The June 2019 Degustabox

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Somewhere between the haze of getting home from our holiday and going back to work, the June 2019 Degustabox* arrived.
This box genuinely excited me; there were products in there I’d heard of and wanted to try, as well as some new but interesting looking ones and I wasted no time in getting stuck in.

The brightly packaged “Mavericks” snacks are marketed as healthier snack for kids. There are no kids in this house, but I’m always on the lookout for healthy snack options and these fitted the bill nicely. The little strawberry cookies were especially good- fruity little biscuits that reminded me of shortbread. Yum! You’ll find these sold at Sainsburys.
Bob has slightly more mature tastebuds than I do and he enjoyed the SavourSmiths Rosemary and Truffle crisps- a very luxurious snacking experience.
There was also a mystery product in the box “lentil, corn, pea and black bean tortillas”. I have no idea who makes these but they need to become mainstream. These are right up my street and totally addictive.

Whilst I don’t have any dietary restrictions myself, it’s nice to see the free-from market expand as much as it had. The Free From Kitchen Co chocolate bars are perfect for all sorts of allergies and intolerances, the salted caramel one is excellent- and I’m not usually a fan of that flavour.

I’m a long time fan of Trek products so I’m always delighted to see something new from them. The dark chocolate and sea salt protein nut bars are a wholesome and substantial snack boasting 10g of plant-based protein, less than 5g of sugar and a hefty whack of fibre. I highly recommend these if you are looking for a filling but nutritious snack on the go.

Sweets! Randoms are a long time favourite in this house (although I haven’t forgiven the brand for discontinuing tooty frooties!) There’s not much I can say about these that hasn’t been said before- delicious! There were also a couple of gummies from Smith & Sinclair- gin & tonic and mandarin fizz. These are a massive luxury at £15.00 for 8 but contain 8% alcohol and are really rather yummy (but eat five and you’re no longer legal to drive).
Another brand I am a big fan of is Garbanzo. I’ve been munching their flavoured roasted chickpeas for years so was beyond excited to see some new, luxury flavours in their range. These sharing bags are perfect for social gatherings as an alternative to nuts, and each flavour is equally delicious as well as incredibly healthy.
The June box had a BBQ theme and these products were the perfect match. We actually took them to a BBQ the weekend after the box arrived and both the salad dressing from Newman’s Own and the Chilli Mayonnaise (flavoured with Tabasco) went down a storm.

I was only brave enough to try one of the three drinks in this month’s box and that was the Watermelon and Strawberry Cooler from Lucozade. This is a fresh summery twist from a classic brand, and whilst I’m not a fan of sugary drinks as a rule, this was nice.
The other drinks included were DRGN Tumeric Superdrink inspired by the Far East, and Kolibri Botanical Drink which has a curious two part design. Both of these were far too sophisticated for my tastes- if anyone has tried them I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Let me know if you’ve tried any of these products and what you thought in the comments.


If you’re new to Degustabox, it’s a monthly food subscription box that gives you the chance to try new and exciting products on the market whilst providing amazing value for money.
On a month by month basis the box costs £12.99 (with a discount for longer subscriptions) but the contents are generally worth far more than this as you can see if you do the maths.


If you’re persuaded to give Degustabox a go (and really, you should) you can claim a brilliant £5.00 off of your first box (making it just £7.99!) by entering the code 6HZJ8 at the checkout. It’s been a pleasure to work with the brand regularly over the last couple of years and it’s without a doubt something that I will continue to purchase long after our partnership ends. I love the monthly surprise and excitement as well as the chance to discover products I’d otherwise pass up on the supermarket shelves.

Raising My Sparkle Game with Abelini

[post contains gifted item]

You all know how much I love my jewellery so when a company called Abelini got in touch asking if I wanted to review a piece from their huge collection, I was of course interested.
Actually this is my second time working with the brand recently, the first being over on my instagram

Heart Shaped Halo Diamond Pendant*

Abelini is a British brand with a heart. They only use ethically sourced diamonds to create beautiful pieces that are delivered to your door; or you can visit them in their showroom in Hatton Garden, London.

I picked out this beautiful pendant from their huge selection of necklaces. It’s such a pretty, and sophisticated piece and perfect for the number of special occasions I’ve got this summer; weddings, engagement celebrations etc.

It’s also just about subtle enough to add sparkle to an every day outfit, and I’ve found myself wearing it an awful lot already.

As I mentioned at the start of this post, this has been my second experience working with the brand and I have been nothing but impressed. Both items I’ve received have been securely packed in a sleek black box, and immaculately presented. It’s obvious to me when a brand cares about what they do, and clearly Abelini do.

They sell everything from engagement rings to diamond studs, all in a variety of metals and finishes. If you’re in the market for some sparkle I recommend checking them out.

Even the notoriously diva like Mae approves! And no, I haven’t moved back to Mum and Dad’s, Bob and I are happily residing together and getting excited by wedding planning. I was however cat sitting and made full use of the plentiful props and excellent lighting that their house provides.