Lockdown and living with the constant background static of fear of illness and loss has hit some of us harder than others.
Reach out to your most anxious friends with some low-key, no-agenda phone calls (remember phone calls?) and a calming gift or three. Just connecting makes all the difference.
Not getting enough sleep is a vicious cycle. Sleep deprivation leaves one prone to anxious thoughts which, in turn, can keep you awake the following night. A two pronged attack is required. Latitude Night Shift Yland Ylang Charcoal bath salts blend patchouli, ylang slang and jasmine-scented Black Sea salt and Epsom salts with THC and CBD for full-body, pre-bedtime relaxation.
Part two: After your friend drags their bath-relaxed self to bed, they can put on this unbelievably soft, pure silk Cilque sleep mask, $36, because study after study shows that letting in even the tiniest bit of ambient light dramatically interferes with REM sleep. Plus, a little bit of 1930s ‘movie heiress in her all white bedroom’ glamour never hurt anyone.
Dermalogica’s Phyto Replenish Body Oil, $73 is an orange and bergamot scented marvel that manages the clever trick of being energizing and mood-boosting while also relaxing. And with skin-replenishing fatty acids from avocado and French plum seed oil it’s self-care, moisture and an olfactory promise of spring, all rolled into one.
This Kerasilk Reconstruct Gift Set, $35, is a clever ‘why isn’t everyone doing this?’ gift.
Not only will your friend get nourishing, soothingly-scented Kerasilk Reconstruct Shampoo and Conditioner, but there’s also a gently fragranced, elegant bottle of liquid hand soap (because while we need to be rigorously washing our hands, we really don’t need a constant reminder that we are under viral siege.)
The light from screens overloads our brains, but staring at a candle flame does the opposite. Atelier Cologne’s Mini Candle Trio Set, $135, Sephora, brings the calm with three distinct fragrances: Orange Toscana and Clementine California citrus and Oolong Wuyi, each blending citrus and herbal notes, to evoke the feeling that we’re outdoors, not locked up.
An annual classic in Germany where charities vie to be included, the 24 Good Deeds Advent Calendar, $24, now in Canada, is proof that there is good in the world. Each day when each little window is opened, you see what your donation has done helping charities around the world and at home. This year’s recipients in Canada include a mix of children’s, social and environmental projects and every dollar goes to the charities, not to organizational costs.
Jigsaw puzzles have become a lockdown star this year and these beauties from Inner Piece, $30-$35 US, are works of art. Curated images, a beautiful box and a canvas zipped pouch to corral your pieces make each a sensory pleasure. (I’ve completed three of them, and “Home”, pictured here, is my favourite.)
At only 500 pieces, you see the image start to emerge sooner, while the reverse of each puzzle piece is a soothing pale blue or yellow, not cheerless, naked cardboard. #godisinthedetails