Berrichi - Day Age Defence & Night Power Defence

We think it’s important to use different types of skincare for day and night and at The Amazing Blog, we’ve discovered a great natural skincare brand Berrichi with their Day Age Defence and Night Power Age Defence, both of which contain very special extracts from green and red microalgae. Berrichi firmly believes in the philosophy that clean and natural is best for the skin, which is a philosophy that we can certainly get behind!

Berrichi is a brand that hails all the way from Estonia, it was founded by Berit Joosep, whose struggle with dry skin and inflammation prompted her to look for natural alternatives. Thus Berrichi was born where it started life made small batches in Joosep’s kitchen, where she drew inspiration from books on herbal culture and ancient beauty techniques. Today Berrichi is a multi-award-winning skincare brand, exporting globally and recognised for leading the way with ‘clean beauty’ and its unique botanicals.

The two products that we reviewed were their Day Age and Night Power Defence creams, both which are recommended to be used together. They feature some of nature’s strongest antioxidants, with their unique microalgae-based astaxanthine an extract derived from the green algae haematococcus pluvialis, the carotenoids contained in the astaxanthin protects the cells from free radicals (a natural antioxidant 500 x more powerful than vitamin E. and 800 x more effective than CoQ10). The red algae furcellaria which is found in the Baltic sea is a strong neutraliser of free radicals, anti-pollution and removes toxins. These are blended with other ingredients of cacay, avocado, apricot, jojoba and kukui oils, all of which help the skin to bloom. You may be questioning the ingredient of algae; well we learned that it has long been a hero ingredient for centuries in Asian beauty with its moisturising, calming and anti-ageing properties. This powerful combination of botanical ingredients penetrates the dermis to give the skin an even texture, aiding skin tone and supporting elasticity and immunity.

Let’s begin with The Day Age Difference, which won Editor’s Choice at The Beauty Shortlist Awards in 2018. It offers 24-hour hydration for a soft, youthful glow while calming irritated, inflamed or hypoallergic skin. The Day Cream is light and absorbs quickly, making it ideal to use alone or as a makeup base. It retails for 36€ for 50 ml here.  Then there is The Night Power Defence, which has a thicker formulation for slower, deeper overnight absorption. The Night Power Defence cream provides deep nourishment, hydration and regeneration, leaving the skin firm and balanced. It helps to slow down the signs of ageing while improving collagen production and the removal of toxins. It can be purchased for 39€ for 50ml here.  

Both products are free from parabens, sulphates and vegan, organic and cruelty-free. We think that they make a perfect combination for city living protecting us from pollution, whilst also delivering long-lasting hydration. Keep an eye out for Simon’s review of their Smoothing Age Defence which will appear shortly. We can’t wait to try more from Berrichi and they certainly get the thumbs up from us!

Codex Beauty – Bia Skin Superfood

Here at The Amazing Blog we’re always on the search for new and innovative products, particularly ones that will hopefully live up to our high expectations! One of our recent #amazingfinds is the Irish brand Codex Beauty, which has a collection of organic skincare that combines both science and nature.

Created by Irish herbal scientist, Tracey Ryan, who has combined Irish botanicals free from harmful chemicals with her latest cutting edge scientific technology. With Ireland’s small population and low level of pollution, a little known fact is that it has the highest proportion of natural vegetation in Europe, where plants grow rich and robust ready to use in Codex’s ingredients. What impressed us is that Codex are mindful of sustainability as well as what materials they use with their COSMOS-certified formulas.  So it’s good to know that their tubes made from plant-based polyethylene  (PE) materials; paper is sourced from sustainably managed forests for their cartons, which have renewable fibre certified by the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).

Knowing all this, we were excited to try their hero product Bia Skin Superfood. This organic plant-based product that has undergone pharmaceutical grade processing made with their BiaComplex™ and has already been through lots of efficiency trials too. Bia Skin Superfood is recommended for face, hands and body cream targets dry, flakey or any area which has irritation. Key ingredients are calendula and immortelle botanicals which both have incredible anti-inflammatory properties to help firm, soothe and protect the gentle layer of skin. The other ingredients are marshmallow, heart’s ease and comfrey which moisturise, offer protection and help to rejuvenate the dermis.

Unusually fragranced with the herbaceous immortelle (a subtly sweet and honey-like fragrance) what we particularly like is that this cream is gentle enough to be used on skin conditions such as rosacea, eczema psoriasis or sunburn. So, if you’re travelling and only have room for one cream – make it this one,  at 75ml it will fit snuggly into your clear plastic bag for carry-on.  It’s also vegan and cruelty-free cream comes in an elegant green tube at the retail price of £48 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.

Kaneh - Cleansing Bar & Skin Purifier, Glossy Lip Recover

As the world is migrating towards more natural and organic products, especially in the world of beauty and cosmetics, here at The Amazing Blog, we are always thrilled to try out new products with different or unique compositions and formulas. CBD infused beauty products are now slowly but surely making their mark here in the UK. We recently discovered a new brand called Kaneh that creates CBD infused products which when used, reap enormous benefits.

Co-founders Julie and Fam are both passionate about creating new and improved products. They believe that taking the best skincare ingredients and combining them with the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD will result in long-lasting skin rejuvenation. Using this belief and converting it to an actual formula, they now have a whole range of effective products to offer. Since its very inception, Kaneh identified the need for the next generation of skincare appealing to cross-gender millennial trends. Kaneh believes that amalgamation of nature and science has the power and ability to enhance lives for the better. Numerous studies have proved that CBD does, in fact, have anti-inflammatory properties when applied on the skin and thus can be used to fight a number of skin problems such as acne or even eczema with its soothing and calming actives. CBD oil also works brilliantly as an anti-ageing substance. CBD oil has antioxidant properties and when used topically, it can effectively reduce signs of visible ageing. By counteracting free-radical damage and reducing the look of inflammation, CBD anti-ageing creams visibly diminish issues like wrinkles, skin dullness, or a ruddy skin tone and have numerous benefits when applied topically.

Additionally, as a brand that focuses on offering natural products, they are also extremely conscious of the environment. This is apparent in their packaging since they use glass and bamboo lids, as well as package their soaps in aluminium tins which can be frequently re-used. Another factor that makes Kaneh extremely attractive to us is the fact that it is a female-led team that is proud to promote and empower women throughout their entire production line. Businesswomen have been featured heavily in their journey and have been crucial in aiding the development of their products. 

We were kindly sent their Kaneh Cleansing Bar and Skin Purifier which is a salicylic acid-based facial soap that provides skin-clearing benefits while also soothing and calming red and inflamed skin with whole-plant hemp extract. It contains full-spectrum CBD of 50mg which means that the product contains all the cannabinoids that are found in the cannabis plant in nature, rather than just CBD (Cannabidiol). The soap also uses activated charcoal that has been treated with oxygen thus giving it the ability to act as a magnet for toxins and impurities. The appeal of skin-perfecting clay gently exfoliates and deep cleans without over-drying, calming redness and giving a healthy glow ensuring you look radiant and beautiful at all times.

Next is the Kaneh Glossy Lip Recover, this Lip Recover comes in three flavours: Neutral, Strawberry and Mango. We tried this is Strawberry and were absolutely smitten. The advanced formula moisturises and nourishes the lips giving them a silky smoothness. Enriched with rich fruit extracts, beeswax as well as oils and butter, this lip balm gives dry lips the necessary moisture while beautifies and revitalises the lips. This Lip Recover also has full-spectrum CBD of a 100mg and has less than 0.02% THC. This addition of full-spectrum cannabinoids with their antioxidant effect to the formula provides a soothing effect to the highly moisturising texture. Both the products can easily be purchased on their official website and are sold for an affordable £11.99 for the Cleansing Bar and Skin Purifier here and £14.00 for the Glossy Lip Recovery here respectively.

Friday Favourites - Luxury Skincare for December

It’s the party season! Demanding schedules, unpredictable weather, an overload of caffeine and often a deficit of sleep can leave your skin and your spirit feeling a little run down and exhausted this time of year. This is why here at The Amazing Blog we’ve decided to walk you through our Friday favourite skincare to rescue your hard-working self and return you back with a radiant glow. We have picked some of our favourite luxury skincare products from some of the trusted brands whose other products we previously featured: Albiva, Repechage and Tiiya.

Let’s begin with one of our early #amazingfinds, the luxury skincare Albiva who are also the recent winners of the Next British Beauty Brand. With the constant gravitation towards technological advancement in almost every industry, it’s no surprise that the beauty industry is setting foot in the same and delivering magically effective products. Albiva is a natural skincare brand where science and nature come together to showcase optimum results. It is vegan, cruelty-free and gender-neutral and this award-winning skincare brand uses effective technology, where the brand confidently maximises the therapeutic benefits of all their ingredients in each and every product. To quickly refresh your memory, we recently reviewed their ECM Advanced Repair Brightening Serum here

One of their many products that distinctly caught our eye is the ECM Advanced Repair Lift & Firm Moisturiser. Made with rubusiIdaeus fruit water, argania spinosa kernel oil and simmondsia chinensis seed oil amongst various others, the product is free from toxic chemicals, parabens, animal derivatives etc. The Moisturiser is enriched with intensive actives that work in synergy to support the skins self-healing properties at a cellular level. With the use of this product, even for a short while, we noticed our skin felt more hydrated and radiant with notable plumpness and reduction in fine lines.

Additionally, Albiva’s ECM Advanced Repair Eye Lift is a true game-changer. We all know the pains and struggles of puffy dark under eyes that often leave us overloading our faces with concealer. Albiva’s Eye Lift gives you fresh and bright under eyes that minimize the appearance of fine lines resulting in a fresher and better version of yourself. Made with 96% natural ingredients and 82% certified organic ingredients, this highly concentrated yet lightweight eye treatment is enriched with peptides and multiple antioxidants that provide intense hydration alongside protection against oxidative stress. This luxury skincare brand carries with itself a promise of radiant, glowing and youthful skin that they deliver with utmost precision. You can purchase these products starting at £145 for The ECM Advanced Repair Eye Lift and £165 for The ECM Advanced Repair Lift and Firm Moisturer here.

Up next is a salon brand Repechage, Beauty from the Sea. Their new Vita Cura Mask brings the luxury of a spa to your very own home. We tried out the B3 Lifting Mask for smoother, younger-looking skin and noticed it had an instant effect. This resulted in the skin that looking plump with visibly improved texture, diminished signs of ageing and a restored look of skin firmness for a complexion that glows. The face mask is not only dermatologically tested but also in fact plastic surgeon recommended as it features ingredients like extract of kappaphycus alvarezii and caesalpinia spinosa fruit,  plus an exclusive, nutrient-rich and sustainably harvested lamaria digitata seaweed filtrate; all of which help to deeply replenish and hydrate the surface of your skin. Again, those of you who are regular readers will know that we’ve fans of this particular brand and may remember The Triple Actin Peptide Serum that we reviewed here.

Research has shown that this mask has so far delivered a 58% reduction in the appearance of wrinkles and a 41% reduction in the appearance of enlarged pores. This sheet mask is unique in its composition as well as its results. It combines both the benefits as well as the luxury of a day spent at the spa all from the ease and comfort of your very own home. A set of 5 Vita Cura B3 Lifting Masks can be purchased together with a free Ionto Massager for only £75 here

Last, in our line-up are two skincare products from Tiiya Alanoud Alattiya – perhaps better known as a leading couturier and for her fragrance Rose Oud Epiphany Eau de Parfum, which we reviewed here.  Let’s start with the Epiphany Regenerative Day Cream, Rigorously tested in laboratories in Paris, the Regenerative Day Cream is the perfect foundation for healthier glowing skin. Like a shield of armour. The Regenerative Day Cream protects the skin against the effects of environmental factors like the sun and wind, not only does it protect it also nourishes the skin on a cellular level and promotes cell growth. One of the key ingredients is organic Bulgarian rose oil, which has anti-inflammatory properties as well as regenerative effects on the skin, hence the name Regenerative Day Cream. The cream also contains their special ingredient of Phytocelltec™ Alp Rose, a Swiss flower that grows at high altitudes, forcing the plant to adapt to extreme conditions and thus develop unique botanical properties. When used in skincare, it helps to maintain the characteristics of skin stem cells and protects the cells against UV-stress.

Then there is the Epiphany Renewing Night Cream. It works overnight while you’re sleeping to improve the vitality, youthful glow and natural beauty of your skin. We like how fast it is to absorb into the skin, giving the complexion a moisturised feel without being heavy or weighed down. All of Tiiya Alanoud Alattiya’s products are paraben, silicone, preservative, mineral oil and colourant free. The creams come beautiful packaged with the push-down dispenser with low waste as it dispenses the perfect amount every time. You can purchase the Epiphany Regenerative Day Cream here for $130 per 50ml or the Renewing Night Cream for $135 per 50ml here.