The launch of Aromatherapy Associates’ Deep Relax Balm is great news for me; I’ve often wished that I could enjoy the benefits of the Deep Relax oil blend without having to actually get into the bath or shower. It’s not always convenient to just hop into the tub when you need to de-stress (although I can’t recommend it highly enough, especially if you’re using the Deep Relax Bath and Shower Oil, which is my favourite blend, closely followed by Revive Evening, if I need to summon up the strength to go out for the evening after a long day working!) . It’s not always convenient to hop into the tub and, if you’re travelling, there’s no guarantee that your accommodation will even have a tub to hop into. So I welcome, with widely flung open arms, the introduction of a balm that captures the essential Deep Relax blend but that is entirely portable and quick to use.

I think that it could be the sandalwood that sings out to me so strongly from this particular blend; I have many “sleep aid” beauty products and natural stress-relief remedies that I use regularly, but there’s just something with the Deep Relax that hits the spot. Sandalwood, Vetivert and Chamomile, a spot of Patchouli…it’s just so mind-calming. This, pressed onto my pulse points before I go to sleep, is the absolute business. I find that I want to rest my face on my arm to sleep, just so that I can breathe the scent in more deeply. (It would perhaps make more sense if I put a little on my pillow, but I’m hoping that a pillow mist version might be the next addition to the line?)

And Deep Relax isn’t limited to nighttime use – in fact, I’m beginning to realise that the most effective de-stress sessions can actually be during the day, without falling asleep. You actually reap the benefits of the moments of calm, rather than simply conking out. (Though I know that many people find it hard to sleep and would welcome the feeling of conking out.) My only problem is, during the daytime, that I get so relaxed I don’t want to actually do anything. I end up turning on my Kindle and reading novels all afternoon, with a quick catnap thrown in! So, use sparingly during the day and only when needed – in the evening, knock yourself out. Literally.

Great to keep on the bedside table or to pop into your handbag. If you’re an uneasy traveller or you frequently feel overwhelmed with stress during your working day, this would be a nice little balm to massage into your wrists. It’s not a cure-all, by any means, and I do think that these balms and sprays and what have you need to be used alongside mind-calming techniques and breathing exercises and so on, but these oil blends can be powerful things, and if you build up the association in your mind then I think it’s relatively easy to get to the point where just smelling them makes you slightly more relaxed. Perhaps I’m more susceptible than some, I don’t know…

The Deep Relax Balm from Aromatherapy Associates is £18 with free delivery from FeelUnique.com

Read more about sleepy beauty products here.