Candles

Nay Luxury CBD Skincare: Moonlight Massage Candle & Wanderlust Face Serum

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As we’re rounding the corner on this unusual year, here at The Amazing Blog we’ve been collating gift ideas for friends and family. As CBD is one of our favourite things, it’s great to be able to give them a gentle introduction with some of the new products from Nay Luxury CBD Skincare.

After finding out that the soothing properties of CBD, Sophie Taylor and Nicole Levy Wogman teamed up to launch Nay Luxury CBD Skincare. Their journey began when they started to use CBD products to treat both stretch marks and acne after pregnancy. Thrilled with the results, they decided to combine their two passions of skincare and CBD and launch the brand earlier this year. They have sourced the highest quality of CBD isolate, which is typically used in food and skincare due to it having no smell or flavour. The products are formulated by CBD specialist Taylor Mammon, where the CBD has been infused into four botanical-based products for a natural plant-based range of skincare.

We received two products from Nay Skincare the first was the Wanderlust Face Serum which they call a ‘CBD Facial Gel Serum’ it nourishes the skin and has anti-ageing properties. The packaging is sleek, with the white opaque glass bottle and gold twist dropper.  The key ingredients are simple, 300mg of CBD isolate in 30ml, which is infused with hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and retinol, all of which give excellent results and keep dark circles and wrinkles at bay. It is suitable for all skin types and we found it easy to apply, cooling on the skin and super-quick to absorb. We wonder if Nay Skincare has a further range of skincare in the wings to launch with this…? You can purchase your Wanderlust Face Serum here for £24.99.

Next to we tried the Moonlight Massage Candle which we think makes a fantastic gift. This candle is infused with 300mg of CBD isolate in a 30cl white ceramic pot with pouring lip and lid. We think this takes relaxation to another level as a three-in-one; candle, massage oil and body moisturiser. You can even drizzle the candle’s warm fragrant oil into the bath while it’s filling up, all for a more relaxing soak. The base is soya wax with coconut, Argan, avocado and peach kernel oils, which all help rejuvenate and repair damaged skin. At the same time, the essential oils soothing the mind with three of the calming oils lavender, jasmine and sandalwood. We love that by lighting the wick, you can have a scented candle, and a hydrating oil as the wax melts. What better gift to give a loved one who needs a little bit of TLC, after the year we’ve all had. To purchase the Moonlight Massage Candle see here for £29.99.

Concrete & Wax - The Modular Collection: Tealight Trio in All Sage

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It’s nearing to the end of August and we can feel that slight autumnal bite in the air. Shorter days and longer nights are not far away and the candle season is almost upon us. This is why at The Amazing Blog we thought we’d introduce you to one of our first #amazingfinds for the autumn. Meet the contemporary styled and hand-poured candle company Concrete & Wax with their versatile Tealight Trio in All Sage from The Modular Collection which are stackable tea lights where you can build them vertically or burn each one independently. 

They were founded in 2018 by Alex Sommer and Laura Keller (AKA Mr. Concrete and Mrs. Wax) who among many other things, are also expert trend forecasters in the fashion industry. They came up with this conceptual brand, which offers the consumer a variety of design choices with mix and match concrete modular and interchangeable candleholders, together with uniquely fragranced soy wax candles. The holders are available in six plain colours and three unique camouflage designs. They’re cleverly adaptable and fit into almost any interior style whether it’s a minimalist contemporary penthouse or rambling country cottage. At each stage of brand development Concrete & Wax, wanted to make sure that they kept their sourcing of materials and suppliers as sustainable as possible. And as a true testament to artisan craftsmanship, they produce all products in their Suffolk workshop where everything is hand-poured, finished and packaged. They say: “When it comes to the finishing touches, we scour the local market to source as much as we possibly can - our aim is to support local business and to keep our footprint as small as possible.” The general perception of concrete is a rough, heavy industrial material; however, here we see it being used as a smooth material taking on streamline and stylishly statuesque shapes. They produce a selection of reed diffusers, in black bottles with concrete tops that double up as a tealight holder. Also not forgetting the recent addition of coasters in all the different colourways including a new splatter design.

Concrete & Wax very kindly sent us the Tealight Trio in Sage these are three hand-poured sage green concrete tealight holders in varying heights. As mentioned, they can burn independently or be stacked to make one tall tower. Each of these concrete holders has natural cork feet making them appear as if they’re slightly floating, plus the cork offers protection for heat-sensitive or polished surfaces.  We preferred to arrange these all nestling together for an extra twinkly effect. All candles (including tealights) are made of 100% vegan blended soy wax with a choice of fragrance. We’re fans of soy wax as it’s clean-burning and tends to hold scent longer than other varieties of wax due to the slow burn which releases the scented oils gradually.

There are four candle fragrances. The Lime, Basil & Mandarin is a citrusy fragrance that is relaxing and energising all at once. Lime is known to help clear the mind, the basil is thought to boost mood, and the mandarin soothes tensions. Secondly, we have Tobacco & Oak, this is considered as a very earthy aroma with smoky tobacco and dark oak mixed with leather, spice and musk. It’s very masculine, but not overpowering. This autumnal scent makes you want to hunker down and snuggle up in the warmth. The musk here will also help elevate your mood and give a general feeling of wellbeing. Thirdly, Sandalwood & Black Pepper, which according to Concrete & Wax, this scented candle is the most luxurious in the collection. Sandalwood is believed to be beneficial in treating anxiety, fatigue, and insomnia and the warming scent of black pepper will help relieve stress. Last but not least, Amber Noir, is the latest addition to the collection and is warming, intoxicating and mysterious. Tropical and exotic, burning this candle will spirit you off to far and distant climes … Top tip: These tealight candles will also fit into the Slim Holders. We love the pick ‘n ‘mix and the interchangeable aspect, which allows us to swap fragrance, colour or style of container all on a whim to fit our mood!  To see the full range from Concrete & Wax see here starting from £22.

Cochine:  Tuberose and Wild Fig Reed Diffuser 

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Still feeling a bit housebound? Then what a better way to enhance your mood than by an uplifting fragrant reed diffuser and we at The Amazing Blog can guarantee that you’ll love this one! We’ve been itching to try the reed diffusers from Cochine since we first discovered the brand as winners on global The Beauty Shortlist Awards.

Cochine is a luxurious and sustainable brand, launched in 2008. Its founder Kate Crofton-Atkins, took her inspiration to create her range of special fragrances from the charming hidden Saigon streets, overflowing with jasmine against the stylish backdrop of French architecture, that she encountered on her move there. The name of the brand is derived from La Cochinchine, the name given to Southern Vietnam by the French. In the beginning, Kate spent a year working with essential oils, and then partnered with a New York-based fragrance house to launch Cochine in Hong Kong. Today there is a range of over ten different fragranced perfumes, reed diffusers, candles and skincare products for bath and body. This brand has now found global recognition and is in select boutique and five-star hotels around the world. These high-end products reflect elegance from the actual scents through to the beautiful presentation and packaging.  Today we’re excited to be reviewing one of their unique reed diffusers that have been filling the office here with it’s intoxicating scent, Tuberose & Wild Fig, Kate said: “It’s inspired by my favourite time of day in Saigon -dusk - where the warm air carries the really rich and romantic scent of jasmine and tuberose, and that’s what I wanted to bottle.”

With this Tuberose and Wild Fig reed diffuser, let’s talk about the key scent notes found here. The tuberose, unlike the name suggests, is not a rose. It is, in fact, a member of the agave family (which gives us tequila!) it provides a powerful floral and heady nose with an olfactive spectrum, the smell of tuberose is like an explosive bouquet of white flowers.  Studies have shown that the tuberose scent when inhaled can help reduce stress, and help fight insomnia The inclusion of the warm night-flower jasmine is known to improve balance, restore, and revitalise energy giving an uplifting feeling of joy and relaxation. The ripe, fruity and earthy wild fig lingers here as the base note, cocooning and embracing with its softness. Finally, there also gentle burst of freshness from the citrusy bergamot.  What we love about reed diffusers is that they can be left unattended or you can remove the reeds and replace the stopper for occasional use. Also Inverting the reeds or increasing the number of reeds will strengthen the fragrance. You can find the reed diffuser here for £60.

errbshop CBD Infused Massage Oil Candle – rb+ Lavender

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Apart from completely changing our daily habits, this current global pandemic has also increased our anxiety and stress levels at The Amazing Blog Today we thought we'd feature another great stay-at-home product to enhance all our wellbeing, making quarantining both more enjoyable and peaceful. We're excited to be one of the first to feature the rb+ candles from errbshop.  It's a three-in-one candle to relax, renew and rebalance. These are not just any candles, they are multi-functional massage candles with the addition of THC-free CBD oil. It's almost like having your very own home spa. 

The founder, Maggie Finneran was born into the fashion world and a leader in the luxury goods sector, where she launched a global girl's footwear brand. Ever the entrepreneurial spirit, with her great passion for travel and food, these led her on to launch renowned Californian eateries such as The Beverly Hill Beignet and Charcuterie Boss. With this hectic lifestyle, Finneran was always striving for balance which is when she had the inspired idea of creating the errbshop massage candle range. She explained: "We all search for a balance of lifestyle and wellbeing, I experienced this several years ago while having a candle massage in the Amalfi Coast. There was something to be said of the 400 year old recipe created by Franciscan Monks and the cavernous calmness of the Monastery I was staying in and enjoying this massage. I knew I needed to share this with everyone." Hence the errbshop brand was born, with selected candles in the range containing the blended healing ingredients of THC-free CBD Oil and pure plant oils. All their products are sustainably-sourced and ranked at one on the EWG list. errbshop is an online health and wellness lifestyle brand that aims to ignite balance of mind, body, and spirit through personal health products and education. The company is founded on the belief that wellness is not an indulgence, but a necessity. Their specially curated blend of nourishing botanicals, soothing soy wax, and full-spectrum CBD is designed to deliver plant-powered healing and optimal wellness to every system of the body. Fueled by harmoniously healing ingredients and driven by a passion for wellness, errbshop is dedicated to enhancing your sense of balance and wellbeing, one candle at a time.

The rb+ candle is in a 6oz (170g) tin that features a convenient pouring lip, making it easily portable and extremely travel friendly. The candles are vegan and made out of bio-cellulose with formulas that are so clean that they claim that you can almost eat them! This rb+ range offers five fragrances: Unscented, Eucalyptus, Rose, Grapefruit and Lavender (our candle). As several studies have shown, CBD oil has many potential health benefits; we find it particularly good for reducing anxiety and stress. So, you can imagine how happy we were to try this out.  As regular readers will know we are big fans of CBD (see here) as it also helps to relax soothing our minds and improving our focus. As mentioned earlier, their CBD oil is THC-free and extracted by the CO2 method making it full-spectrum with over 80 naturally occurring phytocannabinoids. In fact, there are 120mg of CBD in this 6oz tin!  The other ingredients are soy wax, apricot oil, coconut oil, aloe vera, vitamin E, shea butter, jojoba oil, all of which have anti-inflammatory properties and aid in deep relaxation of the mind and body. The primary ingredients here are lavender and CBD which are particularly good in helping restore the body's natural biorhythms and relaxing the nervous system. The fragrance here is deliciously subtle and not at all overwhelming, and the oil from the burnt candle is warm to the touch, never hot – making it easy to handle. Firstly, light the candle and enjoy watching the flickering flame and inhaling the fragrance - ideal for creating calm. When it has sufficiently melted, blow out the candle and pour the oil into the palm of your hands to begin your massage. If you have any specific areas of pain (in my case arthritic hips!) then target this area first. Otherwise, concentrate on inner wrists to help you create your own inner calm. The candle is reusable – we relit it about 3 or 4 times. So, to feel energised, more grounded, and most importantly, nourished, you can get yours here at $40 USD Or for more information, contact info@errbshop.com.  Namaste!

Universal Soul Company - Positive Energy STILL Candle

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Right now at The Amazing Blog, we think it's essential to take time out each day for meditation and relaxation removing ourselves from the worries of this global pandemic! Put on a little relaxing music and take advantage of a mindful moment. For our regular readers, you’ll probably remember reading about our suggestions of the Aromatherapy Eye Pillow from Sanda and the De-Stress Drop from Absolute Health. To complement all of these, today we want to introduce you to one of our other #amazingfinds the Positive Energy Candle STILL from Universal Soul Company.

Actress and wellness expert Sara Griffiths recently founded this luxury lifestyle brand. Her wish is to create products that are both aesthetically pleasing and provide wellbeing. All her products are vegan, chemical-free, environmentally friendly and even have Braille writing on the packaging to make them accessible to everyone. The Universal Soul Company specialises in candles and mists. Again, dear readers may remember reading about their award-winning 3-in-1 Still Soul Mist here. This recently won Best Aromatherapy Self Care Mood Enhancing Products in the 2020 Beauty Shortlist Wellbeing Awards. Well, we were ‘won over’ then (excuse the pun) and even more so now with their candle. The company focuses on ‘profit for purpose’ and donates a portion of its revenue to different charitable causes - which we love.

At this moment of uncertainty, this wellbeing candle could not be more appropriate. The Positive Energy Candle STILL does what it says – it’s gloriously uplifting and grounding. It offers you calm and tranquillity with its delicious combination of patchouli and lavender scents that will help to transport you into a harmonious state.  Made from a soy-based wax, it’s a vegan candle that burns clean (no black smokewith a long-lasting burn time of approximately 50 hours. We will admit to lighting this candle numerous times particularly during moments of anxiety – even in the middle of the night! It truly does soothe and helped us to focus on a more positive mindset. Oh and we nearly forgot to mention that this candle is also an Editor’s Choice winner in the 2020 Beauty Shortlist Wellbeing Awards too. This is wonderful for you or makes the perfect gift to help bring positivity to others. You can purchase your 210g Positive Energy Candle STILL here for £30.