On the first day of Christmas Dolly gave me a Luscious Lazuli, a nourishing blend of Vegan Squalane, Blue Spirilana and Hylauronic Acid combined with Ultrafine Oats, Butterfly Pea and a super intense moisturising Coconut Oil to create a polish that leaves your skin with a vibrant vitality and youthful glow. A gorgeous mineral fresh aroma and a deep jewel like blue that promises adventure and dreams of faraway worlds. Coconuts may be ubiquitous but it must be up there with the most useful seed ever. Not just as a cosmetic or alternative to milk at the coffee bar, but fuel, food, building material and of course nature's perfectly designed mug. India, Indonesia and the Philippines produce over 70% of the world’s coconuts. Tis the season for gifts and games and Monito Monita is my favourite Filipino tradition: It’s Secret Santa everyday all leading up to Revelation Day!

 On the second day of Christmas Dolly gave me two marvellous Mirabilia. My favourite Dolly story is derived from the Sanskrit literatures of ancient India and tells of the rejuvenating powers of the Mango coming to the aid of a great King who fell in love with the captivating daughter of the Sun God. After she was struck down by a jealous sorceress, a magnificent tree grew from her ashes, bearing fruit as radiant as the lost princess. When the first ripe fruit fell, she was miraculously regenerated and they lived happily ever after in the shade of the Mango Tree, now a symbol of their eternal love. Mango is featured during Bada Din, Christmas in India, when the leaves are transformed into decorations in the home of those that choose to celebrate. Magical roof top lanterns burn brightly, Poinsettias and paper lanterns adorn the streets for a picture-perfect backdrop to one of India’s national holidays.

 On the third day of Christmas Dolly gave me three Blue Diadem. Our healthy hair and hands oil has botanicals from the Centaurea Cyanus genus. Chiron, the Centaur from Greek mythology was known for his knowledge of the medicinal power of herbs. The healing properties of cornflower could not cure him when he was hit by a poison arrow during friendly fire: despite all his knowledge he was not able to heal himself. In his immortality he had found endless pain. He gave up that immortality to save Prometheus, escape his pain and in return was given a seat at the big table in Mount Olympus. Not all mythology in Greece is Gods related though. Don’t think for one minute that the warm cosy fire that’s kept alight for the Twelve Days of Christmas is for your benefit. It’s there to keep out the goblins whose sole aim is to steal your festive food; Kallikantzaroi. Dolly does loves a little bit of naughtiness!

 On the fourth day of Christmas Dolly gave me four Maluhia, Dolly’s hibiscus infused body oil. Not just a symbol of love and welcome that adorn visitors as they arrive on the stunning island of Hawaii but tied to the thoughts behind the gifting of different varieties of their national flower, the Hibiscus. The purple hibiscus symbolises knowledge, extravagance and mystery and the giving of it acknowledges that the recipient is extraordinary, in their own way, just like Dolly, although she wouldn’t say so herself, but what she would say is that you too, are extraordinary. Spending the festive season in the Rainbow State is so full of the requisite joy and hope for the time of year and while I totally love turkey with all the trimmings a kalua pig cooked with banana leaves in hot rocks under the earth is everything about Christmas on a tropical island paradise.

 On the fifth day of Christmas Dolly gave me five Halcyon Luxe Facial Oil, inspired by the original femme fatale, and great leader, Cleopatra, a zesty opulent elixir of Grapeseed, Rosehip and Argan Oils with a sparkle of genuine gold that repairs and rejuvenates leaving your skin with a glistening glow. The Gods of the day in Ancient Egypt were believed to have golden skin and the Queen used a nightly gold face mask, using its restorative qualities to rejuvenate her complexion. She may not have made it as a God but her many beauty regimes make her a legend in Dolly’s eyes. For the Coptic Orthadox Christians in Egypt The Holy Nativity Fast follows a strict Vegan diet for 43 days and is broken on January 6^th, by a meal of rice, bread, boiled lamb garlic and vinegar, known as Fatta. Christmas Day is January 7^th celebrated with tea and cake. Kahk el Eid. What could be better? My perfect day.

On the sixth day of Christmas Dolly gave me six Cauli Cauli Face Masks. Forget the protein shakes and energy drinks of today, the Aztec Warriors went to war on a tablespoon of Chia, one of our key ingredients in our Cualli Cualli Face Masks, said to give them all the strength and stamina they needed. It was so valued back in the Aztec day that it was offered up to their Gods as the ultimate gift. I hadn’t realised that Mexico’s indigenous flora and fauna form part of my favourite memories of Christmas. The deep almost velvet red poinsettia that would be centred on the sideboard in my Aunt’s dining room surrounded by jellied fruit and marzipan shapes that never quite tasted as good as they looked was derived from a quiet simple and effective story from 16^th Century Mexico. It tells of a young girl, Pepita, who laid a few straggly weeds from the side of the road on the alter as her Christmas Eve offering: she had nothing else to give. Yet, those very weeds blossomed into a Poinsettia, the shape evoked the Star of Bethlehem and the shade, the blood of Christ and it became known as the Flores de Noche Buena. Family face mask time on New Year’s Day chez Dolly?

 On the seventh day of Christmas Dolly gave me seven Radiant Rosebud, a Facial Serum full of A potent amalgam of Raspberry, Passion Fruit and Argan Oils for enduringly youthful and supple skin with the ultimate symbol of the innocence of youth the rosebud. Hope, perhaps a touch of sadness for what we have lost in the cynicism of adulthood but I dare you not to smile at a rosebud and think of all those period dramas you studied or, sshhh, watched instead! Whatever your dream of happy ever after without the complications of life, the rosebud rocks. Somehow it seems so British, rose gardens, greenhouses, florists on the corner and the rather sad buckets at the service stations offering a glimmer of positivity. But hands up who hasn’t grabbed a bunch on Christmas morning on the way to the family gathering?

 On the eighth day of Christmas Dolly gave me, eight Happy Hippophae, an exfoliating elixir of Dead Sea Salts, Ultra Fine Oats and Poppy Seeds blended with a moisturising mix of Coconut, Sea Buckthorn and Sweet Orange Oils for a super scrub that will leave your skin with a soft, smooth, cleansing, healthy glow. Once upon a time, Sea Buckthorn, packed full of nutrients, vitamins and fatty acids was used to ensure horses reached peak physical health, encouraging weight gain and particularly healthy hair. In the 13^th century legend has it that it was the secret weapon of Genghis Khan during his unstoppable land grab, to ensure his army of horses could keep up the pace. This ancient practice led to it’s genus name Hippophae: hippo means horse and phaos means shining. My little pony was once the dream present of many a young child at Christmas but Genghis was clearly more interested in the performance enhancing qualities of the Sea Buckthorn back in the day. Christmas is not celebrated in Mongolia but New Year has been huge since the 1930’s, and a tree is centre stage but is known as a prosperity tree and decorated with Tugriks, the Mongolian dollar bill.

 On the ninth day of Christmas Dolly gave me nine Gloriously Glitzy Bath Salts, the perfect mix of Frankincense, Sweet Orange Oil and Dead Sea Salts to cleanse the body, rebalance the skin and reboot the mind. Most of us have a tenuous connection the Dead Sea. Back in the day Roman soldiers were paid in salt it was so highly valued and what we now term a salary was derived from the Latin word for salt. Originally named the Salt Lake it eventually became known as the Dead Sea as it became apparent that the salt content was so high that it couldn’t sustain any life but don’t let that put you off it has legendary status as a restorative! Work that one out! Frankincense reminds me of those primary school nativity scenes: multiples of a trio of Magi, a shining star, many many angels, returning home to discover that the tea towel has once again been used as shepherd’s outfit. No one quite knowing how to explain why a couple of saps were seen as valuable as Gold. Are they too young for the King Lear and the value of salt story? They were wise men after all I bet they would love the Frankincense in our Gloriously Glitzy salts.

On the tenth day of Christmas Dolly gave me ten Lavandula Sensitive Deo. Lavender was used so often by the Romans to freshen and cleanse their unsanitary bathing water I associate our super sensitive paraben and bicarb free deo with Italian sunshine and endless lavender fields of sweet dreams. But also Christmas pannetone ….why did I only discover this as an adult when the joys of a massive sweet bread with left over candied fruit means payback in the gym in January. Sort of a metaphor ……….

 On the eleventh day of Christmas Dolly gave me eleven Chinchera, Dolly’s sublimely scented candle. The floral, aromatic scents of Rock Rose and Pink Peppercorn oil will revitalise your soul and inspire new beginnings. Inspired by the ancient Incas in the Peruvian Andes who used the oil of the Schinus Molle to cleanse and purify during ceremonial blessings. The vast foliage of this sacred tree created a canopy that provided a safe, secure haven for the indigenous animals of the region. The area became known as Chinchero, the birthplace of the rainbow, a symbol of hope, positivity and possibility, the world over.

On the twelfth day of Christmas Dolly gave me twelve Kallista sublimely scented candles inspired by the towering, lush Eucalypts of the Australian Dandenong Ranges National Park where the Melbourne city dwellers escape for rejuvenating daytrips to enjoy the cooling temperatures of the mountains: a backdrop to the glorious abundance of Arcadian, botanical gardens and waterfalls. Was my Australian beach and barbie party the most relaxed Christmas Day ever?

 Breathe in the cool menthol aroma, click your heels together three times and whisper there’s no place like Aus, there’s no place like Aus, there’s no place like Aus…..