Following on from Mary Portas's recent campaign championing British manufacturing I have found myself on the lookout for 100% British made products - these can be surprisingly difficult to come by, particularly when it comes to beauty products.
As I'm sure you all know, the National Trust is an independant charity which was set up in 1895 to preserve historic places and the beautiful British Countryside.
As stated on the packaging:
"By choosing National Trust licensed products, consumers help to support the work of the charity in continuing to preserve the many beautiful places and spaces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for everyone to enjoy – forever for everyone"
These gift sets contain a 100ml Eau De Toilette and a 250 ml Hand & Body Lotion - they come in four different fragrances inspired by the coast, countryside, gardens and woodlands looked after by the National Trust.
I received the Countryside box - named the Cowslip & Meadowsweet Duo Set.
Cowslips fresh clean scent is said to mark the arrival of Spring, while Meadowsweet is a member of the rose family known for its strong, sweet scent.
The packaging informs me that this fragrance was inspired by the unique setting of the Golden Cap estate in Dorset.
My first impression was of the packaging - each box features an illustration by suffolk-based artist Claire Curtis - while the design is very in keeping with the nature inspired theme of the fragrance, I feel it is aimed more at a more mature lady which makes it perfect as a Mothers Day gift for a mum or grandmother.
The scent itself is quite musky with a hint of sweetness, and I loved the fact that the body lotion was only very mildly scented as I am not a fan of overly scented lotions!
The range also features numerous other products including body scrubs, 30 hour burning Candles and soaps. - prices range from £6.00 to £15.00, which I think is very reasonable especially when you consider that your money is going toward supporting such a good cause.
I can think of a lot of family members who would love to receive a set like this as a gift, and will certainly be bearing them in mind for Mothers Day as well as birthdays and other events.
The National Trust Gift Sets are available from larger Boots stores nationwide and from www.nationaltrust.org.uk for £19.50 and every purchase goes toward supporting the invaluable work of the National Trust.
I received a gift set for the purpose of this review. All words and opinions are my own.
