If you've been around here before and follow me over on Instagram you will know that I love a scented candle and natural skincare. In this beauty and well being gift guide, I share some lovely small businesses to support this Christmas if you are looking for a beauty and wellness gift.
Wellness to me includes anything that makes us feel good so this guide includes products to help us relax, yoga mats and mindset products.
Tag me over on Instagram, @small_business_collaborative, if you decide to pick up anything from any of these wonderful small businesses.
Little bit different
Little bit different creates hand-poured candles using vegan soy wax and oils to create beautifully fragranced candles with gorgeous high-quality labelling that stands out from the crowd. The range includes Welsh language labelling and a range of very popular man candles which are fragranced with men in mind but are popular with everyone.
The business is family-run, Victoria creates the candles, her husband runs the IT and design side, her mum does the packaging and her daughter works on social media.
What I love: That Victoria caters to the Welsh market and the rest of the UK. Catering to different languages is a great way to appeal to a wider market.
Fun fact: I created a batch of candles for my wedding in 2009 because I couldn't find any I liked. They were so popular with guests that a year later I began selling them at local markets. They can now be found in 60 stockists in Wales.
Price range: £12-33
Shop: littlebitdifferent.co.uk
Follow: @littlebitdifferentcandles
Lucky Cloud Skincare
Lucky Cloud is a high performing, natural and plant-based skincare range that helps you not only lose the frustration but gets you loving the skin you’re in.
Fresh and kind to the planet skincare, handmade in Scotland.
Products are crafted using luxurious plant-based ingredients to nourish and feed your skin. Spreading happiness and well-being through the use of effective skincare that doesn't cost the earth
Made in the UK // Handmade // Hand-Poured // Vegan Friendly // Small Batch
What I love: Everything Lucy creates looks thoughtful and high quality and over the last couple of years I've been working on swapping out mass-produced skincare products for more natural alternatives and this definitely fits the bill.
Fun fact: As the founder, maker and owner of Lucky Cloud I have first-hand knowledge of what it’s like to have sensitive and painful eczema-prone skin that makes you want to curl up into a ball and hide; I was sick and tired of wasting money, energy and tears on mass-produced products that not only didn’t help heal my skin but sometimes made things worse. So I did something about it.
Price range: £4.50-25
Follow: @lucky.cloud
Slow Moon
Slow Moon created organic cotton eye pillows to promote self-care. It's something more and more people are embracing these days and Priscilla got the perfect product that will help the eco-conscious gift buyer to enable their loved ones to relax.
Handmade, organic cotton eye pillows that have a removable, washable cover. They are available in four unique patterns. The eye pillows are printed using azo-free dyes in the UK. All the fabric used is GOTS certified organic cotton supplied by UK suppliers. The eye pillow can be used heated or cooled because they are filled with British wheat and linseed grains. All packaging is printed in the UK on recycled card using eco-friendly toner.
What I love: The designs of Priscilla's eye pillows are instantly recognisable, there's a lovely balance between bright and colourful and calm. It's great that these are re-usable and kind to the environment.
Fun fact: I first started using an eye pillow during my pregnancy. It really helped me to relax and so I wanted to share this product with everyone. And because I am a pattern designer I wanted to design them bright, bold and colourful.
Price range: £20
Follow: @slowmoon_design
Kati Kaia
Artistry Eco Yoga Mats to Inspire you to practice!
All the artworks are hand-painted originals, painted in my artist studio in the Surrey Hills, surrounded by nature my biggest inspiration, to immerse your senses in colour!
“Colour is the key to subconscious”
Colour can release resentment, fear, anger, frustration, self-pity, depression and the past – encouraging us to take back our power and acknowledge our wisdom. This is one of the main reasons art, colour and yoga create such a wonderful combination. As yoga works the body and challenges the mind, colour stimulates the person's energy.
What I love: Over lockdown, I invested in Kati's Thalassa Yoga mat, I love the blue tones and how high quality this mat is. It's also wider than a lot of yoga mats out there which is great for me as I'm not a small person.
Fun fact: I have always loved the Rothko room at The Tate Modern, as a student, I used to sit in front of those large, abstract paintings and feel the profound emotional effect, which was so simple - yet totally mesmerising! The calming effect colour can have on the soul and the beholder I have been experimenting with for quite some time!
Price range: £80-95
Follow: @katikaia
Nura Skincare
Natural & Organic Skincare, Bath & Body Spa, Pure Soy wax "Wellness" Candles and Shea Butter Botanical Soaps, hand-made in Devon.
For Christmas, all the gift sets will be gift wrapped / gift boxed with ribbon and accompanying Christmas tag.
What I love: I use Julia's Renewal Night Oil Complex and love it. t's creamy and melts onto the skin.
Fun fact: I make all the products by hand! I love making skincare since I was 10 when I was given a soap making kit! My business has just turned 5! It has been an incredible journey.
Price range: £15-75
Follow: @nura_skincare_
Apothecary Essence
Handmade aromatherapy home fragrances including candles, melts and mists. All made in the UK by hand using pure and natural ingredients that are eco-friendly and sustainable.
What I love: I believe I met Gemini at Top Drawer last year, feels like ages ago now. I love that her candles have a wooden wick which crackles beautifully when you burn it.
Fun fact: Made with pure essential oils, each scent has been created with your wellness in mind as well as fragrancing your space beautifully.
Price range: £7-25
Follow: @apothecary.essence
The Moodclub
The Mood Club inspires people to embrace positive habits and improve their wellbeing. Our Mood Cards contain activities to encourage growth, self-reflection and positivity, so you can make the most out of every situation and face daily challenges with a positive mindset!
To make sure our products are not only good for your wellbeing, but also for the environment, we only print on FSC paper and use plastic-free packaging, and produce and source each component in the UK, from carbon neutral providers.
What I love: We know that our mindset and working on it is important but it's sometimes easier said than done. Frederica's cards are like a daily exercise but for the mind. Particularly important this year when we've had so many challenges come our way.
Fun fact: We have been shortlisted as Female Startup of the Year earlier this year!
Price range: £12.50-23
Shop: https://themoodclub.com/
Follow: @the.mood.club
Juste Nature
Juste Nature creates beautiful preservatives and cruelty-free natural and organic skincare using sustainably sourced and natural ingredients.
Handmade with love in small batches in London.
Our aim is to reduce single-use plastic and harmful chemicals inherent to daily skincare products.
We care for the legacy we leave behind and how we can have a positive impact on our environment by buying responsibly as well as ethically.
What I love: I looked for a natural deodorant for a long time and I've tried many, I really like Stina's one and I also have her balm and lip balm. All are really lovely and would make a great Christmas present. Stina offers gift wrapping so everything can be delivered straight to your friend or family member.
Fun fact: My mission is to share my clean and natural skincare with you. It is very important to me and my family to cut down on the amount of harsh chemicals we use on our skin, around the house and in our very own food. Even more so now when our body is trying to fight off virulent viruses.
All the ingredients have been added for their natural healing and protective properties for normal to sensitive skin.
My skincare range is inspired by my native island, Mauritius, and it's beautiful natural exotic flora and array of colours.
In short, it is no-nonsense skincare that can be used on a daily basis by the whole family."
Price range: £4.50-39.50
Follow: @juste_nature_skincare
Izabela Nair
Izabela Nair is a Confidence and Visibility Mentor committed to helping women get confident and visible so they can make a huge impact while being unapologetically themselves. She is the creator of the Confident You Cards, a new tool you can use on days when you need a little boost of confidence and positivity to show up for your dreams.
The cards feature quotes and prompts to support you and to help you transform your thoughts. If things are a little tricky and you are overwhelmed, carve a moment out of your day and pick a card from the deck that was designed with love to make you feel unstoppable and on fire.
The cards have been designed by Izabela and printed in the UK on 350gsm paper.
What I love: We all experience low confidence sometimes and it can be hard to show up for ourselves and be our own champion. Izabela's confidence cards are designed to help you when things feel overwhelming and would make an excellent gift for a friend or family member this Christmas.
Fun fact: Izabela is deeply passionate about self-love, confidence and entrepreneurship. As an introvert, she knows first-hand how difficult it is to overcome insecurities to step out of your comfort zone and do what you love without worrying what other people think of you.
Price range: £18.99
Shop: https://izabelanair.com/
I would love to hear if you enjoyed having a look through this guide and what small businesses you will support this Christmas. Tag me over on Instagram, @small_business_collaborative, if you decide to pick up anything from any of these wonderful small businesses.