Naturalmente

Here at The Amazing Blog , we are very passionate about beauty products that are natural and are made sustainably. Naturalmente is high end salon haircare brand with an extensive range of natural shampoos, conditioners and styling products, and the good news is they are now available for consumer purchase, so you can get salon quality hair at home. Not only are these luxurious haircare products natural, but they are also environmentally friendly and the whole range is biodynamic. Biodynamic agriculture was first developed in the 1920’s, and essentially means that everything in the production process has been done ethically and ecologically, preventing harm to the environment. All the sourcing of the ingredients in the shampoos, conditioners, and stlying range has been done sustainably, limiting Naturalmente's environmental impact.

The Naturalmente range is based on natural ingredients, using mainly botanics to create their wide range of products. The shampoos contain ingredients such as Aloe, Sandlewood and Fennel Geranium, and conditioners use Yogurt and Millet, which are much better for your hair as there is no nasty chemicals such as parabens, alcohol and fragrance. As the products are naturally based, they cover all hair and scalp types, so there is a product to keep everyone happy. Each product contains specific natural ingredients blended to target various hair issues, so there is a shampoo for every need that you might have.

While the products do not contain any added fragrances or parfum, they boast wonderful natural fragrances from the ingredients used, particularly from the essential oils. We really love that the natural fragrances are very unisex, so with that in mind, we think that these products are bathroom essentials, and the  perfect space saver in your bathroom. The packaging reflects all things natural, with its simple and earthy colours and soft bottles. This is all rather fitting, seeing as the packaging is all  100% biodegradable as well, fitting in with the brands environmental ethos.

I myself have coloured hair so I have been using the Anti-oxidant shampoo and conditioner and the smell is amazing, as it’s so unlike any other shampoo or conditioner I’ve used before. As the range is very natural I think it really helps the condition of my hair after I have it coloured, due to the natural oils which nourish and revitalise the hair.

If you want to get your hands on any of the Naturalmente collection, then you can find out more information about their product range and environmental ethos on the Naturalmente website, and you can purchase the haircare products from Gentle Bodycare where all 250ml shampoo and conditioners are £9 each, another reason why we love them!

RAW Artisan Wine Fair

If you’ve ever found yourself wandering aimlessly down the wine aisle, wondering what the difference is between Burgundy and Beaujolais, then you’re definitely in need of a wine education. But don’t worry, The Amazing Blog has found the perfect place for your to polish your knowledge. And even if you’re the only certified wine connoisseur in your social circle (there’s always one…) then the RAW Artisan Wine Fair is for you.

The RAW wine fair is a two day event, showcasing and celebrating some of the world's finest wines. Featuring wines that are organic and biodynamic, these pure wines are good to the planet, and your body (in moderation!) The production of natural wines has become relatively rare, most wines in the shops are mass produced, so the number of wines available at the RAW fair is amazing! There’s an awful lot that goes into making wine that we don’t know about, but the wineries that contribute to the RAW fair intervene in the process as little as possible, and don’t use harmful additives or heavy processing.

At the fair, you’re able to taste and buy a variety of wines, from all over the world, some longstanding producers and some newcomers, it’s a perfect opportunity to find your new favourite wine. With your ticket purchase you receive a catalogue of the wines on show, a tasting glass (which you can use as many times as you like!) and entry to the talks and seminars. The show will feature over 500 wines, will have talks from the producers, and will also feature selected natural Champagnes, with all these collections of wine you won’t be lost spending a whole day at the RAW fair!

The fair will be taking place on the 20^th and 21^st (Sunday and Monday) at the Old Truman Brewery in London, tickets are available on their website and on the days. Head over to try and buy some of these natural and delicious wines!

Apodea

Having been cursed with such sensitive skin that I have to avoid anything heavily perfumed, artificially coloured or synthetic (which pretty much rules out most of the latest beauty offerings) working in an office of beauty junkies trying every new beauty fad is often a frustrating experience. As a result I am constantly on the look out for natural, gentle and effective products that won’t break me out in a rash but are slightly more interesting than the incredibly basic (and boring) dermatological and emollient offerings that I was subjected to as a child. This normally means that a product must be all natural, organic and free from synthetic fragrances to even warrant a second look (and any added bonuses are always a plus) which is exactly why I was happy to stumble upon my latest find, Apodea.

Apodea is a unique, authentic, organic and biodynamic bodycare range produced in small batches by the Rossi family from their Umbrian farm in Italy. The high quality artisan range is built around a core of organic bee derived products – honey, beeswax, and propolis – which possess protective, calming, hydrating, anti-bacterial and healing properties. Apodea focus on quality and small-batch production to maintain their high standards ‘from bee to balm.’ The Rossi family are passionate about biodynamic beekeeping which is part of a holistic approach to farming that rejects harmful commercial practices such as clipping a queen’s wings to prevent them from swarming elsewhere and harvesting the honey too early or too frequently. It’s not surprising that these practices produce better products, leave the land more fertile and positively encourage nature’s forces. The honey, beeswax, and propolis ingredients are produced after bees from the Rossi family’s hives have had a chance to roam free over the unspoilt Umbrian countryside, collecting nectar from fragrant wild plants including peach, almond and olive trees, honeysuckle, lilac, rosemary, wild thyme and limeblossom in the fertile Tiber Valley...sounds like the ideal life to us!

The Rossi’s began by making their now best-selling multi-purpose saviour Propolis Balm for friends and family in the 1980s and have gradually developed more products and continue to add to the Apodea range which today includes a Hand Cream, Lip Balm, Body Emulsion, Vegetal Soap, Deodorant, Shampoo and Conditioner. Office favourites here at Amazing PR include the Hand Cream with honey and lemon which was quickly absorbed and non-greasy with a refreshing subtle lemon fragrance and the Lip Balm which was instantly hydrating and has a pleasant sweet orange smell.

Apodea’s packaging is 100% recyclable and the products contain no synthetic fragrances, artificial colouring and are not tested on animals. In addition to bee-derived ingredients, Apodea products also include high quality organic Italian cold pressed and essential oils such as Sicilian lemon and geranium. All the products are very gentle and naturally lightly scented, which makes them safe for pregnant women and also equally irresistible to men!

You can buy Apodea’s products online here.