Helps you drift into a natural slumber (Avon Sleeptherapy Goodnight Pillow Mist)

Member Name: koppaberg

Product:	Avon Sleeptherapy Goodnight Pillow Mist
Date:	07/06/09 (34 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Price, effectiveness, scent, pretty bottle

Disadvantages: None that I can think of

If you are reading this, it's probably because you have trouble nodding off at night. I have always had trouble getting off to sleep, (though no problems with waking up once I do). I am loathe to take tablets, partly because I am worried that I might over-sleep or get a hangover type drowsiness the next day, partly because some medications have a reputation for being addictive, and partly because I'm just not the kind of person who relies on chemical medications if I can help it.

At this stage though, I think I'd better mention that there's a world of difference between having trouble nodding off and full-blown insomnia. If you think you have a medical problem, you should speak to a doctor to check there are no underlying health problems! I spoke to my GP, who agreed that I'm just not the kind of person who falls asleep at will. When I suggested that I try this he agreed that lavender has been used for centuries as a traditional cure and that it was worth a shot.

So I ordered it. The price of this product varies considerably according to the brochure campaign that Avon is running at the time. I bought mine on offer for £2.50, I have seen it slightly cheaper at £2 on special offer, but the 'full' price in the brochure is listed as being £4. It is generally to be found near the back of the brochure in the 'Wellbeing' section. The brochure I have lying around lists the item number as being 27003 but I don't know if this changes from book to book.

First impressions of the bottle are that it looks very classy and would look pretty good on your bedside table. It comes in a brushed-metal bottle with spray-top overprinted with a dark-blue cloud scene.. The spray mechinism itself is grey plastic but doesn't look so bad, and it unscrews, which is handy, because I've found that when you finish the can you can add a little water to the bottle to eke it out a little longer! Especially handy if, like me, you try to wait until there's a good offer on before you order (or, like my Mum, you never remember to order anything from Avon until you've already out), then you have to wait a week or so for it to arrive. The ingredients are listed on the outer box but not the bottle itself which isn't ideal, but it does mean you escape all of that dense print and peely-labels that clutter up so much other Avon packaging.

The instructions themselves are printed on the bottle, though they couldn't be easier anyway; spray at least 15mm from fabric and allow to dry, or spray 2 to 3 times towards the centre of the room away from your face and body. (As it happens, I have accidentally got in the way of the spray a couple of times to no ill effect, although I'm not condoning spraying yourself deliberately!) I usually prefer to spray the bed linen rather than the room itself, though I have tried both and both seem to have aided my sleep.

The fragrance is lavender-ish but thankfully not in the old-lady way I was expecting; it is difficult to describe how it smells, but it is fresher and zingier than I expected it to be. I did worry that my partner would moan that it was too feminine, but the comment he made was that it 'smells nice'. I have shown this product to many friends and all of them have liked the scent.

The most important thing I should say is that this product actually does seem to work! I don't know if it is a truly chemical response or a placebo, but within a few minutes of lying down the scent felt less zingy and more heady, and both of us found that we drifted naturally off to sleep quicker than usual. We now use it frequently and find it encourages a deep and natural sleep, but we awake at normal time feeling refreshed and recharged. The bottles contain 125ml and we find this lasts us many months, using on a regular basis (though not every night).

At the end of the day, I would recommend anyone with serious sleep problems to speak to a doctor rather than trying to self-medicate, but for he person who just doesn't drift off easily, this is a fantastic solution.

Summary: a great, value for money product that actually works!