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If there’s something I choose (and love) to spend my money on it’s skincare. Make-up is secondary for me and quite different. My colour cosmetics stash is reasonable, I wear the same look almost everyday, and to be honest I like that… even though the amount of lipsticks that I own should be banned – I tend to forget that I only have one pair of lips, not 50. However, skincare is something that I only really discovered and appreciated about a year ago since working at Amazing PR. And right now, I’d rather wear no make-up and have good skin than having average skin and wear the most amazing blue-toned red lipstick (my fave shade of lipstick). We should all take care of our skin, after all it is the largest organ of the body and we only have one face. So in my view taking care of your skin should be a priority.

Working in the Beauty PR industry has given me the chance to try many products.  Although, there are really very few that I can actually see and feel a difference on my skin. At The Amazing Blog we’ve been fortunate enough to work very closely with UK skincare brand Beetox. UMF20+ Manuka Honey and Bee Venom based – beautiful ingredients and definite winners.

Their range consists of a Moisturiser, a Mask and a Serum. The Moisturiser’s consistency is thick and smells heavenly. It’s probably one of the most luxurious moisturisers that I’ve ever used,  it’s instantly absorbed by my perpetually dehydrated skin  plumping it up and making it feel very soft.  It moisturises my skin beautifully and leaves it feeling very comfortable and ready for applying my foundation. The Serum’s consistency is somewhere between a gel and a liquid. When applied to the skin it gently tingles and I can feel my skin tighten instantly (not that I need it, I’m in my middle twenties…) don’t get me wrong this feeling is a very pleasant one indeed. And the Mask… is my favourite product of all, it  really purifies and delivers moisture back into my skin making it the perfect combination with the Serum for my particular tricky (and temperamental) skin type.

I must mention with a word of caution that  Beetox does warn all their potential customers about possible adverse reaction to their products. So do bear in mind that one of the main ingredients about this range is Bee Venom (along with their powerful UMF20+ Manuka Honey); so if you’re unluckily enough to have an allergy to bee stings please stay away from this skincare savour. None of us at the office are so we’ve all added Beetox‘s products to our regular skincare routines.

You can buy Beetox skincare from their website. Follow them on Twitter, and ‘Like’ them on Facebook.

Retail prices are: Face Mask £55, Moisturiser £39 and Serum £45. You can also buy the ‘Multi Set’, which includes three products for £139.

One of my all time favourite poems is “Eve of St. Agnes” by British poet, John Keats. The very romance of it has always appealed to me. So naturally, when a box from a brand called “Eve of St. Agnes” came through the doors of The Amazing Blog, I instantly claimed it. We received both an Organic Bath Oil as well as a Refining Bamboo Exfoliating Polish - I couldn’t wait to try them.

I started with the Organic Bath Oil. This oil contains a luxurious mix of organic avocado, hemp and coconut oils as well as orange, green mandarin, cardamom and frankincense essential oils. Once I poured two capfuls into my running bath, I was instantly hit with the strong smell of each oil’s fragrance. I must admit, it was slightly over powering at first, but once I settled in I was taken away into a warming, uplifting and decadent bath time experience. Although next time, I think I’ll stick to the recommended single capful.

After my relaxing bath, I continued my evening pamper with the Refining Bamboo Exfoliating Polish. I am always hesitant using an exfoliator because of my sensitive skin, so I approached this polish with caution.  Initially, I found the polish to be a bit rough, but after gently massaging it in I became quite fond of the texture. And after rinsing it off I was left with smooth and silky soft skin.  Not to mention the smell of orange, green mandarin and sandalwood helped me relax for the evening.

With a magnificent blend of essential oils and some inspiration from one of England’s finest poets, I think we can call this a winner.  Available on the Eve of St. Agnes Website, you can purchase the Organic Bath Oil for £16 and  Refining Bamboo Exfoliating Polish for £18 as well as a wide variety of other skincare and body products.

There is nothing worse than those synthetic shampoos and conditioners that rid your hair of natural oils and leave your locks feeling dry and coarse. That’s why we here at The Amazing Blog love natural and chemical-free hair products. So when we received samples of Gavin Taylor Hair shampoo and conditioner, we knew we would be quite interested in what they had to offer. Although the samples only gave me enough product for a weekend getaway.

Gavin Taylor sent us both the Lavender & Geranium and Camomile & Lemon Shampoo as well as the Frankincense & Sage Conditioner  - all of which are designed for naturally fine or oily hair. The Camomile & Lemon Shampoo was my favourite: combining English Camomile and Sicilian Lemon in perfect harmony. I found this remedy to rejuvenate both the balance and shine to my dull, product laden hair. And similarly, the sage in the conditioner naturally energizes dull, limp (and in my case: over worked) hair. The scent of each product was delightful and refreshing. All Gavin Taylor products are natural – free from parabens and synthetic foaming agents (SLS). Instead, their shampoo range contains Oxygenated Aloe Vera wheat proteins that gently moisturise your hair by locking in natural proteins and protecting it from external damage. While I only was only able to squeeze out a few trials, I can confirm all these attributes.

The natural elements, cosmetic benefits, and refreshing scents of these Gavin Taylor Shampoos and Conditioners are quite enticing. This brand has created a wonderful product that surely won’t damage your hair or the environment. At £14 per a bottle, the price is a bit steep but well worth it. This is definitely a product I will purchase, and you can too on their website. Recommended.

As many of our daily readers know, we at The Amazing Blog love writing about small natural and organic brands. Already familiar with Ancienne Ambiance and their natural Candles, you can imagine we were quite excited to receive their new Luxury Goddess Soap Collection. And after opening the box, we were certain we would not be disappointed.

Inside the box were two individually wrapped Goddess Soap Bars that instantly caught everyone’s noses by surprise as a delightful lavender scent filled the air. Similar to their candles, Ancienne Ambiance offers wide variety of blends to choose from. While my personal favourite has to be the Lavendula, their other fragrances include Rose, Jasmine, Honey, Almond Milk and Argan. And top tip, put a just single bar in your wardrobe to rid any pesky bugs and keep your clothes smelling fresh – I recommend it. Each blend smells delightful but the unique ingredients of Ancienne Ambiance truly separate their soaps from other brands. Each 100mg bar is made from a natural vegetable oil base specifically derived from coconut oil. The natural Glycerine from the coconut oil is combined with Shea Butter to provide extra vitamins to moisturise the skin. And the whole formula is completely free from parabens, synthetic materials and harmful chemicals.

Ancienne Ambiance says the Goddess Soap bars are perfect for daily use on both your face and body – I cannot disagree. Even after just washing my hands, I found my skin feeling soft and silky. So let your body and skin indulge in these natural soap bars. Their website offers a 3 bar soap gift set for £16 as well as a complete gallery of all their soap collections.

As many of you will know from reading our blog we’re fans of the MyChelle brand and recently reviewed their  Deep Repair Cream. When it came to their other ‘hero’ product, it was a big toss-up as to who was going to review their  Fabulous Eye Cream. However, it was a case of ‘Age over Beauty’ and I insisted that my needs were far great than that of my dear young colleagues…

In my experience eye creams can either be too heavy and greasy or very light leaving an unsightly residue all around the eye area. Fabulous Eye Cream is neither. I’m pretty sceptical when it comes to eye creams and their ‘promise’. I’ve spent way too much money on creams that are (the above) or just don’t deliver. I’ve been using this Fabulous Eye Cream for over a month and a half now and find that this little tube goes a very long way – I’ve barely made a dent in it. The cream feels very luxurious and is immediately absorbed into my skin. It smells slightly floral but not overpowering.

MyChelle’s advanced formula is designed to nourish the delicate eye area. They claim that the Leontopodium Alpinum Meristem (Edelweiss Plant) Stem Cell Culture which inhibit collagen breakdown and are clinically proven to reduce wrinkle depth by 15% after only twenty days of use. It also contains the magical ingredient of Sodium Hyaluronate (L) (Hyaluronic Acid) – Hyaluronic Acid from mucopolysaccarides, which as we all know binds moisture within the skin, giving a smoothing and firming effect.  Other key ingredients are Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola) Extract an antioxidant, which improves collagen content, renews collagen related to weakened connective tissues, prevents scar tissue formation by slowing down excessive collagen production at wound sites; stimulating circulation and the oxygenation of skin tissues. And Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract which provides soothing and cooling effects to ease irritated skin, has been shown to be moisture-binding, moisture-regulating with softening properties, anti-inflammatory, anti-pruritic, bleaching effects, which  improves flavonoid protections and nourishes the skin.

Well, yes I have noticed a difference, subtle but definitely a difference particularly the softening of lines around my eyes. What I particularly like is that this Fabulous Eye Cream is ‘natural’ with only naturally derived ingredients (definitely my thing…) I’ve also used it on my lip area at night and have seen a noticeable ‘smoothing’ in that area too. I’m surprisingly won over by this product and love the way it seems to be just lasting and lasting. While normally £19 for only 15ml we are lucky enough to offer a 50% discount! For the next month simply(ENDS 2nd June 2013) enter AMAZING50 upon checkout and receive this incredible deal. It truly woks out to be a great value for the money. Recommended!