Christmas Gift Guide: £15 + Under

Today's post is one of my last gift guides for the year *how has 2016 gone by so quickly, especially the past couple of months!*. Blogmas is coming to an end and it's gone by really fast but I still have some christmassy posts coming as well as another gift guide after this one so there's still some festive posts to look forward to. Today's post features some incredibly lovely gifts that would be great for mums, friends, aunties, brothers or dads from lots of amazing brands. 

*Bodhi & Birch Allure Gift Set (£15)

I've tried a couple of products from the natural brand Bodhi and Birch and I couldn't recommend their products, I tried the ylang-ylang shower gel and lotion which are both heavenly. So when this set arrived in the post I had to rip it open and smell everything immediately. The set contains: ylang-ylang body therapy bath and shower gel, ylang-ylang lotion and the camomile sky bath and shower therapy. All three for large minis, so they'd be great for travelling and they all smell divine. Bodhi and Birch products are a treat for the senses and the mind as they all make me feel so relaxed and pampered! I couldn't recommend this set enough and it comes beautifully packaged too. 

Candles are a really safe gift for me personally and also for me to give to friends, cousins and my sister - I am gifting quite a few candles this year. I've tried a few brands of candles including the famous Yankee Candle but I'm loving the Gift Company/Flame Homeware candles just as much. I was kindly sent a couple of their Christmas candles. 

*Gift Company Cinnamon Spice Candle (£6.99, sale)

The packaging of mine is slightly different to the one online but I'm glad as I do prefer this packaging. I love the large jar size, it makes a really substantial and heavy gift and I know so many friends that would love this! It smells so nice, I love cinnamon scents at this time of the year and it's lovely. To me the scent is a bit more of a musky cinnamon rather than a generic sweet/strong cinnamon scent. 

*Gift Company Christmas Candle (£6.99)

This candle is one of their best sellers and I can see why as it looks festive and it smells like the essence of Christmas to me as it has a cinnamon/clove scent mixed with Christmas potpourri which is really nostalgic to me as my auntie always had potpourri that had a similar scent every Christmas. It's quite sweet but I really like it and the scent throw is pretty good. I'd definitely recommend both candles and for the low price, you really can't go wrong! 

*Gift Company Gingerbread House Diffuser (£6, sale)

My mum is quite paranoid about candles so they are a no no for her but that means I can pick up some cute diffusers! I was kindly sent two and this 'gingerbread house' one is my favourite of the two. The diffuser looks so nice, unlike most which can be quite ugly! It has a subtle gingerbread/cinnamon scent so it's not overpowering but if I'm complete honest, I wish it was a little stronger. 

*Gift Company Mince Pies & Brandy Butter Diffuser (£6)

I haven't opened this one yet and I also don't have photos of it or the Christmas candle as my SD card became corrupted so I've lost over 500 photos and I haven't had time to re-take - this past week or so has been really stressful with driving lessons and my test (I passed!). However, it has the same lovely and festive packaging design as the other and it smells just as nice! The candles and diffusers should should have been £15 each but they are all reduced!

*The London Sock Exchange (£15 - £60)

Next up a gift for the men in your life and as for the previous gifts, it's a lovely presented practical gift (my favourite kind of gifts!). The London Sock Exchange is a new men's sock subscription service in which for £15 per quarter you or your gift recipient will receive three pairs of socks or you can choose the yearly subscription which is £60. They come really nicely packaged and the box can easily fit through the letterbox so you don't have to worry about being home for the delivery. 

The socks in the box I have come in really modern and unique designs, I personally love the centre zebra head design the most but from the website their is a large range of designs that you could receive. I think it's a great idea for a gift as they're obviously useful and really well made but the designs are quite unique - also no more boring sock shopping! You can use the code OBANYEAR for 10% off a yearly subscription or OBANSUB for 10% off a quarterly subscription! 

Beauty gifts are always safe options as most people use beauty products daily anyway and I think these four offerings would be great for makeup lovers or anyone really! I haven't tried any of these brands until I received these products and I'm really happy with everything especially the lip balm!

*Dr Paw Paw Lip Balm (Original + Red Sparkle, £6.95)

I have seen this brand on twitter so many times but I haven't until now tried their famous lip balms. The balms are multi-use so you can use them as lip balms, cuticle balms or a general skin balm; I've been using them as a cuticle balm and lip balm. The original is really useful and I have been keeping it in my bag for on the go. The limited edition 'red sparkle' version has a very slight red tint as well as glitter for a festive touch (due to the glitter I'd only use it as a lip balm). They're really inexpensive and great as stocking fillers!

*Look Good Feel Better Makeup Sponge (£7.49)

I use my Beauty Blender so much for foundation and concealer application but I'm always happy to try new ones especially as the Beauty Blender is really expensive for what it is. This sponge is made by LGFB which is a worldwide cancer charity and between 8-12% of the price of the sponge will be donated. The sponge is fantastic for applying and blending my foundation.

*Magi Bobble (£2.95, pack of five)

I love giving practical presents and these would make a great stocking filler or as part of a beauty hamper! The bobbles are designed to tie your hair up in a ponytail or bun easily without snapping. I have the white ones from the new pastel collection but they have a range of hair colour or fun colour options to choose from.

Sticking with the theme of super cute but practical presents, these next few items are favourites of mine. The cute compact umbrellas are from Susino and I love the floral design of both as well as the small size. Umbrellas are a necessity in the UK as it is constantly raining, as I'm writing this it is currently raining (it's that fine rain that soaks you through, ten points to you if you know which British comedian said that!). 

*Susino Floral Filk Super Mini Umbrella (£14.99 each, white/black)

Both of these cute, floral umbrellas are perfect gifts for anyone and I know my mum would love the design and as she works in the primary school I went to, she'll use it so much! They're both made of lightweight fibreglass and aluminium with a wooden handle so they are light, portable and easy to travel with. Both look very colourful, fun and bright when opened to add some colour to the typical grey, dull and gloomy English weather! I can't recommend them enough and they'd make great practical gifts this Christmas. They offer next working day delivery on all orders made before 2pm - the last day for Christmas delivery is the 22nd. 

*Roger & Gallet Bois d'Orange Set (£6)

This adorable set contains a sample of the Bois d'Orange fragrance as well as the hand and nail cream which is amazing - I've tried a couple of their hand creams and I love them as they absorb quickly and have a gorgeous scent. The hand cream also don't irritate the eczema on my hands. I love the design of this little set and I think it would be perfect for beauty lovers, as a secret santa gift or as a stocking filler.

*Inspired Colouring Christmas Book

I was very kindly set this colouring book which came as a cute Christmas present via the Parragon 'blind date with a book' blogger programme. I love the packaging and it was so nice to receive a festive surprise package! I received a really cute coloring book as well as some wooden colouring pencils. The colouring book has so many fantastic festive themed pages and designs to colour in - it would make a great christmas gift! 

 *Essence Cosmetics 

Essence is one of my favourite makeup brands! I love their lipsticks, polishes, mascaras, liquid liner and cuticle oil. All of their products are extremely inexpensive so you could make a personalised makeup hamper or set of products for friends or family. I'd love Essence makeup and I think so many other would too; the products may be cheap but they're very effective! You can buy from the Wilkinsons website or in-store. 

What do you think of these affordable gift options? Have you finished your Christmas shopping? 

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Tangy Melon Candles

During the autumn and winter months, I burn so many candles, probably more than I do for the rest of the year; candles are a hygge essential and I'm all for hygge! Candles make me feel so incredibly cosy, warm and relaxed which for the past week has been so important as I've had a few stressful things to deal with including driving lessons and I'm taking my driving test today so positive vibes would be amazing!

I was very kindly sent a couple of cute candles from Tangy Melon which all have quotes and hashtags on so I think they're perfect for teens and also bloggers. All of their candles are made with 100% natural waxes and oils.

*Tangy Melon #Dope Candle (£9.95)

The first candle I chose was the #dope candle which is lavender and rosemary; if you've been following my blog for a while then you'll know that lavender is one of my favourite scents ever so when I see a lavender candle, I have to go for it! The candle smells absolutely heavenly, I could smell it all day and the candle is actually quite strong when it's burning so much so that when it's in the office, I can smell it down the stairs! It burns evenly, the packaging is cute and I adore the scent - I couldn't recommend this one enough! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5!

*Tangy Melon #WhiteChristmas Candle (£9.95)

Again, the packaging is really cute and I do prefer it to the previous candle - it's very festive. This candle is supposed to be pumpkin and spiced apple so obviously going by that description I had to choose it as I love scents like that; however the candle to me doesn't smell anything like pumpkin or apple, in my opinion it has a artificial watermelon scent which I'm quite disappointed with. It burns evenly and the scent throw is pretty good but I definitely prefer the lavender and rosemary candle by far. Overall rating: ★★★☆☆, 3/5.

Overall, I couldn't be happier with the lavender and rosemary candle as it smells so relaxing, calming and gorgeous to me and the scent throw is really impressive but the pumpkin and spiced apple candle is quite disappointing unfortunately. Make sure you check out their Twitter and Instagram.

What candle scents do you love at this time of the year? What do you think of these candles? 

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Landon Tyler Candle + Diffuser

Candles are such an essential for me, especially during the colder months as they not only provide a gorgeous scent but they make any room look incredibly cozy and homely; also candles and warm cozy lighting is essential for the feeling of hygge. I was very kindly sent a couple of products from the lovely people at Landon Tyler to try out.

*Landon Tyler Chesil Beach Candle (£8)

Landon Tyler has a range of scents but the one I chose was Chesil Beach which contains woody notes as well as lavender, bergamot and spice. I mainly chose this range because of the lavender, I'm obsessed with lavender as to me it is such an incredibly relaxing and calming scent. The candle looks much more expensive than it actually is and it smells amazing! To me the scent is musky, floral and rich - it would be perfect for the spring and autumn months. I adore the scent but I think to some it could be a little powdery/old fashioned. I always have candles burning in the office at home but as they are on a windowsill they never tend to burn 100% evenly but that is easy to counteract by turning the candle every so often. The scent is stronger than I though it would be as cheaper candles tend to be very subtle but this one isn't. I'd definitely recommend this candle, it's inexpensive, it smells lovely and it burns well. The only negative is that I seem to be burning through it very quickly! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

*Landon Tyler Chesil Beach Diffuser (£10) 

I am definitely more of a candle person but as my mum is a bit...paranoid about candles, I am always looking for diffusers that don't look really cheap and that actually give off a scent. I have tried quite a few and most are very subtle, they don't last long and they look really cheap but this one is fantastic. As with the candle, it looks a bit more expensive than it actually is and the scent is the same as the candle - musky, floral and gorgeous. I have the diffuser at the front door and I can smell it half way up the stairs which is impressive (even my mum is impressed!).  Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

Have you tried anything from this brand? What is your favourite candle brand/scent? 

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Cozy Autumn Candles ft. Gift Company

Candles are a year round essential for me, I love the way they make any room instantly homely, cozy and more autumnal but I do tend to burn more candles from late August until mid-spring when the days are still chilly and a bit dark. I was very kindly sent a few gorgeous candles from the lovely people at Gift Company.

*Gift Company Salted Caramel Candle (£6.99, SALE)

Last year I discovered the gloriousness of salted caramel, yes, I know years behind everyone else so I was excited to try this salted caramel candle out. The design is similar to a certain large candle brand so obviously I like the design and look of the candle. The scent isn't quite what I thought it would be, it's really musky, festive and rich whereas I thought it would be chocolatey and sweet. Although having said that I do like the scent, it's very autumnal but not really salted caramel in my opinion. As with other large jar candles I've tried over the years, I do find that they burn fairly evenly but I can get some tunnelling with large jar candles, no matter what the brand is. The scent is relatively subtle but I think that is a pretty good thing with this scent as if it was strong, it could definitely be too overpowering. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

*Gift Company Fireside Snooze Candle (£6.99, SALE)

This candle is the one I was SO excited about as it reminded me of a Bath and Body Works candle, I can't remember the name but I've wanted it for ages. Again, I quite like the packaging and the design. The scent of this candle is gorgeous, it's musky, deep and almost leathery, if that makes sense. It reminds me of the leather sofa and fire that was in my granddads house when I was a child. The scent is subtle and I wish it was a little stronger as it's a lovely autumn/winter scent. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

*Gift Company Capuccino Truffle Candle (£3.99, SALE)

Ok, this one is my favourite of the three that I have as it's such a lovely vanilla, rich and creamy scent which is perfect for the autumn season as it's a really cozy and warming scent, to me anyway. I love the packaging so much more than the  other candles - it looks more professional, clean looking and interesting. It's a smaller candle so there is no issue burning it and I cannot recommend it enough. Also for the price all three candles are amazing and well worth checking out. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

What do you think of these candles? Have you bought anything from Gift Company? What candle scents do you love to burn during the Autumn months? 

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Gift Ideas: Woodpecker & Weasel

When it comes to gift giving, I always want to give something special, personalised and or unique - I also love receiving gifts like that too! I was very kindly sent a range of gifts from the Etsy store Woodpecker & Weasel which is an Etsy store based in beautiful Cornwall featuring a range of unique handmade gifts, greeting cards, jewellery and homeware. All of the items came well protected and packaged really nicely!

*Woodpecker & Weasel Oyster Shell Ring Dish (£6)

How unique is this ring dish, it is a purple/blue oyster shell that has a printed interior. The one I have is painted gold but there are options of silver pewter, white fire gold and copper. It doesn't have to be used for rings, they could be used for most small things. I have been using mine for earrings as they are SO easy to lose, especially earring backs! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

*Woodpecker & Weasel Hand Poured Oyster Shell Candles (£9-16)

 If you know me then you will know how much I love candles! These have to be the most unique candles I have and they smell amazing! I have the almond coconut candles which smell just like summer which is perfect as while I'm typing this, it is raining and grey outside...They don't burn/melt complete evenly as they are in oyster shells so you wouldn't expect that but I'm really happy with them. If you don't fancy the almond coconut scent, they also have: vanilla, rose, white chocolate, fresh linen, fresh orange and many more including lavender and geranium which both sound amazing! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

Overall, I'm really happy with all three products I received and how they were packaged! They would make lovely gifts and the candles smell so lovely and at least I can try and imagine that it is summer because rain and clouds sure don't look like summer! I'd definitely recommend checking out this adorable Etsy store - I need to visit Etsy more often! Now onto my video:

What do you think of these gifts? Do you buy from Etsy? 

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