My friend recently went on a trip to America and she knows & shares my love for beauty products and discovering new things so she surprised me and bought back a bunch of unusual and cool-looking (& sounding) beauty products. She was visiting New England….Boston/Vermont/Salem areas so picked up these bits in small shops and pharmacies & ACTUAL SPELL SHOPS which sounds both amazing and terrifying. I think some of these brands are probably more well-known over in the U.S than here in the U.K.
First up, I got some Soap Spells for ‘Fertility’ from Salem (home of all things witches and magic) which is just a soap bar infused with magnolia, lemon balm & herbs so it smells lovely, is a great soap. The fertility thing is probably nonsense but it did make me laugh as a joke between friends. Also from Salem, I got these aromatic Protection Bath Salts ; which are made with mineral-enriched dead sea salts & pure essential oils that make your bath smell lovely and leave your skin nice and hydrated. I do love my baths and essential oils so these are really a joy to use. Can’t comment if they have protected me yet though.
My favourite of the ‘Witchery’ treats is my ‘Spell in a Bottle’. You can get all different types of spells ; for love, luck, money….even a curse. I have the ‘Charmed Life’ spell which promises to makes my home a relaxing, lovely and laughter-filled place which sounds perfect for me as I had just re-moved BACK into my house. It comes with an instruction leaflet and all the ‘ingredients’ in the jar which you have to burn, smell, bury as requested. I will let you know iof this turns my home into this wondrous-sounding place…..here’s hoping!
Now onto the skincare! I absolutely love all these bits and the oldy-world packaging. Thayer’s Witch Hazel Pads have been an instant hit with me and although I initially suspected them to be a bit gimmicky…they are really great! Pre-soaked pads containing Witch Hazel, Aloe Vera, Purified water and Grapefruit extract that are a perfect on-the-go companion for toning, freshening and soothing the skin. I use them after my PM cleanse for that extra clean and they have been a great travel companion instead of taking around cotten pads & water/toner. I also have the infamous (now I know it is after having a quick Google) Bag Balm which hails from Vermont. It has been around (and unchanged in formula) for over 115 years and was a farmer’s balm that was used for ansolutely everything ; chapped skin, dry lips, winter skin flakes, even for cow’s udders and saddles! I love the cute tin it comes in and it’s a very rich emollient-based balm…and CAN be used anywhere although I’m typically carrying it my bag for lips n cuticles.
Lastly, and be no means least…..and actually the only brand I had heard of but not used, is the Mario Badescu Facial Spray. Have wanted to try this brand for SO long. This is a hydrating and refreshing spray that is made from rosewater, aloe vera & herbs that is perfect for giving your skin a boost when required, under or over makeup. It feels very fresh and uplifting when using it and is great for the handbag and skin refreshes during the day.
I may be going to Vermont myself later on this year and am already prepping up some Apothecary visits to discover more. Have you heard of any of these brands or used anything like these?!
