Heathcote & Ivory's Salsa Silks Collection

When you find a product that you love, there’s nothing better than discovering that there is a whole collection too. One that we are loving at the moment, is Salsa Silks by Heathcote and Ivory. We’re no strangers to this brand at The Amazing Blog, having featured their Vintage & Co. Baubles & Belles Festive Bath and Body Tin in our Gifts for Her feature in December. The Salsa Silks collection is vibrant, and contains three scented gifts (for a loved one, or yourself) encased in elegantly decorated packaging, and inspired by the colourful rhythms of salsa. Intrigued? We were too.

As a brand that embraces the world of interior design and the great British outdoors, Heathcote & Ivory are known for their mix of bright colours and floral patterns, in both vintage and modern styles. The Salsa Silks Collection is no exception, containing only the finest essential oils and actives, it is a luxury collection, without a luxury price tag.

The first product that we tried, was the Hand Wash. This vitamin E infused product helps to cleanse and purify, releasing the energising scents of lime, lotus flower and cedarwood. The uplifting essential oils of lemon and sweet orange really make it feel like a spa retreat at home, and the luxurious formula left our hands feeling soft and nourished. We were also pleased to discover that it didn’t leave our hands feeling dry, something we struggle with at this time of the year.

Secondly, we tried the Heart Soap In A Tin. This lovely triple-milled soap is presented in an embossed heart-shaped tin, and is blended with shea butter and glycerine, helping to gently cleanse and soften your skin. Additionally, and thanks to the beautiful packaging, this isn’t only a pleasure for your skin, but also gives your bathroom a touch of design sparkle. Gone are the days of a boring block of soap on the sink.

Finally, we were also pleased to discover that this collection contains a Lip Gloss. Delivered in a smaller heart-shaped tin, this moisturising peach lip gloss is made of beeswax and olive extracts, helping to keep your lips perfectly soft and, most importantly, kissable. The soft peachy smell of the pink glittery gloss is also a highlight, taking away the often chemical smell of other lip glosses on the market. It is also nourishing and less sticky than competitor glosses, something we’re thankful of!

To try this collection for yourself, check out the Heathcote & Ivory website here where you can find the Hand Wash for £9 (320ml), Heart Soap In A Tin for £6 and the Lip Gloss for £5. Perfect for a February birthday or as a treat for yourself.

Dr. Lipp's Moisturising Lip Tints

Happy Valentines Day from us at The Amazing Blog! Whether you’re spending the evening with a loved one, or are planning to snuggle under a blanket with some chocolate and a chick flick - you’ll want to be taking care of your lips. Particularly at this time of the year, we’re subject to dry and cracked skin, which is only made worse by chemically laden lip products. This is where Dr. Lipp steps up the lip product game! Founded by Norwegian entrepreneur and artist, Pontine Paus, this brand is perfect for sassy women who want to know what is inside their beauty products.

Created out of just four, all natural ingredients, this brand really created a lifestyle movement of full disclosure skincare. Pontine Paus explains “sometimes the best things have been around for centuries, we just need to learn about them”, something we couldn’t agree more with. Their products are 100% natural, with the brand being particularly famous for its Original Nipple Balm. Designed for dry skin, this balm has won multiple awards, and is know for its glorious richness and ultra-effective long-lasting moisture. In fact, we reviewed this product last year (see here), so we were more than excited to try their new range of Moisturising Colour Tints.

These tints have the same base as The Original Nipple Balm, made from medical grade lanolin, ditrach phosphate (a natural pigment disperser) and glyceryl caprilate (a natural preservative made from organically grown vegetable oils). The difference however, is the addition of pigment, with three different colours sourced from organically grown plants. The first, a natural pink, comes from the use of sweet potato pigment, while the deeper burgundy shade is derived from elderberry pigment. Flavour and fragrance-free, these tints will leave your lips kissably soft. Additionally, for red lip lovers, the red radish pigment creates a bold, yet moisturised finish.

To purchase your own lip tints (free from parabens, animal testing, sulphates and mineral oil), then visit the Dr. Lipp website here. You can purchase them as a lip set for £18 or individually for £6.99 (8ml).

Rouge Bunny Rouge - Tinted Luxe Balms

Particularly after the lingering January blues; February for us, is a more positive month for moving forward with change and productivity. So we’ve all been making a conscious effort to cheer ourselves up, starting with brightening up our make up choices. Regular readers of The Amazing Blog will recognise the brand, Rouge Bunny Rouge - where we have reviewed a whole host of their products, from eyeshadow palettes to lip pencils. We were therefore thrilled to be introduced their new Tinted Luxe Balm collection. After all, what better way to brighten up our day than with a vibrant lip colour?

Rouge Bunny Rouge is a global brand, aiming to blur the lines between reality and imagination, with their Enchanted Garden collection. We tried six of Tinted Luxe Balms, and found each of them to be hydrating, plumping and repairing. Thanks to the carefully designed formula, gone are the days of dried out lips, these balms left us with moist and kissable lips! We particularly like the lightly sweet scent, and the varied range of colours. Whether you’re a bold lip kind of person, or prefer something a little more subtle, there will be a shade for you.

Packed with long-lasting actives, these lip balms are a great alternative to non-invasive lip treatments, providing pigmented colour, elasticity, smoothness and volume. Only active ingredients are used (all free from animal testing), and many even have anti-ageing properties too. They are Ecocert-approved, with a patented active complex derived from natural sunflower oil which intensely hydrates and softens. The finish is lightweight, non-sticky and long-lasting, the colour simply fades to a subtle and flattering tint, if not re-applied. Additionally, these balms are encased in elegant black packaging making them even more stylish to apply.

What we love about these lip balms, is the scope to play around with all the shades. You could even combine them with your favourite clear lipgloss for an even more ‘lush’ finish. The shades vary from brighter shades, to more subtle cool tones, with the most adventurous being Poised Peonies (a rich and dark cherry red), Lovely Lilacs (an unusual violet with drop of magenta) and Amazing Anemones (a bright but transparent red). For a more natural lip, we like Playful Primrose (a sheer baby pink colour), however Mysterious Magnolias (a gentle and soft neutral pink) and Captivating Camellias (a soft caramel with a hint of peach) are equally great at adding a little colour, without veering too far from your natural lip shade. To purchase your own Tinted Luxe Balm for $29 each, click here. The hardest part for us? Choosing which shade to wear!

Veil Cosmetics AutoMatte Makeup

Imagine you’re having an after work drink, enjoying yourself at your local pub, with a glass of something nice. You go to the bathroom with a spring in your step, only to discover that your forehead could compete with the shining radiance of the sun. And no, we’re not talking about that “healthy glow”, but the present layer of sweat and city dirt that accumulates on your skin. Sound familiar? Luckily, for these unfortunate emergencies, we’ve discovered the company Veil Cosmetics, our newfound saviour at The Amazing Blog. Founded by internationally acclaimed makeup artist Sebastien Tardif, the brand offers illuminating, brightening and (most importantly) mattifying products that are multi-tasking and modern.

To lessen the glow (and by this we mean the daily London grime) from our cheeks, chin and forehead, we were thrilled to discover Veil Cosmetics’ AutoMatte Mattifying Base & Touch-Up Makeup. It is powerful at creating a matte finish to the skin, combatting excess oils, while brightening and clarifying at the same time. Coupled with the ultra-fine, and non-drying texture, it works wonders without the need for any other powders.  

The best thing about it: it’s suitable for all skin types and tones, making it a versatile and powerful product that we think everyone should keep in their bags. Powerful ingredients like vitamins C and E promote collagen regeneration, while brightening and clarifying at the same time. This multi-purpose mattifier is not only suitable to prevent oily skin, but it also creates an ultimate matte lipstick look, when applied on top of lip balm. Furthermore, it can also be used as a primer before applying your eyeshadow, helping it last longer and to intensify the pigments. Another bonus, it’s imperceptible on your skin, making it invisible for both humans and the camera. 

If you wish for a product that leaves a fine, oil-free finish that mattifies and flatters universally, then you can purchase this 100% vegan and paraben-free product here for $39.00. They offer free worldwide shipping, so no need to worry if you’re purchasing from outside of the US.

Friday Favourites: Eye Products

We’ve almost finished our first working week of the year, and that means only one thing: it’s time for our Friday Favourites! At The Amazing Blog, we have to admit that we’re pretty lax when it comes to eye care. While we all agree that having a sparkle in our eyes is important, the constant strains of staring at a screen, working late nights, or even applying eye makeup, can take their toll. Today we present our recent finds that have helped us to look a little more awake - and ready to take on a New Year!.

Let’s start with Mitomo, a brand that provide high-quality beauty and health care products, all of which contain ingredients sourced in Japan. Their Eye Masks serve you with natural moisture, giving a unique treatment to the under eye region. We tried both the Snail + EGF Gold Mask and the Gold + Bee Venom Mask (both of which sounded very intriguing), and we were more than pleasantly surprised with the results.

The Eye & Nasolabial Mask with Snail Extract and EGF helps to regenerate damaged cells, both under the eyes, and around the nose, with natural components that improve your overall skin condition. The use of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) helps to regenerate new cells, encouraging your under eye area to look brighter and smoother. On the other hand, the Anti-wrinkle Eye Mask with Gold and Bee Venom does exactly what it suggests, helping to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. By promoting the production of collagen and elastin, this mask helps to create a radiant glow, deeply moisturising the area and promoting skin elasticity. Both masks are best applied for 20-30 minutes, and to make the most of the ingredients, the excess should be gently patted into the skin. You can buy each pack seperately for £3.29, the Snail and EGF mask here or the Gold and Bee Venom here. Alternatively each mask is available in a pack of 10 for £29.61.

Our second step for perfect eye care is Elizabeth Grant’s Supreme Cell Vitality Victory Eye Serum . We’ve reviewed Elizabeth Grant’s products before, namely her Suprême Cell Vitality Neck Creme. We were therefore keen to try an eyecare product, hoping it would prove equally moisturising and luxury. We were not disappointed!

The Supreme Cell Vitality Victory Eye Cream is a lifting and energising serum for the delicate eye area, perfectly suitable for all skin types. Inducing anti-ageing effects, it contains natural actives to reduce the appearance of under-eye puffiness, creating tighter feeling skin, while making the eye-area look more youthful. Leaving your skin plumped and nourished thanks to Elizabeth Grant’s own innovation Torricelumn, vitality is produced in a bottle, and dark shadows are reduced. To apply, pat a small amount around your eye area both morning and at night. Containing CoQ10, this product also promotes collagen renewal, revitalising your under eye area. To purchase your own 30ml bottle for $70, click here.

Now our under eyes are suitably moisturised, it’s time to turn to our eyelashes. We discovered Apraise, a brand providing an exclusive collection of professional eyelash and eyebrow products. They particularly specialise in water resistant and smudge proof tints, but have equally turned their hand to lashcare. This is the area that interested us most, with the use of Optiplex growth technology. We tried their Power Serum, a product promising thicker and stronger eyelashes in just 15 days. We were keen to put this to the test!

This serum contains active ingredients that stimulate hair follicles, leading to fuller and stronger lashes and brows. All too often, similar products do nothing but moisturise your eyelashes, and although this is no bad thing, we were pleased to find that this Power Serum has real (and visible) results. By reducing the loss of eyelashes, your lashes look healthy and full, and as it is packaged like conventional mascara, it is simple to apply. Apply a thin coat over your lashes and brows twice a day (mornings and evenings) and you won’t have to wait long for baffling results! To try this product for yourself, visit the Amazon website here, where you will find the Power Serum available for £9.99.

Last but not least, nothing completes an eye look quite like a good coating of mascara. On our quest to find a new favourite, we discovered the brand Lavera, and were keen to try their Powerful Lashes product. Lavera provide certified natural cosmetics, with the use of high quality ingredients, packaging and production processes, so we were keen to see whether their mascara would live up to the high performance ethos.

The Powerful Lashes mascara is organic and vegan, leaving your lashes looking fuller and longer. Unlike many mascaras, this formula is multi-purpose, giving your eyelashes the benefit of a volumised, defined and lengthened look. Additionally, thanks to the rubber brush, our natural curl is held, catching each lash seperately, giving optimum volume without clumping. Being ophthalmologically tested, this product is also suitable for contact lense wearers, and thanks to the dermatological testing, you can be safe in the knowledge that your eyes will not react to the ingredients. There’s nothing worse than streaming panda eyes! To purchase Powerful Lashes, visit the Lavera website here where you will find it available for £14.90.

There you have it - our newfound products for a New Year eyecare routine. Give them a try, and be sure to let us know how you get on!