Current Lifestyle Favourites + Giveaway

Tuesday, August 06, 2019
Today's post is a little late and it's going to be a combination of my current lifestyle and...eye health favourites from the past couple of weeks. If you've been following me on social media (@ofbeautyand) then you'll know that I had laser eye surgery last week and while I'm incredibly happy with the results, I am having issues with the amount of screen time I need and the breaks that I have to take in order for my eyes to heal so I'm a little behind. However, hopefully later this week my eyes will be much better and I'll be able to have a normal working day without awful headaches and having to put drops in constantly. 

*J2O Spritz - Pear & Raspberry 
I was very kindly sent  box of the new J2O Spritz drinks in the 'pear and raspberry' and 'apple and watermelon' flavours which I've been enjoying over the past couple of weeks while we've been having a heatwave in the UK. J2O is such a nostalgic brand to me as it reminds me of summer evenings with family and friends so I was excited to try their new product, especially as it is low calorie, low sugar and a summery alternative to cocktails. 
The J2O Spritz drinks have been created as a special summer alternative to alcoholic drinks which, according to research conducted by J2O, can be very overpriced. Their research found out that certain food related terms such as 'artisan' often invoke a heavier price tag and the same can be said about alcoholic beverages and mocktails so J2O have taken that into account and created fuss free,  delicious and reasonably priced alternatives with their spritz drinks. 

My favourite flavour of the two is definitely the 'pear and raspberry' option, although I like both as they are refreshing, summery and sweet which is what I want on a hot summers day. I like that they are low calorie as it's something I take into account each day and I also take into consideration the amount of sugar I consume. If you're looking for a sweet and refreshing alcohol-free drink this summer then check out the new J2O spritz drinks!
*Follow Your Heart Grapeseed Vegenaise 
Now onto a few vegan favourites from one of the first vegan brands I tried, Follow Your Heart. The first product I tried from them was the pepperjack slices (reviewed below) which I bought a couple of years ago and loved. However, I haven't tried anything else from them so I was very excited when I received a few of their products to try out, including the pepperjack slices. I think this brand is most well known for their versions of vegan mayonnaise and this is just one of them - I buy their products from either Ocado or The Vegan Kind Supermarket. I personally like this option but I do want to try their other varieties.

*Follow Your Heart Pizza Flavoured Shreds 
While I think that their slices, mayonnaise and their delicious dips/sauces (their ranch and garlic aioli are utterly heavenly and I've bought both about five times now), the shreds might be a love it or hate it product. I tried their normal cheddar sheds at least a year ago and didn't love them but this flavour is much better, in my opinion. It does have an unusual powdery texture but I like the flavour.
*Follow Your Heart Pepperjack Slices 
Last but not least are their pepperjack slices which I've bought at least three packets of over the past couple of years. Vegan cheese can be a difficult thing to get right but I think that the flavour and the texture of these slices is perfect. It has a normal cheese texture and the flavour is so delicious. If you're looking for a more unusual vegan cheese that actually tastes amazing then definitely check out the pepperjack slices as well as the incredible garlic aioli and ranch, both of which I will continue to buy for the foreseeable future. 
Next up is a bit of an unusual item but I personally think it's amazing and as my birthday is coming up next week, I thought I'd share this unusual find. Pretty Gifted allow you to create a unique and personalised sheet of wrapping paper for your gift recipient which is something I haven't seen before, especially with the amount of options and variations Pretty Gifted offer.

The steps to create your wrapping paper are very easy on their website and you can not only choose the text you want printed on the paper but also the paper colour, the text colour and the font as well. I chose the peppermint paper colour, rose gold text and the 'monster' front style for my wrapping paper. I had it personalised with the words 'Happy Birthday, love Heather' but you can have anything added to your wrapping paper. 
In addition to all of the personalised options I've mentioned, you can also choose the font size and what icon you want to separate the text and I opted for a little heart but there's also a star, key, ring, crown, cocktail glass and more, or no icon, if that's what you want. There's a preview of your design at the end of the process so you can see the final result and change it if you want. The process of making mine was incredibly quick, easy and fuss free. 

I love personalised gifts and I think that personalised paper adds an even more special touch to your gift, especially if it's an important birthday, wedding, event or anniversary. Although I wouldn't want to cut it or rip it as the paper is just too pretty to use...almost. I cannot recommend them enough (and mine came with a cute gift tag and pen) so if there's special event coming up, why not make it extra special with personalised paper!
Viscotears Liquid Gel
Now onto my...eye health favourite of the past week and it's an item I was given after my laser eye surgery. However, I've already bought my own tube because I love it so much! I have a dedicated laser eye surgery blog post coming up but in the meantime I'll give you a little background information on my eyes to explain!

I have been wearing contact lenses for almost ten years and while I do recommend them, my eyes were just naturally becoming drier (maybe because of age or my job as it involves looking at a screen 24/7) so I started looking into laser eye surgery. After my consultations at LaserVision (which is the private clinic I went to), I found out that I have a gland dysfunction in that the numerous glands around my eyes don't work as they should so my eyes are extremely dry....beyond normal levels of dryness.

On the advice of my surgeon I started using drops and ointments to help and I eventually started using Viscotears which came in my post-surgery medication pack last week and I've been using them constantly since then. It's a very thick, clear gel that feels incredible in my dry eyes and I cannot recommend it enough if you also suffer with extremely dry eyes. 
My final favourite is another rather unusual item but it's something I've wanted to try for years. I started collecting house plants a couple of years ago and now my collection has grown to be fairly considerable with a variety of cacti, succulents and more in my bedroom, home office and bathroom, all of which can be quite demanding, particularly as I'm not an especially gifted or knowledgeable plant mum!

I have managed to keep all but one of my plants healthy and...alive for a while now but I am always looking for ways to care for them more efficiently. So naturally I was very excited when this system arrived from PlantPal and I could turn into the old lady that I am! PlantPal is an easy way of watering your plants using plastic globes that store water and release it at regular intervals which is ideal for me as I do often forget to water my plants regularly, oops. 
I was kindly sent three of the PlantPal globes in blue, orange and green; although there are cute patterned globes to chose from as well. I have the 380ml globes (I believe) which can be used in pots ranging from 15cm to 23cm - I think I would have been better with the mini size which has a 200ml capacity as the plants I have are relatively small.

The system works by the patent pending 'hydro-dynamic spike' which slowly dispenses water into the roots of the plant. I've been using it in my bigger houseplants (my Yukka and fig plants) as they are in the biggest pots and while the globe can be a little heavy and tilt to the side, it does seem to work well. However, the best option I was sent is the *PlantPal Outdoor Watering System (£9.99) that I've added to my Norwegian Fir tree. I've wanted to look after some of my outdoor plants more effectively for a while but haven't had the time so the PlantPal globes and the outdoor watering system are fantastic time savers. They would be ideal if you are going away on holiday as they only need refilling every two weeks. I think they'd also make a great practical gift for plant lovers and gardeners!

If you want to win your own PlantPal watering system, check out my giveaway below! It ends on the 27th August. 


Have you tried any of the products I've mentioned? 

*Gifted

19 comments

  1. Love that wrapping paper!
    Get well soon babe. Now that I am back on this scene looking fwd to lots of new content from you :)
    Pam xo/ Pam Scalfi♥

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  2. I love these images so much they’re beautiful 😍 xx

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  3. That is a clever watering system, I have done quite well keeping my plants alive so far ha x

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  4. I love J2O's they're my favourite drink x

    Jenny
    http://www.jennyinneverland.com

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  5. Those J20's sound yummy over ice x

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  6. I use my eye drops so much, I get such sore and ry eyes!

    Love, Amie ❤

    The Curvaceous Vegan

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  7. The J2O Spritzes sound great for summer!

    Jasmine xx



    Jasmine Talks Beauty

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  8. Ooo!! Those J2Os sound really yum...my kind of flavours! The watering system seems both simple but futuristic at the same time! xD

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  9. I absolutely love J2O's haha, I've not had one for ages though! xx

    Tiffany x www.foodandotherloves.co.uk

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  10. Oh I love J20s! This is such a brilliant giveaway xx

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  11. Those J2Os sound so nice! I like the idea of personalised wrapping paper too x

    Sophie
    www.glowsteady.co.uk

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  12. ooh I really want to try those j2os

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  13. Pear & Raspberry sounds delicious! J20 is usually my go-to beverage if I'm not drinking.

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  14. I do enjoy reading more personal posts, I’m just nosey I guess? Thanks for sharing x

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  15. The j20 sounds so yummy

    https://littlemissmelanie.com/

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  16. That watering system looks like something I could so with.

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  17. I used to love J20 when it first launched! These look really good x

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  18. I love J20 x love the look of these x

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