November: Lately I've been Loving

I'm a huge fan of Suki Tea and was delighted to find my favourite Peppermint at Earthy Portobello. I think this is the best peppermint tea ever made so I'm delighted to find it available locally!

I took part in the 7 days black n' white photos no explanation over on Facebook. This little knitted unicorn got a lot of comments I think people were worried I was swilling G&T's and Bourbon & Cokes before work..

I absolutely adore Bliss Botanicals and in particular their gorgeous Vanilla Rose Soy Wax Melts. They just feel like coming home for me. Cosy, heartwarming and they make me happy. See the shop HERE and my earlier review HERE.

New for Christmas from Beatitude is their gorgeous Limited Edition Christmas Comfort Candle* (£30 - 200g) which contains the essential oils in Comfort blend - geranium, clementine, lavender and eucalptus along with clove, cardamon and cinnamon for a festive treat. The blend is really beautiful and the candle has a good throw. Expect a fuller review shortly.

Every Tropic Skincare product I try I love. This Whipped Body Velvet (£28 - 200ml)** is just a delight. My dry winter skin is loving it. It melts instantly on contact with warm skin and is formulated with Madagascan rarabe butter and baobab oil and scented with mouthwatering Tahitian and Bourbon Vanilla extracts. It's one of my favourite bodycare products this year.

Being back at Heart of Midlothian FC after a spell away when the new Main Stand was getting built was a definite highlight of November. Our seats are way up at the top with a great view of the pitch.

And of course I was delighted to receive my JOIK Advent Calendar* from Love Lula not long now until the 1st!

What have you been loving this month?

*I put £57 toward the JOIK Advent Calendar from Love Lula the rest was paid for via my points from the Love Lula Accredited Blogger Program in November. My post contains an affilate links.
**complimentary

May: Lately I've been Loving

My May loves..

I picked up this bottle of Edward's Cordial at our local Earthy Foods & Goods Store and it's absolutely bursting with the taste of juicy fresh strawberries with a hint of mint. Perfect served with fizzy water or wine!

These Leafy air dried kale crisps are SO delicious. I first tried them in May's Limited Edition Luxury LifeBox (review). I adored the Luxury LifeBox too (link).

Hubby treated me to this stunning piece of artwork created by Lynn Howarth using pastels. It's called "Under a Portobello Sunset" and was bought at The Velvet Easel Gallery. Just know it's going to bring me years and years of pleasure. I just love it.

Charlotte Tilbury's Instant Look in a Palette became mine this month and I love it. So pretty and easy to create the look!

My friends Magi and Derek gave me this lovely Alfie mug. I've known their cat since he was a teeny tiny kitten and it makes me smile every time I use it.

My extra special 4160Tuesdays The Buddhawood Box EdP 30ml arrived unexpectedly this month. It's such a beautiful scent. See my initial thoughts on The Mysteries of the Materials: Four Scented Stories HERE.

Bodhi & Birch Botanical Dew Hand & Body Wash which is their latest launch. See my review HERE.

What have you been loving this month?

My Top Three Hand Care Products: Winter

Around this time of year my hands get so dry they need all the help they can get!  These are my top three hand care products for winter. I've chosen one for every kind of budget from super expensive to budget friendly.

Pure & Light Organic Essential Hand Cream - Yarrow with Lavender (£39 - 75ml)* - this is one of the most luxurious hand creams I've ever used (and the most expensive!)  Packed full of Shea butter, Argan Oil, Vitamin E, Calendula, Sweet Almond, Avocado and Apricot Kernal Oils it super moisturises dry and cracked hands leaving them velvety soft and lightly scented (herbal lavender).  I can honestly say this is one of the nicest hand creams I've ever used.  Buy it from Janna Organics or direct - see here.

bodhi & birch Lime Blossom Protecting Hand Serum (£22 - 30ml)* - as you'll know I've got much love for the bodhi & birch brand. This serum is fantastic. See my review here.

My third choice is the very lovely Faith in Nature Coconut Hand Cream (£6.39 - 50ml) - I pick mine up at Earthy Portobello.  A super nourishing hand cream which smells of coconut - what's not to love! 

What's your hand care saviour at the moment?

*PR samples

August: Lately I've been Loving

I had a great time at Foodies Festival at Inverleith Park at the beginning of the month. The sun shone and the food and drink available was fantastic. I even got to meet the lovely Fiona from Sciolti Botanical Chocolates which was a real treat in itself!  Of course I had to buy some chocolate too....

Also in the pic are The Marshmallow Lady Prosecco & Rose Marshmallows topped with rose petals (I love these and pick them up whenever I see them!)

I also had some tasty food at Bistro Moderne including a delicious perfect for summer time pudding. It was scrumptious!

I am totally obsessed with coconut water at the moment and this is my favourite brand.

Staying on the coconut theme...I picked up these Faith in Nature coconut products from Earthy Portobello. They stock a wide range of natural and organic skin and bodycare. These are gorgeous. Super moisturising and smell delicious. Great value at under a fiver each. Know I'll be buying again and again..

I came across a fab little shop in Tollcross in Edinburgh called Dandelion Edinburgh which sells fairtrade gifts, skincare, clothes, homewares and accessories. It really is lovely - know I'll be stopping by to pick up some gifts. I did treat myself to a hand-crafted geranium & rose petal soap from Organica J which smells gorgeous! Also love the homemade gift bags which are made out of old magazines!

What have you been loving this month?

Just Be Nourished Body Butter, Beauty by Lime & Earthy Portobello

Just Be Nourished Body Butter (£19.95 for 200ml) is a rich and super moisturising body butter scented with geranium, frankincense and rose absolute. Gail used to make this exclusively for a beauty salon in town.  I keep telling her she should add it to her online shop as it is simply gorgeous and it smells divine!

Made with soya wax, coconut oil, jojoba oil, geranium, frankincense and rose absolute essential oils.

Rub a small amount between the palms until it melts and apply generously to the skin twice a day.

You can see the range of body butters currently available here

Follow Gail on Twitter @JustBeBotanical 

Facebook see here

I popped along to the launch of Beauty by Lime at Earthy in Portobello a few weeks ago and caught up with Gail - her products are available at the salon (which is at the front of the shop).  Barbara is the Beauty Therapist (when I go for a treatment I'll take more pics!)

Earthy is a lovely shop with food, beauty, plants, gardening, cards etc.  There are three of these fab shops throughout Edinburgh - see their locations here. 

In the shop some of the beauty products stocked are Lavera, Faith in Nature, Burt's Bees, Miss Ballantyne soaps and creams among others - I reviewed Miss Ballantyne's Organic Rose & Geranium Soap here.

Follow Beauty by Lime on Twitter @LimePortobello 

Follow Earthy on Twitter @Earthy_Porty