No7 returning to work with confidence event feedback thread - non-attendees, tell us what makes you confident every day - win a No7 hamper NOW CLOSED

[AmeliaMumsnet]

This thread is for the 100 MNers and bloggers who attended the No7 returning to work with confidence event on Monday 27th March. Thanks so much for coming along, we hope you enjoyed it! The event was all about “returning to work with confidence” and was for those parents who had either recently gone back to work after a break for children or who are planning a return.

You can view our Facebook Live Stream here

Here’s what No7 had to say about the event:

"At No7 we believe that when a woman feels in control she has the confidence to go out and do anything and so we are delighted to have the opportunity to support MNers and bloggers who are returning to work. We know that beauty for many women is about more than looking pretty which is why we’d love to give MNers the chance to hear from some inspirational women on how they faced getting back in to the workplace as well as share some top tips from our No7 advisers on quick ways to get their make up just right - especially in those early days back at work when you're juggling a million things at once and getting into a new routine."

Attendees:
Below are a few feedback questions for you to answer - if you have any more comments, please feel free to add them to your response. Do share your story using #No7Ready. If you are a blogger, we'd love to see you post a link to your blog post on this thread.

Why did you want to attend the event? What’s your current working status?
What did you learn from the event?
What did you enjoy about it?
Did it inspire you/give you confidence? If yes, in what ways?

All those who share feedback will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will win a £300 Boots voucher. We'd also love attendees to share their thoughts on social media using #No7Ready.

Non attendees:
To be in with a chance of winning a No7 hamper (worth £150), please tell us what makes you feel confident every day. This can be literally anything at all, even if it’s a very small thing such as your morning coffee to wake you up! Everyone who does so will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win the goodies!

Thanks, and good luck with the prize draws!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

I can't think of any one thing that makes me confident, but knowing my husband and kids love me stops me from worrying what other people think. My husband always says he loves me no matter what even if I'm in my tatty pjs with no make up with my hair all over the place!

Non Attendee

When everything is 'just right' I feel confident - matching underwear (!), good hair day, no spots, an un-fat day, I have something to wear in my wardrobe.....needless to say, this doesn't happen very often!

I feel confident going out to work because I feel that if I do my absolute best and work hard, there's nothing I can't do. A splash of no7 lipstick in a bright colour helps too!

It probably sounds like a really weird thing but sunglasses, my sunglasses always make me feel confident!

I suffer from rosacea, i have some problems with my spine too but my hair can be an awful state, my skin- red and sore, smudged mascara and walking like John Wayne but i stick on my sunglasses on- where no one can see my eyes and ultimately that i'm watching them watch me and i have instant confidence! I don't care if they're wondering if i washed my hair, or why my skin is so red or whether i dressed myself in the dark because i'm hiding behind a colourful pair of sunnies and pretending that the sun is out to meet them!

I'm currently on maternity leave after having my third baby and will be returning to work next month. It was really inspiring to hear from the panel speakers about how they make it work as working mums, and as a new (and knackered) mum myself I loved being treated to a makeover. I discovered No7 Instant Radiance Under Eye Concealer for the first time and it's my new secret weapon, inspiring this blog post:

www.crummymummy.co.uk/5-ways-rock-working-mum/

Thanks Boots & Mumsnet - I had a fab time!

Non attendee. A bit of fake tan really perks me up! Thursday is now referred to as Tan-Thursday, either a full on application of St Moritz or the Dove summer glow. Bring on summer! x

Why did you want to attend the event? What’s your current working status?
I wanted to attend because I started to work part time after 16 years and sometimes I think I'm not that good
What did you learn from the event?
I did learn a few tips but it was a pity we didn't have the time to listen to more question from all the moms we were there
What did you enjoy about it?
the food was amazing and the goody bag was a perfect touch to the end of the night
Did it inspire you/give you confidence? If yes, in what ways
I would like to have the chance to have a makeup but was quite busy so maybe in the near future

I didn't attend, but what makes me feel confidence is my son, he tells me how proud and how beautiful I am! he may only be 3 but he makes me burst with love and happiness!

Non attendee, but what makes me feel confident is my family. They motivate me each day and my partner always boosts my confidence.

COFFEE

I attended the event and I felt it was a good opportunity to meet some like-minded mums.

Why did you want to attend the event? What’s your current working status? I am looking to get back to work on a more permanent basis after going freelance while my children were small.

What did you learn from the event?
Some good advice about flexible hours and how to achieve them.
What did you enjoy about it?
It was really interesting to hear attendees actual stories about how they were faring in the work place.

Did it inspire you/give you confidence? If yes, in what ways?

I did find it inspiring as there were some success stories so good to know that it is actually possible. Also the panelists own stories of how they had moved forward with their new ventures was inspiring too.

Sounds like it was a fab event

What makes me feel confident on a daily basis so I don't always succeed is starting the day by doing something. Even if it's just having cycled in to the office, or writing down done thing on to my "To Do" list so that I can immediately cross it off as Done, at least I feel I have achieved something and can face the rest of the day more positively.

Bright coloured lip gloss!

A good hair day!

Non-attendee. A good sleep and a morning shower gives me confidence

Non attendee. What gives me confidence is a supportive manager and a team who show respect for my qualifications and achievements to date.

Lipstick doesn't really come into it.

Walking to the train station each mornign helps me gain confidence. Theres something about fresh air and being alone with your thoughts that helps

Didnt attend the conference, but no7's day and night moisturisers help my confidence. I used to get really dry/flaky skin around my nose and since using this routine if moisturising its rarely an issue now, only when I come down with cold/flu.

I attended.

I attended.

Sorry, I attended, answers to the questions here:

Why did you want to attend the event?

I went back to work full time after both maternity leaves, but then in 2012 I was made redundant - youngest child was just starting part time nursery class but I still had to pay for fulltime childcare and part time/holiday care for my older son (then 5). I had little left after childminder and fares to central London. I was earning a reasonable wage and felt it would be difficult to match, and I couldn't manage on any less. So I decided to take a year off until DS2 went to school full time. That's turned into 4.5 years and I still have things I want to sort out before I hunt for a job or set up properly working from home, but have no confidence at all!

I also fancied some free make up - I haven't worn it much since my late 20s but would like to smarten up a bit for return to work.

What’s your current working status?
Long career break following redundancy when children were young and childcare costs were high.

What did you learn from the event?
That women have all sorts of issues with flexibility.

What did you enjoy about it?
Some interesting stories from the panel. I went on my own and found the networking afterwards difficult as I became very shy and tongue-tied.

I've never used foundation and was a bit put off by the emphasis on it by my observations of the makeovers.

Did it inspire you/give you confidence? If yes, in what ways?
Not really.

Thank you for inviting me, and for the goody bag. Very pleased by the mascara, eyeliner and lipstick - just what I need.

my faith x

I attended the Returning To Work With Confidence event with my sister and we both really, really enjoyed it. For me, being a mum of two currently on her second maternity leave in four years and due to return to the workplace in the next few months, and for my sister who has been out of work for the last year and is due to return to the workplace in the next few weeks it really couldnt have been more perfectly timed.

Whilst I am relatively confident in my professional skill set, experience and capabilitities, I cant help but still feel that natural dip in confidence that you experience after being on maternity leave. Luckily for me I know that this is normal and that confidence returns after the first few weeks and months after going back to work, but I want to do as much as I can to get me back to where I was before I went on maternity leave and knew that the event would be a really good start.

I learnt so much more than I expected to learn. First of all, there was a fantastic panel event with some great speakers that shared really honest experiences, opinions and advice. It was a much meatier session than I expected it to be and there was lots of opportunity for questions which was great. I took away some fantastic, practical tips, even learning from other bloggers and guests in the audience. One of which I have actually implemented at home with my husband now to help make the transition back to work a smoother one.

I loved the real, open and honest nature of the conversations, that they werent curated and that questions werent pre-selected. It felt like we could really engage with the panel and make the session our own which was great. I also love that No7 were more than just headline sponsors and offered us the opportunity to engage with, touch and try their products with the make up stations they had set up for us. The only thing that would have made this event slightly better would have been more make up stations or time so that more of us could have a session with the make up artists (minor point!).

Overall I'd say that the event was a success. It inspired me to really go after one of my dreams to start a business that I've been too scared to start for the last few months, and on the professional side of things, I am feeling confident that I can make it work again with two. Thanks Mumsnet and No7 for helping me feel #No7Ready

Emily

Non attendee: keeping my head held high even if I want to hide away.

I am so lucky that my Mum and Dad have given me the confidence to know that they will always love me, even when I make mistakes. Thank goodness! I've instilled the same into my own daughter.