use it, you can use it to organise your makeup!

1.      How about a Cookbook?? This works in your favour as well. He gets a present and it puts him in the kitchen or on the BBQ cooking for you!

1.      Make Dad laugh again with a good old Joke Book. You really can’t go wrong!

1.      Let Dad kick back with a DVD this Father’s Day. Although if you’re going to get the one below, please make sure the kids are fast asleep!

1.      If all else fails just get him a good old box of chocolates!

Whatever gift you end up giving I hope all the Father’s out there have a fantastic day!

Spring/ Summer Photo Shoot

Wow, what a weekend last weekend was. From 6am until 5pm it was go go go with our Spring/Summer Photo Shoot. We had some gorgeous models who are actual mums (not models) join us and we are so happy with the photos. Our photographer once again did an amazing job and has managed to capture exactly what we wanted. Our morning was spent at a park and our afternoon was spent at the beautiful Strand, right here in Townsville.

There were, of course, some hiccups. What do they say about working with children? Well, that is especially true when you are at a park and they would prefer to play rather than be with their parents! The 4 month old little boy was probably the best behaved! He even fell asleep!

Overall though it was such a fantastic day and I can’t wait to see the end results! And, of course, show you! I’ll let you know as soon as we receive them!

                                             www.totalbagenvy.com.au

Until next time,

Kym and Kristy xo

Be the first to see what's coming soon!

Can the year slow down please? We are at the end of July and it has just been so crazy busy that I feel like my list of things keeps getting longer! It's growing faster than I can cross them out! That might say more about my time management skills than anything else but I'm going with it.

Anyway, we have some super exciting things coming up. Like our "Real Mums" photo shoot for our Spring/Summer Collection. That is of course if they don't pull out - they are very nervous about being in front of the camera, but they are beautiful and we feel like every women should celebrate themselves. Plus, I love getting new photos and showing you our bags in a different way. I feel like you can get a better picture of the size and shape of the bags as well as seeing that it doesn't matter what colour you choose because our colours go with everything! Yes, even orange!

Also coming up is the relaunch of our very popular Nappy Clutch. We have glossed it up, added new features and made it a must-have item for your Nappy Bag. Here is a sneak peak:

More information will come soon as well as more photos! To be the first to see our photos of our 'real mums' photo shoot or of the new clutches join our newsletter at www.totalbagenvy.com.au
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Did I really write that bucket list?

So this is a bit off topic but a few years ago I wrote a bucket list of 30 things that I really wanted to do before I turned 30. Not in-depth stuff mind you, just fun things I wanted to try and do. Reading through them my first thought was, who wrote this?

Now I did write the list in conjunction with a friend so there is her influence throughout, but as I was reading it I realised how much difference a couple of years really makes. How much a person’s views can change, their ideals, their goals in life, everything. I don’t know whether it’s the transition from your 20’s to your 30’s, or just the very simple fact that I met the love of my life and the person I want in my future.

So, can one person really have so much of an impact on your life? From reading that list, the simple answer is yes!

Now, instead of planning parties and trips away with the girls, I’m now planning a future wedding (hasn't asked me yet though ;)) and babies and houses and grown up things. When you’re single you only have yourself to worry about, you can do as you please whenever you like and there is nothing wrong with that. Introduce one person into that equation though and everything changes. 

I know that this is something most of you already know and are thinking that I’m really slow, but when you haven’t met that person and have been single for most of your 20’s, you just don’t realise how much you change. 

If I wrote that list now, vodka watermelons would be replaced with having a baby and full moon parties would be replaced with a romantic weekend away or taking my nieces and nephews and (future) step son to a water park. In fact, I think I might rewrite it now. 35 things before 35 maybe?

What would change in your list?

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Top 3 Items For Your Nappy Bag!

We often get asked the question “what do you need to pack in your nappy bag?”.  

We put the question out to the fabulous mums in our Facebook group, and the results are in! 

• 1  Nappies and wipes, kept in the Total Bag Envy Nappy Clutch (more in stock soon);
• 2    Soft muslin wrap that can be used as either a wrap or blanket;
• 3    Dummy

What are your top 3 items?

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The reasons behind our Photo Charm

We have had some people asking about how we came up with the concept of our Photo Charm and it is such a beautiful story that we have to share it with you…

Imagine being 27 weeks pregnant with your first baby. You are so happy and excited and have been doing everything your doctor has told you. Then, without warning you go into labour. Happiness and excitement turn to fear and anxiety about your child’s life and whether they have developed enough to survive.

This was the reality for not one but two of our relatives, two weeks apart. One had a baby girl at 27 weeks and the other a baby boy at 29 weeks. Luckily and thankfully both babies survived and are now thriving but the weeks they encountered straight after their birth were terrifying. They both said that the hardest thing was not being able to hold their baby and the only way they could keep them close was through photos on their phone.

It was these stories and knowing there are plenty more out there, some without a happy ending that inspired our Photo Charm. We wanted to design a Photo Charm so that parents were just a glance away from their premmie baby, newborn, school child or family photo. Something they could keep close to them at all times whether it’s on their nappy bag, handbag or keys. The photo is easily changeable so that it can change as their family grows and changes. Or as a memory of how small they once were and the lifetime of memories that have been created ever since. 

                      http://www.totalbagenvy.com.au/photo-charm