Friday Favourites – Lash Serums

With the weekend approaching, it’s time to get our high heels out, we’re getting ready to paint the town red! However, we’re well aware that no outfit is complete without long, voluminous and beautiful lashes that flutter like butterflies... That is why, today at The Amazing Blog we’re ready to bring to you all the necessary products that you need to ensure you look like a million dollars not just over the weekend, but every single day!

We’re going to begin with the dynamic duo sold by Avante. Their Dynamic Lash Serum and Dynamic Effect Mascara will leave your lashes looking thick and rich completing your Friday night going into your Saturday morning! Avante’s philosophy and the aim is to use scientifically proven ingredients for maximum results in combination with ingredients that provide nutritional benefits. This brand hails from New Zealand and is created by a multidisciplinary team of leading aestheticians, trichologists and pharmacists.

The  Dynamic Lash Serum is an effective and deep conditioning serum that maximises hydration, helps reduce breakage and improves the overall texture of lashes making sure your blinking butterflies can give the Great Wall of China a run for its money! This is to be applied once a day and provides up to three months of conditioning solution in this compact 2ml tube. NB: It’s free-from prostaglandin, petroleum-based ingredients like mineral oil or petroleum jelly, parabens, animal products, artificial colours or fragrances. Made with vitamin E and C, hyaluronic acid and liquorice root extract, the serum delivers unbelievable results.

Additionally, the Dynamic Effect Mascara is just as effective. It is smudge-proof and perfectly lengthens, volumises and strengthens the lashes too. Created with nourishing castor oil, jojoba seed oil, liquorice extract and naturally scented with rose flower water. This mascara with its curved wand for uplift will surely give you the best lashes ever. Hop on over to their official website, to give your lashes the gift they very well deserve for £48 for the Dynamic Lash Serum here and £30 for the Dynamic Effect Mascara (in Jet Black or Chocolate) here.

Up next we have another two game-changing products by Lashfactor. The brand has created the world’s very first eyelash and eyebrow enhancer that incorporates a ground-breaking serums free nano-molecular growth technology that promises longer, fuller and darker eyelashes and eyebrows in just 4 weeks. Lashfactor realises that eyes are one of the most precious organs of your body. The gift of sight through eyes is a miracle of nature that should be truly appreciated. Therefore, Lashfactor has developed TWO products: an Eyelash Enhancing Serum as well as a Lash + Brows Eyelash & Eyebrow Enhancing Serum. So, what’s the difference between the two? They say that the Lash + Brows Eyelash & Eyebrow Enhancing Serum is the higher strength out of the two. It’s a serum-free nano-molecular polymeric solution with a patented sterile micro bristle dip-in applicator; not only does it give long, fuller and darker eyelashes but it’s also strong enough to considerably enhance the eyebrows too. Thus ideal for everyone to boost their lashes in a natural way without the use of fake extensions. 

Their semi-viscous formula containing bimatoprost ophthalmic solution with a unique volume building nano polymers which gently coats the roots of the hair follicles. The brand recommends applying it once every night along with the roots of the eyelashes and the eyebrows. Lash Factors hopes to eliminate fake lashes and further, enrich and thicken your natural lashes to look just as long and luscious as extensions.  You can purchase both these products as a gift set on their official website for an affordable £50 here for both the 2ml serums and if you put in the code AMPR10 in the checkout, you will get 10% off your purchase.

Last but most certainly not the least, is one of our favourite brands Lavera, with their Lavera’s Lash Care Serum. This is very different to the other two brands, it’s chemical-free with the key ingredient of organic coffee (caffeine) developed for stronger and more revitalised lashes. Lavera prides itself on using natural and sustainable ingredients in all its products. When used at night this serum is highly effective in strengthening your lashes and making them look healthier and thicker. The brand is organic, vegan, makes 100% certified natural cosmetics and is also engaged in animal protection thus allowing you to use their beautiful products without the pounding sense of guilt in your heart. This overnight clear serum holds the lashes in place conditioning them whilst also making them soft and hydrated. You can purchase Lavera’s Lash Care Serum 9ml for £12.90 here.

Dermasynergy Professional Skincare - Synergy Balm

With the seasonal changes, our skin can be dry or even flaky, that’s why we at The Amazing Blog like to keep an emergency multi-balm always to hand, especially for these chilly months! So we were very happy to discover Derma Synergy Professional Skincare who has their Synergy Balm a professional healing balm that has a multitude of uses.

Ideal for dry and sensitive skin, it’s 100% natural, this Balm targets tired prematurely ageing skin in need of repair, restoration and rehydration.  One of its key ingredients is blackcurrant seed extract, a powerful natural antioxidant tool that regenerates damaged skin cells. A little-known fact for you, in the Second World War, parents would make their children drink blackcurrant juice due to its high concentration in vitamin C and its ability to prevent scurvy. The other ingredients also serve useful purpose including vitamin E contributing to neutralising free radicals (which lead to premature skin ageing) and marula extract which works on increasing skin hydration and elasticity.  The frankincense oil stimulates the growth of new cells and can reduce inflammation and acne scarring. We also like that this Balm has mango butter which is a natural vitamin A source and is effective in treating trickier skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

It’s a waxy consistency that warms up in the fingertips making application easy, leaving no excess; we’ve been using it on lips and hands (nails in particular). It comes in two sizes and we were lucky enough to receive both. The 15ml tin is £9.99 here which fits neatly in a pocket or handbag, making it great for hydration on the go. The 100ml tin is £35 here which we’ve also been using it intermittently a night balm, as well as a skin neutraliser to let our skin ‘rest’ from using other products as it’s brilliant for skin repair.

All Naturals – Organic Soaps

Julita Geary suffered from eczema all her life. She tried dermatologist-recommended products, but they didn’t quite do the job. To make matters worse, Julita learned that there are over 90,000 chemicals used in today’s skincare industry, and only a portion are tested for long-term effect. Once her daughter was born and had even worse eczema than her, Julita decided enough was enough.

All Naturals was created with the intent to provide consumers with eco-friendly, non-irritating soaps. Their sixteen soaps consist of key ingredients such as olive oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, castor oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba seed oil, and rosa canina (or rose hip) seed oil. The soaps also contain shea butter and cocoa seed butter, refreshing essential oils, botanical extracts, herbs, and scents. As regular readers will know, The Amazing Blog is very fond of products with uncomplicated ingredients. We particularly like All Naturals products are cruelty-free and vegan, plus every bar of soap has a rich lather and is made using the cold process technique. This process guarantees that the loveliness of natural ingredients is preserved as much as possible.

All these soaps are suitable for face, hands and body and are free from preservatives, parabens, silicones, detergents, PEG’s polyethylene glycols, petroleum products, SLS sulphates, propylene and alcohol. There are also ethically handmade in Nottingham. When it comes to our bodies, there’s nothing like simplicity, and the All Naturals soap bar formula removes skin toxins, defends against skin cell damage, moisturises, and provides relief from skin irritation. These are things we like to hear.

We tested out four of their 100% organic soap bars. The Neroli Orange Blossom soap bar is great for skin in need of hydration. It is full of omegas, vitamins, minerals, and natural moisturisers, with a light citrus scent. The Almond Blossom and Oatmeal, is gentle, and aids dry skin by soothing it. We loved the sweet nutty fragrance. The Linden Blossom and Honey helped to ease tension, as we enjoyed its creamy lather. This bar is great for all skin types, and can also be used on the face. Lastly, is our favourite, the Olive Oil and Calendula, designed for eczema. Some members of our team deal with eczema, so it was particularly special to find a natural, fragrance-free soap that caters towards those needs. Each of the All Naturals soap bars can be purchased from Boots here £4.99 each or for a more extensive collection of products from Amazon here.

Friday Favourites - New Haircare

Gorgeous, healthy hair will never go out of style and here at The Amazing Blog we're always on the hunt for the latest haircare products to suit each of our specific needs. If like us, you have anything from the frizzy and unruly to the sensitive scalps or have hair loss issues, then we’ve got you covered. Please read on, as we’ve got some new and exciting brands to share with you.

There is nothing worse than unruly and frizzy hair. Those of us on this boat understand the struggle of styling this type of hair and the frustration of having it frizz-up within moments of styling.  However, the smoothing system from the new Australian brand evo got our tresses on a sleek lock-down. The creators at evo are a no frills, professional hair and beauty brand that tells it like it is. They are 'saving ordinary humans from themselves' and we like their straightforward attitude and cheeky personality that bursts from their luxurious products.

Does your hair eat combs for breakfast? Then this Lockdown Smoothing Treatment will become your newest ally in this crazy world of the hair battle. This 150ml bottle of 'liquid tamer' is formulated specifically with colour-treated, medium to course texture haired individuals. What makes this one stand out amongst the crowd for us is that it gives you the shine and smoothness you desire, without any of the weight or grease. We’ve said goodbye to those pesky strays and hello to sleek hair simplicity. This leave-in treatment is the hero of the line-up, which also has the mane tamer shampoo and conditioner. We adore the light, refreshing and subtly sweet scent of the lime and the way our hair seems to get softer with each use. You can purchase the Lockdown Smoothing Treatment here for £29.95

Next up is a new discovery for us, so we’d like to formally introduce you to Halier, a new Polish brand that specialises in creating haircare products that promote growth and prevent hair loss. They use the latest scientific technologies to provide effective products. We asked to try out their Fortesse Shampoo and Conditioner and one of us in particularly has been enjoying using them to help build up the quality of her hair.

Fortesse Shampoo works to prevent excessive hair loss and promote healthy hair growth while cleansing and preventing split ends. The shampoo is able to do so because it contains the Advanced Hair Booster ™ Formula. This formula specifically works to condition hair follicles, improve hair elasticity and regenerate the scalp. The product also contains horsetail leaf extract, fatty acids esters from olive oil, saw palmetto extract, biotin, and vitamin B3. These unique ingredients help to create moisture-rich hair that is healthy and full of vitality. We found that our hair has been noticeably shinier and much easier to style. Fortesse Conditioner contains the Hair Vitality Complex ™ Formula which works to prevent excessive hair loss and boost hair growth. It also contains horsetail leaf extract, fatty acids esters from olive oil, saw palmetto extract, biotin, vitamin B3 and ricin oil. The combination of ingredients in this conditioner work to reduce hair loss, promote hair growth, balance oil production, and promote hydration.

After using the combination of these two products we noticed that not only did our hair smell great, but after a few washes we noticed our hair was healthier with less hair loss and giving us a fuller head of hair. The only caution we have to flag-up with this haircare system is that it is not a colour-safe, so if you colour your hair, please do a patch test first. You can purchase a 250ml bottle of Halier Fortesse Shampoo here for £29 and you can purchase a 150ml bottle of Halier Fortesse Conditioner here for £32.

Finally, we're featuring an organic and natural haircare which almost feels like it came from 'mother nature' herself. These products are particularly for those of you with super-sensitive scalps, and/or chemically coloured or treated hair too. Both these products are from the very special myrto naturalcosmetics where we tried the Bio Shampoo Sea Buckthorn Chia and Bio Antistatic Hair Oil which are sourced straight from plants to give the hair the best natural shine, volume and vibrancy.  myrto naturalcosmetics is a German skin and haircare brand by Eva Silvana Kruck, founded in 2012 myrto strives to produce products sourcing only the freshest and most natural ingredients wherever possible; which means small batches with no preservatives or chemicals. Eva was initially motivated to create her own product line due to the needs of her own children's skin disorders. She paired up with Prof. Dr. Peter Kruck to create a range of organic effective, nourishing and natural beauty products for everyone. 

This shampoo is perfect for dry, dull, damaged and chemically treated hair. The combination of sea buckthorn fruit oil and organic chia seed extract work to strengthen every hair fibre, add luminous shine and help to prevent hair breakage. Derived from plant amino acids, the gentle wash-active cleansers in this shampoo leave your hair clean but never stripped of the essential oils naturally produced on the scalp. We loved this shampoo with its invigorating sea buckthorn fruity fragrance. A little goes a long way with this one and you can even dilute it with a bit of water for extra sensitive scalps that still need a good cleanse. The Bio Shampoo Sea Buckthorn Chia is available to purchase here for €9.50. 

The Bio Antistatic Hair Oil has already found its way into our Executive Editor's bathroom! This magical hair oil is an intensive repair for fine and chemically treated hair, and extremely effective if you also happen to have fly-away/statically charged tresses. Containing organic cold-pressed seed oils from macadamia, jojoba and basbass it is a superb hair repair complex that smoothes the surface of the damaged hair fibres giving deep regeneration for split-ends.  You can purchase Bio Antistatic Hair Oil here for €16.50. What we love about all the myrto naturalcosmetics products is that they have no preservatives, alcohol, silicones, petroleum derivatives, synthetic colouring or artificial fragrances. These products are also without the genetic modification or nanoparticles and... are vegan!

WAHL Foaming Shave Gel

We at The Amazing Blog have noticed that barber’s shops are multiplying like rabbits along every high street - all very ‘man chic’ with the kind of interiors to help us relax and chill out whilst someone pampers us to perfection … However, if you like your grooming a little more on the private side, then Wahl has come up with the most amazing bottle of skin nurturing goodies to help to keep our whiskers in top trim. Since 1919, Wahl has been an integral part of the Barber Trade and recently launched their Professional 5 Star Traditional Shaving Range.
 
We think whole range is worth trying out; however, the Foaming Shave Gel has been our personal favourite when it comes to soothing and aiding hydration. This enriched moisturising formula contains coconut to deliver a professional close shave that feeds and soothes the skin for reduced irritation. This ozonic fragrance is infused with crisp and citrus notes of lemon. The masculine fragrance leaves the face feeling refreshed and invigorated.

The fragrance is masculine and not too heavy, but the real feeling of protection comes as it hits the skin, giving a gentle buffer between blade and follicle. We tried it both with and without a brush to lather up, and either way worked superbly. So, if you can't make it to the barber shop, this shave gel offers the full experience at home. Purchase your Wahl Foaming Shaving Gel here at £16.99