A mix of everything that has moved me in one way or another this week; books, articles, new products, and more.
A friend of mine sent me this powerful New York Times article this morning. He knows I’m doing a lot of research about cold water therapy at the moment, and the writer of the piece in question documents her experience of dipping her toes (quite literally) into this approach. She tries it alongside a woman has gone through the worst heartbreak possible, and I was moved to tears by her resilience in the face of something completely unimaginable. A beautiful but upsetting read.
On the subject of cold water therapy, I started looking into this after the Wim Hof method was recommended to me. Wim Hof is an extreme athlete, hailing from Amsterdam, known for his incredible ability to withstand freezing temperatures. His method, which has been shown in research studies to enable you to voluntarily control your immune system; involves three things; cold therapy, breathwork, and commitment. The breathwork is what caught my attention initially, and I sampled a beginners guided tutorial on YouTube which completely blew my mind. The method promises to increase energy levels, improve sleep, and help to reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, among many other benefits. It’s something I’m enjoying very much at the moment and hope to continue with for some time. If you’ve tried it out let me know.
If you’re a fan of podcasts and you’re interested in World War II, I’d like to highly recommend a new podcast I subscribed to recently. It’s called Good Assassins: Hunting The Butcher, and is a true story about an undercover mission that spanned the globe to hunt down a Nazi murderer. It’s incredibly interesting, as the downfall of the man in question is not because he just eventually got caught, but because of his incredible ego and desire to be known.
One of my all-time favourite wine producers is now (finally!) available in Ireland. Mirabeau was created by a lovely family who upped sticks from England and moved to Provence to follow their dreams, and the result is one of the best rosè(s) I’ve ever had the pleasure of sipping. I have schlepped far and wide for their wine in the past so I’m delighted that they’re now available from all good off licenses in Ireland and online from Brown Thomas.
I finally started reading Where The Crawdads Sing last night, after so many people recommended it. Other books I’m reading, have read, or have downloaded ready to read; The Thursday Murder Club (really good), The Nobody Man (brilliant), The Body Keeps The Score (phenomenal, but tough going. I’m halfway through), It’s All in Your Head, and Wim Hof’s book. If you’re reading something good at the moment let me know.
The most recent (and brilliant) skincare product on my radar for irritated, sensitive or stressed out skin is Murad Intense Recovery Cream. I started using it a couple of weeks ago when my skin was in need of soothing and calming and I haven’t put it down since. if you’re someone who suffers from rosacea, or if you have extremely dry skin you will love this gentle, but incredibly hydrating and repairing formula. For general skincare recommendations check out my Skincare List.
And lastly, if you’re interested in using Gua Sha as part of your skincare routine, take a look at my Stories from this week where I show how I use it in the evenings to release tension from my neck and jaw, and to lift and sculpt my cheekbones and eyebrows. The Gua Sha I’m using is from Cult Beauty.
That’s all for now. Have a lovely evening ♥
