BY ANNA DORL
As the holiday season fades and winter continues, self care becomes more important than ever. With the days still short and often colder than usual, this time of year can be a difficult one for prioritizing health and wellness. If you’re looking to treat yourself, or you’re trying to finish up some belated shopping for loved ones on your list, this list is for you. Take a look at our picks for five essential items to bring mindful meditations and eco-conscious care into your routine this season.
Baloo Weighted Blanket
Weighted blankets have been taking the world by storm in the last several years, and for good reason. As a simple, science-based, and relaxing way to engage in deep pressure therapy at home, this item can be simply life changing. This version from Baloo is particularly perfect. Made with washable cotton, the blanket’s weighted and lead-free glass beads create a calming weight that encourages relaxation. It’s available in three sizes: throw, full/queen, and king. Choose from Pebble White, Silver Sage, Luna Blue, or Spruce color options. Baloo’s commitment to eco-friendly e-commerce continues with the company’s carbon neutral status and green packaging. www.balooliving.com
Bamboo Journal
Everyone can use a new notebook every now and again. Even if you’re the kind of person who has empty journals lying around, waiting to be used, this option offers something new. This bamboo journal from Bamboo Switch via The Unwaste Shop is fully compostable and made from 100% bamboo, including its exterior shell. The notebook’s interior includes unbleached and unlined paper also made from bamboo. Whenever you’ve written your final thought inside, or you’re just ready to give it a new life, simply recycle or compost the journal. Bamboo Switch’s mission seeks to help people “make the switch to a zero-waste life.” www.theunwasteshop.com
Organic Cotton Reusable Menstrual Pads
If you have a period, you know how essential it can be to have well-made and useful hygiene products on hand when that time of the month comes around. It’s also equally important to make sure that the ingredients that go “down there” are healthy for your body. Rael offers all kinds of mindfully made period products, but one of the brand’s most unique is its Organic Cotton Reusable Menstrual Pads. Available in regular, large, overnight, and petite sizes, these pads are good for up to 120 uses, saving landfills from waste. Each pack comes with three pads, made almost entirely from 100% cotton with polyurethane backing and nickel snaps. www.getrael.com
Lavender Comfort Neck Wrap
Almost everyone experiences muscle tension on occasion, and Lavender Life Company offers a consciously crafted solution. The company’s Lavender Comfort Neck Wrap is made with lavender and non-GMO rice grains, encased in a soft 100% cotton shell. Lavender Life Farm grows its own lavender in Michigan, infusing each of its products with home-grown buds that encourage real relaxation. Simply heat it up for a few minutes in the microwave and enjoy comforting warmth for up to an hour. The wrap comes with an ounce of Lavender Fog spray — made with organic lavender and essential oils — to refresh its scent, and it weighs 3.5 pounds for a soothing soft weight. www.lavender-life.com
Pocket Farmacy Mindful Edition
Essential oils are a great way to get your day on a good track, no matter what direction it might be going. The Pocket Farmacy Mindful Edition from Saje is filled to the brim with a selection of oils aimed to assist users with bringing some natural remedies into their day. The set includes five roll-on blends: Energy, Power Down, Connection, Unwind, and Liquid Sunshine, and each is made with a mindfully made blend of 100% natural oils. Unwind, for example, combines lavender, cinnamon oil, and orange to bring users a sense of peace and calm. Its case is made from vegan leather and RPET fabric. www.saje.com
