Six thoughtful gifts for women going through tough times

When someone we care about is going through a difficult time, it can be hard to know what to do. I know because I've been on both sides of it.

I've been the friend desperately wanting to help and not knowing what to say. And I've been the person receiving unexpected cards, thoughtful gifts and messages that arrived at exactly the right moment.

When life feels overwhelming, we want the people we love to know they're not alone. I know that no gift can take away someone's pain or change what they're facing, but a thoughtful gesture can remind them they're loved, supported and being thought about.

And that means a lot.

So we’ve gathered six thoughtful gift ideas from female-founded brands within the Buy Women Built community. Many of these products were created by founders who have themselves navigated difficult chapters, while others have built businesses dedicated to bringing comfort, colour, and joy into people’s lives.

Whether you’re supporting someone through illness, grief, anxiety, stress, burnout, or simply a challenging season, take a look through these ideas that could help you find the right gift for a friend.

1. This is Mabel

Wearable wellness: clothing with a message

Born from a personal journey through postnatal anxiety, This is Mabel creates wearable wellness rooted in music and mental health. Their message is that it’s okay to set boundaries, take up space, and be unapologetically you.

Their thoughtfully designed clothing and accessories feature iconic song lyrics and messages that inspire mindfulness, self-expression, and wellbeing.

Perfect for:
Women navigating anxiety, burnout, or life transitions who could use a gentle reminder to be kinder to themselves.

www.thisismabel.co.uk
Use code LAURA20 for 20% off until July 30. 

2. Oops a Daisy

The Self-Care Journal Bundle

When you're going through a difficult time, the same thoughts often go round and round in your head. Journaling can be such a gentle yet effective way to release some of that mental load, untangle your thoughts and give them somewhere else to live for a while.

Oops a Daisy was created to make creative journaling accessible to everyone. Their Self-Care Journal Bundle includes a luxury dot-grid journal, a self-care journaling challenge and decorative sticker sheets, beautifully designed to help people reflect, process their emotions and reconnect with themselves.

Perfect for:
Someone who needs an outlet for their thoughts be that with words or creatively.

oopsadaisyuk.com
Use code BWB15 for 15% off until July 30

3. Wisdom of Light

Candles with a story

Inspired by the founder’s life experiences and a belief in scent’s power, Wisdom of Light creates candles designed to reconnect us with the memories and feelings we most need.

Each candle is a chapter with its own story and ritual, inviting moments to pause, breathe, and reconnect. With soothing words like;Exhale, let it all go and; Sanctuary, your safe space, these candles offer calm and comfort to someone going through a difficult time.

Perfect for:
Someone who could use a little light whilst navigating a difficult chapter.

wisdomoflight.co.uk

4. ChaLuMu

Anxiety relief necklaces

ChaLuMu was born from personal experiences of anxiety, PTSD and difficult life events. Their breathing necklaces offer something tangible to focus on during anxious moments, helping to interrupt racing thoughts and encourage slower, more mindful breathing.

Rooted in lived experience, every piece is designed to look like beautiful jewellery while offering discreet support during moments of stress, overwhelm and anxiety.

Perfect for:
Anyone struggling with anxiety, overwhelm or racing thoughts. Beautiful breathing necklaces to use during anxious moments.

chalumu.com
Use code CALM20 for 20% off until 30 July.

5. Barley Designs

Hope-inspired art prints and treasured gifts

Barley Designs creates bright, hope-inspired and joy-filled art prints, greetings cards, and gifts designed to bring comfort and hope during life’s hardest moments.

Founded by Katie Barley during her husband’s stage four melanoma diagnosis, the brand was inspired by signs of hope in nature, magpies, 11:11, and signs from the universe that remind us brighter days lie ahead.

I know only too well the power of words, so if the person you're buying for has a quote, mantra or saying that gives them strength, personalised prints featuring their own words of hope are also available.

Perfect for:
Anyone navigating illness, grief, uncertainty, or a challenging chapter who needs a daily reminder of hope and joy.

barleydesigns.com
Use code HOPE26 for 20% off until 30 July. 

6. Weirdstock

Joyful bedding for brighter mornings

Sometimes the most thoughtful gift is the first thing someone sees when they open their eyes.

Weirdstock creates toxin-free, organic cotton bedding and cushions in bold, 1970s-inspired retro prints. When navigating a difficult chapter, an illness, or a long recovery at home, the immediate environment matters deeply. Their pieces are designed to bring a much-needed splash of colour, soul, and dopamine-inducing comfort into a bedroom - helping a space (and the spirit) feel a little brighter.

Perfect for:
Someone spending lots of time at home who could use a little extra joy, comfort and colour in their day.

weirdstock.co.uk
Use code JOY15 for 15% off until July 30. 

A Final Thought

I know from first-hand experience the power of a simple message letting me know someone is thinking of me, a card arriving unexpectedly through the letterbox, or the jumper my sister bought me that simply says "Super Woman" across the front.

They aren't just gifts. They're little reminders that people care.

A way of saying;
"I'm thinking of you."
"I've got you."
"You're not facing this alone."

And sometimes, during life's most difficult moments, that's exactly what someone needs to hear.

Katie x