Wellness is something we all need to prioritise. So I’m sharing my thoughts on how tea subscription box Blue Tea Box supports wellness.
Looking after my mental health has been super important this year. I recently received some single-origin, ethical tea from Blue Tea Box to help focus on creating wellness in particular.
It’s no secret that I have been on lockdown since March. That’s four months. Although I have sometimes worked during that time and current restrictions are easing up, I won’t lie: it’s been really hard at times. The situation of moving into my first home shortly before lockdown had its negatives as well as its positives. The positives massively outweighed the negatives. But it has also meant I’ve spent up to twelve hours alone – three days in a row – with no work or purpose on occasion, due to my boyfriend’s working hours.
So mental health has been something I’ve really been focusing on lately. I think with turning 30 too, I’ve began to be a little kinder to my body. For example, cooking from fresh a lot (and having less takeaways!), exercising more and as silly as it may sound, taking tons of bubble baths just reading for hours on end (or until my skin gets wrinkly).
Therefore I was obviously delighted when the team at Blue Tea Box approached me to share my thoughts about their amazing service.
Please note, all these photos are obviously taken whilst I was infusing the tea! You will need an infuser as it is all loose tea – but infusers are really cheap!
What Is Blue Tea Box?
Blue Tea Box was founded by Harvey Butt with the mantra of believing in great tea. The Blue Tea Box experience focuses on treating yourself with a genuinely great cup of tea at home. And tea that is just as fancy – if not more – as the tea you may drink in a coffee shop or elsewhere. They also share some of the amazing health benefits of tea. It boosts your metabolism to increase the rate at which you burn fat, is high in antioxidants and polyphenols, and lowers your chances of getting cancer. Plus it’s damn right delicious.
What I particularly love about tea is that it just makes you feel so good. It’s a real treat, whether that’s a relaxing cup of standard tea (milky, two sugars for me please…) in bed before you start your day, or a luxury herbal tea that not only smells nice but makes you feel fuzzy inside when you settle down with a good book.
Blue Tea Box does exactly that. All their tea is ethically sourced from smallholders, local cooperatives and smaller plantations where possible.
Specifically, Blue Tea Box is a monthly subscription box (although you can choose the frequency you’d prefer) which will allow you to discover rare and single-origin loose-leaf teas from across the world. This includes black, green, fruit, herbal, and rooibos teas. The service itself has been created by the UK’s speciality tea merchants. So they clearly know their stuff!
You can choose from Blue Tea Bag, which delivers one 75g bag of loose tea each month for just £6.99. This works out at about 30-60 cups of tea each month. The other option is Blue Tea Box, which is three 45g bags (54-108 cups) for just £12.99.
My Thoughts on Blue Tea Box
In my wonderful box, I received Rooibos Orange Cream (Rooibos), Rhubarb-Cream (Fruit Tea) and Ginger and Herbs (Herbal Tea). Each bag arrived neatly packaged between blue tissue paper in a modern but cute box. The box was thin enough to fit directly through my letterbox. The individual bags were also rather beautiful. In pastel pastel colours, they shared a snapshot of what each tea is and a bold and clear best-by date.
What I loved is that each bag came with a piece of card which explained the origin of the tea. The card also included flavour notes, ingredients and, my personal favourite, a little recommendation of the ‘best brew’ by the time of day. They also explained how much tea to pour in and an estimation of how long it takes to infuse.
I really loved this personal touch which reflected the aim of the team who created the blue tea box. Essentially it is receiving a monthly subscription of delicious tea. But it’s absolutely lovely that it also includes these cards. It’s perfect for tea enthusiasts.
I also think even if you’re quite new to drinking tea (or at least anything other than the usual cuppa with milk and sugar), this is a great way to dip your toe in. Getting to try new blends each time and collecting these cards means it’s easy to find and remember your favourite types. There’s something kind of sweet about having a collection of these cards left over long after the actual tea itself has all been used!
The teas themselves were absolutely delicious. Before I even tasted them, each had a lovely scent, which only intensified the longer I infused the mix. I think, in a way, this kind of added to the luxury and wellness of the entire process.
As expected, the Ginger and Herbs pack radiated the most lovely ginger and lemongrass aroma. This made me feel immediately relaxed before I’d even taken my first sip. This has fast become my favourite blend to drink in the morning. Not only does it settle my mind, but the subtle ginger taste gives me that boost I need first thing. I have also found myself being more productive when drinking this in the mornings!
The Rhubarb-Cream reminds me of tasty lollipops from my childhood and omits a delightful playful scent. Made up of apple bits, papaya pieces, marigold blossoms and more, this fruit tea is perfect for cleansing my body of toxins. I’ve actually found myself drinking this one as an after-workout treat. Now I can get my well-deserved ‘treat’ with this wonderful blend that carries on rewarding my body too. Just like on the accompanied card, my sister suggested serving this cold over ice. I cannot wait to try this soon!
Finally, I find myself reaching for the Rooibos Orange Cream most often in the evenings to transition from working from home to relaxing. I’ve found this particularly hard lately, when working from home. So I’ve almost made an early evening ritual of drinking my Rooibos Orange Cream tea. I pick my favourite mug, change into even lazier clothes as I wait for it to infuse (and inhale the delicate orange and vanilla scent), and take a moment to actually enjoy drinking the tea without doing little else. It really helps me to switch off and I’ve found that incredibly important lately in such weird times! I’d actually never even heard of Rooibos tea until now and I’m currently wondering where it’s been all my life!
Although I’ve found myself gravitating towards different blends for different times of the day or created my own little ritual for some, each different flavour has not only eased me into a more relaxed and lightened mood, but they’ve made me actually stop and appreciate my cups of tea.
That may sound silly to some people but during a pandemic, finding time for me is actually really important right now. Even if it’s just five minutes to switch off once I hit 5pm, the small ritual of pouring out the blend, infusing the hot water and getting a whiff of the delicate teas – before I’ve even taken a single sip – is well worth doing to help look after my mental health.
There is also something rather indulgent about drinking tea this way. You know it’s good for you and it’s a real tasty treat.
I also think this would make a great gift – during the current pandemic, everyone needs a little pick me up! My sister tried some when she visited recently and I know I’ll be considering a subscription of this for her birthday present later this year.
For coffee enthusiasts, Blue Tea Box also has their sister company, Blue Coffee Box, for delicious, gourmet coffee!
Don’t forget: you can get £3 off your subscription at Blue Tea Box by using my referral code FJOY3.
What’s your favourite type of tea and what one would you like to try the most from Blue Tea Box? Let me know with a comment below
Disclaimer: This review is based on my personal experience with a product/service that was provided to me free of charge. Despite the complimentary nature of this experience, all opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own and I am under no obligation to share a review.
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