Of all the great phrases I've heard, I think 'mombie' sums it up. The perfect term for an exhausted mum, stumbling through parenthood in a zombie like manner!
But what makes 'mombiehood' even harder is holding down a job at the same time.
Toddler in one hand, iPhone in the other, cornflakes all over my hair and dried fruit crusted in to my trousers, is my typical morning.
Returning to work from maternity leave was the final boost I needed to start putting myself first again. Inspired to make more of an effort during nine-to-five, I started to research and test products that would revive or disguise the daily grind of being a parent. Along the way I discovered hot new beauty must-have's, and realised there were some interesting trends emerging. Here's the top five to look out for:
CLEAN SLEEPING
The world can thank Gwyneth Paltrow for championing this new trend, which translated means 'good quality sleep'. While there are many ways to tackle this, magnesium supplements are one of the 'IT' vitamins this year, offering a natural way to relax muscles and aid sleep. This goes hand-in-hand with another hot trend - vitamin sprays. According to one of the leading brands 'BetterYou', vitamin sprays have been "scientifically proven to deliver the nutrients at least 50% faster than traditional tablets of capsules." This bodes well for tired parents, who are time strapped and in need of maximum benefits from their beauty regime.
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LOOK EAST
Japan is the top country in the world for 'longevity' according to the World Health Organisation, so it's no surprise that modern beauty is turning east to see what we can learn. In the world of cosmetics, we can look forward to cult Japanese cosmetic brand 'DHC' now in the UK, while Lancome's new 'Energise de Vie' range incorporates exotic eastern ingredients 'goji berries and gentian root extract' to help revitalise skin. While the benefits of green tea on wellbeing have long been documented, China is taking this to the next level with 'concept tea'. This involves the mixing of blends such as 'green and oolong' tea, and is one to watch according to the experts at World Of Tea.
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CASH RICH, TIME POOR
In a world which is 'cash rich, time poor', we are ever seeking products to make our lives easier and give us time back. This is something the beauty industry has wisely tapped in to, with a plethora of products aimed at 'overnight restoration' - ideal for those of us that don't have time for spa days and lengthy beautifying regimes. Clinique's Repairwear is one such range that helps restore skin performance overnight, while the trend for coconut based products is not stopping with either, with 'Yes to Coconut' introducing an overnight crème.
It's not just cosmetic companies either - Dyson have joined the market with their new 'supersonic' hairdryer, that claims to be eight times faster than any other hair dryer. Doesn't it just blow you away!
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WAVES
Speaking of hair, you'll be pleased to know that 2017 is all about the wave. Note - not the perfect curl, or the poker straight - but the wave. And as any mum knows, the wave is our saviour, because messy hair, bed head and un-brushed hair can all gloriously pass as 'wavy'. We have LA stylist Anh Co Tran to thank for heralding this, she's worth following on Instagram for daily inspiration on how to style it out @anhcotran
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CONSCIOUS COSMETICS
And finally, if there's one movement we're pleased to see more of, it's 'conscious cosmetics' - that is beauty products that tap in to lifestyle damage . The most recent of these is Dermalogia's 'Daily Superfoliant' which detoxifies skin to help prevent the harmful effects of pollution. For anyone like myself that works in a city, and ends their night wiping grime off their skin, this will be a welcome treat. Similary, Clarins have just launched 'Muti Active Eye Yeux' to "Counteract the effects of a stressful lifestyle" - which I think it's a nice way of saying 'people who work too hard'! In any case, it's good to see a shift from anti-ageing products to pro-lifestyle products. Hurrah!
Sophia Walker is the editor of leading parent blog Milk Drunk Diary. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. @milkdrunkdiary