When she’s not sharing home and life hacks with her 2.7M+ followers, author and mum of two Chantel Mila (@mama_mila_) makes sure she finds the time for herself. She’s a busy woman – those handy hacks and hints don’t rest – but believes small moments of self-care can make a big difference. We chatted with Chantel about everything from how she’s spending her Mother’s Day, to recalibrating her haircare routine since becoming a mum, and a volume-inducing hack we’ll be trying on our next hair wash day.
1. How will your family be spending your special day?
This Mother’s Day I’ll be spending a slow morning with pancakes and fruit for breakfast while spending some one-on-one time with my kids, Mila and Aston. We’ll go out for lunch with my mum and family and finish the night with a walk and play on the beach. I love those slow, meaningful days when life usually feels fast-paced and busy.
2. What would you love to receive this Mother’s Day?
I’m a big believer in giving gifts we can actually use to avoid clutter building up in the house. As a busy mum it can be so hard to find time to prioritise myself and my own self-care. Haircare is a great way to treat myself to some “me time” and feel more confident in my day-to-day - so haircare packs from Hairhouse are a great gift! I would also love more tracksuit sets as we head into the Winter months and school drop-offs get a bit colder.
3. How will you celebrate your mum this Mother’s Day, and do you appreciate her more since becoming a mum yourself?
Since becoming a mum myself I can truly see the amount my mum did for me and my siblings - the sacrifices, the sleepless nights (both when we were babies and teenagers!) and the shared joy. She continues to do so much for my kids and to support me as I grow my business. I believe that spending quality time is the best to show appreciation, so we’ll be taking her out to a fun lunch. I’ll also be treating her to some self-care products so she takes time out for herself: some great haircare, a calming cream and some bath salts.
4. What’s the most helpful advice you received about motherhood?
Don’t be afraid to rest. As mums we often put so much of the mental load on ourselves, but remember that you don’t need to do everything on your to-do list every single day. Take the time to look after you, it’s more important than you think.
5. You’re our go-to mum when it comes to life hacks. Can you tell us about your journey to becoming a source of advice for your audience online?
Oh I’m so glad to hear this! I started my channel really organically back in 2020. The home was such a cluttered space; it was our workplace, our daycare and our school. At the end of the day, it was so hard to find downtime in a place that should've felt like a sanctuary. So I started sharing home tips and tricks to create little pockets of oasis around the home. Really simple things like deep cleaning your bed, or rolling your towels to look like a spa. The videos started taking off and people really appreciated the tips - so I kept sharing! It’s now led to a beautiful community and I’m so grateful!
6. What’s your fave hair or beauty hack that you’ve discovered?
If you have thin or fine hair, try reverse hair washing - this is where you apply conditioner first and shampoo second. Hello, instant volume!
7. Do you have any hair or beauty tips for new mums who want to feel good but don’t have heaps of time?
Something that was really hard for me after I became a mum was the identity loss I felt. I loved becoming a mum, but I was 26 years old when Mila was born, and I felt like a lost a piece of who I was. As the months went on I started getting more into the groove of motherhood. A small change that made a big difference was finding time to do small things to make myself feel more like “me”. Investing in haircare was a big part of that. With two kids under two, I didn’t have a lot of time, but investing in great products to make my weekly hair wash special made such a difference. Leave-in conditioners are also your best friend - they’re a great time-saving hack!
8. What hair or beauty advice will you share with your children when they’re older?
Your hair, skin and teeth are forever - take care of them!
9. Has your hair and beauty routine changed since becoming a mum?
Definitely, when I was younger I used to have time to wash, mask and style my hair twice a week. Now I don’t have as much time to dedicate to myself, but I still believe that taking moments for self-care is so important. My advice would be to find those moments of peace and oasis for yourself, and do simple things to make them special. It might be as simple as investing in some great haircare, rolling your towels to bring the hotel experience home, or investing in a silk pillowcase to prevent hair breakage - and treat yourself to some much-deserved rest!
10. Do you use your hair routine as a form of self-care? If yes, what does that look involve?
Yes, I definitely do! My weekly self-care routine looks like putting the kids to sleep, wash my hair and exfoliate my body, paint my nails and put on my favourite TV show to watch while I style my hair and drink a calming tea. I do this process once a week, but it makes the biggest difference!
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