I don't know about you but I am constantly listening to youtube videos or music throughout the day and before I go to sleep *which is awful for my sleeping pattern but that's another post all together*. I've bought so many earphones and they never last more than six months before they are a tangled mess with exposed wires. The best earphones I've tried, until these, were the JVC Gummy Earphones but they aren't easily available now, they aren't super comfortable and as with all wired earphones, they become a tangled ball of wires no matter how careful you are with them.
When the lovely people at Sudio Sweden got in touch, I was excited to choose and review a pair of their earphones; I chose the *Sudio Sweden Vasa BLA Rose Gold and White Earphones (£80). The Vasa BLA range is wireless, so no more tangles and frustrations trying to untangle the earphones while simultaneously breaking the wires. The earphones come with a quick start guide, owner's manual, extra earphone sleeves, metal clip, battery, charging cable, quality assurance card and a genuine leather travel case, all of which come in a box making it an aesthetically great gift.
I chose the white and rose gold earphone colour option but there are three others to choose from. They are all suitable for bluetooth enabled devices, it works perfectly with my iPhone 5C. It has 12 metre wireless range with up to eight hours of listening - it can be quickly charged in 10 minutes but a full charge will be two hours. I've only had to charge mine twice so far and each time, I've fully charged my earphones.
They are very quick and easy to charge and use, I already had some big, ugly wireless headphones so I knew how to use them but even if you haven't they have very simple with a basic bluetooth remote that you use to switch the earphones on/off as well as changing the volume and it has an inbuilt microphone.
As well as the tangle issue, I find that the majority of earphones to be really uncomfortable but when I switched out the sleeves to the smallest included, they were so comfortable - I can wear them for a couple of hours at my desk without my ears being uncomfortable which is amazing! What is equally amazing is the sound quality, my Apple earphones pail in comparison to these and I don't think I'll be able to go back to cheap wired earphones after using these!
I'm visiting York in a couple of months time and I am visiting various cities in Norway in the summer and I will definitely be taking these along with me as they already come with a travelling case, they are super light and comfortable and they won't tangle up in my bag while travelling.
My only issue is that while they are on, there is a flashing blue light which is a bit annoying and if you forget to charge them then you have to wait for them to charge which obviously you don't have with normal wired earphones so you'll have to decide which you'd want; however I think these earphones are so aesthetically gorgeous, comfortable and the sound is wonderfully rich and clear - I cannot recommend them enough! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.
Sudio Sweden have an amazing offer on currently where you can get a free phone case with every purchase as well as free express shipping! Additionally you can get 15% off with my code: ofbeautyand15.
What do you think of these earphones? Have you tried these or any other wireless earphones?
I know that Valentine's Day is almost here but we're also not far from Mother's Day which in the UK is on the 11th March so if you haven't started looking for gifts for your mum, guardian or grandma then you still have time to find the perfect gift. Today's post is my first Mother's Day gift guide and I'm focussing on sweet, feminine and spring-like gifts from Treats Direct, Bomb Cosmetics and Sudio Sweden.
You might not know this about me but while I'm not a massive chocolate, cake or biscuit fan, I do love sweets and candy! Before coming a vegetarian almost thirteen years ago, I used to love gummy sweets, Haribo and any kind of sour candy and if you're gift recipient has a sweet tooth too, Treats Direct has an amazing and unique gift idea!
Treats Direct create pre-set sweet boxes that will be filled with four compartments of sweets (the boxes are all individually sealed) from traditional sweets such as toffee, barley sugar, blackjacks, butter mints, chocolate eclairs, fruit salad and liquorice to sweets that are so nostalgic to me including candy sticks, gummy bears, milk bottles, cola bottles, laces, millions, refreshers and more!
I was very kindly sent two boxes filled with vegetarian sweets (you cannot currently pick your own sweets - they are pre-set boxes) including jazzies (which I love), love hearts, milk chocolate mini eggs, skittles and more. I think my favourites from the sweets I received have to be the flying saucers, millions and jazzies. These boxes would make amazing gifts for Mother's Day, birthdays or Valentine's Day. You can get your first box for only £2.49!
I'm a Bomb Cosmetics ambassador so I'm very lucky to be sent boxes of wonderful goodies and this one has to be one of my favourites. Firstly, it looks so cute and almost edible and secondly, it smells amazing!
Time for Tea! Pour a mug of sweet strawberry brew blended with rosemary & bergamot essential oils. An aromatic fruit infusion beneficial to both body and mind.
Place your Bath Mallow in warm water and watch as it fizzes softly, melting and releasing its Cocoa Butter.
It's one of their bath mallows which are surprisingly long lasting in the water considering how small they are but they are impressive! There are so many bath mallows to choose from as well as bath blasters, candles, diffusers, handmade soaps, scrubs, shower butters, gift sets and their new bath bomb cards - they have Mother's Day cards!
I think this next gift isn't your typical Mother's Day gift idea but stay with me! I love gifting practical but cute, aesthetically pleasing gifts and these earphones fit the bill perfectly. Also a very good, durable pair of earphones isn't easy to find but Sudio Sweden have some of the very best, most comfortable and gorgeously designed earphones out there!
Now, I know these earphones are a little more expensive than most you'd probably buy but considering how many pairs of awful earphones you have to purchase, it is very reasonable and the quality is amazing. As well as the earphones, you also receive an owners manual, leather case, quick start guide, guarantee card, earphone bud replacements and a cable clip. Everything is so beautifully but simply packaged and there are various styles to choose from.
The Vasa Bla earphones I have are wireless so there's no excess wires that can tangle and become unusable! They last for around eight hours on one charge, you can give them a quick ten minute charge or the full 120 minute charge. The sound quality is amazing, they are so comfortable and they NEVER tangle - it's amazing! I love the pink shade as well as the gold plating on the earphones. Additionally, there's a bluetooth remote and microphone on the earphones. They're easy to pair with your phone, easy to charge and perfect for on the go or travelling.
To get 15% off at Sudio Sweden, use the code: OFBEAUTYAND15
What do you think of these gifts? Do you own any of these products?
I'm definitely a little early with this considering that my birthday is 19 days away but I always love writing wish list posts...they're much cheaper than actually buying everything I want! Today's post is my birthday wish list which naturally contains SO many books, Lush products and stripes, among others. I'm at that age when I'm dreading my birthday and becoming a year older but I do love presents!
Lush recently came out with a new foundation and while it looks fairly impractical (How do you store that? How do you clean it?), it looks interesting! I definitely want to give the foundation a go, if I can ever match my skin tone as there are so many to choose from which is great, unless you are ghostly pale and have no idea which one to choose. Also one of my favourite bath bombs from Lush, Twilight, has been made into a body spray which I'd love.
Marc Jacobs fragrances (especially the heavenly daisy fragrances) and striped tops are two of my favourite things money can buy so they're naturally on my wish list along with yet another bag and a pair of Sudio Sweden headphones. We all know how much I adore the Sudio Sweden wireless earphones and I cannot recommend them enough but I'd love their white Regent headphones.
The rose gold bracelet from ONecklace looks so pretty, I love the simple Pink Ribbon design and rose gold jewellery is just gorgeous. It's rose gold plated and it is available in a range of size options to choose from. Additionally, with any purchase from their pink ribbon breast cancer awareness range, including this cute bracelet, they donate 15% of the profits to breastcancer.org which is fantastic! ONecklace has been featured in British Vogue as well as TV shows including Pretty Little Liars.
Now onto the books and this collage looks like quite a lot of books but it's only part of my current book wish list and saved items list on Amazon...there are so many amazing books currently out and an even longer list of books that I'm so excited for which are being released over the next few months!
All of these books are on my wish list but Medieval Bodies, Melmoth, Vicious, Circe and Smoke In The Sun are are the very top of my list along with a few that aren't in this post such as: A Gathering Of Ghosts by Karen Maitland, The Tower Of Living And Dying by Anna Smith Spark, The Priory Of The Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon and The Binding by Bridget Collins.
Do you have any of the items on my wish list? What items or books are on your wish list? Are we friends on GoodReads?
We are now into December which means that if you haven't started your Christmas shopping then go, go, go! I love shopping of any kind, obviously, but I particularly love Christmas shopping for friends and family as it's so nice to find the perfect gift. Finding gifts can be challenging but for the women in my family as well as my friends it's so easy. Here are some of my favourite gifts for the women in your life, or for yourself, I'm not judging.
I was very kindly sent this gorgeous necklace from the super lovely people over at Nude Jewellery. They're an independent jewellery boutique who create beautiful handmade items and are based in Mayfair, London. Their wide range of jewellery features unique and bespoke pieces to contemporary engagement rings, designer jewellery and handmade wedding bands.
I have this simple but beautiful triple link silver necklace from their 'vanilla links' in-house collection. The chain length is 16" which is a great length for me and as the links are lightly hammered, it gives them not only a unique texture but it creates a slight sparkle and shine too. It's such a lovely everyday or formal necklace and as it's very minimal but striking, it will be perfect with so many outfits or occasions. I know my mum would adore this necklace and it's already a perfect present as it's handmade and presented beautifully too. I've tried one of their necklaces before and I love it too so I cannot recommend their jewellery enough so definitely check out their site. Also, their 'autumn leaves' and 'goddess' collections are stunning too!
Next up, a fantastic skincare gift set from Urban Veda which is a great brand that is vegetarian society approved and they don't test on animals! All of their products contain such lovely natural ingredients such as orange peel oil, tea tree leaf oil, coconut oil, witch hazel, sweet almond oil and many more!
This gift set is ideal for those with oily and more problem skin as it's focused on refining pores, reducing oil production and it helps to combat blemishes and breakouts with natural, gentle ingredients instead of harsh chemicals that are usually found in oily or blemish prone skincare products. I love the packaging for this gift set as it's not only recyclable but it's cute and a great all in one gift set with a facial wash, exfoliator and day cream in handy travel or trial sizes. They have a fantastic range of gift sets for the face or body from £120 to £11.99 - sign up to their newsletter to get 15% off your order.
*Crabtree and Evelyn Comfort & Indulgence White Cardamon Body Duo
Crabtree and Evelyn have created some of my favourite festive gifts sets as they look so incredibly beautiful and festive as well as being very luxe at a great price point! This beauty is no different and it's one of my favourite scents they've made too. For Christmas Crabtree and Evelyn have created a range of festive scents for their gifts sets including Noel, Frosted Spicewood, Red Berry & Fir and White Cardamon, the latter is my favourite and the most unique, in my opinion.
The 'Body Duo' set I was kindly sent contains the white cardamon body cream (250ml) and the white cardamon body scrub (365g). The packaging of not only the gift box but the products too is so pretty and festive especially with the gold foil. The products themselves are fantastic sizes as well and it's a well presented and luxe gift set so it would be ideal for your mum, grandma, aunties or friends.
The scent is heavenly as it's sweet, light and floral but a little musky and spicy too, I adore it! The body cream smells delicious and the scent lasts for a while too which is impressive. The texture of the body cream is also impressive and it leaves my skin velvety smooth, super soft and completely moisturised without irritating the skin. I cannot recommend this gift set enough!
I adore candles, they are some of the nicest gifts to receive as they smell amazing and can make any room so much more cosy and homely as well as being a cute container to re-use afterwards. I was very kindly sent this incredibly beautiful candle from the amazing people over at Evermore London. All of the candles are hand crafted in their East London studio using organic certified coconut wax as well as essential oils which is fantastic. I have the 250ml candle which has an approximate burn time of 50 hours.
The packaging is just gorgeous; I love the minimalist design and the copper foil so aesthetically it would make a lovely gift. I have the Christmas scent 'North' which is composed of frankincense, patchouli and myrrh, all of which I adore and are perfect for this time of the year. It is very musky, rich and festive with a hint of the coconut wax base so it's a very unusual candle and would make a great alternative to the generic Christmas candles on the market now which tend to be sickly sweet or too strong. I've been burning it for the past few days and while it is subtle, I do love it! I cannot recommend their candles enough, there are so many others to choose from as well including Tides and Moon which sound so gorgeous. They also have a candle making kit which would make an incredible Christmas gift! To get free delivery over £40 use the code: FREEDEL40.
Earlier in the year I worked with the lovely people at Sudio Sweden and reviewed their Vasa Bla Rose Gold Earphones which I adore and now we're working together again! They are the most comfortable earphones I've ever used and the Vasa earphones are no different.
The earphones come so beautifully presented in a christmassy gift box so it's already pre-packaged which is great if you're like me and you can't wrap presents without them looking as though they've been thrown around the room. The earphones come in a range of colours but obviously I chose the pink option!
The earphones come with a genuine leather pouch, extra sleeves and metal clip and the manual as well as a guarantee certificate that's valid for one year after purchase. They are in-ear earphones which means that they are super comfortable and it makes them in part, noise cancelling too.
Unlike all of the other earphones I've used they are comfortable to wear for a long period of time and it has an anti-tangle cord as well so no more earphone tangles that are irreversible! I cannot recommend these earphones enough as they are so easy to use, I love the volume controls on the cord and they are the most comfortable earphones I've ever used!
You can get 15% off at Sudio Sweden with the code: ofbeautyand15
What do you think of my womens gift guide? Have you tried any of these products or brands?
I have always had trouble falling asleep, it is something that has been an issue for me since I was child and it's still a problem at the grand old age of 27. I think we all go through periods in which we struggle to sleep for various reasons but if it is contuinous then it might be a problem. However, there are products and tips to help. Today's post is going to explore some of the causes of sleep issues and my personal product recommends.
Research
A survey conduced by beds.net found that 73% of their survey respondents were kept awake at night due to stress, 34% of respondents reported that they couldn't achieve eights hours sleep due to an uncomfortable mattress and 2.4% of respondents were kept awake by...ghosts. Additionally, living in a busy city such as London with noisy neighbours and loud street noise can contribute to being kept away from the land of nod.
Tips + Product Recommendations
I have tried numerous products, apps and tips to help with my sleep issues, the main one is being kept awake but thankfully I have found three main products that help and if you have some of the same issues then hopefully these suggestions might help you too.
Noise Cancelling Earphones: I find that while I do live on a relatively quiet street, street noise, music and even the noise of the television downstairs can easily keep me awake until 2am but wearing my Sudio Sweden wireless earphones while I sleep can help so much and sometimes they're the only reason I'm able to sleep at all. The earphones are fairly comfortable to sleep in, they are wireless so there's no chance of them becoming tangled and even though they aren't labelled as noise cancelling, they block out a lot of noise.
Sleep Tablets: If I know that I have to be awake early the next day or if there's a lot of noise that evening, I will take a sleep tablet (the tablet I have been using for the longest period of time is Nytol - the blue box). I take one or two sleeping tablets per month so I only use them when I absolutely need them or if I'm travelling. I'd never take them more often than once/twice per month.
Sleep mask: Last but not least is the product that has made the most difference recently and it's a sleep mask. Since having laser eye surgery in July, I have had a little more trouble sleeping so a month or so ago, I bought a very soft sleep mask and it has helped me fall asleep so quickly! Before using the sleep mask, it would usually take around three hours for me to eventually fall asleep but now I would guess that it takes me about 30 minutes to fall asleep with the mask on - I cannot recommend it enough!
It's almost summer which means that it's a perfect time for road trips around the country! I used to go camping with my friends and family around the UK growing up which felt like a road trip as we went to Cornwall, Dorset and various places in Wales and Scotland which are all a fair drive away from Manchester. I'd love to go on a road trip around the UK again as there are so many cities that I need to visit including Bath, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Penzance, Oxford and Cambridge! Here are some of my top tips and ideas for your summer road trip:
First Aid & Safety
One of the most important aspects of a road trip is safety whether it's a basic first aid kit, allergy helpers, sun safety or painkillers, it's important to have a little first aid and emergency kit in your car for a road trip. We have one in the car all of the time which includes essentials such as painkillers, plasters, bandages, hand sanitiser and more. SPF, water bottles, a sun hat, fan, cooling water sprays or germolene would all be great additions too.
Tech & Entertainment
For any car journey, I always take my phone, earphones and a book so that when I'm parked or if I'm not driving then I have some form of entertainment. Audiobooks are amazing especially via BookBeat which is a audiobook subscription service which is unlike others in that you pay one fixed price per month and you can listen to as many audiobooks as you want in that month rather that other services in which you have to pay per audiobook. My Sudio Sweden earphones are also a must as they look gorgeous, they never tangle, they're almost noise cancelling and so comfortable which is perfect for long journeys.
Snacks & Extras
As well as my phone and earphones, another essential in my handbag is a snack of some kind which for me is usually a snack bar (I love the Nakd snack bars). Fruit, veggie sticks and sandwiches are great road trip snacks along with fruit juice and water. I have a few food favourites posts you can read for more snack ideas.
A few extras I can recommend include making sure you have enough data on your phone, phone or camera in-car chargers are essentials and blankets, an umbrella and extra tote bags would be some of my recommended extras for road trips.
Car Care
Last but not least is the most important aspect of a road trip, car safety! There are a few safety checks that would be pertinent to check before a long car journey such as your breaks, tyre pressure, oil and fuel levels, break fluid and wheel alignment, among others. Some of those checks and top-ups you could easily do yourself such as refilling the oil in your car, adding more water to your windscreen wash, checking the oil and fuel levels but there are a couple of checks that could be done by a professional.
You could get professional wheel alignment at Iverson Tyres Ltd London Branch which is important for the health and safety of your car. "Correct wheel alignment to the specification required by your vehicle maximizes tyre life and your vehicle will track straight and true when driving along a straight and level road. Incorrect wheel alignment can result in rapid irregular tyre wear that can affect the handling and safety of your vehicle." Additionally, tread depth, bulges or cracks in the tyres and break pad wear are important to look at as well.
What are your road trip essentials, safety tips or advice?
Mother's Day in the UK isn't far away but there's still time to find the perfect gift! I've already published a Mother's Day gift guide focusing on sweet treats from Treats Direct, Bomb Cosmetics and Sudio Sweden which you can check out for more ideas but today's post is focusing on more inexpensive, practical and spring-time gifts for mums, guardians or grandmas from Home Bargains and Naissance.
*Home Bargains Hanging Heart (99p)
Let's start with the Mother's Day gift ideas from Home Bargains! I do love home bargains for inexpensive home items and essentials and this hanging heart is one of my favourites. My mum loves anything like this, we have a couple in the house and the summer house already and the colours of this one will be perfect for the kitchen.
*Home Bargains Chocolate Heart Lollipop (59p)
Speaking of sweet treats, chocolate is always a safe, easy gift for Mother's Day or any occasion and how cute is this pink foil chocolate lollipop! It's suitable for vegetarians and it's made of milk chocolate (there's a full ingredients list on the back). It would be great to include within a card or to add to a Mother's Day gift hamper.
*Home Bargains Vanilla Fudge (99p)
The final sweet treat is an adorably packaged set of vanilla fudge. My mum doesn't have a big sweet tooth but she does like fudge and chocolates so this would be perfect for her. It is so inexpensive but I love the packaging and as with a lot of these items, it could be added to a gift hamper to make a special, personalised gift hamper this Mother's Day.
*Home Bargains 'Best Mummy' Keyring
Next up is an adorable keyring which features a cute grey bear (similar to the Tatty Teddy bears that were everywhere when I was growing up). It would be ideal for a hamper or card and it would also be great for a new mum.
*Home Bargains Mum's Treats Tin
Another adorable gift idea and this one is very practical (we all know by now how much I love practical but aesthetically pleasing gifts). This tin could be a great gift on it's own or it could be a gift and container for home baked sweet treats to surprise your mum on Mother's Day with! It would be the ideal size for mini cupcakes or muffins, cookies, biscuits, scones or if you are a skilled baker, lots of macarons! I know my mum would love this cute floral tin!
*Home Bargains Mother's Day Bunting (79p)
One thing I've never really thought of for Mother's Day is decorations! I usually print out photos to pin up around the house for birthdays but I've never decorated for Mother's Day but it will be easy with this cute floral bunting. It's so inexpensive but it looks great and I'll definitely be hanging it up over the fireplace on Mother's Day.
The final item from Home Bargains is a very Ted Baker looking tote bag which features a gorgeous, very spring-like floral design. The colours are definitely my kind of thing and I love the simple design. It's huge so it could be used for work, groceries or even the gym. It's an almost plastic material so it's easy to wipe clean and it could be used as a gift bag for other Mother's Day goodies. Thanks for much to the generous people at Home Bargains for these cute Mother's Day gifts!
Last but definitely not least for this gift guide is a little more of an unusual, unexpected gift from the super lovely people at Naissance. They make amazing products and gift sets that are more natural and cruelty free and some of which are organic and vegan. I was very kindly sent their lovely lemon fizz bath bomb kit which contains all of the ingredients and products you need to be able to make your own bath bombs! I know so many of friends and family members who'd love this kit!
I love the packaging, it's well laid out, the instructions are very simple but comprehensive and it will make a very unique, hands on gift for Mother's Day but not only do you get a fun experience out of the kit, you only get relaxing bath bombs to use whenever you want so it's the gift that keeps on giving.
The kit comes with everything you need to be able to make luxurious lemon, geranium and rose bath bombs, there are even rose petals included in the kit so you just know that the bath bomb in action is going to be so pretty. The kit also contains organic virgin coconut oil (we all know how good coconut oil is for our skin) and lemon and geranium rose essential oils which smell incredible.
There are various 'Made By You' kits to choose from such as the lip balm, bath salts and body scrub kits as well as a second bath bomb kit in a grapefruit and bergamot scent which sounds amazing too. I'd recommend checking out the Naissance website as they have an amazing range of natural cruelty free and vegan products as well as gift sets essential oils and certified organic products, so many of which would be perfect to treat your mum with this Mother's Day.
What do you think of my Mother's Day gift guide? Have you bought anything from Naissance?
Earlier this year I published a post all about my current blogging essentials and today's post is a continuation of it with some new items and more general blogging items that you might not initially think of! Check out my previous post if you want to see more of my blogging essentials that are perfect for beginners and seasoned blogger alike.
Blankets: Cosiness is key
I know the obsession with hygge is pretty much gone, it went the way of Pokemon Go and we are still in summer but I cannot stop thinking about autumn - well, let's be honest and say that my mind is aways thinking about autumn and all things related to being cosy, baking, cooking and autumn clothing/activities because it's the best time of the year. Fact.
As my mind is constantly in autumn mode, blankets and being cosy is key to me being productive. Give me a blanket, candles, a gingerbread latte and my iMac and I'll be able to get so much done, whether it's answering lots of emails, editing photos or video clips, typing up posts and guest posts or researching. The blanket in the photo above is one I actually made using the arm knitting method and for my first attempt, I'm so happy with it as it's so incredibly soft, cute, versatile and it keeps me surprisingly very warm!
This next essential is definitely a new addition and despite a few teething problems, it's become a desk staple for me. I have an iMac which is going on for eight years old now (I need a new one ASAP) and it has a traditional corded mouse although recently as the iMac itself is failing so is the mouse.
The Penclic Mouse is a wireless, pen like mouse that is definitely unusual and innovative! It can be used if you're left or right handed, it connects wirelessly to your iMac or PC using the USB dongle included and it is such a unique concept that I personally haven't seen before. The set up was a bit confusing as nothing seemed to happen but thankfully it's now working. I'll be completely honest and say that it definitely does take time and patience to get to grips with as it's such a different style and shape to a traditional mouse but I find it a bit more comfortable to use, especially as I'm on the iMac for most of the day, pretty much seven days a week.
I love that it's wireless, as there is no annoying cord that gets wrapped around other things on my desk, it feels natural to hold as it's a pen shape and I love the scroll wheel which is really useful, particularly as the scroll function on my Apple mouse is broken! If you're thinking about getting a wireless mouse then check this one out!
One thing to note when it comes to blogging and desk jobs in general (as well as nurses, builders and many other jobs) is that repetitive strain injury can be a cause of concern. It is estimated that 73% of those who work at a computer are at risk of repetitive strain injury due to typing but it can be easily prevented. To help prevent repetitive strain injury, it is advised that you should take regular breaks from your desk and it is worth sticking to regular breaks because repetitive strain injury can in some cases result in physiotherapy or even surgery.
Bookshelves, Storage & Canvas Bags
The first essential in this section is more of a book blogger problem and that's too many books! I'm lucky enough to be sent books occasionally from publishers and I'm very quickly running out of space but these gorgeous floating book shelves from Red Candy are perfect and you can store other things on top of the books too, if the aren't too heavy.
Storage is a general life essential but as a blogger I have specific drawers for tax documents, press releases and product information, products that need to be photographed and other drawers for blog prizes, packaging and even blog photo props.
One thing they don't tell you about blogging or that isn't shown is the amount of recycling that you have to deal with. As I said, I'm very lucky in that I get to work with some amazing brands and PRs so very regular packages and boxes means that around once a week I end up with a big stack of recycling and canvas bags are perfect to store and sort out paper recycling!
Earphones
A good pair of earphones are very hard to find, especially as for me, most of them are actually quite painful to wear but these gorgeous wireless earphones from Sudio Sweden are perfection in earphone form! They're white and rose gold (tick), wireless (tick), the sound is fantastic and clear (tick) and they are so comfortable to wear (tick). I honestly cannot recommend these earphones enough! I use them for editing videos, watching youtube, listening to audiobooks and they even work as ear plugs on a noisy train...
Those are more of my personally blogging essentials, what are your blogging essentials?
I've published my mens gift guide already along with a few others but one that I haven't posted just yet is my women gift guide; however, it's here today! Today's gift guide is all about the womens gift ideas that I cannot recommend enough, from gorgeous and luxe jewellery and food gifts to a DNA test, beauty gifts and more so hopefully you'll find a gift idea for a friend or family member this year...or for yourself, I'm not judging.
The first item within my gift guide is from a lovely and luxe brand that I've been lucky enough to work with previously, Nude Jewellery. Nude Jewellery is a luxury, jewellery boutique based originally in Mayfair, London which has been shortlisted for the boutique of the year by the UK Jewellery Awards. As always the Nude Jewellery pieces are so beautifully packaged and presented, it's such a beautiful item to open!
The pendant I have is from their 'Victoria' collection which a simple but elegant jewellery collection featuring gorgeous gemstones such as amethyst, sapphire, aquamarine, pink sapphire and many more! I chose the stunning white topaz and silver pendant as it looks so elegant, classic and timeless in my opinion and I think so many of my friends and family members would be very happy to see this pendant under the tree.
The price varies depending on the metal used, for example, rose gold, yellow gold, silver, 18ct gold, as well as the gemstone that is wanted. The beautiful pendant I have is one of the more inexpensive items you can choose from the collection but it's still a very special, luxe and timeless piece of jewellery that will be cherished. I have been wearing mine recently, although I've been very careful with it because knowing me, it will be lost or broken within a day or two!
I think anything from the Victoria collection would make such a gorgeous gift this christmas as not only is everything so beautifully packaged and presented but it is a lovely collection; to me the style of the collection has a victorian era feel to it which is very christmassy as the victorians created the main elements of the christmas we know today.
*Morris & Co Gardening Gloves Set (£24.99)
When it comes to gift giving, there are always a selection of safe gifts such as food, fragrances or beauty gifts, I'm always buying pampering or beauty gifts for friends and family as I know that they will be a hit! Generic pampering gifts are great for those gift recipients you don't know too well but more specific pampering sets, such as this one, are great for people who you know that love gardening or who are interested in gardening.
The set comes with a pair of gardening gloves and a shea butter hand cream (100ml), both of the products as well as the box feature a gorgeous classic Morris & Co lily and country bloom print which is so pretty! The gloves look very high quality and they are a medium size so hopefully they should fit various gift recipients. I think the set as a whole looks so pretty, put together and very substantial.
*Heathcote & Ivory 'Gardeners' Merry Hands Set (£12)
Morris & Co have a fantastic range of gifts for all budgets, all of which look very luxe for the price and very festive - the most festive of the range is the cute 'merry hands' gift set which is in the style of a christmas tree. The set contains six x 15ml hand creams which is an ideal size for travelling, keeping in your car or having in your handbag. The hand creams contain shea butter and essential oils to keep your hands smooth and moisturised all winter which is great for someone like me as my hands, thanks to eczema, are perpetually dry and hands creams are an essential!
*Heathcote and Ivory Perfume Gel Collection (£10)
Lastly for the pampering gifts is a bit more of an unusual offering from Heathcote and Ivory which contains a collection of three gel perfume rollerballs. All of the fragrances are alcohol free and they're not only beautiful fragrances but they contain shea butter and vitamin E as well to nourish the skin. The scents contained within are as follows: neroli and lime leaves, lavender fields and sweet pea and honeysuckle.
I absolutely love the packaging for this set as it's incredibly sparkly and pretty and if you can't have a tonne of glitter over everything during the festive period, then when can you! I haven't seen set like this before that contains gel rollerball fragrances, I think it's more of a unique and unexpected gift compared to all of the generic fragrance gifts on the market.
Another safe gift idea has to be phone or tablet cases as they're pretty safe gifts to give for most people, they are practical (and we all know that I love practical gifts) and they are something that could be added to a gift hamper. My favourite site for phone cases has to be Case App as I love all of their unique designs, most of which I haven't really seen anywhere else and the quality of the iPhone 5c and iPhone 7 cases have been absolutely fantastic!
I have now upgraded to an iPhone 7, although I'm thinking of getting the latest (my bank balance won't thank me for it though) but in the meantime, I'm loving the iPhone 7 cases I have from Case App. I chose the 'Lemons' case which is just gorgeous and definitely the colour palette that I love and the 'Winter Pattern' design which is as christmassy as my phone case is going to get! I love both designs, you can see the 'Lemons' case on my instagram (@ofbeautyand). If you're looking for a phone case or tablet skin as a christmas gift or if you want a new phone case for yourself then I cannot recommend Case App enough.
Candles are one of my favourite gifts to give and one of my favourites to receive as they just make any room so instantly cosy and inviting, especially at this time of the year when it's chilly, dark and dreary outside! I have so many favourite candle scents and candle brands but a candle that I've been loving recently is this little one from Amphora Aromatics which is a brand I've been lucky enough to work with previously.
The mini pot candles are so reasonably priced but that doesn't mean they aren't beautifully packaged or heavenly scented, as they are! I utterly adore the packaging and the box as it looks so gorgeous, more expensive than it actually is and it looks quite festive in my opinion. It is a mini candle so you're not going to get as much burn time from it compared to a larger candle but it is great for the size. The scent is quite different and I've personally never heard of a mulled pear and spices candle so it's a little more unique compared to most cinnamon scented festive candles. There are so many scents to choose from, you're bound to find one, two or three that you'll love!
I think the Amphora Aromatics candle would make a fantastic stocking filler and another item I think would be ideal as a beauty stocking filler is from Beauty BLVD which is a brand I haven't tried until now but I've heard great things. Firstly, I love the packaging for this product, it looks so unique! I was very kindly sent the Damn Fine shade which is a gorgeous red so it is ideal for the festive season and new year.
I've tried so many liquid lipsticks and most that claim to have a matte formula can be very drying on my lips which isn't very convenient when you're lips are as dry as mine are but thankfully this formula isn't extremely drying compared to others that I've tried. The shade is just gorgeous, if a little darker than what I'd normally wear and it is very long lasting too; additionally this product is also suitable for vegans which is fantastic! There are numerous shades to choose from including a very unique and intriguing blue shade!
Next up for my stocking filler gift ideas is something that will go down very well with pretty much everyone I know, hot chocolate! However, this isn't any hot chocolate but it is made from top quality 100% Colombian cacao which is naturally high in antioxidants and 100% natural! Another unique aspect of this drinking chocolate is the format as it's in a solid bar which can be broken up into squares to make 16 servings. It can be purchased as a block or as chocolate drops as well as gorgeous gift sets and various other flavours.
To use, you just break off a couple of chunks and add it to hot milk, stir and enjoy! I think the packaging, unusual format and quality of this drinking chocolate make it a very unusual but pleasantly surprising gift that will delight your gift recipients. You can also purchase their *Single Estate Panela (£3.50, 200g) to add to your drinking chocolate. Panela is organic dried sugarcane juice that can be used to sweeten hot chocolate, porridge or desserts and it can also be used in baking too.
If you know someone who drinks then these adorable alcohol related gifts from Il Gusto would be absolutely perfect as not only do you get a delicious liquor but it's presented in a christmassy bottle too. There are various bottle designs and shapes to choose from including a christmas tree, gingerbread man and star among other non-christmassy designs such as a motorbike, truck, skull, heart and football boot, to name a few.
I was very kindly sent the christmas tree violet gin which looks amazing, not only because of the cute festive bottle but the colour of the gin is quite unique too. The Il Gusto violet gin is 25% and can be enjoyed on it's own or it can be mixed. I think it would be perfect either as a christmas stocking filler or as part of a christmas hamper!
Lastly for the gorgeous Il Gusto gifts, the salted caramel liquor which comes in the most perfect bottle, a gingerbread man! The salted caramel liquor is 10%, it comes from the Vosges mountain range and it can be used over ice cream (which I'm going to have to try as I love salted caramel anything) or on it's own.
Moving back to the pampering theme and another couple of gorgeous, natural pampering products that I think would make great stocking fillers. Ostara Skincare is a new brand to me but I'm very impressed with their products so far! I was very kindly their christmassy 'beauty berry' body moisturiser and the face mask, both of which are so beautifully designed - I love the slightly festive packaging too.
The body moisturiser contains lots of lovely natural ingredients such as organic olive oil, organic goji berry extract, vitamin E, organic raspberry seed extract and more. Over the past few years I've been trying to use more and more natural or 'green' products as they just tend to work well for my skin. This moisturiser is no different, it has a lovely scent and texture and it's moisturising without being very greasy or heavy on the skin as some moisturisers can be.
The mask from the range has some of the same ingredients as the lovely moisturiser and it is just as effective. It is unusual in a couple of ways from the other face masks I have in my collection such as the magical colour changing effect and the plethora of natural ingredients along with the cute packaging. I've only used it a couple of time so far and not when I've had an eczema flareup but so far so good in that it doesn't irritate my skin. If there's any time of the year when you should be pampering and indulging in rich products then it's winter!
I have so many favourites from this post but I think my favourite practical product has to be these cleansing cloths from Magnitone! I have tried a few microfibre makeup removing cloths like these and I absolutely adore them (I've been using various cloths from the past year or so). This is the first time I've tried Magnitone's version and they are fantastic. If you haven't tried any microfibre cleansing cloths then you're missing out on easy, no fuss cleansing! These cloths remove makeup in seconds (that's not an exaduration), they are so gentle on the skin which is great for someone like me who has sensitive, eczema prone skin and they are the perfect first step in your skincare routine.
I use the cloths to remove 99% of my makeup which is the fastest way to remove my makeup and then I use whatever cleanser I'm using at the time and my skin ends up completely makeup free, clean and ready for my serum. I cannot recommend these cleansing cloths enough as they make removing my makeup so quick and easy! They're also amazing for travelling!
*Palmers Lip Balms (£2.49)
I was very kindly sent a package full of Palmers products so I thought I'd mention them in today's post as I think some of their lotions and lip balms would make great basic stocking fillers for so many people, from teens to grandmas. I have loved their products for years although over the past year or two, I have switched to others that I've been sent. One of my favourite products from Palmers has to be their lip balms which are so thick, rich and nourishing, unlike others and I cannot recommend them enough. They'd be great as stocking fillers or to add to a beauty hamper - I love creating hampers, I think they make such surprising and thoughtful gifts.
Moving away from all of the pampering products and onto something a little more personal, a DNA test. I'm extremely interested in my family history and what my DNA can show about where my ancestors came from which is why I did take a DNA test, one of the first I knew about back in 2012 and surprise, my DNA is 100% European...ok, not a surprise but it was interesting to see the various countries my DNA can be traced back to.
The DNA test I took just involved a simple cheek swab which is pain free, quick and easy and this one is no different; although the steps and general information is definitely a little clearer in this test that it was in that very first test I tried. The first DNA test wasn't massively detailed in terms of the results but it was one of the very first tests the public could buy to trace their ancestors origins but now the technology has progressed so much that the Find My Past test can even specify which regions your ancestors were from! I think a DNA test would make for such a fantastic gift as it's quite unusual and I think most people would find it very interesting which is why I'm giving this test to my grandad so he can see his results and percentages.
Within today's post and video, I wanted to include a wide variety of items so there were lots of gift ideas so we have beauty, skincare, food and homeware to tech, jewellery and fragrance gifts. One of the more tech related gifts, as well as the phone cases, is a cute pair of headphones from Gioteck. Earphones or headphones aren't something I'd want to buy for myself so receiving a pair as a gift would be great! I personally love my Sudio wireless earphones but sometimes I'd like a pair of larger headphones while I'm at my desk so this set from Gioteck would be perfect.
I was kindly sent the bright pink pair although there are various colour options to choose from including: green, blue and black, the latter would probably be the most popular. I love the white, purple and bright pink shades in mine; teenager Heather would have absolutely loved to receive these under the tree! The headphones are light, flexible and comfortable to wear as they are cushioned which is worlds away from the awful cheap headphones I had to wear in school which left you with bright red ears and earache after an hour!
I think these are probably the first headphones I've tried since secondary school IT lessons which brings back a lot of uncomfortable memories of secondary school in general and of those awful headphones but thankfully the cushioning is fantastic and they are far, far better than my previous headphone experiences (I'd rather not think about secondary school IT lessons again). The build quality is great, they have an in-build microphone if that's something your gift recipient would need and they would be idea for gaming, or on the go.
My final gift idea is a little luxurious but Christmas is the time to treat others...and yourself! I've wanted a silk pillow for a while as last year quite a few bloggers were mentioning them and as bloggers are great enablers, I wanted one immediately. However, they can be quite pricey so I've been putting off buying one for myself as it isn't the kind go thing, on the whole, that someone would buy for themselves so it would make a great gift.
The pillow is filled with 100% natural long stranded mulberry silk and the pillow case is made from 100% deluxe 200 thread count fine cotton sateen so it feels very luxurious and indulgent. The pillow I have is the king size (90cm by 50cm) which is huge and much bigger than I thought it would be. It comes in a case case which is quite fancy and makes it even more of a perfect gift idea as it's already partly packaged and nicely presented.
It's hypoallergenic, the mulberry silk interior claims to be useful for those suffering with eczema, allergies, asthma and other issues of a similar nature so if your gift recipient suffers from any of those then it might be a useful and thoughtful gift to give. It is also great for protecting your hair and reducing ageing, the latter I'm not sure of though! I'd definitely recommend this luxe pillow from Silk Bedding Direct as a gift idea for mums, grandmas, friends or aunties this christmas so check out their amazon store or their website.
Use the code: PARTY15 to get 15% off their sale but you'll have to be quick as it ends on the 30th December!
What do you think of the gifts included in todays gift guide? Have you done all of your christmas shopping yet?
I'm a university graduate, coffee drinker and beauty, book, lifestyle and fashion blogger from little old England - posts marked with an (*) contain products sent for review or sponsored posts Read More >>
