Quarnero: Fleur de Sel Relax Bath Salts

With winter still upon us here, at The Amazing Blog we love taking a hot bath at the end of the day, to warm up before bed and soak away the day. We've recently featured a few different bath products, but today we have an exceptional and award-winning brand Quarnero, with their delicate and unique Fleur de Sel Relax bath salts. 

Quarnero was founded by mother and son Zorica and Rešid Seferović, and is based in the Kvarner region in Croatia. They produce natural and organic face & body oils and bath salts, which have up until recently, been primarily created for the spa and salon sector. Their ingredients are mainly derived from the local region where the wild plants flourish in the clean air, and the unpolluted Dalmatian shoreline gives life to their fleur de sel. Otherwise, other key organic ingredients such as organic cold-pressed sesame oil and a few of the essentials oils are carefully sourced from selected organic locations. They use organic biodynamic plant actives combined with their time-honoured knowledge of ancient medicinal remedies to bring these select products to life – for Quarnero their brand ethos is to get’ back to basics’ and ‘less is more’. All products have the prized certification from NATRUE, International Natural and Organic Cosmetics Association https://www.natrue.org, who are committed to promoting and protecting global natural and organic cosmetics. All Quarnero products are handmade, vegan and delivered in solid, simple apothecary-style jars with Miron violet glass. Interestingly, this violet glass is scientifically proven to maintain fresh ingredients longer than clear glass. It also acts as a barrier preventing the loss of bioenergy, enzymes, smell or colour from the product stored within, making preservatives less necessary. The brand is now available in 39 countries, with six products in total, which are within the two ranges of Face & Body Oils and Bath Salts.

These Fleur de Sel Relax bath salts were a recent Wellbeing Winner, named as the Best Bath Soak at the global 2020 Beauty Shortlist Awards. As the name suggests, these contain the beautiful fleur de sel crystals, together with Quarnero organic botanical oils. When poured into the bath, this heady mix is slow to dissolve, fragrancing the water which in turn, absorbs into the pores relaxing the body. Any undissolved fleur de sea crystals can also be used to gently exfoliate and stimulate the lymph,as well as improving the skin's texture by making it soft and smooth. Fleur de sel is a salt enriched with natural minerals such as calcium, magnesium and iodine from the Adriatic Sea. It forms in oceanic conditions in seawater; it’s flaky, fragile and forms either as flat mass or as hollow pyramids, which look like angular delicate flowers (hence the name ‘flower of salt’). These bloom and float on the surface and are carefully harvested by hand. Fleur de sel is known as the purest form of salt on earth, as it contains no impurities or bitterness from the sea. Its been a tried and tested formula for therapeutic bathing since the Roman Empire and some even say that these salts have the aroma of violets.  Apart from the salts, other ingredients include oils from lavender, bergamot orange peel and geranium leaf. Lavender, as we know, relieves stress and aids sleep. Bergamot has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and soothes the skin. The geranium leaf has been used as far back as the Egyptians in tea to alleviate anxiety and fatigue. When I opened the jar of Relax Bath Salt, it immediately filled the room with its notes of lavender, bergamot, geranium leaf; and the potent fleur de sel. Another one of our #amazingfinds, it was deliciously intoxicating and from just opening the lid, I could slightly ‘taste’ the saltiness in the air. I can honestly say, that I could not get enough of these Relax bath salts. They made me feel uplifted, and yet tranquil, relaxed and at peace. With all the lockdown, stress and anxiety – what better way to soak away the worries of the day and get a good night’s sleep? To purchase the Relax Bath Salt in 450g at €94,49 please email info@quarnero.hr for enquiries due to the online shop currently being unavailable.

Ann & Eli Apothecary- Happy Period Tea

We knows how many women dread that ‘time of the month’ and at The Amazing Blog we like to find new ways to help ease period pains. Welcome Ann & Eli Apothecary who have created a solution with their Happy Period Tea.

Founder Andrea Bomo is a holistic wellness coach based in Montreal with a background in journalism. After her own rocky path in life, and after hearing others stories, this propelled her on to the natural health and wellness path. She spent her early twenties not paying much mind to her diet or mental health and suffered from chronic illness and depression. She was later diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome; which is when she decided to prioritise her health. Bomo is a great believer that there is a connection between our emotional and physical health. Thus her drive and inspiration behind creating Ann & Eli Apothecary is to help other women in need of support and guidance, especially to “ live naturally healthy lives and take care of their little ones.” Ann & Eli Apothecary specialise in a wide range of healing organic herbal teas and tinctures.

 The Happy Period Tea comes as a loose tea in a 57g bag with twenty five servings/portions. This tea is labelled as a menstrual cramps relief tea, but it can also help PMS and to help regulate the menstrual cycle. We recommend you use this tea if you have period pains before or during menstruation, experience PMS, have irregular periods, heavy bleeding, or have missing periods (amenorrhea). NB: They say please do not use this tea if you are pregnant. The suggested intake is to drink one to three cups a day, starting three days before the first day that your period is due. Scoop around one teaspoon of the tea into a cup or tea infuser before adding in boiling water, then allow the leaves to steep in the water for up to 15 minutes. After steeping, strain the leaves out and enjoy. Red raspberry leaf helps support healthy menstruation, toning the uterus, lessens cramps, and helps to regulate mood and hormones. Yarrow is used to relaxing the muscle in both the intestine and uterus. Sage is another ingredient that helps regulate the menstrual cycle in amenorrhea. Lemon balm also helps to relieve menstrual cramps and premenstrual syndrome. Mugwort, sounds worse than it is (!) and increases circulation to warm up the uterus, and also regulates hormone levels. The zingibain enzyme found in the ginger helps your body fight against inflammation. As mentioned, Ann & Eli Apothecary have a range of other herbal teas. These range from those for nursing mothers, pregnant women, and some are for the everyday person for everyday use, such as Cleanse Organic Liver-Detox tea and Morning Boost, to even Beauty Sleep and an immuniTea – something we all need now that we’re in #lockdown! To take period pains away try Happy Period Tea here 57g for £12.70.

AnneMarie Skincare: Palo Santo Body Butter

We at The Amazing Blog know that taking care of the skin on the body is just as important as taking care of your face. Particularly in these cold winter months and for those with a propensity to dry or cracked skin. We found that looking for a rich, hydrating and natural body butter that performs can be a bit of mission. We’ve heard a lot of good things about the brand AnnMarie Skincare and their hero product Palo Santo Body Butter and could wait to put it to the test.

The story begins with AnnMarie and Kevin Gianni, who at the time in 2008 were both healthy living bloggers, set out on a trip through North and South America. They spent their journey looking for natural care products and sharing them with their viewers on their YouTube channel, The Renegade Health Show.  After multiple viewers asked Annmarie what products she used, like many people, she realised they weren’t as clean and green as she wanted. While trying to find cleaner and greener products, she found nothing that was to her standards. AnnMarie randomly found a company after visiting a small spa in Patagonia, Arizona, United States. She contacted the brand founder Bunnie a herbalist and chemist, on working together on a collaboration for a natural skincare line and sell it on a bigger scale rather than just at the spa. In 2009, AnnMarie Skincare launched in collaboration with Bunnie and the brands has gone on from strength to strength winning awards and gaining global recognition. Their artisan products are non-GMO, cruelty-free, wildcrafted and contain organic ingredients wherever possible; these all come about through their 3-step process. In their first step, they choose their organic and wildcrafted ingredients and audit them to ensure purity. Their step two is infusing herbs into aloe vera and skin-nourishing oils for up to 30 days to create a base. The third and final step is to carefully craft products using numerous other natural ingredients such as oils, plant extracts.

In these uncertain times with lockdown, we think giving skin a little self-love and care is much needed. The Palo Santo Body Butter is a truly luxurious body treatment. It is formulated specifically to get the skin hydrated and healthy. This Body Butter includes key ingredients of shea butter and fair-trade cocoa butter which are both known to give the skin great hydration. The shea butter not only hydrates but helps the fight against ageing and soothes sensitive skin. The cocoa butter includes fatty acids which help tighten the skin’s appearance, with antioxidants that protect the skin's surface from oxidative damage caused by free radicals and environmental aggressors and give this butter its subtle chocolatey aroma. There is jojoba packed with vitamins such as E and B, and ideal for sensitive skin.  Kukui nut is for soothing and softening without leaving a greasy film and is beneficial for eczema and psoriasis. Whereas the macadamia reduces the appearance of ageing and has manganese, an essential mineral required for collagen production. The four essential oils here are cardamon, palo santo, vetiver and nutmeg. The cardamon is full of vitamin C improving the tone and texture of the skin and is a great antioxidant. The palo santo, which the product is named after, is an essential oil that has calming effects for the body and soul, it is a rare oil extracted from trees in Ecuador. It has a unique fragrance and is often used in ‘smudging’ rituals to clear and calm a room. The vetiver and nutmeg warm the skin and adds to the scent. The fragrance is unusual we could pick out the cocoa butter and vetiver and nutmeg in particular, what we loved was the performance. It is rich and luxurious as it says, but also long-lasting. When applied in the morning we found it kept skin soft throughout day and night, shielding and protecting and was still evident on the skin when showering the following morning. It is expensive but as we often say, a little goes a long way and this 200ml tub will last a good month or so. The Palo Santo Body Butter was sent to us by UK online retailer Live in the Light. They believe that products you put on your body have an impact on your health. All the products that they stock are natural, organic and chemical-free, you can purchase the Palo Santo Body Butter here for £69.50.

Gloh - Beauty Powder

What’s the secret to achieving glowing skin? We think a good place to start is from the inside out and here at The Amazing Blog, we love skincare that is made simple. Meet  Gloh who have a Beauty Powder targeted to bridge the gap between skincare and supplements, and which aims to help maintain a youthful appearance.

Gloh is a new Scottish supplement brand launching with its hero product ‘Beauty Powder’; which in simple terms, is a drinkable skincare product. ‘Gloh’ is an interesting play on words, promising to give a ‘glow’ and to be a real game-changer for anyone wanting to up their skincare regime. It’s a powder that comes individually wrapped in branded paper sachets, all presented in comment-worthy and elegantly styled peachy-pink box, making it very pleasing to the eye. This digestible skincare has key ingredients of hydrolysed marine collagen peptides (therefore not suitable for those who have fish allergies) and hyaluronic acid. The other goodies included are vitamins like B7 (D Biotin), B2 (riboflavin) B12 (cyanocobalamin), B6 (pyridoxine) and A (retinol). These combine with citric acid, natural peach aroma, beta-carotene and steviol glycosides. 

As regular readers will know we’re fans of all things collagen, not only for our skin but also for our joints and bone function; so this product certainly piqued our interest. Gloh claims to have ingredients to support the skin giving it an appearance of being more firm and plump with a collagen boost that hydrates and supports cell health. To start, mix one packet daily into a glass of water, it tastes like sugary peach water and can be drunk alone or added to juices and smoothies. We experimented by adding this packet to a plant-based banana smoothie which gave an added burst of fruit. It doesn’t matter if your skin is oily or dry, the powder is ideal for all skin types. The Gloh box contains 28 sachets for a 28-day supply. Suitable for almost everyone (with the exceptions in FAQ here ) and yes we’d recommend this, although with only a 28 day supply to try, it’s difficult to say if we saw a difference. We think that you probably need three months-worth of the product to see proper results.  Why not treat yourself and get your skin ‘Gloh-ing’, available here for £24.99. If you hurry, as of today they have 20% discount!