Melanie Lampro

Right then, buckle up buttercups, because there’s a skincare bandit in our midst!

Not a burglar in a balaclava, mind you, but a far more subtle, albeit equally persistent, menace: my own beloved offspring. Now, calling it ‘stealing’ feels a tad dramatic; it’s more of an…enthusiastic, unsanctioned acquisition of readily available goods. In the grand theatre of family life, quibbling over such things feels rather like arguing about who gets the last biscuit – ultimately futile. So, with a sigh and a knowing smirk, I often choose to play the oblivious bystander when my adult son decides to fully embrace his inner Borrower.

We don’t steal; we borrow.

Pod Clock, The Borrowers by Mary Norton

Just to be clear, I don’t blame the lad for swiping my spa essentials, and I certainly don’t begrudge him a drop. Additionally, I can’t help but be mildly amused by his frequent objections when I suggest a product – he’ll have none of it then, only for me to find my own supply seriously depleted a few days later. Hence, this blog post is delivered out of fondness, not as an admonishment.

Obviously, spa products are widely available in this household at any given time, but curiously, it seems my son can’t keep his hands off certain items, despite loudly and often protesting: “Do not try to spa me, Mother!”

So, I cannot ‘spa’ his space, but he can make space in my spa stocks on a whim; my son is my best non-paying customer! Here’s how it typically goes:

• He tries one of my products.
• He decides he likes it.
• He asks if he can have some of his own.
• He looks at me as if I’ve just asked him for a kidney when I dare to suggest he pays for it.
• He feigns indifference and then helps himself when I’m not looking.

I guess that’s one of the perks of having a TEMPLESPA mum who loves you to the moon and back. Thus, we continue our silent supply and demand dance…

I was chatting with a customer about family members 'stealing' skincare products earlier and, I can confirm that this is a thing within my household, too 🤣

Behold! My Son's Top 3 Pilfered Temple Spa Products

1. QUIETUDE
2. BREATH OF LIFE
3. REPOSE

🧴 https://t.co/2idj6oY9lq pic.twitter.com/PkzAY8p1EP

— Melanie Lampro (@meltemplespa) July 16, 2020

Let’s begin with the product that started it all. When he found out that REPOSE Relaxing Night Cream could help with skin flare-ups related to the treatments he was receiving for Crohn’s Disease, several pots of this amazing night cream ‘went missing’ in quick succession.

Because of his Crohn’s Disease, my son spends a fair bit of time in hospital and finds it very difficult to get any rest there. I started packing him off with our SILENT NIGHT Sleep Aid Kit, as it contains a handy sleep mask and earplugs, plus some lovely, relaxing products. This was my undoing because said products became firm favourites, and for the life of me, to this day, I do not know why I also started supplying him with our ALL BEING WELL Wellness Kit for his longer hospital stays. What was I thinking? The words ‘rod’, ‘own’, and ‘back’ come to mind…

Frequently found emptied is my ALL IN HAND Cleansing Hand Wash; I have discovered that I cannot keep enough of it in the house. To that end, I have recently started leaving it out of the bathroom ‘amenities’ and replaced it with a more economical KEEP CALM Aromatic Cleansing Soap.

Mum, that hand wash in your bathroom is really good!

Spa Son

Then there’s BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE Gentle Exfoliator, another frequent flyer back to the bathroom shelf – always in its empty state, naturally. And speaking of drama, the sheer commotion that erupts when my son can’t locate his/my/the BREATH OF LIFE Inhalation Essence is legendary! Honestly, you’d think the crown jewels had gone missing. These tiny, adorable apothecary bottles are absolute champions at hide and seek, usually turning up nestled down the side of the sofa or lurking at the bottom of a backpack.

Now, given that joint and muscle pain often tag along with Crohn’s Disease, a long, warm bath becomes less of a luxury and more of a necessity for my lad – that, and a generous slosh of my TEMPLESPA bathing and massage oils, naturally. And you know what? I can’t really fault him on that score. WORK IT OUT Detoxing Bathing & Massage Oil is a genuine lifesaver when those weary, aching muscles are screaming, and it’s brilliant for banishing cramp.

DRIFT AWAY Relaxing Bathing & Massage Oil is another absolute gem for unwinding, and it creates the most beautifully tranquil partnership with QUIETUDE Calming Mist For Me & My Space! To be absolutely fair, all three of my grown-up offspring are rather keen on DRIFT AWAY. However, while the eldest and the youngest will openly sing its praises, my middle son plays it all mysterious and coy, yet the gorgeous, tell-tale aroma always gives him away – every single time.

LA LA LAGOON Aromatic Bath & Shower Gel is another bath-time favourite that doesn’t stick around for long in this house. I’ve recently discovered that its allure extends beyond my son to his lovely fiancée, so now he has a partner in crime in his TEMPLESPA procurement activities! Its gentle formula is a real plus for delicate skin, which is particularly helpful given some of the uncomfortable side effects my son has experienced from his various medications.

Which neatly brings me to PEACE BE STILL Calming Skin Balm, which I’m fairly certain has been staging a quiet disappearing act from my TEMPLESPA shelf since way back in 2017.

Then we have the candles. Most recently (at the time of writing), it was my WARM GLOW Aromatic Candle from the limited edition Autumn / Winter 2020 INTO THE WOODS Collection that vanished, but let’s be honest, any flickering flame is fair game in this house. Hence the existence of my highly classified, personal candle reserve.

But the undisputed champion in the “Vanishing TEMPLESPA Act” has to be QUIETUDE Calming Mist For Me & My Space. This stuff is practically liquid peace in a bottle – an amazing calming spray for body, room, and pillow. It’s another product my son discovered the wonders of during a hospital stay. Honestly, it’s the perfect little trick for spritzing your surroundings and making a hospital room feel just a tiny bit less…well, hospital-y; a little more zen for his den.

So, there you have it. My son, the TEMPLESPA illusionist, making my beloved products disappear on a daily basis, like he’s got a residency on the Vegas strip.

Now, spill the beans – do you have a ‘spa borrower’ lurking in your household? Do they swipe your shampoo, make off with your moisturiser, or snaffle your serum? I want to hear all about it in the comments!

Of course, when I attempt a little ‘borrowing’ from him, well, that’s a completely different story. Let’s just say, my attempt to sample his favourite tea did not go down well. At all.

I’m trying something new this week and starting each day in relaxation, with a mindfully-enjoyed cup of tea instead of the usual rushed coffee while I check multiple social media streams 🌱

Sending out streams of sunshine instead on #NationalTeaDay 🙏#Tealaxation 🍵 pic.twitter.com/XObqiohkFG

— Melanie Lampro (@meltemplespa) April 21, 2020

Discover more about the TEMPLESPA products featured in this blog post. Visit my Personal TEMPLESPA Website or use the links below.

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FEATURED TEMPLESPA PRODUCTS

This list is provided for reference. Your ideal routine may include only a small selection of these products, depending on your skin, lifestyle, and tolerance.