The team at BeautyEQ don't need an excuse to celebrate and enjoy good food and fine wine - we love a party. What better occasion than Mother's Day to spend quality time with the people we love - our families.
Sarah Simpson, Maisey and Theo Manolas. Louise Hilsz, Clare Hilsz-McIver and Jamie Dixon-McIver. Trudi Brewer, George and Max Leask. The team wears Trelise Cooper and La Madu.
Keeping kids well-nourished, safe and happy is a full time job - one that is far more rewarding when shared. So when we started planning our Mother's Day coverage we realised that not every woman is a mother, nor does every woman want to be one. But every woman is a friend and helping others is in our DNA.
For us Mother's Day is about saying thanks to friends, family and sisters who make life run a little more smoothly and bring us so much joy.
We wanted to share our favourite recipes, motherhood advice and beauty tips we have learned from our grandmother's, mum's, sisters and friends to help you celebrate this occasion in style. We hope you like our nod to Mother's Day and would love to hear your thoughts on #whoismumtoyou
Sarah Simpson, Maisey and Theo Manolas
Having to think about someone else before yourself is a very humbling experience. I want my children to grow up to feel loved and protected while also knowing laughter is the best medicine.
Sarah's beauty tips
I needed to streamline my beauty routine once I became a mum, and the bonus of this was that I started to wear a much lighter makeup look, which as the years tick by it's much more forgiving. To cheat a luminous complexion with a BB cream followed by a bronzer and highlighter.
I always feel better when I wear a bold lip, (usually it's a bright pink) which not only breathes life into my face, it also means I don’t need to wear much more makeup other than a slick of mascara - time saving and anti-ageing.
Clare Hilsz-Dixon, Louise Hilsz and Jamie Dixon-McIver
Clare
All our family live in Perth, so for me aunty Louise has become my mum and sister wrapped up into one. We talk or text everyday, she is my sounding board when I need to vent. It's a great feeling knowing I can walk out the door and she can step in and be every bit that second mum to Jamie. I feel blessed.
Clare's beauty tips
Being a busy mum, my beauty regime has to offer maximum results in minimum time. I recently discovered Elizabeth Arden Ceremide Cleansing Oil, which doubles as an eye makeup remover and cleanser all in one. My skin has never felt so hydrated.
Having my eyebrows microblade tattooed was a game-changer for me, time saving, my brows always look groomed without having to fill or pencil them.
I never leave the house without fragrance. It helps to lift my mood. A spritz of YSL Mon Paris EDT is essential - I adore it.
Louise
Coming from a family of four girls, I know how busy life can be with a family. Getting to step in for Clare and be that support is all care and no responsibility, which right now suits me fine. I admire her as a mum, she is so committed to his well being and happiness, he is a gorgeous little boy and we are great mates.
Louise's beauty tips
Blush is my friend. I can never be without a shot of colour on my cheeks. It really does wake up my face and make me feel ready for the day - for the most flattering glow, I always reach for a pretty shade of pink.
If you don't use a skin serum - start. I am addicted to how my skin feels when I use a hydrating serum. They absorb quickly and leaves my skin feeling so smooth, makeup just glides over the top in seconds.
Trudi Brewer, George and Max Leask
Raising boys has been my greatest and most challenging job. I have always taken other women's advice on motherhood, with author Celia Lashlie, who sadly passed away in February 2015 a constant source of inspiration. Her book He'll Be Ok is my bible. "Laughter and silence are the two things our gorgeous boys need most from their mothers." This famous Lashlie quote is one I try to follow day to day. Another great tip shared by a career teacher was to keep boys 'busy, buggered (sport has been my boys salvation) and broke.'
I'm also very aware that I am raising someones husband - so I try and teach my boys practical skills, along with advice on what women need and don't need from a man. It's a combination of this advice that has helped me navigate these potentially difficult teenage years - and I have to say, so far so good.
Trudi's beauty tips
I always mix eye cream with my concealer. This helps smooth the fine lines, while covering any darkness under the eye area.
Have your hair cut to suit it's natural texture. I wash my hair every third day, apply a curl serum and go to bed with it damp. The curl I wake up with is generally well-defined, then all I have to do is smooth the fringe - it's a great time saving tip.
The team share their mum's favourite recipes
The menu
Starters: Lisa's Whipped Dips, with crostini and Crafters Rose.
Main: Slow cooked lamb with anchovies, rosemary and lemon with roast vegetable, olive and feta salad.
Dessert: Carrot Cake with lime cream cheese icing and fresh guavas.
Slow cooked lamb with anchovy, rosemary and lemon
Sarah's family recipe
Slow cooked lamb
Ingredients
1.5-2kg leg of lamb
1 tin of anchovies oil included
6 long sprigs of rosemary
6 onions cut in half
12 large agria potatoes cut in half
A good slug of lemon infused olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Bring the lamb to room temperature. Rub salt, chopped rosemary and lemon oil over the lamb.
Pour over the tin of anchovies and place the lamb on top of three large rosemary sprigs, add the onions and potatoes to the dish.
Cover the lamb with tin foil and bake in an outdoor oven with wood embers slowly for 3 hours. Or a conventional oven at 130 degrees, for 3- 4 hours.
When the lamb juice runs pink and the skin is crisp, serve on a platter with fresh rosemary and the roasted potatoes.
Roast vegetable salad with feta and olives
Trudi's family recipe
Roast balsamic vegetable salad with feta and olives
Ingredients
2 large aubergine
3 large red capsicum and 3 large yellow capsicum
6 large red onions cut into quarters skin's on
6 springs of fresh thyme, chopped
A slug of lemon infused oil
A drizzle of balsamic glaze
One cup of olives (a mix of green and black)
1 punnet of fresh cherry tomatoes
One cup of chopped sun dried tomatoes
1/2 cup feta cheese, cut into cubes
Method
Slice the aubergine, capsicum and red onions into quarters, add thyme and salt and peeper.
Add the lemon oil and balsamic glaze and roast in an outdoor oven for 15 minutes, or a conventional oven at 180 for 40 minutes.
When the vegetables are cooked, add the olives, sun dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes and feta.
Dress with extra lemon oil and balsamic glaze before serving.
Carrot cake with lime cream cheese icing and fresh guava's
Louise's family recipe
Carrot cake with lime cream cheese icing and home grown guavas
Ingredients
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/2 cuts of soft brown sugar
1 1/2 cups of rice bran oil
2 cups of standard flour
1 Tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup of well drained, crushed pineapple
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line a 22 cm round cake time with baking paper.
Combine eggs vanilla essence, brown sugar and oil in a bowl and beat until thick and creamy.
Fold in the dry ingredients, and then stir in grated carrots, and finally add the crushed pineapple.
Pour mixture into the prepped cake tin and bake at 180 degrees for 40-50 minutes.
Ice when cool and decorate with guavas, nuts or other seasonal fruit.
Cream cheese icing
2 Tbsp softened butter
125g cream cheese at room temperature
2 cups icing sugar, sifted
3 Tbsp lime juice and zest
fresh guavas and a sprinkle of icing sugar to decorate
Method
Beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the icing sugar and lime juice slowly until icing is smooth and creamy.
Add the lime zest and chill for a few hours before icing the cake.