PuraVida Bio

As our readers know, at The Amazing Blog we always veer towards good all-natural products. But, even with all the natural products we use, toxins still find a way to get into our skin through polluted air. We know that we’ll never leave the hustle and bustle of the city, but is the city air messing with our skin? Enter PuraVida Bio with their skin detox line. The Detox Serum, Detox Mask and Anti-age Balm all offer a perfect remedy to polluted skin. Anti-pollution skincare is one of the fastest growing areas in beauty and is something we’re all keen to try more of.

PuraVida Bio is an Italian brand of organic skincare that was started after identifying a need for high quality, innovative skincare products for all age ranges that are also completely safe and effective. We particularly like how they break down the ingredients that they use in each product with a purpose for each one. What makes this brand ‘different’ is that all their products are made with certified natural organic ingredients which are transformed into precious plant Lysates. The ingredients are provided by Alce Nero approved Italian farmers who cultivate under strict guidelines for organic farming. These are then go through a method of biotransformation into certified Lysates through an active process of natural fermentation (called ‘elision’), which strengthens all the antioxidants revitalising all the ingredients used. You can read more about this here.

We were sent three of their key products to test. The first of which was their Detox Serum, which is a concentration of anti-pollution active ingredients. It contains extract of Malvasia grapevines which maintain the correct level of skin microflora and speed up natural detoxification. The serum can be applied alone or before a moisturiser or balm, but we saw the best results when using together with their Anti-age Balm.

The Anti-age Balm we enjoyed using, light in texture, easy to absorb and the fragrance has a delicious powdery sweetness (the beetroot extract?) The extract of beetroot helps bind vitamin D on the skin, essential for toning and hydrating the skin. This is a long lasting formula that goes on working for 24 hours as it’s powerful antioxidants, ceramides and fermented angelica oil protect the skin and keep it toned and uniform. The vitamin C stimulates the renewal of collagen and combats the formation of age spots.

Our favourite of the three products is hands down the Detox Mask. It comes in these perfect single-use travel pods that are so easy to throw in a carry-on bag if you’re traveling. The PuraVida mask is the fastest way to detox your skin. Just apply the mask to the face and neck and leave for 15 minutes, once a week. It’s rich in powerful antioxidants and vitamin D, which is necessary for proper skin hydration.

All products are natural, gluten free, nickel tested no parabens or artificial preservatives and are not tested on animal. They are also approved by ICEA, one of the most important institutes for ethical and environmental certification. If you would like to remove some of the effects of pollution from your skin, the PuraVida Bio Detox products  can all be purchased here. The 50 ml Anti-age Balm is €32. You can purchase the 30 ml Detox Serum for €45 and the pack of 4 (8ml) Detox Masks retails for €22.

Pevonia - Radiance Mask Gift Set

As regular reader of The Amazing Blog, will know we prefer brands that can offer us natural ingredients and yet can deliver spa-quality results. That’s why we’ve been long standing fans of UK-based beauty brand Pevonia. Having reviewed a few of their products the past few years (check out our review about their EyeRenew Conceal & De-Age Treatment here). Pevonia’s newest release of their collection of Ravishing Radiance Masks did not disappoint, and left us feeling pampered with their three ultra-smooth masks.

Since its founding 1991, Pevonia has used completely natural and organic ingredients made from the ‘purest holistic botanical and marine elements’ in its products. All Pevonia products are free from any mineral oils, lanolin, PABA, animal testing and fragrances and alcohols that won’t dry out your skin. The range of three skincare masks each target different target problems and skin types but leaves your skin feeling just as radiant and glow-y. With the added bonus is that all three masks have aromatherapy benefits .

There was something for everyone in the office – One of us has combination, oily skin so the Bright Skin Green Apple Mask worked best with her skin. In addition to the polysaccharides, sodium lactate and sodium PCA found in green apple, the mask’s brightening and hydrating efforts are heightened with the addition of Red Clover extract which balances and evens-out the skin. For people with more acne-prone skin, Pevonia’s Pure Skin Charcoal mask, made with ‘the finest micronized Charcoal,’ clarifies and detoxifies skin to improve the complexion. The added Shea Butter and Grapefruit extract also gives an added brightening and moisturising boost to oily, clogged skin. The last mask of the range, the Ageless Skin Collagen Mask, contains collagen polypeptides, Orange peel extract and green tea antioxidants that help plump and reduce lines and wrinkles.

For best results, apply a small amount of your mask of choice to cleansed and moisturised skin. After 15 minutes, remove with water and continue with the rest of your skincare routine. If you’re ready to start seeing visible results, purchase one of Pevonia’s 1.7 oz. radiance masks here for the Bright Skin Green Apple Mask (£40), here for the Pure Skin Charcoal Mask (£36) and here for the Ageless Skin Collagen Mask (£40). We think these trio of masks are perfect for a pampering girls night in!

Bloomtown Botanicals-Clay Masks and Roll-on Infused Oils.

Here at The Amazing Blog, our readers will know that we are constantly searching for new products that will help to give us that elusive perfect complexion! Today, we're featuring a skincare brand that we've heard so many great things about Bloomtown Botanicals. They are natural skincare company that prides itself on creating vegan skincare products and are also palm oil, paraben and cruelty-free.  We also the fact that they use recycled/recyclable materials and packaging wherever possible in order to reduce an environmental impact. Bloomtown Botanicals were kind enough to send us a selection of their Blue Clay and Indigo Leaf Soothing Mask, Black Clay and Tea Tree Treatment Mask and roll-on infused oils including The Woods, The Meadow and The Rose Garden.

The Blue Clay and Indigo Leaf Soothing Mask is designed for sensitive skin that needs extra care.  Formulated with soothing and skin calming natural ingredients such as blue bentonite clay, indigo leaf extract, nettle root, coconut extract, and radish root extracts this mask helps soothe skin irritation and works for smoother and more even complexion.  Indigo leaf the star ingredient of this mask is renowned for calming skin irritation and its anti-inflammatory benefits. The mask leaves skin silky soft and more refined. We are not the only ones to be loving this mask, as it won an award with our client Beauty Shortlist Awards in 2017.

While the Blue Clay and Indigo Leaf Soothing Mask calms and hydrate skin, the Black Clay & Tea Tree Treatment Mask purifies and detoxifies oily and acne prone skin. The mask contains anti-bacterial tea tree oil, white willow bark extract, coconut extract as well as oils of bergamot, cedarwood, pine, juniper and rosemary. Together these ingredients work in harmony to effectively remove excess oil, dirt and impurities. The black clay and tea tree treatment mask acts as a gentle exfoliator that cleanses skin and minimises the appearance of pores. After using the mask skin is healthier, clearer and more youthful-looking.

For those of you who like to sport a natural scent, the brand’s Roll-on Infused Oils might be just the ticket. All the oils are made with sweet almond oil, meadowfoam oil, sesame oil, vitamin E and specific essential oils. There are six different fragrances in total; however, we tried these three: The Woods infused oil is our favourite! It's a heady mix of vetiver, cedar and bergamot oils all of which gives it a sophisticated and earthy scent. The Meadow infused oil contains rose geranium, lavender and chamomile oils, its floral and garden-fresh scent is simple and refreshing and it immediately evokes memories of the lush countryside. The Rose Garden oil has a more romantic and sensual fragrance, enriched with musk rose and white floral its perfume gives an enchanting and mysterious feel.  More than just their fragrance what we love about these Roll-on Infused Oils is their longevity and quality. For such a small bottle, they are very economical and have a great staying power. You can purchase the Blue Clay and Indigo Leaf Soothing Mask for £12 here the Black Clay & Tea Tree Treatment Mask for £12 here and the Roll-on Infused Oils here for £4.80.

Acne Control Mask by Kris D'Amour

Everybody knows how this changing and unstable weather can dry out our skin. Here at The Amazing Blog we are also aware that it can create problems with blemishes and acne. Kris D’Amour has a great solution with the new Detoxifying Acne Control Mask.

At first, we were surprised to see that this mask has a powder consistency. The magic happens when it's combined with some water and it turns into a paste that you can easily apply onto your skin!
Once we put it on our faces we were able to forget about the world and had 15 minutes of genuine relaxation. Its texture is soft and light, different from other anti-acne products that tend to dry your skin even more. This is a result of its alcohol-free, paraben-free, and synthetic fragrance-free composition. The calming power of chamomile and calendula fights against redness and blemishes, and the presence of acai berry- with its antioxidant properties- gives elasticity to our skin and makes this mask perfect even for mature complexions. The cranberry extract adds a slightly sweet scent to the product that reminds us of honey. It also has a touch of mango that acts as moisturiser whilst protecting us against UV rays. What else could we ask for?

You can either get a 10ml jar for only £3.00 or if you are ready for a long-term beneficial treatment for your skin, you can always go for the 100ml jar for £24.99. Both are available here.