We’re midway through the Summer hiatus month of August, which seems a good a time as any for another ‘Fab Finds’ haul post.
It seems as if everyone has been away this month – myself included! – and I do love the feeling that everyone is living just that little bit slower, taking some time away from the stresses of work, and devoting attention to a ‘relax and recharge’ mantra..
Franklin & Sons Tonic Water
When the days are long and hot I find nothing more refreshing than a tall chilled glass of sparkling tonic water. Yep, you heard that right. As much as I do love my tonic with a good dash o’ gin, I’m also one of those strange people who hugely enjoys the taste of tonic on it’s own. My favourite beverage discovery of the summer has been Franklin & Sons’ range of tonic waters, made from Staffordshire water, the finest British sugar and the highest carbonation possible, to best lift the botanicals in your chosen gin accompaniment. My tonic of choice is their Sicilian Lemon; highly quaffable on its own but also a perfect foil for Sipsmith sloe gin, turning a winter classic into a sublime summer serving.
The Urban Botanist
It can’t possibly have escaped your attention that houseplants are all the range right now, and I’ve been lusting after a little terrarium to add to my burgeoning collection for a while. enter The Urban Botanist, who recently got in touch to introduce me to their range, which are handily available in three different options: fully assembled, DIY and create your own. I love the geometric designs of their Aztec range, inspired by evidence that some of the first terrariums originated from Mexican and Mayan cultures, and opted for the sleek black Aztec Jewel** (also available in copper). My little succulent seems to be right at home and thriving in its beautiful glass surround and was thankfully a total breeze to plant up, with everything you need handily supplied in the box!
Kiehl’s Butterstick
My go-to beauty brand is always Kiehls, and I spotted this new Butterstick lip treatment* by the till when I was last in store, stocking up on skincare essentials before my holiday. Made with coconut oil and available in both clear and tinted versions, the balm also includes spf25 and quickly became my daily essential on our sunny Mallorca trip last week. It’s a really nice creamy texture, glides on easily and generally stays put for hours. Even after spending all day in the sun I found my lips still felt hydrated, and I usually suffer from dry lips on holiday. I opted for the Naturally Nude version, which is a soft pinky hue, but am also now eyeing the Touch of Berry to add a more vibrant flash of colour now that I’m a tad more tan..
Nuori Vital hand cream
Speaking of vital holiday skincare, I find that one of my worse summer vacation afflictions (aside from dreaded mozzie bites which I somehow miraculously escaped last week!) is dry hands, or more specifically, cracked skins around my fingernails. As a water baby I spend a lot of my holiday time in the pool or the sea, and the excess of saltwater really plays havoc with my skin, especially around my cuticles. Thankfully though, Nuori Vital handcream** has proved a bit of a lifesaver this time around. Formulated with botanical squalane, shea butter, grape seed and almond oils, I found myself slapping this onto my hands nightly to help restore moisture and minimise the dreaded scaly fingers effect!
Flor de sal d’es trenc
One of the highlights of our Mallorcan adventure last week has to be the trip we took out through the salt marshes near where we were staying in Ses Salines, to both the beautiful sandy beach at Es Trenc and nearby Flor de Sal shop, selling salt extracted from salt pans fed by the clear waters of the beach and evaporated by the summer sun. These prized crystals are sold in their natural form but also are uniquely combined with other natural blends of spices, aromatics and fruits to create an original Balearic product, and a perfect souvenir! We added flakes of natural salt to sweet crisp tomatoes we bought locally to enjoy on the terrace at our Finca, and also sprinkled liberally over freshly baked bread dipped in olive oil.. mm, delicious.
Some items in this post have been gifted and are denoted by a double asterisk (**). All photography © Kate Baxter.
3 Responses
So many lovely things, the terrarium is so cute and I love anything by Nuori. I need to try that tonic! Really beautiful new profile pic too xxx
Definitely on board with the recharge mantra! Needed it this year more than ever. That shade of butterstick is gorgeous hun. Love this roundup x
I need to find more house plants for my home, I only have 1 little succulent!