Despite the fact that I should have reigned in my spending by now in readiness for the upcoming Christmas frenzy, I still managed to amass enough buys for a Healthy Haul post this month. In my defence two of the purchases actually saved me money (or will save me money in the future at any rate). I’ve found a new favourite moisturiser that is significantly cheaper than my old favourite moisturiser, but for exactly the same amount of product. And, over time, my new water bottle, that filters my H20 as I drink, will save me a fortune on buying bottled water. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it, ‘k?!

Discover Your Nutritional Style by Holli Thompson, Amazon, £22

I’m a regular reader of health and nutrition coach Holli Thompson’s blog so when I heard she had a book coming out I pre-ordered it immediately. In the book Holli explains that most of us fit into one of three eating styles – healthy omnivore, flexible vegetarian and modern vegan – however our own ideal nutritional path is unique to each of us and will change seasonally and possibly even throughout our lifetime. In other words the latest buzz-worthy eating style might not work for you. It’s an easy to read book, with chapters covering finding your nutritional style, the foods that are bad for all of us, how to reset your system with a healthy cleanse and a season-by-season guide on what to eat, how to care for your body and seasonal survival tips, plus a chapter of recipes. Inspiring and crammed with information I can see myself consulting this book over and over again.
You can buy it here

Bobble Water Bottle, £9.99, John Lewis

As hard as I try, it’s a rare day when I drink the requisite amount of water as recommended by health professionals. To be honest I’m not even sure what the requisite amount is. But I do know that when I’m hydrated my skin looks (much) better and I feel (way) more energised. In order to try and drink more water I’ve been carrying a bottle of Evian around with me at all times but I was alarmed at the mountain of plastic bottles I was getting through. I’d spotted a couple of people in my yoga class with Bobble bottles, liked the simple, modern design and finally invested a couple of weeks ago. You simply fill the bottle with water and it’s filtered as you drink. Easy. The filter lasts for around 300 refills and you can buy replacements.
You can buy one here

Rosewater Toning Spritz, £3.33, Boots Botanics

A facial spritz might seem like one of those products that you don’t really need but I love how this 100% organic rosewater spritz from the Boots Botanics range instantly refreshes and moisturizes my skin and somehow both calms and revitalizes my mind. The product directions suggest spritzing it on after cleansing to tighten pores, remove the last traces of old make-up and prep skin for moisturising, but I like spritzing it on mid-afternoon for a post-lunch-slump pick-me-up. Even better it’s currently on offer – it’s yours for just £3.33 on boots.com
You can buy it here

Avocado & Jojoba Hydrating Day Cream, £30, Pai

Over the past few months as I’ve been trying natural alternatives to my regular beauty products, I’ve read lots of good things about Pai, an organic skin care range made in London which was founded in 2007 by wine company PR turned beauty entrepreneur Sarah Brown. In one of those necessity being the mother of invention type stories, Sarah was inspired to create natural skincare products after suffering from a skin allergy for many years and the products are formulated with sensitive and allergy-prone skin in mind. Coming towards the end of my regular moisturiser I somewhat impulsively ordered a bottle of Pai’s Avocado & Jojoba Hydrating Day Cream (well I like eating avocados, was the thinking behind my impetuous purchase). I’m happy to report that this is one of my favourite switches so far. The cream absorbs quickly, has a light, pleasant smell and after only a few days of use I swear my skin looked clearer, smoother and more plumped. My only niggle is that, as the bottle is opaque, it’s impossible to tell how much cream I’ve got left.
You can buy it here

Oatly, £1.39, Ocado

I’ve been trying to replace at least some of my dairy intake with non-dairy alternatives for a little while now. Unfortunately it turns out I don’t really like the taste of soy milk and I’ve tried various nut milks but am yet to find one that works in coffee and porridge (the two things I most often have involving milk). One almond milk left my porridge very runny despite it being on the hob for much longer than usual. Not to be beaten I popped a carton of Oatly in my shopping basket the other week. Oatly is made from oats (the clue is in the name) and – yay – I like it in both coffee and porridge. However it’s not everyone’s bag, a tea-drinking friend of mine who visited recently didn’t like it at all and made a dash to the corner shop for some regular milk for her cuppa.
You can buy it here

What healthy purchases have you made lately? Made an beauty or food switches that have made a major difference? Read any books with a healthy bent or discovered any new healthy blogs, twitter feeds or Instagrams. Do share, I’d love to know!