Rawgaia - Hemp Glow Cleanser

Our skin is continuously suffering from the cold temperatures. Add into the mix London's pollution, and an array of skincare products containing chemicals, and it's clear to see why we're struggling with dry and dull complexions. With upcoming festive parties, we’ve been searching for new skincare products at The Amazing Blog, hoping to nourish our complexions back health. On this quest, we re-visited Rawgaia, an award-winning brand that uses only pure, raw, cold pressed and healthy ingredients - giving excellent value for money, and peace of mind that the products are protecting your skin. We have in fact tried their Cold Pressed Carrier Oil before, so we were pretty certain it would help us this December!

Started by wellbeing expert, Jessica Michael, who is also the owner of Rawgaia, it is registered to COSMOS Organic Standards and has Soil Association certification. Their focus is on creating skincare that is nourishing for the skin, with natural ingredients as opposed to synthetic ones. We tried their Hemp Glow Cleanser, which promises to pull out dirt and balance the avails of daily life. This is something we can vouch for, our skin felt squeaky clean, yet was still nourished and supple. We particularly like that it is gentle enough for eye makeup removal, as there's nothing better than a multi-purpose product. The ingredients are the talking point of this product, 91% of which are organic. The use of flower water, vitamin E, sunflower seed oil and witch hazel are notable for controlling sebum levels while remaining moisturising. Additionally, tea tree is another natural ingredient known for fighting against oily skin, and the use of hemp (a Cannabis plant fibre) is an exciting addition that forms a protective layer over the skin. Hemp also prevents skin rashes and provides relief from acne, a powerful ingredient to fight skin troubles.

This cleanser should be used both morning and night and is suitable for oily and combination skin types. Simply smooth this cleanser over your face and neck, gently massaging it into the skin. We recommend removing it with a damp and warm cloth, to unearth a radiant glow. You'll find this cleanser leaves a brightened complexion without a sticky, greasy or heavy feeling. Purchase your own bottle of goodness here for £28.00 (50ml).

Friday Favourites - Face Oils

Including a face oil in our daily beauty routine has become somewhat of a ritual for us at The Amazing Blog. This week, we’d like to introduce you to four of our favourite luxury face oils that will enchant your senses, revive your skin and keep your complexion feeling supple and hydrated, even as the temperatures drop.

Our first pick is Replenish, a night oil created by the award-winning aromatherapy brand Beatitude. As a brand that we know and love, we have previously written about their Peace Bath Oil. Founded by Rebecca O’Connor, the name of the brand itself represents supreme happiness and blessedness, and according to Rebecca, the brand aims to bring “a sense of happiness, calm and well-being”. We can certainly vouch for this, as the Replenish Oil has become a much-loved part of our wind-down evening routine.

It’s a profoundly nourishing oil that awakens your senses and skin cells, to give your complexion a radiant and healthy glow. With powerful ingredients like rose, neroli and immortelle, it is also anti-ageing, working to combat fine lines and dehydration. Anti-oxidants and vitamins are mixed in a unique formula of rosehip, vitamin E, evening primrose and many more natural plant ingredients. These make our skin feel nourished and rejuvenated, and as the texture is light on the skin, it doesn’t leave the greasy look that most of us fear when considering facial oils. Instead, it absorbs quickly and has become a firm favourite in our nightly beauty routine. It can be used under night cream or stand-alone; apply to the décolleté, neck and face with light upwards massage movements, but be careful to avoid the delicate eye area. Click here to purchase a 30ml bottle of anti-ageing magic for £38.

Up next is a deeply nourishing and natural facial oil, known for its premium anti-ageing properties. Created by experts at Lumity, a brand committed to proving that ageing is more than skin deep, their Natural Anti-Ageing Facial Oil is equally rejuvenating and balancing. The brainchild of Sara Palmer Hussey, Lumity’s products are designed with busy lifestyles in mind, combining vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and amino acids to create simple skincare and supplement products. In fact, we reviewed Lumity’s Anti-Ageing Supplements back in 2017, click here to view the post.

This time, we tried the Facial Oil and were pleased to discover that the formula contains 32 different botanical oils and extracts, including passion flower seed oil, known for stimulating skin cells, and marula oil, known for healing powers. Alongside this, the mixture of argan and jojoba seed oil make this a unique and plant-based blend, full of the nutrients that are welcome as winter approaches. This luxurious oil provides smoother skin, and in just 4 weeks, 73% of users noticed a reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. These are statistics we can back, as members of the Amazing Blog team (not naming any names) have noticed similarly smooth and younger complexions. Lumity's Facial Oil (30ml) is available on their website, standalone for £60 or at a discounted rate of £48 if purchased as part of their monthly subscription.

Our third find this Friday is from Botany Blend; a brand celebrated for combining green beauty and luxury, offering us a range of oils that indulge our minds and bodies. With expertise in aromatherapy products that satisfy your senses, and revitalise the skin, each batch is handmade and all ingredients are sourced sustainably. We love the use of certified organic ingredients and were excited to discover that the products are all made in a small studio on the Devon coast.

We tried the Aceso Oil, which like Botany Blend's other products, is free from essential oils. The formula contains numerous potent antioxidants, alongside Co2 extracted sea buckthorn, rosehip berries, apricot kernel, safflower and Japanese camellia. These are all rich in plant-based fatty acids, helping to nurture even the most sensitive of skin. We found that the oil was easy to apply, and was soothing, yet non-greasy, ideal for use both morning and night. It even acts as a smooth base for makeup, something we would often steer clear of with other oils. If you have sensitive skin or are merely looking for an organic oil that does not contain essential oils, then this will be for you. Purchase your own 30ml bottle of Acesco for £35 here.

Last, but by no means least, we came across Vetivert & Co, a London based brand, founded by Aanu Oduyeni to provide plant-based oils to nourish and repair the skin. Suffering from acne, and dreading scarring, she envisaged a brand that would be free from synthetic fragrances, nut oils and parabens, and suitable for vegans. These goals are something that she has very much achieved, so we were excited to try the Balance Oil.

As with Vetivert & Co's other products, Balance Oil is cruelty-free, and 100% natural, containing a blend of tamanu, seabuckthorn, palmarosa and lavender oils. We found these ingredients not only helped to avoid future breakouts by neutralising and calming the skin, but that they also helped to repair it, aiding with the scarring that many of us are availed with. This oil helps to defy the stereotype that oils will clog pores and worsen acne, as many of us here have been suitably impressed with the long lasting effects. As a lighter oil, this can be used twice daily (morning and evening) and should be gently patted onto damp or dry skin. Combat your acne worries by purchasing a 30ml bottle here for £35.

Face oils often have a reputation of only being necessary for dry or older skin. While there is truth in this statement, we hope to have opened your eyes to the uses of facial oils for all skin types. Whether you have sensitive or acne prone skin, we're sure one of these products will be suitable for you.

Friday Favourites - Natural Cleansers

What’s more important to you… A skincare regime in the morning to pep up your skin? Or perhaps in the evening, to help get rid of the daily grim? When we did a quick poll in the office and found that we all tended to lean towards an evening ritual. Although maybe one or two of us might admit to having fallen asleep with our make up on - oh what a sin! Of course, when this is the case we’ve paid the price; you know the look of dark panda eyes, streaky cheeks and an irritated skin breakout. Today we at The Amazing Blog explore four natural, cruelty-free and gentle cleansing products to help you up your cleansing game - whether its for the day, night or both.

First and foremost, we all know that we’ve got to remove our make up. Nadur is an Irish natural and vegan skincare brand that has a wonderfully gentle and effective make up remover. Nadur was a Pure Beauty Global Awards 2018 Finalist, and they are committed to crafting non-toxic and well-designed products that are safe for the environment and the user. The name ‘Nadur’ means nature and comes from the ancient celtic/viking alphabet ‘Ogham’, with their 20 symbols that represent sacred trees. They focus on the ‘acid mantle’ (the skins natural defense mechanism) and their products are a careful blend of science and artistry using ‘green chemistry’.

We tried their Genie Rinsable Oil Cleanser & Makeup Remover and were pleased to find the naturally ethical formula is non-greasy and hydrating. This cleanser and make up remover hybrid works well for normal, oily, combination, and dry skin. To use it, smother over dry skin, wetting the face to emulsify it, and gently work it in. Give your face a rinse, and you’ll feel squeaky clean, without the tight sensation. This water-soluble solution is gentle on the skin’s natural protective barrier because of the inclusion of organic jojoba oil, which means the skin’s moisture levels are restored. We particularly like all the antioxidants and minerals, such as pomegranate seed, that help to rejuvenate the skin. The Genie Rinsable Oil Cleanser & Makeup Remover is vegan, gluten, cruelty-free, non-toxic, and 100% natural. Its faint floral, nutty fragrance comes from the sweet almond oil and ylang-ylang flower extract. Purchase Nadur’s Genie Oil Cleanser & Makeup Remover 200ml here for £25.00.

Let’s move from Ireland to Britain, to explore Nakin Skincare. We’re particular fans of this new British brand which focuses on natural anti-ageing products, and recently featured their Active Dew Face Cream here. As a nominee for Best New Skincare Brand in the Pure Beauty Awards, founder Cris Beetham said: “Our whole ethos is about effective natural skincare, for people who want great skin without the use of harsh chemicals.” And we certainly do! Hyaluronic acid, seaweed and plant extracts, healing butters, and reviving oils are some of the powerful ingredients in Nakin’s products that help to enhance your skin’s natural beauty. All of their products are cruelty-free and are without parabens and artificial colour and fragrances.

We took their Natural Anti-Ageing Advanced Cleansing Milk for a spin. This cleanser is 98% natural and wheat and gluten-free. We particularly enjoyed using this product because of how gentle it is on sensitive and dry skin, and it proved to be a great hit with our Exec Editor. The Cleansing Milk is easy to apply, simply massage in circular motion before removing with a cotton pad - it’s brilliant for removing stubborn make up. The hyaluronic acid and pomegranate fruit extract help to fight the key signs of ageing. The seaweed extract also helps to even skin tone. The completely natural, light floral fragrance is refreshing but more importantly we liked that this cleanser was effective. If you’d like to try Nakin Skincare’s Natural Anti-Ageing Advance Cleansing Milk, it can be purchased 150ml here for £15.00.

If you’re in the mood to try something different, then Speak Skin Beauty has got you covered. They are a natural skincare company founded by Nisa and Tiara, who wanted to make a difference. Their mission is to empower women with fair and reliable information on skincare ingredients, to allow them to make an informed decision; and wishing to make a positive impact on their community and environment. Both had struggled on their journey to find a suitable skincare for their complexions; Nisa with dermatitis and Tiara for her ever-changing, hormonal skin. This skincare brand is all about advocating good clean and conscious products. They carefully choose their ingredients to ensure that their products are appropriate for even the most sensitive skin. We love how they are minimising waste by getting rid of unnecessary packaging. We received their 01 Cleansing Powder in a charming fabric mini tote all made from recycled material. This packaging makes the product all the more meaningful in our eyes. They’re strictly cruelty and paraben-free, and make all their products in small batches.

Speak’s 01 Cleansing Powder system was new to most of the team here, as they hadn’t used a powder cleanser before. It is a gentle, soap-free cleansing powder that has only four ingredients: organic oats, lavendar extract, kaolin clay and sweet almond oil. It’s simplicity at it’s best. The scent is particularly enticing, the fragrance of this almost poultice-like texture is lead by the combination of lavender and oatmeal. The oats help to soothe the skin; the lavender calms redness; the sweet almond oil prevents dryness and hydrates, and the kaolin clay diminishes sebum production. This cleanser proved very popular with those of us who have more oily skin with frequent breakouts, as it helps to calm and stabilise. Mix the powder in the palm of your hand with warm water to make a paste, then apply by gently massaging the paste on the face, rinse off, et voila! You too can purchase Speak Skin Beauty’s 01 Cleansing Powder 60g here for £8.88.

Last but by no means least, we found Skincare with Compassion, an organic skincare company founded to be entirely cruelty-free and vegan. Based on the Island of Jersey, founder Emma Froch explains that the brand is “dedicated to changing the way in which people think about skin care” by advocating natural and animal-friendly products. Emma’s thirst for expertise in the skincare industry began over nine years ago when she realised that cruelty-free and vegan products were in short supply. She made it her mission to formulate 100% natural and non-animal derived products, working with beauty experts to discover ethical ingredients without nasty additives. We certainly admire the ethics of the company and were thrilled to try the Geranium and Thyme Purifying Face Wash.

This face wash is designed for those with oily or spot prone skin, a welcome discovery for certain members of The Amazing Blog team who suffer from hormonal blemishes. It contains 83.7% certified organic ingredients, including four superpower botanicals: geranium, thyme, lavender flower and rosemary. The geranium provides the benefit of minimising the look of wrinkles whilst still leaving your face feeling moisturised and supple. The thyme is a powerful force against bacteria, helping to eliminate and calm sebum levels. Similarly, lavender flower has antibacterial properties, reducing blemishes and fighting against the dark spots and scars that we are often availed with (as if having the spot in the first place wasn’t bad enough!) Finally, rosemary is antiseptic, helping to reduce redness and puffiness, by balancing congested skin. All in all, a robust set of ingredients that not only soothe our skin, but smell light and fresh.

To see the results for yourself, apply a small amount of the cleanser to wet skin (we suggest opening your pores with warm water first) and gently massage. You’ll be met with a silky foam, which needs only to be rinsed with warm water to remove. To purchase a 100ml bottle of Skincare with Compassion’s Geranium and Thyme Purifying Face Wash for £18, then click here.

There is a natural cleanser here to suit almost every skin type. We think that all four of these cleansers are fabulous alternatives to the plethora of chemical-infused cleansers, that are so readily available on the high street. Please let us know if you get try out some of our new finds, otherwise we hope that we’ve inspired you to go and search out new cleansing alternatives.

Excellent Exfoliators - Friday Favourites

Exfoliation is a necessity in any facial skincare routine, but with so many options to choose from it can be slightly daunting. We at The Amazing Blog are here to share some of our favourite methods. No doubt you'll be left with a glowing, baby-soft, smooth face; the perfect canvas for makeup to glide over.

We started off with the first of our handy helpers, The Konjac Facial Puff Sponge. Made with 100% natural products this palm-sized sponge is the answer to all of your exfoliation prayers. The Konjac Sponge Co. graciously sent us two of their signature sponges: the Bamboo Charcoal Konjac Facial Puff Sponge and the Chamomile Konjac Facial Puff Sponge. Each with specific healing properties, both of these sponges will balance your skin’s pH levels while gently exfoliating and deeply cleansing your skin. They stimulate blood circulation and cell turnover, so you'll be left with supple and vibrant skin. The best part is it is safe to use on your eye area and is entirely suitable for sensitive skin.

The Bamboo Charcoal Sponge is specifically designed for oily and spot prone skin. The activated charcoal in this sponge works to eliminate excess oils, clear blackheads and kill acne-causing bacteria. This sponge even removes water-based make-up. The Chamomile Sponge is ideal for those with hypersensitive skin. The Chamomile is hypoallergenic and calms the skin while purifying, soothing, and plumping the skin.  All of their sponges are vegan, animal cruelty-free and made with 100% natural materials.

These sponges are the original Konjac Sponges and are multi award winning. Purchase The Konjac Bamboo Charcoal Facial Puff Sponge here for £8.99 and the Konjac Camomile Facial Puff Sponge here for £8.99.  

Our next little wonder product is the Exfolia Microexfoliation Beauty Cloth. This cloth is safe to use for all ages and on all skin types and will, in a few minutes,  leave your skin feeling smoother and looking radiant. Made without any chemicals or additives, the hypoallergenic cloth removes the dead skin cells from the skin’s surface. This allows following serums and moisturisers to soak deeper into the skin and work more efficiently. 

This cloth is very soft to the touch and is gentle enough to use on baby skin. The Exfolia Beauty Cloth aids in repairing sun damage through skin regeneration and increases the elasticity of the skin for younger looking and healthier skin. This beauty cloth is washable and reusable and can be used 60-80 times before it needs to be replaced. To use just run under warm water and use with your facial cleanser for softer, cleaner and more radiant looking skin. It is our ideal product for a quick face wash in the morning.

Purchase your own Exfolia Microexfoliation Beauty Cloth here for £10.35. 

Next up, we have one of our favourite exfoliation cleansers, Caudalie Deep Cleansing Exfoliator. This creamy cleanser is perfect for all skin types but works particularly well for oily and combination skin. This cleanser is formulated with 97% all natural products and is filled with micro-grains, derived from corn, to gently scrub away dead skin cells without being too abrasive or irritating. Infused with grapefruit, mint and sweet orange to give the skin a burst of freshness and clarity while exfoliating, you will feel rejuvenated and refreshed.

Caudalie recommends only using this cleanser 1-2 times a week for a truly deep clean. When using the product, wet your face and neck with water before gently working the cleanser into your skin. As it scrubs away the skin’s impurities, the fresh scent of citrus and mint awaken your senses, transporting you to your own little spa in the comfort of your home.

Purchase the Caudalie Deep Cleansing Exfoliator here for £20.00. 

Our final exfoliator is a chemical exfoliant, but don't let the word 'chemical' scare you. Chemical exfoliants are a staple in any skincare guru's stash, and we never skip this in our routine. Murad's AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains Salicylic, Lactic and Glycolic acids which work to dissolve dead skin cells that are just sitting on the skin's surface. The result is skin clarity, brightness and improved cell turnover, unveiling a radiant complexion. This cleanser also incorporates physical exfoliants, and the Jojoba Beads gently polish, exfoliate and nourish the skin. A weekly beauty rendezvous with Murad’s exfoliating cleanser will result in unblemished smooth skin, making common issues like pores and uneven skin tone history. Murad is a pioneer in chemical exfoliants and was actually the first brand to use Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) in topical skincare, and this little gem is still one of the best.

Purchase Murad’s award winning exfoliating cleanser is here for £34 with free UK delivery.

We hope we've inspired you to get on the exfoliating bandwagon, or perhaps inspired you exfoliating experts for your next venture. If you haven't been able to tell, we are very into exfoliating and this concoction of methods keeps our complexions smooth and radiant.