Cruelty-free

Spruce: Multi-Purpose Starter Kit

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The world of cleaning products is at last changing, and thankfully there is now a choice of natural cleaners with plant-based ingredients to make our homes sparkle.  For too long, products with harsh chemicals, leaving toxic residue on our counters, floors and even on our hands, has dominated. Although these natural products aren’t cheap, at The Amazing Blog we think that when it comes to buying safe, eco-friendly and non-toxic household cleaning items, these are a wise investment. Today we take a look at a Multi-Purpose Start Kit from Spruce.

Spruce, is a British cleaning brand recently founded by Mahira Kalim. They have launched with two products made from non-toxic ingredients and without any single-use plastics. After suffering from health issues, possibly due of the toxins in household products, Mahira realised that the market was filled with cleaning products that use single-use plastic bottles with 90% water, toxic chemicals, artificial dyes and fragrances. So, she decided to create a brand that offered safe, natural, and eco-friendly choices for consumers; “without compromising on convenience, effectiveness or aesthetics”. Having launched Spruce in the midst of the pandemic, Mahira has “put people and the planet over profit”. Therefore, she has developed her products to be entirely cruelty-free, vegan, and safe for pregnant women, children, and pets. Their product packaging, including the reusable aluminium bottles and the refill sachets, are all plastic-free, recyclable, FSC-certified, and printed with biodegradable ink.  Sustainability is at the heart of the brand. With the one-time buy of the aluminium bottle, it’s the world's most recycled material with 80% of the aluminium in use today which is recycled.  Their lightweight refill sachets have a concentrated powder and only weighs 4 grams, which is 140 times less than a typical cleaning bottle that weighs 560 grams, plus these are completely biodegradable!  Refills fit through a letterbox and get delivered with a significantly low carbon footprint. They also offer a flexible subscription which can be changed or cancel anytime.

The Multi-Purpose Starter Kit  is one of Spruce’s best-seller. The brand has already gained consumer recognition having been shortlisted by Dezeen Awards for their Sustainable Design and an Eco Lifestyle Winner at 2021 Beauty Shortlist Awards. We initially found Spruce at its inception on Instagram and have been itching to try their cleaners ever since. The Kit comes with a lightweight aluminium Spruce bottle and a plastic-free Multi-Purpose cleaner refill sachet. The refill sachet is made of plant-based or food-grade powder ingredients highly rated for their environmental and human safety on Environmental Working Group (EWG) and by the  European Chemical Agency (ECHA). The plant-based ingredients include sodium coco-sulfate (a surfactant derived from coconut) and alkyl polyglycosides (sugars). Whereas the food-grade ingredients include citric acid, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate and sodium bicarbonate. Plus, there are locally sourced essential oils which contain antimicrobial properties. They are quick to point out that their surfactants work differently from toxic antibacterial agents (pesticides) that kill the bacteria. Also, a point to remember is that antibacterials are effective against bacteria, not viruses. Anyway, we couldn’t find any nasties here! We found it is gentle on the nose, where it left only the slightest residue of a mild spa-like geranium fragrance. Happily it also made swift work of removing lingering food stains and greasy marks from kitchen and bathroom worktops. To turn this Kit into a cleaning solution, you simply add the refill sachet into the bottle and fill it slowly with tap water- easy! This Multi-Purpose Kit has won us over as being not only good for the planet, but also great for our pocket; it lasted over a month, with regular use, which for us makes economic sense when this one product can replace at least three of our current others. You can purchase the multi-purpose starter kit here for £12.00 and refills at £9.99 each.

EasterMia: Crisp Apple Nail Polish & Nail Kit

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Nail polish is the quickest (and chicest) way to change up your look from day to night, or from season to season. With spring here, at The Amazing Blog  we’ve selected a beautiful true-red nail polish and a Nail Kit to share with you from the Canadian nail brand EasterMia, for a quality at-home manicure. With over 40+ shades to choose from, these nail polishes are vegan, cruelty-free, and non-toxic and deliver a great professional looking manicure. 

Mia Phan, the creator and founder of EasterMia, owns a local nail salon in Burlington, Ontario. Inspired by her clients and her mother, Helen, who has more than 30 years of experience in the nail industry, she wanted to create a relaxing and fun experience for all the  hardworking women who are time-poor and deserve a little pampering at home. Phan established EasterMia in 2019, and  understands the importance of self-care and nail health. EasterMia was created in collaboration with a chemist, where the range of nail polishes and nail care are free of all the most common toxic chemicals and fragrances used in other mainstream brands. They are also a Leaping Bunny approved brand. So, whether you are a soon-to-be mother or prone to allergies, this nail brand should be safe for you.

The first product to introduce is the Crisp Apple Nail Polish. With so many reds to choose from (think blue-based, neutral or orange-toned), we decided upon this stunning and versatile true apple-red shade; which adds a classic pop of colour. The shiny and vibrant finish of this trans-seasonal red adds a opulent shade to complement any spring, going into summer wardrobe. We also think that this sophisticated hue looks just as chic for sporting on office hands, as it would on the red carpet. It is a 10-free nail polishmeaning that it does not contain the ten common harsh chemicals found in nail polishes, like formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, DBP, toluene, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, parabens, triphenyl phosphate and fragrance. We like how the formula allows you to apply it thinly onto the nails, and delivers an opaque coverage with just one coat. They suggest for a longer lasting colour, to top-up with their high gloss Top Coat finish, all of which we’re happy to report, are entirely gloop free

We also received the Nail Kit. This essentials kit has everything you need to start an at-home manicure, including a clear Base Coat, Top Coat, Organic Cuticle Oil, a small buffer and file. The Base and Top coat serve as foundation and protection for their nail polish. The Base Coat’s unique ingredients help smooth the nail surface and evens out the nail plate, as well as offering no stain residue on the natural nailThe Top Coat is slightly tinted to make it even more light reflective and keeps the nail polish from yellowing. EasterMia purposefully adds aloe vera and vitamin E to its Organic Cuticle Oil to nourish your cuticles. With the pineapple scent here, it makes the experience even more pleasant and relaxing.  To get your nails polished to perfection in a matter of minutes, see here to purchase EasterMia’s Crisp Apple nail polish for £8, and the Nail Kit is here for £15.

MamaSia: Desert Date Oil

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Let’s keep it simple – at The Amazing Blog we want to take about the versatility and purity of oils. They’ve been tried and tested for centuries, and we find more and more people are returning to using only minimally-processed oils as part of their skincare routine. Today, we are trying out a Desert Date Oil from MamaSia 

MamaSia is an established natural skincare brand, launched in 2012; it has traditional African beauty and wellbeing products, all with a modern twist. They are based in the UK and co-founded by Maame Opoku.  With her dual heritage, Maamie is of Ghanaian descent, and born in England.  She spent time in Laraganga, Ghana, where she learnt about local ingredients and production methods from women in the community. After years of experience in the beauty industry, she realised the uniqueness and value of the traditional African beauty practices she’d gleaned and decided to create her own brand MamaSia, now a business made up of more than forty Ghanian womenAll products are formulated by Maame and Sam, the company’s co-founders. Where their collective objective is to help the local communities, especially women, by acting in a socially responsible way to ‘Share, Inspire and Assist’ (this acronym ‘SIA’ is found in the brand name). All of its product ingredients are sourced from its family lands in Senegal and Ghana. As Maame said, MamaSia is an experience rather than a brand, many people have never heard of some of the natural botanicals found in our products range. So, it is an experience from that standpoint, not forgetting our customers get to experience how our ingredients are grown on our communal lands to how it is re-purposed by us. That is why we say ‘From our Lands to your Hands’, it is direct from soil to hands.”  MamaSia produces a range of hair and skincare products and superfoods such as raw purple sea moss. However, what interests us are the superfood oils in her collection, which are pure, unadulterated and good enough to eat! They are now getting the brand recognition that they deserve and recently won The Afro Hair & Beauty Association AHBA Award for Brand Excellence. 

We couldn’t wait to try the Desert Date Oil , an all-rounder that is beneficial and suitable for all skin and hair types. It can automatically adjust and balance your skin or hair’s pH level, leaving your skin and hair smoothing and glowing without being greasy and won’t clog the pores. It is derived from Desert Date’s seed kernel, a fruit that thrives in dry conditions and is high in natural non-volatile fatty acids (46%), helping rejuvenate skin cells and reduce fine lines. As an ideal food ingredient and a cosmetics component, it contains naturally occurring, highly concentrated vitamin E and omega 3 &6 fatty acids. Vitamin E provides an excellent healing and nourishing effect that strengthens and moisturises the skin. At the same time, omega 3 &6 serves to regulate the skin's oil production and calm inflammatory reactions and skin breakouts. This is the first time we’ve used 100% cold-pressed Dessert Date Oil (balanites aegyptiaca) where we tested it out night and day, and as directed by the brand to ‘dab or pat not glide’ a little goes a long way. We loved how hydrating and protective this felt on the skin (used in chilly February). This is good for the hair tips to seal split ends, and with a drop rubbed into the palm of our hands, then smoothed over the crown, it also keeps frizz at bay. This is simplicity at its best, suitable for all skin types and one oil we’d certainly buy more of. The humble date is probably one of the most sustainable botanicals around, with its fruits and leaves which can be eaten, the kernels used for oil, and the vines and twigs crushed to help build local structures! To purchase this 30ml Desert Date Oil for £10, you can buy it here. 

Pura Vida Organic: CBD Deodorant (Stick)

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Whether you’re back working out in the gym, taking a jog around town, or having fun at home with friends and loved ones, it’s true to say that sometimes we struggle to keep our body odour in check. As the weather is warming up, at The Amazing Blog we’d like to recommend a natural and effective deodorant that kept us dry and fresh all day long. We’ve already introduced Pura Vida Organic with some of their CBD hair and skincare products here, and today we’re back featuring their CBD Deodorant (stick).

Based in Croatia, Pura Vida Organic is an organic certified CBD skincare and cosmetic brand founded by Jennifer Deegan are in 2015. This brand only uses the purest organic ingredients and has a wide range of product, especially for problematic and sensitive skins. A graduate from Formula Botanica, Deegan suffered from skin problems herself, and is a firm believer of the brand philosophy ‘pure life’: "I couldn’t find 100% natural and organic products that met my standards – so I made them myself. Once I discovered what really worked for my skin, I wanted to share it with everyone else.” During this process, she discovered the amazing benefit of CBD, which is why Pura Vida Organics have developed a wide range of CBD infused products, including: Anti-ageing serums, balms, elixirs, massage oils, shaving gels and many moreall of which use broad-spectrum or isolate CBD (THC-free) as the primary ingredient. In 2018, Pura Vida Organic passed the Current Good Manufacturing Practice  regulations enforced by the FDA (CGMP) and the international standard for quality management systems (ISO9001). In 2019, they were the first CBD skincare production facility to obtain the COSMOS Organic and Natural Certification . Recent winners of Best Face CBD Product and Best Body Butter at The Organic Clean Awards, they are also Bronze winners for their entire body care range in Cosmetique MagazineIn addition to their high-quality CBD products, Pura Vida Organic cares deeply about sustainability. All plastics are recyclable, and boxes are made of 25% grass pulp, recycled paper and cardboard. All labels use vegetable dyes and vegan-friendly glue, and all products are 90% handmade, which decreases energy consumption from mechanical production. 

This time, we want to try their CBD Deodorant (Stick), which comes in a compact twist-up tube. Like other products in their range, this CBD Deodorant is infused with 300mg of CBD. Here the cannabidiol is effective at killing odour-causing bacteria on the skin. It also balances, soothes and moisturises the armpit – ideal if you have just epilated or shaved. Plus, being used near the sweat glands helps to regulate both the sweat/sebum production. What we love about Pura Vida Organic's CBD Deodorant, is that it also uses zinc oxide and coconut oil, two other super-effective anti-bacterial and anti-fungal ingredients, to maximise the control of bad-smelling odours. Along with the lavender and sage extracts here, it leaves a fresh, not over-powering, floral scent. With the addition of arrowroot powder, shea butter, and myrica fruit wax (AKA bayberry wax, it’s a vegan emollient), these leave the underarm skin soft and silky smooth. To our joy, we found absolutely no stinging when we applied this direct after epilation. In fact, this actually soothed the armpit. It’s long-lasting and kind to the skin and one of our #amazingfinds for this week. As it’s 100% natural, organic, vegan and cruelty-free, if you’re looking for an effective and natural deodorant with no paraben, preservatives and zero irritation, then this is the one for you! You can buy this 30ml CBD Deodorant (stick) here for €9.50. 

CBD Leafline - Skin Therapy: Cellulite Toning Body Lotion

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Have you been sorting out your summer clothes and dreaming of getting back into your swimwear? We have! By doing this during #lockdown, it became apparent to some of us at The Amazing Blog that we needed to start toning up our tums, bums and thighs! And what better way to get started than by using a Cellulite Body Toning LotionThis is from one of our favourite award-winning CBD skincare brands CBD Leafline from their range of Skin Therapy. You may remember that we’ve reviewed some of their products here.

CBD Leafline was founded in 2018 by CBD enthusiasts Paul and Sonia Shrive. Having had a lifesaving encounter with CBD in Africa during his youth, Paul wanted to create quality CBD-derived products for others to share the same benefits of wellbeing. Thanks to their experience in manufacturing, distribution, and wholesale; and Sonia’s expertise in marketing and customer service, they finally launched. And after further research and development their first CBD-infused skincare line, Skin Therapy made its debut last year too. Studies have demonstrated that topical use of CBD has helped regulate the sebaceous glands, and reduce inflammation. All products in the CBD Leafline range  are natural and combine high-quality whole-plant hemp oil containing broad-spectrum CBD (THC-free) with cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, omega 3/6 and amino acids which interact with other vegan ingredients. These are derived from plant and fruit extracts, such as marine collagen (always seaweed not fish), retinol, hyaluronic acid and pro-vitamin B5. All CBD Leafline products are independently tested (see here) and the brand is a CannaPro certified business.

Let’s talk about cellulite. In simple terms, it’s a build-up of fat under the dermis combined with weakening of the connective tissue, which in turn creates an orange peel ripple look on the body. It is a harmless and natural condition that affects about 9 out of 10 women - and some men. This is where CBD Leafline’s Cellulite Body Toning Lotion comes into its own. The antioxidants in the 100mg of CBD here, helps the production of collagen in the skin as well as reduce the appearance of stretch marks on the body. Not forgetting that the cannabidiol neutralising free radicals and the rich antioxidants help the skin stay youthful for longer. The carrier oils are olive, coconut and apricot kernel packed with fatty acids and further antioxidants that work to rehydrate and slow down skin ageing. Together with the ‘triple fruit extract’ of melon, strawberry and papaya, work in synergy to tone, tighten and exfoliate. The melon fruit extract is rich in vitamins A and C offering yet even more antioxidant compounds. When vitamin A and C are applied topically, they too are good at hunting down and neutralising free radicals and, most importantly, reduce the appearance of ‘orange peel’ skin. Strawberry fruit extract soothes and tones the skin and reduces the size of pores by tightening and firming skin. Whereas the papaya fruit extract also contains vitamins A and C that brightens and tones the skin giving it a natural lift whilst soothing, softening and promoting new skin cell growth. Finally, the four essential oils of orange, lemon, lime and grapefruit release a soft, fresh citrus aroma and they cleanse, purify, nourish and protect. CBD Leafline suggest applying this once a day to the cellulite-prone areas (in our case, thighs!) and gently pinching and massaging the area to stimulate circulation and blood flow. We found that by using this Cellulite Toning Body Lotion in the morning, after exercise and shower, was the best way for us to get optimal results. Then we used a wooden hand massager to gently stimulate the area, and as a final step, applied the Cellulite Toning Body Lotion. Yes, we have achieved smoother and less bumpy thighs but what we really noticed was how soft and hydrated it left our skin. It’s another one of our #amazingfinds of the week and also a must-have, if like us, you’re preparing to get your body bikini-ready after this very long #lockdown. To purchase CBD Leafline’s Cellulite Body Toning Lotion in 100ml for £34.99, click here.