Vegan skincare | Tea & Tonic - Opposable Thumbs

Tea & Tonic is the second company I’ve come across recently that’s marrying tea and skincare. I like this inside and outside holistic approach to wellness. It feels very in tune with the times and how we look to support our wellbeing in all areas of life.

All of the Tea & Tonic products are blended by hand and packed in the UK (in a converted barn in the beautiful Surrey Hills) using natural, fully biodegradable materials. The ingredients are ethically sourced from traceable, well-trusted growers, all meeting the highest quality standards.

This I would say is more of a luxe brand, both in quality of products and packaging. So if you’re scoping out a gift for a friend who likes their products ethically made from independent brands, then something from this brand would be perfect.

Everything is 100% natural and vegan, and created with sustainability in mind. Look out for the signature ‘super herbs’ blend featuring ingredients proven to adapt to the needs of the body. These adaptogens can help improve your resistance to stress, support the immune system and promote skin health.

First, the tea!

I was sent the High Spirits White Mint Wellness Tea (100g, RRP £18). This is a loose leaf tea that comes in a lovely reusable caddy.

I often have mint tea after a meal since it’s so good for digestion, but this is a much more sophisticated brew. It’s a mix of white tea, peppermint and eucalyptus with superherbs to help you feel less stressed and support a healthy immune system.

The idea here is that as well as helping with digestion, this tea will also energise, uplift and refresh. It tastes clean and fresh thanks to the peppermint and eucalyptus with some subtle floral and herbal notes and a tiny bit of sweetness from the liquorice.

I really like the tea caddy, it’s very elegant. They do teabags as well BTW if loose leaf isn’t your thing.

See what I mean about it making a good gift? Very stylish indeed. The thoughtfulness and attention to detail with this brand is evident throughout.

Another nice touch is that you get 5 complimentary tea samples (as well as free delivery) on orders over £25 so you can try out more of the range. I particularly liked their Earl Grey Wellness Tea and would go back for more of that.

There’s quite a big range of teas to choose from – you can see them all here.

And here’s the tonic

To go alongside the teas, there’s an even bigger skincare range (though all produced in small batches). I tried out the High Spirits Bath & Shower Oil (50ml, RRP £40) as I thought it would be nice to pair the tea with the tonic. Didn’t drink tea in the shower though. Got to keep something in reserve to look forward to tomorrow.

This isn’t the kind of bath and shower oil that you sloosh about with giddy abandon. In the shower I tended to treat it more mindfully, like an aromatherapy product, rubbing a few drops between my hands to release the fragrance.

As with the tea, the envigorating notes of eucalyptus are very much in evidence. This is a super-concentrated blend of pure essential oils infused into nutrient-rich, plant oils. You only need a tiny bit at a time – I put about 8 drops in the bath which was plenty.

It really does live up to its High Spirits name – particularly this morning after I’d had the worst night’s sleep, when it provided a joyful wake up blast. Even using a very small dose, it leaves skin super soft. Lovely product, and once again you can see the packaging is fairly luxe with its gold embossing whilst still being recyclable and ethically made.