Friday Favourites: Think Pink for Breast Cancer Research

As you might already know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and with breast cancer being the most common form of cancer in the UK currently it has never been so important to raise awareness of the symptoms of this horrible disease. Here at The Amazing Blog, we have been collecting a range of our favourite products that are currently raising money for this wonderful cause by donating a portion of their profits to breast cancer charities. Bodhi are an eco-luxury skincare brand based on the philosophy that a good natural skincare routine will not only boost your skin, but also your wellbeing. The Bodhi products use traditional botanical remedies as the basis of their skincare range, using only 100% natural essences. To support the cause of Breast Cancer Research, Bodhi have created the Desert Rose Rejuvenating Face Oil Limited Pink Edition. This is a luxurious facial oil is based on the Bulgarian Damask Rose and features Argan Oil, which has skin renewal qualities and Rose Hip Oil which has anti-aging properties. Bodhi founder, Elijah Choo says “Our aim is to empower and inspire women to support this tremendous cause by helping to reinforce body confidence during breast cancer.” To support the work of this fantastic charity, Bodhi are donating £10 to Breast Cancer Research from every sale. You can purchase the Desert Rose Rejuvenating Face Oil for £38 from the Bodhi website.

Dell’Ugo have created a very special pasta to raise money for Breast Cancer Research this October. The new edition to their fresh pasta line is the exciting Beetroot and Goat's Cheese Fiorelli, which not only sounds delicious, but looks it too as this pasta is pink! We think that this would be a very quirky choice to serve up at a dinner party as the pasta offers up complex flavour combinations because the beetroot has been tenderly marinated in a relish consisting of pomegranate and mint. You are in safe hands with Dell’Ugo as they have been creating delicious new recipes in the UK since 1929. You can try the special pink pasta yourself as it is available now from Waitrose where it is retailing for £3.49. Dell’Ugo will be donating 10 pence from every pack that is purchased to Breast Cancer Research.

This October, OPI has launched its seventh annual Special Edition Pink of Hearts 2013 nail duo to promote breast cancer charity Look Good Feel Better. The set contains a gorgeous baby pink polish 'Pink-ing of You' and a Limited Edition glitter polish 'More than a Glimmer' that can be worn over the top of the pink shade. As an added bonus, OPI are giving away free nail decals within the set so you can add crystals and pink ribbon embellishments to complete your look. For every Limited Edition Pink of Hearts kit sold, OPI will donate £2 to Look Good Feel Better. You can purchase your own kit from the OPI website for £18.80.

 To support the work of the Pink Ribbon Foundation, haircare brand Paul Mitchell have created a limited edition collection: 'The Girls are Alright'. The collection includes the Super Skinny Serum, the Super Strong Daily Shampoo and the Super Strong Daily Conditioner, which are all presented in limited edition packaging to raise awareness of breast cancer. The range aims to improve the appearance and quality of your hair by strengthening and conditioning it. We love the colourful and fun packaging of these lovely hair goodies. You can get your hands on these special products from the Paul Mitchell website where the Super Skinny Serum is available for £17.25 for 150mls, the Super Strong Daily Shampoo is £11.50 for 300ml and the Super Strong Daily Conditioner is £14.25 for 300ml. Clinique have released a special edition Pink With a Purpose lipstick in the shade 'Pink Ribbon Honey'. The lipstick is a lovely pink colour that will give you a sheer coverage so it will enhance your natural lips without being too heavy. The lipstick also comes with a limited edition pink ribbon case which is perfect for storing makeup essentials in your handbag for reapplication on the go. We love the sleek and luxurious packaging and think it is the perfect size for girls who are always on the move. For every purchase of the Pink With a Purpose Lipstick, Clinique will be donating £2 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and you can show your support now by getting your own from the Clinique website where it retails for £16.

Nail Art by Helena Biggs

As you’ve probably guessed, we girls at The Amazing Blog are HUGE fans of anything to do with nails or nail art and we are also avid readers of Scratch, the UK’s No.1 nail magazine, which focuses on the latest beauty industry news and nail trends. So when we heard that Scratch’s Deputy Editor Helena Biggs was bringing out her book, Nail Art, we couldn’t wait to get our claws (get it?) into a copy.

Nail Art is a fantastic book, not just for professional nail technicians, but for hobbyists too. The book is really thorough and begins with the basics such as the tools needed to create beautiful nail patterns and how to prepare your nails before you begin. Each chapter has a different theme and focuses on certain types of nail art. The themes range from ‘Fashion-forward fingertips’ to ‘Nail art from the underground’, and every single chapter is packed full of images of beautiful and often intricate nail designs from top nail art professionals. We think it has enough nail art inspiration to last you a lifetime.

Not only does this book show off some amazing nail artwork, but there are also plenty of nail art tutorials throughout the book to help you to recreate some of the classic and also fashionable nail looks. These tutorials include plenty of photos and a step-by-step guide to help you perfect your desired look, which is great for beginners but also helpful to improve techniques of those already involved in nail art. We were very happy to see some of our favourite Nail Techs featured with breathtaking work from the likes of Megumi Mizuno, Zoe Pocock, Marian Newman and Sam Biddle.

Our favourite chapters have to be the last two, ‘Intricate Nail Designs’ and ‘Fantasy Fingernails’. These chapters feature a range of stunning photographs of the most intricately detailed nails we have ever seen. Whilst they are perhaps not the most practical of designs they are beautiful pieces of artwork that we could admire for hours. If sculptured nails aren’t your cup of tea, you can find plenty of information and images about a whole range of techniques from dotting tools to nail wraps, to nail caviar. There really is something for everyone in this wonderful book and you are sure to pick up plenty of tips and tricks of the trade to include in your own nail art work.

If you are a nail art enthusiast too, we highly recommend that you get yourself a copy of this wonderfully informative book, we promise it will become your nail art bible. This fabulous book is so popular that it is currently completely sold out! However the book is being reprinted, so watch this space for more copies that will be available on Amazon and from Waterstones.

Nazila Love Glamour

As every girl will tell you, we don't need an excuse to accessorise, and our nails are definitely not an exception to this. With the varying brands of nail polishes and different sorts of treatments you can get, it can make doing your nails pretty complicated. So The Amazing Blog brings you Nazila Love Glamour's Nail Glitz semi-permanent nail sets. These bedazzled nail sets have been seen on celebrities and in most of the magazines you pick up weekly, so you know that you're spot-on trend with a Nail Glitz manicure. And with the Diamond Jubilee fast approaching, a Nail Glitz manicure will be sure to make you stand out this weekend.This Nail Glitz set in GB Rocks is a must-have for this weekend. If you're a working girl, or are just always on your phone like us, we recommend doing one or two accent nails - you can show off your patriotism and stretch your set out to last longer. All you Made In Chelsea fans will recognise Binky Felstead, wearing and posing with the GB Rocks set (above). Priced at £29.99 all Nail Glitz sets come with 24 pieces that you can use up to 4 times.If you still want to show your spirit but in a more subtle way, the Bejewelled Nail Glitz from Nazila Love Glamour is perfect for you. As seen on celebrity judge Amanda Holden during the recent finals of Britain's Got Talent, the Bejewelled Nail Glitz will add sparkle to any outfit. Available for £29.99 online.

And the final Nail Glitz we have for you is this amazing Your Royal Highness set. Complete with faux diamonds, and plenty of sparkly pretty things, these 3D nails are sure to make an impression wherever you rock them. Whether you wear the full set or just a couple of accent nails, this manicure is sure to make you feel like a princess. Available for £29.99 online.

With over 20 different sets on the Nazila Love Glamour website, you can custom make your own manicure, and have all your friends wondering where you got your nails done!