The products and services bringing us cheer this week
In our new WFH world where comfort is king, the Grizzly Chair is the furniture equivalent of your comfiest, loungiest outfit. Faux fur and all curved edges with not a hard corner in sight, it’s a hug of a chair and perfect for a retreat from the desk. Available in this grey or a taupe option. SC
Grizzly chair, €519, see dfs.com
Necessity: Perchance to dream
Peigín Crowley is the brain behind such spa experiences as those at Adare Manor and Cliff House Hotel. Late last year, she launched Ground, a range of 100pc natural aromatherapy face and body products. Hand-crafted in small batches in Co Cork, the balms and oils have names like Talamh, to balance; Beo, to invigorate, and Cúram, for mothers and babies. We love the Codladh body oil, with lavender for relaxation and bergamot, which, they say, helps to banish negative thoughts. SC
Ground Codladh Sleep Body Oil, €30, Brown Thomas
Notion: Half measures
Lockdown’s school closure sorely tested Dry January, but if you’re beating yourself up for giving up, we have a mid-strength-alcohol option to make you feel a bit more virtuous. Dublin 8 distillery Stillgarden has added Give & Take to its line, a 22pc ABV botanical spirit. Apparently vacuum distillation ensures a lower alcohol content, while juniper and nettles meet ginger, basil, coriander seed and chamomile to create a punchy freshness that’s sure to please gin fans and pair well with tonic. SC
Stillgarden Give & Take, €33, see stillgardendistillery.com
Notion: Bag it
Full-blown handbags barely get an outing any more, but we still need somewhere to put our stuff for all those several-times-daily walks. Check out the Wrist Pocket, which fits neatly on your arm with an elasticated band and is big enough to accommodate keys, cards, mask and phone – with two sizes to allow for phone models. SC Wrist Pocket, €30 and €45, see dustandrock.com
Necessity: Period power
Make it Happen: How To Be An Activist is the story of Amika George, who, aged 17, founded the Free Periods movement on behalf of schoolgirls who could not afford tampons or pads. Three years later, those products are now freely available throughout England. Here, she provides the essential guide to becoming an activist. LH ‘Make It Happen’ by Amika George, HarperCollins, €14.32
Notion: Doorstep deliver
Food is our main source of joy in life these days. The subscription service from online grocer Weekl.ie gives customers a weekly doorstep delivery on the day of their choice, from a selection of food – including fruit, veg, hand-made pasta, 30+ day dry-aged rib of beef, or organic chicken – grown or made by some of Ireland’s top food producers. LH See weekl.ie
Necessity: Sleep tight
Separated from and missing your partner in lockdown, or suffering from pandemic-related insomnia? The Siest Sleepers are a brand of weighted pillows – they are a bit like a weighted blanket you can hug. LH From €219 + P&P, suitable from age five, weighted from 1.5kg, see siestsleep.com
Notion: Change makers
The Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Frontier Challenge, now in its third year, is a global programme which aims to support entrepreneurial start-up and scale-up stage businesses that develop ideas that make a positive social impact on the fashion landscape. Since its inception in 2018, it has awarded €350,000. LH Applications are open until March 8, 2021; see responsibility.pvh.com/tommy