September Gift Guide Feature – Beauty, Style & Food Specials *

Mary Lobo, the founder of SKINIRVANA, suffered from eczema and rosacea in her early twenties and decided to launch Skinirvana beauty products four years ago.  We were sent SKINIRVANA Pure Bliss Beauty Oils which are hand poured, 100% natural, chemical-free, never tested on animals, vegan and contain over 95% ingredients from organic origin for fragile skin.   This is a really lovely product and I really loved trialling this over a period of a week and I felt as though it made my face feel nourished. Being filled with essential oils I thought it would be greasy but it didn’t feel like this at all. It made my skin feel lovely and smooth. The 30ml luxury bottles uses a pipette to dispense the oil, this can be a bit tricky to use as you try not to squeeze out too much. This would be perfect as a gift, however, it does come at a cost of £45.  As someone who tends to get a burning sensation when I use face creams etc, this product didn’t do that at all. So I can say its great for people with reactive skin. You can purchase yours here.

Love pickles and chutneys? Then you would love this tasty selection from The English Provender which also works as a lovely hamper gift set. We were sent the Moroccan Spiced Chutney, the Apple, Pear and Fig Chutney as well as the finely Chopped Pickle.  The Moroccan Spiced Chutney was hands down our family favourite as we got the hint of cumin and coriander flavours hitting our palette when we tasted this. This is a lovely accompaniment to samosas, sausages and rice as the chutney has a strong flavour to it.  The Finely Chopped Pickle tasted nice but was more watery and tasted more subtle in flavour compared to the usual brand we are used to. Lastly, we tried the Apple, Pear and Fig Chutney which tasted less vinegary compared to the others. This sweet chutney went really well with a variety of sausages which we tried it with as well as black pudding and white pudding. It brings out the flavour of the meat very nicely and yet it is not overpowering. These chutneys and pickles can be easily purchased from Waitrose or Sainsbury for around £1.90 each and made into a hamper. A great way to spruce up your barbeque or picnic as well. Do head to their website for some recipe ideas on how you can make any ordinary dish a little more special.  These are suitable for vegans, vegetarians and free from artificial colours and flavours.

Rich thought Bioderma Sebium Purifying Foaming Gel 200ml felt fresh on his face, it didn’t foam as much as a standard shaving foam but lathered enough to shave with. The Bioderma Sebium Pore Refiner which was 30ml was great on a breakout, it tightened the areas where the breakout was and didn’t feel greasy like a moisturiser could do. I think this is a great addition to your toiletry bag, as it really helped on the localised area of the breakout. The final product was the Bioderma Sensibio Forte, which came in a 40ml bottle.  This was useful on sunburns as my husband works outside all day and therefore often has redness from the sun. This product has a cooling effect on the face and did ease the heat, however, I am not sure it removed the redness, it might be something that occurs with longer use. The Bioderma Sebium Purifying Foaming Gel costs £10 while The Bioderma Sebium Pore Refiner costs around £15 and finally the Bioderma Sensibio Forte costs £14. These can be purchased from Amazon or Boots.

Roqberry Mixed Box assorted teas and infusions

This is perfect for anyone who wants to liven up their tea breaks but isn’t sure which flavours to choose. Containing 10 different, individually-wrapped pyramid teabags, this box gives you the chance to try a wide selection of blends. I’m a big fan of tea and drink several cups a day (and not just English breakfast), so I was eager to be even more adventurous with my brews. Each bag is given an intriguing name, such as Banana Bee (a rooibos herbal infusion) and Coco and Joe (a black tea). But the first blend to grace my mug was The Big Smoke, a black tea with a delicious, distinctive flavour. I also loved the Spiced Blueberry, which, being naturally caffeine-free, was ideal as a tasty evening cuppa. The teabags are biodegradable, and most of the tea in this box is made with 100% natural ingredients (except the Spiced Blueberry). Plus, each packet includes instructions on the best way to brew each blend. The Roqberry Mixed Box costs £6 and is available here.

This is such a cool and stylish present to give to someone or receive one yourself if you are a big Harry Potter fan! This is the perfect size as a school backpack and measures approx. 38 cm x 28 cm x 15 cm.  The bag is not only an officially licensed Harry Potter merchandise but it also features the large printed emblem and Hogwarts badge lining.   The ever famous yellow and burgundy Gryffindor-coloured stripes also is clearly visible on the bottom which most kids recognise.  My 8-year-old daughter loved using the bag and felt like she was attending the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry which got her excited for the start of the new term!  The bag is made of sturdy material and looks attractive, especially on the inside with its eye-catching bright yellow emblem print and secret pocket.  The metal emblem on the zipper did fall out, so would recommend tightening that if you are getting this bag to ensure you don’t lose that.  This must have bag for any Harry Potter fan costs £19.99 and you can purchase yours from MenKind.

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* We were sent these products in return for a review. All opinions are our own.