Scentimental candles : Candle Mini Duo Set

With yesterday’s arrival of the Winter Solstice and the dark evenings that still envelop us, we thought it timely to celebrate such a landmark by lighting some candles. At this time of year, at The Amazing Blog, we like to sit quietly with a lit candle, reflecting on past events and giving thanks for all the good things. There's also something rather inviting about putting candles in the window, it makes a home feel welcoming and 'hygge'. To add to the Christmas vibe and get you in the mood, meet another of our #amazingfinds with Scentimental and their Candle Mini Duo Set, their heady fragrance and evocative aromas, will add to making your surroundings warm and harmonious.

Scentimental began in 2015 when Salma Bello, the founder, took her inspiration from a visit to Grasse, the world-famous perfume capital. From here, she went on to create her British/ Nigerian home fragrance brand, which uses the medium of scent to tell the untold stories of many places that contribute to the richness of a global community. Scentimental is based on the principle that "Each fragrance is personal, intimate and memorable and leaves a lingering sense of nostalgia as well as a footprint on your bucket list/travel map." And with this olfactory journey, the brand seeks to empower the culture and its people and, in their own little way, reinvent tourism by taking their community on unforgettable fragrant memories and travels around the globe. Salma explained, "Our scents individually speak to a myriad of cultural depths and heritage. With each of our fragrance compositions, the key ingredient is a vibrant effusion of culture." Scentimental is a luxury artisan brand 'born in Lagos', with products handcrafted in the UK. They offer affordable, premium-quality fragranced goods with a selection of hand-poured and gender-neutral candles, reed diffusers and fragrance oils.

They kindly sent us for review their Candle Mini Duo Set that offers "A memory waxed in time." Beautifully presented in a small elegant gift box, wrapped in bespoke tissue with a 'Scentimental Express Telegram' to encourage us to light the candles to make a wish or set intentions. The two 9cl (70g) travel candles inside are Lagos and Kwara. Both are richly scented, and even as the gift box opens, without being lit, the candles fill the air with an exotic fragrance.

Lagos has a notable light and fruity element, "An accord of tart pineapple notes, mango, and cucumber." As it warms up, the heart notes echo a floral mix of hibiscus, lilac, damask rose, and jasmine finally layered in the base note of white musk. The white musk anchors the fragrance and is there to elevate the mood and offer a feeling of general well-being. We found its fragrance unique and uplifting. It's aptly described as "Effervescent, vibrant and bursting with energy just like the city it's named after." It has a touch of tropical and exotic easily spiriting us away to far and distant climes.

Kwara is a different candle altogether, and our favourite of the two. It smoulders with the heady and intense fresh top notes of tomato, and green leaf with a dab of pine; which then open up with calming notes of earthy rosewood, followed by spicy black pepper and finally the soft accents and base notes of sandalwood. Sandalwood is well placed here, as it’s believed to be beneficial in treating anxiety and fatigue, Whereas the spicy black pepper relieves stress, making them a harmonious coupling. It’s a luxurious, warm, nostalgic scent that sets the scene; and made us want to hunker down and snuggle up during this hectic festive season.

All their candles are made of blended fragrance oil and 100% natural soy wax, a non-toxic alternative to paraffin. As a natural and renewable resource, soy wax is biodegradable and has a lower melting point than other waxes commonly used for candle-making. This difference means soy wax candles will burn and last longer; they also burn cleaner and emit less black soot than other candle types. These 9cl (70g) candles each offer a burn time of 15-18 hours, whereas their other larger 30cl (220g) candles burn up to 40 hours. Whether you are looking to light a candle to set intentions or want to fill the room with a hypnotic aroma, we find at this time of year, candles always help to brighten up the mood.

These luxurious and unique scents will undoubtedly lift any flagging spirits – which after this challenging year, is something we all could do with! To help you get to your happy place, we recommend purchasing the Scentimental Candle Mini Duo Set for £40, available exclusively online here.

We wish you all: Health, Wealth & Happiness.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

The Universal Soul Company - Uitrasonic AURA Aroma Diffuser Humidifier & Purifier

Today we want to share one of our favourite #amazingfinds for this year; it’s a brand that we’ve followed since its inception, The Universal Soul Company. We love how they feel passionately about making a difference and want to inspire positive energy inside and out. It would be wrong to define them as just a home fragrance company, and to quote Sara their founder, they offer “Beautiful products and services to help us reconnect to ourselves, others and the wider world…” And at this time of year, their cutting-edge Ultrasonic AURA Aroma Diffuser Humidifier & Purifier with its uplifting colour-changing mood light, really adds to the festive run-up to Christmas. We also like how they’re promoting the awareness of #CallJust1 by asking us all to take time out to call anyone who will be spending Christmas alone to see how they are. Such a brilliant idea, to show that you care…and one that’ll help to make a difference in their day.

The Universal Soul Company’s founder is Sara Griffiths, a qualified spiritual mentor, actress, presenter, lecturer and therapist. She founded the Universal Soul Company to bring clients inspirational support through her products to ‘Awaken your senses & uplift your heart & soul.’ The Universal Soul Company is built on sharing the experience of being human, particularly in this fast-paced and challenging era of technology and social change. More than just a brand with lifestyle products, Sara explained why she started her fragrance range, “The olfactory sense is the only sense that is fully developed at birth, so it was out of that, that we decided to make our Soul Mist STILL a 3-in1 signature fragrance,” she went on to say, “With this, I want the fragrance to inspire people to reconnect with themselves, other people and then the wider world and beyond”. The brand is also committed to sustainability and has been awarded the ‘Butterfly Mark’ powered by Positive Luxury, which recognises the company for being a responsible brand that minimises its environmental footprint while maximising its social good. They’re a multi-award winning brand and recently won ‘Best Aromatherapy Diffuser - Electrical Device’ at the 2022 Beauty Shortlist Wellbeing Awards. All products are vegan, chemical-free, environmentally friendly and even have Braille writing on the packaging to make them accessible to everyone. Not forgetting that they focus on ‘profit for purpose’ and donate a portion of their revenue to charitable causes - which we applaud.

Their Ultrasonic AURA Aroma Diffuser Humidifier & Purifier also includes their 15ml signature essential oil STILL, a natural essential oil with its unique blend of nurturing base notes of patchouli, and soothing top & middle notes of lavender; filling the air with tiny breathable particles of essential oil, it’s a delicate & uplifting fragrance that’s designed to adapt to suit one’s mood, and energises by day and relaxes at night, offering a both a calming, and uplifting ambience. Most importantly, at The Amazing Blog, we found that using the combination of the Ultrasonic AURA Aroma Diffuser, and STILL, helped us manage our stress response, and triggered our body to rest, reset, and restore itself.

The Ultrasonic  AURA Aroma Diffuser Humidifier & Purifier comes in two finishes, a sleek Chrome or a white Blanc making either an elegant addition to any room. What we love are all the features, its 1hr/3hr auto timer, a remote control, the changing or fixed LED lights, two mist settings, and a sleep mode. The light function can also be set to the desired length of diffusion, colour and ‘Hi or Lo’ mist setting for each occasion or time you use the diffuser. If you haven’t already discovered the joys of using an aroma diffuser, then this one with all its sophisticated functions is for you, plus it also offers multiple benefits for mental health and well-being. Finally, to use the AURA Aroma Diffuser, you need to fill the tank with 300ml of filtered water (which will benefit the quality of the fragrance), and add 5-10 drops of your desired essential oil to experience the full effect. If you want to ‘Love the air you breathe’ then you can purchase this Ultrasonic AURA Aroma Diffuser Humidifier & Purifier with their STILL essential oil here for £130.00.

BTW if you’re out and about doing Christmas shopping In London, why not drop into the iconic Peter Jones, where Sara has a pop-up shop until 18 December, and say ‘hello’. See here.

WOTNOT Naturals : Certified Organic Gradual Tan Lotion & Tan Water Mist

With autumn hot on our heels, the big question is, how do we top up our holiday sunkissed-glow? Here at The Amazing Blog, it’s a bit of a conundrum. However, worry not; WOTNOT Naturals' Certified Organic Gradual Tan Lotion and Certified Organic Tan Water Mist will help to enhance your skin’s natural glow while also providing a further streak-free self-tan - all with the utmost nourishment and hydration. Both products are our recent discoveries and winners of The Beauty Shortlist Awards in 2022.

Believe it or not, it WOTNOT Naturals all started with nappies. Irish mum Sinead Roberts received environmentally-friendly nappies as a gift from a friend; it blew her mind. She never knew such things existed. There were little to no environmentally-friendly nappies when Sinead lived in Australia – that's when she knew she needed to create them. In 2004, she and business partner Sioned Guard introduced the world's first environmentally-friendly disposable MOLTEX Nappy to Australia. Fast forward a couple of years, the nappies were a hit with a loyal community around Byron Bay and beyond asking for more products, including complementary all-natural baby, beauty and sun care products. As mothers, Sinead and Sioned wanted to create a caring, conscious brand that tends to their families and the environment through producing eco-friendly beauty, baby and suncare products enjoyed by mothers, babies and the planet. Sometimes, these products don't exist yet, so they work with the community to create unique products that fulfil each customer's wants and needs. "Our mission has always been to help improve the wellbeing of people and our planet," Sinead and Sioned went on to say, "Today, we do this by co-creating innovative (sometimes world first!) natural and organic skincare that matches conventional brands on performance but ditch the toxins! We do this with courage, commitment, collaboration and respect." All products are made with effective, natural, gentle, non-toxic and organic alternatives to conventional ingredients, where performance is never compromised, and conventional alternatives are consistently outperformed. Each product is always designed to be used on the most sensitive of skins; it’s even endorsed by the Eczema Association. Equally important is their passion for giving back to nature through sustainability. All its sun, tanning and baby skincare packaging is sustainably made with recycled materials and is recyclable. They work with Carbon Neutral Australia to measure, reduce and offset greenhouse gas emissions while planting trees in deforested areas annually. It's not just the environment that WOTNOT gives back to; they support Women's Community Shelters and Bear Cottage, a children's hospice.

WOTNOT Naturals also creates a highly personal customer experience like no other. First, customers submit product ideas, followed by company research, creation, testing and lastly, production of the once non-existent product of your dreams. Once a trial product is created, customers volunteer to test it, allowing for reformulation to achieve the best product based on your feedback. If you'd like to be one of these customer volunteers, also known as co-creators, or if you have a brimming product idea, click here. WOTNOT is always ready to make your product dreams come alive.

"On Your Marks, Get Set, Glow!" WOTNOT Naturals say about their Certified Organic Gradual Tan Lotion. And rightfully so, it's a velvety soft moisturiser packed with skin-nourishing organic ingredients that hydrate the skin while gradually building and effortlessly extending a tan for the ultimate year-round glow. The lotion contains skin-perfecting actives like the Australian kakadu plum, camellia oil and aloe vera, to name a few. On top of that, it's vegan, cruelty-free, toxin-free – suitable for sensitive skin and pregnancy – and free from streaks, fake tan odours, and transfers. After using the lotion, expect silky smooth skin with a tan that will fade naturally and evenly.

Made with 99.65% natural ingredients, including 21.9% certified organic, that can be found. These include aloe vera, which softens, moisturises and soothes the skin for an even, glowing tan; coconut oil, which moisturises and reduces inflammation; sunflower oil, which offers sun protection with its rich antioxidant content, and olive oil, which is abundant in moisture and antioxidants. You may be wondering what the actual ‘tanning’ ingredient is here; it’s dihydroxyacetone (AKA as DHA), that’s often derived from plant sources such as sugar beets and sugar cane, and by the fermentation of glycerin. It works by reacting with the dead skin cells on the surface of the skin where it darkens the skin and gives it a temporarily tanned-looking glow.

Meanwhile, other organic components like shea butter, linseed oil, and green tea extract keep the skin soothed, nourished and hydrated, reducing signs of ageing – especially with shea butter and linseed oil's high fatty acid content and green tea's high antioxidant content. Two essential ingredients besides aloe vera comprise certified organic Australian kakadu plum and camellia oil. Both supply nutrients and antioxidants to slow ageing; kakadu plum extract’s rich vitamin C content is responsible for that natural glow, while camellia oil is high in proteins and fatty acids, like oleic acid, which reduces inflammation and helps the skin hold moisture. If you're wondering what gives the lotion a silky finish, it's cetearyl and sorbitan olivates (vegetable emulsifiers), non-ionic emulsifiers that allow rapid absorption.

This has to be one of the best gradual tan lotions we’ve tried. They recommend using it overnight, but we prefer to use it in the morning. WOTNOT Naturals recommends leaving it for 6-8 hours at night to develop and promises it won't stain sheets or clothing. Having worked hard to acquire our ‘real tan’, this lotion works wonders to help prolong a natural sun-kissed glow, and we used it several times a week to achieve the right shade. Best of all, we found that it didn’t dry out the skin as the formula is super-hydrating, and to top it off, it’s fragrance-free. It’s truly one of our #amazingfinds and one we want to buy more of!

Enough about the Gradual Tan Lotion, WOTNOT's Certified Organic Tan Water Mist is a competitor to match. A gentle, non-toxic mist that also provides a gradual and buildable tan, it's carefully formulated with a 3-in-1 formula that ‘tones, tans and hydrates’ while containing nine organic actives to nourish the skin. Like the Gradual Tan Lotion, the Tan Water Mist contains Australian botanical aromatherapy; it fades evenly and naturally, contains zero to no toxins, and is vegan and cruelty-free. They give the promise of salon-quality results that will outperform conventional tans with the lack of streaks, fake tan odours and non-transfer onto clothing.

Similarly, the Tan Water Mist contains kakadu plum, aloe vera, camellia seed oil, and green tea extract. Plus, the dihydroxyacetone which activates the colour. Some newcomers include marshmallow root extract, an anti-inflammatory oil, rose otto flower oil, an uplifting, rejuvenating and energising oil for toned skin, and orange peel oil, an oil with astringent effects that tightens pores and regulates sebum levels while protecting the skin from environmental damage through the oil's high limonene content. Lime oil can also be found, alleviating excess oil and improving the appearance of dark spots. Furthermore, geranium flower oil's high antioxidants and anti-inflammatories boost skin health for a natural glow.

Most importantly, two key ingredients are ylang-ylang and patchouli. Ylang ylang is best known for balancing oil production to create the right amount of moisture in the skin, which is not dry or oily. At the same time, ylang ylang soothes inflammation and irritation. In contrast, patchouli is revered for its ability to regenerate skin cells through its active ingredients and anti-bacterial properties, reducing wrinkles, scars and signs of ageing.

It has a gentle natural, refreshing fragrance from the ylang-ylang and patchouli. Again we used this Tan Water Mist twice a week, but this time at night, spraying it onto a bamboo pad, dabbing directly and evenly onto the face, neck and décolletage, then waking up to a fresh and flawless glow. Top tip, remember to spray, dab and pat as you go, and wash hands afterwards. We found it gave our skin a buildable and almost instant subtle glow. We love how it’s free of orange tinges, streaks or patchiness – mimicking only a natural tan. It’s so easy to incorporate into a skincare routine, and WOTNOT Naturals say that If used in the morning, it can be followed by regular skincare or makeup without affecting the efficiency of the Tan Water. A win-win!

We highly recommend both these two certified organic self-tanning products, even if you haven’t been lucky enough to catch the summer sun, they’ll certainly give your skin a radiant boost for autumn. To purchase a 130ml tube of WOTNOT Naturals' Gradual Tanning Lotion here at £12.60, and a 100ml bottle of WOTNOT Naturals' Tan Water mist at £17.26 here.

Pure Lakes: Sweet Basil & Orange Shampoo & Conditioner

At The Amazing Blog, we understand the importance of trying to have a good hair day - every day. That’s why we always turn to natural haircare because it works. Pure Lakes is a natural skincare brand that uses the best and most potent plant-derived ingredients, with some products being entirely organic. We’ve had our eye on this brand for a while, especially their haircare which was a recommendation. Today we feature their Sweet Basil & Orange Keratin Silken Shampoo and Conditioner, which offer a naturally moisturising fix and leave hair soft and smelling zesty-fresh.

Pure Lakes Skincare is a multi-award-winning brand made in The English Lake District, now a world heritage site. Originally founded in 2006, the highly successful natural spa and skincare brand that we know today started through a café opened by Sandra and Iain Blackburn in Grasmere. The lack of income from the café inspired Sandra to make her own skincare products. Sandra’s chemistry background, feedback from friends and family, and her love for pure plant-based ingredients allowed her to create handmade, affordable, luxury products that gently care for the skin and planet. Pure Lakes’s first opportunity was supplying eco-friendly skincare products to hotels all over the UK; now, happy hotel guests and affordable, eco-friendly luxury skincare lovers flock to Pure Lakes for the best. The story continues….Previous regular buyers of Pure Lakes, who lived in London before moving to the Lakes shortly afterwards, Claire McKeever, a former actress and salsa dance teacher, and her husband Gareth bought the business in 2016.  Claire is a Lake District lass, and the Mc Keever's and their young family live in Far Sawrey, home to Claire's family for several generations. Keeping it local, its products’ environmentally-friendly packaging is designed by Cactus Creative in Kendal and is further complemented by unique artwork created by Claire McKeever’s late Grandmother, Patricia “Paddy” Naylor. They continue to work closely with Iain and Sandra to ensure the core principles and values of the company are inherent in every decision. Claire told Green Parent, “Four years on and I have completed an apprenticeship with Sandra - she & Iain still work for us, albeit one day a week - and love formulating and making products that I am passionate about. I have long suffered from eczema and being able to make products that help and that are beneficial for the skin, is incredibly fulfilling.”

Gareth and Claire McKeever have their sights fixed firmly on spreading the word about how their products are created ethically and sustainably within the boundaries of the UNESCO-recognised Lake District National Park. In an interview with Cumbria Growth Hubb, Gareth said, “We’ve always had that ethos. What’s changed is the way we communicate it. Everything we do has to have clear environmental benefits. For example, we’ve started using plastic made from sugar for our bottles, which has a smaller carbon footprint than normal plastic made from oil. Consumers ordering online can save £1 by opting for minimal packaging. Our products to hotels come in refillable bottles that can be used time and again.” He added, “Just because our products are environmentally friendly doesn’t mean they can’t look luxurious. We package them in environmentally-friendly materials in keeping with high-end products using high-end ingredients.” The four main pillars of Pure Lakes Skincare are its customers, employees, supplies and owners. They strive for excellence in all products, ensuring customers are always satisfied. If not, a replacement or refund will be issued within a reasonable period, no questions asked. Pure Lakes also believes in sustainable, equal pay careers with flexibility to enjoy the beautiful Pure Lakes and building and maintaining long-lasting relationships with great suppliers for the most traceable, undeniably sustainable, and highest quality ingredients. Once a secondhand bookseller, Claire finds the recycling of pre-loved items very satisfying – especially using a significant number of pre-used padded envelopes and recycled packaging much like Pure Lakes does today. Claire stated, “I believe in the stance Pure Lakes is taking on recycling, with their biopolymer bottles, their reusable and refillable policy and their use of organic products: the team are aware of the company’s impact on the environment and is committed to keeping in the forefront of innovation.” Not forgetting to mention that Pure Lakes are vegan and never tests on animals; they are free from synthetic ingredients, parabens or SLS. They even donate a portion of online orders to young carers, children looking after siblings and/or parents, in collaboration with Honeypot and West Cumbria Carers. Over the past six months, Pure Lakes has donated over £2,000 to young carers.

The Sweet Basil & Orange Keratin Silken Shampoo is a natural shampoo with a gentle lather giving cleansed and nourished hair, with the essential oils of sweet & bitter orange, sweet basil, geranium and lemongrass. On the one hand, sweet & bitter orange oil is abundant in vitamin C, promoting collagen production and reducing hair breakage. Whereas in contrast, sweet basil oil is exceptionally beneficial for hair growth by improving scalp circulation, stimulating hair follicles and promoting the production of new healthy hair. The basil plant has an astonishing 120 varieties, and the sweet basil variety is known to retain its potent properties even in high temperatures, making it a better choice for use in cosmetics. The geranium oil balances secretions around the hair follicles, effectively stimulating hair growth. And the lemongrass oil’s astringent and antiseptic properties strengthen hair follicles, control hair loss, and leave hair shiny.

Other key ingredients start with organic aloe vera, an excellent pain reliever, antiseptic and healing agent ideal for eczema, burns, sunburn and cuts – making it highly soothing for the scalp and hair. It’s followed by cocamidopropyl betaine, and decylglucoside, both amphoteric detergent that produces a fine foam and makes products gentle on the skin. There’s organic jojoba, a scentless liquid wax easily absorbed by the skin that functions as a moisturiser and protectant to the scalp and skin, safe for all skin types and a great hair oil. Organic sunflower oil, a dry oil rich in omega 3 for soft and silky hair; D-panthenol, a nutrient from vitamin B for managing oxidative stress on the scalp and skin; and vitamin E (tocopherol), an antioxidant that prevents fat and oils from going rancid; Meanwhile, a combination of phenoxyethanol, benzyl alcohol and potassium sorbate, are antibacterial agents that form the most gentle and eco-friendly preservative, along with citric acid, an acidity and pH regulator, also make its way into the formula.

These plant-based ingredients only enhanced our hair, as the shampoo is light and natural, and yet it left a beautiful zesty lemongrass scent on our hair. It didn’t dry the scalp, or make hair tangly; instead, it left our hair soft and clean.

Followed by the Sweet Basil & Orange Keratin Silken Conditioner, which is equally zesty and naturally moisturising. Each bottle contains plant keratin and a pleasant blend of essential oils like sweet basil and orange. You will find similar ingredients as the shampoo, plus each bottle contains glyceryl monostearate, cetyl alcohol and isoamyl laurate for emulsification that leads to soft and silky hair, along with isoamyl cocoate, a light, natural emollient with low viscosity for quick absorption of formulas. Also, there are hydrolysed corn, wheat and soy proteins, that maintain hair elasticity by controlling the loss of humidity, reducing breakage, improving traction of hair fibres, and increasing collagen production for moisturised, nourished, shiny hair. Avocado oil is a mild, nourishing, semi-fatty oil that is rich in vitamins and perfect for treating damaged hair cuticles; cetearyl glycoside, an emulsifier that won’t clog scalp pores; and lastly, coconut butter, a butter rich in essential proteins to nourish, repair and condition dull, damaged hair and can even be beneficial for dandruff when massaged into the scalp.

Again, we found the conditioner light on the hair, much like the shampoo, and it did its due diligence in leaving hair soft and silky. We suggest letting the conditioner sit for a few minutes to give it time to hydrate hair and scalp, and then in our case, follow with a wide tooth comb and rinse. The Shampoo and Conditioner work perfectly in tandem for a lightweight summer haircare - we used it twice a week to keep hair clean, shiny and smelling fresh. Suitable for all hair types, including our long fine curly hair, although with the essential oil content and the lively scent, we’d caution those who have flaky or sensitive scalps to do a patch test first. Another of our #amazingfinds, thanks to this dynamic duo, you don’t have to think twice about your next good hair day!

Both products are free from alcohol, lanolin, petroleum jelly MI, gluten, and artificial perfumes or colours. To top it off, they even have refills available see here. For a 250ml bottle of Pure Lakes’ Sweet Basil & Orange Keratin Silken Shampoo for £14.50, click here; and the 250ml bottle of Pure Lakes’ Sweet Basil & Orange Keratin Silken Conditioner for £14.50, click here.

MotherSage™ : CBD Body Butter

If like us, you’re off and away to catch the last of the summer sun, then the one body care multitasker we’d recommend packing in your hand luggage is a balm. Today at The Amazing Blog, we’d like to introduce this award-winning CBD Body Butter from MotherSage™. But it’s not just ANY body balm; it has one of our favourite ingredients CBD, which when paired with other vitamins and oils, nourishes, repairs, and calms irritated or inflamed skin.

Farard Darver, launched Healthcare International Research (HIR) in 2021, specialising in cosmetic and herbal cannabinoid products, it is the umbrella company for CBD brands such as MotherSage™ and Hempe®. After a successful army career, Farard focused on making his passion a reality in the well-being and CBD sector. “Seeing first-hand the extent that CBD was helping people around me with a range of issues, I knew I had to investigate further and my investigations led me to the Czech Republic”. In an interview in The Daily Echo, Farard also went on to say, “I am creating the conditions for HIR to become the authoritative voice on the use of CBD in cosmetic and lifestyle applications, demonstrated by our credentials that show we are driven by science and regulatory compliance, resulting in products that are truly lifestyle changing.” All of HIR’s products are backed by 65 years of research from scientists in the Czech Republic, and this multi-award-winning brand ensures that their products have full traceability, as well as are effective. With the environment in mind, HIR has created its two CBD brands, where they are committed to reducing the carbon footprint by using raw materials for their packaging and following sustainability guidelines. Based in Lymington, Dorset, they are proud supporters of Litter Free Dorset and are also partner members of the British Beauty Council.

MotherSage™ offers a range of natural cosmetic skincare products that contain cannabidiol (CBD); these include balms, body butter and bath salts. We love how nourishing this CBD Body Balm is, but don’t just take our word for it; it was recently a winner in the 2022 Pure Beauty Global Awards. The CBD in the balm helps to maintain moisture levels by interacting with endocannabinoid receptors, which helps to fight dryness and inflammation. And if you’ve been reading our features on CBD, you’ll know that it is bioactive and single compound found in the hemp plant that contains many naturally occurring antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, making it the ideal ingredient for skincare as it balances and hydrates. MotherSage™ uses CBD isolate to ensure there is no THC which removes all cannabis plant compounds.MotherSage™ told us, why they choose to use CBD isolate, “In all of our topical products, we use CBD isolate, so our products are essentially THC free (< 0.000025%) - It is difficult to control THC levels in distillate as they vary, so any company offering products that are used in sports or work settings where drug testing may take place would be best using isolate.” It’s named ‘isolate’ as it isolates only the CBD found within the hemp plant, removing any THC and terpenes. it is normally in a crystalline or powder form, with the added advantage of being odourless, which means it will combine with other fragrances, like the essential oils here, without any conflict of scents.

Apart from the 100g CBD isolate, it’s combined with other natural key ingredients, including shea butter, jojoba oil, sea buckthorn oil, lavender, argan oil, and vitamin E. Shea butter is an emollient, which means that it works by adding moisturising oils to soften and keep skin supple. Jojoba oil is an anti-inflammatory that supports skin immunity. Sea buckthorn oil is filled with antioxidants such as carotenoids and vitamin E, which help to regenerate the skin. Lavender oil sets a relaxing tone while also preventing infection and irritation with its antifungal, antimicrobial and detoxifying properties. Argan oil is occlusive, which means that it acts as a barrier to keep moisture from evaporating out of the skin. It’s also packed with omega fatty acids, vitamin E, and linoleic acids, which work together to address dry patches and soften skin.

The three other ingredients on the list worth mentioning are caprylic/capric triglyceride,  ethylhexyl olivate (olive oil) and hydrogenated castor oil. The hydrogenation in the olive and castor oils provides more stability. Both these oils are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids; they are ultra-hydrating and act as humectants retaining moisture by preventing water loss. Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is derived from coconut oil and glycerine and is sometimes mistakenly referred to as fractionated coconut oil. It is usually used in skincare as an emollient and skin-replenishing ingredient.

 What we love about this CBD balm is that it doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy. They call it “An Evolution in Body Butter.” It’s certainly quick to absorb, but we can’t tell you why it is ‘evolutionary’. Perhaps HIR could enlighten us on this? That said, it’s one to keep at hand to help prevent (or treat) skin dryness. As mentioned at the beginning, we think it’s the perfect travel companion, to help soothe any insect bites or calm redness for the dreaded sunburn. Is it suitable for sensitive or eczema-prone skins? We’d say probably not because of the essential oil content. However, the isolate CBD here is an anti-inflammatory and has been known to help skin conditions such as psoriasis. So, if you have sensitive skin, we’d recommend doing a test patch first. Also, don’t worry, there’s absolutely no trace of a hempy smell, it only has a very subtle floral bouquet. As it’s solid and 100ml, it’s easy to pack away for your travels and we think is ideal for treating any skin mishaps or dry skin. To purchase the 100ml CBD Body butter for £19.99, see here.