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.

Nakin - Lip Treatment Balm

As the weather has turned colder, we’ve been suffering from dry and cracked skin at The Amazing Blog. Our lips have particularly taken a hit, and we’ve found ourselves continuously slathering products on, to try and rectify the situation. Having previously tried Nakin’s Natural Anti-Ageing Advanced Cleansing Milk (see here), we were excited to try their Lip Treatment Balm (with fingers and toes crossed that it would solve our dry skin woes!)

Founded by Cris Beetham, Nakin offer a varied array of natural skincare products, designed to “enhance skin and smooth away signs of ageing”. Using only plant-based ingredients, Nakin’s philosophy of natural and ethical living has propelled them to become Pure Beauty Award winners, testimony to their focus on repairing and nourishing, with skin-friendly and cruelty-free ingredients. As many of our go-to lip products contain an array of chemicals, we were more than pleased to discover Nakin’s Natural Lip Treatment Balm.

This 15ml lip balm contains an plethora of powerhouse ingredients, including shea, which works to soothe and soften the skin, and mint, which stimulates circulation. Together, these ingredients plump and smoothe the lips, without the need for lip fillers, or going under the knife. This treatment balm also contains baobab oil, which hydrates the skin, fighting against city pollution and winter sun; while argan kernel oil works alongside the shea, to soothe cracked skin. All in all, these ingredients work to provide the lips with much needed nutrients, and hydration, taking away the dry and tight sensation commonly found at this time of the year.

We apply this Lip Treatment Balm throughout the day, and slather a thicker layer on, before going to bed. Thanks to the light, yet nourishing consistency, this lip balm also works well when applied before lipstick or lip gloss. Try it for yourself for £10 here.  

Kaplan MD Perfect Pout Duo

We all want plumper lips, but don’t always want to go the route of something invasive, which is where Kaplan MD’s Perfect Pout Duo comes in. This duo set includes a Lip Mask and Lip Balm and we at The Amazing Blog loved enhancing our lips, with this little kit.

Kaplan MD was created by renowned Beverly Hills Dermatologist, Stuart H. Kaplan, M.D. Stuart Kaplan created the Perfect Pout range which is the first complete anti-ageing regimen for the lips. It combines 22 organic extracts alongside patented peptides, antioxidants and two types of Hyaluronic Acid. These ingredients are combined to address fine lines and wrinkles around the lips, loss of fullness, loss of colour, chapped and flaky skin and sun damage that all come with ageing. The result is softer and fuller lips.

The Perfect Pout Lip Duo is perfect for hydrating chapped lips, protecting them from sun damage and instantly plumping the lip contour and smoothing fine lines. The Lip Balm is an ultra-hydrating treatment that works to seal in hydration while the SPF 20 protects the lips. Ingredients include the 22 organic extracts, beeswax and sunflower seed wax, marine collagen peptide, hyaluronic filling spheres and SPF20. The Lip Balm also looks beautiful on top of lipstick and stains, giving a glossy appearance.  The luxuriously creamy Lip Mask both exfoliates and visibly plumps the lips in only three minutes. This Lip Mask also includes marine collagen, peptides and papaya enzymes (to exfoliate chapped lips) with high (topical to soften) and low (penetrates deeper for intense hydration at the cellular level) weight hyaluronic acid.

The Perfect Pout duo includes both these products, in travel-friendly sizes, however, the Lip Balm and Mask can also be bought separately in larger sizes. Purchase the Perfect Pout Duo here for £19, the full size Lip Balm here for £27.50 and the Lip Mask here for £37.