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.

Black Ink - CBD Infused Coffee

We’ve previously introduced CBD oil, skincare and a few edibles; today we’d like to talk about another way of getting your daily dose of CBD, that we’ve been experiencing at The Amazing Blog. It’s one that’s perfect for the coffee enthusiast, or for those who want to try CBD, but dislike the earthy taste of hemp. Welcome Black Ink CBD Coffee.

Black Ink CBD Coffee is founded by Irish entrepreneur Gavin RC Moore and is now one of the leading CBD coffee brands here in the UK and Ireland. It owes its reputation to its premium-quality organically certified Arabica coffee beans, and its full-spectrum infused European CBD. The coffee beans are grown on the Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, which is what gives the beans their world-renowned flavour. You’re probably wondering what purpose there is to mix CBD and coffee. Well, CBD and caffeine each have similar beneficial properties, some of which include mood-lifting and antioxidant effects. Because of these shared properties, caffeine and CBD enhance each other. As most of our regular readers will know, the real benefit of taking CBD is to calm anxiety and nerves and help soothe pain, as it has a ‘relaxing’ effect. As surprising as it may be, this is where the CBD comes into play; its relaxing effect balances the stimulant of the caffeine, helping to eliminate the jitters and anxiety. Now, you might be wondering how you are going to get your usual morning pick-me-up if there is CBD inside. Rest assured, the CBD will not completely overpower the caffeine, so you will still be able to get that alertness from your morning coffee, the caffeine’s ‘drawbacks’ are simply balanced. The result is a pretty good feeling of being energised but relaxed all at the same time, a sort of ‘serene concentration’.

The girls at the office have been having this as their morning coffee, and say that the coffee tastes rich and smooth with a touch of very well-rounded nuttiness and subtle berry flavours. However, interestingly not with a trace of hempiness! It’s an almost identical match to pure Arabica coffee, with no bitter aftertaste. On the safety and ethical sides, you’ll be pleased to know that this product is third-party lab tested, that the grains and hemp used for the blends are organic and that their packaging is entirely recyclable. Each pack has 200g of CBD-infused ground coffee beans and should make about 20 cups. A cup of coffee includes approximately 10mg of CBD which provides you with your morning wellness nutrients (it takes about 20 minutes for these to spread through the body).  We used our trusty Aeropress for single cups. They suggest brewing your coffee in a cafetiere, by adding about 10-15g of Black Ink CBD Infused Coffee per person, pour near-boiling water, stir, and cover. Wait about 3-4 minutes, then push the strainer down. Your CBD-infused cup of coffee is now ready! Even though this is the traditional way to make it, you can also drink it as a cold brew. Like any other coffee, it should be kept in a sealed container in a cool, dry place and away from direct sunlight to last. Remember, it needs to be consumed with three weeks from opening to get the full benefits from the fresh ingredients. If you want to make BLACK INK CBD Infused Coffee part of your morning routine, you can purchase the pack of 200g for £30 here. You can also turn it into a monthly subscription and save up to 10%.