hair care

Douvall's Argan & Ungurahua Oil Shampoo & Conditioner

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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.

 

Vilana - Mint Hair Conditioner

One of our missions this month has been to find a completely natural hair conditioner that won’t irritate an itchy or sensitive scalp. Not an easy task!  At The Amazing Blog, we’ve searched high and low and were recommended to try a brand called Vilana Natural Beauty, who are famed for their gentle hair care products and advice on hair loss.

Founded by Vilana Bagdone, a wife and mother of three who has a light bulb moment when one day she caught sight of her ‘dull, drawn and pale skin’. Despite using countless bottles of high street creams and serum, nothing seemed to help. It was only then that she realised she needed to return back to basics to harness the true power of nature and natural products. Today Vilana Natural Beauty uses a selection of top-quality essential oils to ensure she has the best to create her effective skin and hair care solutions. We’re excited to report that the brand has recently been nominated for The Scottish Business Awards which will be held on 23 February.

We tried the Vilana Natural Beauty Mint Hair Conditioner which is their hero product from the hair care collection. Looking at the key ingredients, it’s no surprise it is a bestseller. The conditioner is enriched with apple vinegar that leaves the hair feeling soft, shiny and smooth and peppermint essential oils which help to promote hair growth. Peppermint has antimicrobial and antifungal properties which help to tackle dandruff and other scalp issues. The shea butter and honey also add moisture for more luscious and thicker-looking hair. We’ve used this several times and noticed that it helped to restore, nourish and soften the hair effortlessly. They advise that you leave the product on the scalp for up to five minutes, in order to let the conditioner soothe and sink into the scalp, then rinse away. We were left with a refreshing scent of mint and very shiny hair. The added bonus is that it can be used as a hair mask as well.  There are no sulphates or parabens, and they even offer a full ingredient list with an explanation here. This one of our #amazingfinds of the week; you too can purchase a 200ml pot of Vilana Natural Beauty Mint Hair Conditioner for £12.50 here.

Luxju Natural Hair Care Products

We keep seeing the motto: ‘Happiness is a good hair day’ pop up on Pinterest, and some of us here at The Amazing Blog couldn’t agree more! So, finding a completely natural hair care and styling brand that offers a solution for those of us with fine and frizzy hair – is a joy. Let us introduce you to Luxju Natural Hair Products who we met at a trade show late last year. Their founder set us a challenge, to see if her styling products made any real difference to our hair.

The name Luxju comes from the word luxurious, and most certainly these products feel just that. From her own experience, the founder Veronica J is only too aware of the struggle that some women face with either textured hair that has coils, curls or has been chemically processed.  Her frustration was that she couldn’t find any effective ‘natural’ products to use on her own hair. That’s when she had a light-bulb moment. Working closely with specialist labs, she went on to develop unique formulations that only have the highest quality natural and organic ingredients. They are also vegan and free from parabens, mineral oils, petroleum; plus they are cruelty, gluten, colour and fragrance-free. All of the products help to soften, nourish, hydrate the hair and define curls. For those of us here with frizzy, curly and unruly locks, this sounded like a recipe for true happiness.

Veronica very kindly gave us the trio from the range to try. The very first product we used was the Luxju Nourishing Hair Mist.  It is specially designed to moisturise the scalp and keep hair healthy, soft and conditioned. The mist is super-light with purified water that’s enriched with aloe vera to help repair dead skin cells on the scalp and leave the hair smooth and shiny; the green tea extract helps fight scalp dryness or dandruff and amla fruit that helps to thicken the hair. We used this spray as the first item from the trio, by spraying it onto our scalp and dry hair. It felt fresh and cool, and helped to ‘refresh the hair’ leaving it feeling more hydrated; and although this is fragrance-free, there was a delicious hint of a green tea/coconut combo.

Next, we used the Luxju Nourishing Hair Crème. This product aims to bring strength, curl definition and moisture to the hair. We loved how rich and buttery the texture felt when applied, and it melted beautifully into our damp hair before styling.  We also liked the key ingredients (similar to above) plus aloe vera, baobab and neem seed and coconut oil all of which are famed for moisturising dry hair and adding shine and softness.

For the finishing touch, we used Luxju Nourishing Frizz Control Oil. What we liked about this special Oil is that you can control frizz, flyaway hair days, plus keep your hair from being dry and brittle. The combination of key ingredients like castor, sesame, broccoli and camellia seeds help to seal in moisture like no other – without leaving the hair lank and greasy. Castor seed oil thickens hair and reduces split ends and the sesame seed oil nourishes and strengthens hair from the roots. Top tip from us, make sure to use this product on dry or damp hair from roots to tip to achieve optimum results.

Conclusion? Well, we took the challenge and Veronika we think you have some winning products here because they really do work! Please can you develop a shampoo and conditioner for us too? Regardless of your hair type, we think that these three products can be used every day to rock gorgeous hair! You can purchase items individually starting from £41 each here

Kansha Alchemy - Good Hair Nutrient Complex

Here at The Amazing Blog, we are always looking for products that can really help make every day, a good hair day. So we were super excited to receive the Kansha Alchemy Good Hair Nutrient Complex. We were sent a 1 month supply of this special vitamin complex that helps to encourage the growth of thick, healthy hair. Kansha Alchemy was founded by Carol Harrison and Ann-Louise Holland. Ann-Louise noticed that her hair was thinning and Carol lost her hair due to treatment for breast cancer. These women spent a significant amount of time researching and working with trichologists and hair growth experts in order to create a product that promotes healthy hair, while also working to prevent thinning and shedding. We're inspired by their stories and are excited to see what comes next from Kansha Alchemy


The Good Hair Pills contain a unique blend of over 20 carefully selected essential vitamins, minerals and herbs such as selenium, silica, zinc and keratin building amino acids. These ingredients help to keep hair in the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle, meaning that there is far less hair shedding. The pills also contain DHT blockers that work to decrease your sensitivity to DHT (a key cause of balding). As we took the pills, they were easy on the stomach and didn't leave us feeling sickly like some hair supplements can.


With the 1 month supply at £32.99 we took 2 pills every day. However, we would recommend taking a 3 month supply at £88.99, so that you can really see the full benefits. Due to their popularity, the product is currently (10.04.2018) out of stock. However, Kansha Alchemy is working to bring it back in stock as soon as possible. For now, you can add your email to the wait list to get more information about when the product is back in stock. 

 

 

Dear Barber

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Vanity Fair is not only a place for women but it also welcomes men. Here at The Amazing Blog we know that very well and that’s why we want to present you with the hair and beard range from Dear Barber. From tip to toes it will take care of you with classy scents and high quality products.

If you’re one of those who thinks it’s all about hair or nothing, prepare yourself for an incredible range of cream and pomades that will help you sculpting, shaping and controlling.
Humidity has never been friendly with curly hair, so if this is your main concern put your head in the safe hands of Pomade. It’s a gel that works as a cover and protect your curls, avoiding frizzy hair. Despite other products with the same texture, Dear Barber created a gel that won’t make your hair feel heavy at all and they’ll look naturally neat and shining.

The Shaping Cream is what you’re looking for if you need hold but with a smooth and flexible final touch. This cream is simply stunning, once on your hair it disappears and doesn’t leave any trace of the product. 

For those who love more definition Dear Barber presents Fibre and Mattifier. They both have a waxy texture and are ideal for deconstructed styles but, where Fibre is more for an elastic sculpting result, the Mattifier will shape and hold the boldest styles.


Hair is very important but a beard and moustache are the business card of your face. And Dear Barber couldn’t let them down. That’s why we can gladly tell you something more about the Shave Oil, Beard Oil and Moustache Wax. The oils will protect your skin, preparing the beard for shaving and giving a final sheen touch, while the wax will guarantee perfect hold and shape whatever is your moustache style.


The entire range has a vague retro style and so does the Gentlemen’s Fragrance with its vintage but contemporary twist.  This is the perfect hair and beard care for you or your partner this Christmas. Go buy yours here at Dennis Williams for £45.95.