In Ireland, we’re fortunate to have several quality home-grown brands in the wellness category; among them, none stand out more than Ground Wellbeing.
Founded by spa industry expert Peigín Crowley, Ground Wellbeing began as a home-grown brand in every sense. Launched during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Crowley formulated, packaged and poured every product at her kitchen table in Cork – a remarkable feat.
One of the first products I ever tried from the brand was Deep Sleep Body Balm (€59.50 from groundwellbeing.com), a thick, buttery balm that melts into the skin, delivering an intensely soothing, sleep-inducing hug for both body and mind. It helped me so much during a period of upheaval that I resolved to keep a jar on my bedside table forever more.
Although the brand has (rightfully) gained global recognition in recent years – now stocked in some of the world’s leading spas, including Rosewood Hong Kong, Four Seasons Boston, and The Lanesborough in London – Crowley’s care and commitment to crafting affordable wellness products continues to be evident. The most recent launch from the brand, Cleanse Castor Oil (€38 from groundwellbeing.com), focuses on the pressing issue of gut health.
Chapped lips, dry elbows and parched skin: Seven of the best cold weather products under €30
A make-up artist’s top tricks to getting Christmas party ready from the office in minutes
Five of the best beauty gifts for Christmas from Irish brands
The stories that shape us: how a perfume entrepreneur’s personal honesty helped her find a new audience
Although responsible for influencing much of our mental, emotional and physical wellbeing, the importance of gut health is often overlooked. Cleanse Castor Oil, like most of Ground’s products, encourages you to care for yourself, while highlighting your gut wellbeing. With help from vitamin E, sweet almond oil, castor oil, and a host of purifying, detoxifying ingredients, it invites an overall sense of calm.
To use, apply a few pumps of the oil to your hands and warm between your palms before massaging it into the abdominal area in circular motions. The brand recommends using a hot water bottle on your tummy immediately after applying – and I have to say, I understand why. The experience is simultaneously soothing, invigorating and intensely warming on the skin. The rich texture, combined with the scent – a heady blend of cardamom, ginger, peppermint and fennel – creates a sensation so intense that it compels you to close your eyes and take a deep inhale.
After using it for several weeks, I can confidently say this is a remarkable product. There’s something magical about Crowley’s ability to create products that encourage you to reconnect with yourself. They make you pause, take a deep breath and be present. And we could all use more of that.
This week I’m loving ... Sculpted by Aimee Lash Lift Mascara
Aimee Connolly, founder of Sculpted by Aimee – another wildly successful Irish brand – has a talent for creating affordable yet impressive products. Her latest creation, Lash Lift Volume and Definition Mascara (€23 from sculptedbyaimee.com), ticks all the right boxes. The sleek, precise wand lengthens, defines and lifts, while adding significant volume, all without clumping or flaking. It’s an excellent addition to any make-up bag.
