Marion Ayonote - The Ultimate Red Carpet Shoes

When we caught a glimpse of the stunning shoes that Olga Kurylenko was wearing on the recent tour of Oblivion; as you can imagine we at The Amazing Blog had to investigate further… regular readers of this blog will know we like to search out any unusual and comment-worthy British brands. And gosh have we got one for you.

It turns out that Kurylenko was wearing Marion Ayonote's Conqueror Gladiator Pumps  (which by the way are a part of Ayonote’s new Cruise Collection). We have been lucky enough to preview part of this collection (which incidentally will be live on their 'Gallery'on Friday 19th April) and let me tell you, this collection is STUNNING. OK, so the price tag of £550 for this particular pair of shoes might make you faint,  but  the quality is nothing short of exceptional. Each pair is handcrafted in London, made up of the most  luxurious leathers  and are most definitely designed to make a statement. The above pair that Kurylenko showcased are in a versatile pewter colour and made of the softest calf leather, which  has been printed with a subtle  lizard pattern on the tongue. This delicious combination makes them the perfect complement for any day or evening outfit and is sure to make a few heads turn. Many of Ayonote's creative inspirations come from her childhood in Africa, where her parents nurtured her talents from an early age, thus making her shoes original and unlike any other current designers.

For those of you who are lusting after these stylish pumps but cannot quite afford the price tag, Marion Ayonote will be releasing a more economical line, MA Diffusion Line, in a couple weeks. These will be in sizes 36-42 and are priced between £55 and £150. We suggest you revisit her website for this range in the middle of May.

The above Cruise Collection comes in sizes 37-41 and at present is available to view and buy, By Appointment Only. The showroom is located at 2 Munro Terrace Cheyne Walk Chelsea London SW10 0DL tel (+44) 0207 352 4088. We are very excited to have made  the discovery of our Chelsea neighbour. And who knows, maybe we'll  see some of her shoes making an appearence shortly on the latest series of Made In Chelsea?

Själ

Like most 20-somethings, I have a love-hate relationship with my skin. Some weeks it'll be clear, and others I've seriously considered wearing a bag over my head. So I'm constantly trying new cleansers, toners and moisturisers to get that elusive, long-lasting perfect skin. And I think I may have come close with Själ's skincare range. I've been using the Combination Skin Essential Kit quite religiously for the past month and I can really tell a difference in my skin. The kit comes with Balans Deep Pore Cleanser, Light Cellular Renewal Cream, and the Perfecting Mask. From the first few times I used the products, I could feel how high quality they were, they just feel so luxurious on your skin. It took about a week for me to see a visible difference, and as a rule of thumb I like to give products a good amount of time to trial, as sometimes it takes a while for your skin to react.The cleanser is light but effective - I'm used to my facial cleansers foaming up, but the Balans cleanser stays light as you use it. The cream smooths over your skin easily, and you really don't need a lot to do the job, and considering the price that's a bonus in my book. The mask is as light as the cream, so you only need to smooth on one layer and leave it, afterwards it leaves your skin silky smooth. The Själ range is so unique and effective because of it's use of gemstones and minerals, they increase cellular productivity, provide skin clarity and micro-circulation. Själ  products use the highest quality ingredients and don't use silicone caffeine or petroleum jelly. Even though I've not tried the whole range, I'd be pretty comfortable saying they'd be as effective as the products I've been using.

Celtic Marches

With all the barbecues, parties and events you attend in the summer, it's always nice to mix things up. I'm sure everyone's sick of the same wines / beers / wine coolers being served wherever you go. Anyone can grab a bottle from the off license and that's all well and good, but for the more experimental drinker, The Amazing Blog has found Celtic Marches. Celtic Marches are based in Herefordshire and specialise in making unique liqueurs. And let me tell you, they're very tasty. Their two brandy based liqueurs, Bloody Furlong and Number Nine, are unlike anything you've tried - assuming you've never tried Celtic Marches. Bloody Furlong is flavoured with apple and maple, and Number Nine is flavoured with apple and blackcurrant. While they say you can drink the liqueurs neat, I prefer to mix mine, and the Celtic Marches website has recipes for delicious summer drinks. For those of you who don't want the hassle of mixing a drink, they also have a cider, Abrahall's Cider. And for the really daring drinkers amongst you, Number Nine mixed with Abrahall's is a flavour sensation. They both taste and look different to a lot of other brands on the market, and all the bottles are hand-finished in wax. They use the highest quality ingredients and you can definitely tell when you taste them.

So this summer, treat yourself and your friends to a few new tipples! Celtic Marches products are available to buy on their website.