hello october.

So it's been almost a month since my last post with Boots UK where I announced I would be taking part in their Everyday Thoughtfulness Challenge, which focuses on thoughtful gifting all year round. Five gifts were lovingly chosen and shared with my five giftees and I have to say it was very successful and the challenge really helped me to put more thought in to my gift, and to be more selective in the purchasing process. I thought more about what my family were mentioning they loved, or what my friends were asking for recommendations for, and made little notes in secret! Not only did I manage to pick out thoughtful gifts for each loved one, which didn't just involve buying something I would like, but I also did it without the "one for you, one for me" rule, too! Needless to say, everyone loved their gifts from Boots and loved the personal messages on their gift tags too! It felt so nice to share a little joy and excitement, especially for those that might be having a tough or stressful time, or who simply deserve a little treat for being such a gem all the time!

The first gift was for my wonderful Mum, because she's always there for me, always my number one fan, and always letting me raid her fridge. She loves her fragrances just as much as I do (no surprise as to where my love for it comes from is it really?) so I always like to try and find her something new that I think she'll love and this Lancôme fragrance fit the bill perfectly and went down a treat! The next gift was for my friend Stevie, who I've known for over ten years now and still love to bits. Last August she gave birth to a gorgeous baby girl and has mentioned a few times that her cleansing routine has been a bit non existent through lack of time. After casually quizzing her about her cleanser preferences I picked up the Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel which is perfect for when you're super busy raising your gorgeous tiny human and you need a new no fuss cleanser. Flannels not required because I know she hates them.

Then we had Fathers Day, where I decided to surprise my Dad with more than a card and a bottle of something this year. He loves Jean Paul Gautier and this superman inspired bottle was absolutely perfect for him, because he's my hero of course (and his DIY skills will come in handy now we've moved)! My next gift was for my friend Molly, who's always there to help me, always puts up with my long phone calls and puts up with my sarcastic remarks and really deserves a real treat! I picked out this Viktor & Rolf gift set for her as she is just Flowerbomb in a bottle! Her reaction was totally priceless, and left her with the biggest smile on her face (extra smiley considering she's always a bundle of joy anyway!) and made her feel so special and appreciated (her words not mine)!The final gift was for my friend Tasi, and I picked this one because she loves her skincare just as much as (if not more than) I do. Working at a skin clinic has given her an encyclopaedic knowledge to the point where she teaches me new things all the time, so I thought it would be fitting to introduce her to one of my all time favourite skincare brands, Origins. I picked out a few items from the Ginzing range which I know she will really enjoy!