Bedtime routines aren’t just for babies
Aoibhin Garrihy on why you need to make time for yourself
IT’S not easy setting up a business while being a mother to two young children at the best of times. And for Aoibhin Garrihy who was enjoying her relatively young Beo Wellness live event business, when the pandemic hit, things changed overnight.
‘By nature I am a glass half full kind of person anyway,’ Aoibhin says. ‘Everyone has different stories of how this year has affected them and there were times of learning and reassessing.
‘In terms of business for us we worked primarily in the live event area and that was wiped out so our business potentially fell off a cliff edge. We existed primarily in the live event space which utterly ground to a halt this time last year. We went from postponing and subsequently cancelling a sold out season of BEO Health and Wellness events across the country last March, to taking our message of self-care to the online space in a variety of ways.’
Aoibhin set up the business with her friend Sharon Connellan and together they came up with a plan.
‘We had to adapt very quickly and it took a while to figure it out and see how the future was looking in terms of our message and how we would share that.
‘Lucky we have built an engaged online following through the years which grew organically and we were able to go online. We have had virtual events, we had IGTV series and podcasts.’
And in a time where most people were risk-averse, the pair decided to branch out into little luxuries that are perfect for the times we are living in and also promote healthy sleep.
‘It took investment and it took a risk but people are craving those little moments of luxury as well. We aren’t getting to go to the spa or the salon or on a hotel break at the minute so where we are looking for a little bit of a pick me up we are quite happy to invest in those moments at home now.’
Beo Wellness launched the first product of bath salts just before Christmas and Aoibhin and Sharon have just introduced three new products, all aimed to relax you and help get a good night’s sleep.
The Beo Sleep Well Bedside Blend Good Night Candle is a hand poured, natural candle formulated with lavender and essential oils to transform your bedroom into a sanctuary. The Beo Sleep Well Soothing Pulse Point Oil is designed to keep close to hand, pop in your bag or place on your bedside locker so that its fragrance and calming effect is available any time to soothe the mind and melt away the tensions and stresses of everyday life.
And in this day and age, having a silk pillowcase is a must as it won’t tug at your skin and you will avoid sleep wrinkles and bed head.
So far, Beo has tapped into the little luxuries we need in these times. The range has been inspired by the natural world in Co Clare where Aoibhin and Sharon live and like all busy mums, Aoibhin — who has Lenora, two, and Líobhan, one, with hotelier husband John Burke, knows well the benefits of a bit of relaxation.
‘I have two small babas and so sleep gets put down the list of priorities,’ she says. ‘I supposed that is how Beo began, I saw too many women burning the candle at both ends and not putting themselves on that list of priorities.’
Aoibhin admits she puts her babies first but also tries to squeeze in some time for herself.
‘I try as best I can to give myself those moments of headspace,’ she says. ‘I tend to turn to the outdoors — that has been therapy for me, swimming in the lake within my 5kms . ‘You need to replenish the cup every now and then,’ she says.
■ See beowellness.ie for more details.