July Newness

part one, for all of my subscribers

With the heat delighting and exasperating us all in Britain - best of both, like divisive goodness of that type of supermarket bread - I look forward with longing towards August, when I will switch off from writing in as much as I can. This feels more necessary than before, as the intensity of days that stack up into weeks and months of this year so far makes me feel bewildered. Is it the passing of time and my age, or is our planet spinning faster and faster? I long to sit and do nothing, to catch up with people dear to me, to swim, to read, to not cook and clean, not to juggle, to just be. My body is asking for a break, my skin recently making it’s discontent with my speed blatantly clear - something I haven’t experienced before. I also know that the work that I have been doing with osteopath and Aquil founder Frederic Roscop is making me change internally for the better. I also feel grateful for the community and my trainer at the reformer pilates studio - we push ourselves together in class, each focussed on his or her form, appreciative of our body’s capabilities more than ever. Why am I telling you this in my monthly newness you might ask? Well, I believe in balance and focusing on things that we have control over. So I invite you to take advantage of the remainder of the summer, irrespective of whether you will work or have a vacation and find time to just be and do for your body and mind what is truly needs in the moment in time. We can’t pour from an empty cup and all of us seem to live under increased stress of uncertainty.

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Rollr Deodorants

I first came across this brand last September, at the John Bell & Croyden Press day Showcase, but unfortunately didn’t manage to speak to the founder Milo Pinkney, who is both wonderful guy and a smart and creative brand founder, at the time. I plan to do an IG Live with Milo in September, but in the meantime wanted to tell you about Rollr deodorants that you can now also find in Liberty of London and Content.

Rollr deodorants are unlike any other on the market and for a good reason. The packaging is luxurious and swoon-worthy, while also being sustainable in its foundation and approach. The scents are evocative - there are currently three, vetiver & lemon/ mandarin & cedarwood/ clary sage for you to choose from. There are four actual roller balls to choose from - variety in not just colour, but emotion and purpose, steel, rose quarts, green aventurine & blue durmotierite. I am currently using the vetiver scent with lemon and petitgrain and green aventurine rollerball. My armpits like the feel of the formula and there is no dryness or irritation, which some natural deodorants seem to produce with regular use. The glass packaging is truly unlike any other deo brand on the market, looking like it has a definite upper hand on another recently launched personal hygiene brand which positions itself as a luxury brand, but looks visibly mass with a high price point. Using Rollr makes you anticipate the moment and the formula stands the heat test well too - this is important to get right, and not always easy.

You are also helping to save on packaging when committing to using Rollr, as after you purchase the deodorant, you will only need refills that are both light and cost-effective in the long term. The formulation process must have been hard to nail, but Milo managed it with his perfectionism approach. How Rollr works is you unscrew the deo glass bottle top, add your chosen scent sachet contents to the bottle, fill the bottle with warm water up to the neck - pay attention, the volume matters - then reattach all parts of the Rollr and shake the bottle until the contents are evenly mixed. Ready to use! Rollr costs £45, with two refill sachets costing £25.

I can’t wait to spotlight Milo and share lots of fascinating insights about the brand in September!

BodyMe Organic plant-based protein shake

As I workout regularly and know how important it is to maintain muscle mass, I am always on the lookout for good protein powders that I can use, creating a nutritional fruit shake on days when I do an intense workout but without the extra sugar or unnecessary ingredients. I came across BodyMe protein powders in Planet Organic earlier this year and having tried all three flavours - unflavoured original, chocolate and vanilla - continue to by the vanilla flavoured one. it contains 20g of protein per serving (three table spoons), has no sweetness, is gluten-free, Soil Association certified and has all essential amino acids as well as iron, zinc & selenium. For convenience you can also buy individual protein shake pouch, which costs £4, but a 525g full-sized pack for £25 offers a much better value.

It is a blend of pea, rice and flaxseed protein, organic raw cane sugar, natural flavouring, organic freeze dried banana, gluten-free oat fibre, organic Ceylon cinnamon, sea salt and vanilla extract (the vanilla flavoured version of the protein powder, please check INCI list for the other ones). Considering the list of ingredients is also helps your gut motility, which in turn is essential for shifting all the necessary waste out of our body effectively, and can help to manage sugar cravings thanks to cinnamon. An overall rounder that seems to have gained favour with my taste buds and body over a few months and seems to have become a clear protein powder favourite for the time being.

Galina’s Book Shelf: “The Artist” by Lucy Steeds

This books got my attention with its cover and the first page - before I turned it over I was on the way to the till to purchase a copy from my local bookshop. Set in Provence in the 1920s, the story weaves through time and family dynamic, but most importantly puts female artist right at the centre of the story. Ettie, the heroine, lives on a remote farm with her famous painter uncle. Joseph, an aspiring journalist arrives at the farm on what he believes is the invitation of the artist to interview him. Yet nothing is what it seems and every character carries a heavy burden off secrets that will burst as the novel evolves. Considering that this is Lucy’s debut novel, her talent at story-telling is remarkable and I read the book late into the night almost daily, until I completed it. Mysteries, complexities of families, love and the hardship of women’s life all seem relevant to modern times, especially now that the art market seems to be in turmoil again.

Method Bodywashes

Not content winning over households with their cleaning products, METHOD seems to have added another bow to its string with the launch of four body washes. There is Daily Zen shower gel that I purchased, which contains cucumber, seaweed and green tea. You can also choose from Wind Down with chamomile, starflower and blue lavender scent, Pure Peace with peony, rose water and pink sea salt and Simply Nourish with coconut, rice milk and shea butter. While it’s not the type of shower gel I would normally purchase, I was curious to try at least one, as I still use some of Method cleaning products at home and after seeing a promotion of it on Amazon - yes, I still sometimes shop there - I bought a 532ml bottle for £4.33. Would I buy it again time will tell, but the formula was dermatologically tested and the packaging is recyclable, even though if my purchase was based purely on the INCI list, I wouldn’t necessarily have purchased it. It lathers well, cleans the skin, but does leave it feeling a little there is a little bit of coating left on your skin straight after….

Wilder Botanics Sacred Hand Cream

I recently wrote about Wilder Botanics founders Rachel and Charli opening their new shop in Lonsdale road (read about it here and take note of location, as this road is a very creative hub!). Guest at the shop preview were gifted WB hand cream among other things and it’s a beautifully enticing treat for your hands right now, especially is you do cleaning and gardening. In fact it smells so good, I would instantly place it in the ‘luxury’ category alongside a thoughtful and natural formula, unlike the above shower gel.

For me, beyond the initial beauty of texture that is revealed once you unscrew the lid, it is the scent profile of this hand cream, with extracts of Palo Santo and Holy Basil, that is so powerfully enticing. We use our hands so much, to work, to care, to comfort, the least we can do is show them genuine care in return. The rich, but not greasy, cream blends holy basil, known as ‘the protector of life’ in naturopathy, with gotu kola, plant butters and plant-based hyaluronic acid produced by fermentation, making it particularly good for skin’s own microbiome. The cream sinks in incredibly quickly and nourishes the hands in the most natural of ways. The glass jar is now firmly encased on my bedroom side table, one of the last things I use before I turn the lights off.

This hand cream comes in a 50ml glass jar (£25) or 300ml bottle (£65)

I will do a separate July Newness post for my paid subscribers soon, which will include a product that can help deal with skin redness on the face (is it stress, hormones or life in general, as I have more and more women reaching out and asking for products to deal with redness on the face, in many cases not experienced by the person previously), a beautiful make-up product from one of my favourite European make-up brands, a facial oil that helps me go ‘zen’ on the nights that I apply it to my face and a few more things worthy of your attention, including the most delicious French bistro in London. TBC my dear reader, so please consider becoming a paid subscriber to receive extra posts and insights.

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