Totally Derma ® by Boley Nutraceuticals

We’ve all heard about how important is to incorporate sunscreens, serums and moisturisers to our daily routine as we get older, but Boley Nutraceuticals has totally changed the way we at The Amazing Blog are thinking about anti-ageing skincare. While a good SPF and retinol serum are great to have in your bathroom cabinet, Boley’s ground-breaking product Totally Derma® Nutraceuticals Collagen Drink Supplement focuses on working from the inside out.

Many brands today push for topical-only application of anti-ageing ingredients but Totally Derma® focuses on counteracting both the more aesthetic signs of ageing as well as the underlying physiological processes that are harder to see with the naked eye. Launched in 2017, Totally Derma® has been clinically-proven to increase Hyaluronic Acid (HA) in the body, and it contains Arthred®, a pre-digested and highly-absorbable bovine collagen, which contributes to skin firmness and elasticity. Even better is that the bovine collagen is so pure that it is hypoallergenic, therefore perfect for those who have digestive problems.

In addition, the increased levels of HA and Collagen have also shown improvements in not only skin, joints, hair, nails, bones; but also even in gut inflammation, bladder, urethra and vagina health too. Totally Derma® also contains other antioxidants like zinc, green tea extract and grape-seed extract to help collagen synthesis and ageing tissue. These health-boosting ingredients are taken once a day, from one level scoop daily into 250 ml of water or juice. After digestion, Totally Derma® is 95 % absorbed in the small intestine and then distributed to the skin to stimulate cells to produce more collagen and HA in the body. Even better about this collagen drink is easy to take and palatable, adding a little boost to your day and body. To purchase a tub of Totally Derma and start hydrating your body, see here for your 360 mg 30 day supply at £105.

Kapronca's Cordials

Mid-way into February, and we're pleased to report that our ongoing health kick is still just holding-up! One thing we initially struggled with at The Amazing Blog, was finding alternatives to our favourite processed fizzy drinks. Thankfully, that issue is no longer, thanks to the discovery of Kapronca, a brand providing delicious and refreshing cordials for generations. Based in Northern Croatia, their diligence to top-quality cordials has made our quest for healthier alternatives all the more simple.

Now it would be wrong to assume that these are 'healthy' cordials, as they contain sugar. However, we love that the ingredients are both natural, and locally sourced - so much better than the over-processed and artificial flavourings in many other drinks. We were sent these three flavours to try: Elderflower, Raspberry and Mint - all of which proved to be a hit in the office. Using fresh and hand-picked elderflowers from the local region of Northern Croatia, the Elderflower Cordial is made by infusing top-notch ingredients with water and is subsequently our favourite flavour. That said, the Raspberry Cordial is a close second, made with the equally natural ingredient: cold-pressed raspberry juice. The third cordial, Mint Cordial, is perhaps more of an acquired taste - but was one I personally love. By infusing fresh mint, it has an authentic and natural flavour, and we're pleased to say that it doesn't taste artificial in the slightest.

Drawing back to our original point about healthy beverages, you might be wondering how we consume these cordials. We found them delicious when mixed sparkling water (for a fizzy drink without the artificial flavours), but have also become quite partial to the Raspberry Cordial when consumed with boiling water and cinnamon - the perfect way to warm up given the current cold temperatures! That said, on days when we're feeling a little more adventurous (and indulgent), we have discovered the Mint Cordial to be the perfect addition to a mojito mixture, and all three to work well with prosecco. If that's not enough, then all three are also lovely when drizzled over a good quality vanilla ice cream.

Equally tempted to up your cordial game? Then you can order each cordial (0.75l) directly for £8. This includes the shipping cost, but a minimum of 6 bottles must be purchased (to fill a box). London based readers (or anyone planning to visit) will also be able to find Kapronca available at the Taste Croatia Deli in Borough Market from Spring 2019. Enjoy!

Rawbiotics

Day-to-day life can be stressful, besides managing core tasks and balancing a social life, we have to make a conscious effort to boost our nutrition. This is something that we’re not always brilliant at here at The Amazing Blog, so to help along, we were recommended to try Rawbiotics’ Liquid Probiotics.

Daily shots of these friendly bacteria-based probiotics work for your health, providing you with a balanced start in the day, and delivering you your daily dose of life in the easiest way possible. This 100% vegan, raw, all natural and gluten free liquid is contained in entirely recyclable PET plastic bottles. This proves the company doesn’t only care about your body being in balance, but also about sustainability and their impact on the environment. We like that they are 100% raw and natural, dairy, lactose, gluten, GMO, egg, milk and soya free. Rawbiotics also have 14 live cultures – more than any other brand!

The bacteria used are in a live liquid form, meaning they do not need to be freeze-dried in order to survive. This makes them a natural, raw and effective form of probiotic. With 14 strains contained in each bottle, Rawbiotics’ Live Prebiotics are one of the most effective liquid probiotics on the market today. Using the modern method of non-freeze drying has the benefit of ensuring that the products can be kept for up to two years, and can be stored at room temperature, as opposed to in a fridge. Additionally, once opened, they can last for up to 60 days. Delivered in two separate bottles, Rawbiotics Gut and Rawbiotics Daily both contain the same 14 strains of bacteria. What makes them different? The herbs are mixed with these bacteria strains. Both defeat the symptoms of numerous illnesses, such as diarrhoea, hay fever and bloating, as well as supporting your immune system and general wellbeing.

The main function of Rawbiotics Gut is to balance the function of your gastro-intestinal tract. It addresses diverse causes of digestive issues and restores a long-term healthy balance. Each herbal extract has its own effects on your body. Using lemon balm, peppermint, rose hip and slippery elm, this particular probiotic doesn’t only improve your digestive health, but also has positive effects on anxiety and insomnia, as it increases the levels of GABA in your brain (which controls the fear or anxiety experienced when neurons are overexcited). In addition to that, it tempers symptoms of cold and flu and supports healthy weight loss. We also tried Rawbiotics Daily Balance which aims to create, as it says, an improved balance within your whole body. Simply said, it restores natural beneficial bacteria that are needed for an optimal digestive and immune function. Herbs such as astragalus, olive leaf and rose improve your general energy and overall health, while boosting your immune system and strengthening your bones and heart. This probiotic also helps to kill infections, and can relieve both anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

With numerous excited and thrilled customers reporting their own positive experiences, we found that we had more energy, were able to maintain a healthy weight more easily and had an improved mental state. This is a revolution that we are glad we haven’t missed out on! To join yourself, then you can purchase Rawbiotic’s Probiotics here for £29.95 (per 1 litre).

Christmas Spirits

It’s just four days until the big day - our trees are up, the food is ordered, and both children and adults are suitably excited. However, if you’re like us at The Amazing Blog, then you may still be on the hunt for some last minute presents, or a few Christmas tipples to add to your festive drinks cabinet. For our final blog post of 2018, we bring you our top Christmas spirits, helping you to become a stellar host, whether that be for Christmas Day itself, or perhaps even for the New Year.

Firstly, we came across Pedrino, the brand bringing Mediterranean flavours to the aperitif market. Taking inspiration from Spain, Portugal and Italy, Pedrino’s three tonics are the ideal gift for an aperitivo lover or a great addition to your dinner party drink’s cabinet. We tried all three - Sherry & Tonic, Ruby & Tonic and Vermouth & Tonic, and were pleasantly surprised by their light and refreshing nature. Thanks to their low alcohol content, at 5.5%abv, these drinks are perfect as a pre-dinner tipple; only strengthened by the use of all-natural and carefully proportioned ingredients.

While they are delicious when consumed on a hot summer’s afternoon, we found these tonics particularly apt for the Christmas period too. Given that sherry and port are often consumed in the colder and darker months, we were pleased to find a lighter alternative. All three are handmade with citrus botanicals, giving freshness and depth. Equally, only the best and award-winning fortified wines are used, alongside good quality tonic to ensure that your guests (and yourself) will not merely be given a watered down spirit. Our favourite? As port lovers, we loved the Ruby & Tonic, especially when drunk over ice and served with a garnish of lime. That said, it was hard to choose, and the other two closely follow. The bonus though, is that they need only to be served over ice (with a garnish if you’re feeling fancy). If this sounds just the tipple, then you can purchase these aperitifs from Waitrose at just £1.95 per bottle. Click here to see for yourself.

If you’re more of a rum lover, then let us introduce The Duppy Share. Founded by George Frost, the brand brings the essence of the Caribbean back to London, with a focus not just on the Jerk seasoned food and reggae music, but on the nation’s love for rum. Made from a unique blend of fiery Jamaican rum and smooth Barbadian rum, this spirit is both bold and tropical. For those less inclined to go for rum, rest assured that this was a hit across the office, so much so that we were flipping coins for who could take the remainder of the bottle home! We’re also not the only lovers of this brand, as The Duppy Share was the official sponsor of the infamous Notting Hill Carnival in the summer, testament to the brand’s ethos and high-quality product.

The use of a traditional copper pot still gives the Jamaican rum its poignancy, aged in old white oak bourbon barrels and utilising the perfect weather conditions to increase the rate of ageing. On the other hand, the Barbadian method of continuous and pot still distillation gives notes of caramel - which when combined, gives this dark rum a deep, yet refreshing flavour. We like to drink this 3-year-old rum with the classic lime and soda, allowing the rich flavours to take over. However, for a more fiery approach, we also enjoyed it with a high-quality ginger beer and wedge of fresh lime. To bring the Caribbean to your Christmas, then visit The Duppy Share website here where you will find a 70cl bottle for £27.50. Alternatively, you will find this product in many good supermarkets, well worth the crowded rush!

For many of us, the festive season means it's time for bubbles, so we were thrilled to discover Sparkle Drops. This brand brings a vast range of fruity flavourings to your alcoholic beverages - particularly effective when added to something bubbly. Adding a lovely shimmer to your drinks, these drops are equally effective when mixed with gin and vodka, also giving cocktails a little extra pizzaz.

We were fortunate to try two of their sets, the Unicorn Collection and the Gin Collection. The Unicorn Collection contains three 10ml bottles, with Golden Passionfruit, Blue Raspberry and Pink Cherry flavourings. Our favourite was the Golden Passionfruit, which is pleasantly fruity, and thanks to the gorgeous shimmer, will not look out of place on your festive dining table. That said, the other flavours were close contenders, the Blue Raspberry is particularly striking, and the Pink Cherry adds a pop of sweetness to drier proseccos.

Equally, as gin lovers, we were thrilled to try the Gin Collection. This consists of a further three flavours: Silver Elderflower, Green Lime and Rose Gold Rhubarb. It's difficult to choose a favourite here, but as the Rose Gold Rhubarb transported us back to our rhubarb and custard days at the local sweet shop, this perhaps edges above the others. That said, the Silver Elderflower adds a classic flavour to our standard G&T and the Green Lime brings a much needed citrusy zing to combat rich Christmas foods. To use either collection, add a couple of pipette-fulls to your glass, and top with something bubbly. Each bottle will make 6-8 125ml glasses sparkle, and they need not only be mixed with alcohol, as we found the Silver Elderflower worked particularly well with sparkling water. To add a bit of shimmer to your festivities, then visit the Sparkle Drops website here, where each collection is available for £10.

Finally, we discovered the perfect after-dinner tipple from La Mere Wine Estate. Based in Jersey, and established in 1972, La Mere provides heritage products with the use of local ingredients. The company is also established as a Green Tourism Gold standard attraction, in line with adhering to 20 specific actions, designed to promote sustainable tourism. These include controlling energy consumption and water usage, so we were intrigued to try their Jersey Apple Brandy Cream Liqueur.

Blended with the use of Jersey dairy cream from local island herds, the Jersey Apple Brandy Cream Liqueur also consists of locally distilled Jersey Apple Brandy - creating a deliciously creamy and rich combination. Thanks to the use of aged brandy, the flavour is warm and uplifting, ideal for the festive period. Equally, with the use of dairy cream, the texture is smooth and velvety, adding depth and thickness to this tipple. We found this is best enjoyed over ice, however, we’ve become quite partial to this liqueur when drizzled over a vanilla ice cream - perhaps it may even work well with Christmas pudding! To try the 17% ABV Jersey Apple Brandy Cream Liqueur for yourself, then click here, where you’ll find this tipple for £17.50.

So there you have it, four new brands to try this Christmas or New Year. Whether you’re looking for a pre-dinner aperitif, a warming rum, or an after dinner night cap, we’re sure you’ll find something to encourage a little extra festive spirit. As our last blog post of 2018, there is nothing left to do but put our out of office on, wish you all a Merry Christmas and grab a glass (or two) of something nice!

Friday Favourites: Beers and Ciders

There’s no doubt that as Christmas approaches, beers and ciders are some of our more pleasurable lighter tipples… One thing we don’t enjoy though, is in our rush to replenish our fridge, is only having a limited choice from supermarket. Supermarket buyers please take note: There are some fantastic indie brands there! With a little research we’ve found some new and interesting options, from fruity ciders to chocolately beers. Keep reading as we at The Amazing Blog introduce you to some of our new festive favourites!

Let's start with something fresh. Sassy's Cider, created in Normandy, is made of 100% pure juice, is 100% natural, low in calories and no added sugars. We started with the L’inimitable, a bright and golden balance between a traditional-dry cider brut taste, and the fruitiness of a semi-dry cider. It works well as an aperitif, but is also delicious alongside any meat or cheese. The full bodied aroma reveals apple and leather, creating a subtle balance between acidity, bitterness and roundness. Our next treat was Le Vertueux. Clear and pure, this can be perfectly combined with fish or light chocolate desserts as it gives you a sharp and slightly tannic mouth feel at first, finishing off the soft and subtle flavour of pear. This taste is something we certainly hadn’t come across before and it’s delicious!

Our favourite however, is La Sulfureuse, a cider blended with apple spices, creating a soft and semi-dry cider. Ideal with desserts like sorbet or pastry. lt is lower in alcohol than other ciders and has an intense pink colour, as well as a delectable smell of apples and red fruits. If you want to try Sassy’s ciders for yourself, then you can purchase 12 mini bottles (330ml each) for €44 or 6 bottles of 750ml each for €43 here. Alternatively, you can purchase a set of three for £24 on the John Lewis website here.

Another fresh and new cider experience is provided by Lilley's, this time from the UK. Their lightly sparkling Rhubarb Craft Cider is characteristically tart, packed full of rhubarb flavour, yet still has a delicous sweetness. The taste is fulfilling, perhaps going down a little too easily at times! Lilleys, a family run cider business, based in Frome, Somerset, offers a diverse range of traditional and experimental blends of cider. Always made with care and a lot of enthusiasm, this cider definitely helps you to get the best out of the day. The notes of rhubarb effectively take away the usual over-sweetness of fruit ciders, instead leaving a light and refreshing taste. This is one of our favourites from their extensive range. We particularly like this tart nature, and it was a hit even with those who are usually put off by flavoured ciders. This Rhubarb Craft Cider was a winner in The Great Taste Awards 2018 for being ‘very sweet with lively carbonation tart and beautifully blended’ and we couldn’t agree more. This is an excellent present for a cider lover, in it’s substantial carton 5L box of rustic goodness that is certain to pack a punch for a mere £19.80 here

Delivering to businesses all across the UK, you can purchase the 6 bottles (500ml each) for £15.18 here. Alternatively, you can mix and match this cider with other great options, buying a selection of 6 flavours, including Mango or Apple & Blackberry. Click here to personalise your own crate.

Moving away from cider, and onto beer, we came across Lowlander. There is no doubt that Lowlander’s Beer shines amongst the competition, with a range of awards for their botanically brewed beers. With its snappy branding inspired by travel to far-away lands, and discovery of exotic herbs and spices, Lowlander beers are packed full of flavour and character. A whole new dimension of flavours is added thanks to the botanicals used, and their website provides advice on how to combine your favourite beer with either food or other alcoholic beverages.

We tested Lowlander’s Yuzu & Pink Grapefruit beer, and were surprised by the lightness and freshness of this beer, revealing a bright citrus flavour characteristic of having being brewed with earl grey tea and gose beer. We also tried their Ginger & Kaffir Lime beer, which is, in contrast, rather spicy and aromatic, delivering hints of zesty citrus. This beer is brewed with Darjeeling tea and wheat beer, and both beers are presented in colourful and flowery bottles, sure to brighten up any day. With this innovative combination of botanicals, tea and beer, Lowlander wanted to provide innovative lower alcohol options (2.5% vol.). Their beers are subsequently lower in alcohol content than other competitors, but we certainly don’t think this has dampened their flavour! Launched at the Speciality & Fine Food fair in London, these beers can now be purchased from €15 for 6 bottles (330ml each) on their web shop and you’ll find them stocked in many good bars and shops.

Another innovative brand we came across is Pillars, founded by four guys who have created their own Lager Revolution in London. Finding its roots in a garden shed, the aim of the brand was to prove that a craft lager can be just as tasty as its ale counterparts. This is something that we think has turned out to be a great success. With a lot of creativity and quality, the tasteless reputation of Lager has been smashed!

Their first creation was the Untraditional Lager, which has since become the all-time favourite (and our favourite as well). This 4.5% Session IPL combines ingredients from all over the world, producing a never before seen combination of a pilsner and hoppy IPA. This creates the delicious flavour of local British malts, with softness and fruitiness which has a slightly citrusy, but definitely crisp, finish. We also tried their Rebell Helles (4.8% vol.) lager, which combines traditional Helles Lager with new world hops. It is most definitely waves two fingers to boring beers! It is a malty maverick, revealing a full bodied taste, yet is easy to drink. Based in Walthamstow, East London, the brewery pays homage to a brand that wants to change perceptions of lagers. The packaging is metallic orange, and black and white in design, offering a graphic look that looks great on any shelf. With a reasonable price of £2.65 for 330ml, this fresh taste is definitely worth a try. Visit their website here to see for yourself.

Our last stop of this revealing beer and cider discovery tour is Big Cat Stout from Stroud Brewery, a British Craft Brewery founded in 2006. They create premium organic beers, offering a wide range of beers in cask, cake bottles and cans. Starting out as their pet project, this dark stout is organic, and vegan and delivers a silky complexity of dark roast malts.

We decided to give this 4.5%, easy drinking conditioned stout, a try. We were certainly more than satisfied. Encased in a stylish and simple bottle with a graphic red logo, we were impressed to find that this stout is organically brewed, without any artificial preservatives, flavourings or colourings. The taste is not highly bitter, and we think is best combined with rich spicy foods, mature cheddar, chocolate or coffee based pudding. The silky smooth texture is full bodied, delivering a fruity dark chocolate aroma, with a hint of liquorice. Winner of a 2 star Great Taste Award (2017), this beer is definitely not what you find in an everyday pub! Purchase 12 bottles of 500ml each for £33 here.

As Christmas draws nearer, we hope to have opened your eyes to a few new festive tipples, we think in particular that these are great for those who normally steer clear of beers, ciders and stouts. So go on, give it a go, why not try something new?