Ayuna – Minimum Collection

With summer approaching, the thought of slathering a million products on our faces amid the humidity already makes us at The Amazing Blog feel like our pores are already clogged! We’ve decided to take a minimalist approach to our skin care this summer as the Marie Kondo method remains popular, and Ayuna’s Minimum Collection offers three core products to make our minimalism dreams come true.

Besides the collection being called ‘Minimum,’ Ayuna’s slogan is ‘less is beauty’ – something that encapsulates everything in the brand from its chic packaging, simple aesthetic, core products, and clean ingredients. Founders Isabel Ramos and Begoña Sanjuan, who have backgrounds in science and the cosmetics industry, were inspired by simple beauty and graceful ageing, and they approached skin care with a scientific-botanical mindset. The result? Luxurious beauty products with natural ingredients that encourage you to use less.

The first product in the Minimum Collection is the Natural Rejuvenating Treatment – Light cream. A small amount of this cream goes a long way, and you can use it in the morning and night. Phyto-peptides firm while turmeric root and Centella rejuvenate skin throughout the day. Additional ingredients such as green carrot, Arabian cotton, and pomegranate add to this cream’s nourishing properties. The second product is the Volcanic Revitalizing Mask balm. The volcanic glass and active carbon reduce skin sensitivity and draw out impurities, making your skin feel refreshed after just one use. Use this balm 2-3 times per week for extra hydration from the pullulan (a natural sugar). Lastly, there is the High Protein Cream-in-Oil Peel, which contains alpha-amino acids to restore skin and grain-free formula to polish. After using this peel, your skin will feel softer and brighter than with any other exfoliator on the market. These three products can be added to your current skin care routine or used on their own for a week of detox. For each, remember: don’t neglect your neck!

After using this collection for a week, we saw brighter complexions and felt cleaner. Not to mention, these pearl-coloured containers (rounded plastic jars with the logo in simple cursive text) look gorgeous next to our luxe perfumes in our bathrooms. Join us and the minimalism trend by purchasing the collection here for €255 or separately. €175 for the cream (50ml) here, €115 for the balm (80ml) here, and €115 for the essence (80ml) here.

Christmas Gift Guide for Women

Yesterday we published our ‘Christmas Gift Guide for Men’, so we thought it only fair to share a little gift giving wisdom for women too. Besides all of the beautiful candles, and festive food and drink available, we’ve created an overview of some of our favourite gifts for women, ranging from the affordable, to the more exclusive. With our help at The Amazing Blog, we hope that you’ll be able to find what she desires, creating the perfect Christmas gift (and giving you some last minute inspiration too!)

Let’s get started with something that won’t make you dig too deep into your pockets. All That Jazz is a specialist (and certified vegan) nail care brand, providing professional manicure and pedicure products. Founded in 2013, the company has been our go-to when it comes to nail care, especially since we loved their Caribbean Collection (see the blog post here). With their core range consisting of 36 on-trend shimmer colours, they have created their own game-plan, with a long-lasting base coat and choices of super quick drying top coat, matte top coat and top coat, specifically designed to magnify and smoothen glitter colours. Used by countless celebrities and thousands of nail technicians, this is a brand you can trust.

Bringing out four seasonal collections each year, The Designer Collection is our absolute favourite! This is the perfect add-on for Christmas, as the colours are glittery and powerful, inspired by the works of iconic fashion designers. Combining elements of runway glamour, four unique colours are created, from the timelessly chic, shimmery blue of Vivienne, through to the metallic red Coco. The collection also contains a cool nude, Vera and our favourite, the sparkling silver Betsey. The best part? This professional nail lacquer won’t break the bank. Click here to purchase The Designer Collection for just £11.97.

Another modest choice is from Heathcote & Ivory. Established in 2000, in London by Denis Aaronson, this brand is passionate about creating beautiful products with wonderful ingredients. Their colours, textures and patterns combine an eclectic mix of novelty, with British pedigree. Their forward-thinking design celebrates the role of women in ‘making Christmas happen’, where retro Christmas wrapping designs, sparkle and glamour greet the spirits of traditional British Christmas.

A perfect gift for her is their Vintage & Co. Baubles & Belles Festive Bath and Body Tin. The packaging is a Christmas dream, elegantly designed with a festive pattern and finished with a beautiful pink hand-tied bow. Containing three bathing delights infused with orange-peel oil, this is the perfect company for the relaxing self-care holidays. The gentle cleansing shower gel has a silky texture that lathers well, and the scented crystal bathing salts with sweet orange essential oil fill the bathroom with a delicious (and festive) fragrance. Finally, the softening body lotion enriched with almond oil and shea butter locks in the skin’s natural moisture, perfect for any New Year party. All three products are scented with spiced rum, pomegranate, red berries and orange zest, and are guaranteed to give the fragrance of Christmas. Click here to purchase a Baubles and Belles Festive Bath and Body Tin for £15.

One of the sweet delights of Christmas is that there is always a beautiful scent in the air. That said, it is sometimes difficult to know how to blend fragrances together, something that Aqua Oleum can help with. This brand’s knowledge of oils spans over three generations, with over 30 years of experience in providing top quality oils, at reasonable prices. Managing Director, Julia Lawless, well known as an author and expert in aromatherapy, personally ensures that every product is of top quality - so an Aqua Oleum gift is sure to be one that will not disappoint.

Their Blending Notebook (£28) is ideal for anyone passionate about creating their perfect scents, giving clear and concise introductions into the art of blending. Introducing theory guidance and formula ideas, it is a great way to track and develop your own aromatherapy elixirs at home. Containing all essential information, journal pages to write your own formulations, a glossary of key essential oils and a perfumery chart with notes on how to train your nose, this notebook is great to get you started. It is also beautifully designed, gold foiled and singer sewn bound. To get started right away, combine this with their Clear Head essential oil for just £5.22 (10ml). It helps with breathing (particularly if a Winter cold sets in) and works to penetrate and soothe your sinuses. Equally, their Festive Joy for £6.07 (10ml) is just as great, with a heart-warming, rich, and spicy scent that is comforting and uplifting, the perfect natural room fragrance for the festive period.

If a new fragrance is what you’re looking for, then we introduce Ancienne Ambiance. Already lovers of their Goddess Waters, we were keen to try their new Mini Colonia Gift Set. Providing luxury gifts with paraben-free quality ingredients, Ancienne Ambiance products are free from animal testing and encased in recyclable packaging.

The Mini Colonia Gift Set contains five 15ml limited edition mini roll-on perfume gift bottles, the perfect scent selection to propel your spirits. Different scents for different days, complementing your clothing and making you feel good. Although we like all five scents, our favourite is Colonia IX (nine) - an exotic, woody and oriental fragrance, blending cedar and sandalwood with a hint of patchouli. It genuinely smells like Christmas! Staying true to the origins of niche perfume, all scents are hand-produced in limited quantities (in France), with the finest ingredients. Packaged in a handcrafted purple-golden gift box, this luxury gift delivers the perfect Christmas spirit (and the box can be reused at a later date). Purchase the Mini Colonia Gift Set here for £60.

Last but not least we introduce April Aromatics. Since trying their Rose L’Orange Eau de Parfum in August - the perfect scent for that balmy summer - this organic scents and cosmetics company has been one of our favourite fragrance houses. Founded by Tanja Bochnig in New York, the brand delivers natural perfumes with pure extracts that create inner well-being. Their perfumes are also pure and natural, and no animal ingredients are used.

We were therefore excited to try their Tempted Muse scent, the ideal present for Christmas. Packed in a silver shimmery, elegant box, it immediately put us into the most festive mood. Inspired by the nectars of the gods, with sweet fruity golden extracts of frangipani and jasmine, this perfume is uplifting and aphrodisiac. Purchase your own Tempted Muse for a loved one for €169 (30ml) here.

There you have it, five brands that have hopefully given you some inspiration for the special someone you are struggling to buy for! Whether they love nail varnishes, home fragrances or perfumes, we’re sure she’ll be opening her presents with a big smile.

Kaeso Beauty - Eye Believe

We at The Amazing Blog believe in many things. We believe that beauty is within every one of us, that a fresh cup of coffee in the morning makes all of our troubles go away, and that sunscreen is crucial to maintain healthy and young-looking skin. Today however, we’re saying ‘eye believe’ in oil-based make-up removers. Kaeso Beauty's recent launch of Eye Believe is every lazy beauty addicts dream, as a hydrating cleansing oil that removes even waterproof mascara. As a brand, Kaeso Beauty aims to use “naturally derived ingredients with essential treatment formulas to deliver effective and luxurious professional products”. This is something we can quantify, having tried their Heel Rescue and Foot Mask products (see here). We were therefore excited to try Eye Believe!

This product cleanses and moisturises at the same time, and thanks to the use of antioxidant and vitamin-rich ingredients, it won’t leave your eyes swollen and red. The use of cranberry, grapefruit and pomegranate creates a unique blend that leaves our skin feeling fresh, clean and moisturised. It is a perfect combination between a tough makeup remover and a gentle skin treatment, and even helps reverse visible signs of ageing. As we know, the eye area can truly reveal our age, so it’s crucial to treat the delicate skin around our eyes with non-stripping products. We found Eye Believe effective at doing just that, as a a gentle product, with a simple, fresh and subtle fragrance. It makes makeup removal feel more like spa time.

This luxurious product is suitable for all skin types and free from parabens, sulphates and mineral oils, making it a naturally fresh and healthy beauty treat. Furthermore, it is entirely cruelty-free and vegan-friendly. To try this eye-makeup remover for yourself, then you’ll find this professional product in many local salons. Alternatively, you can purchase it here for £9.80. Panda eyes no more!

Sunlover - Nutricosmetic Drinks

Here at The Amazing Blog, we understand that there are some nutrients we get best from the sun's warming rays. However, for the more fair among us, we'd rather steer clear of spending too much time in the sun. So when Sunlover sent us these nutritious drinks that claim to offer these very benefits in a can, we we're intrigued. 

Rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, the nutricosmetic beverage comes in two delicious flavours.  Protector, a thirst-quenching orange and carrot flavoured drink is great for topping up your vitamin levels, as well as protecting your cells from oxidative stress. As well as this, Copper helps to regulate and protect the skin’s melanin, whilst Zinc and Selenium help to shield skin cells from free radicals, ensuring you’re looking radiant and healthy at all times. Although refreshing, our favourite was the Regenerator, a pomegranate flavoured drink that's both nutritious and delicious. Containing VIQUA, it helps to keep elastin levels topped up, as well as providing a range of nourishing minerals and vitamins, making it ideal for keeping your skin at its absolute best. We also loved that Sunlover improves your tan, so we can prep for summer and get ready for that bronzed and flawless complexion. Did we mention that these sugar free beverages have zero calories? You can’t go wrong.

Sip on the sun in liquid form and have a radiant complexion that shines like sunbeams with Sunlover. Grab a can here for only £2.50.

Heathcote & Ivory Vintage Collection

After a tough start to the week, all I could think about was going home and taking a nice, relaxing bubble bath. I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to use the bath melts from Heathcote & Ivory’s vintage collection in the Mimosa and Pomegranate scent. We had received these earlier here at The Amazing Blog and I was just dying to get the chance to try them out. From the moment I dropped these into my bath, the rich floral scent of mimosa and the light fruity scent of pomegranate filled my entire bathroom. I was able to melt away the stresses of the beginning of the week with the softening and relaxing notes that had begun to perfume the water. My bath left me feeling silky smooth and smelling delicous, and the relaxed feeling lasted long after my bath was finished. These bath melts created a decadent bath time experience and left me feeling calm and level-headed, not to mention they are sulphate and paraben free which is always a plus.

To complete the experience, I decided to use their coordinating Hand and Nail lotion. This lotion, with its combination of fruity pomegranate and rich mimosa, it's also enriched with vitamin E and Shea butter which left my hands feeling soft and my nails stronger. My hands looked and felt instantly nourished and with the lotion being natural and paraben free as well, I didn't have to worry about applying any strange chemicals to my hands.  I loved the feeling and the scent so much I've decided to stash some in my handbag in case I'm need of further moisture protection - especially in this freeze weather.

The combination of both the bath melts as well as the hand lotion left me feeling relaxed and was exactly what I was looking for. If you need a 'pick me up' of your very own you can purchase the Bath Melts for £7.00 and the Hand and Nail Lotion for £5.00 on their website and get ready to create your own perfect bath time experience.