Facialderm Advanced Neurocosmetics – 05 Anti-Pollution & Anti-Stress Serum and C1 Anti-Ageing & Anti-Stress Moisturiser

We all experience different skincare issues from time-to-time either with redness or dehydration, which can be triggered by environmental issues or stress. Today at The Amazing Blog we’re excited to introduce to you Facialderm, who have begun a skincare evolution with their innovative neurocosmetic range and patented technologies.

Founded in 2004, Facialderm’s parent company Sensalia Labs prides itself on bringing the future to cosmetics. Recent winners in The Beauty Shortlist Awards 2020 for Best Beauty Breakthrough Brand (innovation), they offer unique formulas based on new technologies in neuroscience which are then applied to their skincare. After all, the skin and the brain are connected. In simple terms, they explain: “Stimuli perceived from the outside through nerve receptors in the skin, are transmitted to the brain and processed by it for interpretation.” These are related to wellness and energy, which in turn focus on the reduction of facial stress.  Facialderm has a range of five customisable serum boosters and two creams all of which are formulated with Neurophroline™. This is an inhibitor for the production of cortisol, the stress hormone and acts on its consequences such as accelerated ageing, flaccidity of the skin and decreased luminosity. Neurophroline™ is an extract based on tephrosia purpurea, a plant native to India and also a key ingredient in Ayurvedic medicine. Let’s talk about the technical stuff: The Neurophroline™ in Facialderm’s products claim to reduce up to 70% of cortisol production in just two hours. Neurophroline™ also increases up to 163% the amount of beta-endorphin released by the cells, a natural and pain-relieving peptide. All products have natural ingredients, where they refer to them as ‘earthceuticals’ (concentrated plants) and ‘seaceuticals’ (concentrated sea plant) power.

We tried the 05 Anti-Pollution and Anti-Stress Serum which is detoxifying and moisturising with antioxidants and vitamins to protect the skin from dehydration, solar radiation, pollution and REM/blue light. Apart from the Neurophroline™, there are antioxidant plant extracts ginseng, apple, peach, wheat and barley;  as well as marine glycogen (protections against blue light) and vitamin B5 which activates cell regeneration to soothe itching, redness and irritation. Suitable for all skin types, we applied 3 - 4 drops alone (or you can mix with another product in the line), it absorbed quickly leaving skin feeling soft, we also liked the slightly fruity/ginseng fragrance.

We then combined this with the C1 Anti-Ageing & Anti-Stress Moisturiser which is best suited for normal to dry skin. Its ingredients include hyaluronic acid, chrondrus crispus (an extract of red algae), providing cells with the energy necessary for their metabolism to aid the process of regeneration and tissue repair. Caviar extract also helps to slow down the ageing process, and rice extract to help with cell longevity slowing down the process of cell senescence. The cream feels luxurious, almost whipped in texture; regenerating and soothing on the skin it left skin our supple and hydrated. We applied day or night after using the Serum and massaged into the skin to promote absorption.  We like that this can be customised with any of the Facialderm Serums as a ‘booster’ in the cream too. The 05 Anti-Pollution & Anti-Stress Serum 30ml, can be purchased here for £34.95, and the C1 Anti-Ageing & Anti-Stress Moisturiser 50ml for £34.95 can be purchased here.

These dermatologically tested, and cruelty-free products are packaged in bright colour-coded glass bottles and jars. As mentioned previously, this intelligent skincare range can be personalised to target specific skincare issues, while the advanced neurocosmetic technology uses their Neurophroline™ to limit the production of stress hormones. Best of all, it’s available at a very competitive price point!

Lavera – Illuminating Effect Fluid

Since the highlighter craze began in full force, The Amazing Blog joined in trying Benefit Cosmetics’ Watts Up! Highlighter and Rouge Bunny Rouge’s Love Lights Highlighting Powder. Both solid highlighter products gave our cheeks a heavenly glow, so we were excited to mix things up with a liquid highlighter and see the results. We were even more excited to receive the Illuminating Effect Fluid from one of our trusted brands Lavera, which has brought us so many #amazingfinds over the years from the SOS Help Hand Balm to the Powerful Lashes mascara.

The 100 per cent certified organic company has been a leader in the worldwide natural cosmetics industry since its founding in 1987. Its core mission is to create products that are ‘beautiful, natural, effective’ and sustainable. This mission is seen in everything from where the raw ingredients are sourced to product packaging and disposal.

The Illuminating Effect Fluid is no different from Lavera’s other products in its high-quality organic and natural ingredients as well as effectiveness. The highlighter, which we tried in Sheer Silver, has a light and creamy texture with pigments that naturally reflect light. It spreads easily and a little bit of this product goes a long way, even a light layer leaves a bright pearlescent sheen on your skin. While one layer of the highlighter is quite subtle and natural looking in the sun, you can build the product to create a deeper shine depending on if you want to refresh your typical look or make your cheekbones and brow bone pop. You can also use it as a foundation primer or mix it with moisturiser for an everyday glow.

The formula includes actual pearl extract to fresh your complexion and sunflower oil to smooth skin for additional radiance. Jojoba and shea butter help nourish skin with vitamins and minerals, and shea butter has even been proven to help with anti-ageing. It has also been dermatologically tested and is good for sensitive skin. You can purchase the highlighter (30ml) here for £14.90.

Mitomo's Face Masks

Most of The Amazing Blog team swear by a weekly face mask. It’s our (not so) secret method of maintaining a clear complexion, but equally, is a ritual we don’t always have the patience for. This was until we discovered Mitomo, a brand producing sheet face masks packed full of goodness. For the past month or so, a weekly face mask has been firmly back in our regime!

Mitomo provide high-quality beauty and healthcare products, with ingredients sourced from Japan. We tried their innovative Eye Masks (see here) in January, so were keen to see whether our face masks would live up to the hype. The verdict? We were highly impressed, and although we don't like to speak for others, we know we’re not the only one in the office to have snaffled a few extras to take home! We tried three of their face masks: Hyaluronic + Lithospermum, Q10 + Lithospermum and Collagen + Lithospermum - all part of their Essence Mask collection.

The Hyaluronic + Lithospermum Essence Mask is a hydrating and anti-ageing solution for your skin. Hyaluronan is a highly moisturising ingredient, injecting your skin with much-needed plumpness, thus decreasing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Lithospermum, on the other hand, is a plant extract well documented as soothing and antiseptic. The combination of these two ingredients left our skin feeling supple, less inflamed and smoother; making for a brighter and clearer complexion. We were also big fans of the Q10 + Lithospermum Essence Mask, a profoundly anti-ageing mask, enriched with Coenzyme Q10. It regenerates the skin, working well on deep-set wrinkles, and as with all three masks, it cools and soothes even sensitive skin. The added bonus? They are eco-friendly and all masks are made solely from bamboo.

Finally, the Collagen + Lithospermum Essence Mask proved effective at making skin more elastic, promoting skin renewal and smoothing imperfections. We noticed a decrease in mild acne scarring from the first use, as this masks help to plump up the skin; simply apply for 20-30 minutes (the same with all three masks) and once removed, pat any excess product into the skin. We recommend using each mask before bed, for a glowing and refreshed complexion. To try these anti-ageing gems for yourself, visit the Mitomo website here, where a pack of 10 masks are from £27 and an individual mask is available from £2.99.

Friday Favourites - Face Oils

Including a face oil in our daily beauty routine has become somewhat of a ritual for us at The Amazing Blog. This week, we’d like to introduce you to four of our favourite luxury face oils that will enchant your senses, revive your skin and keep your complexion feeling supple and hydrated, even as the temperatures drop.

Our first pick is Replenish, a night oil created by the award-winning aromatherapy brand Beatitude. As a brand that we know and love, we have previously written about their Peace Bath Oil. Founded by Rebecca O’Connor, the name of the brand itself represents supreme happiness and blessedness, and according to Rebecca, the brand aims to bring “a sense of happiness, calm and well-being”. We can certainly vouch for this, as the Replenish Oil has become a much-loved part of our wind-down evening routine.

It’s a profoundly nourishing oil that awakens your senses and skin cells, to give your complexion a radiant and healthy glow. With powerful ingredients like rose, neroli and immortelle, it is also anti-ageing, working to combat fine lines and dehydration. Anti-oxidants and vitamins are mixed in a unique formula of rosehip, vitamin E, evening primrose and many more natural plant ingredients. These make our skin feel nourished and rejuvenated, and as the texture is light on the skin, it doesn’t leave the greasy look that most of us fear when considering facial oils. Instead, it absorbs quickly and has become a firm favourite in our nightly beauty routine. It can be used under night cream or stand-alone; apply to the décolleté, neck and face with light upwards massage movements, but be careful to avoid the delicate eye area. Click here to purchase a 30ml bottle of anti-ageing magic for £38.

Up next is a deeply nourishing and natural facial oil, known for its premium anti-ageing properties. Created by experts at Lumity, a brand committed to proving that ageing is more than skin deep, their Natural Anti-Ageing Facial Oil is equally rejuvenating and balancing. The brainchild of Sara Palmer Hussey, Lumity’s products are designed with busy lifestyles in mind, combining vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and amino acids to create simple skincare and supplement products. In fact, we reviewed Lumity’s Anti-Ageing Supplements back in 2017, click here to view the post.

This time, we tried the Facial Oil and were pleased to discover that the formula contains 32 different botanical oils and extracts, including passion flower seed oil, known for stimulating skin cells, and marula oil, known for healing powers. Alongside this, the mixture of argan and jojoba seed oil make this a unique and plant-based blend, full of the nutrients that are welcome as winter approaches. This luxurious oil provides smoother skin, and in just 4 weeks, 73% of users noticed a reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. These are statistics we can back, as members of the Amazing Blog team (not naming any names) have noticed similarly smooth and younger complexions. Lumity's Facial Oil (30ml) is available on their website, standalone for £60 or at a discounted rate of £48 if purchased as part of their monthly subscription.

Our third find this Friday is from Botany Blend; a brand celebrated for combining green beauty and luxury, offering us a range of oils that indulge our minds and bodies. With expertise in aromatherapy products that satisfy your senses, and revitalise the skin, each batch is handmade and all ingredients are sourced sustainably. We love the use of certified organic ingredients and were excited to discover that the products are all made in a small studio on the Devon coast.

We tried the Aceso Oil, which like Botany Blend's other products, is free from essential oils. The formula contains numerous potent antioxidants, alongside Co2 extracted sea buckthorn, rosehip berries, apricot kernel, safflower and Japanese camellia. These are all rich in plant-based fatty acids, helping to nurture even the most sensitive of skin. We found that the oil was easy to apply, and was soothing, yet non-greasy, ideal for use both morning and night. It even acts as a smooth base for makeup, something we would often steer clear of with other oils. If you have sensitive skin or are merely looking for an organic oil that does not contain essential oils, then this will be for you. Purchase your own 30ml bottle of Acesco for £35 here.

Last, but by no means least, we came across Vetivert & Co, a London based brand, founded by Aanu Oduyeni to provide plant-based oils to nourish and repair the skin. Suffering from acne, and dreading scarring, she envisaged a brand that would be free from synthetic fragrances, nut oils and parabens, and suitable for vegans. These goals are something that she has very much achieved, so we were excited to try the Balance Oil.

As with Vetivert & Co's other products, Balance Oil is cruelty-free, and 100% natural, containing a blend of tamanu, seabuckthorn, palmarosa and lavender oils. We found these ingredients not only helped to avoid future breakouts by neutralising and calming the skin, but that they also helped to repair it, aiding with the scarring that many of us are availed with. This oil helps to defy the stereotype that oils will clog pores and worsen acne, as many of us here have been suitably impressed with the long lasting effects. As a lighter oil, this can be used twice daily (morning and evening) and should be gently patted onto damp or dry skin. Combat your acne worries by purchasing a 30ml bottle here for £35.

Face oils often have a reputation of only being necessary for dry or older skin. While there is truth in this statement, we hope to have opened your eyes to the uses of facial oils for all skin types. Whether you have sensitive or acne prone skin, we're sure one of these products will be suitable for you.

Friday Favourites - Natural Cleansers

What’s more important to you… A skincare regime in the morning to pep up your skin? Or perhaps in the evening, to help get rid of the daily grim? When we did a quick poll in the office and found that we all tended to lean towards an evening ritual. Although maybe one or two of us might admit to having fallen asleep with our make up on - oh what a sin! Of course, when this is the case we’ve paid the price; you know the look of dark panda eyes, streaky cheeks and an irritated skin breakout. Today we at The Amazing Blog explore four natural, cruelty-free and gentle cleansing products to help you up your cleansing game - whether its for the day, night or both.

First and foremost, we all know that we’ve got to remove our make up. Nadur is an Irish natural and vegan skincare brand that has a wonderfully gentle and effective make up remover. Nadur was a Pure Beauty Global Awards 2018 Finalist, and they are committed to crafting non-toxic and well-designed products that are safe for the environment and the user. The name ‘Nadur’ means nature and comes from the ancient celtic/viking alphabet ‘Ogham’, with their 20 symbols that represent sacred trees. They focus on the ‘acid mantle’ (the skins natural defense mechanism) and their products are a careful blend of science and artistry using ‘green chemistry’.

We tried their Genie Rinsable Oil Cleanser & Makeup Remover and were pleased to find the naturally ethical formula is non-greasy and hydrating. This cleanser and make up remover hybrid works well for normal, oily, combination, and dry skin. To use it, smother over dry skin, wetting the face to emulsify it, and gently work it in. Give your face a rinse, and you’ll feel squeaky clean, without the tight sensation. This water-soluble solution is gentle on the skin’s natural protective barrier because of the inclusion of organic jojoba oil, which means the skin’s moisture levels are restored. We particularly like all the antioxidants and minerals, such as pomegranate seed, that help to rejuvenate the skin. The Genie Rinsable Oil Cleanser & Makeup Remover is vegan, gluten, cruelty-free, non-toxic, and 100% natural. Its faint floral, nutty fragrance comes from the sweet almond oil and ylang-ylang flower extract. Purchase Nadur’s Genie Oil Cleanser & Makeup Remover 200ml here for £25.00.

Let’s move from Ireland to Britain, to explore Nakin Skincare. We’re particular fans of this new British brand which focuses on natural anti-ageing products, and recently featured their Active Dew Face Cream here. As a nominee for Best New Skincare Brand in the Pure Beauty Awards, founder Cris Beetham said: “Our whole ethos is about effective natural skincare, for people who want great skin without the use of harsh chemicals.” And we certainly do! Hyaluronic acid, seaweed and plant extracts, healing butters, and reviving oils are some of the powerful ingredients in Nakin’s products that help to enhance your skin’s natural beauty. All of their products are cruelty-free and are without parabens and artificial colour and fragrances.

We took their Natural Anti-Ageing Advanced Cleansing Milk for a spin. This cleanser is 98% natural and wheat and gluten-free. We particularly enjoyed using this product because of how gentle it is on sensitive and dry skin, and it proved to be a great hit with our Exec Editor. The Cleansing Milk is easy to apply, simply massage in circular motion before removing with a cotton pad - it’s brilliant for removing stubborn make up. The hyaluronic acid and pomegranate fruit extract help to fight the key signs of ageing. The seaweed extract also helps to even skin tone. The completely natural, light floral fragrance is refreshing but more importantly we liked that this cleanser was effective. If you’d like to try Nakin Skincare’s Natural Anti-Ageing Advance Cleansing Milk, it can be purchased 150ml here for £15.00.

If you’re in the mood to try something different, then Speak Skin Beauty has got you covered. They are a natural skincare company founded by Nisa and Tiara, who wanted to make a difference. Their mission is to empower women with fair and reliable information on skincare ingredients, to allow them to make an informed decision; and wishing to make a positive impact on their community and environment. Both had struggled on their journey to find a suitable skincare for their complexions; Nisa with dermatitis and Tiara for her ever-changing, hormonal skin. This skincare brand is all about advocating good clean and conscious products. They carefully choose their ingredients to ensure that their products are appropriate for even the most sensitive skin. We love how they are minimising waste by getting rid of unnecessary packaging. We received their 01 Cleansing Powder in a charming fabric mini tote all made from recycled material. This packaging makes the product all the more meaningful in our eyes. They’re strictly cruelty and paraben-free, and make all their products in small batches.

Speak’s 01 Cleansing Powder system was new to most of the team here, as they hadn’t used a powder cleanser before. It is a gentle, soap-free cleansing powder that has only four ingredients: organic oats, lavendar extract, kaolin clay and sweet almond oil. It’s simplicity at it’s best. The scent is particularly enticing, the fragrance of this almost poultice-like texture is lead by the combination of lavender and oatmeal. The oats help to soothe the skin; the lavender calms redness; the sweet almond oil prevents dryness and hydrates, and the kaolin clay diminishes sebum production. This cleanser proved very popular with those of us who have more oily skin with frequent breakouts, as it helps to calm and stabilise. Mix the powder in the palm of your hand with warm water to make a paste, then apply by gently massaging the paste on the face, rinse off, et voila! You too can purchase Speak Skin Beauty’s 01 Cleansing Powder 60g here for £8.88.

Last but by no means least, we found Skincare with Compassion, an organic skincare company founded to be entirely cruelty-free and vegan. Based on the Island of Jersey, founder Emma Froch explains that the brand is “dedicated to changing the way in which people think about skin care” by advocating natural and animal-friendly products. Emma’s thirst for expertise in the skincare industry began over nine years ago when she realised that cruelty-free and vegan products were in short supply. She made it her mission to formulate 100% natural and non-animal derived products, working with beauty experts to discover ethical ingredients without nasty additives. We certainly admire the ethics of the company and were thrilled to try the Geranium and Thyme Purifying Face Wash.

This face wash is designed for those with oily or spot prone skin, a welcome discovery for certain members of The Amazing Blog team who suffer from hormonal blemishes. It contains 83.7% certified organic ingredients, including four superpower botanicals: geranium, thyme, lavender flower and rosemary. The geranium provides the benefit of minimising the look of wrinkles whilst still leaving your face feeling moisturised and supple. The thyme is a powerful force against bacteria, helping to eliminate and calm sebum levels. Similarly, lavender flower has antibacterial properties, reducing blemishes and fighting against the dark spots and scars that we are often availed with (as if having the spot in the first place wasn’t bad enough!) Finally, rosemary is antiseptic, helping to reduce redness and puffiness, by balancing congested skin. All in all, a robust set of ingredients that not only soothe our skin, but smell light and fresh.

To see the results for yourself, apply a small amount of the cleanser to wet skin (we suggest opening your pores with warm water first) and gently massage. You’ll be met with a silky foam, which needs only to be rinsed with warm water to remove. To purchase a 100ml bottle of Skincare with Compassion’s Geranium and Thyme Purifying Face Wash for £18, then click here.

There is a natural cleanser here to suit almost every skin type. We think that all four of these cleansers are fabulous alternatives to the plethora of chemical-infused cleansers, that are so readily available on the high street. Please let us know if you get try out some of our new finds, otherwise we hope that we’ve inspired you to go and search out new cleansing alternatives.