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Friday Favourites: Body Care Products

When The Amazing Blog did a quick beauty poll amongst some friends, it seems that body care products are something frequently overlooked. We all take great care to moisturise our faces, but what about our poor hard-working bodies? Today we have reviewed some of our #amazingfinds for the body, which we hope will tempt even the most sceptical or lackadaisical among you.

Let’s begin with Lavera, a brand that we know and love (see here for more). Lavera never fails to live up to our expectations with their 100% certified organic ingredients, all of which are dermatologically proven, vegan and with all the free-froms. We like a good multi-tasker and with their Firming Body Milk we have found just that. Not only does it help to moisturise, but it also works to firm up the skin too. Lavera claims that when used every day, there will be a noticeable difference in your skin texture within two weeks – quite a claim, but one we can justify! Gently fragranced, the use of key ingredients, organic green coffee bean and green tea, help to stimulate the skin, for a soft and smooth finish. On the other hand, the use of rosemary and grape help to leave skin feeling silky-soft. It is lightweight to use and absorbs quickly, thankfully leaving no sticky residue. They suggest exfoliating first (Lavera has a rather lovely Smoothing Body Scrub) and applying daily. Whether you’re looking for body firming or not, we really liked the fragrance, feel and texture. Sensibly priced at £10.95 for a 200ml tube , it is available here.

Next, we have CeraVe’s Moisturising Cream, an impressive hyaluronic acid and ceramide based barrier cream, suitable for use on both the body and face, and gentle enough for eczema-prone skin. What are ceramides, I hear you ask; they are lipids that not only help to form the skin’s barrier and retain moisture but also protect against environmental pollution. This body moisturiser is particularly suitable for anyone with dry or very dry sensitive skin. CeraVe is a US brand developed in tandem with dermatologists, they have over 70 products to offer and what makes their product unique is their revolutionary delivery system: MultiVesicular Emulsion Technology (MVE). This technology releases moisturising ingredients over a 24 hour period, layer by layer, to help keep skin soft all day long. Ingredients are not natural, but they are fragrance free, non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic. CeraVe are also quick to point out that they have received more Seal of Acceptance awards from the National Eczema Association than any other brand, which makes them a very tried and tested brand. Available from Boots or Superdrug, this is an economical product, £8.50 for 177ml.

Our third body moisturiser is from the award-winning British brand PHB (Pure Handmade British) Ethical Beauty which is stuffed to the gunnels with delicious superfoods. This 2-in-1 Hand & Body Moisturiser has had us all cooing and oohing. We’ve been long-standing fans of PHB Ethical Beauty and have reviewed several of their products (and we hope many more) - see here. So when given the opportunity to try their new Hand & Body Moisturiser – we leapt at the chance! This brand is very special with 20% of their profits going to The OneLove Foundation (founded by PHB Ethical Beauty in 2015). All their products are made with ethically harvested and responsibly sourced ingredients that are 100% natural, vegan, cruelty-free and alcohol-free (Halal certified). They call this a “no-nonsense moisturiser” and we couldn’t agree more. It absorbs quickly and comes with a list of simple, natural and certified organic ingredients that perform; it feeds the skin with a pure and powerful blend of mango, shea butter, apricot and pumpkin seeds – we love both the fragrance and simplicity. It is available on the PHB website here for £16.60, in a 150ml recyclable tube.


Our final discovery are Liquid Body Washes from Fil Blanc (meaning “white thread” in French), perhaps best known for their high-quality Hammam Turkish cotton towelling (we have our eye on their multi-coloured hand woven bath robe). The brand’s inspiration is taken from Mediterranean luxury living, with a touch of bohemia thrown in. Fil Blanc is based in historical St. Nicholas Market at the Exchange Hall, Bristol where they started three years ago. All products are sourced or designed by the founder Gulsum Gok. She very kindly sent us two of their body washes Relaxing and Orange & Jasmine. All body washes are 99% natural with a 81.98 % organic base, also vegan, cruelty and paraben free. Again they come with a very simple list of ingredients: Relaxing is made with essential oils of geranium, lavender, orange and ylang-ylang; whereas Orange & Jasmine has only these. Both contain honey and aloe vera with an Argan oil base. At a reasonably priced £12 for 259ml you can purchase both here, or alternatively make a visit to their Bristol HQ.

Now there is no excuse not to implement a little body pampering!

Blueberry & Raspberry Double Fruit Twists by Gregory's Tree

At The Amazing Blog, we call it how we see it, and January is a hangover month. You’re still recovering from all the food and booze you consumed a few weeks ago, and you're looking ahead to see how long you’ve got until it’s acceptable to drop your 'new year new you diet'. If you’re like us and think that the health kick still has a while to go but are suffering from some serious mid-afternoon munchies, then you need to try Gregory’s Tree and their Blueberry and Raspberry Double Fruit Twists.

These are great tasting, organic, fruit snacks that no one will raise an eyebrow at. With only 60 calories this little treat counts as one of your five a day. You must not be fooled by their size; these snacks are packed full of flavour and are actually very filling. Full of natural energy and with no added sugar they will give you a lasting boost until your next meal.  They are made from pure organic fruit, which is gently heated, pulped and twisted.

If you are looking for a snack free from nuts, GMO’s, gluten that will show the world you haven’t given up, even if you have a little, then this is the one. You can purchase a box of 24 double fruit twists here for £14 or can pick up one from any of these stockists around the country.

Hyaluronic Booster Serum by Novexpert

We are always on the lookout for the perfect serum at The Amazing Blog, and we think we may have found a new makeup bag essential with Novexpert and their Booster Serum With Hyaluronic Acid. With a unique combination of high-quality ingredients that boost and plump the skin, this is the perfect product for anyone looking for smoother and more radiant skin.

Enriched with Hyaluronic acid the serum 'repulps' and plumps the skin while reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Hyaluronic acid both nourishes the surface of the skin and provides deep hydration to all layers of the epidermis. The Novexpert Serum is infused with aloe vera, pidolic acid, arginine and 100% vegetable glycerin, all of which aids the serum in giving you a more youthful and regenerated appearance.

The serum is a delight to apply, it is easily absorbed and doesn't leave an unpleasant greasy film like other anti-ageing serums often do. The Booster Serum can be used on its own or before applying a moisturiser or day cream. The Booster Serum contains no preservatives, and we simply loved using this magical beauty product as every application was a real treat for our skin.

Novexpert Booster Serum is available from QVC for £39.51