MOIA ELIXIRS : CBDerma-Repair Finishing Silk Serum

Having hydrated and healthy skin is essential to us at The Amazing Blog, particularly during the summer heat, when we’re in and out of chilling air-con. The fluctuating temperatures play havoc with our skin, and it’s when we look for a protecting, nourishing and balancing serum. We’re back with MOIA ELIXIRS (see review of their Nano-Fiber Mask here ) and their CBD-infused skincare with the CBDerma-Repair Finishing Silk Serum; it ticks our boxes and also won ‘Best CBD Skincare Product’ at the 2022 Beauty Shortlist Awards.

MOIA ELIXIRS® was founded in the Czech Republic by Jakub Mohl Moia Elixirs in 2019. The Czech well-being brand ‘believes in the wisdom of nature and its gifts in the form of medicinal substances supporting the proper function of our cells and our body’. Founder Jakub Mohl firmly believes in the positive effects of CBD, which helped heal his injured hand. Following his recovery, he became increasingly interested in the healing powers of CBD. This led on to creating his own CBD brand and building an extraction and purification laboratory for the production of CBD and botanical extracts. They only use 100% crystalline pure (isolate) cannabidiol extract in their skincare and full-spectrum in their CBD oils and edibles. Together with our farmers, they follow the whole process, from growing plants from seeds (EU-certified cultivars) to the final CBD extract. The MOIA ELIXIRS® products also include their own patented actives from natural origin, primarily made with the highest concentration of organic botanicals with ECOCERT COSMOS certification, and Karlovy Vary minerals (from their hometown). All products have the certification of the Czech Institute of Accreditations (ČIA), with a range of six CBD-infused collections with Beauty Age, BioActive, Nano Fiber, CBE Wellness, CBD Oils and Animalixir. The brand is proud of its sustainability credentials including zero-waste packaging with aluminium tubes and brown pharmaceutical glass bottles, all with minimal use of plastic except for the screw and bottle tops. They have a giving-back policy, donating part of their earnings to the world-famous organisation The Ocean Cleanup in order to fight ocean pollution by plastics. Finally, all MOIA ELIXIRS® skincare products are dermatologically tested, vegan-friendly, not tested on animals, free from GMO ingredients, fragrance and THC. They are also quick to point out that all of their products are ‘chemical-free’ with no PEG, dimethicone, parabens, paraffin, petrolatum and phenoxyethanol.

With all that being said, let’s further assess this award-winning Finishing Silk Serum, which is part of the ‘Beauty Age’ collection. It’s designed to improve the quality of the skin by increasing strength, reducing fine lines, hydrating and restoring elasticity. More importantly, it claims to nourish skin receptors and also work as a protective shield against excessive cell ageing.

What sets this Finishing SIlk Serum apart is the use of their 300g CBD isolate, together with other natural actives. The CBD activates skin receptors and offers a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect, helping balance and slow skin ageing. The CBD isolate (the purest form of crystalised CBD) is produced by removing all other compounds found in the hemp plant, including other cannabinoids isolating only the CBD. This isolate is thought to be the best type of CBD for skincare, as it’s odourless, doesn't clog pores and is packed with skin-rejuvenating antioxidant properties. The Finishing Silk Serum also has other active ingredients, which include: Squalane, hydrogenated polyisobutene, marula oil, oleyl erucate, almond oil, argan oil, vitamin E and soybean oil, caprylic capric triglyceride, laminaria ochroleuca extract and sucrose stearate.

The vegetable-based squalane locks in moisture, increasing the skin's elasticity and reducing the appearance of wrinkles. There is hydrogenated polyisobutene, which replaces mineral or silicone oils in formulas with its primary function as an emollient. The marula oil prevents wrinkles, hydrating the skin by strengthening cell membranes and allowing them to hold larger supplies of water. Oleyl erucate is another vegetable-based emollient very similar to jojoba oil (also included here). Almond oil improves skin tone, helps reverse sun damage and treats dry skin. Argan Oil has antioxidants, fatty acids, and vitamins A, C, and E.It restores skin cells, balances pH, helps with acne, and prevents pigment spots. Vitamin E and soybean oil are rich and moisturising and ideal for mature skin. Caprylic capric triglyceride is derived from coconut oil and glycerine; its mix of fatty acids replenishes the skin’s surface, plus it works as a natural preservative. Laminaria ochroleuca extract is a species of kelp rich in alginates, mannitol and amino acids; it’s key in protecting against solar aggressions and preserving the skin's DNA. Finally, the sucrose stearate is plant-based and works as an emollient and emulsifier.

One of the reasons we love the serum is that it has lots of antioxidants and moisturising properties that nourish and leave skin feeling super-smooth. In these warm summer months, we used it as a stand-alone serum under our regular SPF to seal in goodness and to help save us from further sun damage. However, as we have dry skin, we'd probably layer it under a day cream (such as their CBDerma-Repair® Day Cream) during the winter months for extra protection. Although we see MOIA ELIXIRS® suggest using it as the sixth final skincare step over their day cream! Very little is needed as it’s oil-based; we only used a couple of drops for full face, neck and décolleté, applying morning and evening with gentle upward movements and finally tapping it around the eye area.

If you are looking for an age-defying serum, then this is for you. It’s also another of our #amazingfinds and a must-try with its DNA protection, and hydrating and anti-ageing properties. MOIA ELIXIRS® CBDerma-Repair 30ml Finishing Silk Serum can be purchased for €45, here.

Hairy Jayne : Floral Shampoo Bar

Hate having to pack heavy bottles of shampoo and conditioner for your trips away? They always take up far too much space, and if decanted for hand luggage, they’re too small to last the holiday! At The Amazing Blog, we’ve abandoned our regular liquid shampoos to try out the solid bars for a while. Today we’d like to share another of our latest #amazingfinds with a very travel-friendly sulphate-free Floral Shampoo Bar by Hairy Jayne; it’s gentle on hair and, best of all, won’t leak all over your clothes!

Hairy Jayne all began when hairdresser Jayne Rutland started getting raw hands from washing clients’ hair with mainstream and professional shampoos. This was when she decided it was time to investigate making her own natural hair care and went on to train at the cosmetics workshops Plush Folly. It inspired her to start experimenting and creating shampoos and conditioners using only natural plant oils. Jayne wanted a vintage-style name that everyone would remember, and ‘Hairy Jayne’ was born; it also rhymes with Mary Jane (shoes), which she says makes people laugh. She formulates and oversees the making of all her refillable and zero-waste hair care products, which are Vegan Society certified and cruelty-free. All ingredients are naturally derived and sustainably sourced. Jayne explained, “Unlike a lot of other zero waste beauty brands in the UK, we live, breathe and specialise in hair care. We only make hair care. We believe that living a sustainable lifestyle shouldn’t mean compromising how lovely your zero-waste shampoo and conditioner makes your hair feel.” Sustainability is also of paramount importance to Hairy Jayne; therefore, the packaging is either plastic-free, biodegradable or comes in refillable bottles. They also reuse packing materials wherever possible and plant a tree for every product sold with Ecologi to help reduce carbon emissions. The brand is probably best known for its sulphate-free Shampoo Bars, which have certainly made their mark as a Gold winner at the Free From Skin Awards 2020 and, more recently, as a Commended Winner in 2022, the Beauty Shortlist Awards.

Let’s talk more about The Shampoo Bars; these are ‘sydnet bars’, a made-up word that combines ‘synthetic’ and ‘detergent’. The detergent they use (sodium cocoyl isethionate) is derived from coconut oil. Jayne tells us, “The sulphate-free detergents we use in our solid shampoos are very mild and hair softening and won’t damage the hair like a traditional soap would. Syndet bars work better in hard water than soap does, too.” The brand offers a chart under ‘Is This The Right Product For You?’  showing the type of shampoo bar and the best option for each hair type. Jayne explained her reasoning for creating the Shampoo Bar, comparing herself to soap bars, “Unfortunately, there are a lot of products on the market that say ‘shampoo bar’ on the label, but they are actually bars of natural soap with added hair-friendly ingredients. These soap bars give solid shampoo bars a bit of a bad name when the user is left with hair that feels waxy and dull.” It’s because a simple natural soap isn’t the right pH level to use in the hair. Something to note is that shampoos need to be acidic (compared to soaps which are very alkaline) because the pH level of hair is between 4.5 and 5.5, which is acidic on the pH scale. pH-balanced shampoos don’t strip your hair and scalp of natural oils and protect it from dryness, frizz and damage. A slightly acidic shampoo also seals the hair cuticles keeping it strong and shining.

The Shampoo Bars come in four different fragrances:  Floral, Citrus, Musk and Herbal. Colour coded for hair types (see about ‘chart’ above), these are sulphate-free Shampoo Bars contain many ingredients as the liquid sulphate-free shampoos. We tried the ‘Floral Shampoo Bar’, which has three key essential oils, geranium, bergamot and vanilla, to give it its fragrance and restorative properties. The geranium also targets the scalp; and controls dryness, excess oil, and sebum production. Bergamot is rich in fatty acids and conditions and tames frizz. Lastly, vanilla strengthens hair and induces blood flow to the scalp.

The core ingredients in each Shampoo Bars are sulphate-free cleansers, mango seed butter, olive oil, aloe vera, green clay, palm-free stearic acid, detangling agent, and essential oils. The sulphate-free cleansers are sodium cocoyl isethionate, derived from the fatty acids in coconut oil that attract oil and water in the formula making it blend together; and disodium cocoamphodiacetate is a foam booster, that also conditions and improves dry, or damaged hair by replenishing moisture. The mango seed butter seals moisture and reduces breakage giving hair its elasticity. Olive oil provides softness and shine, and aloe vera controls greasy and helps an itchy scalp. Green clay anchors the essential oils allowing the scent to remain strong within the shampoo bar; it’s also effective at eliminating dirt and toxins while balancing oil production. Finally, the stearic acid is vegetable-derived and here as an emulsifier, stabiliser and thickener. 

What we like about this Shampoo Bar is the absence of water, and the concentration of ingredients, which means that it lasts longer than its liquid counterpart. Hairy Jayne gives three eco-friendly packaging options: recyclable cardboard box, reusable aluminium tin or no outer package (naked). To use the Shampoo Bar, they recommend saturating hair and massaging the Shampoo Bar directly onto the scalp, then rinsing away. Edwina, who tested this Shampoo Bar for the Awards, has very long, fine curly hair and gave it the big thumbs up. It lasted over a month, smelt amazing and was very gentle on her scalp and hair. In fact, it left her scalp nourished and with no irritation, unlike some other liquid sulphate-free shampoos. She also used Hairy Jayne’s multi-award-winning liquid Treatment Conditioner in tandem with the Shampoo Bar, and recommends it as a conditioner for optimum results - i.e. tangle-free hair!

Why not invest in this for gentle hair care for home use, or for your next trip away? To purchase the 50g Floral Shampoo Bar (which can last up to 2-3 months) for only £9, see here. Or, if you’re looking for a hair care bundle, they start at £15 here.

Lilly Be Organics : Be Energized Essential Oil Perfume

We love the power of fragrance, and how it can influence our mood, it’s something we all tend to underestimate. Perfume oils, have been our No.1 go-to scent for a while, and today at The Amazing Blog we want to talk about a new and award-winning essential oil perfume Be Energized by Lilly Be Organics.

Founder Lissette Monzon was a clinical master aromatherapist before starting Lilly Be. She’d already earned two master's degrees in education and worked as a teacher for 11 years. As much as Lissette enjoyed teaching, she longed to know more about plants and oils since the first time Lissette's mother introduced her to an aromatherapy kit at age 15. Even though she is a certified clinical master aromatherapist, she didn't put her skills to work for over ten years. As a stay-at-home mother, this was when she started selling her organic products at local farmers' markets, "To me, I was simply making ends meet. But, my beautiful customers and a series of serendipitous events revealed otherwise." And this is when Lilly Be, a US-based organic aromatherapy and skincare brand came to life. All of the products start with "BE", as in "to be" or "becoming" who you indeed are. Her priority is always to inspire positivity and target individuals in a holistic manner. "We look to nature as our original medicine and as a true example of what it means to simply BE." Lilly Be has 20 organic products from skincare, body care, perfumes, essential oils and wellness. Lissette told Voyage Mia in an interview that she chooses to work with organic, nature-based ingredients, to create synergy within the mind and body. Lilly Be also gives back to Sofias Hope, which fights childhood cancer. Together, Lilly Be and Sofias Hope produced "Be Hope", a rollerball perfume that promotes courage, peace, and optimism while pushing aside fear. She donates 20% of the proceeds throughout the year and 50% during September – Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Not only did Lilly Be win Editor's Choice for the ‘Be Energised Essential Oil Perfume’ and ‘Be Dreamy Pillow Mist’ at The 2022 Beauty Shortlist Wellbeing Awards, but also ‘Be Clear Daily Face Wash’, and ‘Be Refreshed Ultra Quenching After Sun Care’ in the Beauty section. The products are all made in the USA, produced organically, GMO-free, with sundried instead of chemically altered clays and salts, synthetic, paraben, dyes, and fragrance-free. They are also cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny certified.

We’ve been looking forward to reviewing this Be Energized Essential Oil Perfume; these rollerball essential oil perfumes come in six different scents: Be Hope, Be Energized, Be Refreshed, Be Prosperous, Be Love, and Be Your Dream.

Be Energized contains only four blended organic essential oils: Peppermint provides mental clarity, and helps relieve stress and headaches, and rosemary, helps improve memory. Ginger which increases energy levels; and grapefruit, which provides a bright aroma that helps to stimulate the senses. The base carrier oil is jojoba oil and vitamin E, which moisturises skin and absorbs quickly with no greasy residue. Jojoba oil has a slower evaporation rate than most oils, helping perfume last longer. These combined ingredients are designed to inspire positive energy and mindset. As Lissette says, this perfume is "Nature's energy – bottled."

Lilly Be's glass rollers are stylishly packaged in natural bamboo. Each rollerball has the product name engraved into the bamboo - so no chance of muddling them up if you have more than one... What we like about rollerball perfumes is that they are less harmful to the environment; a spritz of spray perfume may contain volatile organic compounds (VOC) that react with sunlight and other chemicals in the atmosphere resulting in ozone pollution.

Given the choice of wearing perfume oils or an Eau de Parfum, it’d be perfume oil every time for us. Why? Did you know that perfume oil is more concentrated? With over 20% of fragrance concentration in the oil, this gives the wearer up to eight hours of scent, and even then, it still deliciously lingers. Whereas Eau de Parfum (EDP) contains about 12% fragrance concentration in alcohol, which evaporates after approximately four hours, leaving the wearer needing a reapplication. Plus, most spray perfumes have an alcohol base which can be extremely drying to the skin.

Lissette recommends you use the rollerball on your pulse points as often as you choose. We applied it first thing, and again when we were flagging at our desks; it certainly helped to give a much-needed burst of energy during the day. Anointing the pulse points, especially the wrists, rub a little to warm up the oil, and then take deep breaths; it also helped to soothe the mind, uplift the spirits and gave us our own little piece of calm. An uplifting scent with the top notes of peppermint following through with grapefruit and a tiny touch of ginger and rosemary - they all blend together extremely well. Lilly Be's Essential Oil Perfumes are among another of our #amazingfinds. To purchase this handy pocket-sized Be Energized Essential Oil Perfume at $20 (£15.85) see here.

CBD Leafline : The 5000g Pure CBD Citrus Twist Spray

At The Amazing Blog, we've written about countless CBD products and regular readers will know how much we love CBD with its endless benefits. This time it’s with the 5000g Pure CBD Citrus Twist Spray by a familiar award-winning CBD brand CBD Leafline. You may remember the brand from previous blog posts here.

CBD Leafline was founded in 2018 by husband and wife team and CBD enthusiasts Paul and Sonia Shrive. By doing their research and not rushing through the entire process, the company was able to go through proper research and development on CBD with the purpose to follow UK product compliance while also providing consumers with the highest quality. Another brand focus is to educate customers on CBD by making packaging easy to read and understand. "Our other main focus has been to educate our customers about CBD through reader-friendly packaging that is easy to understand – we know there is nothing worse than being left frustrated by industry terminology – we hope we have achieved that." This family-owned business aims to be transparent about its entire process. All products are batch tested by a government-accredited UK independent laboratory. CBD Leafline is CannaPro certified meaning; their products, trading standards, marketing, and conduct have been reviewed. Their products are natural, vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, paraben and sulphate free, and all made within their own facilities in the UK. CBD Leafline is an award-winning company. In fact, they have won a few awards at the 2021 and 2022 Beauty Shortlist Awards. They recently won Best CBD Oil (isolate) at the 2022 Beauty Shortlist Awards for their Pure CBD Citrus Twist Spray which we are reviewing today.

The Pure CBD Citrus Twist Spray is THC-free and has 5000mg CBD which is isolate, which means that all other compounds such as flavonoids, terpenes, and amino acids, have been extracted, leaving behind only pure CBD. It’s also made up of fractionated coconut oil (MCT oil) and Citrus flavour it has 5000mg of CBD Isolate. 

They use fractionated coconut oil (MCT) as a carrier oil (the CBD is crystalline or powder in its raw state therefore mixed with the MCT for this reason); it's naturally high in fat and has had all of the non-essential fats removed to allow the most efficient absorption of CBD. As it’s made with CBD isolate there is no taste or trace of hemp, which makes these Twist Sprays (strawberry and citrus) very popular and easy to take. CBD Isolate is an excellent option for those interested in CBD but not the compounds found in cannabis plants, particularly if you are a sportsperson with routine drug testing. The extraction is done by a unique and challenging CO2 extraction process. Extra precautions must be taken to avoid unwanted substances during purification.

Now, what are the benefits of CBD? Scientists have reviewed a variety of benefits when researching CBD. CBD is thought to improve one's anxiety and depression. When CBD is consumed, it positively interacts with serotonin receptors in the cerebrum. It may also relieve inflammation and pain and be immune-modulating. CBD sprays are more unusual than other CBD edible products in the market. This makes them a little harder to find. However, what we like is that this spray has higher bioavailability than some other edibles, and these sprays, like the oils, are applied directly under the tongue. Tongues mucus membranes have small capillaries, which allows the product to be absorbed faster into the bloodstream. The spray allows a more direct route than other forms of ingestion. To use, shake the contents first and spray the recommended dosage directly under your tongue every morning and night. For maximum effect, allow the oil to sit under the tongue for about 2 minutes, CBD Leafline recommends. For new consumers, it's best to start with the lowest dosage to see how the body handles it. This 5000ml is the most potent dose in the range, so for the CBD novice, it’s recommended to start with 1500ml, as you can always slowly increase the dosage if necessary. It’s also vegan and gluten-free, and you can even refer to one of the dosage guides here. The Pure CBD Citrus Twist Spray comes in a 30 ml bottle with an applicator at the top. We like it because it tastes great and is an easy and discreet way to carry CBD.

The Pure CBD Citrus Twist Spray contains 5000mg of pure CBD and is THC-free. It’s a great way to start off your day and end your night. The Twist Spray ranges come in 3 strengths: 1500mg, 2500mg and 5000mg. See here to purchase the PURE CBD Citrus Twist Spray for £49.99.

White Lotus : Activated Jade and Tourmaline Crystal Face Serum

We all know the power of crystals and their many benefits for mental well-being, but did you know that they can enhance your skincare too? As readers of The Amazing Blog will know, we love to try out effective, new and unique skincare, and yet again, we’ve made an exciting discovery via The Beauty Shortlist Awards. This time, it’s a serum with a difference, meet Activated Jade and Tourmaline Crystal Face Serum from award-winning Australian holistic skincare company White Lotus.  

Husband and wife duo Anthony and Kamila Kingston, founder of White Lotus, met while studying Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese herbal medicine at university. They spent two years in Asia, studying traditional holistic beauty and treatments passed down through generations. On returning to their native Australia in 2004, they opened their first clinic White Lotus Cosmetic Acupuncture. This was Australia’s first specialist cosmetic skin and microneedling clinic. "Due to the unique nature of the clinic, which offered brand new treatments for the time including microneedling, jade rollers, facial Gua Sha and cosmetic cupping, word of mouth quickly spread." In 2007, White Lotus, with Anthony’s knowledge of herbal pharmacology, officially launched its first range of skincare products and tools, together with online courses for techniques such as acupuncture, microneedling, and traditional face reading. They’ve even co-written and published books, like "Jade Roller, Gua Sha & Cosmetic Cupping for the Face and Body". White Lotus is also committed to avoiding greenwashing and has partnered with Clean Hub, an organisation that checks and verifies the amount of plastic they remove from the ocean each month. The brand is also working to become a carbon-neutral company, the majority of products are organic, PETA approved, vegan and cruelty-free. They are also free from harmful ingredients such as parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, petroleum, phthalates, ethanolamines, silicone, GMO, or synthetics. They're no strangers to awards, as they have won over 20 awards. Most notably, they've won an Editor's Choice Award at the 2022 Beauty Shortlist Awards and were a finalist at the 2021 Mama & Baby Awards.

The Activated Jade and Tourmaline Crystal Face Serum is made using genuine crystals rather than the fashionable but less effective method of crystal infusion. For those not in the know, crystal-infused skincare simply means real crystals are dipped in the mixture and then removed during the manufacturing process - leaving no trace of the crystal or its beneficial effects. This Crystal Face Serum contains genuine ground jade and tourmaline crystals combined with organic and natural botanical oils and herbs.

It is believed that jade was used to withdraw negative energy and balance 'chi', a 'life force or energy in traditional Chinese methods. Using jade can help brighten skin complexion, reduce puffiness, and aid blood circulation. Although tourmaline crystals are excellent for balancing chakras and meridians, this gem also has some skin benefits. This energising crystal can be used to vitalise skin, making it more luminous and youthful. When these genuine finely ground ‘activated’ jade and tourmaline crystals are applied to the skin, it has attracted natural wave energy AKA ‘far-infrared rays’. (By the way, to activate any crystals they have to be placed in the light of the full moon for a minimum of four hours). These crystals help skin cells called fibroblasts to synthesise new collagen and elastin. The brand also tells us one of the main benefits of these far-infrared rays is that they, “Advance wound healing by promoting collagen synthesis, cell proliferation and keratinocyte motility”.

Apart from the jade and tourmaline crystals, other key ingredients are botanicals: Rose flower water, camelia seed, jojoba, frankincense, bergamot and lemon oils; plus panax ginseng root and benzyl alcohol. Rose flower water has antibacterial properties that help reduce skin redness and improve complexion. Camelia seed minimises the appearance of premature ageing and promotes healthy skin. Jojoba has vitamins E and B-complex, and it’s key to damage control and skin repair. Frankincense soothes and nourishes and aids with sunburn, rosacea or breakouts. Bergamot contains limonene, a potent antioxidant and has many anti-inflammatory properties. Lemon oil evens skin tone and lightens dark spots, rejuvenating and detoxifying tired-looking skin. Benzyl alcohol is a natural preservative; this type used is not ethanol. The herbs are either added raw or extracted using an oil-based method rather than ethanol. Finally, ginseng is full of vitamins D and B12 and can help slow the loss of collagen, helping the skin retain elasticity.

What we liked about this serum is that It is light and cooling, making it perfect for the warmer summer months. With its very slight bergamot/citrus scent, it absorbs almost instantly when applied. Using 4 or 5 pumps of the serum we gently massaged it onto the face and neck morning and night. Skin felt soft and hydrated - with no evidence of any powdery crystals, just a silky smooth and opaque liquid. It’s hydrating enough by itself and we felt no need for a moisturiser, only our regular SPF. White Lotus say that with regular use, it will increase the skin's microcirculation, detoxification, and nourishment; as this serum allows for deeper penetration for the hydration of the skin cells. It’s a game-changer for holistic skincare and has become an instant favourite with us; and also has excellent sustainability credentials, as it comes in a 30ml glass bottle and BPA/BPS & phthalate-free and recyclable plastic cap and pump. it’s PETA certified, vegan and cruelty-free and is made with 90% certified organic ingredients.

The Activated Jade and Tourmaline Crystal Serum is also a vital part of the White Lotus Crystal Facial and can be used alone or works wonderfully with their jade roller or rose quartz roller. We have written about their Jade Roller here. They also recommend combining it with their Organic Green Tea Face Oil and jade gua sha to complete the full crystal facial. To purchase the 30ml Activated Jade and Tourmaline Crystal Serum for £29 see here. We hope to see more innovative products from White Lotus in the future and will be keeping an eye out for the next product launch.