Luonkos: Rebirth & Radiant Facial Oil Cleansing Cakes and Celebrate Sparkling Body Cake

Are you feeling guilty about your bathroom shelves being stacked full of plastic bottles? At The Amazing Blog, we are! We’re trying to do our best to have more zero-waste, and this week we’re featuring our second sustainable Scandinavian brand, from the land of the midnight sun. Today it’s with Luonkos and their multitasking ‘Cakes’ that help to minimise our skincare products, and reconnect us back to nature.

Luonkos is a natural skincare brand from Finland, founded in 2018 by an enterprising trio of women; Miia Leino, Jonna Vesterinen, and Piritta Fors. Their primary mission is to help stop plastic bottles flooding bathrooms by giving us more sustainable alternative. The company currently sells Oil Cleansing Cakes, Body Cakes, Forest Cakes, and Hair Products. Luonkos’ facial Oil Cleansing Cakes won the Best Natural Innovation award in the 2020 Nordic Natural Beauty Awards. The company’s Cakes are all oil-based and composed of natural oils that cleanse the skin in a gentle, nurturing and healing way. Luonkos has a product for every skin type, and promise with regular use these will return the skin back to its natural pH balance. Having a zero-waste ethos is important to Luonkos, and all their products are plastic-free, handmade with all-natural ingredients, waterless, vegan and packaged in stylish biodegradable hexagonal cardboard boxes. Co-founder Fors recently said in an interview with Nordic Natural Beauty Podcast, “We really wanted to create a valued-based brand and inspire people to start thinking about the what’s in the products that they use.” She went on to say, “we’ve created multi-use zero-waste natural products that don’t have any preservatives or chemicals. We believe that you’re allowed to have this ‘I love me’ moment while cleansing so that you are taking care of yourself and your skin.” Although the company is based in Finland, their products are sold in multiple countries in Europe and are delivered internationally. Luonkos chose to call their products ‘cakes’ instead of ‘bars’ because cakes have a more joyful connotation!  Last October they were the first consumer products in the world to use a revolutionary Finnish invention, a forest microbe extract that, research shows, supports and strengthens the body's immune system. They were also the first products with EXAKT smart tags to arrive on store shelves. 

Luonkos sent us two facial oil cleansing cakes, the Rebirth Facial Oil Cleansing Cake  and the Radiant Facial Oil Cleansing Cake. Both the Oil Cleansing Cakes are 4-in-1 products that clean the skin, take off makeup (even waterproof makeup), and balance and nurture the skin. The Rebirth Facial Oil Cleansing Cake is for dry and normal skin, brightens and revives skin, and was Luonkos’ first product! Ideal for the 30+ age group this cake also helps to address any hyperpigmentation. Some of the ingredients in this cleansing cake include cacao seed butter, coconut oil, almond oil and Styrax Benzoin Resin Extract for fragrance. The cacao seed butter moisturises the skin, the coconut oil helps cleanse the skin effectively, the almond oil softens and nurtures skin. This Cake has a warm and comforting fragrance that reminds of delicious sweet cacao/chocolate. The Radiant Facial Oil Cleansing Cake is for dry and sensitive skin, has no added fragrance. There are only five ingredients in this cleansing bar which include apricot kernel oil, cacao seed butter, coconut oil, shea butter, and sea buckthorn seed oil. The apricot kernel oil nurtures and nourishes skin, the cacao seed butter moisturises the skin, the coconut oil helps cleanse the skin effectively, the shea butter nourishes and protects skin, and the sea buckthorn seed oil rejuvenates and strengthens skin. Which was our favourite? As we have sensitive skin – Radiant was our preferred Oil Cleansing Cake here. That said, we loved the performance and fragrance of Rebirth. We used them to effectively remove makeup at night and freshen up our complexion in the morning. What we love is that these Cakes is that they are gentle with no eye-stinging or excess oily residue. We still have Radiant on-the-go where it has pride of place, in the bathroom. If you are scared to try oil cleansing because your pores clog up easily, they recommend that you first try to double cleanse with your chosen Oil Cleansing Cake before using it solo. These Oil Cleansing Cakes are 60 ml, which means approximately 60 uses, making them very cost-effective. To store the Oil Cleansing Cakes, keep them in a dry place and out of direct sunlight; and to apply, rub the cake in your clean, dry hands to release the oils, massage this oil onto dry skin to remove makeup or impurities, and then wipe away the remaining oil with a warm damp cloth or sponge.You can purchase the Rebirth Facial Oil Cleansing Cake here for 24,15 €, the Radiant Facial Oil Cleansing Cake here for 24,15 €.

In addition to the Oil Cleansing Cakes, Luonkos sent us their Celebrate Sparkling Body Cake. This Celebrate Sparkling Body Cake brought a glorious sheen to our legs, cleavage, arms, and even cheekbones! Some of the moisturising ingredients include aloe vera, frankincense oil, jojoba wax, cacao seed butter, mica mineral pigment, lychee essential oil, barley starch, grape seed oil, peppermint essential oil, and sea buckthorn seed oil. Let’s talk about the ingredients and what they do: The aloe vera cools and calms the skin after sunbathing, frankincense oil improves concentration and calms the mind, the jojoba wax and cacao seed butter soothe and hydrates the skin, whereas the tiny mica mineral pigments give the skin a reflective glow. The lychee essential oil is an anti-inflammatory and protects skin; the barley starch helps the product spread evenly. The grape seed oil balances, t the peppermint essential oil cools, and the sea buckthorn seed oil rejuvenates and strengthens skin. Like the Oil Cleansing Cakes, this is 60 ml and is also recommended to be stored in a cool, dry place (place out of direct sunlight) so that it doesn’t melt! Sadly, this didn’t last as long as the Oil Cleansing Cakes – but with good reason as we used it all over the body (not exclusively on the face). To apply this Body Cake, simply rub the cake in your clean, dry hands (again) and put the oil on damp skin (ideally after a shower), let your skin dry with the oil before getting dressed, to help keep skin soft and hydrated. This Body Cake is perfect for now to show off your summer tan with its touch of sparkle, making you ready for a night on the town. To purchase the Celebrate Sparkling Body Cake, see here for 22,54 €. Luonkos is yet another of our our #amazingfinds and we hope to see them here in the UK soon.

Käsämä Cosmetics: Sea Buckthorn Exfoliating Clay Mask

Self-care is important, especially during these stressful times, and we think the best way to start a relaxing self-care routine is with a face mask. As always, we’ve been on a quest to find a new face mask that work with the skin’s natural balance. Today we’re introducing a waterless face mask from Käsämä Cosmetics with their Sea Buckthorn Exfoliating Clay Mask made of 100% natural ingredients.

Käsämä Cosmetics, is a natural skincare brand from Finland, and founded by Pauli Wigelius. Wigelius has a background in commerce but was inspired by Finnish wilderness and nature to get into the business of cosmetics — Käsämä is named after an area in North Karelia, Finland, where the clay is sourced and first used by the indigenous people for making pottery nearly 6500 years ago. The brand currently sells three different clay masks, each for different types of skin — the classic mask is for all skin types, the cranberry mask is for sensitive and normal skin, and the sea buckthorn is for oily and combination skin. All face masks are sustainable, vegan, cruelty-free and waterless, and the latter allows for the products to be stored safely for several years, even without preservatives. The brand said, “Käsämä clay deeply cleanses and purifies our skin and helps us see and appreciate our pure, innate beauty, our truest self and brings a touch of the purest natural healing power within reach of modern-day city dwellers in the world’s busy metropolises.” Although the company is based in Finland, they have distributors in multiple countries and deliver worldwide. 

The face mask that we tried was nominated in the Nordic Beauty Awards 2020, the Käsämä’s Sea Buckthorn Exfoliating Clay Mask is formulated primarily for oily and combination skin; this mask exfoliates and purifies skin by absorbing impurities, removing dead skin cells, and cleansing clogged pores — pretty much everything we look for in a mask. The only ingredients this mask contains are clay, sea buckthorn extract, and zea mays (corn) starch. 75% of the powder in the mask is clay, which is the key ingredient here to absorb impurities and excess oils. Sea Buckthorn is one of nature’s wonder-berries, full of antioxidants it has a healing and rejuvenating effect on the skin and is also a natural cleanser and exfoliator. It also contains vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, and C that hydrate and regenerate skin. Whereas the zea mays starch reduces oil and has anti-inflammatory properties. To apply, measure 1-2 teaspoons of the powder and add lukewarm water by drop until a smooth paste is created. Then, massage onto your face, neck, and shoulders and wait 5-10 minutes before rinsing away with lukewarm water. They recommend using it 1-3 times per week and avoiding contact with the eyes. Each package contains 35g, which is enough for about 10 full facial applications. The strength of the mask can be adjusted by adding different measures of water, making this a versatile mask for every skin type. We love the brand’s eco-credentials as it’s contained in a simple recyclable paper packet, and of course, being in powder form it cuts the weight of the product in half. What is fantastic about this powder mask is its purity, how refreshing it is to have no additives or chemicals - you really feel like you are at one with nature. If you want to feel the healing benefits of this mask, you can find it here for €17.90. 

Fiini Naturally: Balm To Cleanser - Gentle Oat, Oat & Bilberry Powder Face Mask and Oat Sea Buckthorn Oil Serum

How come so many of us have sensitive skins at the moment? At The Amazing Blog, we've noticed that with this type of skin, there's always something that triggers it - whether it's stress, strong sunlight, city pollution or cold weather. We recently discovered Fiini Naturally, a Finnish organic brand immersed in natural and raw ingredients, who are environment-friendly with products for beauty and home - all are aimed specifically at helping sensitive skins. Let’s tell you more about them…

Fiini Naturally was founded by two longstanding friends Heidi and Essi from northern Finland, who share the same interests and are linked by their appreciation of well-being and nature. Unable to find suitable natural everyday products in their local stores, either for themselves or their pets. This spurred Heidi on to start producing natural formulas for her pets; whereas Essi focused on developing skincare formulas for extra sensitive skins. When the first large-scale trial of their first product the Oat and Honey Cream was successful, this inspired them to explore more regional raw materials and formulas. Eventually, they came up with more product aimed at treating the diverse skin ailments for their friends and family. For the brand, honesty is as important as the ethics. This is why all formulas are kept simple, cruelty-free and with organic ingredients which are mostly INCI certified (marked with an INCI star). Being respectful of the environment, this means no chemical preservatives, additives and all formulas come in large sizes with recyclable packaging. This genuine interest in preserving the environment and responsible business practice has made them a member of the Finnish Eko Entrepreneurs Association, which certifies their environmentally-friendly working methods and processing. They kindly send us three of their products to try, all of which contain their special hero ingredient of Finnish oat oil. 

The first product to talk about is the Balm to Milk Cleanser – Gentle Oat. This is a moisturising and balancing balm and the perfect cleanser for all skin types, it cleanses all impurities, pollution and make-up. In this gentle fragrance-free formula, it’s full of antioxidants, vitamin E, fatty acids, amino acids and beta-glucans. All of which are present in the oat oil to help nourish, protect and relieve the skin and boost its elasticity - while the jojoba oil here works its magic to balance the skin. To use, simply massage gently on dry face, then add water and continue massaging where you will see it transform from the balm consistency to a milky one, and then rinse off. We found it excellent for removing everyday makeup (no eye stinging!) and also for perking up skin first thing in the morning. This 156ml jar of Balm to Milk Cleanser – Gentle Oat was our favourite out of the trio we tried. It’s available here for €38.90.

The Oat & Bilberry Powder Face Mask  is the second product sent. This raw powder face mask was recently a bronze winner at the Global Green Beauty Awards 2020. Again, perfectly suitable for sensitive or atopic skins, it’s more of a treatment where it hydrates and gently cleanses, making the skin feel softer with a more even skin tone. Like the Balm to Milk Cleanser – Gentle Oat, this mask powder contains the same bundle of organic ingredients – the Finnish oat oil moisturises and boosts the circulation and collagen production. This Powder Face Mask is also enriched with ground rice which helps the skin renew its pigment, and the vitamin E here nourishes. The pink clay is here to minimise couperose, and the freeze-dried Finnish bilberries soothe and calm the skin thanks to their anti-inflammatory action. To use, we mixed 2 teaspoons of powder mask with a teaspoon organic yoghurt (or you can use water), plus a few drops of serum to give an extra smooth skin. Mix together until it becomes pasty, then we applied this on to a dry face and let it sit for 10-15 minutes, rinsing off with warm water. We used only once or twice a week, which refreshed and brightened our skin. Again, this comes in a 156ml glass jar and is available for €22.90 here.

And last but not least, the Oat-Sea Buckthorn Oil Serum the third product. In this oil serum, the oat oil once again features helping to moisturise and revitalise. It also stimulates the skin’s metabolism, increasing elasticity, and the production of collagen. This serum contains jojoba and vitamin E, as well as Finnish sea buckthorn oil to ensure maximum cellar renewal. It’s a potent antioxidant that offers a soothing action and reduces inflammation for those with sensitive skins. We enjoyed experimenting with mixing this serum with the Powder Face Mask and also with our regular day and night cream which boosted their antioxidant and vitamin content. This comes in a 30ml tinted glass bottle and is available for purchase at €34.90 here. Initially developed for skins that face harsh everyday conditions, we think Fiini Naturally  will soon become your go-to for all things eco and sensitive skin-friendly orientated. Plus see all their home care products on the website here - we can’t wait to try these next!