Beauty products to make swine flu easier

I like to think, in my more flippant moments, that what every working mother needs now and again is a non-fatal hospitalisation. You know, something to warrant a few nights away from home, but not serious enough to require a will. Just enough time to catch up on some sleep, take a few mental steps back – and generally get the whole world off your back for a couple of days.

If that sounds drastic, it’s because it is. Almost all working mothers spend their time running just to stay still. And every now and again, they just go phut. I did it a few weeks ago when I got the flu. Most unpleasant it was too. But it did bring with it one bonus: for a few blissful days after the worst symptoms had subsided, the pace of life slowed to a gentle jog. I finally saw the bottom of the washing basket, the in-tray was splendidly empty, and my reproachful to-do list dwindled (almost) to nothing.

Best of all, I probably had more sleep in three days than in the past three months. I was also off coffee, booze and chocolates, and my diet consisted almost exclusively of home-made watercress soup and dry toast. In short, the vile virus had led to an accidental detox. Some people pay thousands of pounds to lie in bed for a week drinking only green soup; I just hung around on the Tube until I caught H1N1.

So, there’s a silver lining for you. Having realised my luck, I decided to dedicate what remained of my downtime to a sort of post-viral home spa. First, I used the Organic Pharmacy’s Arnica Soothing Muscle Soak (£32.30; www.theorganicpharmacy.com ), a wonderful preparation that smells satisfyingly medicinal and is perfect for restoring aching muscles. Also hugely uplifting is Wild Organics Fresh Lime Flower Moisture Bath (£15, below; www.wildorganicsbeauty.com), a soft, zingy bubble bath. Fortified, I sloughed off the last traces of sickness with Green & Spring’s new Indulging Exfoliating Body Balm (£28; www.greenandspring.com), a brilliant rose-scented concoction of beeswax and sugar, which melts as it exfoliates, leaving skin hydrated and smooth.

For my face, which was looking grey, dehydrated and haggard, I found Aromatherapy Associates’ new Overnight Repair Mask with millet seed extract, rose and frankincense (£42; www.aromatherapyassociates.com ) amazingly effective. For a really intense boost, use in conjunction with its Intensive Skin Treatment Oil (£36).

For super-dry skin, the Organic Pharmacy’s Honey & Jasmine Mask (£32.30; www.theorganicpharmacy.com ) is a powerhouse of emollience; and for isolated stubborn patches of flakiness, Ren’s Mayday Mayday Rescue Balm (£20; www.renskincare.com ) can be used on all manner of ailments, from chapped to peeling skin. Not miracle cures, as such; but guaranteed to make any patient feel better.