V 10 Plus - Water Base Sunblock SPF 40+++

At The Amazing Blog, we’re getting ready to ditch London's bleak weather for a springtime break. We’re dreaming of somewhere warm and tropical where all we need to pack is our swimsuit, coverup, sandals and sunscreen (of course!) The V 10 Plus Water Base Sunblock will soon become your new best friend going forward from spring to summer. Coming in a compact tube this SPF 40+++ is perfect for protecting your face, neck and decolletage to take on holiday or to wear as an everyday primer under makeup.

V10 Plus was started in Japan by Akiko Yokota and her sister in 2011, and has only just landed here in the UK. The skincare range is made in the Yoktalab in Japan, it’s free from parabens, chemical fragrances, artificial colours. Plus all products are water-based and dermatology tested. V 10 Plus was awarded the Top 25 Prestige Award in 2014 in Singapore, and were recently the official skincare sponsor for Miss Singapore Beauty Pageant in 2019. 

Today we want to talk about their Water Based Sun Block SPF40+++ which full of natural protectants to keep your skin shielded from the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays. Key ingredients are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide which absorb the harmful UVA/UVB ray spectrum.  Also, the ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, which is a vitamin C derivative, restricts melanogenesis and eliminates free radical. As we all know sunblock is a super important step in our skincare routine both on holiday and at home. The sun’s rays can make your skin age quicker, leading to dark spots and redness, but all of these symptoms can be prevented by using sunblock. V 10 Plus Sunblock is water-based, meaning it won’t be sticky when applied under makeup. It also has a non-powdery finish and sits lightly on the surface of the skin. The sunblock leaves skin feeling moisturised without leaving a white film on the surface, unlike some other sunblocks we could name!

You can purchase the V 10 Plus’ Water Base Sun Block SPF40+++  here for $36, or in-store at Zen Pharmacy in London. At 30 ml, we think it’s the perfect size to take on the plane for a quick weekend sunny getaway.

Marvis - Travel Kit and Toothpaste Dispenser

The Amazing Blog believes that the oral hygiene is the most essential element of our morning and evening routines. Recently, we learned about Marvis, an Italian toothpaste company that dates back to the ‘50s. Ludovico Martelli bought the brand in the ‘90s, with a vision of creating a toothpaste brand to surpass the traditional concept of toothpaste. This is certainly something he has achieved, with five innovative flavours ranging from classic strong mint, Amarelli liquorice, cinnamon mint, ginger mint, and jasmine mint. Rather an unusual set of combinations I’m sure you will agree! Initially designed for smokers, we were particularly interested in the strength of their toothpastes, with intense cleaning power and strong flavours to leave your mouth feeling fresh.

We tried and tested their handy Zip Bag with Toothpaste and Brush and Toothpaste Dispenser. The Zip Bag is made from rubber, particularly useful as it is waterproof and easy-to-clean. Inside the bag, we found an 85ml tube of Classic Strong Mint toothpaste. Since we’re mint-lovers, we were more than pleased. There’s nothing like the traditional punch of mint to leave your mouth feeling fresh. We can confirm that is it indeed “strong”- the minty tang stayed with us even after our morning coffees. Not only toothpaste with a formidable taste, but the formula itself is equally standout, intensely fighting against tooth decay, tartar and plaque for a pearly white smile. Encased in a charming tube that adds a bit of luxury to our bathroom cabinet, the kit also contains a sleek black toothbrush, meaning that it is equally ideal for travelling.

The last goodie we tried was their Toothpaste Dispenser. This dispenser is made of porcelain and is a great help to get the last bit of toothpaste out a tube. We didn’t realise how much toothpaste we were wasting before using this product. All you have to do is pop the tub into the top, and twist the metal handle. To try these innovative products for yourself, you can purchase Marvis’ Zip Bag with Toothpaste and Brush here for £17.50 or the Toothpaste Dispenser here for £17.50.

Pure Lochside - Capsule Collection

Here at The Amazing Blog we know how it feels to be faced with a particular beauty dilemma especially when pushed for space on packing for that weekend away. We've all experienced that heart-racing anxiety that sets in at the prospect of having to abandon our trusty skincare staples all due to lack of space. Well, we're very happy to report that premium Scottish brand, Pure Lochside  has come up with a summer solution with their very handy Lochside Capsule Collection.

The Lochside Capsule Collection, contains 5 therapeutic, 100% plant oil infused products, that are perfect for that weekend away or a two day music festival. Not only does it contain some of Lochside’s best products but also a muslin cloth to help you to administer your regime efficiently and swiftly. Designed to be used on the go, but without a loss of quality, this regenerating, organic-rich collection will boost your skin and leave it nourished, luminous and glowing, regardless of where you’re holidaying. The kit contains the Organic Orange Cleansing Oil 15ml which is rich in vitamin E and removes all mascara and eye makeup, the Pure Face Serum 15ml, a regenerating serum designed to keep skin luminous and glowing. As well as the Orange and Echinacea Toner 3ml as a refreshing final step to hydrate the skin and impart an uplifting aroma (it can also be used as an aftershave for male travel companions).

Our favourite was the Organic Skin Refiner 3ml which exfoliates and doubles as a hydrating mask with Organic Scottish Oats for a natural, gentle scrub. For the extra sensitive skins, the Soothe Daily Face Oil 3ml is gentle yet rejuvenating, and uses Rose, and Neroli essential oils. It has Calendula, Chamomile and High Altitude Lavender, to soothe and nourish irritated skin, such the type that arises from heat exposure.

A the winner of many beauty awards, the Lochside Capsule Collection is perfect for travellers and revellers alike. Best of all you won’t have to worry about roughing it (at least when it comes to your skin) on trips away. The Capsule Collection can be purchased here for £48.50

Skin Chemists - Trim Tum

With Summer approaching fast and the swimming costume/bikini season looming. We at The Amazing Blog are just very ‘slightly' going into panic mode. Eek… We’ve all been discussing in the office that there’s really not much time before we’ll all be striping off for our Summer beach holidays. So when Trim Tum arrived, as you can imagine, we were all very motivated to give it a go.  After all, here is a product that 'promises' to aid our battle to banish those unsightly little tummy bulges.

Skin Chemists are an established small family business, with a long heritage since 1890.  Their current MD Richard Walker continues on his father's passion for creating breakthrough skin creams, working alongside world class pharmacists and chemists. They are perhaps best known for their Wrinkle Killer Snake Serum which they launched in 2010.

I was very quick to volunteer testing out  this latest product from Skin Chemists   I’m known for being the laziest person in the office (my excuse is time poor and having had to do slow walks with my elderly dog). I have now been using Trim Tum for the past month religiously (morning and evening) and I have to say that I really have seen a slight difference in the texture in my skin;  although I think that I need to keep going for another month or so to see more substantial results. It contains active ingredients of Laracare and Slimexir (4%) both of which help to revitalise and strengthen the skin to give  a significantly slimmer abdomen. I’m down to the last few ‘squeezes’ and am tempted to get another tube. However be warned it is not modestly priced and is a considerable purchase at £125 for 100ml.

But those lovely people at Skin Chemists have kindly given us an EXCLUSIVE 80% discount offer for their Trim Tum so please log onto their website and enter AmazingSkin in the checkout code – ending 21^rd June 2013.  Which makes it a very affordable £25!!  Most certainly I'll  now be stocking up with a few more tubes :)  Skin Chemists products are innovative, ethical and clinically proven to be effective.

Look what the Easter Bunny found!

With Easter fast approaching, I’m sure we are all looking for something to treat our friends and family to. We, here at The Amazing Blog, like to surprise our loved ones with little festive trinkets to help get them in the Easter spirit. Whether it’s a bag of decadent egg shaped chocolates or something to help make our home feel more festive, in this post there is sure to be something for you.

This little bunny is full of bath time fun. The Hoppy Easter Bunny from Lush is full of 7 baths worth of limited edition, Easter themed goodies. Inside the adorable bunny packaging you can find a bright pink Fluffy Egg and the re-usable Carrot bubble bar. Each Lush treat smells amazing and sure to make you, or anyone else, instantly think of Spring. You can purchase this Hoppy Easter Bunny from their website for £11.95.

These candy coloured Nordic House Glass Easter Eggs look good enough to eat. These pretty baubles can be hung from a spring inspired twiggy display or piled high in a glass bowl as a center piece on your dining room table. These eggs are available in several different colours such as white, silver, grey, ochre, green, turquoise, purple and pink, and they can come in either a frost or shiny silvery finish. These eggs are sure to give your home the perfect amount of Easter cheer in the most sophisticated way. You can purchase a set of 3 fro £5.95 off of their website.

Can you think of a better way to serve an Easter Salad? These festive Rabbit Ears Salad Servers are the perfect compliment to any big Easter dinner. Using these salad servers will put you in the Easter mood and are sure to amuse your family and friends as well. You purchase these salad servers from their website for £5.95.

Treat your loved ones, or yourself, to these gorgeous Half Dozen Chocolate Harlequin Eggs by Demarquettes Chocolate. Each pink box contains 6 brightly hand painted Harlequin inspired chocolate eggs, 3 are milk chocolate and 3 are dark chocolate. The use only the finest British ingredients to create a unique and mouth watering chocolate so that each eggs tastes absoltely delicious.  You can purchase these eggs from their website for £12.50.

Looking for the perfect after Easter dinner dessert? Look no further than Farhi’s impressive one kilogram gift box of mini speckled candy-coated praline Easter eggs. These beautifully packaged and presented mini eggs are perfect for sharing and make for the ideal after dinner dessert. There will be enough for everyone, trust us. Go all out and purchase your own box from their website for £19.99.

Finally, we have something that the adults can enjoy. After work on Thursday, March 28th, follow the white rabbit down to Bart's Speakeasy for the Easter event Bart's Mad Hatter's Tea Party. There, you can take advantage of the specialty cocktails, champagne and of course, cupcakes. Then, at 6pm join them for their Easter egg hunt with a twist, the prizes are sharing cocktails as well as Veuve Cliquot. So grab your top hats and tea pots and enter the Wonderland that is Bart's Mad Hatter's Tea Party. You can RSVP at 020 7581 3355 or email them at ariana@barts-london.com.