23/08/2026
My wonderful mum died on Friday .
I’ve tried to write this several times and even questioned if I needed to share this very personal information but as I’m still processing it myself there were things I felt I wanted to say .
I’ve got the next few days, weeks and months to somehow navigate and I don’t really know how I’m going to feel from one day to the next. I’m trying to be in the shop as normal. I think I need that bit of normality and I know Mum would want me to keep going. But please bear with me if I’m a bit wobbly, a bit forgetful, disappear into the back for five minutes or just don’t seem quite myself at the moment.
Mum was my mum but she was also my best friend. I could talk to her about anything but that was a few years ago before dementia took hold the relationship adapted and changed and even with those changes I honestly don’t know what it’s going to feel like not having her here anymore.
She was funny, glamorous, loving and definitely liked a bit of sparkle. Pink lipstick, sequins, glittery clothes and gold shoes. She loved perfume and getting dressed up and she was just very much… Mum.
The dementia took little bits of her along the way and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. There were times when it felt like I’d already lost parts of Mum, but then there would be a look, a smile or something she did and there she was again
I was lucky enough to spend time with Mum in her final days. I sat with her, held her hand, talked to her, sang to her and played her music. I told her how much I loved her and thanked her for everything.It was actually Mum that inspired me to make the Memories range originally . For the first year I worked with Dementia UK and part of the money from every sale went to them.
At the time I suppose it was my way of doing something when I felt pretty helpless and sharing moments of my childhood memories she’d given me through scent.
At some point I’ll do something named after her as it’s what I do , i don’t quite know what it will smell like yet. I just know I want it to somehow smell like her.A bit glamorous, warm, comforting, probably a little bit sparkly if you could make a fragrance sparkle( continued in comments)
