Beckford's White Pearl Rum & Coconut

We can feel the autumn nights drawing in, which of course, now gives us a good excuse to have a warming tot of rum! The Amazing Blog is back with Beckford’s Rum but this time with their new addition of White Pearl Rum & Coconut – yum!

Beckford’s Rums are named after and in honour of the one Beckford from history that Society can be proud of. Henry Beckford was a freed slave who attended the world's first anti-slavery congress by invitation, it was held in 1840 in London.  An ardent abolitionist he was accepted into polite society and became a beacon of light emerging from a dark past. An impression of Henry features on all our bottles and our premium Rum is also called “ Henry”. This range of four Beckford Rums offers the drinker a blend of anything from Rum & Caramel (see here), Black Pearl Spiced Rum & Spiced Pineapple and now the delicious White Pearl Rum & Coconut which we’re sipping now. All their rums have environmentally friendly credentials, as they’re produced in small batches with recyclable packaging and cork stoppers.

This elixir of White Pearl Rum & Coconut is as clear as crystal and with no caramel-like hue. We found this to be a much purer drink than the Rum & Caramel and far less like a liqueur. You may ask, what's the difference between light and dark rum?  When rum is first distilled, it’s always clear; light, silver or white rum is aged for less time than the other varieties. So think of this like a ‘virgin’ rum. Apart from being gluten, vegan and nut-free it’s made with only the finest premium Caribbean rum and baby coconuts. This White Pearl Rum & Coconut comes in a very palatable 25% ABV. Smooth as silk on the palate it tickles the taste buds and with its addition of coconut also gives it a  fantastic aroma. They suggest having this in pineapple juice or pink lemonade – but we preferred this drizzled over some vanilla ice cream! We got sent a 20ml bottle but you can purchase a 70ml bottle here for just £ 25.00. 

Danilo Manco - Gustoso Organic Apple Vinegar

Summer is really here (in between the rain showers!) and what better way to enjoy our new outdoor life than with a gorgeous salad (or a cocktail*) with Gustoso Organic Apple Vinegar.  At The Amazing Blog, all the girls and I love to try new products that have a twist, and we certainly haven’t tried an organic apple vinegar before… 

Sent to us by The Olive Oil Company, this organic apple vinegar is produced by Danilo Manco in Italy. The term ‘vinegar’ actually refers to the two-step process of fermentation from a carbohydrate to an alcohol and then to acetic acid. Sugar is converted into alcohol, which is then fermented into vinegar. This vinegar comes from the wonderful Modena area in the Emilia Romagna region Italy; and has been made from organically grown apples and then stored in wooden casks.  This process concentrates the flavours while allowing the microorganisms necessary to convert the apples into vinegar to enter the barrels. The longer the ageing time, the better the end product is. The mother apple vinegar (a substance composed of a form of cellulose and acetic acid bacteria that develops naturally during the fermentation process) turns the alcohol into acetic acid with the help of the oxygen present in the air. NB this is not apple ‘cider’ vinegar it is a pure apple vinegar made in the balsamic style. In order to maintain the delicious taste and natural antioxidant properties of the vinegar, it only contains the best selection of Italian organic apples. These are then turned into a concentrated apple juice and mixed with the mother organic apple vinegar.  The result is both yummy and healthy!  No wonder it received the Great Taste 3-star award in 2019.  

After all the baking and snacking we’ve been doing, a salad which only needs a dibble this apple-based balsamic vinegar is perfect for helping to shed the any extra kilos that might have crept on during our recent lockdown. You can taste the apple making it sweet, tangy and bursting with flavour. Dark brown in colour it is thicker than an ordinary vinegar and has the consistency almost of a balsamic glaze.  So a little goes a long way which is good as this is a luxury item. It combines well with scallops and prawns as well as adding it into strews.  Also, perfect drizzled on strawberries or in *cocktail such as this ‘Apple Vinegar Vodka Sipper.’  Take 30g of apple juice, 30 g of vodka and one teaspoon of GUSTOSO Organic Apple Vinegar. Add crushed ice and mix in a cocktail shaker, then serve and garnish with grapes on a cocktail stick. Delicious! So go forth and take the flavour of your next salad to a new level by buying a bottle here for £13.50 (200ml) of the Gustoso Organic Apple Vinegar. 

PHYT’S – Gommage Contact+ Gentle Face Scrub and Elixir Hydratant 24H

Today at The Amazing Blog, we’re reviewing a French salon brand new to the UK, offering the consumer organic skincare and cosmetics, as well as salon based treatments. We are talking about PHYT’S who have over 48 years of experience in the professional skincare sector.

PHYT’S was founded by Jean-Paul Llopart a biologist and naturopath and Rosanne Verlé a beautician. Since 1972, PHYT’S has used only 100% natural and organic ingredients, most of which are sustainably sourced locally in France. With products such as the Crème Absolue, the Masque Gommage Contact+ and the Sérum C17 Purifiant gaining cult status in France; and their five award wins in the global 2020 Beauty Shortlist Awards including Solaire Fluide Protecteur High Protection SPF50 and Men’s Oxygenating Cleansing Gel, they’ve certainly piqued our interest!

PHYT’S has grown from their specialised treatments for the face, body, and hair; to makeup, dietary supplements and even baby products. With all this expertise, Phyts has fast become a global company with distributors in over forty countries. With its unique approach to cosmetics, in 2009 PHYT’S became the first fully-organic certified makeup line. The company’s organic focused methodology and ingredients have certainly made it into the distinguished brand that it is today. The two products that we’re reviewing today are the Gommage Contact+ Gentle Face Scrub and the Elixir Hydratant 24H water infusion.

Let’s start with the Gommage Contact+ Gentle Face Scrub this product has a warming scent of ylang-ylang and cloves, it’s ideal for all skin types, especially those who tend to react or a sensitive complexion. This effective yet gentle product helps to eliminate dead skin cells and removes impurities. To use first cleanse the skin then lightly apply the product to face and neck. Leave it on for at least 2 - 5 minutes, then delicately massage the area so that the scrub starts to roll or peel. Rinse the skin, pat dry and follow with a nourishing serum and moisturiser. The scrub’s ingredients have anti-ageing, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties; these include ylang-ylang which balances oil production and cloves, which help to reduce fine lines and maintain moisture. Priced at £24.99 for a 40ml tube from here

Next, we used the Elixir Hydratant 24H, which is perfect for any dry or dehydrated skin types, it offers an all-day-long added water infusion as it moisturises and holds hydration in the skin. PHYT’S tests showed that by using this Elixir Hydratant the skin hydration increases by 88% even six hours after application. It’s an intense lightweight serum that plumps and revitalises the complexion. The product is easy to apply, simply put a few drops onto clean skin morning or evening which can then be followed by other products in the range. We loved the pale lavender colour, the light floral scent and the hyaluronic acid. The actives are extracted from wood, aloe vera and hazelnut oil, all of which help to keep the moisture locked in. We can happily report back that we found these both to be impressive ‘must-have’ products, and we’d certainly buy more. Priced at £55.99 for a 30ml bottle here. These products can be used together or alone. The Gommage Contact+ and Elixir Hydratant 24H are both available from Beauty Fresh here.

Di Cristian Dessert's - Baba Rattolo

It’d be true to say that we have a bit of a sweet tooth here at The Amazing Blog so we couldn’t resist trying Di Cristian Dessert’s Baba Rattolo! Di Cristian Dessert’s are a  twist on a classic rum baba bringing new ways and flavours like Limoncello and Chocolate to the baba, and this is another one of our #amazingfinds that we just had to share.

For those of you new to the baba cake, it is typically made as a small yeast cake saturated in a syrup made from rum. Di Cristian Desserts are purveyors of these fine babas, an Italian-based bakery with a long-standing family heritage for the past four generations. Di Cristian uses the simple flavours of the past to inspire him in his confectionary creations. Think baked goods where ‘tradition meets innovation.’ These baba cakes are cooked in sealed jars using high quality, 100% natural ingredients like eggs, flour, and butter. The cakes remain fresh without preservatives for up to 6 months when stored in the sealed jars at room temperature.

To serve, remove the baba cake from the jar and slice vertically. Once the cake is removed from the jar, they suggest eating it within a few hours – which is our case, was about 10 minutes! The sliced cake can be dressed with various toppings, such as berries or whipped cream, but we preferred it plain. Which was our favourite? Hands down, it had to be the Limoncello for being so deliciously light and zesty and melting in our mouths. We think that these desserts are perfect for any occasion be it elevenses, teatime, supper or if you have enough self-control, as a store cupboard standby for when those special guests arrive. Each sealed jar cake serves 6 to 8 people and can be purchased here for 17€.

Danielle Creations - Damn Handsome - Gentlemen in D-Stress Emergency Tin

There’s no getting away with it boys, the pressure on us all to present the very best version of ourselves on a daily basis gets turned up a notch every time we step outside. There was a time when a visit to the gym three times a week, maybe the odd protein shake, and the briefest moments spent putting our outfit together for the day ahead would suffice. However, now the girls at The Amazing Blog tell me that we are now in a new world of reality TV, a never-ending stream of must-have products or procedures, and of course devices which capture every untucked shirt, bad shave mishap which can then be splashed across Social Media for our competitors to troll …!

The Gentlemen in D-Stress Emergency Tin from is an invention from Danielle Creations who are best known for their cutting edge make up and grooming kits. They are part of Upper Canada Company a global brand although they based here in the UK. We discovered them as they offer everything from innovative cosmetic accessories to men's manicure and shaving sets. As regular readers will know we’re always happy to discover anything that can alleviate some of that pressure and help us in our quest to keep as much as we can on tiptop form, which is where this, one of our latest #amazingfinds comes into its own.

Simple ideas are often the best and most successful kind, and here we have Gentlemen in D-Stress Emergency Tin from. This is an essential kit of 24 items to choose from and seemingly for every possible kind of emergency! Containing all that we boys could ever need need to keep us as pristine as possible. Utterly compact and certainly portable, this tin will happily slip into a briefcase, gym bag, or rucksack without taking up much room, and give you the chance to remedy any slight mishaps which may occur at the tip of our digits effectively. Measuring 5cm x 9.5cm x 12.5cm, and only weighing in at 146g, it is brilliantly compact.  Within each selection of the tin, we find a collapsible comb, 2 x collar stiffener sets, 1 x glasses cleaning cloth, tweezers, shoehorn, nail clipper, 2 x plasters, 5 x cuticle sticks, a stain remover wipe, a deodorant wipe and a vanity kit including cotton buds, a cotton pad and nail file! In fact, everything to aid a grooming emergency. What we especially enjoy about these inspired kits, is the fact each tin is not rammed full of odds and ends, so the option of adding one or two of our own essentials from the personal bathroom cabinet is available to us also. You’ll find this Gentlemen in D-Stress Emergency Tin here at a mere £9.99 only.