Although it always seems at the time as if January is the month that just won’t die, somehow it has crept along and one of the little treats making me feel much better about it all was my Latest in Beauty box.

A subscription box with a slight difference, you can choose three, six or nine products at different set prices from the website. The stuff is a mix of full size and sample (the sizes are there in the descriptions but you have to work put yourself what size it is) and is updated fairly regularly, usually one new product a day.

I did like my first box in November and my December one, but I’m only on the smallest three item box and I haven’t been tempted to upgrade to one of the larger ones. There’s always been just enough things I wanted to try, without being so many good things I felt I had to upgrade.

Of course, if you like the element of surprise, that isn’t here, but prefer to know that I’m going to like and use everything in I’ve chosen.

So, what did I pick this month?

Wow, 15 weeks of pregnancy gone, just like that. I’ve now passed into the second trimester, and realised that I’ve barely mentioned anything about it. I documented pregnancy updates when I was expecting Theo, so I’d like to try and do the same this time.

At 15 weeks, the baby is now beginning to hear our voices and become sensitive to light. But so far this one hasn’t been much like my last pregnancy.

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A lot of business owners and entrepreneurs are rather sceptical about the prospect of improving their company’s environmental performance - they simply do not think that going green is going to benefit them very much at all.However, they are wrong, and if you’re in the same camp as them, it might be time to rethink your stance on going green. Why? Here are just a few reasons:

January can be such a hard slog, can’t it?

Everyone’s on a diet, running a marathon, doing Dry January and hiding from the miserable cold, grey weather. What the month really needs is a big dose of sparkly glam – it’s the ideal time to plan a girls night or a date and have a good excuse to get your full dazzle on.

Cari’s Closet is an Irish boutique that’s the destination for event dressing. Whether it’s a number for a night out, wedding guest attire, or a formal evening, I’m sure you’d find something to love there. If you're trying to find the best new night out fashion for 2018, it's all there.

The pieces are beautiful, luxurious and unique- plus, you won’t see anyone else in the same outfit. So if you’re wanting all eyes to be on you, for all the right reasons, it’s a great place to pick out a dress.

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Planning to have a baby and starting a family can be a dream for many. But in reality, though it is an amazing process to go through, it can be tough. It can be a tough process physically through pregnancy to sleepless nights, as well as mentally exhausting, and also financially draining.

The joy being a parent brings does outweigh it, but it is something to think about carefully before you dive right in. Though there will never be a ‘right time’ to have a baby or start a family, making a few plans and putting them in place can be a good idea to help see you through and make you better prepared.

So here are some things to think about, before your begin parenthood.

Getting a winter glow is something we all want to do. When the sunshine is a distant memory on this freezing island, and your next holiday is light years away, there’s no choice but to get your rays in a bottle.

As much as I love the thought of bronzed skin though, I must confess to being a fake tan virgin. I’m too terrified of making a mistake and having the streaky, orange proof there for all to see. Sometimes I’ll look at my pasty legs and resolve to do something about them, only to lose my nerve when faced with shelves full of different options of tanning product.

It’s the one area of beauty I don’t feel I know the slightest thing about.  Luckily for me, I have a friend who’s an expert – Kerry from Wilde About Tan. I asked her to give me her  pro advice that would take away my fear of the fake stuff.

So, we’re creeping toward the end of January already - which for most of us will come with a sigh of relief. I’ve never been a fan of this most grey and desolate of months. Everyone is waiting for payday, doing vegan diets and it’s all cold and miserable outside but the festivities are over - if I was rich I’d definitely spend January abroad!

This Christmas was extra special for us too, because we found out we’re expecting our second child. Theo is going to be a big brother. We really wanted to give him a sibling, so it was great news. Sometimes I panic a little about the thought of having two children though! Our new arrival is due in July.

Having Theo has brought so much joy and love into our lives, more so than I ever expected. So thinking about that doubling is incredibly exciting.

So far, this pregnancy has been a little different to my first. I had a bit of sickness at first, which I never had the first time. And whereas with Theo I was going to the gym until I was seven months pregnant I have been really lazy so far and stopped my running, although I have signed up to pregnancy Pilates classes starting soon! So 2018 really is going to be a new adventure for the family.

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So here we are in January. A time to reminisce about the festive period, a chance to re-evaluate our life choices and make new plans and goals, and a time for shopping. That’s right, the January sales are in full force, and they can be a great way to grab some bargains with any festive cash you have to spend, or simply to top up your wardrobe and essentials for the year ahead.

However, what you don’t want to do is put yourself in a bad financial situation for the rest of the year due to overspending. So I thought I would share with you some of the ways you can grab the bargains in the sales and not break the bank balance in the process.