Baie Botanique - Rose Renew Regenerating Face Wash and Renew Regenerating Anti-Ageing Serum

The rose has been coined ‘the queen of flowers’ for its natural beauty and properties that protect the skin from ageing, fine lines and wrinkles; it’s also been used in beauty routines for thousands of years from Cleopatra to the Duchess of Cambridge. At The Amazing Blog, it’s no secret that we have a penchant for all things rose. So, we’re excited to share with you another one of our #amazingfinds  Rose Renew Regenerating Anti-Ageing Serum and Rose Renew Regenerating Face Wash by the organic skincare Baie Botanique. We first spotted this brand as one of the award winners at The 2019 Beauty Shortlist Awards and have been itching to try their products ever since!

When launched in 2014, Baie Botanique’s mission was to create a powerful botanical skincare range with pure and natural ingredients and high organic content. The founder, Sophie Oliver has over 20 years of experience in the beauty industry as a makeup artist. During this time she transitioned to a plant-based lifestyle where she fused her twin passions to form this unique skincare range. Now a multi-award-winning brand, this innovative rose-based botanical range contains plant stem cells that combine ‘wisdom of our ancestors with the power of modern skincare technology.’ Impressively, this brand also has all its products certified cruelty-free and vegan by PETA .

We find it’s best to start with a cleanser, so here’s The Rose Renew Regenerating Face Wash. With ingredients such as rose water, rose absolute and rosehip oil combined together with orange flower water, olive oil and green tea, it’s soothing and cleansing. Plus with the vitamin C here, it’s got added protection for the skin against UV sun damage. We like that it’s easy to use, and gently removed our everyday makeup (and city pollution!) Simply apply to wet hands and massage onto the face and neck. Rinse with warm water to leave skin looking clean, healthy, refreshed and of course rose-radiant. The formula boosts being 70% organic and with 98% naturally derived botanicals and can be purchased here at £19 for 125ml.

The Rose Renew Regenerating Anti Ageing Serum has enriched Ingredients which include bio-actives such as 15% Hyaluronic acid (plant-based), MSM and Glycolic Acid (AHA); these aid cellar renewal, firming and improve the appearance of any fine lines and wrinkles. Apart from the bio-actives, the main ingredients in this award-winner serum are rose water, witch hazel and aloe which together with the other selected botanicals leaves the skin with a brighter, softer, and healthier appearance.  It is light in texture, cooling to the touch and truly smells divine! We also liked that this serum has 80% organic and 98% naturally derived botanicals, it’s quick to absorb and versatile enough to be used both morning and evening, at £34 for 30ml it can be purchased here. This light-weight, gel formula is perfect for applying after the use of Baie Botanique’s Rose Renew Face Wash, and you can buy the two in a duo Cleanse & Hydrate Bundle for £47 here. We hear that they’ll be launching lip balms sometime this year - and we can’t wait to try them and more from the range!  

Lily England – The Marble Luxe Makeup Brush Set & Bag in Black & Rose Gold

Although we’re currently in lockdown, this doesn’t give us the excuse to let our makeup gather dust. Now is the ideal time to ‘brush up’ (excuse the pun!) and improve our makeup skills. However, we remember being told by an esteemed makeup artist that when applying makeup it’s all down to the quality of brushes and ‘technique, technique, technique’. So imagine our delight when The Amazing Blog received this very timely Lily England’s Marble Luxe Makeup Brush Set & Bag in Black and Rose Gold.

Lily England is a British beauty brand created in 2015 by Kayleigh Graham, who previously worked in social media with brands like Selfridges and Burberry. That was when she spotted a gap in the market for stylish makeup brushes and bags, that were both affordable and mirrored the millennial trends. The brand is cruelty-free and vegan with its synthetic hair brushes, and if you’re searching for good quality, ethically produced beauty tools, then Lily England’s brushes are your answer.

The Marble Luxe Makeup Brush Set & Bag comprises of nine brushes: Crease, Angled, Smudger, Pencil Eye, Eyeshadow Packer, Sculpt & Glow, Kabuki Foundation and Large Powder. Not only are these super-soft and great quality, they also have sturdy and stylish rose gold mouldings around the bristles. This brush set comes in a waterproof black marble pouch, making it an elegant and stylish (not to mention insta-friendly) ‘must-have’. Let’s talk about three of our favourite brushes, beginning with the Kabuki Foundation Brush, a foundation brush that is great to use whether it’s with a liquid, or mineral powder. We found that brush strokes magically vanished, it was deliciously soft on the skin and best of all none of the hairs shed on our face! We also enjoyed using the Eyeshadow Packer with our Eloise Queen Eye Shadow Palette (see here for our recent feature). This brush quickly picks up the colour pigment and then reapplies it evenly, which makes it super-easy to blend. Last but not least in our top three, is the Large Powder Brush because it’s an essential finishing step for lightly dusting our loose powder to set makeup.

There’s so much you can do with this Marble Luxe Makeup Brush Set, whether it’s a natural glow or a stronger night-out look, there’s no limit to what you can create. As mentioned earlier, the set comes with its handy pouch so you can keep the collection in your handbag or pack it away for your travels. We think that this set makes the perfect gift or just an update for your makeup brushes. Your Lily England brush set is just one step away… Purchase your Marble Luxe Makeup Brush & Bag in Black & Rose Gold here for £39.99.

Douvall’s - Skin-High: Organic Hemp & Argan Oil and Cannabis & Argan Oil

We don’t know about you, but recently we seem to be plagued by dry skin. Maybe it’s caused by #stayhome #staysafe stress or perhaps the constantly fluctuating change in temperature. In our search for a solution, we’ve returned to one of our favourite and trusted brands Douvall’s, who recently launched two skincare products in their Skin High collection. In the past, some of you will have seen that we’ve written about one of their hero products the Organic Argan Oil Moisturiser here.  At The Amazing Blog what we like about argan oil is that it’s a one-stop ingredient for skin, hair and nails. Today we are exploring their products that combine their hero cold-pressed organic argan oil with both organic hemp and cannabidiol.

Douvalls are best known as a trailblazer with their cold-pressed organic argan oil skincare. Created by mother and daughter Alicia and Georgia Douvall, it’s an award-winning range that harnesses the benefits of organic argan oil either using it pure and combining with other ingredients for their skincare, makeup and more recently hair care too. This is a responsible and eco-conscious company that gives back to the planet. They are also natural, cruelty-free, vegan and contains no chemicals, toxins, artificial fragrance, sulphates, parabens or alcohol. They work closely with The Breast Cancer Haven charity and partner with women’s cooperatives in Morocco where their argan oil is sustainably harvested.

Let’s start with Skin-High Organic Hemp & Argan Oil but don’t get confused with this and their Skin-High Cannabis & Argan Oil. The difference between these two is the ingredients of either hemp or cannabidiol (CBD etc).  The hemp oil is made from seeds of the hemp plant whereas cannabidiol is made from leaves, flowers and stalks of the hemp plant. Both offer their own potent health benefits. Hemp oil is simply obtained by a basic cold pressing extraction; whereas cannabidiol (CBD etc) has to go through a complex and expensive extraction method (known as supercritical CO2 extraction). All ingredients for the Organic Hemp & Argan oil are 100% eco-certified and contain simply 50/50 of each and only that! This rich and powerful oil glides effortlessly onto the skin, rich in linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) and vitamin E. The combination of organic pressed argan and hemp oils here have many extra health-enhancing minerals, such as phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulphur, calcium, iron and zinc. Rich and nutritious, a little goes a long way; it’s great to use by itself or a few drops mixed with your regular moisturiser for added benefit. And in case you are wondering, it’s CBD and THC free and only has the faintest natural hemp oil scent. This comes in two sizes 50ml at £48 see  here or 15ml at £18 see here.

Next is the Skin-High Cannabis & Argan Oil made from cannabidiol and cold-pressed organic argan oil; the argan here contains a high concentration of antioxidants (including oleic acid and linoleic acid) which helps to fight ageing by neutralising free radicals which damage cells. Whereas the 200 milligrams of full-spectrum cannabidiol (CBD,CBDA,CBDV,CBC and CBG) offers this and so much more.  As cannabidiol is produced using the whole plant, it naturally contains very high levels of CBD as well as other organic compounds, known as phytocannabinoids and terpenes. It protects against oxidation and reduces sebum due to its anti-inflammatory properties. It nourishes and hydrates helping the skin to absorb vital nutrients with its high concentration in vitamins A, D and E together with a balance of essential fatty acids (omega 3, 6 and 9 in the same proportions). The cannabidiols also treat skin disorders like dry skin, psoriasis, and eczema. They say it is THC free but the packaging states that it’s full spectrum too (?) Douvall’s, we’re a little confused here… However, we loved the texture and were surprised by its divine delicate and slightly grape-like fragrance. I think out of the two ‘Skin-High’ products this was our favourite. We recommend this as a night oil, as it left skin feeling soft, boosted and revitalised in the morning. This also comes in two sizes, where you can purchase 50ml for £58 here or 15ml for £20 here.

White Lotus Beauty - Crystal Jade Facial Roller

Here at The Amazing Blog, we’re excited to share another one of our #amazingfinds a beautiful Jade Facial Roller from the leading specialists in eastern beauty rituals White Lotus Crystal Beauty. We think that there’s nothing more soothing than rolling away puffiness to leave your skin feeling fresh and ready for the day!

White Lotus Crystal Beauty was founded by husband and wife team, Anthony and Kamila Kington, who both hold degrees in acupuncture and Chinese medicine (Anthony also has a master’s degree in Herbal Pharmacology). This roller is made of the finest grade genuine crystal, which is 100% natural, chemically untreated jade and comes with brass fittings. Jade is traditionally hard to cut and is sometimes treated with chemicals to soften the stone before carving, which in turn can alter the natural balance of the stone. However, what we like is at White Lotus Crystal Beauty they ensure that all their gem rollers are never chemically treated. 

Why use a crystal roller? Because by using crystal rollers on the face, it helps to reduce puffiness and congestion created by lymphatic fluids. With regular use, the jade roller can also increase microcirculation, firm the skin and reduce the appearance of large pores. Acupressure points are also stimulated by the roller, contributing to general health and well-being. Each crystal possesses a different property which benefits the skin, White Lotus Beauty suggests studying the powers of each crystal stone before ultimately choosing the one you feel most attracted to. This nephrite jade is considered a stone of purity and longevity by the ancient Chinese. It affects the heart chakra and is detoxifying and anti-inflammatory, therefore making it ideal for oily or blemish-prone skin.Still unsure how to use it? Then why not do a Jade Roller, Gua sha & Cosmetic Cupping Course online with Anthony and Kamila here.

The Jade Facial Roller is safe to use even on the most sensitive and delicate areas, such as under-eyes or on the throat. To use the roller, apply your favourite serum onto cleansed skin and use the roller across the face in an upward and outward motion. We found that with regular use this Crystal Jade Facial Roller felt cool to the touch and was calming and healing - it also left our skin glowing, toned and feeling more youthful. This Jade Facial Roller comes in a silk-lined presentation box and is available in two sizes, small and large, and also available as double-ended roller in both sizes. The large Jade Facial Roller can be purchased here for £34.00. 

Alvarez Gomez - Agua de Colonia Concentrada

As someone who loves a great refreshing aftershave or cologne, those lovely girls at The Amazing Blog have been sourcing me some great new signature smells to go forth into the summer. I told them to find me something light, breezy and a classic fragrance to boot. They bobbed up with Agua de Colonia Concentrada from the Spanish fragrance brand Alvarez Gomez  In fact, they’ve actually written about their Flores Mediterrneas collection here, so I was curious to try the Agua de Colona Concentrada find for me…

Agua de Colonia Concentrada is a timeless classic cologne and is one of the first fragrances created by the Spanish fragrance house Alvarez Gomez in 1912.  Now with its fourth family generation of owners, this company is a global name with over 100 years of experience in the fragrance sector, well-known for its quality and distinctive traditional fragrances. And as they say about this cologne, “it’s a product that has survived the intense competition of fashion and is knows no age, gender or time…” You’ll often find their fragrances in top 5-star Spanish hotels, showcasing their stylish art deco bottles and sitting in pride of place on many washroom shelves.

This cologne is somewhat zesty and fresh with prominent lemon citrus that really lifts up the fragrance to set it apart from the others. The other top notes are geranium and lavender (two varieties here Spanish and English!) both of which add a little piquant. The middle notes of rosemary and thyme give a more mellow sweet and sour quality to the fragrance followed by the base notes of aromatic bergamot and lavender. This Agua de Colonia Concentrada perfectly captures the scents of the Mediterranean. What I particularly like is their Travel Kit which offers a selection of cologne, deodorant, body lotion and shower gel all for just £34. If you’d like to try Alvarez Gomez - Agua de Colonia Concentrada, it can be purchased here for £30 for 300 ml.  This is definitely topping the list for my go-to summer fragrance must-haves - in fact, it’s a ‘must-have’ for any time of year!