Small Business: Stocking Filler Gift Guide

2020 - what a year it's been.

We've baked, we've binge-watched, we've 60-day challenged, we've decluttered our cupboards...as best we can. And now we wait, wanting to end the year never having to look at banana bread again.

Since this year has been a total shocker, its no wonder everyone is feeling extra for Christmas. I decided this year, I wanted to buy most of my Christmas gifts from small businesses in the UK - just to help support them where I can. I have come across some amazing gifts that make the perfect stocking fillers, which I just had to share with you!

So without further ado, here is my small business stocking fillers gift guide, that will help support independent businesses in the UK. 

Grab your cups of tea (+maybe a pen/notepad) and enjoy!

How to Get in the Festive Spirit Despite Covid

I don't know about anybody else, but I am finding it quite difficult to get into that festive mode given everything that is going on in the world. Anyone who knows me well knows I love all things Halloween and Christmas, so for me to not feel festive is when you know something is up.

Covid won't stop me being festive, I refuse. So over the past month, I've been subtly trying to incorporate bits of festivity into my life to help boost my mood and get me feeling all cosy and excited vibes for the next couple of months.

I decided to share some of the bits I've done to help get me in the festive spirit in the hope it'll inspire others who are also struggling to feel festive, to ditch that bah humbug mood.

My First Impressions: UpCircle Beauty

Self-care is so important, especially now given the current situation going on in the world. Which is why today I wanted to share with you a skin and body care range that I have been incorporating into my self-care routine over the past couple of months.

UpCircle Beauty is a natural skin and body care range that elevates leftover natural ingredients, bringing them back to life as beauty products for your skin. Using coffee grounds, brewed chai spices and discarded fruit stones that often end up in landfills. All of their products are vegan, cruelty-free, organic and natural. You can read more about their story here which is quite interesting if you like to know what's going onto your skin.

I was kindly sent a few of these products to try, but since then I have purchased the face and body coffee scrubs myself and decided to give you my first impressions of how I got on with them all.

Grab your cups of tea and enjoy!

The Ordinary and Not-so Ordinary Skincare

If you're even remotely into skincare you would have heard of the brand The Ordinary by now! 

They're well recognised for being super affordable and effective products.

If you've read my posts for a while, you will know how much I have loved this brand over the years. Like Christ, I'm even in a Facebook fan group with other skincare fanatics where everyone shares their reviews and recommendations - I think that says it all.

Over the years, The Ordinary has really helped improve my skin and taught me so much about the world of skin/beauty that I didn't even realise I needed to know. I first started to trial the brand back in 2017 and still to this day, I religiously incorporate their products into my skincare routine.

I thought I'd share my thoughts on all the products I currently use/own from The Ordinary and how they have/haven't helped with the appearance of my skin over the years.

My First Impressions: Typology Skincare

Who'd have thought the lack of makeup or fresh air during lockdown would change my skin for the better? Not me that's for sure!

Whilst quarantining, I have really taken the time to concentrate on my skin and try out some new products which have benefitted my skin massively. Over the past couple of months, I have been playing around with some new skincare bits from a Parisian brand called: Typology. Therefore I thought it's been a minute, why not share my first initial impressions of the brand.