In this episode of BeautyChat, I takes a left turn and workshops what it is that makes someone beautiful, with one of my oldest friends, Bec Monin. Bec and I have been friends since we met in kindergarten - nearly 44 years ago! I consider Bec to be incredibly beautiful - she is warm, compassionate and has an inner sparkle! True inner beauty! For more information about the episode, including the products the girls talked about, please visit the shownotes page on the website here.

I'm so delighted to be joined by my wonderful friend Katie Hislop to workshop American Dirt in book club this week. Katie is an HR guru who has been a guest on the podcast before when she shared her wisdom about helping women 'rev up their careers post kids'. In this episode, Katie is donning her reading hat and helping me workshop this controversial yet powerful book. American Dirt was written by American author Jeanine Cummins and released in early 2020. The book received accolades from literary gurus including Stephen King and John Grisham and quickly captured the attention of Oprah Winfrey who chose it for her super popular book club. But despite the initial burst of positivity, there has been extensive criticism essentially centering on whether Jeanine Cummins is in fact the right person to tell the story of a migrant woman fleeing Mexico.For more details on the show, check out the show notes page on The Grown-Up Girls Report website.Thanks for listening!Alex x

Yes, COVID is still a feature of day-to-day life here in Australia but things are definitely on the improve! So, in this BeautyChat episode, Make-up Artist and Beauty Concierge Susan Napper, shares her top tips for how to get out of the house in 5 easy steps - because the future is definitely looking brighter!! Alex and Susan have 6 kids between them and have always juggled work and family, so they are all about efficiency! This episode is all about getting the maximum effect with the minimum time! Check out the show notes for the full details of all products mentioned.

It is so wonderful to have one of our favourite authors back on the podcast. This week, I speak with the wonderful Petronella McGovern about her latest book - The Good Teacher. Staying in the suburban suspense genre which Petronella does so well, The Good Teacher follows kindergarten teacher Allison through a time of personal and professional crisis. Dealing with the unexpected collapse of her marriage, Allison becomes practically and emotionally involved with her seriously ill new student Gracie. Is her judgement seriously impaired or is she only doing what any good teacher would do?This book is a reminder of the importance of kindness and the power of community - so relevant for the challenging year 2020 is! I guarantee it will keep you guessing till the very end!Alex x

In this episode of the podcast, Alex chats with Makeup Artist & Beauty Concierge Susan Napper about the best way of managing your makeup while wearing a mask. Susan believes it is all about the eyes!!Check out the Episode Notes for the full details of all the tips and products discussed.Guest:Susan Napper - Beauty Concierge & Make-Up ArtistGet In Touch: The Grown-Up Girls is on Instagram - @thegrownupgirlsreport & Facebook - @thegrownupgirlsreport.Check out our home page for more podcasts - https://thegrownupgirlsreport.com.au/category/podcast/Thank you for your support!Alex xx

Welcome to BeautyChat - the latest regular addition to The Grown-Up Girls Report Podcasts. After receiving so much positive feedback to previous episodes on beauty, I've decided to add a regular fortnightly episode that will feature beauty pros who are keen to share their tips and know-how.But, I want to make it very clear that BeautyChat isn't about trying to make us all look younger or encouraging us to spend hours second guessing ourselves. Not at all. The complete opposite in fact.Because I know that the days I spend a little more effort on myself - and brush my hair and pop a little makeup on, rightly or wrongly I feel a little more confident. So, I see beauty as merely a tool to help us shine and be our best selves!Much like The Grown-Up Girls Report Book Club, this is all about getting my beauty mojo back after 20 plus years of being all consumed with kids and family. Now, everyone is a little older and more independent, I finally have a little time to work on myself - which is what BeautyChat is all about too.I hope you enjoy it and I really look forward to your feedback!Alex x

In this episode, Alex workshops the incredible 'Maybe You Should Talk To Someone' with good friend and author Mandy Newman. Written by Lori Gottlieb, this book is a memoir that follow's Lori's therapy journey plus four of her patients. It is full of spectacular words of wisdom, life advice and insight. Both girls had lists full of takeaways. It is highly recommended - both girls gave it a 10! Happy listening! Alex xx

In this episode of The Grown-Up Girls Report podcast, Alex interviews Shannon Molloy about his first book 'Fourteen'. Shannon describes 'Fourteen' as the story of the worst year of his life. He was subjected to bullying, homophobia all because he was different. This book made Alex angry and it made her cry but it also made her laugh. It is so beautifully written and is a powerful reminder of the healing powers of love and kindness. Alex thought 'Fourteen' was a remarkable book that every parent and teenager should read. It is highly recommended!

In this episode of the podcast, Alex talks with Compassion and Mindset Coach Suzanne Mann about the power of self-compassion and how it may just provide the mindset shift we need to cope with the stress and uncertainty that 2020 keeps on giving!Self-compassion is more than just being kind to yourself. Having compassion for one for oneself is really no different than having compassion for others. it involves acting in the same way you would to others but towards yourself. Instead of just ignoring your pain with a "stiff upper lip" mentality, you stop to tell yourself "this is really difficult right now," how can I comfort and care for myself in this moment?In order to practice self-compassion, Suzanne believes you need to first identify your true value, then you need to work out what causes you both happiness and suffering and thirdly, you need to commit to making the transition. Suzanne runs courses in Compassion Integrity Training. You can find her website here or on Instagram.

This week, I'll be exploring A Gentleman in Moscow by America author Amor Towles with my old friend, the lovely Kate Walker. Like me, Kate is a busy working mum with a tribe of kids - with similar ages to mine. She's a mad, keen reader and often has several books on the go at once. This year, she has been slightly distracted from her normal job as she has managed the COVID-19 response for a multinational company in Australia and New Zealand. Although A Gentleman in Moscow was released in 2016, it is the perfect read for our Covid life as it focuses on the story of Russian aristocrat Count Alexander Rostov who is sentenced to house arrest in Hotel Metropol in Moscow for the rest of his days by the Bolsheviks in 1922. He ends up staying in the hotel for 32 years!! Camilla, Duchess of Cambridge nominated it as her top #isoread! Obama was a fan and Bill and Melinda Gates thought it was incredible too. It has won a plethora of awards and has even been nominated as the book of the decade.If you want to find out more about the author Amor Towles, you can visit here or check out the full show notes for more details!Happy reading everyone!Alex x