LA FERVANCE: Éclat Extraordinaire

We’ve found a way to replace three skincare products in our daily routine by using just one. This is a balm made up of not 95 or 98% natural ingredients, but 100%! Intrigued?  Well, we certainly were, at The Amazing Blog, we would like to introduce LA FERVANCE  with the brand’s first-born Éclat Extraordinaire.

LA FERVANCE takes its name from the French word for “fervour”;  this brand is all about keeping things simple and caring for the planet, whilst also indulging all the senses by offering high-performance luxury skincare. The brand is a marriage of the two cultures that have been part of Melissa Obeid’s life for many years: Australian and French – where the Australian born Melissa studied fashion in Paris in 1990. Melissa officially created LA FERVANCE  in 2016, when she and her family came back to France for a sabbatical.  This is when she saw a gap in the market, as very few ethical, transparent and sustainable skincare brands with 100% natural ingredients and origins were available in the market. Thus, this led her to go on and create this luxury and clean beauty brand that would not only take care of skin but also the planet.  After three years of complex research, development, and certification phases, with the help of French experts, she officially launched her brand in December 2019 with a single, multi-purpose product, thereby making a strong statement to say that no one needs a 10-step skincare routine, instead use one efficient multi-tasking product that does it all, which is what gave rise to the ÉclatExtraordinaire production. And as Melissa says, “less is more! This is what luxury is all about,” she also went on to say, “LA FERFANCE will resonate with those seeking authenticity, integrity and real results.” Theirs is a new philosophy of ‘Fusionistique Skincare™’ where the products are the first and only of their kind, fusing 100% natural ingredients, eco-packaging, culture and usage with a vision to the future. The brand in the future, will offer the consumer refills for their existing jars avoiding purchase of full replacements with all the packaging. They see themselves as visionaries and hope by 2025 that they will be regarded as pioneers in the luxury beauty space.

As mentioned previously, Éclat Extraordinaire is a multi-purpose 100% ethical and sustainable balm. They want to offer the best possible luxury skincare experience, with their formula that is entirely free from any synthetics, and contains only carefully chosen ingredients that are 100% natural and clean. The product has already achieved a certification from product and packaging from COSMOS, a membership of COSMEBIO and has been awarded the Butterfly Mark from Positive Luxury. Enhanced with its 67 active ingredients this waterless formula boasts 100% natural hyaluronic acid and bio-active blends.  These include mimosa AKA Australian wattle (pictured above), which is high in polyphenols which provide strong antioxidants; then there’s jojoba and baobab (which we’ve discussed often). The kakadu plum extracts is high in vitamin C (and lesser-known antioxidants like gallic acid and ellagic acid). The buriti oil is rich in beta-carotene and unsaturated fatty acids; plus, there’s vitamin E and seawater from the Brittany coast. This enriched balm also has a combination of Australian herbs and spices which they call their 'Mountain Harvest™’ these are a mix of Aniseed Myrtle Leaf, Mountain Pepper Leaf, and Wild Rosella Flower. These three botanicals are highly effective in offering protection against free radicals and come with anti-ageing actions. The last active ingredient used for this formula is a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that is also by far the noblest on the list: 23K conflict-free Italian gold dust, with the added pearl pigments for extra luminosity. Yes, gold! This gives the skin a warm glow, plus, the gold activates cell regeneration, stimulates elastin and collagen production, and helps the blood circulation, fight toxins, and enhance the gold's anti-ageing effect.

This prestige skincare is a luxurious creamy balm that comes in an elegant and recyclable 50ml glass jar with a gold embossed lid. The texture is quite impressive, as it literally melts into the skin leaving its soft and sophisticated bespoke scent. The product has been clinically tested, and has been specially created to offer smoothness and shine. They suggest 3 different ways to use  Éclat Extraordinaire, as a day and night cream, and also a mask ritual. So far, we’ve used it in two different ways: As a morning ritual, using a small amount between your fingers and apply to cleansed face and neck to wake your skin and give it a nice golden glow boost, where you can either decide to use it as a leave-on day cream for a naturally glowy look or use it as a primer for your make-up, as the sucrose fatty acids ester base act as silky protection that locks in moisture for 24 hours. We also used it as an overnight night balm, for when skin needed a hydration boost. Apply a medium layer to a cleansed or exfoliated face and neck. Then massage the skin either with your finger tips or with a beauty massaging tool to increase the circulation and enhance the actives and vitamins for better stimulation for cell renewal. Our verdict? We loved the versatility of this rich balm, plus the radiant effect it had on our complexion. Probably best suited to the 35+ age group or those with a normal/dry skin type. LA FERVANCE is a brand that will easily seduce those who aspire to a simple but luxurious skincare. However, we think it will appeal first and foremost to those looking for authenticity, integrity, and performance without compromise. The Eclat Extraordinaire balm is available here for €195.00 (approx. £177.75).

Dr Ankerstjerne - URBAN PROTECTION & SUPERFOOD

If you tot up the annual cost of your skincare, does it make you draw breath in horror? When we did this at The Amazing Blog it certainly gave us quite a shock!  We are all for economy and multitasking products, so when we heard about a new advanced Nordic skincare Dr Ankerstjerne , that would not only save us time but money – we had to try it. We also think that it’s perfect as a Christmas gift for anyone looking for a simple anti-ageing skincare routine with excellent results.

Dr Ankerstjerne is an advanced skincare brand developed by two Norwegian doctors, who got their inspiration when they couldn’t find skincare that would endure the extremes of the Scandinavian weather. Stine and Andre Ankerstjerne went on to develop an effective cosmeceutical brand based on one particular insight: Why use multiple products when the key actives needed can be condensed into just a few? In 2018, after five years of research, development, and testing, they decided to launch their own skincare brand with advanced skincare that’s easy to use. To answer the need for a simpler skincare regime, all the products are packed with multiple actives that work in synergy to provide long-lasting results without taking so much time or money. These all underwent clinical and laboratory testing with advanced dermatology equipment to measure very precisely the depth and length of wrinkles, skin firmness, skin elasticity and moisture levels. Dr Stine Ankerstjerne said: “Documentation of our skincare range’s effect assures us that our products do what they promise. The anti-age effects have been thoroughly investigated in double-blind, long-term studies, where independent dermatologists have performed advanced 3D scans of the skin of test subjects before and after the test period. The impressive study results showed a reduction of wrinkles, increased moisture content in the skin, as well as improvement of skin elasticity and tightness.” There is a core range of five products, all of which are high in vitamins and antioxidants (see here ) where these target anti-ageing for all skin types. They are also vegan, free from paraben, silicone and microplastics. 

We received two products, both beautifully presented with simple and clean white branding. The first product that we reviewed is the URBAN PROTECTION Anti-pollution/Anti-ageing day cream . As the name suggests,  this cream is to be used in the morning to hydrate and safeguard skin against environmental pollutants and aggressors. This is one of the few creams that we’ve tried that offered SPF 30 UVA and B filtering and quick absorption into the dermis. Best of all,  for us, it doesn’t leave a white residue or clog the pores! It uses CityStem™ an ingredient known to restore the autophagic functions that can be altered by pollution in order to detoxify skin cells (i.e. it reduces the penetration of air pollution into the skin, strengthen the epidermis, and limits DNA damage). To slow ageing signs, this is combined with niacinamide (vitamin B3), well-known for its hydration and skin barrier function, as well as reducing hyperpigmentation. It keeping wrinkles and fine lines at bay, whilst improving skin texture and elasticity by boosting the collagen production. After using, their testers found that in eight weeks the wrinkles were decreased by 24% and noticed an increase in skin elasticity and firmness. We think that if, like us, you live in a city then this URBAN PROTECTION day cream will soon become a must-have addition to your daily skincare routine! 

The second product we tried was their  SUPERFOOD multipurpose vitamin facegel. This is what Dr Ankerstjerne calls an “ultra-hydrating antioxidant vitamin bomb”…And we quickly understood why, looking at the list of ingredients: Niacinamide, vitamin B5, A, E and sea buckthorn extract for vitamin C. All of these ingredients are known for their powerful hydrating and antioxidant properties. It offers the perfect cocktail to help reduce hyperpigmentation and skin irritation while helping with skin moisture and maintaining the skin’s natural elasticity and firmness. Because it is so deliciously rich in vitamins, this cool-to-the-touch gel can either be used alone or under your day or night cream, and as an eye contour cream.  This truly is an all-in-one anti-ageing product and here, after eight weeks the clinical tests with SUPERFOOD it showed 10/10 results for improvement of wrinkles/elasticity and firmness.  We used this alone at night where it felt cooling, fresh and moisturising. When used under URBAN PROTECTION, it gave us the reassurance that we needed, for our skin to be adequately shielded from pollution and chilling winter weather. It is easy to use, timesaving and we think good value for money as a high-performance cosmeceutical. Rest assured these two products will be a good investment and your two great allies for all-year-round protection. You can purchase the 50ml URBAN PROTECTION day cream here for 850.00nok (approximately £70.50), and the 50ml  SUPERFOOD multipurpose vitamin facegel here for the same price.

Evese London: Si'Nekra Mud Mask & Hydra'Moist Daily Moisturiser

We all need a little pampering at the moment, and at The Amazing Blog with Christmas fast approaching. we’ve found a luxury skincare brand that offers just that with Evese London.

After growing up around women and hearing their discussions about their appearance, founder Andreas Samiotis wanted to create a luxury skincare brand of his own. He was curious about the multitude of skincare products that he had witnessed growing up and wondered what made each one special. After much research, he decided to try and find a way to take the very best ingredients from each product, and then put them into one. Thus, Evese was launched in 2019, where Andreas has created a brand of natural skincare that performs, is cruelty-free and has a low carbon footprint. The environmental impact of the ingredients has been a paramount factor when creating the brand and bringing it to market. Today Evese London has six spa-grade products in its premium skincare range, and even offer a short questionnaire here to help the customer find the right product for their individual skin type.

The two product that they kindly sent to were their Si’Nekra Mud Mask and The Hydra’Moist Daily Moisturiser. Let’s start with their hero product Si’Nekra Mud Mask which translates from the Greek as the ‘Dead Sea’ Mud Mask. This mask extracts toxins from the skin, giving it a healthy and glowing appearence. It helps reduce fine lines, minimise pore size and replenish the skin with vital minerals and vitamins. This mask we found is best used as part of a weekly routine applied on face, neck and décolletage area only (avoiding the delicate eye area). In this grey mud mask, the three most active ingredients are dead sea mud, volcanic ash, and kaolinite, which all work together to cleanse and refresh the skin. Dead sea mud works to get rid of impurities, the salt and magnesium here help boost skin elasticity. Volcanic ash has cleansing, purification and exfoliating properties. Kaolinite gets rid of dead skin cells and absorbs impurities from pores. Other key ingredients include tea tree oil, titanium dioxide, shea butter. With slightly more unusual chondrus cripus (Irish moss) which apart from being packed full of vitamins and minerals is also a conditioning agent and often used as a to regulate the viscosity of a product. The allantoin here is extracted from the root of the comfrey plant, it is a gentle, soothing and protects the skin. We found that unlike other liquid face masks, that dry almost instantaneous when it is applied, this stays moist (the shea butter perhaps?) We let it sit on the skin for 10-15 minutes then gently removed it in circular motions with warm water. It left our skin feeling fresh and super-hydrated with the hint of a citrus fragrance. Evese suggests following this step with their Hydra’Moist Daily Moisturiser, which we duly did.

All skin needs to be hydrated; whether you have dry skin or an oily complexion, good hydration is vital. The Hydra’Moist Daily Moisturiser is for all-day full-on hydration. This moisturiser helps protect the skin from pollutants with the three actives, opuntia streptacantha (prickly pear extract), ophiopogon japonicus (snake’s beard root extract), and panthenol (provitamin B5) that all work together in the formula to give maximum hydration. Prickly pear provides soothing properties, ideal for acne-prone, dry and sensitive complexions. It’s also age-defying and can improve overall skin tone. Snake’s beard root boosts the skin’s moisture-retaining ability which in turn protects it from dryness with its enhanced skin barrier function. Whereas provitamin B5 has a calming effect on the skin – again it increases skin hydration and creates a protective barrier. We found that when applied, this Hydra’Moist felt silky and soothing, and offered more than adequate protection against the cold winter elements. Best of all, we think that the Hydra’Moist makes a great primer for makeup allowing foundation or powders the perfect canvas for an even application. So, why not treat yourself (or others) with this luxury skincare duo for good skincare protection for the winter. To purchase the 250g Si'Nekra Mud Mask for £40 see here. Or the 50g Hydra’Moist Daily Moisturiser for £41 see here. There is even an option to purchase them as a bundle here for £72.

APEX High Performance Bio-Serum by Lamiderm Skincare

Apex High Performance Bio-Serum By Lamiderm Skincare

The Amazing Blog is here to bring you an exciting new skincare product that has arrived in the UK with an unsual and unique hero ingredient. The US brand LifePharm Global Network has launched Lamiderm APEX High Performance Bio-Serum an innovative product which help us tackle the ever-foreboding issue of ageing skin. Distributed here in the UK by Discover 9 whose mission is to help individuals attain optimum health and wellness. 

So a little bit of background first. The production of lysyl oxidase decreases (LOX) as we age, and it is this LOX that naturally activates collagen, elastin and fibronectin. It is these skin fibres that keep us looking young and our skin firm and lifted. The APEX High Performance Bio-Serum actually helps to supplement the body's LOX production for improved collagen, elastin and fibronectin at the cellular level which in turn helps to promote the body’s production of LOX. The unique key ingredients for APEX High Performance Bio-Serum is harvested from LifePharm fertilised Avian egg extract and is the first known skincare product to utilise this revolutionary ingredient and the science is explained here .

Additional to the fertilised Avian egg extract, the APEX Bio-Serum formula also includes a 'radiance complex' for brightens the skin which is comprised of seven Swiss alpine plants and have been scientifically proven to improve cellar health. Vitamins C, E and CoQ10 are included too for protection against photo-ageing, whilst a blend of five fruit extracts support cells shield the complexion from pollution and UV radiation. What we particularly like is that the serum's carrier is a nutritious concoction of Aloe Vera juice, sunflower seed and coconut oils.  

As they say, the proof is in the pudding: 87% of users reported smoother skin, 88% more supple and healthy skin and 86% tighter and firmer skin after twice daily use. We certainly could detect a subtle change in skin texture; however, we think it needs more long term use for more significant results as we only used it for a couple weeks. What we also like about this serum is that it is not tested on animals, it is hypoallergenic and is free from all sulphates. You can see for yourself by purchasing the serum through their website here for £64.97