January: Lately I've Been Loving

I've struggled through this lockdown (hence the reason I've hardly posted all month). Hopefully with the first signs of Spring (crocuses, snowdrops & buds on the trees) I'll begin to feel a bit better and more focused on better things ahead. What's kept me going is - friends online, re-connecting with an old friend, books, good food and shopping online!  Here are my January loves:

*I've fallen totally head-over-heels for Balm Balm's new Lavender Face Balm (30ml - £9.50)* which I received in January's Love Lula Beauty Box. It's perfect to use before bed for restful slumbers as well as being an aromatic delight. A review is to come for this one! (I received it free of charge (in the monthly beauty box) as a Love Lula Accredited Blogger.

Picking up a second Naturisimo starter kit. See my review of the first one I bought - Moisturisers - HERE. What swayed me this time was the eye wateringly expensive range Kypris having a product in the Night Care Starter Set (£20, worth £68). The kits are presented in a reusable branded pouch (you also get a code for 10% off an item in the box).

Inside is: Kypris Ad Astra Eye Cream Emulsion 2.5ml (see pot below) which is a decent enough try me size (it's seriously lush) - Unfortunately full size 14ml is £173! I'm happy to try and savour this little pot! (I can always buy another starter kit for another hit!). I'm also loving Grown Alchemist's Regenerating Night Cream 12ml which smells heavenly and glides onto the skin. I've tried a few of their products before - see HERE so know I'm going to enjoy this. Rounding up the kit are two products I've tried before - BYBI Babe Balm 10ml - see my review of this multi-tasker HERE and INIKA's Phytofuse Renew Resveratrol Rich Night Cream 4ml. Have you picked up a starter kit yet?

A beautiful surprise box of chocolates (rose and violet creams) from an old friend through the post who I've recently reconnected with was such a joy giving treat! Aren't they just gorgeous! 

Holly spotted on a daily walk - so glossy and pretty!

I normally make Marmalade every two years, this was the year but I knew I'd be unlikely to get to Waitrose to pick them up. Total joy to find them in our local greengrocers. I really enjoyed making it - gave me such a buzz - must make more preserves again!

A little Blended by Mama order always makes me smile. I ordered The Mill on the Moor beeswax melts just after Christmas (this one is available until the Spring Equinox) and is inspired by Bronte country. These ones have a slightly different formula as they have infused coconut oil and cocoa butter in the mix! The melts have a deliciously orangey (blood orange essential oil), vanilla-y (benzoin) and spice (turmeric and black pepper) aroma (break each melt into three).

What have you been loving this month?

Recent Buys: Balneaves, Lavish Peach, Local Selects, Blended by Mama & Hells Bells Homemade Soy Candles

I know, I know I was meant to be good in January...here's some recent buys:

Having loved Blackcurrant & Licorice soy wax melt from my Balneaves Monthly Subscription Box (£15 on the 1st of the month - 12 small melt pots) I couldn't resist a small order. Night Blooming Jasmine had come back in stock so be rude not to!

Instagram ads really work! I couldn't resist Lavish Peach's stunning hand poured Peppermint Sea Soy Wax candle which is studded with tiny seashells. So pretty.

Just my sort of thing! The Local Selects The Stockholm Box is absolutely stuffed full of tasty treats from Stockholm. The company is a small start up based in Port Glasgow. My eyes of course alighted first on that beautiful bottle of gin! The box contains: 50cl Stockholms Branneri Gin (which is delicious), 2 x bottles Swedish Tonic, 2 x Beerbliotek, 1 x Renjer Jerky variant, 1 x Malmo Chokladfabrick Chocolate variant (I got a delicious white chocolate with passionfruit which was incredible), a local selects magazine & reusable gift box (I paid for my own box although received 10% off - you can get 10% off also with BEAUTYBALMLS10). Can't wait to see what city they visit next! It'd make an excellent Valentines Day gift (get your orders in before the 8th!)

Just after Christmas I placed a little Blended by Mama order for The Mill on the Moor - which is inspired by Bronte country. It's made with beeswax, cocoa, honey and vanilla infused coconut oil and cocoa butter (and looks almost edible) with zesty blood orange, turmeric, black pepper and benzoin (it smells incredible). It'll be available until the Spring Equinox. I so love Siobhan's melts - they're that little bit different (you receive 3 bars which you should slice into 3 to melt).

I'm always happy to support a new wax melt business. Helen from Hells Bells Homemade Soy Candles followed me on Instagram and I realised "I know her". She's a twitter friend who got made redundant earlier in the year. So I just had to support her growing business. Do check it out! All the melts smell great on cold sniff, there's a good choice of scents and postage is very reasonable! Catch my thoughts when I get the chance to try them out on an Instagram post.

What have you been buying lately?