Ieva's Makeup - Reusable Strip Lashes + Classic Case

As they say ‘the eyes are the window to the soul’ and they’re the only focal point of the face with the current ubiquitous mask-wearing! At The Amazing Blog, we’ve been learning new tips and tricks to help make our eyes pop and what better way than with some speedy luxury strip lashes to make them flutter.  On our hunt to find good quality lashes we found a new brand Ieva’s Makeup that not offers only reusable strip lashes but lash cases, glues and tools to help apply. 

The eyelash and makeup company Ieva Makeup was founded a year ago by the makeup artist Ieva Bogdanova, best known for her work with top models. She proudly told us that the supermodel Winnie Harlow wore these lashes shortly after they launched. Ieva decided to create her own line of lashes when she became acutely aware of the colossal waste as people throwing away their strip lashes after only a single use. This is when she decided to create a range of reusable cruelty-free luxury faux mink lashes. She also sells glues, an invaluable Lash Applicator Tool and Classic Cases to keep lashes safe and in shape for reuse. Not forgetting to mention, that the entrepreneurial Ieva offers certified makeup courses for any aspiring makeup artists too. 

We received two pairs of FM22 Sassy Lashes which were soft, mounted on a flexible band and easy to apply. We often have trouble finding strip lashes that fit the shape of our eyes and end up bending and trimming them. However, these blended perfectly with our natural lashes and gave our eyes an extra lift. The results were glamorous! Giving our eyes a more intense look by adding a little drama, but without being over the top. Two of us have tried these, and have reused the lashes already 9 or 10 times. Top tip: After use, carefully peel off the adhesive with tweezers, before replacing them back in the moulds in the Classic Case, then they’ll be ready to go again. A quick note to say that the brand has slightly changed its Classic Case design since our photo above, but is still the same shape and design. You can purchase your Classic Case with the pair of Strip Lashes of your choice here for £14.99. Or if you only want the FM22 Sassy Lash you can find them here for £4.99.

Inspira - 4 Men Only 24H Skin Supercharger

As the girls at The Amazing Blog will tell you, I’m hard to please on my requests and this time there was a caveat to my brief... I decided to put them through their paces, asking for an anti-ageing post-shave skincare - but - from a new brand that I’ve never heard of before. Hah, I thought that’ll flummox them. Well, apparently not! They found me this a little known gem called 4 Men Only 24H Skin Supercharger by Inspira, see below.

Inspira is a German company based in Aachen, founded in 2000 and best known for creating solution-based skincare, boasting a motto of ‘maximum effect, but as natural as possible’. As a leading cosmetic laboratory, they create skincare for both the professional and consumer market. All products are formulated using the latest cutting-edge scientific research, with both natural and biotech active ingredients. The 4 Men Only range here has a unique key botanical ingredient called scutellaria baicalensis georgi (aka as Chinese skullcap). This is a hardy plant that thrives in inhospitable conditions and is rich in baikalin (known for its anti-ageing properties) to help delay cellular senescence and promote rejuvenation of skin cells.

The team found this 4 Men Only 24H Skin Supercharger which was shortlisted in 2019 Pure Beauty Awards. It comes with lots of precious and actives such as allantoin, bisabolol and D-panthenol.  Plus the hyaluron and pentavitin provides intensive moisture, while ectoin protects the cells. The other ‘natural’ ingredients include barley, juniper and oak bark these are all anti-inflammatory and skin-soothing, whereas the natural caffeine from guarana enhances a fresh, youthful glow. Lastly, the baikalin here also restructures and tones the skin. The product has a gel-cream consistency I found it very soothing, particularly after the razor scrapes of shaving. They suggest that this is for combination or oily skin, although I have a normal skin type and found it to be very light and hydrating.  Most gel creams are sticky or heavy, but this Inspira cream smoothly blended seamlessly into the skin with its translucent pale blue hue. The aroma is sophisticated, subtle and refreshing - best of all it’s not too over-powering for a night time routine. To use, simply put a small amount in the palm of your hand and gently massage into cleansed skin. They have many other products in the range such as eau de toilette, eye and face lift and body/face wash - all of which are worth checking out too. The Men Only 24H Skin Supercharger comes in 50ml black sealed airless pump with stylish metallic branding and can be purchased for € 29.50 here

Melanoma Awareness Month - A Cautionary Tale from Gillian Robson

Here’s a cautionary tale from Gillian Robson, the co-founder of the suncare/self-tanning brand TanCream with her guide on what to do and look for.

Gillian Robson - Co-founder of Tancream

May is Melanoma Awareness Month and the message here is very clear ‘please be skin savvy during the lockdown.’ As we’re now allowed outside and the lockdown has loosened, the question is: Have you putting on your SPF? Please take a moment to check your skin and if you have any concerns or if anything that does not look quite right, do seek professional advice.

HERE IS GILLIAN’S STORY:

“My first mole appeared on the back of my left leg at the base of my thigh – I first noticed a slight mark and within days it got darker and then within ten days, it became irregular and even darker. My gut instinct kicked in. I knew it didn’t look right so I took myself off to the GP who immediately fast-tracked me. Within a few days, I was in the hospital, had it checked by a dermatologist and it was removed there and then!

We are SO LUCKY to have such an amazing NHS system 

I got my results within about 10 days. A day I will never forget as I walked in to see the consultant only to be faced with a MacMillan nurse when they told me the devastating news. None of us want to hear the word ‘cancer’ but yes it was an aggressive form of Malignant Melanoma (skin cancer) I had to have more surgery to remove more skin, this was the most horrendous and terrifying time. Having to wait for the results to see if it had gone any deeper than 6mm below the surface as this would go into my bones and bloodstream.

This is a mole that Gillian had removed from her face in August 2019

It is so frightening to think if this happens, it spreads rapidly and in most cases, it can be fatal. Thankfully mine was contained in that area and had not spread, what a relief that was! However, 2 months later when I started with back pain the rollercoaster started again. They rushed me in to have some bone scans and blood tests as they were worried it had escaped them – the NHS is incredible – I was fast-tracked to have all the tests, then a wait for 2 weeks for the results seemed like forever, and my life was on hold! I was determined to remain positive and that this wasn’t going to take me away from my family. This I learned from my aunt who died when I was 12, she taught me lots of values in life but most of all to keep smiling and stay positive. Something she did so well during the last few months of her life as she hid her pain from me and that has given me the strength to get through anything. The next two weeks were all a bit of a blur really, but the call came to say I was all clear of any signs that cancer had spread.

My new life began – I was determined to make others understand why it is so important to wear sun protection. I felt guilty that I had used sunbeds, sunbathed with little sun cream on – something that so many of us did as we didn’t know the reality behind the harmful UV rays that the sun did to our skin and how bad sunbeds really are. Now I was paying the price for it all as I now live with skin cancer. I have had 14 lesions removed over the years; basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas all caught in time as I now know what I’m looking for.

Knowing your own skin and any changes is so important. My number one tip would be to photograph all your skin areas. Take them in good lighting and get your partner to take photos of your back and back of the legs – these are the most common areas to get issues as they are the places we miss when applying sun protection.

If there are certain moles or skin issues that your gut feeling makes you feel uneasy then pay more attention to them. Watch those closely every day and take photos (make sure they are taken in the same lighting as previous ones and the same angle). Measure the diameter over a few days if they change then get them checked out – at the moment due to COVID 19 none of us want to have face to face appointments – so give your GP a call, explain exactly how it’s changed and that you have photos. Offer to send them over via email so they can send them direct to the dermatology department and they can look at them more closely – if there are any concerns then they will tell you the next steps.

Early detection in any cancer is key and skin cancer can affect all skin types

Skin cancer is predicted to be the most common cancer by 2024, 86% is preventable if we wear sun protection. Our skin is the largest organ in our body so we must look after it. After all, if there was a cream that we could apply to prevent breast cancer you’d wear it. It is estimated to cost the NHS £180 million this year, so let us start saving them money and looking after our skin.

Gillian as she is today

I also have some more information I can share with you from MelanomaMe a charity in the North East that supports patients and families experiencing skin cancer. Kerry the founder has also had skin cancer so knows only too well how important it is to talk & share your experiences.”

Other UK charities that Gillian suggests are:

• Melonma- Me Foundation

• Melanoma UK

• Macmillan Cancer Support

• Melanoma Fund

• Melanoma Focus

• Donna Annand Melanoma Charity

• British Association of Dermatologists

As a footnote, The Amazing Blog highly recommends Gillian’s Tancream it’s SPF 50 with a 5* UV it’s also a gradual self-tan bronzer that’s anti-ageing, odour and streak-free. As a unique blend of sunscreen and sunless tanning and has become a multi-award winner, recently with The Beauty Shortlist Award for Innovation. See here to purchase your 100ml Tancream at £44.95.

The Spoiled Bee - Cleanser, Mask and Serum

Who doesn’t dream of having perfect skin? Us for one! Here at The Amazing Blog we’re lucky enough to receive lots of fabulous beauty products to test and review, and at this time of year, we’re always on the hunt for light and nutritious skincare to take us through into the summer months. As regular readers will know, we’re especially fond of bee brands particularly those that support beekeepers and their hives.  So, the latest one of our #amazingfinds is The Spoiled Bee, which we recently discovered at the CEW Awards demonstration evening. 

This is a British brand founded in 2017 by France and her daughter Violette. France is a former osteopath who also has a passion for organic products, who went on to study for a master’s degree in the field of aromatherapy. Violette even as a teenager only used the skincare made by her mother using pure and natural ingredients. The Spoiled Bee brand was born out of a desire to protect bees always making sure that the bee products they use are harvested in a way that respects bees and the environment. Within their range of 100% natural and cruelty-free skincare, they offer a specific range of bee products that offer some wonderful properties for skin, body and hair. Quickly added, to avoid any confusion, that not all their products are ‘bee products’. What we particularly applaud this brand for is that when you spend £10 on their website, they ‘give back ‘by sponsoring 100 bees for one month through their network of beekeepers. The Spoiled Bee Company very kindly sent us a selection of their products: The Honey Cleansing Balm (a bee product), the White Coconut Face Mask and their 10% Fruit Enzyme Glow Serum. 

The Honey Cleansing Balm ‘s texture is slightly waxy and what impressed us is that you only need very little to remove even the most stubborn makeup. We even tried it on waterproof mascara with fantastic results. After rinsing, the skin is incredibly soft and moisturised and left us with a subtle glow, it’s also very gentle on the skin without leaving any tight or tingling sensations. The smell is divine, which is not surprising, as it contains apricot, vanilla and sweet almond oil and of course – beeswax/honey. The honey is raw, which offers incredible benefits for the skin both anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial it’s also moisturising and gently exfoliating.

The White Coconut Face Mask was a very pleasant surprise too. It comes in a dry powder form, which unlike some creamy masks, means it has a longer shelf life with no oxidation. We followed the instructions and mixed 1 tbsp of powder with ½ tbsp of water. After leaving the mask on for 15 minutes, we then rinsed it off with a facecloth and warm water. Our pores seemed smaller and skin was left soft, moisturised and fresh. Besides, the healing properties of the coconut milk and kaolin clay the addition of jasmine essential oil is also great for reducing scars and acne. We found that it is ideal even for the most sensitive skin. You can buy the here the 30g White Coconut Face Mask here for £22.80.

Which was our favourite? We have to admit that it was the 10% Fruit Enzyme Glow Serum.  It has a delicious fruity fragrance which made us think of ripe juicy Victoria plums! What we loved about this rich serum is that the skin absorbs it quickly and with impressive ease. We used it in the morning before the makeup and in the evening before going to bed. Our skin felt beautifully silky, nourished and renewed. This little marvel is made from the enzymes of no less than ten different fruits, which act as antioxidants for the skin, and plum kernel oil has vitamins A, C and E as well as Omega 6 and 9, great protection the skin whilst giving it a great boost. You can purchase the 30ml Serum here for £31.20.

Gaia Skincare - The Facial Range Trio

If like us here at The Amazing Blog you’re still being a homeworker in lockdown,  then you too will be missing your regular beauty appointments or your days of relaxation at the spa. Well, today we have a treat for you, with the natural spa skincare brand Gaia Skincare. If you can't get to the spa, then let us bring it to you! Some of you may remember that we’ve previously reviewed some of their body care products here. However, today we’re going to talk about their trio set of facial skincare. 

This award-winning brand Gaia Skincare was founded by Diane Nettleton whose background was in hotel ownership. In 2016, she opened Gaia Spa at Boringdon Hall, which has subsequently led onto the development of treatments and her Gaia Skincare range. As recent a Winner of the prestigious 2020 Beauty Shortlist Awards with their Awaken Body Cream, they also swept the board as Finalists for The Cleansing Balm (which we are featuring below), Body Butter and Awakening Bath Oil. The Gaia Skincare range features three collections: Awakening, Balancing and Calming, each of these collections contains the unique the Gaia Elixir (a crystal infusion with citrine, a crystal primarily used to treat the solar plexus chakra) this gives vibrational and healing benefits and aids emotional balance. All products are made locally and by hand with no parabens, synthetic colours or fragrances. They are natural, containing mainly organic ingredients that are cruelty-free, vegan and very eco-friendly with their fully recyclable packaging.

Indeed, this British spa brand invites you to moments of relaxation and helps you to reconnect with your inner self. We tried The Facial Range Trio which has a Cleansing Balm, an Exfoliator and a Moisturiser for a three-step skincare regime. Let’s start with The Cleansing Balm The first step is deep cleansing, and nothing beats a good facial cleanser for removing all impurities and excess of sebum. This Cleansing Balm has a creamy texture making it easy to apply and remove makeup. Key ingredients include sunflower oil which has a softening and nourishing benefit, arnica montana extract to reduce redness and protect the skin from ageing, and rosemary to prevent blemishes and help regulate excess of sebum. It leaves the skin feeling fresh and glowy. In addition to its gentle fragrance, it has left us with soft and moisturised skin all ready for our next step. Next we have The Face Exfoliator for us for nothing beats a good exfoliator and this one here keeps skin moisturised while also removing all residue of makeup offering a deeper clean. It leaves the skin looking more supple and youthful, thanks to mandarin oil which softens the skin, the extracts of calendula which make the skin and more elastic and the petitgrain which has healing and regenerating properties. Combine these with the exfoliating sugar grains and we noticed how gentle and yet effective these were particularly with those of us with sensitive or problematic skin. Final step: Pamper your skin, we finished with The Facial Moisturiser  Its creamy texture left the skin feeling hydrated and fresh. It also has properties to help the renewal of the cells with coconut oil to nourish and moisturise the skin, apricot kernel oil for a healthy glow and anti-ageing and soothing sweet almond oil to calm and relieve any irritation. We used this cream morning and evening which gave us excellent results. 

Tempted to give you skin a special treat? Then you can buy The Facial Range Trio set here for £85 (which is valued at £123 if you bought each product separately). Or you can buy each product separately with The Cleansing Balm here at £38, The Face Exfoliator here at £35  The  Facial Moisturiser here at £50.