Tisserand Nature's Spa Comforting Bergamot & Sandalwood

(samples)

 You've probably seen some of Tisserand's products in Boots (I have) and maybe like me assumed they just produce essential oils. While Tisserand is perhaps known for a range of quality oils, they also create some rather lovely bath and body products, like the Sandalwood and Bergamot Soap and Hand Cream I have here.

These products are part of the Nature's Spa collection, a bath and body range crafted using natural fragrances inspired by nature.

Choose from Comforting Sandalwood and Bergamot, Uplifting Mandarin and May Chang, Soothing Lavender and Neroli and Indulgent Rose and Ylang Ylang. Each of the four collections in the Nature’s Spa range include a hand wash, body wash, hand and body soap, hand cream and bath soak, so there are plenty of ways to totally immerse yourself in your chosen scent blend.

Made using Coconut Oil and Shea Butter, the soap creates a satisfyingly frothy foam. I personally like to use a bar of soap in the shower these days (it makes me feel cleaner than shower gel somehow?) and this one is lovely for the body. I feel moisturised and comfortable afterwards, with none of that sort of tight-skin feeling that some soaps can create. The soap has a very present but also sort of subtle bergamot and sandalwood fragrance- it left my skin smelling clean and fresh, with a touch of scent from the essential oils.

The Bergamot and Sandalwood Hand Cream is richly scented and gorgeous. This hand cream features a blend of Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil, Aloe Vera and Vitamin E-rich Sunflower Seed Oil to soothe and nourish. It's incredibly non-greasy and quickly absorbed, so a perfect addition to your desk or handbag. The bergamot and sandalwood scent is very soothing and zen so very good to have close by during your workday!

The Tisserand Nature’s Spa Bergamot and Sandalwood Hand and Body Soap and Hand Cream retail for £6.50 and £12 respectively. You can find them online at Tisserand - they don't seem to be available online at Boots right now but that may change.

Aequill Juniper Berry and Cedarwood Candle

The first thing you should know about this candle is that it smells likes a double gin and tonic. I could even go as far as saying that the Juniper and Cedarwood Candle smells like enjoying a gin and tonic by the fireplace. That probably sounds a bit contrived but if you could smell this, you'd totally understand!
Gin is made from Juniper berries so it makes sense that the fragrance is going to somewhat resemble the cocktail while the addition of Cedarwood creates that toasty Autumnal feel.

Perfect for candle lovers who enjoy rich, woody fragrances, the candle also features notes of Bergamot and Vetiver to complete the scent beautifully.
The Juniper Berry and Cedarwood Candle is part of Aequill's 'Mum's Aromatherapy Shop' range which founder Jintana Khieochuam created after being inspired by helping her mum blend essential oils in her beauty shop.
Other candles in the range include Grapefruit and Vetiver, Lavender and Marjoram, Lemon and Rose Geranium and Orange and Ylang Ylang. The candles are paraffin wax based for optimum scent throw.

I think the backstory of Aequill as a brand is quite nice- Jintana was born in Thailand and moved to London with her mother who owned a beauty therapy clinic. Growing up, Jintana was surrounded by essential oils and was intrigued by their therapeutic properties. Her interest in essential oils coupled with an obsession with candles gave way to the inception of Aequill, which is based on the idea that old and new worlds need to collide for a sustainable balance. Like the rest of the range, the Juniper Berry and Cedarwood Candle is presented in a 100% recycled glass jar and is hand poured. The traditional apothecary feel of the packaging is inspired by Jintana's first job in a chemist.
To finish, each box is hand-stamped with a wax seal. Gorgeous. Aequill 'Mum's Aromatherapy Shop' candles are available in regular (approx 200g) for £24 and travel size (approx 100g) for £14. Interestingly, Aequill also offer an eco-refill service which I think is a very cool touch.
You can read more about Aequill and find stockists here.

Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar Reveal - Day #6

Today's Liberty treat is a 40ml tube of Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Muscle Gel. I've tried various bath oils from Aromatherapy Associates before but never a muscle gel and never this blend.
The gel is a soothing concoction of Rosemary, Ginger and Black Pepper pure essential oils and 'aromatic waters'.
Easily absorbed, the gel is designed to be massaged into tired muscles or joints and provides fast, effective relief. Sorry I just sounded a bit like a painkiller advertisement, but I digress.
To me, the scent of lavender is the strongest (it contains lavender water) and it could easily be marketed as a lavender product. The gel is ideal for rubbing into your legs after strenuous activity (such as braving Oxford St at this time of the year) as well as massaging into shoulders and neck after staring at a computer screen all day. Overall a nice little product that feels cooling and warming all at once, if that's possible. The full size version of Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Muscle Gel is £24 for 150ml here.

Seascape Sleep Oil

I'm a big advocate of natural sleep aids. Having struggled with various nocturnal issues over the years, anything that helps me drift off is more than welcome on my bed side table. Whilst I love the idea of soaking in a lavender oil filled bath, cutting out caffeine after 3pm and winding down properly, it just isn't going to happen so I've grown quite fond of 'quick fix' potions to put me in the right state of mind for nap time.

The Seascape Soothe Sleep Oil is the latest addition to my bedside and I'm loving the fact it's packed with essential oils such as lavender, grape seed, bitter orange flower, mandarin peel and sweet almond oil- all natural oils with soothing, calming properties bound to help you catch a few Zs.

The sleep oil is packaged in a small glass tube with a roller ball designed for easy application to your temples and wrists. It's even safe to apply underneath your nose!

The scent of the sleep oil is strong, but in a good way, with a warm, earthy sort of scent that's nothing short of comforting.

The Seascape Soothe Sleep Oil isn't just for sleepy time- keep it in your handbag for a calming aromatherapy fix anytime of day! It's also worth mentioning that the oil is free from various nasties such as parabens, petroleum and SLS and it's perfectly safe for sleepless mumma's-to-be.

The Seascape Soothe Sleep Oil is £10 for 8ml and is available at Seascape.

And....Sleep.

I'm one of those people who has major issues getting out of bed in the morning, has a burst of energy between about 11am and 2pm, can't keep my eyes open by 5pm, then can't actually get to sleep until about 1am.
I will settle down for the night with a book or the TV, get all yawny and sleepy but then when it's time for lights out, BAM that silly brain of mine slips into overdrive thinking and worrying about EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING.

Staying up late is fine when you have nothing on the next day, but being stuck in this cycle constantly is pretty unpleasant to say the least.

Today I wanted to share a couple of little bits and pieces that encourage relaxation and sleep which you might find handy if you're anything like me!

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate is a wonderful night serum that is supposed to improve skin texture and replenish moisture overnight, but my favourite thing about it is the smell. Evening primrose oil and soothing essential oils including a hefty dose of lavender means this little product smells like refreshingly deep sleep in a bottle!

Elemis Quiet Mind Room Mist is the perfect way to prep my whole room for sleepy time - this stuff can be sprayed around the room and onto pillows and bed sheets, leaving everything delicately scented with soothing patchouli, eucalyptus and lemon. All in all it's just really lovely stuff!

Sranrom is a brand I wasn't familiar with until a couple of weeks ago when I was introduced to the Urban Wellness range - a lovely natural collection of body products.

One of my favourite's from Sranrom's Urban Wellness collection is the Sleep Tight Pulse Point Roller*, a lovely little tube packed full of a beautiful, relaxing blend of ylang ylang, lavender, white champaca and other snooze-inducing ingredients.

Using this is pretty self explanatory - just roll it onto temples and wrists and breathe in the soothing goodness to help you relax.
Then of course there is the humble Badger Sleep Balm which is essentially a beeswax formula brimmining with rosemary, bergamot and lavender. I'm afraid my tin of this is far too battered to photograph...

You can find out more about the gorgeous, natural brand Sranrom by visiting them at sranrom.co.uk.

I picked up the Elemis Quiet Mind Room Mist at Debenhams around Christmas and I've had the Badger Balm for far too long to remember where I got it, but I'm sure you can find it at Boots.

Thanks for reading and Goodnight!