There’s no escaping it, the ‘C’ word is right around the corner and as I say every year, I’m determined to be organised in my preparation. Luckily I don’t have too many to buy gifts for but it can still be difficult to find inspiration – my brother and Pete are right up there as people I never know what to buy.
Luckily for me though, my little corner of the online world means I come across some really wonderful small businesses and brands and I’ll be sharing a few of them in the run up to the big day and hopefully you may be inspired to shop from an independent this year. Where there are any gifted items it will as always be totally disclosed.
To kick us off, I want to share the wonderful Join, who handmake luxury, award-winning botanical home fragrance and bath and body products. I first came across Join via my friend Antonia who runs a gorgeous lifestyle boutique up in north London and stocks the beautiful Join products. Think candles, soaps, diffusers, room mists and bath salts, all made in small batches right here in the UK.
Founded in 2017 by Jen, Join is now an award-winning independent business having been granted an eco choice award for excellence in design and sustainability at New York Now. All of the Join products created using only natural, organic, plant based ingredients, free from SLS, parabens, sulphates, synthetic fragrances and colours, cruelty free and vegan, aromatherapy blends of organic essential oils with outstanding therapeutic benefits and handcrafted in small batches in the UK by us. Quite an impressive list wouldn’t you say? I’m in utter awe of Jen’s dedication to address every issue of the manufacturing process from start to finish with her small business – it’s not easy and having myself run an online business selling organic and ethically sourced products, it definitely comes at a premium, too.
I’m also super excited to share that they have a brand new candle out for Christmas, titled ‘Noel’. Here’s what Join have to say about their latest addition:
Our exclusive aromatherapy blend is created using organic orange, cinnamon leaf and clove essential oils to create a luxury festive scent for your home during advent and on Christmas Day.
This non-gmo soy wax candle comes with a recyclable aluminium lid, so can travel with you and your family to whichever Christmas table you plan to style up!
I snapped one up because I can’t resist a festive candle AND for any purchases of Noel between 1st November and 20th December, Join are donating 10% to the Donkey Sanctuary which just makes me love them even more – I’m such a massive donkey fan, who doesn’t adore the underdog? I haven’t started burning it yet but the fragrance smells heavenly.
There was also a lovely unexpected treat in my package in the form of some ‘Nurture’ ecological bath salts and an eco-friendly surface cleaning spray – I love that all of the products come in amber glass jars and bottles which not only look lovely but mean I can take them to the local refill store and keep on reusing them.
Everyone deserves a pamper and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love either lovely products for their home or heavenly treats for themselves so I’d say Join are definitely my go-to for stylish, eco-friendly, beautiful smelling gifts this Christmas.
Disclaimer: I purchased a full price Noel candle, and Join very kindly sent me a couple of extra gifts. I’m under no obligation to promote at all but just really love them as a small business and hope you may too.
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