Pampering Mum with L'Occitane

If there is one person I don’t mind pushing the boat out for it is my mum. She does an incredible amount for me regardless of my age and I am excited to be heading away next week for a wee holiday with her and the whole family to celebrate her turning the big 60 ( and me turning 30!) I usually like to go with the pampering element for a gift for her as it is not something she would splurge on for herself and this year it is L’Occitanethat  has caught my eye for providing me with a gift that is doesn’t break the bank. A little something that looks incredibly pretty as well as smelling divine is just what I am after!

I have used a variety of their products over the years and usually always have a miniature of their hand cream in my bag at all times which always feels like a little piece of luxury, so my first thought is to treat mum to a set of these as she suffers really badly from sore and tight hands. I actually first received these as a gift myself and I found it such a lovely pressie that I know she would love them.

Mum loves to have scents around the house and in recent years she has dabbled with diffusersinstead of candles but a lot of the cheaper ones don’t have the lasting aroma that you look for. Having popped in store and given this verbena set a sniff; I can say I think it is gorgeous and could be a winner (although I now just want it for myself….)

The mothership loves lavender and relaxing notes so the Lavender gift set feels like the ideal gift for her. I like that it contains a little of everything from soap to shower gel and hand cream. The packaging is relaxing just looking at it!

Talking of packaging, I kind of want this pamplemousse and rhubarb set just for the beautiful box!! A combination I can’t say I have ever seen before, I am dying to give this fruity set a go.

 

So many top choices for treating my mum where I know she will be over the moon with her gift and I know she is getting some luxurious quality. Definitely just what she deserves!

*Written by me in collaboration with L'Occitane*

My sleep secret...

I have such a long standing history with sleep troubles that it is hard to know where to begin. Since I was very young I have struggled to get to  sleep and actually stay asleep, I have such horrible memories of feeling trapped at sleepovers while everyone else slept like logs, or spending lots of the nights up and about having weird hallucinogenic dreams that left me shattered  the next day. Fast forward 20 years and I still suffer and when I am stressed or worried it gets much worse, throw in a bad stomach that can keep me up and my quality of sleep dwindles dramatically, except now it was no longer just me it affected but poor ally having to sleep next to me. He is so used to it now and knows how to drag me back to bed or soothe my confused half-asleep self, but it is a tiring job!

 One of the aspects of bedtime that I found so annoying was watching Ally who can literally fall into a deep sleep within seconds ( seriously, it amazes me) and I would lie awake for really long periods of time just getting more and more annoyed. In the past I have tried a few things, meds ( not something I wanted for every day life) nice smelling sprays and candles, switching off tvs etc and even resorting to shoving crystals under my pillows! None of these were particularly effective and I had pretty much given up hope on bedtime gadgetry until a product caught my eye and I thought it was worth a stab. A bed of nails might sound a daunting prospect but this little beauty has not spent a night away from my side in those two years and I look forward to getting myself settled on it every night. Lovingly referred to as my ‘prickles’ by Ally, this is a thin comfortable mat with lots of sharp points that hit pressure areas on your body much like acupuncture would. I have used a cheap version of these mats for the past two years and got on fine but when the chance to try a more robust version through Pranamat came up I just had to compare how the experience might be.

Instantly you might think I am mad ( I didn't believe it could help until I tried it), but I can honestly say this little beauty has been such a fantastic addition to my night time routine and when this one arrived it meant my colleagues could finally try out what I had been harping on about! There is something fun about seeing everyone suddenly want to lie on the floor!!  Instantly I could tell the Pranamat version was something special, coming in a super handy travel friendly box ( and with some gorgeous colour combinations) this baby is built to last. It is much thicker and more pressure point heavy than my old one and makes for even more relaxing experience.

You can use the bed of nails in various ways ( even for performing yoga moves on!) their are lots of handy how to videos on their website but I basically use mine every single night for 20 mins or so when lying in bed and it just completely calms me, you feel a bit of heat when in contact with the pressure points but it is not actually painful. I quite often will take the mat to the floor and places my legs up the wall when I really need a de-stress, and Ally is always stealing it to seek some pressure relief on his sore muscles. 

I love that this version is made from such durable eco-friendly material, and the extra thickness means this one is far more comfortable for lying on the floor with as their is extra padding in comparison to my cheap version. This padding actually comes in the form of coconut fibers inside which I thought was super cool and is cleverly used as it doesn't hold dust like usual foam rubber.  Pranamat also do small pillow versions which i am now desperate to try in one of their other pretty colour ways and offer a fab 5 year guarantee and worldwide shipping.

I could instantly tell the difference with this version of a bed of nails, and turns out it really is superior not just from looks but to the user experience too. I am absolutely thrilled with my Pranamat and think it is well worth checking our their products if you are looking for something to help with sleeping or just a way to help relax. 

Gifts with Gant

Gant has ended up on my radar numerous times since the end of last year. Going from always seeking it out when charity shopping as I know their pieces are superb quality, to actively perusing the site and lusting after their vast range of goodies from work wear to boots to scents.

Their sale has some amazing bits that I am dying to nab for me, especially in the footwear department. I know gifts for other people should really come first, but it is important to treat yo'self!

Just look at those practical yet stylish Ashley boots? the full knee length classic shape of the Avery aint too shabby either mind you. For the day to day black boots never see me wrong so the Chelsea style of the Lisa would be ideal, although I love the flash of gold hardware on the Laura too. I am  a a flat shoe gal so the comfort mixed with the smart style of the Kathryn shoe is also on my lust list.

Although with Love day lurking around the corner and numerous male birthdays in the first part of the year, I have to get it into my head that now is not the time to be shopping for me. I was sent their male fragrance* to try and I am besotted with it. Yes Ally will get to use it…. But I am a longstanding fan of masculine scents for women and this is a total beauty. With inspiration from the sea salt with woody notes of ships mixed with fresh elements of coriander and  lavender, and a bottle designed to be like wicker baskets from old sailing ships, this is a stunning aftershave that I cannot get enough of and would make a beautiful gift. Ally is pretty particular when it comes to aftershave and what he likes to wear ( he has mega sensitive skin so it has to be worth it!)  He was incredibly impressed with this, “ it smells very expensive” was his first impression which I thought was really bang on. coming in at £35 for 50ml this has a really air of quality with it that makes it such a nice gift.

The menswear sale also has a boat load of strong gift ideas for the man in your life. Dads, boyfriends, brothers or pals there is definitely a quality choice for them in there.

I am a big fan of the Forrest green lambswool scarf ( definitely one to pinch for myself), Ally has been in the market for a Khaki jacket for ages and this 'The Mist' jacket could be the one. I am head over heels for the Donegal textured jumper and the Melange tie with its wool and silk blend is properly dreamy.