www.bluelagoon.com

Blue Lagoon is an open-air, geothermal spa in Grindavik, Iceland. Like all good spas, it offers the promise of bottled wellbeing. The turquoise- coloured Algae and Mineral Body Scrub (£17 for 200ml) contains Blue Lagoon mineral salts, silica and algae, and promises to leave skin “freshly fragranced, soft and revitalised”. The Silica Derm Bar (£11.25 for 100g) “gently cleanses and rebalances oily skin”; or “energise body and mind” with your own Algae and Mineral Tonifying Bath (£17 for 200ml). Postage is by weight (£12 for up to 500g); prompt reply to e-mails.

B IS FOR BULA SHIRTS

www.fijishop.com

Colourful and typical of the Pacific islands, these bula shirts (£17-£20), are part of a big range of tropical gear that includes surf skirts (£12), hand-painted long dresses (£20) and kava shirts (£17). Kava, an age-old herbal concoction, is Fiji’s national drink, and a daily kava drinking ritual was an integral part of the islands’ old religion. Buy it from this Suva-based site (£14 per kilo) and make your own brew. Shipping is by weight: £2 for up to 100g, £5 for 1kg.

C IS FOR CREATE YOUR OWN STUFF

www.cafepress.com

“Got an idea?” says this cheerful California-based site, winner of a Webby award. “Our products are your blank canvas.” Select an item such as a tote bag (£7), send or choose a Jpeg or PNG image to go on it, and Cafepress will add one to the other. Other customisable items include a 10in wall clock (£6), T-shirts (£8), mugs (£6), bumper stickers (£2) and badges (50p). There is a 30-day money-back guarantee on all products. Shipping costs £4 for the first item and £2 for each additional item.

D IS FOR DITTANY

cretashop.gr

Dittany, or diktamo, is a plant unique to Crete. It is named after the mountain (Dikti) where it grows, but the locals know it as eronda, which means love, because of its reputation as an aphrodisiac in Minoan Crete and ancient Greece. Hippocrates advised taking it for, among others, digestive problems, rheumatism and arthritis — is there a higher recommendation? You make it by adding 100g of boiling water to 1g; strain after 7-10 minutes and sweeten to taste. It costs £12 for 20g.

E IS FOR EARTHWORMS

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