My 2020 Faves
2020 has been a difficult year for us all because of ... you know… *gestures broadly*. But despite these struggles, losses & misfortunes we've managed to get through it together.
For me, a big part of getting through this year relied heavily on self-care & my content creation work- a good mix of keeping busy & relaxing. As an introvert myself with a bunch of chronic illnesses, I’m quite used to staying in which has accidentally prepared me for this kind of global pandemic situation. For me, a combination of work, hobbies, family/friends & self-care is key to staying sane in this kind of environment. It doesn’t matter so much how you do these things- whether it’s working from home, seeing friends/family through video chat/social distancing or over the phone and dedicating time to do things you enjoy such as hobbies and self-care like a relaxing bubble bath. It’s all about adjusting your routine to fit around the pandemic & your tier/lockdown rules while being kind to yourself too.
So, to round up this crappy year I thought I’d share some of my favourite things of 2020 (In no particular order)- these are things that have either made me happy, helped me relax, provided self-care, been helpful or enjoyable in anyway etc. So, let’s get jump right in!
Aviation Gin
(Gifted)
Aviation Gin doesn’t just make an epic gin & tonic- it provides a divergent way of thinking about gin. It aims for gin to be the main focus in cocktails instead of masking it and creates a spirit centred drink that focuses on complimenting the taste not hiding it. I think aviation gin is a perfect spirit for cocktail lovers that actually like to taste their gin while drinking it.
In my opinion, gin isn’t just a drink. It’s an experience. For real gin lovers, you learn to appreciate the flavour profiles in different gins and can identify the prominent notes such as juniper, botanicals and other aromatic spices. What I really notice with Aviation, is that it doesn't rely heavily on juniper to do all the work- it uses an authentic blend of botanicals from around the world to create its original, unmistakable taste.
"I've tried every gin on the planet and Aviation is, hands down, the best. Also, I don't recommend trying every gin on the planet. Stick with this one." – Ryan Reynolds, Owner, Aviation American Gin
Brooklyn Gin
I really liked this gin I received for my birthday, it’s such a great tasting, smooth gin!
I love how passionate the people behind the gin are and how much effort they put into creating this concoction with hand-cracked juniper berries and fresh hand-cut citrus peels. This gin works best in a classic g&t and offers a nice fresh taste. The bottle is lovely too, I really appreciate the attention to detail on the bottle and the heaviness & beauty of the stopper itself.
Enchanted Drinks
(Gifted)
Who doesn’t love a sparkly drink! Enchanted drinks offer so many different glittery drink products like shimmer powders, syrups, gift sets & more!
I really love adding some rose gold, pink, gold or red shimmer to my drinks- particularly the rose gold as I do love that colour! It makes any drink look so pretty, I don’t think I can go back to non- shimmer drinks now! These shimmers work perfectly for me with shoots and insta posts, as they make the drinks look way more interesting and gorgeous by adding some glitz to them.
Helen’s Chcolates
(Gifted)
Founded in 1989, @helens_chocolates prides itself on being a family run business passionate about chocolate. A holiday to the lakes is not complete without a visit to this charming chocolate shop! I myself have many wonderful memories as a child going to Helen's chocolates. The chocolate itself at Helen's chocolates is irresistible. This luxury, rich & moorish milk chocolate is such a treat! You can really see and taste the effort that has gone into creating this handmade chocolate and I love how luxurious & smooth it is too.
DBackDrop
(Gifted)
I really love the quality of this backdrop by DBackdrops! They have so many to choose from online for so many different things! I opted to go with a Christmas backdrop to shoot all of my Christmas content this year and was so happy i did! I also used another backdrop from DBackdrop too and liked how different they both were in colours and how well the quality is in both of them. I really like how many different sizes they offer in their backdrops too as this caters to many people shoots and photographers. Next time I use DBackdrop, I think i’ll get one for portrait shoot specifically as i’d love to experiment more with these backdrops to explore their versatility more in different genres of shoots. Ultimately, these backdrops worked incredibly well for what i needed and I really enjoyed working with them for my christmas content shoots. You can read more about DBack here.
Instant Pot
(Gifted)
Is it possible to in love with a kitchen appliance? Asking for a friend… I’ve been absolutely loving this instant pot and cook basically everything in it now! this is the perfect gift for anyone who is a student, doesn’t cook much or has a busy lifestyle and wants an easy solution to tea time. Such an easy to use product with so many features too! It perfectly cooks food and is such a versatile item. I also love the air fryer option too- although i need more practice with it i think! So far i’ve cooked lots of chicken in it (perfectly BTW), soups, stews, rice & potatoes! I’ve also filmed an ep of my cooking series EmilieCooks with Instant pot and plan on doing two more soon as well.
The Complete Instant Pot Cookbook
And to go along with the Instant pot, of course you need a cookbook filled with inspirational recipes for you to choose from. I opted to use the easy autumn soup as a first time recipe for the instant pot and certainly wasn’t disappointed- it was delicious! This cookbook has such easy step-by-step instructions too!
Emily’s Candles
I absolutely adore all of their scents available - especially snow fairy, rhubarb and custard and bubblegum! I'm definitely a sweet scent kind of girl and love having the house filled with a lovely, sweet-smelling aroma. Another fave of mine is the parma violet one as, like them all, they smelt exactly like parma violets! These melts are of such high quality and even after multiple uses of one melt, the scent is still very prominent. I love how long-lasting they are and that you only need one melt to create the perfect aroma too!
Self-care & Beauty items
Lush cosmetics is always my go-to for self-care & relaxation, especially during this stressful time! Some of my all-time faves are the comforter bubble bar, sleepy bubble bar, twilight bath bomb, don’t look at me face mask, beauty sleep face mask, Sleepy lotion deep sleep, Marshmallow world & Goddess. As well as their holiday ranges including Halloween & Christmas: Monster ball, pumpkin bath bomb, candy cane bubble bar, snow fairy bath bomb & Kinky boots. Lush just knows how to do bath time! All of their products feel lovely on your skin and leave you feeling silky soft! (Gifted)
It’s taken me a while to find a moisturiser that works for my skin but finally, I’ve landed on Nivea Soft. It leaves my skin feeling so soft and nourished without it feel oily.
Sleek makeup had been one of my faves for a while now, particularly their eyeshadow pallets. They have some fabulous colours, pigment & its very long-lasting too as well as being affordable.
Sario make up remover pads have been a life changer! I seriously love these as they are eco friendly & reusable and actually do a decent job of helping remove make up with only using a little make up remover on the cotton pad.
MS.DEAR 10 Colour Glitter Eyeliner- These are my FAVEEEEE make up item yet! I looove how well they work as eyeliner, they are so long-lasting and look amazing! There’s so many nice glittery colours too and its surprisingly good quality too. Perfect for parties, glam looks and getting that insta-worthy glitter winged eyeliner!
Ulitmate blends hair masks Literally any of these masks are amazing! My personal fave os the Coconut Milk & Macademia Treatment as it smells amazing, feels great, makes my hair soft, shiny and feel fabulous! Plus its a little act of self care to do a hair mask!
Speaking of hair, I also love using Aussie products, especially the aussie 3 min miracle! It makes my hair feel its best and feels so nourishing by deep conditioning it. Plus it smells incredible!
And last but not least, Derma V10 Hydrating Woven Face Masks. These face masks are so refreshing, rejuvenating and one of my all-time fave self-care items! I love how soft and moisturising it makes my skin feel and the fresh, relaxed feeling it leaves behind.
