Ah, there’s nothing quite like a Hospital stay to make you appreciate the little things in life &, moreover, LIFE itself. Having spent a vast amount of time at God Bless Hotel NHS, I can speak with a fair bit of authority & experience when it comes to what to take in your Hospital Bag & what stuff to have on standby if, like me, you often end up there via ambulance unexpectedly & leave a bewildered significant other to do the packing for you.

These are things that are guaranteed to make you feel & possibly look a bit better when you’re feeling crappy full stop. They all make excellent gifts & are perfect pick-me-ups for busy Mums or Mums to be especially.

As a Beauty Product whore I often have an abundance of miniatures, samples & gift-with-purchase items which are preferably for travel *hints* or sharing with my mates & family to get them hooked too; I’m essentially a Drugstore Dealer. Don’t throw those teeny things or sliver sachets away – instead store them all together in an airtight storage container & put it somewhere accessible.

Make friends with the counter & store staff to get trial sized products of your favourites or pick up some pots from Muji/Boots/Poundland & decant away! I’d like to say I learned ‘Be Prepared’ from my Girl Guide days but they were short-lived & Brown Owl(?) asked me to leave.

What’s in the bag?

Very nearly ALL natural, organic or free-from. Sometimes, science helps.

Indie & Pop Picks

The bag itself is a handy little travel pouch from Cowshed (£20) that comes filled with decently sized miniatures that this Knackered Cow adores.  The first time I grabbed this little kit was for my Labour Bag – you’ll never forget that first shower so make it something natural & luxe. You deserve it.

They always produce these each season & sometimes there’s a slight variance on the contents – e.g. a lip balm included – but this set alone will have most of your beautification bases covered with Shampoo, Conditioner & Bath/Shower Gel. Chuck in a loofah & give yourself a good scrub(s) down.

Something I always seem to carry now is an anti-bac gel or sanitiser “Hi Mum!”. Cowshed make the nicest natural ones on the market with Cow Slip & Cow Pat (£8) & I must have tried them all. Something else I always have on me is Lip Balm & it’s quite possible I have an addiction. Especially to Burt’s Bees (£4). The tinted balms are my everyday go-to but for the real nourishment & overnight I keep to the classics. My lips are dehydrated at the best of times but when I’m run down I’d be lost without this little ritual rub.

I’d ran out of my other Shower Gel minis so opted for my favourite affordable Shower Gels by Korres (£8). When my purse doesn’t stretch to the ‘shed, this Greek brand is the next best natural thing. It’s also one I have a bit of fun with seasonally because there’s so many scents to choose from & I can pick it up in the Supermarket & M&S (TIP: it’s even often sold as an irresistible B.O.G.O.F). I don’t mind Mr O stealing these either. I’m currently using Japanese Rose in my shower but if I was pushed, I’d say my favourite is Fig Santorini Vine Almond Cherry…nope, can’t decide.

Malin + Goetz is a superb brand from NYC that combines the natural with the chemical for real results. The products may seem pricy (this stuff ain’t cheap) but a little really does go a long way with everything I’ve used & most of the key items are available in JUMBO sizes which means you get a lot of bang for your buck. All of the Malin+Goetz scents pack a real punch & are guaranteed to pep you up (try Peppermint) or calm you down (Rum or Cannabis for me, please). Massaging in this Vitamin B5 Body Moisturiser (£32+) makes a world of difference to my achey limbs.

While we’re on the subject of expensive-but-worth-it then Marvis make the Rolls Royce of Toothpaste with the prettiest packaging (from £5.50). I’m not going to try & justify the expense here, it’s extravagant but oh so stylish. On special occasions, I am that person. This mini one came out of my Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar last year but you can also steal them from good hotels 😉 I’d also got a travel sized Eve Lom Cleanser in it which was the first time I’d tried it, since bought full size & just got another mini from a Look Fantastic Subscription Box.

NB: No, sadly I did not get lucky with a 2017 #LibertyBeautyAdventCalendar BUT I have something to reveal soon about my Advent Calendar choice this year ho, ho, ho.

Neal’s Yard Remedies– how I adore thee. I never, ever feel guilty about buying things from them & they really look after me whenever I visit their stores. I’m ridiculously overdue a Massage at my local Cambridge Therapy Rooms which I need to remedy. This lovely little Energy blend of rosemary, geranium, lavender & grapefruit (£7.50) is rolling it’s way over my pulse points as I type. You can pick up NYR from Waitrose & M&S or find a local independent Consultant.

Lastly but by no means least is my latest discovery at Boots in their Botanics Range which is currently on Promotion. I got two of these Rosewater Toning Spritz (one for me & one for my Mum) on a whim whilst picking up a Prescription using Advantage Card points because I cannot resist the words ‘Organic’ or ‘Rose’. For £5.33 (usually £7.99) or in my case FREE it’s been getting a liberal spraying round the clock.

What are the Beauty Products that you turn to when you need to lift to your spirits?

Apologies for the Radio silence last week on Social Media, unfortunately I was rushed to Hospital after a suspected Stroke which was very, very scary. I’m now at home on rest & being looked after by my brilliant husband but still awaiting further tests & an MRI.

I was recently diagnosed with POTs (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) after years of Health issues. This latest episode is directly related to my condition. To get a glimpse of what’s been going on privately, please do take a look at this clip from BBC News featuring Jen Brea who has made a film called ‘Unrest’. 

 

S x