Tag Archives: mindfulness

If dreams had a scent…

Posted in Body, Lifestyle, wellbeing by

It’s soooo good in bed… Launched just under a year ago, Feather & Down is a gorgeous range of bath, body and home fragrance products to help you unwind and have a great night’s sleep.

We spend 1/3 of our lives sleeping but today’s busy lifestyles means 35% of people feel their physical and mental wellbeing is affected by not getting enough sleep, and 30-45% of adults suffer from insomnia*.

My anxiety sometimes gets the best of me and that means that, even being a good sleeper in general, sometimes I appreciate the extra help unwinding.

The Pillow Spray is a joy. The fragrance is an amazing infusion of lavender and chamomile essential oils, which are known to help with anxious minds.

It encourages calm, which is essential for a restful night’s sleep. I’ve been using it almost nightly, a couple sprays on my pillow and have to say, on top of feeling very relaxing, it give my bed a comfy, sweet and fresh feel, as if my linen had just been changed. The scent is not lavender heavy.

Now, the Soothing Body Oil. Honestly, I am a huge fan of all sorts of oils in beauty, including body oil.

Full of essential oils, with the same fabulous scent of the Pillow Spray, it sinks beautifully into the skin. Apart from the calming and relaxing fragrance, spraying and smoothing it on skin will soothe it and seal the moisture after showering.

And talking about showering, the Melting Shower Cream shares the scent and mind calming properties of the range. The cream turns into a oil delivering softness and nutrition.

What a trio to reach to after a long week at work – and a great way celebrate World Sleep Day in style.

Bring on the lie-ins!

You can get the Feather & Down Pillow Spray (£7), Soothing Body Oil (£8) and Melting Shower Cream (£6) on the Feather & Down website.

They also have balms, butters and lovely little kits, as well as home fragrances and products are made in England.

written by Dani

*Info from the World Sleep Day website

You know the drill, but I’ll say again: this post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.

And… breathe

Posted in Lifestyle, wellbeing by

Anxiety is something I have carried with me for a long time. Although rather manageable most of the time, there are periods that it still gets the best of me, no matter how many defense mechanisms I have against it.

The first time I came across aromatherapy breathing roll ons was after the this works energy bank launch event. I loved the range, but was really intrigued by that little roll on.

Fast forward a bit a few have come into my life. I feel the different scents do evoke feelings of calmness, energy, relaxation but for me, the most important thing is the time you take to breathe.

Sounds weird but most of us do not find time in our days to breathe mindfully. We our always on the go, with our heads on the schedule ahead, with a million thoughts overlapping. And if you are an anxious person, multiply that by 100, on a good day.

For me, the simple reminder of that little fragrant tube begs me to stop (hammer time! Not really), take some time out, breathe deeply a few times and think of nothing. And resume.

At the moment I have a few on the go, with a heavy bias towards the this works breathe ins, which have a natural blend of super oils. I apply them on my wrist, rub against the other and breathe away.

The energy bank fragrance is brilliantly awakening, with soothing orange oil, mood-boosting rosemary and energising geranium.

It is really an awakening fragrance, a fab post-lunch pick-me-up and costs £18 for 8ml.

The deep sleep stress less breathe in shown was reformulated and renamed as stress check and is now part of the fantastic stress check range.

It is calming, refreshing and really opens the airways for even deeper breaths, formulated with eucalyptus, frankincense and lavender oil . The packaging is now white for all this works breathe in roll ons, and they are very affordable at £16 each.

Bamford’s Padmasana, inspired by the yoga pose of the same name, is a 100% organic blend of rosemary, ginger and basil oils, for concentration as it helps to restore mental strength and clear the mind.

It is quite fragrant, quite smoky to start with and then quite herbal.

Finally, a little spray from Evolve Organic Beauty, the Tranquility Essence with lavender, bergamot and cedarwood.

Although it contains alcohol in its formula, I really love this spray. It is not overpowering, quite citrus and you can really get the lavender at the end.

This is little helping hand is very useful if, like me, you struggle to naturally take a little time to breathe.

What’s your go to method to get your daily dose of mindfulness?

written by Dani

You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Love for your body and mind: find your Inner Strength

Posted in Beauty by

aromatherapy-associates-inner-strength-review - 2In modern society we many times concentrate on the physical and end up forgetting about our minds.

Aromatherapy Associates is here to help us to take some time to look after our skin as well as our minds, and maybe indulge a little bit on their fabulous products.

Inner Strength is an all over mind and body range that counts with the usual fabulous bath and shower oils, but also skincare to help rebuild our natural strength and protect our skin from the effects of environmental and emotional stress, designed for sensitive skin.

It contains camomile essential oil, calming for the mind and soothing of the skin, plant-based probiotics to rebuild and protect skin’s natural defence, cotton thistle flower, which restores skin layers and helps the regenerative process and arnica flower, a great anti inflammatory.

aromatherapy-associates-inner-strength-review - 1The Inner Strength Skin Recovery Moisturiser is a protective moisturiser that calms an soothes, helps build the skin protective barrier and helps restore the skin healthy aspect.

The moisturiser is light, applies and absorbs well and behaves under makeup. The scent is pleasant and reassuring.

It is perfect combined with the Soothing Facial Oil, which feels very luscious and replenishing on the skin, at night.

The Inner Strength Soothing Repair Mask is a bliss to use. I’m a big facial mask fan and this feels like a thicker cream.

The scent is reassuring, slightly more intense than the moisturiser; I like rubbing the Inner Strength Bath and Shower oil on my hands, then on my chest to inhale, while using the mask before the shower.

aromatherapy-associates-inner-strength-review - 3Skin, as well as the mind, feels revitalised. It’s moisturising, plumping, strengthening and soothing.

This mask contains, sodium hyaluronate from soy, camomile as plant based probiotics.

The full range, already available to buy contains, apart from the Skin Recovery Moisturiser and the Soothing Repair Mask, the Soothing Cleansing Balm, Soothing Serum and Soothing Facial Oil, which joined the already existent Inner Strength Body Oil, Bath & Shower Oil and Candle, which you can buy here.

And to see how much I love these guys, you can read my Aromatherapy Associates Clear Mind Bath and Shower Oil.

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This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.

 

Clock change: make it empower hour!

Posted in Beauty, Body, Lifestyle by

dove_empower_hour - 5
Good morning lovely people, we just got an extra hour! Yay! Let’s not think about when it is taken from us – yet – and let’s fully enjoy it by using it for ourselves!

Dove has challenged me to have a moisturisation empower hour. They gave me a few tips and sent me some products to help me get the best of that “free” hour.

Here’s how I started my day and used that brand new 60 minutes, that was given while I slept and claimed when I got up, all for myself.

Before I got into the shower, I lit an aromatic candle in the bathroom and kept the lights off. Low lights send a relaxing message to the brain.

dove_empower_hour - 2I took 5 minutes to breath. Recently I was gifted a brilliant shower aromatherapy shower oil called Clear Mind and it helps with mindfulness, a practice really close to my heart.

I rub the rich, golden and fragrant oil in my hands and deep inhale three times, then I rub my tummy and chest with it, before stepping into the shower. It is great; it delivers a true moment of calmness.

Then I swept a dry brush up my arms and legs towards the heart for 5 minutes to stimulate lymphatic circulation. This helps the body get rid of toxins.

dove_empower_hour - 1For a good 10 minutes, I exfoliated my whole body with the gorgeous Dove Exfoliating Body Wash, which gives skin a gentle scrub, removing dead cells and moisturising at the same time.

The skin is left super soft and ready to better receive the next skin care steps. I always use a body oil after showering; and I cannot recommend the Dove DermaSpa Goodness³ Body Oil enough!

I then used a Dove moisturiser on damp skin (at the moment I am loving the richness of the DermaSpa Goodness³ Body Cream) and for another 7 minutes I rubbed my muscles; especially forearms, thighs, shoulders and upper back.

I also manage to squeeze a quick 2-minute massage with the Dove DermaSpa Uplifted+ Body Roll-On, which is a fabulous treat for the body.

Plus a cheeky 60 second hand fix to exfoliate and moisturise my hands, which are ever so often neglected.
dove_empower_hour - 1 (1)After that, I put a soft dressing gown and slippers on and applied a face mask for 10 minutes. I used Caudalie’s Detox mask to help unclog my skin. Following that I applied a second one for another 10 minutes, this time a hydrating face mask, also from Caudalie.

While I waited for the masks to work their wonders, I had my handy humidifier on, had a coffee (yeah, I can’t shake that habit) and caught up with my magazines.

I find the humidifier is great in the winter to help counteract the central heating, which is super drying to the skin. For me, it is extra helpful as I suffer from rhinitis. The fact this has a soothing light is a bonus!

After removing the face mask, I took 5 minutes to moisturise and massage my face. I used an oil (the extraordinary Dr Jacksons Face Oil) and a serum (Liz Earle Superskin Face Serum). I applied both with upwards movements to stimulate circulation.

dove_empower_hour - 8Finally, with my last 5 minutes, I gave myself a powerful, knot-crunching hand massage using the Dove DermaSpa Intensive hand Treatment, which is super moisturising and smells amazing.

I feel revitalised, ready to face the shorter days. Well, I mean, as ready as one can be. As the steps in the hour are very short, I will certainly be picking and choosing to incorporate them to my routine.

What about you? How are you using your extra hour today?

The Dove Exfoliating Body Wash costs around £2.55 for 250ml and £4.38 for 500ml and is available now from retailers nationwide.

You can read my full review on it.

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This post contains PR samples and was written in collaboration with Dove.

 

 

A step into mindfulness: Aromatherapy Associates for Liberty Clear Mind Bath & Shower Oil

Posted in Beauty by

aromatherapy_associates_for_liberty_clear_mind_oil_review - 1Mindfulness. Something that is so talked about nowadays but still not exercised enough by most of us.

Aromatherapy Associates and Liberty are here to give us a little helping hand with the gorgeous Clear Mind Bath & Shower Oil, which was born to help us “find peace in a frantic world”.

This fabulously thick and aromatic oil contains chamomile, frankincense, palmarosa and bergamot.

They went through 12 blends before perfecting this gem which aims to help free our thoughts, achieve stillness of mind, live the present moment, which are principles of mindfulness, as well as revitalising the mind and body.

aromatherapy_associates_for_liberty_clear_mind_oil_review - 1The smell is powerful, its texture silky. What I really like is that they teach you how to use it in the shower, which for me is perfect (my low blood pressure makes baths an unpleasant business).

Just drop a 50p size amount on you hand, rub and inhale twice or thrice, before rubbing it onto your torso and tummy.

It may sound weird, but just the first pat of the routine made me clear my mind completely and focus on the aromas. I felt revitalised, and happy. When showering, the aromas are still release, and sink deep into our tissue.

I really enjoy the whole ritual. It does make you step out and take time not to think about anything, and be present.

aromatherapy_associates_for_liberty_clear_mind_oil_review - 4Mindfulness is something really close to my heart, as an anxiety sufferer. I did struggle a lot to find it, and after a lot of hard work, it became easier. And this oils is a great nudge towards it; it gives you that daily dose, even if for a short period of time, of stillness. And this is great.

The oil comes in a handcrafted bottle; mine has my initials – nice touch, Liberty!

It sits in a beautiful box designed especially for the collaboration, using one of Liberty’s iconic floral prints, Genevieve, from AW03, which colours marry the ingredients quite well.

aromatherapy_associates_for_liberty_clear_mind_oil_review - 2Aromatherapy Associates has a personal connection to Liberty. Its founder, Geraldine Howard, bought her wedding in the store, which I thought I was quite a cute story to add to this collaboration.

At the launch, in one of Liberty’s amazing private rooms, all carved in beautiful wood, in line with the iconic store stunning interior, we were treated to a fantastic hand massage. I chose calming, and the soothing it brought me (added to a glass of bubbly) was quite overwhelming.

The Aromatherapy Associates for Liberty Clear Mind Bath & Shower Oil costs £48 for 55ml and has at least 20 uses, and it available exclusively at Liberty, in-store, I recommend a trip over any time, I just love the place, and online.

And if you want to read more about my obsession with oils, it’s all here!

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This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.