Hairy Jayne : Floral Shampoo Bar

Hate having to pack heavy bottles of shampoo and conditioner for your trips away? They always take up far too much space, and if decanted for hand luggage, they’re too small to last the holiday! At The Amazing Blog, we’ve abandoned our regular liquid shampoos to try out the solid bars for a while. Today we’d like to share another of our latest #amazingfinds with a very travel-friendly sulphate-free Floral Shampoo Bar by Hairy Jayne; it’s gentle on hair and, best of all, won’t leak all over your clothes!

Hairy Jayne all began when hairdresser Jayne Rutland started getting raw hands from washing clients’ hair with mainstream and professional shampoos. This was when she decided it was time to investigate making her own natural hair care and went on to train at the cosmetics workshops Plush Folly. It inspired her to start experimenting and creating shampoos and conditioners using only natural plant oils. Jayne wanted a vintage-style name that everyone would remember, and ‘Hairy Jayne’ was born; it also rhymes with Mary Jane (shoes), which she says makes people laugh. She formulates and oversees the making of all her refillable and zero-waste hair care products, which are Vegan Society certified and cruelty-free. All ingredients are naturally derived and sustainably sourced. Jayne explained, “Unlike a lot of other zero waste beauty brands in the UK, we live, breathe and specialise in hair care. We only make hair care. We believe that living a sustainable lifestyle shouldn’t mean compromising how lovely your zero-waste shampoo and conditioner makes your hair feel.” Sustainability is also of paramount importance to Hairy Jayne; therefore, the packaging is either plastic-free, biodegradable or comes in refillable bottles. They also reuse packing materials wherever possible and plant a tree for every product sold with Ecologi to help reduce carbon emissions. The brand is probably best known for its sulphate-free Shampoo Bars, which have certainly made their mark as a Gold winner at the Free From Skin Awards 2020 and, more recently, as a Commended Winner in 2022, the Beauty Shortlist Awards.

Let’s talk more about The Shampoo Bars; these are ‘sydnet bars’, a made-up word that combines ‘synthetic’ and ‘detergent’. The detergent they use (sodium cocoyl isethionate) is derived from coconut oil. Jayne tells us, “The sulphate-free detergents we use in our solid shampoos are very mild and hair softening and won’t damage the hair like a traditional soap would. Syndet bars work better in hard water than soap does, too.” The brand offers a chart under ‘Is This The Right Product For You?’  showing the type of shampoo bar and the best option for each hair type. Jayne explained her reasoning for creating the Shampoo Bar, comparing herself to soap bars, “Unfortunately, there are a lot of products on the market that say ‘shampoo bar’ on the label, but they are actually bars of natural soap with added hair-friendly ingredients. These soap bars give solid shampoo bars a bit of a bad name when the user is left with hair that feels waxy and dull.” It’s because a simple natural soap isn’t the right pH level to use in the hair. Something to note is that shampoos need to be acidic (compared to soaps which are very alkaline) because the pH level of hair is between 4.5 and 5.5, which is acidic on the pH scale. pH-balanced shampoos don’t strip your hair and scalp of natural oils and protect it from dryness, frizz and damage. A slightly acidic shampoo also seals the hair cuticles keeping it strong and shining.

The Shampoo Bars come in four different fragrances:  Floral, Citrus, Musk and Herbal. Colour coded for hair types (see about ‘chart’ above), these are sulphate-free Shampoo Bars contain many ingredients as the liquid sulphate-free shampoos. We tried the ‘Floral Shampoo Bar’, which has three key essential oils, geranium, bergamot and vanilla, to give it its fragrance and restorative properties. The geranium also targets the scalp; and controls dryness, excess oil, and sebum production. Bergamot is rich in fatty acids and conditions and tames frizz. Lastly, vanilla strengthens hair and induces blood flow to the scalp.

The core ingredients in each Shampoo Bars are sulphate-free cleansers, mango seed butter, olive oil, aloe vera, green clay, palm-free stearic acid, detangling agent, and essential oils. The sulphate-free cleansers are sodium cocoyl isethionate, derived from the fatty acids in coconut oil that attract oil and water in the formula making it blend together; and disodium cocoamphodiacetate is a foam booster, that also conditions and improves dry, or damaged hair by replenishing moisture. The mango seed butter seals moisture and reduces breakage giving hair its elasticity. Olive oil provides softness and shine, and aloe vera controls greasy and helps an itchy scalp. Green clay anchors the essential oils allowing the scent to remain strong within the shampoo bar; it’s also effective at eliminating dirt and toxins while balancing oil production. Finally, the stearic acid is vegetable-derived and here as an emulsifier, stabiliser and thickener. 

What we like about this Shampoo Bar is the absence of water, and the concentration of ingredients, which means that it lasts longer than its liquid counterpart. Hairy Jayne gives three eco-friendly packaging options: recyclable cardboard box, reusable aluminium tin or no outer package (naked). To use the Shampoo Bar, they recommend saturating hair and massaging the Shampoo Bar directly onto the scalp, then rinsing away. Edwina, who tested this Shampoo Bar for the Awards, has very long, fine curly hair and gave it the big thumbs up. It lasted over a month, smelt amazing and was very gentle on her scalp and hair. In fact, it left her scalp nourished and with no irritation, unlike some other liquid sulphate-free shampoos. She also used Hairy Jayne’s multi-award-winning liquid Treatment Conditioner in tandem with the Shampoo Bar, and recommends it as a conditioner for optimum results - i.e. tangle-free hair!

Why not invest in this for gentle hair care for home use, or for your next trip away? To purchase the 50g Floral Shampoo Bar (which can last up to 2-3 months) for only £9, see here. Or, if you’re looking for a hair care bundle, they start at £15 here.

YUNI Beauty : Gliding Light Illuminating Multipurpose Beauty Balm

Now the world is opening up, and spring is on the way, it’s time for us at The Amazing Blog to think about booking a flight for a much needed weekend away. Which leads us swiftly onto multitasking products for hand luggage. One product we’ll be taking with us is this Gliding Bright Illuminating Multipurpose Beauty Balm from YUNI. This multipurpose balm is excellent for the face and body, not only for keeping the skin protected but also to add an extra holiday glow.

YUNI is a US-based beauty and lifestyle brand founded in 2012 by husband and wife team Emmanuel Rey and Suzanne Dawson. They met at Aveda though they both followed different paths to get there. Emmanuel has a degree in agricultural engineering and went on to earn his MBA, which led him to work in marketing for beauty brands. Whereas Suzanne’s career has focused on natural and plant-based remedies, wellness and self-care. After several years at Aveda, Suzanne and Emmanuel found their lifestyle impacted their health and well-being, so they decided to take time off to reconnect. During this time, they travelled to Greece, where they became yoga instructors. They also encountered a gap in the beauty market; they found no beauty brand committed to providing active health seekers and yogis with sustainable and organic products that enhance practice and training. The YUNI body care products aim to prepare both mind and body before any exercise with a short and refreshing post-workout clean up, which leaves a feeling of pure goodness. In conversation with The Urban You, Emmanuel explained, “At YUNI, we create healthy, natural skincare and body products that save time, restore health, and relieve stress—so active people who pursue life with passion can do more, live more, and find more joy in every moment.” YUNI dedicates itself to sustainability, with 90% of products manufactured and stored in either solar or wind-powered facilities. They package their products with sustainable materials, such as recycled plastic from water bottles and certified recycled paper. All tubes are sugarcane bio-resin and all product cartons are made with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified recycled paper and printed with soy ink. In fact, they go out of their way to ensure that each ingredient is organic and ethically sourced (from plants that are not endangered) and a product of fair-trade, eco-friendly cultivation and harvesting, which support sustainable local businesses. The brand also makes sure they work with factories that follow responsible waste disposal. As a vegan brand, it has eco-friendly formulas, and they are non-toxic, biodegradable, compostable, plant-based, gluten-free and cruelty-free. They are certified by Leaping Bunny and as a top 2022 cruelty-free brand with HEAL-ablel; plus, they won an Eco-Excellence Award in 2020 for their Shower Sheets.

YUNI’s Gliding Light Illuminating Multipurpose Beauty Balm is a moisturising balm that adds a subtle radiance to the skin. The key ingredients include organic kukui seed oil, olive oil, fair trade turmeric root, organic jojoba oil, shea butter, ethically sourced mica. The kukui seed oil has moisturising capacities, full of fatty acids like linoleic acid and omega-3; it also has vitamin A, C and E; all of which can penetrate deep into the skin to repair, nourish, and calm the skin. Olive oil full of antioxidants revitalises and strengthens skin's tonicity and repairs damaged tissues. The turmeric root powder is also full of antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties, and gives the skin a warm lustre. The jojoba seed oil, for its ability to hydrate the skin and balance natural oil production, and the shea butter hydrates and protects the skin’s natural barrier,

The enhanced shimmer qualities are due to mica; mica refers to a mineral incorporated into beauty products to give the ‘illuminating’ effect in this balm, making the skin glisten. Talking of glistening, there’s castor oil which gives a further sheen to the skin; plus it has anti-bacterial properties, much like the tocopheryl acetate, also found here, which is a form of vitamin E that protects skin from free radicals. 

Other ingredients found are caprylic triglyceride, made from coconut oil and glycerin, making skin feel smooth. The carnauba wax and candelilla wax are both vegetable waxes that give body to the balm. Hydrophilic fumed silica has sun protecting qualities and improves the elasticity, texture and hydration of the skin. Iron oxides and titanium dioxides are naturally occurring minerals. Iron oxides are generally known for adding pigment but have also been shown to offer enhanced protection against blue light. The titanium dioxide protects against UV light creating a transparent barrier that protects the skin from harmful sun rays.

The YUNI Gliding Light Illuminating Multipurpose Beauty Balm is one of our #amazingfinds for its versatility to enhance any beauty look. It nourishes and gives the skin a delicious shea butter aroma, and we used it as a highlighter on cheeks, shoulder and lips, and even on hair to heal split ends. We think this natural golden balm is a beauty must-have and predict that once tried, it’ll fast become your new and trusted travel buddy. To purchase YUNI’s 55g Gliding Light Illuminating Multipurpose Beauty Balm for £29, see here for the UK shop.

Melitta Meszaros Natural Skincare : Face Oil for Oily & Combination Skin

It’s not often that we come across a face oil that’s specifically intended for oily & combination skin. The younger members of the team at The Amazing Blog, requested that we find them a face oil for their slightly oily skin. So, we thought we’d try out the Face Oil for Oily & Combination Skin from this vegan and artisan skincare brand Melitta Meszaros Natural Skincare.

Melitta Meszaros Natural Skincare is a beauty brand that offers handmade natural skincare products with transparent ingredients. The brand’s story begins ten years ago when founder Melitta Meszaros noticed how many ambiguous ingredients were in her skincare products. This was when Melitta decided to start her journey to the world of natural cosmetics and begin looking for the best way to create skincare using natural, vegan, cold-pressed and preferably organic ingredients. Melitta finally launched skincare under her own name with a range of plant-based face oils, floral waters and a clay mask.  The brand’s mission is “to give you quality skincare products which are natural, simple but give high performance.”  All products are cruelty-free with no artificial synthetics, fillers, or additives. Their products are made in small batches in the UK and are designed to treat all skin types, including sensitive skin. For those with particularly delicate skin types, the brand even produce identical face oils without the essential oils with only a natural fragrance from the carrier oils. We were also pleased to see that all bottles and pipettes used are deemed to be recyclable, and the boxes and pouches used are compostable & biodegradable.

This award-winning Face Oil for Oily & Combination Skin uses only natural oils to promote overall skin wellness and to leave skin nourished. This face oil was recently awarded the Best 100% Natural Product and was a silver winner at the 2021 Global Green Beauty Awards. This face oil is specifically made for oily and combination skin (which we’re sure you already gathered from the product name) and is also suitable for most other skin types too. It is common for people with oily skin to avoid face oils for fear it will just make their skin worse - however, we know that this is not the case! 

Certain face oils (non-comedogenic) in fact, help balance sebum production and improve skin elasticity to leave your skin looking moisturised and healthy. Oily skin tends to produce excess amounts of sebum, which can cause clogged pores and breakouts. Regulating sebum production is key for oily skin because it helps keep your skin's natural moisture, and reduces the excess sebum oily skin produces. The right kind of face oils can even provide long-lasting hydration by enabling the skin barrier to effectively lock in moisture. To ensure this face oil retains all its healthy antioxidants, it is made with a combination of high-performing, cold-pressed oils.

Here the Face Oil for Oily & Combination Skin combines natural botanical carrier oils like grapeseed, jojoba, sunflower, rosehip, and argan.; together with the essential oils of grapefruit peel, rosemary leaf, and geranium bourbon. Let’s talk through the key ingredients that help oily skin. Jojoba oil is very similar to the naturally-occurring sebum in your body, which means it can efficiently regulate sebum secretion. It also has moisturising properties to help maintain the skin's hydration, elasticity, and smoothness. The skin-brightening rosehip oil is also ideal for treating oily skin, as it does not clog pores and is rich in retinoids, compounds that can help fight acne breakouts. Another hero ingredient is argan oil, which is non-comedogenic, and packed with oleic and linoleic acids to create a balanced and soft skin complexion. The face oil is multifaceted, as the essential oils also give it a mood-boosting and uplifting fragrance. Grapefruit peel has a fresh citrus scent to revitalise your mind, and its antibacterial and antioxidant properties are excellent for soothing acne. Rosemary leaf is also known to treat acne due to its antiseptic properties, and it can even out the skin's oil content - not to mention its energising fragrance can help reduce tiredness and improve mood. The geranium bourbon adds to the face oil’s scent with its calming floral notes; plus, it is an anti-inflammatory that leaves a healthy glow. 

Our verdict? It’s lightweight and doesn’t leave any oily or sticky residue. As for the fragrance, it has a subtle natural blend of botanical and citrus scents to leave you feeling soothed and refreshed. We applied a few drops and gently massaged them into the face. Melitta Natural Skincare suggests using the oil as the last step of a skincare routine because the oil will lock in all the ‘goodness’ of the other skincare products; it will also be absorbed better on a slightly damp complexion. We found this face oil revived skin and kept it feeling supple and hydrated. The team particularly recommend using this at night on the face, neck and décolleté. Or for a dewy look, during the day you can add a few drops to your foundation. It’s a face oil made with simple, honest and natural ingredients, that work at their optimum when combined. To purchase the 30ml Face Oil for Oily and Combination Skin for £25, see here.

The Speak Collective : Rose+Peach Hydrating Mist

During these colder months, skin hydration is more important than ever for us at The Amazing Blog. We notice how our skin suffers from the yo-yo-ing effects as we go from warm central heating to the chilly outdoors. We’ve always keen to use facial mists as they stop our skin from feeling tight and dry, so we were thrilled to be sent the Rose+Peach Hydrating Mist from natural skincare brand The Speak Collective.  

The US-based skincare The Speak Collective was founded in December 2017 by Nisa Zulkifli and her cousin Tiara. Nisa had been struggling with eczema for years when she began researching all the ways she could help her condition. With the lack of natural remedies available, she decided to handcraft her own formulas. At the same time, Tiara was also on the hunt for a skincare product to improve her hormonal skin and ended up trying one of Nisa’s creations. Tiara knew this skincare product had to be shared with others, so from this, The Speak Collective was born. Nisa is certified in organic skincare formulation from Formula Botanica, a leading teaching institution for organic cosmetic science. The brand aims to solve “the frustration of looking for effective products for sensitive skin, by using plant-based skin essentials to unleash your confidence.” They offer a range of skincare essentials made from carefully selected biocompatible ingredients, with no parabens, phthalates, and artificial fragrance or colour. The Speak Collective prioritises optimum skin health, as their products are created in a GMP certified facility, tested in independent labs, and use pure and gentle botanical ingredients. They are built upon the values of transparency, education, and respect for the planet and community. By educating customers on what is in their skincare, the brand empowers customers to make informed decisions about their choice of skincare. They also put sustainability at the forefront of their mission by using recyclable packaging and teaming up with upcycling NGOs. The Speak Collective contributes to the reforestation effort, and are partnered with One Tree Planted, where they donate $1 from every product sold to plant trees. They advocate for clean and conscious skincare, as all their products are vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, and specifically made to treat sensitive skin.  

The Rose+Peach Hydrating Mist is a refreshing botanical face mist that hydrates skin with each spritz. Facial mists are ideal for dehydrated skin because they give it an instant dewy, fresh, and restored feeling. This mist is created as a multitasker, as it can boost hydration, strengthen the skin barrier, nourish irritated skin, and of course, help to improve the appearance of the skin leaving it soft and dewy. The mist is made from a blend of plant-based ingredients designed to combat the effects of any dry, tight, red, or itchy skin. It contains a blend of 9 natural and functional ingredients may rose water, peach, evening primrose, yuzu ceramide, artichoke, eisenia (a type of algae), jiou, oubaku, okra and houttuynia. These are 97.55% naturally-derived ingredients and are kind to sensitive skin, the mist is also free from any essential oils and fragrances. The Rose+Peach Hydrating Mist harnesses the power of four key active ingredients, in particular, may rose flower water, evening primrose seed extract, peach leaf extract, and yuzu ceramide extract. 

The rose water comes from the may rose flower, this gives the mist a very light, honeyed sweet scent. The may rose, AKA rose centifolia, is one of the key ingredients used in the legendary perfume Chanel No 5. Unlike other roses, it’s edible and sometimes has 100 petals per rose. the may rose flowers once a year in may (hence the name) and can only be harvested on the same day that it blooms! The two most common species of rose used in perfume and cosmetics are the damascena rose (grown in Morrocco, Turkey and Bulgaria) and this may rose found in France, where it’s the emblematic rose of Grasse. Not only does the may rose water provide a natural, delicate fragrance, it also acts as a skin conditioner and an anti-inflammatory to help calm skin redness and hydrate the skin. 

The evening primrose extract is rich in fatty acids and linoleic acid, which help improve the skin by retaining water and balancing sebum production. Excess sebum is often a cause for acne and clogged pores, so regulating it is key for healthy-looking skin. The extract is also known to effectively fight inflammation and soothe dry skin.  Another key ingredient is the peach leaf extract which is packed with phenolic compounds that calm irritated skin and reduce inflammation. It also has powerful antioxidant properties and can stop free radicals, the damaging molecules that create wrinkles, dark circles, and uneven complexions. 

Finally, the mist uses a potent little citrus yuzu fruit extract high in vitamin C it’s an antioxidant powerhouse for brightening the skin, fighting signs of ageing, and even helping to combat dry skin. It also helps diminish the appearance of fine lines and restores the skin barrier function, so your skin is left healthy and radiating.

As we’re all about natural products, it’s good to know that this mist is only naturally coloured with hibiscus flowers extract – meaning that there are no artificial pigments that can irritate the skin. We used it in a variety of ways, after cleansing our face, and on top of makeup to give us a more dewy look. In fact, keeping it at our desks and spritzing it during the day, also protects it from the effects of the drying air-con or heating. We found the rose scent subtle and soothing, with the mist leaving our skin feeling immediately hydrated. For an even more refreshing and cooling sensation, The Speak Collective suggests you keep it in the fridge - however for us in the UK, perhaps not now in mid-winter!. They also recommend following the mist with a facial oil to ensure your skin seals in the moisture. To keep your skin nice and hydrated throughout these cold weeks, you can purchase the Rose+Peach Hydrating Mist here for $36.00.  

Ancienne Ambiance : Bacca Berry and Adriatica Fig Soaps

We believe that it’s always quality over quantity. This is why at The Amazing Blog we want to introduce you to one of our favourite luxury lifestyle brands, Ancienne Ambiance and their Adriatica Fig and Bacca Berry soaps. Not only do these help to keep skin soft and hydrated but are fragranced with delicate botanical extracts. If you’re curious to know more about the other products we’ve reviewed, then see here.

Founded by Adriana Carlucci in 2004, with a boutique expansion in 2014 in Chelsea, Ancienne Ambiance truly is a unique and wonderful brand. Adriana’s background in antiquities fuelled by her passion for fragrance inspired her to bring together the curation of these exceptional products. Historical elements and themes run through the entire range with either the ingredients or with the methods that the products have been created. Ancienne Ambiance brings history to life and embraces their corporate colour purple, often dubbed one of the papal and royal colours and a time-honoured symbolic colour with historical significance. The award-winning brand uses sustainable and ethical practices, which include no testing on animals and the use of recyclable packaging. Products range from perfumes to jewellery and skincare to candles, where each product also has its own story. Ancienne Ambiance produces some of the finest quality luxury lifestyle goods exclusively in the UK, France, Lebanon and Italy, all delivered in beautiful purple hand-crafted gift boxes.  

We chose two of their soaps, The Bacca Berry soap and Adriatica Fig soap from their set of four here.  All the soaps are made in France using the traditional Savon de Marseille techniques, and each soap is made with safe, sustainable and ethically sourced ingredients. Beautifully embossed with the Ancienne Ambiance logo, these are made with a 100% vegetable oil base and includes key ingredients such as shea butter and coconut oil (as the natural glycerine). The shea butter, in particular, improves the skin’s natural barrier and protects the skin from environmental stressors. They lather well without the presence of SLS and are gentle enough to use on hands, face and body. Apart from the fragrance, we love how they both cleanse and hydrate the skin keeping it nourished and moisturised.

The Bacca Berry soap, they refer to it as berry-licious, and we couldn’t agree more! It’s a beautifully light and berry scented with hints of redcurrants and blackcurrants, all of which help cleanse and gently purify the skin. Translated from Latin, Bacca means berry, and it is also the botanical term used to describe a fruit that is a pulpy and juicy fruit with one or many seeds but not encased or with a stone. Historically, these succulent berries were included in soap to treat or cleanse impurities. This soap delivers a beautifully soft and gentle berry-like scent that gives a delicate fragrance to the skin. 

The Adriatica Fig soap is another beautiful and luxurious soap with nourishing and moisturising qualities. This type of Mediterranean fig has fresh, top notes with green florals and green leaves and gives base notes of warmth and calm. The Adriatic Fig, a highly prized ingredient in ancient times and is known to symbolise rebirth, abundance, and prosperity. 

We loved the gorgeous fresh fruity fragrance of these soaps, they’re almost too good to use. In fact, some people tuck soaps into an empty suitcase or even an underwear drawer to keep clothes smelling fresh. Not a bad idea! Also, did you know that the word soap originates from the Latin word ‘sapo’? Soap production dates back to around 2800 BC in ancient Babylon. The first known formula for soap was written on a Babylonian clay tablet around 2200 BC. It is said that soap was first discovered at the base of Sapo Hill in Rome by washerwomen who noticed while doing their laundry in the River Tiber that using cleansing substances like clay made for cleaner laundry. To quote Ancienne Ambiance, “Mother nature – or Demeter, the ancient Greek goddess of the earth’s fertility – provided everything the ancients needed to create effective products for beauty and wellbeing in a sustainable manner, so why change things?”  Why change things indeed!

To purchase BACCA Berry Soap 100g at £6 please see here, or for the ADRIATICA Fig Soap 100g at £6 please see here. Or with ten soaps in the collection you can build your own set of four soaps please see here.