Summer Essentials with The Collaborative Store

I’m starting this post with a question.  Do you get yourself Summer ready?

It’s that time of the year when we start coming out of hibernation, the sandals are dug out from the back of the wardrobe, the tights are sorted and relegated to the underwear draw once again and you start thinking about bare skin even if its just a bit of ankle and your feet!  I do try to look after myself throughout the entire year but there is something quite therapeutic and exciting to getting yourself feeling good for the warmer months ahead.  I do have a really tough time when the end of September rolls around because I’m not quite ready to pack away my lovely summer frocks and sandals but I wouldn’t be without the changing seasons.  So you try with all your might to embrace whatever comes your way.

I like to look after my feet, keeping them soft and nails always painted, I have a little Friday night bath time ritual where I always take a long soak with bath oils, scrub my feet and lather them with foot cream and freshly paint my nails, it makes me happy but even happier in the warmer months as my feet are constantly on show, I live in sandals and flip flops.  I like my skin to glow too and I find that body oils work a treat.  I love natural soaps that can act as a scrub too.

Bathing aside, once my body feels nourished I love nothing more than spending evenings outside be it in our own garden or someone else’s.  It’s always lovely to have a blanket or two close by for when the sun goes down and to light the candles placed around your space to make it more inviting, having a well deserved glass of wine snuggled under a blanket by candle light in the garden is one of life’s simple pleasures.

I find that we venture further a field when the days get longer and of course a few holidays thrown in.  You all know how much I love a good handbag but sometimes you don’t want to carry all your clobber around with you on a summer trip so an elegant purse that can double up as a clutch bag is such a treat alongside beautiful slides that will take you through from day to evening.

Thankfully, all these wonderful things can be found all in one place, The Collaborative Store is an absolute gem of an online store and I have had the great pleasure of working with them in the past.  With a mindful and ethical ethos all their products are well thought out and researched, each piece comes with a story of great design, sustainability and provenance.  All of this makes you feel connected to the products, knowing that you are investing in only the very best making you feel good, nothing is throw away, everything is made to last; to be used and cherished for years to come.

Here’s a little bit more about each of my Summer essential picks, hopefully it will make you want to get ready slowly for those warm intoxicating days ahead.

Coral Clay Soap

Sevin London pink clay soap is full of moisturising properties.  This natural bar with its amazing delicate flowery scent with a hint of cedar wood leaves your skin feeling silky smooth and is a perfect cleanser for your skin, and gentle enough to used regularly as a face scrub.  It is also suitable for dry and sensitive skin.

Love After Dark Bath & Body Oil

Designed and made in Austria by vielö this ourishing organic foot balm is specially designed to moisturise and soften dry feet and cracked heels. Made from high performance, certified organic whey, powerful hyaluronic acid that helps retain moisture and natural essential oils to nurture and soothe the natural way.  With no harmful ingredients such as sulphates it will keep your feet feeling soft and smooth.

The Balears sandals are designed in Ibiza by Of Origin.  These beautifully detailed crossover jute slide style with a moulded foot bed for extra support and comfort. They are handmade in Spain from Black jute rope with a natural crepe rubber sole. The pair is fully natural, vegan & biodegradable at the end of life. This easy slip on style, featuring a wide fit to allow your toes to spread and breathe, they also fit true to size. Of Origin was created by the late Camilla Skovgaard who was globally famed high-end shoe designer and after a break realised her personal ethos had changed with a strong desire to go back to the basics, to the beginnings, hence the name Of Origin, to offer more grounded, timeless and sustainable designs.  She also wanted to connect the wearer with the product while also creating a desirable fashion product.

Black Everywhere Wallet

This streamlined design is handcrafted in Lithuania in the brands own workshop and designed by Erika Hoc.   Made using the highest grade ethically sourced soft calfskin leather, it is perfect for travelling and carrying your most precious belongings.  It is smart and versatile design with an extra note section, coin compartment and plenty of space for all your cards.  The perfect wallet that can transition from your daily purse to a minimal clutch for an evening out.

Rain Luxury Matches

I can’t get enough of these match boxes, you always display them never hide them away in a drawer.  The matches are long and perfect to light fires and reach the bottom of your favourite candle vessel without burning your fingers!  The boxes themselves are a work of art, the British letterpress and stationery team behind this design wish to preserve and champion the letterpress as the best form of printing available in the UK today.  Their thoughtful design are uniquely beautiful and need to be displayed, they make lighting your candles even more pleasurable.

This soft wool throw designed in Scotland by The Tartan Blanket Co is sure to become a firm favourite foe the new season and beyond. Each throw is ethically woven in India using recycled wool, creating a unique and timeless object that highlights the beauty of traditional craftsmanship. Features a classic herringbone design with an inviting texture to add character and cosiness to your soft furnishings. The predominantly female Indian partner mill hand finishes all the fringing instead of using machinery, thus helping maintain stable employment opportunities for women. What’s more, the throw is even machine washable.  Every blanket equates to six preloved wool items, also an amazing fact is that recycling wool can be a challenge as the fibres can be too short to re spin.  The clever solution is to blend recycled wool with longer mixed fibres saved from landfill to create a soft and durable yarn, which is then woven in a dense twill weave and brushed for texture. All the benefits of wool, in a sustainable blanket!