EARTH from Earth: Damask Rose Skin Balm

It is no secret that here at The Amazing Blog, we value natural skincare products above all else. After all beauty trends come and go, but our skin is here for life, and so it’s imperative to take care of it. As always, we’re on the hunt for new and exciting products, and today’s latest discovery is from EARTH from Earth, with their Damask Rose Skin Balm.

EARTH from Earth is a wellness brand that focuses on natural and organic skincare, haircare and grooming products. Founded by Kehinde Ogunba, a graduate of Formula Botanics, who saw that there was a “gap in approachable and effective self-care products that are made with the right combination of herbs and unconventional superior plant oils and butter.” Ogunba works closely with Minomi Adejumo, who is the formulator and brand alchemist for EARTH from Earth. Adejumo is a qualified pharmacist and medical herbalist with expansive knowledge of both African and Western healing traditions. Adejumo has “a strong appreciation and experience in harnessing the therapeutic properties of numerous herbs and plant oils.” EARTH is a acronym for Essences Aromas Relaxation Therapy Healing. These ideas are what the brand aims to offer for the modern woman, man and family; since their products are formulated to “nourish, uplift, calm and balance mind, body and soul.” EARTH from Earth describes their range of products as “indulgent, potent, aromatic and nutrient-dense” with all-natural, organic plant oils and herbs that are chosen specifically for their “therapeutic abilities and extraordinary efficacy.” Every product is made in the UK and handcrafted to nourish, condition, moisturise, rejuvenate, restore, uplift and balance. The fragrances only come from the raw aroma of the natural ingredients combined with the “delicate blend of aromatherapy oils to evoke a deep sense of sensory awakening.” Most of their products are plastic-free in brown amber glass containers and housed in a biodegradable paper tubes, with earthy jute sacs to keep them safe. They made with 100% ethically-sourced herbs, plant oils and butters which are vegan and cruelty free.

EARTH from Earth’s Damask Rose Skin Balm contains a unique blend of antioxidants and vitamin-rich superior butters, plant oils and herbs. We love that the natural and organic ingredients create their own natural and raw aroma. This skin balm feels and smells luxurious. It is specifically formulated to provide deep nourishment, hydration and replenishment. This balm is laced with one of our favourite ingredients the rosa damescena, “carefully hand-picked early in the morning before they can open and release their precious scent, soothing and sensual as it infuses the skin with enriching nutrients.” The herbal extracts are produced in-house to ensure the essence of every herb is fully released into the oils. To use this soothing skin balm, scoop a small portion into your hands to warm it up and take a moment to inhale the natural aromas, then proceed to apply the balm all over your skin.  The key herbal ingredients here are wild geranium, broadleaf plantain, gotu kola, nettle, calendula, licorice root, field horsetail, marshmallow, chickweed. Together they are blended with oils from coconut, grapeseed, castor, avocado, jojoba, olive and African oil palm. There is candelilla wax, murumuru and cacao butters to give the Balm its consistency. The fragrance is subtle combination of the essential oils, with rosa damescena, patchouli and geranium. In short, this is a beautiful and delicately scented Balm which is free from water, alcohol, chemical preservatives, stabilisers and additives. We used it on face and body, concentrating on elbows, knees and lips. We love how this is a wonderful multitasker, and if there’s only room for one skincare product to pack in you travel bag this summer - make sure this is it! To purchase this 120ml jar of Damask Rose Skin Balm see here.

Raven Botanicals: Solstice Rejuvenating Facial Oil

If you're familiar with The Amazing Blog, then you’ll know how much we love our skincare! We think finding the right product always starts with understanding the ingredients used. With the longest day fast approaching, we thought it'd be rather appropriate to feature this Solstice Rejuvenating Facial Oil from Raven Botanicals. A new natural skincare brand who offer full transparency on all their ingredients.

Raven Botanicals was founded in July 2020 by two sisters, Arabella and Charlotte Harvey. Growing up surrounded by the beautiful scenery of Scotland, they began to experiment with the natural ingredients that surrounded them. "From the only CO₂extracted sea buckthorn oil in the country, hand-picked on the ancient East Lothian coastline, to lavender oil from Fife, our range of serums, facial oils, masks, balms and cleansers pay tribute to the power of nature's finest ingredients." Choosing high-quality and locally sourced ingredients is a priority for Raven Botanicals. A cruelty-free brand, most of their ingredients are organic and either vegetarian or vegan; where these handcrafted products are created in small batches without preservatives. In addition to the ethical practices in the formulation of their products, the packaging is ‘deliberately simple’ with biodegradable and compostable labels. Their labels are made from sugar cane, hemp and linen to replace wood-based paper, and they strive to deliver their products without unnecessary shipping materials. Their products also come in widely recycled materials like glass and aluminium, with reusable components like pumps and droppers. Raven Botanicals also believe in the transformative power of self-care, and have a giving-back policy with regular product donations to the charity Womens' Aid. By joining their 'Love Raven Rewards' community, purchasers can use these points towards a discount on their next order or go to support Women's Aid. Although the brand is less than a year old, six out of the nine products have already been recognised as award winners!

The Solstice Rejuvenating Facial Oil has plant-based ingredients like sweet almond, rosehip, sunflower, pumpkin and evening primrose oils. It effectively addresses dry skin and the appearance of fine lines in mature skin types. Other natural plant derivatives like jojoba and camellia seeds oils are also used to help hydrate, moisturise and restore a healthy and youthful complexion. The combination of these oils stimulating collagen and elastin production, repairing and healing blemishes.

The 'Solstice' element of this Facial Oil gets its name from drawing on a rich heritage of ceremonial and symbolic ritual ingredients like myrrh and Damask rose in this skincare. . One of these time-honoured ingredients Myrrh, is resin obtained from a wound that penetrates through the bark and into the sapwood, where the tree secretes a Myrrh gum. This has been used as a perfume and for medicinal purposes for centuries. The Ancient Egyptians so highly prized Myrrh that they purchased entire boatloads, using it in incense and salves to heal wounds and sores. There is also rosa damascena (damask rose); this highly-scented rose was originally grown in Central Asia and Damascus, but then it was brought to Morocco in the Middle Ages. Now its mainly grown in the Dadès Valley for dried flowers, oils and rosewater. It’s said that the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to have rowed along a canal filled with rose petals with the Empress consort Mumtaz Mahal. In the intense heat of the sun, the scent was intoxicating: so much so, that the surface of the water was skimmed to capture the beautiful perfume and her luxurious residence furnished with opulent rose water fountains. In the 1940s, the French built distilleries to produce rose oil which has been widely used in perfumery and skincare ever since. Each year during April and mid-May, the M'Goun Valley, also known as the Vallée des Roses, produces between 3-4k tonnes of wild roses. This precious rosa damascena has intoxicating rosy notes accented by spicy facets, which are evident here in the Solstice Rejuvenating Facial Oil.

To get the best results, they suggest massaging 2-6 drops on your face and neck with your fingertips for a healthy, radiant glow. We used this for a morning and evening skin routine either by itself or under makeup. This Facial Oil helps lock in the moisture and delivers a soft and smooth complexion whilst also targeting and restoring problem areas such as dry or dehydrated skin. We can’t think of a better Facial Oil to use to celebrate the growth of life, and to see the shifting of the seasons with the sun rising on Monday June 21st , the first morning of summer!. They describe it as "lightly spiced, naturally, floral aroma is uplifting and soothing,” and we couldn't agree more. Available in 30ml here for £26 with free shipping on orders over £45. 

Inlight Beauty : Skin Aid Kit

With the lifting of travel restrictions, at The Amazing Blog, it's a toss-up between a week's campervan tour around the Yorkshire Dales (as the seasides' will be heaving!) Or perhaps a quick flight to one of the 'green list' destinations. This is where one of our favourite go-to skincare brands, Inlight Beauty, have recently launched a compact Skin Aid Kit ready to take care of any skin related emergency, that will fit neatly into our hand luggage or rucksack.

Inlight Beauty started in 2007, and is an established UK luxury organic skincare brand based in Cornwall. Their founder and formulator is Dr Mariano Spiezia, a medical doctor, clinical herbalist and homoeopath. He combines orthodox medicine with the power of nature, and has been working for over 30 years using science, alchemy and wellness, to create these organic products. Dr Mariano Spiezia is considered the father of the organic beauty movement in Britain; indeed, Inlight Beauty was the first UK beauty brand to receive the Cosmos Organic Certification and are still the only UK brand to be certified across the whole range. The brand uses only the finest 100% organic and genuinely natural products which are ethically sourced. This award-winning brand's products are all handcrafted in Cornwall, from crushing and mixing the ingredients to pressing, filling and packing. Their ethos focuses on organic, plant-based and cruelty-free ingredients free from synthetic as SLS, parabens, phthalate, alcohol and palm oil; plus, all packaging is mainly recycled and recyclable. The brand uses only clean, green and renewable power because sustainability is very much at the brand's heart. Every formula is water-free, where they offer a wide range of products for the face, hair and body with oils, masks, creams, serums, butters and balms. Each Inlight product contains a Bio Lipophilic Matrix®. This Matrix has been the result of years of Dr Spiezia's research. The Matrix combines science and alchemy using pure organic/cold-pressed plant oils for impressive results. These super concentrated oils are energised using a patented technique where science meets alchemy to heighten the oils' vital force.

 We have written about several of their products here and were thrilled to receive their newly launched Skin Aid Kit which consists of five 7ml pots of their popular balms, in a sustainable organic cotton zip-up bag, which are suitable for all the family. Here are the benefits of each balm:

The first one is Calendula and Damask Rose Soothing Balm,  was a clear Winner in Wellbeing Awards at The Beauty Shortlist in 2019. It is for soothing delicate, red or sore skin and suitable for all skin type and ages, including baby skin! The main benefits of this balm are for calming, protecting and moisturising. It is safe for mums and babies and can be used on sore nipples if breastfeeding and for the baby's nappy rash. The key ingredients are calendula, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits and commonly used for soothing skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis and eczema. Damask rose oil is also one of the star ingredients here, which has regenerative and antioxidant properties. Another ingredient is plantain, which contains bioactive compounds – such as allantoin – which provide its properties whi,ch are antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, helping to soften and hydrate the skin. It's also combined with evening primrose oil which reduces skin inflammation, allows the skin to retain moisture.  We used this balm as a hand balm for healing dry and sore hands – from too much hand washing!

The Propolis and Tea Tree Rescue Balm is for break-outs and acne-prone skin. As with the other balms, is it oil-based, which means there is no water in the formula. The star ingredients for this are propolis, tea tree and Frankincense. Propolis comes from the bees; it is a natural substance that helps acne thanks to its healing properties. Tea tree reduces itching and irritation and also has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Frankincense is made from the resin of a tree (the boswellia tree), ideal for aiding sunburn, rosacea with its anti-inflammatory properties. Thanks to these organic ingredients and that of neem oil, this balm also has potent antibacterial to add to the mix and suits all skin types, including sensitive ones. This is truly a skin rescue balm that can assist with break-outs and any problem-prone skin. We found it particularly good when we put a tiny bit on an areas of skin irritation, which stopped any blemishes from developing.

The Rosemary and Hypericum Recovery Balm is designed to help ease joints and muscles soreness from over-exertion. The key ingredients are rosemary, hypericum (St John's wort) and ginger. Both the rosemary and hypericum, amongst their many benefits, have anti-inflammatory compounds, which are thought to help boost the immune system and improve blood circulation and help relieve joint pain.  The ginger is also used for relieving joint pain; its warming on the skin is an excellent anti-inflammatory and has the added bonus of boosting overall immunity. We used a little on calves and knees after exercise to ease any anticipated stiffness. 

The Turmeric and Calendula Relief Balm is yet another Winner in the Wellbeing Awards at The Beauty Shortlist in 2019. It is handy for dry, red and itchy skin; it can also help those prone to eczema, dermatitis or psoriasis skin. The balm contains powerful nourishing ingredients like olive, castor and black cumin oils. When combined with skin conditioners like calendula, turmeric, plantain, chickweed and mallow, they offer an unbeatable blend of skin conditioning properties. There is no suggested application frequency; it is to use as and when the skin needs it. We found this invaluable for helping to calm an eczema break out.

Finally, there is the Arnica and Hyssop Trauma Balm for bruised, sore and swollen skin. The balm promotes recovery for any knocks, bumps or bruises, thanks to the star ingredients of: Arnica, hypericum, (St John's wort), hyssop and meadowsweet. Arnica has been used for centuries to help speed up recovery from bruises and swelling. Hypericum and hyssop have anti-inflammatory properties, and are suitable for healing minor burns, small cuts, or even frostbite. And meadowsweet is a flowering herb of the rose family; its antibacterial properties are often used to reduce redness, itchiness, and rashes. This balm will help skin recovers from and knock, bangs or minor skin traumas. Thankfully, we've not had to put this to the test, but have it on hand for when we do! All balms are formulated with sensitive and problem skin in mind, you too can purchase this brilliant topical 'first aid' with the Skin Aid Kit here for £37.

Suneeta London: Cleansing Pack (Combination Skin)

We believe that to find some the best skincare, it doesn’t always have to be expensive. Today at The Amazing Blog, we’d like to introduce you to an artisan skincare and zero-waste brand Suneeta London with their Cleansing Pack, which has everything you would ever need to cleanse your skin - without having to spend too much.  

Suneeta London is a family run business launched by Suneeta Dinraz in 2019. They sell hand-made, natural and fresh skincare, deodorants, hair and body care products for all skin types and ages. Their formulas are based on the Ayurvedic principles, which are known for enhancing well-being, combined with an original twist to make skincare products fun and easy to use. Suneeta believes that families should use products that they trust are safe to use. Don’t we all?  To increase this trust, Suneeta is working to raise awareness for natural ingredients and inspire future generations to take care of what they put on their skin. By purchasing their products, you’re helping their campaign against the use of unnecessary chemicals and animal testing. They recently won an award for Best Inclusive Beauty Product in the 2020 London Pure Beauty Awards; and Suneeta holds an incredible passion for keeping high ethical beauty standards: “There is definitely a double standard in what we as consumers in the west deem to be ethical. Frustratingly, we know more about animals being harmed for our cosmetics than we do about black and brown workers supplying ingredients. Luckily more and more businesses are making it easier to make the right choice.”  The brand also focus on creating zero waste skincare and accessories - which we love!  

Suneeta’s three-step Cleansing Pack (Combination Skin)  contains the Mandarin & Calendula Cleansing Balm, a toner specifically chosen for your skin type and a sample size of the Aloe & Jojoba Facial Scrub with Sandalwood. Also included here’s are a small hand tooled wooden spoon, an organic cotton cloth and cotton bag.  We started by opening the Mandarin & Calendula Cleansing Balm   it is a light anti-ageing balm suitable for removing even the most stubborn mascara, make-up or daily impurities from the skin. The unrefined virgin cocoa butter softens the skin and works as an antioxidant to prevent ageing signs and reduce scarring. The calendula stimulates collagen production to promote skin healing, and the mandarin essential oil maintains moisture balance in the skin to boost cell production and immunity. It smelled incredible and was super easy to use. We gently massaged a small amount onto dry skin, and then used their cotton cloth (provided) damped with warm water to gently wipe away the daily grime. Next, we tried the sample size Aloe & Jojoba Clay Facial Scrub with Sandalwood which is a gentle grainy scrub made with natural jojoba beads and Fuller’s earth which mildly exfoliates away dry skin. They recommend using this scrub once or twice a week but it can be used as often as you like. We found that it stimulated the skin and made a good pore-cleansing facial scrub and left skin soft and fragrant from the sandalwood oil here. Finally, there’s the toner. This varies in the Cleansing Pack according to skin type, we were sent Orange Blossom & Aloe Vera Skin Toner which, as they say, is an excellent cooling and hydrating toner for combination skin. It contains cooling aloe vera, healing orange blossom water and a refreshing peppermint essential oil to help reduce oiliness while also soothing and healing the skin. After cleansing, we sprayed the toner onto a cotton pad and gently sweep across the face and neck to ensure removal of any further impurities. We also liked to spritz this during the day to boost skin hydration - from living with too much central heating! The other toners available are Organic Rose Water  designed for normal skin, or the Frankincense & Lavender Toner  which is for dry or sensitive skin and made with natural flower hydrosols. We were impressed with both the performance and affordability of this Cleansing Pack, and to purchase Suneeta’s Cleansing Pack for your skin type at £20.00, see here.  

Organic Works: Bergamot Hand Wash

Washing your hands is the best way to kill germs and prevent infectious diseases from spreading. Especially during this pandemic, we find ourselves in a constant cycle of washing our hands just to avoid getting sick, and then applying hand cream when the hard London water dries them out. We’ve been looking for the a natural and moisturising hand wash to use at The Amazing Blog  to keep our hands clean, healthy and soft. This is when we found heard about an award-winning Bergamot Hand Wash from Organic Works. 

Initially known as Organic Surge, Organic Works decided to rebrand itself as Organic Works after a fire started at a neighbouring warehouse in the winter of 2019, which destroyed all of its products and stock. Organic Works have more than 50 years experience in the world of natural, organic and clean beauty; making them trailblazer with their much-loved formulas and philosophy: ‘Organics that truly Work’. This family-run business manufactures focusing on fresh and natural ingredients with no preservatives. Everything is made in small batches, which means that rather than mass production, the products are handcrafted and made in small amounts to ensure the best quality. As a privately owned, vegan, cruelty-free, organic brand, it also values transparency and sustainability. Its products use not only sustainably sourced and traceable ingredients, but also have minimal and recyclable packaging. All of which we applaud.

Because of its clean yet effective formula, Organic Works Bergamot Hand Wash  won the Best New Natural Product in the Pure Beauty Awards London 2020. It is 100% cruelty-free and great for all skin types, especially for sensitive skin. As a clean beauty product, 98.89% of its total ingredients come from natural sources, and 96.34% of the total plant-based ingredients are from organic farming. It’s formulated with aloe extract and several coconut-derived cleansing agents, which gently wash away impurities and keeps our skin silky smooth. Enriched with sweet orange and bergamot oils, it has a distinctive soft citrus fragrance combining the tropical orange and bergamot scent. Plus, the essential oils contained in the formula provide long-lasting protection against bacteria and dryness, and the therapeutic properties here can boost mood and awaken the senses. Best of all it leaves hands fragrant and soft – we can’t wait to try more from this brand. To purchase the 300ml Organic Works Bergamot Hand Wash at £10 for 300ml, see here. And when you’ve reached the end of the bottle, they offer a BIG 1000ml refill for this too at £27!