8 Small Businesses We Love
FOR RESULTS-DRIVEN SKINCARE: Luneia
A curated edit of highly effective products, each of Luneia’s formulas is designed to target specific skincare needs. Driven by science, and with clinically-proven active ingredients, the brand pays as much attention to what it leaves out as to what it puts in – meaning the products in the range are guaranteed to deliver a skincare regime entirely personal to you. Right now, the brand’s hero product is its Radiance Ritual mask, although the bundle packages come complete with a silk eye mask, muslin cloth and organic chocolate, perfect for an at-home pamper session.
Visit Luneia.com
FOR DIALLING UP YOUR DRINKS: The Pickle House
Having first been introduced to the idea of drinking pickle juice while in New York, Florence Cherrault returned to London to set about creating a recipe specifically made for cocktails and smoothies. After many months, The Pickle House Original Pickle Juice was born and the rest, as they say, is history. With bartenders quickly getting on board – everyone agreed it was the perfect addition to a Bloody Mary –so came The Pickle House Spiced Tomato Mix and the brand’s own recipe book, Pickle Juice, containing more than 50 easy-to-learn and exciting cocktails and health drinks.
Visit ThePickleHouse.com
FOR PICNICS IN THE PARK: Partner In Wine
On her way to have a socially distanced drink with a friend, inspiration struck Partner In Wine founder Lucy Hitchcock. Having popped a bottle of rosé in the basket of her bike, by the time she got there, it was no longer cold. Cue Partner In Wine’s reusable tumblers and bottles, which are specifically designed to keep beverages cold in the heat – making them the perfect summer accessory. Everything is easily transportable, BPA free and leak-proof, with every vessel able to fit an entire bottle of wine to ensure the drinks never run dry. Genius.
Visit PartnerInWine.co.uk
FOR QUICK & EASY MEALS: ByRuby
However much of a foodie you are, sometimes you just don’t feel like cooking from scratch. Yet you’d still like to eat seriously good, nutritious food – which is where ByRuby comes in. Set up by co-founders Ruby and Milly, the brand whips up and delivers nutritionally dense ready meals straight to your door, so you can fill your fridge with balanced meals for the week ahead. Everything is made using top quality ingredients from British suppliers (where possible), with all meals delivered as frozen to ensure nutrients remain locked in for longer. Pick from options including a classic fish pie; free-range coconut chicken curry; or woodland mushroom risotto.
Visit ByRuby.co.uk
FOR LUXURY HOME FRAGRANCES: Sunday Of London
Whether you prefer candles, diffusers or even room sprays or mists, there’s something to suit everyone at luxe fragrance house Sunday Of London. Handcrafted in a Hackney Wick workshop and formulated using natural oils and solely plant-based ingredients, everything is free from synthetic perfumes and paraffin – plus, all the candles are cruelty free, vegan, and come housed in apothecary jars produced in the UK with pure cotton wicks. If you’re not sure what to go for, the Rooftop Garden and Momento Mori scents come highly recommended.
Visit SundayOfLondon.com
FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS: Pique Food
With most of our socialising still happening outside – weather permitting – the handmade picnic baskets put together by cutting-edge caterers Pique Food are well worth the investment. Whether you’re looking to assemble something for a birthday or breakfast in bed, you’re bound to find a Pique hamper to suit the occasion. Just bear in mind that deliveries require at least 48-hours’ notice if you’re ordering online, with hampers delivered within a one-hour timeslot of your choice.
Visit PiqueFood.co.uk
FOR WINE ENTHUSIASTS: Lucy’s Wine
If you struggle to find new and interesting wines, then Lucy’s Wine might be the solution. Each month, Lucy handpicks a range of organic, natural and sustainable wines to create a selection box, which will be delivered to your doorstep. Better still, she is always on hand to answer any questions and regularly posts tasting information on the brand’s Instagram, relative to each month’s boxes. Plus, it doesn’t work like a normal subscription, so there are no ties for those fearful of making too large a financial commitment, and every delivery is carbon neutral, with £1 from every box donated to Trees For Cities.
Visit Lucys-Wine.com
FOR PEAK WELLNESS: A Complexion Company
Born in Johannesburg and raised in Zimbabwe, founder of A Complexion Company, Nomshado, grew up with her grandmother, as observed in traditional Zulu customs. Under her tutelage, she was taught a love for the land, her history and the medicinal secrets of her ancestral ethnobotany. After emigrating to the UK to pursue her studies, she went on to launch a wellness brand to take traditional African medicine into the mainstream, celebrating and supporting women of African heritage, just like her. The brand’s Organic African Wellness Superpowder is well worth checking out. Designed to help maintain energy levels, improve focus, alleviate PMS symptoms and boost the appearance of skin, hair and nails, it’s a total all-rounder – plus, it’s raw, vegan and gluten free.
Visit AComplexionCompany.com
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