Bloom Tea and GlossyBox

Bloom Tea

REGULAR readers will know I usually only review and recommend natural and organic skincare and beauty. Occasionally, however, I’m introduced to gorgeous products which make me gush and go all weak-kneed. Hey, what can I say? I, too, have my moments when it comes to all that glisters.

Anyway, I was recently introduced to a new, award-winning luxury tea company called Bloom. Its founder, Craig Coulton (not the one off X Factor), has devised a daily Five-Step Tea Treatment Plan consisting of five teas to be enjoyed throughout the day.

The Five-Step plan cleverly orders the teas by their caffeine strength, which progressively decreases from breakfast to lunch (black > green > white teas), spiking for afternoon fatigue (black tea), before rounding off the day with a caffeine-free evening tea (Rooibos).

Bloom Tea

So, their Reawakening Breakfast Tea (Step One) is all about helping kick-start your day, waking you up. Step Two (Fragrant Green Tea), has been blended to de-stress and relieve muscle tension. Step Three, their Soothing White Tea, is said to help aid digestion with stomach cleansing ingredients – perfect for after lunch. Step Four – Energising Earl Grey Tea – aims to restore concentration and energy levels (perfect for a late afternoon pep me up). Finally, Step Five, their Caffeine-Free Rooibos Tea, is all about helping you unwind and relax at the end of the day.

Ever the thorough and investigative reviewer I am, I took these teas away with me on a recent trip to try for myself. Although I was aware Bloom recently won at the Great Taste Awards, I didn’t know exactly which teas had won which awards. So I wasn’t remotely surprised to discover my particular favourites had all won gold, with their utterly delicious Caffeine-Free Rooibos and Fragrant Green Tea scooping a Gold one star, and their Soothing White Tea a Gold two star. Sucker, here, also liked their luxuriously packaged, natty-looking teabags. Oh, and the fact they use only the finest ingredients.

Bloom – perfect for tea-loving connoisseurs. 

Bloom Teas: Reawakening Breakfast Tea Treatment; Fragrant Green Tea Treatment; Soothing White Tea Treatment; Energizing Earl Grey Tea Treatment; Naturally Caffeine-Free Rooibos Tea Treatment.

Available to buy in individual 100g loose tea resealable pouches at £10 each; boxes of ten tea bags at £3.80 each; five-box set to include all five treatment teas at £18.

Available at www.beautyworkswest.com and from Harvey Nichols, London. 

GlossyBox

‘FEEL like a beauty editor in the luxury of your own home’, they say.

What, a bathroom and bedroom filled with half-full, half-tested products, I thought? (I can’t help being sceptical – it’s my job.) Until, that is, my postman handed me my beautifully-packaged, glamorous looking GlossyBox.

When I opened it I started cooing to myself. Then I cooed about it to my neighbour while we were out running. Back home, I showed it to her. “And all for just £10 a month!” I garbled on as giddy as a kipper.

She took one look at it and subscribed the same day. A few days later, I received an excited text from her saying she’d just taken delivery of her first GlossyBox at work. “They’re so sweet!” she said. “It’s all so polished, too. The colours and texture make it seem almost... creamy.”

“I’m so quoting you in my article,” I replied.

GlossyBox

After all, how often do we see products, want to buy them, but aren’t sure if we want to spend the full retail value straight off? I, for one, have a low tolerance for sales pitches and I’ve made quite enough costly mistakes on disappointing purchases in my time... which is where GlossyBox steps in.

GlossyBox sends out a monthly surprise box, which contains five luxurious beauty miniatures in a gorgeously presented (and I mean, gorgeously presented) box and all for just £10 plus post and packaging. Working with well-known, established brands, as well as helping launch new ones, GlossyBox have so far included the following in their boxes: Nars’ Orgasm illuminator; Margaret Dabs’ intensive hydrating foot lotion; Ciate nail enamel; Illamasqua sheer lip gloss; Daniel Sandler mascara; Murad blemish cleanser; Plum fragrance by Mary Greenwell as well as big names such as L’Oreal Professionnel’s Mythic oil.

GlossyBox makes a lovely little gift at an affordable cost of just £10 (plus P+P). The great thing is, you can buy a one-off subscription for special occasions or keep going all year round. If you’re interested in receiving five high-end, niche beauty products each month, just visit www.glossybox.co.uk and subscribe today.