Afon Mêl - Heather Mead

Regular readers at The Amazing Blog will know, we can’t resist trying a new tipple! If you like us, you thought that honey was something reserved just for your tea and toast, then think again...  Let us introduce you to a honey-based wine, which we found to be so delicious that it rivalled even our most favourite of dessert wines. We’re talking about Afon Mêl’s Heather Mead, whose outstanding pedigree won a 3-Star Great Taste Award in 2019.  You can also see here the video of the judges sampling their Heather Mead here.

Afon Mêl is a family-run honey farm, founded by the Cooper family in 1995 in Ceredigion, Wales. They produce five types of raw honey all which have a unique flavour from the wildflowers from the cwms (a steep-sided hollow) and hedgerows which surround their rural farm. Their bees particularly love the blossoms from sycamore, hawthorn, willow trees, as well as the heather, rosebay, willowherb, clover, blackberries and many more. From one of their special raw honey comes the distinctive flavours that give their Heather Mead its original and characteristic taste.

Mead is made by fermenting honey and water together, this beverage has long earned heritage brewed by monks through the middle ages, and it’s thought to be the oldest alcoholic beverage in the world. Also known as honey wine, mead has been around for millennia with mead makers, sometimes being called ‘mazers’.  The word honeymoon originates from the early tradition of the drink being given to newlyweds. Mead’s been expertly crafted for generations and is mainly responsible for making the Welsh famous and the process of making mead takes place over two year period in order to perfect. One of the key factors in making this beverage is to ferment it at ambient temperatures during the summer months allowing it to mature

Beautifully designed in a slim and elegant bottle, the Heather Mead elixir is golden in colour and fermented using their heather honey which gives a rich almost sherry-like finish.  It’s not a sweet as you might imagine, and they say that it has a slightly smoky taste from the heather. We found it easy to drink (perhaps a little too easy!) and it paired well with pudding or cheese.  Apart from the Heather Mead, Afon Mêl also produce a variety of other flavoured meads including the rather delicious sounding Welsh Chocolate Mead and  Welsh Raspberry Mead. If you’re interested in trying an exciting new tipple, then Heather Mead is for you. The Afon Mêl- Heather Mead is 13% Vol and available in four sizes; we tried the 37.5cl which retails for £11.50 here. We can’t recommend this enough and are certainly tempted to buy a few more bottles of their other Meads and raw honey too.

Friday Favourites for ideas for Mother’s Day

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, here at The Amazing Blog, we’ve rounded up a variety of unusual activities and gifts so that you can show your precious Mother just how much you care.

Why not play tourist for the day on Brigit Bakery’s Afternoon Tea Bus Tour This afternoon tea is a less formal and more fun than a traditional high tea. This tour will allow you both to experience central London via vintage Routemaster bus while sipping on a lovely cup of tea and snacking on an array of sandwiches, cakes and pastries. The tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Tickets can be purchased here for £45. Tours run daily with a 12:30 and 15:00 tour picking up near Trafalgar Square. The 12:00, 14:30, and 17:00 tours pick up at Victoria Coach Station.

Another fun activity to enjoy is a stained glass making class offered by The Indytute.  This class is a full-day workshop where you can create your very own piece of stained glass. This includes everything from soldering the lead, cutting the glass and designing the pattern. The class is led by Aimee McCulloch at her studio in Brixton, where she will teach you the traditional skills involved in this extraordinary craft. Snacks and coffee will be provided; however, it’s advised to bring your own lunch. The next class will be offered on 21 March, perfect for Mother’s Day. Tickets can be purchased here for £140.

Or perhaps find something to help your hard-working Mum unwind at the end of the day? We like the Heathcote and Ivory’s Pinks and Pear Blossom Bathing Flowers. This is one of seven different scents that they offer. This Bathing Flowers scent is fresh and fruity and features (as the name suggests) pink and white blossoms with notes of pear, bergamot and cedarwood. To use, simply tear five to six petals from a flower and scatter in a warm bath to enjoy delicately scented relaxing downtime. The 85g Bathing Flowers Boxes are available for £11 on Heath Cote & Ivory here.

Finally, you could also gift a set of Natural Wellness Boxes with their bi-monthly subscription. The Natural Wellness Box was created by Catherine, a mother of two who has a passion for all things wellness. She primarily designed her subscription box for those with interest in health and well-being but also for those that want to receive a well-deserved treat. All products featured in each box are vegan, cruelty-free and help to promote wellness from the inside out. As an example, this month’s box includes Fais Botanicals ‘Cleanse It’ Oil, Kri’s Awaken Active Eye Cream, Potion London’s ‘Eat Your Greens’ supplement and Raspberry Lemonade Kombucha from Remedy Kombucha, this is just to name a few! The Natural Wellness Box can be bought here. The box is sold each month individually for £37, or you can subscribe for six months for £100 or 12 months for £200. 

We hope that we’ve offered a little inspiration ahead of time for Mother’s Day and of course we realise that no gift or activity will ever do justice in expressing love and gratitude for a very special Mother.

Fi-ne - Body Serums

At The Amazing Blog it’s no secret that we love luxurious body lotions and serums. And probably no surprise that today’s #amazingfinds is on Body Serums. Meet a new German brand called Fi-ne Cosmetics whose rather unique trio of Body Serums are luxurious organic moisturiser-oil-serums specifically created for this area. Their founder had a light bulb moment when she discovered that most people were using luxury skincare on their faces, but completely neglecting their bodies.

Fi-ne Cosmetics was created by Judith Springer in Germany when she couldn’t find a range of natural, healthy and functional deodorants. Since then the brand has evolved to offer body serums, masks, eye serums and perfume oils. Her belief is that she won’t ever bring something to market that either already exists, or doesn’t offer the right solution for the problem. Fi-ne Cosmetics products are handmade, certified organic, 100% vegan and not tested on animals. They are also GMO-free, paraben-free and free from all synthetic preservatives, colours, and fragrances.  Manufactured in a laboratory in Germany, their natural and organic products are made under strict conditions in accordance with the EU Cosmetics Regulation. They avoid plastic materials in their packaging.  Wooden spatulas that come with their cream-based products are created in a workshop for people with special needs in Berlin.

Fi-ne Body Serums are a fusion of a rich nourishing blend of effective oils and a hyaluronic moisturising serum.  These Body Serums primarily feature a distinctive blend of original Australian Bush Flowers. The flower essences contain the individual energy of the specific plants from which they are derived. The second key ingredient is the Mediterranean algae which provide a multitude of protection and healing properties.  There are three different Body Serum in the range which cater to individual needs.

We tried the set of three Body Serums all of which contain the ingredients of cooling and hydrating aloe vera and squalane. Let’s begin with Focus, this uses apricot kernel and safflower seed oils with the wood additions of douglas fir/atlas wood oils, it also has lavender and grapefruit peel oil for a more citrus/woody scent. Focus is for grounding and centring it has helped to boost concentration and clarity. These ingredients also help to restore hydration, leaving skin fresh and radiant. The second we tried was Energy serum as the name suggests it’s empowering and uplifting helping to stimulate collagen and hyaluronic acid synthesis. The key ingredients are sweet almond oil together with hazel and grape seed oils. More unusual here are the palmarosa and manuka branch/leaf oil making the scent ‘warming and comforting’. The final Body Serum in the trio that we tried was Peace serum which helps let go. Since the Peace serum is for use at night time, it features a higher quantity of plant oils,  such as camellia seed and peach kernel oil. It has a delicious and slightly fruity fragrance, where the smell of the dog rose with juniper and lavender oils comes through. This is perfect for city living as its purpose is to repair UVA/UVB and pollution-induced damage, restoring skin while you sleep!

Fi-ne Cosmetics recommends applying the Focus and Energy serums after a shower in the morning and applying the Peace serum before bed in the evenings. Each of the Body Serums scents can be purchased individually in 200 ml or 50 ml sizes. We had the set of three Body Serums in 50 ml which can be purchased here for €50.  We think these make a great gift or for yourself for a little luxurious self-care.

Absolute Health - De-Stress Drops

Alas as humans, we’re not immune to negative feelings triggered by stress, tiredness or anxiety. Here at The Amazing Blog, we know those feelings only too well… Luckily, we were given by Absolute Health their De-Stress Drops which offer a little help here, with a formulation of blended of flower essences and 27% grape-based brandy. Flower essences are liquid extracts used to address a variety of issues ranging from well-being, soul development and mind-body health. They are part of an emerging field of energy medicine, which also includes homoeopathy.

Absolute Health was founded in Russia by Galina Boggis-Rolfe, a specialist in psychosomatic illness and stress-related issues. The De-Stress Drops feature a blend of red chestnut, oak, olive, hornbeam and lotus flower essences, and are free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives. They are also suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

Red chestnut essence is for those who have selflessness, over concern for others, especially for close friends and family. Oak essence helps those workaholic type people who find it difficult to take necessary breaks. Hornbeam essence helps combat that Monday morning type feeling and helps sharpen inner liveliness. And the final essence, lotus flower offers divine inspiration and light as well as soothing emotional imbalances.

Absolute Health suggests their De-Stress Drops are most beneficial in situations such as prolonged stress, working overtime in crisis mode, caring for ill relatives, preparing for exams, or buying or selling a house. To consume, place four drops directly onto the tongue with a clean mouth (no caffeine or strongly flavoured food residue) or they can be dropped into a glass of water. These special drops come in a 10 ml bottle for £10 and can be purchased here. We just can’t wait to put these drops to the test the next time a stressful situation arises!

Eloise - The Queen Eye Shadow Palette

As they say, ‘a queen lies in all of us,’ or at least that’s what the make-up brand Eloise believes, and frankly we don’t disagree. Feeling like royalty on the inside is surely a great boost to one’s confidence, but looking the part, well that can be a little time-consuming to achieve! Luckily, we at The Amazing Blog, found The Queen Eyeshadow Palette by Eloise which has a plethora of colours and textures that will certainly aid the look, with lots of shimmers and shine to keep your eyes bold, dazzling and regal.

Eloise Beauty was founded in 2017, and regular readers of The Amazing Blog will remember that we featured more about the brand’s background and a selection of their gorgeous brushes, and Illuminating drops here. Their aim is to produce quality items and introduce a wide range of trend-led products that break away from conventional eye shadow palettes challenging the consumer to experiment with colours and textures. Their products are visually appealing, dressing table worthy and of course, deliver impeccable results. Their ultimate mission is to create state-of-the-art products that are 100% cruelty-free, exceptional in quality but all at an affordable pricepoint.

The Queen Eye Shadow Palette has an energising colour range, with undeniable strength and exquisite femininity. The palette features an extraordinary combination of 20 different highly pigmented shades ranging from pink and peach to violet and turquoise green, ensuring there’s something for everyone. It includes 8 buttery mattes, 6 dazzling shimmers, 1 pressed pearl, 4 metallics and 1 duo-chrome textured pigment all of which allows you to create a new array of looks i.e. festive and dramatic or soft and understated. Best of all this Palette suits each and every eye colour and skin tone, it has the ability to take you on a journey of its own and finally leaving you wanting more.

We had great fun creating our own special looks (with our different ages/skin tones) there were at least three or four different and favourite colours for each of us. Not only that, this palette is an absolute steal at only £35 and a must-have for every make-up aficionado. You can conveniently purchase The Queen Eye Shadow Palette on their official website here.