Carina Organics - Unscented Natural Body Deodorant

We at The Amazing Blog know how important it is to stay fresh while living our busy and sometimes hectic lives. Whether we are running daily errands, going to the gym, or travelling; we all want to feel protected from unpleasant odours. We also love discovering new brands that have natural or organic products that are vegan friendly, not tested on animals and free from nasty chemicals.  That’s why we tried and tested this fragrance -free natural deodorant for sensitive skin Unscented Natural Body Deodorant by Carina Organics. 

Carina Organics is based in Vancouver and aims to provide 100% natural products, completely free of synthetics, parabens, fragrances, gluten and dyes. Founded by Helmut Gollner, who migrated from Germany to Canada and whose passion for homeopathic skin and haircare led him on this journey to launch Carina Organics. Since Carina’s inception in 1972, its main focus and philosophy is to create self-care products by replacing chemical ingredients with natural and organic ones. Gollner believes that nature provides the means to keep our skin healthy and beautiful, which is why  Carina takes great pride in their formulas and the quality of the ingredients they use. All of Carina products are manufactured by hand on the North Shore of Vancouver, where they produce a wide range of hair, face, body and baby care.

We chose to review their Unscented Natural Body Deodorant, as one of our bugbears is heavily fragranced deodorants. Although we all like to smell fragrant, it can also conflict with our chosen scent of the day; i.e. a heavily scented floral deodorant clashing with a delicate fresh cologne. What we love about Carina’s Unscented Natural Body Deodorant is that it’s produced using only natural and non-staining mineral salts. It protects the skin for up to 24 hours, leaving it fresh and odour-free, making it impossible for bacteria to develop. Made of only three simple ingredients: Filtered water, potassium alum, and pine extract, this deodorant is hypoallergenic, 100% biodegradable, cruelty-free and vegan.  Applied with 5-6 pumps of the spray under each arm or on any other desired area of the body, it dries quickly and is long-lasting. The Unscented Natural Body Deodorant was sent to us via Live in the Light, a UK online store which distributes their products. With a holistic approach, Live in The Light believes that skincare products that we use in our daily regime have an impact on our health, and supplies only high quality natural and organic products, just like this Unscented Natural Body Deodorant which you can purchase here for £13.50. 

Douvall's Argan & Ungurahua Oil Shampoo & Conditioner

Most people when you mention Argan oil, think about it from a culinary perspective and their gastronomic trips to Morocco. However, here at The Amazing Blog we want to talk about it as a key ingredient in skin and hair care. For centuries women in the Arab Maghreb have been using Argan oil for its beneficial properties in their hair. Today we’re featuring Douvall's latest launch of Argan & Ungurahua Shampoo and Conditioner. Douvall’s were one of the first British brands to use organic Argan oil here in the UK.  We’ve reviewed their Moisturiser here and more recently, their Organic Hemp & Argan Oil and  Cannabis & Argan Oil here. Knowing how much we love their products, we couldn’t wait to try these! 

As mentioned previously, Douvall's is a British make-up and skincare brand whose key ingredient is organic Argan oil, founded by mother and daughter, Alicia and Georgia Douvall.  They produce vegan, cruelty-free, eco-friendly cosmetics made from only natural ingredients. They use no chemicals, artificial fragrances, sulphates, parabens or alcohol and the brand also commits to support charitable causes such as the breast cancer charity The Haven. They also partner with the women's cooperatives that produce their argan oils in Morocco. This partnership has led to the construction of a school and a reforestation project. 

The Shampoo and Conditioner look quite similar; the packaging is recyclable brown plastic pump bottles which are useful as it allows us to see how much product we’ve used. The label is a pale salmon pink with gold and black writing which makes the duo both girly and aesthetically pleasing. The fragrance of each is natural and subtle where we could easily pick out green tea extract. The key ingredients in both are Argan oil (which we know about) with its antioxidants, vitamin E, omega 3,6 and 9. The other, Ungurahua oil was new to us. It derives from the rainforests of Central and South America, dating back centuries to the time of the indigenous people. It is high in unsaturated fatty acids, especially oleic acid and due to its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, Ungurahua is also considered to be one of the best remedies for treating scalp problems, especially itchy dandruff and hair loss. Plus, it stimulates the regeneration of follicle cells. Impressive!  We wonder if this will set the trend, and we’ll see more hair care containing this new ingredient soon. 

They both also contain the same ingredients such as organic green tea, aloe leaf, rosemary leaf, honeysuckle flower and raspberry leaf. The Shampoo complements the Conditioner perfectly. We particularly like that they are both colour safe, which we find this is a rare find in the world of organic and natural hair care. As one of us has coloured, long, fine and curly hair, this cetainly set a challenge. Not only did it step-up to the mark but actually detangled without damaging and left hair silky, shiny and soft to the touch. Will we be buying more? Absolutely! To purchase 275ml Argan & Unguraha Oil Shampoo for £24 and the 275ml Conditioner for £26 see here.

Nursem – Caring Hand Cream & Caring Hand Fix

Something during these pandemic times it has become second nature to us is to keep washing our hands. Of course, after constant washing, most of us at The Amazing Blog have noticed irritation, dryness and cracked skin. However, let us just take a moment to consider what everyday life must be like for nurses who are on the frontline. Did you know that the average ICU nurse washes their hands 150 times a day? Which results in 85% suffering from painful and sore hands. Not anymore, step forward the new British brand Nursem who has created a specific range of solution-based hand care. 

Nursem is a skincare brand, created by Jonny Philp who teamed up with his wife, Antonia (an ICU nurse), to create a range of special hand care products. As Jonny commented: “Our aim is to make every working day better for all hardworking hands, so we’ve developed a range of products that are formulated to care for, hydrate and replenish your skin’s natural defences.”  What testifies to this brand’s success is that its products are loved by nurses, mums and many more. We met Nursem at the CEW Showcases and were so thrilled to be given both their Caring Hand Fix, and Caring Hand Cream to try out. 

Let’s start with the Caring Hand Fix which is a cruelty-free, vegan and dermatologist approved. This works like a healing balm (although it’s a cream) it’s intensive care for hands where it soothes and calms. It’s fragrance-free with the main ingredient of calming colloidal oatmeal, this works together for layers of protection with avocado oil, shea butter and glycerin to help minimise moisture loss from the skin. Avocado oil is known for its healing benefits on skin, rich in vitamin E and other nutrients it nourishes the skin to accelerate the healing process. While shea butter is an ingredient known for softening the skin and it also has anti-inflammatory properties. The Caring Hand Fix soothes redness and irritation, as well as regenerates the skin using a blend of pro-vitamin B5, naturally derived hyaluronic acid and allantoin. We think that using the product overnight probably brings the best results.  To purchase click here The product comes at a size of 50 ml for £14.99.

Next, the Caring Hand Cream that has been created by using natural ingredients. The Caring Hand Cream’s key ingredient here is medical-grade manuka honey, which is known to help aid the healing of sore hands and improve the skin’s appearance. The manuka honey can balance the skin’s pH levels and remove the dead cells, leaving the skin soft and clean. The Caring Hand Cream has a subtle scent similar to orange water which comes from the combination of citrus and bergamot. It also has an extract of white willow and oils such as grape seed, coconut, passionflower and pomegranate seed all of which help soften the hands. To purchase the 75 ml size for £9.99 click here. To purchase the 300 ml size for £19.99 click here. This is a long-lasting and effective formula for sore and dry hands.

Both of the products contain no parabens, mineral oil or silicone and we think are a must-have for everyone who has over washed hands that are suffering. What is also important to mention, is that Nursem has a ‘giving back’ philosophy and for every product sold, they offer a month’s worth of free Nursem to a nurse or a midwife. Please help us to keep this mission going by purchasing their hand care products here.

Ieva's Makeup - Reusable Strip Lashes + Classic Case

As they say ‘the eyes are the window to the soul’ and they’re the only focal point of the face with the current ubiquitous mask-wearing! At The Amazing Blog, we’ve been learning new tips and tricks to help make our eyes pop and what better way than with some speedy luxury strip lashes to make them flutter.  On our hunt to find good quality lashes we found a new brand Ieva’s Makeup that not offers only reusable strip lashes but lash cases, glues and tools to help apply. 

The eyelash and makeup company Ieva Makeup was founded a year ago by the makeup artist Ieva Bogdanova, best known for her work with top models. She proudly told us that the supermodel Winnie Harlow wore these lashes shortly after they launched. Ieva decided to create her own line of lashes when she became acutely aware of the colossal waste as people throwing away their strip lashes after only a single use. This is when she decided to create a range of reusable cruelty-free luxury faux mink lashes. She also sells glues, an invaluable Lash Applicator Tool and Classic Cases to keep lashes safe and in shape for reuse. Not forgetting to mention, that the entrepreneurial Ieva offers certified makeup courses for any aspiring makeup artists too. 

We received two pairs of FM22 Sassy Lashes which were soft, mounted on a flexible band and easy to apply. We often have trouble finding strip lashes that fit the shape of our eyes and end up bending and trimming them. However, these blended perfectly with our natural lashes and gave our eyes an extra lift. The results were glamorous! Giving our eyes a more intense look by adding a little drama, but without being over the top. Two of us have tried these, and have reused the lashes already 9 or 10 times. Top tip: After use, carefully peel off the adhesive with tweezers, before replacing them back in the moulds in the Classic Case, then they’ll be ready to go again. A quick note to say that the brand has slightly changed its Classic Case design since our photo above, but is still the same shape and design. You can purchase your Classic Case with the pair of Strip Lashes of your choice here for £14.99. Or if you only want the FM22 Sassy Lash you can find them here for £4.99.

The Spoiled Bee - Cleanser, Mask and Serum

Who doesn’t dream of having perfect skin? Us for one! Here at The Amazing Blog we’re lucky enough to receive lots of fabulous beauty products to test and review, and at this time of year, we’re always on the hunt for light and nutritious skincare to take us through into the summer months. As regular readers will know, we’re especially fond of bee brands particularly those that support beekeepers and their hives.  So, the latest one of our #amazingfinds is The Spoiled Bee, which we recently discovered at the CEW Awards demonstration evening. 

This is a British brand founded in 2017 by France and her daughter Violette. France is a former osteopath who also has a passion for organic products, who went on to study for a master’s degree in the field of aromatherapy. Violette even as a teenager only used the skincare made by her mother using pure and natural ingredients. The Spoiled Bee brand was born out of a desire to protect bees always making sure that the bee products they use are harvested in a way that respects bees and the environment. Within their range of 100% natural and cruelty-free skincare, they offer a specific range of bee products that offer some wonderful properties for skin, body and hair. Quickly added, to avoid any confusion, that not all their products are ‘bee products’. What we particularly applaud this brand for is that when you spend £10 on their website, they ‘give back ‘by sponsoring 100 bees for one month through their network of beekeepers. The Spoiled Bee Company very kindly sent us a selection of their products: The Honey Cleansing Balm (a bee product), the White Coconut Face Mask and their 10% Fruit Enzyme Glow Serum. 

The Honey Cleansing Balm ‘s texture is slightly waxy and what impressed us is that you only need very little to remove even the most stubborn makeup. We even tried it on waterproof mascara with fantastic results. After rinsing, the skin is incredibly soft and moisturised and left us with a subtle glow, it’s also very gentle on the skin without leaving any tight or tingling sensations. The smell is divine, which is not surprising, as it contains apricot, vanilla and sweet almond oil and of course – beeswax/honey. The honey is raw, which offers incredible benefits for the skin both anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial it’s also moisturising and gently exfoliating.

The White Coconut Face Mask was a very pleasant surprise too. It comes in a dry powder form, which unlike some creamy masks, means it has a longer shelf life with no oxidation. We followed the instructions and mixed 1 tbsp of powder with ½ tbsp of water. After leaving the mask on for 15 minutes, we then rinsed it off with a facecloth and warm water. Our pores seemed smaller and skin was left soft, moisturised and fresh. Besides, the healing properties of the coconut milk and kaolin clay the addition of jasmine essential oil is also great for reducing scars and acne. We found that it is ideal even for the most sensitive skin. You can buy the here the 30g White Coconut Face Mask here for £22.80.

Which was our favourite? We have to admit that it was the 10% Fruit Enzyme Glow Serum.  It has a delicious fruity fragrance which made us think of ripe juicy Victoria plums! What we loved about this rich serum is that the skin absorbs it quickly and with impressive ease. We used it in the morning before the makeup and in the evening before going to bed. Our skin felt beautifully silky, nourished and renewed. This little marvel is made from the enzymes of no less than ten different fruits, which act as antioxidants for the skin, and plum kernel oil has vitamins A, C and E as well as Omega 6 and 9, great protection the skin whilst giving it a great boost. You can purchase the 30ml Serum here for £31.20.