Sussex Skincare Products to Swoon Over
Cold winds and driving rain are not kind on the skin. We want our visitors to get out in the elements but have also taken time to choose products for The Grain Store that will revitalise and relax them after a day of exploring.
The Grain Store works with talented local suppliers not only to stock our space but also to provide health and beauty services for our visitors. You can even book a bespoke massage or facial in your room with Flick from Menteath, who uses her award-winning small batch smoke infused skincare.
We have chosen some of our favourite Sussex-made products to share with you as Christmas approaches. Maybe there is something on this list that will be the perfect present for a loved one or perhaps this might be just the time for you to treat yourself.
Freight Vetiver & Oakmoss hand & body wash, shampoo and conditioner
Organic Castile soap and the brand’s house scent promises a luxurious bathe but without stripping the skin of its natural oils. The range also includes a hand cream, body moisturiser and hand sanitiser with a shampoo and conditioner added just in time for Christmas stockings. The shampoo uses Soapbark and Aloe Vera while the soft, refreshing conditioner has been enriched with sweet almond kernels. And, with a nod to the environment, you can keep your pump when you have used up your product and buy the next bottle with a metal screw top. View the full range here: freightstore.co.uk.
360 Botanics SPA All-Over Wash and SPA All-Over Lotion
Healing Geranium and Palmarosa essential oils will soothe the skin and wake the senses in these two gorgeous products from Lewes-based 360 Botanics. Founder and natural skincare apothecarist Pippa de Villiers, says that the stunning Sussex countryside and coastline have influenced all of her creations. Everything is 100% vegan, cruelty free and free from chemicals. She also offers Wellness Workshops in the store as well as spa facials. To book a treat and view the range, visit: 360botanics.com.
Organic frankincense and rose facial serum from Bee Cosmetics
Created by a bee-loving mother and son team, Joseph and Elizabeth Ready, Bee Cosmetics’ range uses by-products from honey production – including the wax and anti-bacterial balm, propolis. But the team also upcycle ingredients rescued from the food industry including avocado and apricot oil. The organic frankincense and rose facial serum is suitable for all skin types and uses ingredients that are 100% natural origin and 95% organic. These include organic facial oils like frankincense, rose, geranium, and patchouli, which are rich in vitamins and essential fatty acids. And an added benefit is that you can return your empty bottle using the company’s Return, Refill, Reuse scheme. Visit beecosmetics.co.uk.
Bedeaux Chienoir perfume
It was a wander through the Black Dog Hill Vineyard that inspired this perfume with notes of neroli, sweet orange, bergamot, pink pepper, tobacco, juniper berry, oak moss, patchouli, opoponax-sweet myrrh and musk. Creator Amanda was visiting her friend and vineyard owner Anja, who asked her to create a scent that would capture the essence of the place. Amanda tells us: “I set out to capture the smell-scape of the vineyard: grassy mossy woodlands, chalky soil, and clambering vines with tiny white flowers. I wanted to make a perfume to celebrate her success and the landscape she created.” She made the first batch of the resultant scent – Chienoir – seven years ago and it has since won awards and continues to be a favourite in her range. Visit bedeaux.co.uk.
Menteath Smoked Bay body ritual and Dusk Wood Facial Oil
This award-winning brand has had products featured in British Vogue. The range has been created to both nurture the body and soothe the mind. The Smoked Bay body ritual is a multi-purpose oil, which can be used for a nourishing night regimen or for a full body massage treatment. The Dusk Wood Facial Oil promises to protect the skin against environmental stressors and harsh conditions, whilst also giving the skin sustained hydration. These unique products promise to have you glowing inside and out. Visit menteath.com to view the whole collection.
Sous Bois by Nancy Meiland
Mystical and beguiling is how this scent from Brighton-based Nancy Meiland is described. It brings together cypress, pin syvestre, rain accord and sweet gale to conjure a walk through the Scottish Highlands, adding notes of bell heather, red clover, scots primrose, black hemlock, moss campion, birch tar, myrrh, labdanum and vetiver. Sustainable and cruelty-free, Nancy’s stunning array of scents also include sensory journeys to the Nordic countries, Italy and one even evokes the special light that bathes the land after a rainstorm in our own home country. Visit nancymeiland.com for a browse.
