A nice relaxing post (for me) about things that smell nice.

Lately, I've been minimising my hygiene products to organic and fair-trade items. This is awfully fun, and was definitely easier in Europe. Now that I'm back in the States, things are a bit different--everyone seems to want to market the idea of Health rather than take pride in a local product that is a novelty to travellers.

The "local novelty" thing is how I bought some Italian rosewater from the abbey at Montecassino (very nice, light moisturiser & calming sort of pick-me-up) and a bottle of French orange-blossom shampoo at a small country market (light, but now that my hair is used to it, my scalp doesn't itch as often as it did with synthetic hair products and I have less trouble with the effects of spending days in the AC).

One thing I did not fancy from Europe is toothpaste. I have finally given up on the hideous stuff I bought in Germany and found a tube of aniseed oil toothpaste in a local grocers. I like it much better for practical cleaning and it doesn't spoil the taste of my coffee in the morning (this is v. important!).

I bought LUSH products when I lived in Ireland, and continued buying them as I travelled to and from Italy. I've traced their improvement from "40% recycled" plastic tubs to "100% recycled". My favourite bath bomb is the one with avocado and lemongrass.They call it different things in different countries, but the one I remember is Avobath. It makes the whole bathtub GREEN! I use their face masks and sometimes the more bland and boring of the cleansers, but I'm not on it full time yet as I'm just finishing up the ends of some mild Clinique stuff (it says "comforting" on the label and is the only really useful mild facial cleanser I've found on the wider market).

My comb is made of animal horn (as far as I know, not damaging the animal except to harvest the horns--not a painful process at all) and I love it ever so much more than my former plastic hairbrush. I do have a brush, but it is a smoothing brush of boar bristles. Right now I use almond oil as a leave in conditioner on the length of my hair but not the bits close to my head (they get their own hair oil naturally). It may seem strange to hear, but I really like brushing my hair. It is all very relaxing--I imagine it is similar to a cat being petted.

Self-care is an interesting kind of therapy. Just at present it is something I rather need. I look forward to the day when I can get my hair washed and trimmed at a really nice salon where they give head massages . . .

I suppose it might help to know that I just spent yesterday slaving in the kitchen and today working at the lawn and hauling manure over it. One of my blisters has broken but I've just now managed to get my nails clean of flour and dirt and my hair is still wet from its washing. It feels good to be clean. Oh, and having my computer upset at me for a month or so has helped me remember that there are things outside the internet . . .