Here at IDEAL we realise that there’s more to this crazy dance than the accumulation of ‘stuff’. A life of accruing possessions will only accrue dust. Oiling the Capitalist wheels with your wallet won’t bring clarity, of that there’s no doubt….
But who can deny the positivity that a bit of pampering brings? There’s nothing wrong with taking a look inwards from time to time, letting go and just spoiling yourself. With that in mind, we’re sharing a few things bringing us a little peace of mind right now; our own spot of retail therapy, if you will, with these 5 IDEAL things we’re into this week. Go on. You deserve this.
KITCHENCRAFT’S STAINLESS STEEL PASTRY BLENDER
National Pie Week has just passed but the week long orgy of pastry and it’s-not-a-pie-without-a-bottom pedantry is still on our minds. It’s still on our clothes, too; tacked on in a thick, stubborn slurry of flour and lard. If only we’d had a pastry blender; simple, handheld, old school (see also; doesn’t break constantly), and the best way to distribute fat through flour in a way which results in a short, golden crust.
£4.99 from presencedirect.com
CALM APP
If you’ve spent the last couple of weeks in hibernation, don’t worry. It’s National Bed Month out here, meaning there’s still another fourteen days of guilt free duvet days. We’ve been busy hacking our Zzzeds in every which way possible, finding solace in tech and meditation. Well, what if we told you that you could combine the two for a great night’s sleep? Calm, the app named 2017’s best by Apple, offers bedtime stories, guided meditation and motivation, and more. Well worth the annual Premium subscription of £34.99, we think, but a free seven day trial is available for the curious, too.
£34.99 from www.calm.com
NIRVANA BREWERY NON-ALCOHOLIC CRAFT BEER
Sure, we all want to be there, clutching a 330ml can, enjoying the feeling to the matt finish on our fingertips, flinching at the bright yellows and oranges of the branding. What we don’t want is the booze. Great news that 2019 has seen some great new non-alcoholic beers come onto the market, many channeling the ‘craft’ ethos and aesthetics which are so irresistible to hipsters across the planet. Nirvana brewery have a particularly strong brand, and are UK’s only craft brewery dedicated to producing alcohol-free beers. More importantly, their beer tastes damn good.
£22.50 for 12 bottles from www.nirvanabrewery.com
THE SKIN REPUBLIC’S MUD SHEET MASKS
The Skin Republic mess-free mud masks combine the convenience of a sheet mask with the cleansing properties of a mud mask. Two birds, one stone, and one radiant face at the end of it, too. After just 10 minutes, the mask begins to dry, drawing out dirt and impurities from deep within the skin’s pores. The purifying ingredients help soothe skin and absorb toxins without over drying.We particularly love their Green Tea mask, with the tea and charcoal detoxifying and helping to draw out dirt and impurities from the skin’s pores. There’s also liquorice to brighten and even skin tone for a luminous, glowing complexion.
£7.99 from selected UK Superdrug stores & from skin–republic-uk.
BILLION DOLLAR SMILE’S LED MINI LIGHT KIT
Want your peepers to be drawing admiring gazes and gushing compliments? You might have to beyond the cursory whitening toothpaste you occasionally use on a whim. Billion Dollar Smile’s LED mini light kit uses LED light technology to accelerate the teeth whitening process and shorten treatment time. The gentle gel formation helps remove stains and whiten teeth without damaging tooth enamel and uses natural extracts of Aloe Vera, Pomegranate and Chamomile. At £52.99, it’s not cheap, but it’s worth the investment for the gleaming white results. Now, you just have to find something to smile about.
