KIERIN NYC – Santal Sky

Although The Amazing Blog loves London and we will likely never leave, New York City is one of our favourite cities in the world. Walking through the streets of Manhattan amidst the American hustle and bustle make you feel alive and young. Yet within the city that never sleeps, there are moments of ultimate peace and serenity. Flights to New York are expensive, but the next best option is to bring the atmosphere of the city to you with KIERIN NYC’s Santal Sky fragrance.

Inspired by the vibrant and metropolitan lifestyle of New Yorkers, KIERIN NYC has also embodied New York’s inclusive nature by creating perfumes that can appeal to all ages, genders, ethnicities, and nationalities. The company invites people ‘to be inspired, not defined or confined, by fragrance’. This ethos produced Santal Sky’s clean and unique scent designed for the modern urban individual. For this perfume, French perfumer Mathieu Nardin combined sandalwood, vetiver plant, and cardamom and saffron spices. The scent has a very strong earth and woodsy aroma from the sandalwood. However, what makes you think twice about Santal Sky are its spicy after notes. This fragrance is completely its own in this regard, and the spiciness leaves you mesmerised by the smell long after you’ve sprayed it. The overall ambience of Santal Sky is a sexy and mature scent that lasts all night while you’re getting fancy cocktails at a bar with the city lights behind you.

Despite this, it doesn’t smell too old to use in your 20’s and comes in a sturdy, stylish matte white bottle that is recyclable. KIERIN NYC has a ‘clean & conscious’ model for its brand, so all of its products are made with sustainable packaging and ethically sourced ingredients to help other communities as well as our own. Santal Sky is also cruelty-free, vegan, paraben and phthalate free, and hypoallergenic. This perfume not only has an eco-friendly mindset but smells exceptional and will bring some of the ‘New York State of Mind’ to London.

You can purchase Santal Sky (50ml) here for £65

CeraVe - Hydrating Cleanser

Our skin goes through a lot on a daily basis. It’s exposed to the sun, cold temperatures, and pollution, and goes through the mill as a result of our stressful lifestyles. Add makeup to the mix, and it’s no wonder that we sometimes suffer from a blemish or two! To keep it looking tip top and fabulous, we are in agreement at The Amazing Blog, that you have to provide your skin with treatments that bear these variables in mind.

This is why we were more than excited to come across CeraVe, a skincare brand developed by dermatologists, using essential ceramides (lipids that help form the skin’s barrier and retain moisture) to repair and strengthen the skin’s natural barrier. Using MultiVesicular Emulsion Technology (MVE), moisturising ingredients are released over 24 hours, layer by layer, ensuring steady stream of nourishment.

Since launching with three core products in 2006, CeraVe have released 70 affordable, accessible and dermatologist-recommended solutions; to hydrate, restore and replenish your skin. It is also worth mentioning that they have received more Seal of Acceptance awards from the National Eczema Association, than any other brand before.

We tried their soap free, fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, non-irritating (yes, all these already make the product sound ideal before even trying it) Hydrating Cleanser. It is suitable for normal to dry skin and cleanses as well as hydrates, without disrupting your skin’s protective barrier. Besides that, the hyaluronic acid makes sure that your skin (face as well as body) stays hydrated 24/7. It also removes your makeup, as we were thrilled to find out, with just one wash. Unlike most face washes, this gentle cleanser doesn’t leave your skin feeling tight, dry or over-stripped, but rather it feels soft and hydrated. We were also pleased to find that there are no hidden fragrances. What more could we want?

To try CeraVe’s Hydrating Cleanser for yourself, check out the Boots website here, where you will find the 236ml bottle for just £9.00. If you’re unsure as to whether this is the product for you, then click here to find you personal skincare solution in three step.

Totally Derma ® by Boley Nutraceuticals

We’ve all heard about how important is to incorporate sunscreens, serums and moisturisers to our daily routine as we get older, but Boley Nutraceuticals has totally changed the way we at The Amazing Blog are thinking about anti-ageing skincare. While a good SPF and retinol serum are great to have in your bathroom cabinet, Boley’s ground-breaking product Totally Derma® Nutraceuticals Collagen Drink Supplement focuses on working from the inside out.

Many brands today push for topical-only application of anti-ageing ingredients but Totally Derma® focuses on counteracting both the more aesthetic signs of ageing as well as the underlying physiological processes that are harder to see with the naked eye. Launched in 2017, Totally Derma® has been clinically-proven to increase Hyaluronic Acid (HA) in the body, and it contains Arthred®, a pre-digested and highly-absorbable bovine collagen, which contributes to skin firmness and elasticity. Even better is that the bovine collagen is so pure that it is hypoallergenic, therefore perfect for those who have digestive problems.

In addition, the increased levels of HA and Collagen have also shown improvements in not only skin, joints, hair, nails, bones; but also even in gut inflammation, bladder, urethra and vagina health too. Totally Derma® also contains other antioxidants like zinc, green tea extract and grape-seed extract to help collagen synthesis and ageing tissue. These health-boosting ingredients are taken once a day, from one level scoop daily into 250 ml of water or juice. After digestion, Totally Derma® is 95 % absorbed in the small intestine and then distributed to the skin to stimulate cells to produce more collagen and HA in the body. Even better about this collagen drink is easy to take and palatable, adding a little boost to your day and body. To purchase a tub of Totally Derma and start hydrating your body, see here for your 360 mg 30 day supply at £105.

Friday Favourites: Hand Creams

Hand cream is an absolute must for us at The Amazing Blog and as we’re still in the throes of winter, we can’t help noticing our chapped hands and split nails. Today we’re going to introduce you to some TLC for your hard-working digits. Whether you’re looking for a quick light fix or a protective barrier cream, we have a selection of our #amazingfinds for you to try.

As regular readers will know we are fans of Rosenserien products and you’ll find our most recent post on their Shampoo & Body Scrub here. Now we are testing out their rather rich and delicious smelling Hand Cream this has 100% naturally sourced ingredients with more than 75% being organic, it is also vegan friendly and not tested on animals. Key ingredients are Aloe vera, coconut wax, jojoba oil, shea butter, calendula, vitamin E, soybean and rose oil.

What we particularly like about this hand cream is that it feels thick, nourishing and it lasts. It also smells deliciously of roses; this comes in 100ml tube for £17 here and a little goes a long way.

Yes, it’s yet another natural skincare brand that we have a bit of a crush for. We recently wrote about their Firming Body Milk here . This SOS Help Hand Balm they say is for ‘demanding hands that require special intensive care,’ and we couldn’t agree more. Perhaps not as thick as Rosenserien, but equally as effective. This is much lighter in texture and the cream absorbs quickly. Their organic actives include cacao butter, almond and macadamia nut oil (to relieve tautness) shea butter (for increased elasticity).

SOS Hand Balm certainly comes to the rescue leaving soft hand and hydrated; this is perfect in this current chilly weather. SOS Help Hand Balm is 50ml at a reasonable price of £6.95 available here.

This is a very different kind of hand cream from the others that we’ve mentioned. Cuderm Hand is more science-based and offers an intense hydration that forms a protective barrier. It has been created specifically for dry and sensitive hands and is fragrance free, SLS free, hypoallergenic, paraben free and alcohol-free. What makes this particularly unique is the key ingredient of their clinically proven colloidal oatmeal, which is obtained as a natural extract from oats. This helps to support, protect and promote healthy skin.

We think this cream is ideal for anyone with itchy or sensitive skin or who is exposed on a daily basis to environmental irritants. To purchase the 75ml tube for £5.49 see here.

When you talk about a Potato Hand Balm its doesn’t sound very sexy or enticing. However, I’m assured that potato juice is the thing and extremely rich in vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and potassium minerals. These all offer protection against dry and cracked skin and various skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Potato juice is also deemed safe for any sensitive skins.

Styx Naturacosmetic is one of our #amazingfinds; and with over 50 year standing, this family run Austrian skincare brand has a strong belief in sustainability. So much so, that they’ve scooped up many environmental awards along the way. They believe in using organically grown and locally sourced wild plant-based raw materials for their ingredients, and when we met with them, they were insistent that we had to try this Balm! In Austria potatoes have been used for centuries to help heal the skin. This Potato Balm is based on a traditional Austrian peasant farmers’ recipe used as a remedy for treating all skin blemishes, sunburn, rough and chapped skin. In the balm there are also cold pressed vegetable oils (jojoba and macadamia) with the addition of shea butter and of course the potatoes. We like the slight sweet nutty fragrance, and that there was no greasy residue and it absorbed quickly. Potato Balm is available in a 70ml tube at £14.26 from Amazon here.

Whether your hand cream is made from roses, nut oils, colloidal oatmeal or potatoes; we hope that we’ve given you a ‘helping hand’ to try something just a little bit different.

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!