essential oils

Fi-ne - Body Serums

At The Amazing Blog it’s no secret that we love luxurious body lotions and serums. And probably no surprise that today’s #amazingfinds is on Body Serums. Meet a new German brand called Fi-ne Cosmetics whose rather unique trio of Body Serums are luxurious organic moisturiser-oil-serums specifically created for this area. Their founder had a light bulb moment when she discovered that most people were using luxury skincare on their faces, but completely neglecting their bodies.

Fi-ne Cosmetics was created by Judith Springer in Germany when she couldn’t find a range of natural, healthy and functional deodorants. Since then the brand has evolved to offer body serums, masks, eye serums and perfume oils. Her belief is that she won’t ever bring something to market that either already exists, or doesn’t offer the right solution for the problem. Fi-ne Cosmetics products are handmade, certified organic, 100% vegan and not tested on animals. They are also GMO-free, paraben-free and free from all synthetic preservatives, colours, and fragrances.  Manufactured in a laboratory in Germany, their natural and organic products are made under strict conditions in accordance with the EU Cosmetics Regulation. They avoid plastic materials in their packaging.  Wooden spatulas that come with their cream-based products are created in a workshop for people with special needs in Berlin.

Fi-ne Body Serums are a fusion of a rich nourishing blend of effective oils and a hyaluronic moisturising serum.  These Body Serums primarily feature a distinctive blend of original Australian Bush Flowers. The flower essences contain the individual energy of the specific plants from which they are derived. The second key ingredient is the Mediterranean algae which provide a multitude of protection and healing properties.  There are three different Body Serum in the range which cater to individual needs.

We tried the set of three Body Serums all of which contain the ingredients of cooling and hydrating aloe vera and squalane. Let’s begin with Focus, this uses apricot kernel and safflower seed oils with the wood additions of douglas fir/atlas wood oils, it also has lavender and grapefruit peel oil for a more citrus/woody scent. Focus is for grounding and centring it has helped to boost concentration and clarity. These ingredients also help to restore hydration, leaving skin fresh and radiant. The second we tried was Energy serum as the name suggests it’s empowering and uplifting helping to stimulate collagen and hyaluronic acid synthesis. The key ingredients are sweet almond oil together with hazel and grape seed oils. More unusual here are the palmarosa and manuka branch/leaf oil making the scent ‘warming and comforting’. The final Body Serum in the trio that we tried was Peace serum which helps let go. Since the Peace serum is for use at night time, it features a higher quantity of plant oils,  such as camellia seed and peach kernel oil. It has a delicious and slightly fruity fragrance, where the smell of the dog rose with juniper and lavender oils comes through. This is perfect for city living as its purpose is to repair UVA/UVB and pollution-induced damage, restoring skin while you sleep!

Fi-ne Cosmetics recommends applying the Focus and Energy serums after a shower in the morning and applying the Peace serum before bed in the evenings. Each of the Body Serums scents can be purchased individually in 200 ml or 50 ml sizes. We had the set of three Body Serums in 50 ml which can be purchased here for €50.  We think these make a great gift or for yourself for a little luxurious self-care.

The Love Light Life - Wellbeing Candle

We’re all mindful that Mother’s Day will soon be upon us on 22 March, and it’s time to put on our thinking caps and find the ideal gift to express our love and gratitude. Here at The Amazing Blog, we’ve certainly got one good idea for that perfect gift, meet The Love Light Life Wellbeing Candle. This candle has a delicious combination of lavender, ylang-ylang and geranium scents which your Mother is sure to love.

Founded in November 2018 by Nathalie Vanpoperinghe, Love Light Life Candles offer luxury natural candles for your wellness journey. Vanpoperinghe’s background as a business consultant in spas and wellness put her in the prime position to spot a gap in the market. She noticed that most candles in the spas she visited were badly made and inconsistent with how they fragranced the rooms. Hence her mission began…

The Wellbeing Candle is the first candle to launch. It is designed and made in France with ingredients of essential oils, cotton wicks, soy and coconut wax. Unlike other candles, it does not contain paraffin wax and is free from synthetic fragrances and dyes. Something to note is that when synthetic candles are burned, they can release carcinogenic chemicals which can cause headaches and allergies. We were pleased to hear that The Love Light Life’s Wellbeing Candle that was recently shortlisted for the 2020 Gift of the Year Awards in the Home Fragrance category.  

The essential oils in this candle have unique properties that can combat everyday stress, anxiety, and fatigue. Lavender relieves stress, curbs headaches, and can improve short term memory. The ylang-ylang promotes relaxation, kills bacteria in the air and has been linked to alleviating depression, making this scent perfect for an afternoon pick me up. And the geranium improves circulation and concentration as blood flows faster to the brain. Love Light Life told us that they are also in the process of creating three new scented candles and we can’t wait to try them. The Wellbeing Candle offers 50 hours of burn time and can be purchased for £32.00 here. So why not get your Mother a gift she’ll truly love, and be sure to check out Love Light Life candles.

Allira Organics - Nourish Anti-Ageing Cream & Brightening Foaming Cleanser

Have you like us, had the endless night creams and serums that promise a reduction in fine lines? But then only offer exhaustion of your time and money. Well, fortunately for you, The Amazing Blog is here to help restore your faith in the skincare miracles and anti-ageing products all over again.

Allira Organics is an Australian hand-crafted, vegan and cruelty-free brand that creates products their labs with esteemed and knowledgeable naturopaths and nutritionists who have over two decades of experience in natural skincare formulations. They offer an array of products created with the highest quality and certified organic raw ingredients in order to deliver a range of products that embed your skin with the nutrients and help to showcase your true radiance. Every dedicated formulation takes birth from current research and approaches skincare from traditional and effective plant methodology and thus is designed to be, in its truest sense, anti-ageing. Allira Organics aims to take you on a luxurious journey that will leave your senses deeply intoxicated and your mind at ease. Their products carry an aromatic smell of organic botanicals that will transform your bathroom into a spa sanctuary where all your worries can miraculously float away.

The Allira Nourish Anti-Ageing Cream is an award-winning formula made with natural ingredients such as gumbi, calendula and rosehip. Made and manufactured in Australia, it is a nourishing cream (as the name suggests) and extremely rich in antioxidants, pure essential oils and calming organic herbs that do their magic as powerful anti-ageing agents. The formula will leave your complexion feeling nourished, radiant and of course, with consistent use rejuvenated! We recommend you use it twice a day, both before you put on your facial armour to take on the world as well as after you retire and succumb to the comforts of your bed.  

This award-winning cream is complimented best with the Allira Brightening Foaming Cleanser that packs together a unique blend of earthy minerals, herbs and essential oils deeply cleansing the skin while simultaneously soothing and brightening your complexion. Made with refreshing aloe vera, lactic acid, gumbi, rose water, red and white clay as well as green tea and grapefruit extract, the Cleanser works as a timeless product for all skin types but especially well on oily/acne-prone skin. Additionally, the 40ml bottle will go a long way since you don’t need more than a drop or two to work through your canvas and get rid of all the impurities. We also recommend using the cleaner twice a day, prior to applying their magnificent Anti-Ageing Cream.

The two products are available on the official Allira Organics website here and are priced at an affordable £30.76 and £20.69 respectively. Re-enforcing an indulgent beauty ritual, Allira Organics proves to be a one of a kind brand that doesn’t only make promises but also delivers on their every word.

Siam Botanicals - Wild Roots of Zingiber

Thankfully in 2019, many beauty brands are now realising the power of harnessing all-natural ingredients. If you can find all-natural skincare products that work way better than anything synthetic, why wouldn’t you use them? At the Amazing Blog, we’ve been stressing the importance of all-natural beauty for years now, with no sign of stopping anytime soon.

We’ve been lucky to find Siam Botanicals, an award-winning and cosmos certified brand whose mission aligns so well with our beliefs. Their inspiration came from a search to find natural products for their own spa in Thailand. When they couldn’t find what they wanted, they went on to create their own. Combining traditional Thai-inspired ingredients and scientific know-how; Siam Botanicals uses the purest ingredients and source responsibly only using local suppliers whenever possible. We love how all of their products are made in small batches ensuring the best quality in every pot, jar or bottle. Living in a big city, we consider having a good cleansing routine to be a vital part of our daily regime. Which is why we wanted to try both the natural Cleansing Balm and Facial Scrub from Siam Botanicals. Their latest range is the Wild Roots of Zingiber  are all formulated with premium organic seed oils and essential oils distilled from the roots of zingiber. These remarkable asian rhizomes including plai, turmeric, ginger and ginger lily have natural skin healing properties that have long been used in effective eastern skincare remedies.  

The first product for us to try was the Lime & Turmeric Cleansing Facial Balm. The balm is formulated with cold-pressed organic seed oils, zingiber roots and boswellia tree resin all of which provide a deep cleanse and hydration. Use a generous amount on your fingertips and massage into the face and neck. Remove with a damp cotton pad and see all of the dirt and makeup come right off! We love how it doesn’t strip the skin of its natural oils and left our face feeling soft and refreshed. Turmeric root is known for its antibacterial properties, calming the skin and preventing blemishes. The turmeric combines beautifully with the uplifting zing of lime to calm the skin.

For an even brighter and healthier complexion, we exfoliated twice a week with the Ginger Lily & Plai Clarifying Facial Scrub. Its fine jojoba wax beads with argan and moringa oils offer the perfect amount of exfoliation without leaving the skin irritated. The essential oils of ginger lily and plai have natural anti-inflammatory properties and our skin looked noticeably brighter after using the scrub. If you’d like to purchase the Lime & Turmeric Cleansing Facial Balm, it can be purchased here and costs £30 for 50ml. or The Ginger Lily & Plai Clarifying Facial Scrub here which can be purchased for £19 for 15ml.

 

Charlotte Harley Candles - Candle & Diffuser

Are you looking for a natural way to increase your focus and productivity in the workplace? Or maybe you just want to return home to somewhere that is calm and aromatic. At the Amazing Blog we’ve found the all-natural home fragrance brand Charlotte Harley Candles. It’s particularly at this time of year when lighting candles helps to brighten up the mood. What we like about Charlotte Harley Candles, is that we can breathe in a big (scented) sigh of relief, as they are made from eco soy wax which is deemed to be cleaner and with a longer burn time.

Charlotte Harley was inspired to start her own candle brand in 2012 when she was pregnant with her first child. After learning that the traditional candles she’d been burning contained quite a lot of toxins, she set out to create her own brand without all the nasties. Hand-poured in small batches right here in the UK, each candle is uniquely made with eco soy wax, aromatherapy grade essential oil and organic cotton wicks. That’s it!

We were kindly sent both the Sweet Orange & Ylang Ylang Candle and the Lime & Basil Reed Diffuser. The Sweet Orange & Ylang Ylang Candle she describes as a ‘sunny blend of happiness and warmth’ and we couldn’t agree more. With the uplifting scent of orange and the aphrodisiac properties of ylang ylang, it’s the perfect scent for a night of romance. The 30cl candle has a burn time of approximately 45 hours, so you don’t have to worry about your favourite scent burning out too quickly.

The Lime & Basil Reed Diffuser is made with the highest quality essential oils and a non-toxic natural base. The lime and basil combination is glorious! With this fragrance we found it to be energizing and increase focus. Perfect for putting in the office to boost productivity and concentration. Each Charlotte Harley diffuser lasts for up to 12 weeks or more if kept out of direct sunlight. Not only that, we love their simple and elegant design which will enhance any home decor.

If you want to find a special Christmas gift or fill your home with the heavenly scent of Charlotte Harley Candles (and reed diffusers) with none of the nasties, then look no further. Charlotte Harley Candles can be purchased on her website with a price of £22 for a 30cl Candle and £20 for a 100ml Reed Diffuser.