We are almost there, we are almost free. But I have to say that I have been so lucky during lockdown and have been blessed with products and online support to get me through it all. Whether it’s staying fit and active, keeping your mind grounded or staying on top of your beauty routine I have some more recommendations for you.
Let’s start with getting grounded and working on our wellbeing. In your element on-demand creates a personalised playlist for you to enjoy to help you with the things you feel the need to focus on. Whether it’s learning a new skill in the kitchen or centering yourself with a guided meditation, they have it. It’s perfect for a workplace or business where you want your staff to feel inspired and rebooted. They offer over 150 videos to cater everyone’s personal needs. Coaches and trainers from all over the world come together to support. Isn’t technology amazing! You chose your classes by the elements, fire, earth, air and water. For me they curated a list of 13 videos varying from face massages to making the best Spanish omelette. My favourites if I have to choose is definitely the face massage, nutrition and resilience and emptying my stress bucket. The videos are filled with content and I feel that they are a good with playtime ranging from four minutes up to almost and hour.
Continuing online, I also tried Indaba Yoga, I love yoga and regret not staying on top of it. But the beauty of yoga is that everyone can do it. They offer classes as well as podcasts and workshops so there’s a lot to be done. My first Yoga class was amazing! I wasn’t thinking it would be as hard on my muscles as it ended up being. I chose to start my journey with the Beginners Yoga, mostly because I felt I needed to go back to basics. It was 90 minutes long so I knew to set aside time so that I could focus, but also I like that the time isn’t compromised and the yoga instructor really goes into depth of each movement and give you time to find your balance. My core was done over like never before and I love it! You have so many different classes and levels and targets that there is for sure something for you whether you’re a beginner or a professional. But there are also HIIT classes as well as massage, strength and mobility. New classes are added every month to give you some new treats. I know I’m starting my mornings with yoga from now on.
So I have the classes down but do I have the kit? I do. My DIYogi Premium Yoga Mat has me covered on the ground, the mat is beautifully heavy so it won’t roll up on the edges and stays put. The material is made up of three layers, natural rubber bottom, antibacterial cotton core and a eco Polyurethane surface. It’s grippy and solid. But my lovelies, it does not end there. I you ever were a fan of colouring, this is the grown up version of that. You can customise your mat, it comes with stencils of different shapes such as mandala or lotus, and by using a Stained By Sharpie pen you can customise and know that it will stay on. So if you’re in a pose that perhaps has your face on the mat like the Cobra or the Child pose know that you will not have sharpie everywhere when getting up. And also how nice is it to be able to personalise your mat, make it truly yours? The mat is quite long to give you that extra space and also thick enough to keep it comfortable, and comes with a carrying strap so you can easily bring it to your gym when we’re allowed.
OK so we have the mindfulness down, let’s move on to strength, I have had a kit on my wish-list forever and finally I got to try it out! I was beyond excited and then slightly intrigued to see where I could set myself up. I do my workouts on my patio, it’s not massive but it’s enough. When I received the Flow State Resistance Training Set I was happier than I have been in a long while. I don’t know when I started loving equipment so much. Anyway. This gorgeous set includes everything you need. Different heaviness of resistance bands, add more and make it heavier, they come with a door ankle so you can secure them and work away. You have a choice of ankle straps or foam handles depending on your workout. As if that wasn’t enough I also received the item of my dreams, the TRX band. This is an item that is so underestimated. I have forever used it to perfect those core muscles, push ups or assisted squats. Living the dream. In the box is also a paper giving you some ideas on what exercises to do. I want to stress safety so make sure your door is secure and the area you are working out on is safe. This kit is perfect in the sense that it’s something you can bring with you to anywhere, why not work out in the park? With every kit comes a free e-guide so you know what to do.
We have done our exercises and just want to relax and calm our senses. Take a shower and start there. Vitaclean has created something that will make every shower feel like a home spa. I received their handheld starter kit, they have a starter set for wall mounted showers as well if that’s your kind. It might look like a slightly more lush shower head but that’s not where the magic happens. Inside the handle you place your Vitamin C shot, mine is Lavender scented and every time I shower this is the fragrance that’s fills the room. Inside the shower head you also have ceramic balls and a filter cloth. Together all these items help promote healthier hair and skin, remove dirt and residual contaminants from your piping system and produce Negative ions, known to increase blood flow and reduce stress. The stream is beautifully high pressured and the shower head helps water conservation reducing it by 25%. Vitaclean has a subscription service so that you renew the filters and Vitamin C shots at the correct time, I know I will keep on going as my showers have never felt this fresh.
After a tough workout or a long walk there’s nothing better than a nice soak to help aches and pains. WholyMe sent me their Recover Relief salts all natural bath salts containing naturally occurring Epsom salts to help support those aching muscles. But inside you’ll also find Hemp Seed, Arnica Oil, Eucalyptus and Frankincense together making it super refreshing. Even opening the bag filled my bathroom with freshness. I treated my neighbour to some as well and we both love it. Makes for such a lovely relaxing bath.
One product I received is something I have been very keen to try, it’s the Scented Love Wellbeing Ritual Aromatherapy balm. This balm is there to help you rebalance and reconnect emotionally. It contains Rose, Patchouli, and Cedar Wood alongside mooring and shea butter. The fragrance is so lovely. You apply the balm to your wrists, neck and temples and you allow yourself to inhale the fragrance and centre yourself, preparing for what the day has to offer. I love that not only is the fragrance right up my alley but it also does good for me. It helps me de-stress and feel less anxious.
Now let’s look at our space of living. I don’t think I could ever have enough candles. Not only for the visual but even better when they fill my room with lush fragrance. I received the very sexy, sultry and sensual MOJO candle from JOGB, all the while filling my room with a gorgeous musky and warm sandalwood and bergamot to mention just a few notes it is there to help me feel confident and sensual in my humble studio. This is a 100% eco friendly plant based, soy and rapeseed wax candle, allowing me this gorgeous fragrance for up to 50hrs. Each candle holds 10% pure essential oils and comes in a mysterious dark grey glass, fitting for any room of choice. It fills the room without being overpowering and even stays in the air for quite a while, and I honestly cannot get enough. Something that stood out to me and I find so great is that you can return the glass to JOGB and they will repurpose them, so nothing goes to waste.
My neighbour upstairs have been driving me absolutely crazy with noise of all kinds during lockdown and well, one can only take so much. So if I want to listen to my podcasts and horror stories without having to hear the snoring or the dropping of what I can only assume is a boulder I will use my SleepPhones Effortless to just zone him out. The SleepPhones are Bluetooth enabled headphones hidden inside a super soft headband so no discomfort when sleeping. So for me it’s to drown neighbours out but these are great for travelling or just lounging or even while walking in my native wintery Sweden. But they can also be used when running if that’s your choice of exercise, you might be thinking that it will feel too warm but no it’s a breathable moisture wicking fabric.The wireless range is up to 10 meters but honestly I usually just sync with my phone and that is never far away, each charge lasts up to 10 hours so enough to keep you going for a while. And if you were wondering the headphones are removable from the headband so that you can wash it of course.
OK so something that for me as a woman has been an annoyance throughout the years is the amount of waste and also money it costs when using sanitary products whether it’s pads or tampons. So I am open to any solution to this. Receiving the Iceni Period Pants was super exciting. I received a Sports Short and a Bikini Knicker. I was expecting them to feel bulky as they are able to hold up to 20ml of period flow. But they are undetectable when wearing underneath anything. They are stretchy but secure so no worries about leakage whether you’re using them while sleeping, your day to day or even exercising. There’s a style for everyone, I like the shorts for those flowy skirt days when you never know if a Marilyn Monroe moment might accidentally happen. But more than anything it’s the comfort of not having that annoying pad or running out of tampons at the very worst time. And more than anything it’s not taking a toll on our precious environment. Win win situation.
I am completely relaxed after trialling all these amazing products, and beyond ready for the opening of lockdown having increased my general wellbeing throughout lockdown!
