Lady H Apothecary: Healthy Hair & Scalp Oil

Maintaining healthy hair can be a struggle, whether trying to encourage hair to grow or perhaps dealing with an irritated scalp. This is why at The Amazing Blog, we were thrilled to test out this Healthy Hair & Scalp Oil from organic skincare Lady H Apothecary. The benefits are numerous when using hair oil, whether it’s for feeding the scalp or just nourishing dry ends. We were privileged to be invited to judge this product for The 2023 Beauty Shortlist Awards, where it won ‘Best Scalp Oil’, and let us tell you why.

Lady H Apothecary is based in Northumberland and founded by Lyndsey Lees; who, with her background in salon and holistic beauty, blends various therapeutic oils for both skin and hair. After eighteen years in beauty and holistic therapy, she followed her passion and sold her beauty business to return to college to complete a degree in the aesthetic practice of advanced skin treatments and the physiology of skin ageing. Lyndsay said, "In truth, I first fell in love with aromatherapy as a young beauty therapist. I was told that essential oils were similar to people in that they had many characteristics or properties, and those characteristics could change in accordance with the different oils that they were blended with, much in the same way that human characteristics can change depending on who they're spending time with.” The base of all Lady H products is organic carrier oils like jojoba, sweet almond, evening primrose, prickly pear, pomegranate oil and Argan oil and in butters like cocoa and shea, which all have an abundance of essential fatty acids which promote the absorption of vitamins into the skin. All her products are all derived from organic plants to harness the actives and feed the skin with plant-powered nutrition. She has since opened a clinic in Morpeth, where her hand-crafted products continue to grow, and she has expanded her treatment menu to include the latest in beauty and self-care. Recognised for her skill and expertise, she won the 2022 North East Skin Specialist of the Year at the British Hair & Beauty Awards. With Lyndsey’s love of aromatherapy and organic ingredients, she went on to say, “It is amazing to carry out treatments and achieve results using the products I’ve made by hand, and even more amazing to hear how my clients are enjoying them at home.” The brand is conscious of its environmental footprint and has a refill scheme in which customers can participate. After use, the bottles can be cleaned and returned to Lady H Apothecary, where they will be sterilised and reused, and customers will be offered a discount for their refills.

We found that The Healthy Hair and Scalp Oil was excellent for hydrating and conditioning both the hair and scalp. We used it as a pre or post-shampoo treatment or reviving overnight hair mask. It contains a powerhouse blend of handpicked organic carrier oils, which include organic jojoba oil, calendula, evening primrose oil, Argan oil, tocopherol and apricot kernel oil, together with essential oils of rosemary leaf extract, lemon, palmarosa, and Roman chamomile too.

Every ingredient is here for a reason. The organic jojoba oil is high omega 9 content that protects the hair to keep moisture locked in and grow thicker, lustrous hair. Organic calendula can help soothe any irritation on the scalp or clear dandruff as it has oleic acid. The essential oil of Argan oil is very beneficial in strengthening hair and softening lifeless hair with omega 9 and omega 6, which can help reduce hair breakage. Organic evening primrose and organic apricot kernel oil are also effective with omega 9 and 6 to restore dry, dull hair and work as a detangler and decrease hair loss. For stimulating hair growth and reducing greasiness, the rosemary leaf extract increases scalp circulation along with the beneficial ingredient of lemon essential oil that improves the scalps' oxygen flow and functions of the hair follicle.  Whereas palmarosa essential oil is wonderful in restoring hair, and Roman chamomile oil calms scalp irritation.

This hair oil blend certainly has been a great multitasker for us, and we’ve used it for scalp nourishment and hydrating dry ends. The texture is light, and the fragrance is floral and uplifting. It can be used as an overnight as an intensive treatment; the oil can be left overnight and washed out in the morning.  Or as a pre-shampoo, which is one of our favourite ways to apply, using it from the root to the tip, then massaging it into the scalp, leaving it on for 30 minutes before washing it out with shampoo. Plus, it works well taming flyaway hairs by simply rubbing a few drops of oil into the palms and then gently smoothing down those stray strands. We highly recommend this hair oil, and it’s another of our #amazingfinds.

To purchase the award-winning 100ml Healthy Hair and Scalp Oil for £36, see here.

MOIA ELIXIRS : CBDerma-Repair Finishing Silk Serum

Having hydrated and healthy skin is essential to us at The Amazing Blog, particularly during the summer heat, when we’re in and out of chilling air-con. The fluctuating temperatures play havoc with our skin, and it’s when we look for a protecting, nourishing and balancing serum. We’re back with MOIA ELIXIRS (see review of their Nano-Fiber Mask here ) and their CBD-infused skincare with the CBDerma-Repair Finishing Silk Serum; it ticks our boxes and also won ‘Best CBD Skincare Product’ at the 2022 Beauty Shortlist Awards.

MOIA ELIXIRS® was founded in the Czech Republic by Jakub Mohl Moia Elixirs in 2019. The Czech well-being brand ‘believes in the wisdom of nature and its gifts in the form of medicinal substances supporting the proper function of our cells and our body’. Founder Jakub Mohl firmly believes in the positive effects of CBD, which helped heal his injured hand. Following his recovery, he became increasingly interested in the healing powers of CBD. This led on to creating his own CBD brand and building an extraction and purification laboratory for the production of CBD and botanical extracts. They only use 100% crystalline pure (isolate) cannabidiol extract in their skincare and full-spectrum in their CBD oils and edibles. Together with our farmers, they follow the whole process, from growing plants from seeds (EU-certified cultivars) to the final CBD extract. The MOIA ELIXIRS® products also include their own patented actives from natural origin, primarily made with the highest concentration of organic botanicals with ECOCERT COSMOS certification, and Karlovy Vary minerals (from their hometown). All products have the certification of the Czech Institute of Accreditations (ČIA), with a range of six CBD-infused collections with Beauty Age, BioActive, Nano Fiber, CBE Wellness, CBD Oils and Animalixir. The brand is proud of its sustainability credentials including zero-waste packaging with aluminium tubes and brown pharmaceutical glass bottles, all with minimal use of plastic except for the screw and bottle tops. They have a giving-back policy, donating part of their earnings to the world-famous organisation The Ocean Cleanup in order to fight ocean pollution by plastics. Finally, all MOIA ELIXIRS® skincare products are dermatologically tested, vegan-friendly, not tested on animals, free from GMO ingredients, fragrance and THC. They are also quick to point out that all of their products are ‘chemical-free’ with no PEG, dimethicone, parabens, paraffin, petrolatum and phenoxyethanol.

With all that being said, let’s further assess this award-winning Finishing Silk Serum, which is part of the ‘Beauty Age’ collection. It’s designed to improve the quality of the skin by increasing strength, reducing fine lines, hydrating and restoring elasticity. More importantly, it claims to nourish skin receptors and also work as a protective shield against excessive cell ageing.

What sets this Finishing SIlk Serum apart is the use of their 300g CBD isolate, together with other natural actives. The CBD activates skin receptors and offers a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect, helping balance and slow skin ageing. The CBD isolate (the purest form of crystalised CBD) is produced by removing all other compounds found in the hemp plant, including other cannabinoids isolating only the CBD. This isolate is thought to be the best type of CBD for skincare, as it’s odourless, doesn't clog pores and is packed with skin-rejuvenating antioxidant properties. The Finishing Silk Serum also has other active ingredients, which include: Squalane, hydrogenated polyisobutene, marula oil, oleyl erucate, almond oil, argan oil, vitamin E and soybean oil, caprylic capric triglyceride, laminaria ochroleuca extract and sucrose stearate.

The vegetable-based squalane locks in moisture, increasing the skin's elasticity and reducing the appearance of wrinkles. There is hydrogenated polyisobutene, which replaces mineral or silicone oils in formulas with its primary function as an emollient. The marula oil prevents wrinkles, hydrating the skin by strengthening cell membranes and allowing them to hold larger supplies of water. Oleyl erucate is another vegetable-based emollient very similar to jojoba oil (also included here). Almond oil improves skin tone, helps reverse sun damage and treats dry skin. Argan Oil has antioxidants, fatty acids, and vitamins A, C, and E.It restores skin cells, balances pH, helps with acne, and prevents pigment spots. Vitamin E and soybean oil are rich and moisturising and ideal for mature skin. Caprylic capric triglyceride is derived from coconut oil and glycerine; its mix of fatty acids replenishes the skin’s surface, plus it works as a natural preservative. Laminaria ochroleuca extract is a species of kelp rich in alginates, mannitol and amino acids; it’s key in protecting against solar aggressions and preserving the skin's DNA. Finally, the sucrose stearate is plant-based and works as an emollient and emulsifier.

One of the reasons we love the serum is that it has lots of antioxidants and moisturising properties that nourish and leave skin feeling super-smooth. In these warm summer months, we used it as a stand-alone serum under our regular SPF to seal in goodness and to help save us from further sun damage. However, as we have dry skin, we'd probably layer it under a day cream (such as their CBDerma-Repair® Day Cream) during the winter months for extra protection. Although we see MOIA ELIXIRS® suggest using it as the sixth final skincare step over their day cream! Very little is needed as it’s oil-based; we only used a couple of drops for full face, neck and décolleté, applying morning and evening with gentle upward movements and finally tapping it around the eye area.

If you are looking for an age-defying serum, then this is for you. It’s also another of our #amazingfinds and a must-try with its DNA protection, and hydrating and anti-ageing properties. MOIA ELIXIRS® CBDerma-Repair 30ml Finishing Silk Serum can be purchased for €45, here.