All things Black and Beautiful - 4 items to furnish your wellness space

I truly believe wellness starts at home - home is where you sleep, eat, and maybe now work too - if that's not a peaceful space for you, how can you ever start a day in a positive mindset. There is a lot of privilege in this statement - I recognise that for some people home might be the very opposite of a "safe space" and so I hope that there are areas beyond homes, within local communities where people can feel at peace as well. 

There are so many ways to craft a space that feels authentically yours - the owners of the homes profiled in Aphrochic all talk about how their homes provide security and comfort - an especially complex idea for black people in particular who may feel continuously under threat outside of our homes.

Aphrochic is a much needed exploration of Black Homes! There is a great paragraph in the intro of this books which discusses how when people think of Black Homes they think either of disadvantage or of celebrity basketball style homes. There is no in-between, there is no identity for the unique cultural considerations of a Black Home. This books which profiles the homes of some very interesting African Americans helps to carve out a space for the Black Home that is inspiring and creative. A wonderful read.

Price: £27.00

There is nothing like a candle to provide some zen and good vibes to a wellness space. This one by contemporary London brand Earl of East in partnership with the artist Jose Campos of Studio Lenca. 

Jose Campos is an artist from El Salvador who lived a portion of his life as an undocumented immigrant in the US but now resides in Margate in the UK. I can only imagine what home might mean to him considering the precariousness of his situation.  His art grapples with themes of identity - it is a beautiful and wistful and hopeful-  you can see some of it here on his IG.

This candle smells divine - a refreshing blend of birchwood, mandarin and seaweed. I don't want to burn mine cause it smells that good and its limited edition. Get it before it goes.

Price £50.00

I'm new to this world of "nootropics" but I'm very excited about it, especially as I hate taking pills. 

Nootropics are ingredients proven to positively impact brain function. Nootropics sounds like a fun new buzzy term that Gwyneth Paltrow is probably into but its origins are anything but Californian. Ancient civilisations across China, Africa and Latin America all recognised the benefits of certain herbs and foods on the body and have just been doing it under a different name.  So if you are going to give this a try, consider purchasing from a diverse owned brand.

The 21 day kit from Theenk provides a morning afternoon and evening blend to help with wellness principles like mood, focus and relaxation and its something you can use as when you need it. My sister has been taking these for a while and I must say she is a lot nicer in the mornings now.  Theenk is a fabulous black owned brand helping us to bio-hack in the easiest way - drinking tea! 

Price: £39.00 for the 21day, three blend supply.

Did you know Betty Boop was black!? That was yet another Black history revelation for me. The original Betty Book character was inspired by a Black Jazz singer Esther Jones - she went by Baby Esther on stage and she performed at the infamous Harlem Cotton Club. Initially she was shown in cartoon as an African American woman but eventually she was whitewashed. Of course, she received no compensation for her part in the creation of a character that has generated millions in revenue. These yoga leggings are an homage to the original lady. 

What's the connection to wellness - excercise of course. Trying to have at least one active hour a day - that can even be a simple stroll - can mean the world of difference for your body.

Price: £35.00