Fab Find of the Week: Bertioli Breathing Balm & Water Meadow collection

And b-r-e-a-t-h-e…

Go on, just breathe. Because we’ll bet you were holding yours, or breathing shallowly, rather than deep, oxygenating, healthy lungfuls of air.

The idea behind the beautiful Bertioli range – which was created by the team behind the super-cool and much-talked-about Thyme hotel, in the Cotswolds* – is partly to remind us of the importance of breath. The cornerstone of the collection, in fact, is that little pot on the left – Water Meadow Breathing Balm – which we are encouraged to apply to chest, neck or wrists, then breathe deeply ‘to instil calm and focus of both body and mind.’

And you know what…? It really works. The smell of this is so lovely that should you keep it on your desk, if you’re anything like us you’ll be using it as a ‘punctuation mark’ at different times of day, whenever you need to still a whirring mind or just have a moment to yourself.

At the heart of the fragrance of the 100% natural balm – and also present in the other products in the range, including the Water Meadow Hand and Body Wash and the 3-in-1 Shampoo Bar, above – is water mint essential oil, from a plant which flourishes in the water meadows adjacent to the hotel. Like lavender, it’s a herb which can both relax and invigorate, adapting to your body’s needs. Here, it’s also blended with apple blossom, which adds a real prettiness.

On the Bertioli website here, there is even a trio of videos of breathing rituals, presented by yoga teacher Nicole Croft, that you can do upon rising in the morning, or later in the morning, or at any time at your desk. (We say: bookmark it. If you’re anything like us, you’ll be coming back to this time and again.)

The fragrance of the Bertioli Water Meadow Hand and Body Wash, also pictured above, is equally addictive. (We’ve probably never had cleaner hands!) Alongside the water mint and apple blossom, in this case, is a head-clearing, aromatic note of – yes – thyme itself, as well as rosemary and eucalyptus. And again, this is 100% plant based. (The pump can be bought separately, to screw in when you replenish the bottle – though it’s WHACKING, at 500ml, so that might be a while.)

The signature Water Meadow fragrance is infused into all manner of bath and body products – but we’re also very taken with the Bertioli 3-in-1 Shampoo Bar. With a focus on sustainability, Thyme didn’t want simply to offer little plastic amenity bottles of shampoo/conditioner/body wash, which are often simply ditched by hotels after a guest has left – so this is a formula which replaces all those products, in one. And, thanks to added coconut oil, it really does leave skin and hair silky, soft and smooth. We also very much like the fact that this multi-tasker is very travel-friendly: it’s solid, so when travelling, you don’t even have to put it in your see-thru plastic bag, for security.

Though we WILL be stowing the little pot of Water Meadow Breathing Balm in that baggie – and reaching for it, when things get bumpy.

At 37,000 feet – but also, more often, at ground level.

Bertioli Water Meadow Breathing Balm/from £22 for 30ml – buy here

Bertioli Water Meadow Hand and Body Wash/£32 for 500ml – buy here

Bertioli 3-in-1 Shampoo Bar/£16.50 – buy here

*Bertioli is the maiden name of Caryn Hibbert, the founder of Thyme; she runs this ‘sibling’ brand with her daughter, Milly.