A Taste of Europe from Manila to Oslo: Finding Koselig in Marks & Spencer

This post is for all my Norwegian Glow Girls. Tusen takk for kjærligheten og støtten dere gir til denne bloggen.

Jeg ser dere, og jeg setter stor pris på at dere besøker bloggen min til alle døgnets tider.

Det er en ære å få holde dere med selskap klokken tre om natten –

enten dere gjør dere klare til å starte dagen,

eller bare ikke får sove og trenger en venninne som forstår.

There’s a Norwegian word — “koselig.”

It means cozy, yes — but it’s deeper than that.

It’s the kind of warmth that lingers in your chest after a quiet laugh.

It’s the warmth of a single candle when the world outside feels cold.

It’s what you feel when someone sees you — truly sees you — and stays.

To my Glow Girls in Norway:

I see you.

Thank you for visiting this blog in the middle of the night,

for finding your way here when the world is asleep.

Whether you’re just waking up or chasing sleep that won’t come —

it’s an honor to sit beside you for a moment.

To offer you light.

To be that quiet space where you don’t have to be anything but you.

In this new chapter of my life, I've been finding my koselig in the small things. I've only been realizing how much I deprived myself of the little luxuries in life for the past 13 years. I used to be a very vibrant, happy woman, but circumstances one after the other came that dimmed my light. I don't know why it took me this long to realize what's going on. I don't know why I allowed myself to turn into someone I couldn't recognize. But, that's all in the past. I've stopped ruminating and asking questions. It's only been a month since I started this new chapter of mine and I'm glad that my Glow Girls from all over the world are taking this journey with me. I'm writing about it because this blog is my koselig, too. 

I'm starting with the small things, as you may know. Things that make every day mundane life feel a little soft, a little luxe. And I found that in two little products.

Fragrance Society Poppy, Peony, and Pearl Barley Body Wash

I was at M&S for an entirely different thing, but as I approached the cashier, I saw a bunch of pretty bottles all lined up on a shelf. I looked, but they were all hand washes. I didn't need those. I was looking for a body wash. Or a lotion. I went to the other side and found this bottle of liquid copper. Of course, I had to take a closer look. I guess I was in such a hurry that I didn't sniff it anymore in the store. I read peony and poppy and I said, go and put it in my basket. 

Let's break it down

Very pretty, minimalist packaging that gives a punch at first sight. The scent? My friend said it smells rich. Like a rich person just entered the room and you look to see who it is.  The scent is strong while in the shower but tapers down as you rinse it. It lingers on the skin.

The formula itself didn't irritate my very sensitive skin. It lathers up quite nicely, too. I made the mistake of putting too much in my bath lily and had a hard time rinsing it. A little goes a long way with this body wash. 

Fragrance Society Hand and Body Lotion in Rhubarb, Rose, and Vanilla

I primarily bought this product to use as a hand lotion. I wanted it to live on my desk as a silent reminder to moisturize my very, very dry hands (from constant dish washing). 

Hello, dry hands! 

After showering with the body wash, I said, I'm gonna apply this lotion to see if it really works as a body lotion, too. The formula is thin and light. Not like deeply moisturizing lotions that are thick and hard to apply or hard for the skin to absorb. 

But, wow! I was amazed. It did a good job of moisturizing my arms and legs. As for my hands, well. That's on ongoing project. I still have to wash dishes and do chores daily, so the best thing I can do is apply lotion in between. I'm currently using up The Face Shop Daily Moment Vegan Hand Cream. When that hits pan, I'm gonna start using the Fragrance Society's hand lotion. 

The Scent

Oh, the scent.. It's lovely. It's beautiful. It's the perfect scent for me. And it lingers the whole day like a good perfume. It has top notes, middle notes, and base notes, just like a perfume. 

Top notes: Grapefruit, rhubarb, lemon

Middle notes: Rose, magnolia

Base notes: musk, vanila, candyfloss

Oh, my word. To say that I love this lotion is an understatement. I plan to hoard this lotion the next time I see it because knowing M&S, stuff come and go. Plus different branches have different stocks!

I did a quick search and found that M&S Norway doesn't carry skincare, but they have it in Sweden and online. You can order the Fragrance Society line of body washes and hand and body lotions from their website.

It was a Monday when I tried these products. And usually Monday connotes rush, hustle, stress. But these two products made my Monday koselig. And that's how I'm starting every week from now on. 

If these two simple things could make my Monday feel like a warm cup in my hands, I know you’ll find your own little koselig, too — wherever you are.

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