WELLBEING FOR MIND & BODY
Marine-inspired tips and remedies to help you feel your best
Sea change
Did you know that 80 per cent of the plastic in our seas originates from land-based sources? That’s why I’m glad to discover a beauty brand making its bottles from ‘ocean-bound’ plastic that might otherwise end up damaging marine life. Farmologie – the company that launched the Childs Farm skincare range for children – now has a bath and beauty range (from £3.49, superdrug. com) for grown-ups. The shampoo and skincare products smell of zesty fruit and contain soothing ingredients suitable for even the most sensitive skin.
SUSTAINABLE SEAWEED SKINCARE
In the early 20th century, seaweed bath houses dotted Ireland’s coast as many locals acknowledged the therapeutic effects of soaking among the slippery fronds. Today, seaweed is a popular skincare ingredient but there are concerns about the ecological impact of the way it’s harvested. For this reason, I’m careful to use only products made with sustainably harvested plants. The Cornish Seaweed Bath Company’s Wild Seaweed Bath (£30, cornishseaweedbath.co.uk) offers a restorative soak using seaweed cut from the top of the plant, so it can regrow. Other sustainable products include Ishga’s Shampoo & Body Bar (£11, ishga.com), made from hand-harvested Hebridean serrated wrack, and Guernsey-based Mairro’s Anti-blemish Cream (£65, maiiro.com). Turn to page 135 for more on the health benefits of the sea.
Shelf help
IT MIGHT NOT BE YOUR AVERAGE BEACH READ BUT THERE’S NO REASON WHY YOU CAN’T GIVE YOUR BRAIN A WORKOUT WHILE LAZING IN THE SUN. The Brain Fitness Book (DK, £14.99) EXPLORES THE SCIENCE BEHIND KEEPING YOUR WITS SHARP. IT FEATURES TESTS TO SCORE YOUR RECALL, LANGUAGE AND VISUALISATION SKILLS, PLUS PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE BRAIN AGILITY, SUCH AS THE CHA-CHACHA. ALAS, YOU WILL HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE DECKCHAIR FOR THAT.