Heathcote & Ivory's Salsa Silks Collection

When you find a product that you love, there’s nothing better than discovering that there is a whole collection too. One that we are loving at the moment, is Salsa Silks by Heathcote and Ivory. We’re no strangers to this brand at The Amazing Blog, having featured their Vintage & Co. Baubles & Belles Festive Bath and Body Tin in our Gifts for Her feature in December. The Salsa Silks collection is vibrant, and contains three scented gifts (for a loved one, or yourself) encased in elegantly decorated packaging, and inspired by the colourful rhythms of salsa. Intrigued? We were too.

As a brand that embraces the world of interior design and the great British outdoors, Heathcote & Ivory are known for their mix of bright colours and floral patterns, in both vintage and modern styles. The Salsa Silks Collection is no exception, containing only the finest essential oils and actives, it is a luxury collection, without a luxury price tag.

The first product that we tried, was the Hand Wash. This vitamin E infused product helps to cleanse and purify, releasing the energising scents of lime, lotus flower and cedarwood. The uplifting essential oils of lemon and sweet orange really make it feel like a spa retreat at home, and the luxurious formula left our hands feeling soft and nourished. We were also pleased to discover that it didn’t leave our hands feeling dry, something we struggle with at this time of the year.

Secondly, we tried the Heart Soap In A Tin. This lovely triple-milled soap is presented in an embossed heart-shaped tin, and is blended with shea butter and glycerine, helping to gently cleanse and soften your skin. Additionally, and thanks to the beautiful packaging, this isn’t only a pleasure for your skin, but also gives your bathroom a touch of design sparkle. Gone are the days of a boring block of soap on the sink.

Finally, we were also pleased to discover that this collection contains a Lip Gloss. Delivered in a smaller heart-shaped tin, this moisturising peach lip gloss is made of beeswax and olive extracts, helping to keep your lips perfectly soft and, most importantly, kissable. The soft peachy smell of the pink glittery gloss is also a highlight, taking away the often chemical smell of other lip glosses on the market. It is also nourishing and less sticky than competitor glosses, something we’re thankful of!

To try this collection for yourself, check out the Heathcote & Ivory website here where you can find the Hand Wash for £9 (320ml), Heart Soap In A Tin for £6 and the Lip Gloss for £5. Perfect for a February birthday or as a treat for yourself.

Friday Favourites - Lipsticks

Lips are such a prominent feature on the face, here at the Amazing Blog we love ours to stand out and ooze confidence. We have chosen a few of our favourite lip products to perfect that pout.

For gorgeous, amplified lips look no further, Rouge Bunny Rouge has you covered with their Swell Bliss XXX Lip Plump Gloss and Sweet Excesses Glassy Gloss.

View fullsize

Whether it’s an intense plump your after or a just a glossy enhancement, these glosses will cater for you. The XXX Lip Plump will give you the Angelina Jolie pout in one application, due to the natural Volulip active, an ingredient with the same power as lip filler injections and other benefits of the gloss include anti-ageing and antioxidant properties. If that hasn’t excited you enough, we also tried out the Glassy Gloss in shades Fleur Parfait and Cherry Clafoutis. These felt moisturising and luxurious on the lips without a sticky finish. The use of Rose Seed Extract and Vitamin E works together to also provide anti-ageing and rejuvenating properties. We loved the pearl finish that gave our lips some extra sparkle. If you want the perfectly plumped pout of your dreams, get your own Rouge Bunny Rouge glosses here for £21.08 and here £20.36.  

If you can’t choose between lipgloss and lipstick, if you like a shiny final touch but also a rich and bulky colour, Lipstains Gold from Ultra Glow Cosmetics is the best choice. Lately lip stains have become really popular but to be honest with you we couldn’t really find one product who wouldn’t give us dried lips, but Lipstains Gold with its new formula seems to be something completely innovative.
It’s not just waterproof but also contains moisturising ingredients that will keep your lips soft and kissproof all day long.

The range of shades suits every occasion. We personally love Rose and Red so easy to wear, with a touch of sheer; they definitely plump up our lips and make us feel very feminine. Peony that we like as much, is the best ladylike shade we’ve ever seen with a matte finish.
They’re all available at £5.99 here.

Now if you are more of a matte finish girl, Urban Decay’s new Matte Revolution Lipsticks will be your new best friend. We had the opportunity to try colours Tilt, Bad Blood and After Dark, each colour was extremely pigmented and super creamy. Once you’ve finished admiring the gorgeous colour in the mirror, you’ll notice that even as they dry to a matte finish your lips still retain their moisture. We made the mistake of leaving swatches to dry on our hands, and soon found out that it has some serious staying power!

From the colours we tried, there is one to fit everyone, Tilt is an extremely bright orange-toned red, while Bad Blood is an intense, blue-toned red. For those who are more adventurous, After Dark is a gorgeous deep plum with purple reflects which give it a beautiful sheen in the light. Bring out your matte side, get these creamy lipsticks here for only £15.50.   

We have found our new must-have product of the season, Lip Matters Velvet matte cream. Intense and vibrant pigmentation which will give you a bold and luscious pout, ready for you to hit the town.

Available in 8 different shades, we tried ‘That’ll Peach You’ and ‘Wham Bam Thank You Jam’ and absolutely adored the daring and vibrant look it gave us. With a creamy texture when first applied to your lips, the cream sets quickly into a matte finish giving you an enviable pout. These products are also a bargain costing only £3.99 each. Grab yours for the perfect lips here at Beauty UK.

Carlee's Christmas Wish List

I can't believe it's already Christmas Eve! Christmas is my favourite time of the year, especially because I love getting the opportunity to spoil my friends and family with gifts. Of course, I have a Christmas wish list of my own, and I'm hoping to see these gifts under the Christmas Tree tomorrow morning!

Depending on what time I fall asleep, waking up in the morning can be a major struggle. I just don’t have the energy (or the time if I snooze my alarm) to properly get ready. That’s where The Library of Fragrance Pure Soap comes into play. The company creates fragrances inspired by life, capturing over 300 scents that surround us every day. What better way to celebrate Christmas than to celebrate the under-appreciated sense of Ivory soap! Let me tell you, this perfume will come in handy. Whether you spray it as you quickly head out the door or in the bathroom at work, the Pure Soap fragrance will provide you with a fresh-from-the-shower scent anytime and anywhere. If you’re always in a hurry like I am or just too lazy like I also am, this might just be the best way to freshen up your day. You can buy a bottle of Pure Soap here at £15.00 for 30 ml.

After a very unfortunate incident at the airport, I lost my all-time favourite moisturiser. For years, I could never pin down the perfect product. No matter what I tried, my face, within a matter of 2 hours, would produce enough oil to fill a bottle. Somehow, I managed to stumble upon Clinique’s Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief. I have worshipped this product ever since. The light cream sinks right into my skin and provides it with hydration all day long. The oil on my face was finally under control and it even helped with my acne. It’s crazy, but I feel so much happier when I use it because I know that it’s the only product that has had perfect results on my face. I cannot wait to receive this for Christmas. It will make my morning and night so much better! You can be just as happy by purchasing the moisturiser here at £34.00 for 50ml.  

I have to have lip gloss on me at all times; otherwise, I panic. As soon as my lips begin to feel dry, I have to moisturise. Even if they don't feel dry, I still have to touch-up my lips. Some might even call it an addiction. Any way, when I heard about Heathcote & Ivory’s new Secret Paradise collection, I knew I had to try something. As soon as I laid my eyes on the Secret Paradise Lip Gloss Tin, I had to put it on my Christmas list. It contains beeswax, which soothes and softens your lips. Not only is it peach flavoured (one of my favourite fruits), but it comes in the most adorable heart-shaped tin. The delicate heart features Madagascan violets and lilies and cute little hummingbirds. With this lip gloss, I will no longer be just a lip gloss freak. I’ll be a lip gloss freak with style. If you share my addiction, you can purchase the Secret Paradise Lip Gloss tin here at £4.00 for 14g.  

If I die, it will be death by chocolate. I can't live without it. If I was stranded on an island with nothing else but chocolate, that would be okay.

Since chocolate is part of my daily food intake, I had to find the perfect balance, which is why I love indulging in Doisy & Dam chocolate. Not only is it delicious, but it's healthy for you too! Each 74% chocolate bar is packed with delicious, health-giving superfoods. Each superfood ingredient brings high levels of vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein and Omega 3. The cholesterol-lowering and antioxidant properties of the dark chocolate almost make these bars guilt-free! There are currently four products in the range and I just love the Mulberries, Chia Seeds & Spirulina chocolate bar. After devouring it within minutes, I knew I would want more for the holidays.

For all of you chocoholics out there, Doisy & Dam chocolate bars are available in 40g (RRP £1.65) and 100g (RRP £3.99) and they are available from the website and selected retailers including Ocado, Whole Foods and Planet Organic.

I hope all of you lovely readers have a Merry Christmas and enjoy your gifts! 

LipSense

With the party season upon us again I feel quite literally like I’m constantly ‘chasing my tail’ endlessly getting nowhere, trying to fit in a plethora of activities to attend. So when it comes to precious minutes to glam up for an evening out – for me long-lasting make up is a must. Recently I discovered a new lip colour and gloss by LipSense, a brand adored in the U.S. for over ten year by such celebrities as Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Aniston that has only just now reached the UK.  This formula promises to lasts up to 18 hours and works to improve the condition of lips.  In fact, the longer you wear the lip gloss, the longer it promises to stay on because by becoming increasingly hydrated, your lips become better able to retain product.

With my lifestyle, I was particularly interested in the claim that LipSense glosses promise to stay put through all the wear-and-tear of your day while also providing 100% UVA&UVB protection. I have now test driven LipsSense for the past two week and can happily say it lives up to its claims. However I think the secret is to constantly keep re-applying the Lip Gloss which keeps lips moist and from looking dry. When you buy LipSense you really need to buy the Liquid Lip Pigment, Oops! Liquid Colour Remover and  Lip Gloss they come as a package of three. The remover is most definitely needed otherwise you’ll be going to bed and waking up with highly pigmented lips! Additionally what I also like is that they are made from completely natural ingredients and have undergone no animal testing (BTW that's standard now in the EU ). I went for the SheerBerry which is a neutral lip colour. The actual Liquid Lip Colour is £18 each but if you go for the remover and gloss as well (very advisable) it is £45. Sounds quite a lot, but actually a little goes a long way (I only put on one light coat of the Lip Colour). Coming in a multitude of fabulous shades, there’s a colour for any occasion.  Find the perfect pink for chilly days and a romantic red for those special nights out - no matter the shade of your lips you’ll be guaranteed to be happier and healthier when dressed up in your favourite LipSense gloss