Tanzee - Fairy Dust Self-Tan Drying Powder & Self -Tan Bed Sheet Protector

Yup, it’s the self-tanning season upon us again. With the very sporadic sun here in the UK, we prefer to rely on sunless tanning for our summer glow. Glove hand, self-tan applied – but then, there’s the hanging around waiting for it all to dry… hmm we don’t have much time for that! This is when at The Amazing Blog we made one of our #amazingfinds with the self-tan solution-based brand Tanzee with their Fairy Dust Self-Tan Drying Powder and their Original Self Tan Bed Sheet Protector. 

Tanzee is an Australian brand founded in 2015 by Marissa Rapa, who has a keen eye for both creation and innovation. This brand has found some ingenious ways to make self-tanning easy – the way it’s should be. As trailblazers, they were the first company to introduce their ingenious Self Tan Bed Sheet Protector. Tanzee is known for pushing the boundaries and finding solutions to issues that present themselves to the dedicated self-tan user. What we like, is that they’re all about listening to their customers’ needs.

Let’s start with the Fairy Dust Self Tan Drying Powder. We all know how draining it can be to wait for our self-tan to dry, especially when we’re in a rush. With this new Self Tan Drying Powder, you can wave goodbye to that because this Fairy Dust Self Tan Drying Powder really does dry your tan in seconds, plus prevents any stickiness or streaking A talc-free product, it is made of ingredients targeted at nourishing and hydrating the skin. These include baobab oil, rich in vitamins A, B, and C as well as fatty acids omega 3, 6, and, 9. It also contains potassium, magnesium, and calcium, together with green tea that contains a powerful antioxidant called EGCG that actually helps in fighting DNA damage from UV rays. Lastly, it contains organic coffee oil which improves skin elasticity, tones and even gives it an overall glow. However, let’s not forget that it is infused with a shimmering mica to make you sparkle! Therefore, not only is it going to allow you to enjoy a perfectly tanned skin, it will leave you with healthy, glowing and smooth skin free from chemicals. We think this is a must-have product for any self-tanning aficionados. Purchase here for £13.71.

We also want to talk about The Original Self Tan Bed Sheet Protector. This nifty Bed Sheet Protector stops your self-tan from staining bed linen and we all know how messy that can be… Simply slip your Tanzee between the sheets, insert the pillow into its case, fold the protective flap for arms over the top of your quilt - et voila! The material is 100% vegan friendly and comes in two sizes and three colours, a medium and a large in black, rose gold or silver. We had the medium black coloured Bed Sheet Protector and would advise you to wash it first before use to avoid any dye runs i.e. if have light coloured bed linen. It is simple to use and has saved me from having to endlessly wash the bed linen every time I tan (I can’t stand fake tan on duvets or sheets!) For regular sunless tanning addicts, we’d highly recommend both these products. To purchase the Tanzee The Original Self-Tan Bed Sheet Protector see here for £32.99. 

Masktini Spritz & Masks

At The Amazing Blog, we think that climate change, sun exposure, pollution and the change of seasons all contribute negatively to the changes in our complexion.  With the current lockdown on salons, we’ve been searching out ways to give ourselves a spa-like facial at home. We were recommended to try products from Masktini, a skincare brand where nature meets science. Today we’re featuring the Woke Bae - Whenever Moisture Spritz and their full collection of face masks. 

Masktini is a US skincare brand founded by Olga Parno. Having struggled with sensitive skin and breakouts, with no skincare solutions in sight, she decided it was time to step down from working in a successful career on Wall Street and create her very own skincare range. With her team of skincare experts, Parno created four gentle, and more importantly, results-oriented products, which are designed to help even the most delicate of complexion achieve a better quality of skin. The charming portmanteau Masktini, was inspired by combining her passion for face masks and one of her simple pleasures, the end of the day cocktails with her girlfriends. The branding is strong and luxurious, offering the consumer innovative skincare and at-home salon experience. Plus, with the product sizes at only 50ml, it makes them very user-friendly and easy to pop into an overnight travel bag. 

The first product in the range we tried was the Woke Bae - Whenever Moisture Spritz. This has been created to hydrate the skin by misting. Let’s talk about some of the key ingredients here, the Spritz is made up of apple extract, rich in antioxidants that help with the skins’ elasticity ridding it of free radicals to give a more youthful and firmer complexion. The watermelon extract renews skin cells and protects against UV damages and hyperpigmentation. Rich in grapefruit/orange peel oil, makes it an excellent antioxidant, full of vitamin C which blends well with the hyaluronic acid and collagen-boosting marine algae polymers. Used morning and night this vitamin-enriched Spritz gives a double whammy of refreshing and helping to plump away any fine lines.  We used this deliciously subtly fruity/vanilla fragranced mist daily for a week or so and noticed how it kept our faces moist and hydrated. It also worked well spritzing after using any of the masks too. To purchase you can find the Woke Bae - Whenever Moisture Mist here for £55.

The second product we tried was the Metal Head - Gold Brightening Mask which left us with an instant radiance! This Gold Brightening Mask contains mineral micro-pigments that leaves the skin with a golden glow. We think that this mask makes it a brilliant skin ‘pick me up’ post-party. Some of the key ingredients here are vitamin C to boost collagen levels giving skin back its elasticity; the pomegranate stem cells, which act as a skin brightener and with its antioxidants neutralises damage and protects against inflammation. The sunflower oil provides smoothness, rich in vitamin E it soothes acne and aids against other skin imperfections. We applied a generous layer onto a dry skin from chin to forehead (avoiding the eyes), using gentle upward strokes (as suggested). Leaving it on for 15–20 minutes then rinse away with warm water. It left our complexions with a glorious luminosity for the entire day. The Metal Head Gold Brightening Mask is available here for £65.  

Next, we have the Night Ranger – Overnight Renewal Mask; which for us was a ‘sleep therapy’ as a leave-on treatment, working overnight with its feather-light magic to improve the complexion. Made up of natural lime pearl acids, these act as an exfoliant for a smoother skin texture, whereas the papaya enzymes will clean clogged pores and help rid the skin of dead cells and soothing any redness or sensitivity. Finally, the hyaluronic acid plumps away fine lines and the anti-ageing retinol encourages healthy cellular renewal. Masktini advises applying a thin layer of this clear gel over the entire face (avoiding the eyes), stroking it upwards, leaving it on overnight then rinsing the skin with water to awaken a more luminous complexion. To purchase the Night Ranger - Overnight Renewal Mask for £65 see here.

Last but not least, the fourth product we used was the Twilight Zone - Tahitian Detox Mask.  They describe this as a ‘reset button’; ingredients include vitamin C from the Grapefruit /Orange Peel (see above with Woke Bae) and bamboo charcoal powder known for its ability to remove dirt and toxins from the skin. It also has the more unusual Tahitian black pearl powder which when massaged in, very gently resurfaces the skin giving it an immediate radiance. This black pearl powder will also help to undo sun damage and hyperpigmentation. This dark creamy mask warms up when applied, and with its botanical blends, it hydrates and restores the moisture balance, giving the complexion-boosting brilliance, while also deeply cleansing. Apply a thin layer of this foaming mask, then massage in for 1-2 minutes to let the black pearl powder activate. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes and then rinse it with warm water. To purchase the Twilight Zone - Tahitian Detox Mask for £55 see here.

Which was our favourite? After much consideration, we’d have to say the Twilight Zone, as living in a polluted city, we found that this mask really did help to unclog our skin, leaving it hydrated and super-squeaky clean!

Ting Tang - Dry Wash Shampoo

Do you wash your hair every day? I don't! When I mentioned this to the team at The Amazing Blog – there was a gasp of horror from a few. Did you know that by washing your hair every day it strips the scalp natural oils and microbiomes leaving the hair looking dull, lifeless and brittle? This is why I’ve been a fan of dry shampoo between washes. Not only does it give my fine hair more volume and body, but it also freshens it up and is a lifesaver when I've got a full-on day. So, when I learned about an entirely new type of 'anytime anywhere' foam-based Dry Wash Shampoo - Ting Tang, I knew I had to try it!

First let's meet the creator of Ting Tang, Purdey who was working in banking before she decided to quit and pursue her career as a trapeze artist. However, her secret dream had always been running a business of her own. Her daughter gave her the inspiration when she developed an aversion to water, which led her to create this clever Dry Wash Shampoo.  Despite having had the idea from a toddler, this is a gender-neutral product that and can be enjoyed by people of all ages, with or without toddlers of their own. Not forgetting to mention, that this start-up company even won a BBC One's award on the programme The Customer Is Always Right being selected as the customers’ favourite.

This Ting Tang Dry Wash Shampoo is unlike any traditional or dry shampoo, for that matter. It is a foam-based fragrance-free product that actually cleans! I find that most dry shampoos do offer volume but also mask the dirt and tend to leave a residue of heavy scent. With Ting Tang, I found it easy to apply with about 3 or 4 pumps of foam on my hair, massaging it through from the roots to ends, then towel-drying. Followed by a quick blast of the hairdryer and I styled my hair as usual – start to finish it took all of about 8 minutes. What I like about Ting Tang, is that it washes and cleans the hair with no fragrance or stickiness, as I'd first imagined. It's the ideal size for travelling at 100ml, and can easily be slipped into a carry-on for a long haul flight where it’s perfect for a quick refresh.  This will not only be loved by your hair, but also by the planet as it's fully recyclable, vegan, gluten and cruelty-free - they even offer a refill pack for the bottle!  NB: We reviewed the Ting Tang Tots, but they told us that ingredients are the same as the adult version. Give you dry shampoo the elbow and try this instead. You can purchase your Ting Tang Dry Wash Shampoo 100ml here for only £8.49.

Flaunt Body: Ingrown Hair Mask | Five Treatment Set

Summer finally looks like it has arrived and we’re getting ready for a seaside visit and our staycation here in the UK. This, of course, means that we need to think about getting bikini-ready and the dreaded hair removal. However, due to the issues with lockdown and no beauty salons open, for us at The Amazing Blog it’s been a case of waxing or epilation at home. Something that we all agree on (and a common issue here) is what to do when we get a razor rash or ingrown hairs? There is nothing worse than when the skin gets irritated with angry red bumps or peppered with unsightly little black dots as the hairs try to push through. So imagine our joy, when we were recommended to try today’s Ingrown Hair Mask | Five Treatment Set by Flaunt Body which won the Indie Beauty Expo Best in Show 2019.

Flaunt Body is a US brand founded in 2018 by Cameron Alexis Moore, who has a very interesting story behind her success. As Moore explained in a recent article, she was about to go on a romantic date, but whilst getting ready, she used an old razor where her skin experienced immediate irritation. The first thing that came to mind was to grab a face sheet mask and apply it to the irritated area, which helped.  It was then that she realised that there must be many other men and women who equally experience the same razor bumps, irritation or ingrown hairs. That is when she started her research and came up with this brilliant Ingrown Hair Mask | Five Treatment Set.  We also applaud Flaunt Body for their giving back policy of donating 5% of their profits to organisations like Love146.org who help to prevent human trafficking.  

The Ingrown Hair Mask is a gender-neutral, vegan and cruelty-free body mask which helps to soothe the skin, reduce irritation, hyperpigmentation and ingrown hairs. It is a unisex product and can be used for all skin types, in any area such as underarms, inner thighs, bikini line, chest or around the neck. Created to address ingrown hairs on any of the sensitive areas of the body, it is made of plant-based bio-cellulose which feels light and flexible almost like a second skin. The Ingrown Hair Mask contains a soothing serum rich in key ingredients like aloe vera, cucumber, chamomile, and glycolic acid.  There’s also polygonum cuspidatum root extract which is a good source of resveratrol which protect skin's surface with significant skin-calming properties that may help minimise the look of redness. scutellaria baicalensis root extract used in China and known as Huang-Qin, it's used for skin allergies, skin infections and inflammation. Horse chestnut seed extract is used for reducing swelling and skin sores where the preparations made from the tree's bark. Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice) root extract is for an anti-inflammatory, which means less redness and irritation for inflamed or irritated skin and finally, the rosemary leaf extract helps to reduce swelling and puffiness, heal burns and soothe the skin. The combination of which is quite a potent mix for helping to calm and heal the skin!

Thanks to all the plant-based ingredients (above), it not only smells divine but also deeply moisturises 5 x times more than a typical serum, where in particular, it repairs the skin’s appearance ridding it of unsightly red bumps. They recommend using this Mask immediately after shaving or 1-2 days after waxing. All you do is remove the protective top and bottom mesh layers to the mask, then apply it to the area where it’s most needed. Leave in place for up to 15 minutes to infuse with the skin, then remove the Mask and gently massage the remaining serum until fully absorbed – no rinsing needed.  You can purchase your Ingrown Hair Mask | Five Treatment Set here for $ 35.00.

Pure Anada - Delicate Compact Palette & Sweet Stillness Nail Polish

At The Amazing Blog, we think there is nothing better than having a new selection of make-up to experiment with to cheer us all up! Particularly, when it has a range of beautifully subtle daytime shades of blush and eye colours. We’re talking about Pure Anada and today we’ve bringing you another of our #amazingfinds with the Delicate Compact Palette and their softest pink Sweet Stillness Nail Polish. 

If you want to know why we’ve chosen to review Pure Anada a Canadian beauty brand, then see our other feature here. Let’s do a quick recap of their inspiring story behind this brand. Growing up in a eco-household, Candace Grenier, founder of Pure Anada, already had a vast knowledge of what proper nutrition should be and the importance of what the body needs. Passionate about making things for herself, she decided in 2003 to make her home and environmental as holistic as possible, discarding anything chemical. She went on to create a line of ‘natural, safer alternatives to mainstream cosmetics’ homecare, skincare and make-up which is where this success story began. These products are ethical, i.e. no discrimination or child labour is ever involved in the processing of making her raw materials. With clean formulations free from common allergens and ingredients that are naturally sourced, and everything is made in their certified organic labs in Manitoba. Their products are also cruelty-free, mainly vegan and certified with the Leaping Bunny programme. We found these at their UK retailer Live in The Light, so it’s a big thank you to them for sending us these products for review. We’re big fans of this online retailer and recommend a visit to their website as they also share our ethos in promoting holistic and environmentally friendly brands.  

Today we want to talk about Pure Anada’s Delicate Compact Palette and Sweet Stillness Nail Polish.  First things first, the Delicate Compact Palette’s colours are discreet, natural and gave us an effortless no make-up look. The pale rosy pink blush named Sweet Pea pairs perfectly with four eye-shadow colours: The satin luxurious taupe/grey that shifts to a shimmering pink called Haunt, a velvet taupe/mauve titled Macchiato, an iridescent champagne blush named Darling, and finally a matte ballet slipper pink Water Lily. If these moreish colours don’t swipe you off of your feet, then perhaps their win with the Sweet Pea blush at The 2020 Beauty Bible Awards here will. The packaging is recyclable with a pretty floral designed outer box and metallic foil etched cardboard inner palette, that also comes with a mirror inside. It only contains all-natural formulas comprised of pressed mineral pigments and jojoba oil for softness. The jojoba oil keeps the texture silky and smooth and most importantly, non-greasy.  Apart from the colours and natural formulas what we particularly like about this make-up is its cost-effectiveness. Unlike most palettes, this one is refillable! When finished, you can buy the individual colours and pop them right back into each of the magnetic slots in palette. Best of all,  the coverage is sheer but buildable and the blusher promises a demi-matte fresh healthy glow to the face and that’s exactly what it delivered. This is for us a smart investment with its natural everyday colours and is available for £29.95, you can find it here.  

Moving on to the Sweet Stillness Nail Polish which is from a range of twenty long-lasting colours. This Sweet Stillness is a pale rose pink non-toxic nail polish. More importantly, it is free of the five most toxic ingredients which are usually found in regular nail polish. The three most toxic ingredients being dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde, and toluene. They are followed by another two which are formaldehyde resin and camphor.  If you wish to know how toxic they are, here’s a quick explanation:  The dibutyl phthalate, or otherwise called the plasticizer, is used to provide sheen. It has a carcinogen effect and can cause thyroid problems and is often linked to hormone changes. Formaldehyde used to harden the nails, is also carcinogen when inhaled and while it’s evaporating can sometimes cause allergic reactions if it comes in contact with your skin. The toluene used to give a smooth finish and keep a uniform colour can cause eyes, lung, and throat irritation when inhaled and can also affect the central nervous system. The formaldehyde resin used to strengthen the nails is a skin allergen and remains active for up to three days after your nail polish dries, and can cause dermatitis. Finally, camphor, which used to be a treatment for cold or flu, is now chemically manufactured and can have a serious side effect when ingested. When exposed in large doses, primarily through inhalation, it’s known to cause irritation, nausea, dizziness, and headaches, it is therefore highly toxic! Quickly added the formulas in the Sweet Stillness Nail Polish are solvent-based and not water-based, but this is long-lasting and a more durable option than water-based.  We’d also advise applying it with their Super Base Coat and the Free Topcoat. You can find Pure Anada’s Sweet Stillness Nail Polish here for £8.95.