massage

Africology - The Rose Body Balm

Culture is an integral part of the journey for the beauty industry and its products. It is where both ancient and new ideas come together, transforming knowledge into something special. The Amazing Blog always gravitates toward beauty products that have adopted innovative ideas, especially ones that use culture as the foundation of practice. Africology is one such company, who celebrate Africa’s heritage and plant life, subsequently capturing the flora and fauna of Africa in their skincare products. I first came across Africology when I had a friend from South Africa to stay. Buried deep in her hand luggage was their serum, a product she eulogised for hours about. It was a piece of 'home' that she prized more than anything else that had travelled 8k miles to get here! Then Africology popped up again, as winners at 2018 The BeautyShortlist and that's when I knew that I had to try it. 

The Rose Body Balm was the first product we requested to try.  Infused with shea butter, marula oil, rosehip seed oil and unrefined beeswax. Its texture is light and soft and glides across the skin during application. While massaging the product into the skin’s surface, the balm becomes a medium for increasing lymph flow and circulation. As it becomes a source of nourishment, the balm also alleviates muscle pain. The purpose of the balm extends far beyond hydrating dry areas and cracked heals. Rose, a foundational component of the product, is a mild anti-depressant and balances emotions and hormones. The floral aroma is subtle and calming. For use, warm a tiny amount in your hands and apply to the affected areas. The product can be used during a bath or shower, as part of a message, or melted in an aromatherapy burner. However, Africology recommends applying it to damp skin after a warm bath.

Interested in learning more about the key ingredients’ perks? Keep on reading...Shea butter: The fatty acids contained in shea oil are a source of vitamins A, E and F. Shea oil is an anti-inflammatory, and helps to retain moisture, relieve itchiness and soothe sunburnt skin. Marula seed oil: The oil extracted from the kernel of the marula fruit, the seed oil is rich in antioxidants and stimulates collagen and elastin production. Due to its light consistency, the oil doesn’t clog pores and treats acne with its antimicrobial and non-comedogenic properties. Beeswax: Beeswax is thick in nature, and acts as a protective barrier for the skin. As the foundation of the balm, it also prevents the separation of oil and liquid components. Rosehip seed oil: This oil contains vitamin A and C, which exfoliates and moisturises the skin while boosting skin regeneration and elasticity. Green rooibos (leaf powder): With its natural compounds, leaf powder is an excellent aid for eczema, nappy rash and acne. The alpha-hydroxy acid found in leaf powder also maintains healthy skin. African potato (root powder):  Root powder contains sterols and sterolins that are helpful in acne, eczema and psoriasis treatment.  It also boosts the immune system.

This product did the rounds at The Amazing Blog, we dabbed it onto our pulse points (gorgeous rose aroma) and also put a 1/2 teaspoon of the balm into our aromatherapy burner, which melted to give the office a sense of calm. A little does go a long way (hence the 125ml jar), you can purchase yours for £21 here.

Amphora Aromatics – Energise Aromatherapy Blend

Here at The Amazing Blog, we appreciate companies that use high-quality ingredients but are also able to keep the cost of their products affordable; and since 1984 Amphora Aromatics has been doing just that! We've written about Amphora Aromatics for their products in the past, with their Shampoo Bars and Ylang Ylang, Argan & Rosemary shampoo and conditioner which have been two of our favourites, so far. However, these two products both come from their skincare line - AA Skincare. So we were excited to test a different kind of product from them, which was Energise from their Aromatherapy Blends. 

The ‘Energise Stimulating’ blend is made from a combination of essential oils. Some of the oils used in the product include lime, peppermint, lemongrass, geranium, cypress and cedarwood. The lime, peppermint and lemongrass essential oils help to wake up the body. The combination of geranium, cypress and cedarwood work wonders to alleviate stresses. This product has an incredibly delicious lemon-mint fragrance which is very uplifting when put into a steam diffuser.

In total, there are six different Amphora Aromatics’ Aromatherapy Blends available for purchase including; Sleep, Energise, Revive, Focus, Relax and Festive. Each blend helps to provide any room with a relaxing energy.  In addition to relaxation, each blend also offers a specific unique beneficial function that can be found in the aromatherapy section of their website. You can use each aromatherapy blend in diffusers & burners, for steam inhalation or for massage. We like using the Energise Blend in our diffusers to set a calming, yet energising and refreshing vibe. You can purchase your own 10 ml bottle of Amphora Aromatics Aromatherapy ‘Energise’ Blend here for £7.50.

Feather & Down – Best Before Bedtime Set and Soothing Body Oil

Getting a relaxing night’s sleep is not always that easy, we've all experienced being physically tired but our brain is still racing. Getting a full night's rest helps to reduce stress, improve memory, boost energy and keep your heart healthy. These are just a few of the countless benefits of getting enough sleep. Here at The Amazing Blog we love our beauty sleep, so imagine how happy we were to be sent Feather and Down’s 'Sleep Matters' products that help encourage relaxation and improve our sleep habits.  Feather and Down is a UK brand dedicated to providing products that promote a restful night's sleep. These range from body and bath to home fragrance, all with the key ingredients of lavender & chamomile essential oils, which are known to encourage a deeper slumber.

Feather and Down’s ‘Best Before Bedtime Set’ contains a range of products which allow you to unwind and drift off to sleep. The set consists of the brand's Pillow Spray, Melting Shower Cream and one chamomile tea bag. Both the Pillow Spray and the Melting Shower Cream contain lavender and chamomile essential oils. These essential oils promote a calming environment making a good night’s sleep more achievable. The chamomile tea bag is an added bonus in the bedtime set as chamomile tea is known to help you fall asleep faster. One team member was just so impressed with their performance, that they immediately purchased this set in order to gift to a friend.

We also tried the Feather and Down’s Soothing Body Oil as part of our night-time routine. It is commonly known that by massaging lavender and chamomile body oils into the skin muscle tension are alleviated, providing the body with incredible feelings of relaxation. The carrier oil here is a combination of sunflower, almond, jojoba, moringa and argan oils with the key essential of lavender and chamomile. All these help to lock in moisture, provide a soothing scent and prepare your body for a peaceful night's sleep.

Feather and Down's products have certainly been helping to improve our bedtime regime. If you want to purchase a ‘Best Before Bedtime Set’ that includes a Pillow Spray, a Melting Shower Cream and one Chamomile Tea Bag you can here for £5.00. You can also purchase Feather and Down’s Soothing Body Oil here for £8.00.

Lovegrove - Lavender & Clary Sage Massage Balm

We love multi-tasking products, particularly as we here at The Amazing Blog have learnt to our cost, that shopping for all our pampering products, can certainly add up! So when we heard that Lovegrove’s Lavender and Clary Sage Massage Balm had multiple uses, we knew we had to try it. This massage balm can be used for manicures, pedicures, reflexology, massages, or you can add it to your bath for some extra muscle relaxation; how perfect is that? Lovegrove Essentials is a UK artisan brand that has been developed over the past six years. It was created by a mother and daughter duo Hannah and Hayley, whose combined knowledge and experience as respective holistic practioner and make up artist, certainly sets them apart. They have created specific blends of essential oils in their natural skincare range, which are not just for a topical effect they are also there to help individuals on a more holistic level for the mind and body

Lovegrove’s Massage Balm is made from 100% natural ingredients and it is vegan (made from a rice wax instead of bees wax). One of our favourite things about this balm is that moisturises the skin without leaving any unwanted greasiness. The main ingredients in the product are lavender and clary sage essential oils. Firstly, lavender essential oil has a mild analgesic properties which is especially good for treating muscular pains and a variety skin conditions. Secondly, clary sage essential oil creates a feeling of well-being and calmness it relieves stresses and is ideal for those suffering from insomnia or anxiety. The blend of lavender and clary sage essential oils in this balm provides the skin with an unbeatable combination that soothes skin and uplifts the spirits; and we think it smells incredible!

In addition to this Lavender and Clary Sage Massage Balm, Lovegrove offers massage balms in two other fragrances; spike lavender, ginger & marjoram and black pepper & rosemary. All of Lovegrove's massage balms are vegan and 100% natural. We think can think of endless reasons to use these balms. You can purchase your own 100g tub of Lovegrove’s Lavender and Clary Sage Massage Balm here for £19.00.