Five things I love this week: Late April

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It’s about time we had a brand new ‘five things I love this week’. Let’s get on with the latest news, views and product reviews.
Global Reversible Indoor Outdoor Rug | £35 – £65

I don’t know about you, but I’m gearing up for some outdoor living at the moment, and love turning our garden into another outdoor room as soon as the sun arrives. This versatile weather-resistant Dunelm rug caught my eye. It makes a relaxed backdrop for entertaining, eating, or just lounging on a lazy Sunday.
It’s also reversible, giving you a choice of tones to get the look just right. Plus it comes in a range of sizes to fit your space. The colours go especially well with rattan and wicker, or wooden furniture and accessories. We all love an easy mix and match.
Hayle Galvanised Outdoor Lantern Duo with TruGlow® Candles | £54.99

Speaking of the great outdoors, and mixing and matching, these chic outdoor lanterns are currently on sale at Lights4Fun (was £104.99). They’re a really decent size and make an attractive feature, with a cosy glow for those al fresco evenings.
I especially like the TruGlow® Candles, which have a lovely flicker and warmth to them, but are safer than a naked flame on a wooden deck. I like their outdoor festoon lights too, many of which are solar powered.
Geek & Gorgeous Stress Less serum | £11.50

New brand alert! Yes, cult skincare company Geek & Gorgeous have come to the UK and their science-led products are flying off the shelves. They’re particularly well known for their Vitamin C and retinal offerings, but there are plenty of other things to try. I’m trying out Stress Less, which is a simple serum designed to help calm irritated or sensitive skin.
It contains high amounts of soothing oat beta-glucan and madecassoside from Centella Asiatica, plus hydrating saccharide isomerate in a light gel-like formulation. It took a couple of days to have an effect, but it works for me when my skin’s misbehaving. Always do a patch test, your mileage may vary, etc, etc.
Find at Geek & Gorgeous and Amazon UK. Pricing on Amazon varies compared with the supplier shop, but you can get a good deal on some items.
Hello Sunday The one for your hands | from £7.20 in sale

The UV light is getting stronger, so don’t forget the sunscreen. Here’s a very nice hand cream with SPF 30 to give the skin on your hands some pampering and protection. It has a light fragrance, is moisturising yet non-greasy, and it’s easy to use.
Best of all it’s affordable, and regularly turns up in deals and special offers. And it’s handbag or pocket sized so you can quickly top up after washing your hands.
Find it on offer this week at Boots and BeautyBay.
Sterling Silver Cubic Zirconia 5mm Halo Stud Earrings | £8.40

Claire’s – remember them? – have started making forays into demi-fine and sterling silver jewellery, and most of it’s very budget friendly. They even have proper lab-grown diamonds, without the conflict of mining. There’s also a 40% off sale right now. You can find all sorts of tiny treats for under a tenner.
For example, these sparkly little crystal studs are solid sterling silver and cubic zirconia, and they’re just £8.40. Their website seems a little disorganised, but a bit of trawling turns up all sorts of unexpected goodies.
That’s it for this week, back soon with more thrifty lifestyle and budget ideas. Which one’s your favourite?
Disclosure: lanterns are a gifted item from Lights4Fun, provided with no obligation to review.