KLEAF - Hair Care

When we say ‘hair care’ one immediately assumes that we’re talking about just a shampoo or conditioner. What we forget here the most essential step, which is taking care of the scalp. Scalp exfoliation is not a subject that is often talked about in the glamorous world of beauty, but we think that this is where the journey to having beautiful hair starts. A few weeks ago, at The Amazing Blog, we were kindly sent a set of KLEAF which are an extraordinary Scalp Optimizing Trio that we want to share with you.

KLEAF is a Malaysian hair care that is part of Luxurcraft PLT who are a GDPMD certified and approved company that distributes and exports premium sulphate-free scalp care products. KLEAF focuses on offering safe, cruelty-free and natural hair care. Their primary mission is to free scalps from parabens, harsh sulphates, and the ever-so-famous silicones that are still very present in the haircare industry today. Are silicones that bad? Even though they have not been proven to cause any harm to our skin, in the long run, their use becomes counterproductive as they leave a water-resistant film on the hair strands and scalp that doesn’t wash away easily. But I hear you ask; doesn’t this film benefit the skin as it protects it from pollution and retains hydration? At first yes, so short-term, your skin and your hair will look shiny and healthy. Except that as it does not rinse off with ease, it ends up retaining dirt, pollution, and dead cells; thus causing more build-up, therefore interfering with cell-renewal and eventually making your hair look dull and feel heavy. You might have noticed that when knowingly using make-up with silicones, it’s more difficult to remove. The residue is still there the second time around and sometimes even the third! This is because of the silicone coating. But that’s not all. This protective film also blocks the skin from all nourishing ingredients that are supposed to penetrate the skin or the scalp. Plus, research has shown that silicones are not the best thing for the planet, taking up to 500 years for them to biodegrade. KLEAF formulas, which were originally conceived in France, have succeeded in producing an all-natural trio of hair care alternatives to free hair from unwanted chemical residue. What impresses us is KLEAF's transparency here, as a responsible committed and sustainable business, that also prioritises their ingredients to be environmentally friendly.

This is where the KLEAF Scalp Purifying Exfoliator comes into play. Everyone who is beauty-aware knows the importance of exfoliating their skin regularly to get the best results. The scalp being nothing more than the skin on top of our head (and under our hair) which needs the same! When switching to an all-natural hair care routine, the exfoliation will help remove all residue from silicones that have been sitting on your scalp. In this formula, with its micronized walnut shells unclog the hair follicles by freeing them from build-up and product residue, while the small Himalayan salt crystals detoxify the scalp, and the sweet almond and basil oils gently purify whilst nourishing the skin. Like your usual skin scrub, you can use this exfoliator once or twice a week (maximum), before your shampoo, or instead of your shampoo. On the scalp, the solution feels cool and tingles slightly. Massage for about 3 minutes, then rinse away. After use, our hair felt incredibly clean and light, and we noticed a little more volume than usual and a scalp that was less itchy.

Next, we have the KLEAF Scalp Optimizing Shampoo, which is a plant-based stimulating shampoo. In this product, piroctone olamine’s anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties are used to reduce hair loss and inflammation. At the same time, the caffeine stimulates the follicles and strengthens the hair, extending its life cycle. These allow the hair to be efficiently cleansed while the basil, argan, and sweet almond oils nourish the hair to keep it healthy and supple. Again, on the scalp, this lotion-like shampoo feels cool and refreshing, and the basil smell (almost licoricey) is to die for. Our hair looked healthier and lighter and with more volume. To use, massage on wet scalp and leave on for 2 to 3 minutes.

The third product of the set is the KLEAF Hair Strengthening Conditioner, which helps the hair stay silky smooth, healthy, and resistant to breakage without the use of any silicones. In this thicker formula, the glycerine and jojoba & basil oils ensure that your locks are deeply nourished, without leaving any excess. We think that it has a delicious fresh basil fragrance and used it as a regular conditioner after shampoo. They recommend avoiding the scalp, leaving it on for about 2 minutes and then rinsing thoroughly. Afterwards, our hair smelt almost garden-fresh and felt clean, light and shiny with our curls that looked more naturally defined.  This is definitely one of our top hair care #amazingfinds for 2020. In the office, we had to toss a coin to decide who got to keep this set – that’s how much we loved it!

For optimal results, KLEAF advises combining these three products. You can purchase the set for 255 AED (approximately £48) on their European distributor’s website at Advik Beauty’s here who very kind to send us these products.

Aus Dem Orient: Shampoo & Night Cream

With the ever-changing regulations on self-isolation and travel, it's something we're all having to put on the back-burner. However, today at The Amazing Blog we’re going to take you on a journey where Switzerland meets Morocco, with organic skincare Aus Dem Orient.

The trip today takes us to the Deutschschweiz, the German-speaking part of Switzerland where Marie-thérèse Hainke the founder of Aus Dem Orient, always held a fascination with Morocco and decided to take a journey there to discover the different smells, colours, spices and culture. There she and her family found themselves captivated by the beauty of Moroccan and their traditions, as well as the warmth of the people. This was when the family Hainke decided to create Aus Dem Orient and bring these unique Moroccan ingredients to Switzerland, where they’ve now built a brand that offers a pure and high-quality natural skincare. Their products are also certified with an organic seal in both Morocco and Europe, but Switzerland only acknowledges these as natural. This is because a Swiss organic certification is a timely and expensive process which many of the small skincare producers cannot afford. The Aus Dem Orient range of skincare is suitable for all skin types and contains no preservatives, parabens, silicone, dyes, or synthetic ingredients. It is also proudly a cruelty-free brand.

We received two products and will begin with their hero product the Night Cream with Argan & Prickly Pear Seed Oil. Rich in essential fatty acids and vitamin E this night cream is ideal for addressing dry skin. The prickly pear seed oil is a luxurious anti-ageing oil that contains over 80 percent of unsaturated fatty acids. It supplies the skin with moisture, nourishes, regenerates and also reduces age spots. The golden argan oil here has a unique composition of essential fatty acids and a high content of vitamin E, one of the most critical antioxidants. This oil provides valuable moisture and is quickly absorbed without leaving an oily film. The antioxidant activity in argan oil helps to protect the skin from free radical damage caused by the sun with burns and hyperpigmentation. There is also the addition of shea butter, which is again is rich in fatty acids; and the beeswax which has anti-inflammatory properties and offers a barrier between the skin and environment, without clogging the pores. It’s light in texture, although it feels creamy and hydrating, with a slightly honey-ed scent. With its few organic ingredients, this night cream offers simplicity at its best.

The other product we tried is their Shampoo Argan Oil with Honey. The natural scent of the shampoo is a combination of honey and argan. This is an organic shampoo designed to protect and hydrate the hair. The argan oil here is used as a hair treatment, it is beneficial for both the hair and scalp and is used as a conditioner. Vitamin E in the argan acts as a moisturiser for the scalp and also fights dandruff and a dry scalp. The honey has unique healing abilities and has both emollient and humectant properties. Emollients smooth the hair follicles, adding shine to dull hair whereas the humectants bond with water molecules, adding moisture to any dry hair strands. By locking in the moisture the honey can help restore the natural lustre to the hair and promotes hair growth as well as acting as being a cleanser. One of the most crucial factors for us is that shampoo must be colour-safe, which this is. It cleansed our hair well, we must point out that this is not a co-wash, so a conditioner is recommended to use with this and we see they have, but we didn’t try it. You can find the 50g of Night Cream with Argan & Prickly Pear Seed Oil for CHF 37.00 and the 200ml Shampoo Argan Oil with Honey for CHF 17.00, both here.

Essench CBD Cosmetics - Intense Hair Serum

Summer means humidity, which is not always compatible with our hair! We start the day with beautifully straight hair, which when we step outside, miraculously transforms into an uncontrollable bundle of frizz! Oh yes, we at The Amazing Blog know this situation only too well and in our search to find new ways of dealing with our hair, we decided to try this Intense Hair Serum from Essench CBD Cosmetics. We prefer hair serums that are oil-based as they stop the frizz and also hydrate the scalp. We’re not fans of silicone-based hair serums as they only coat the hair to enhance shine; whereas oil can actually penetrate the hair fibres and feed the scalp follicles to restore and repair the hair on a long-term basis.

Essench CBD Cosmetics started in 2019 and is a small family-run CBD business. They are an artisan brand that provides top quality natural products that are handcrafted with their own unique formulas including CBD. The company was created by Christina and her fiancé Jenny, who wanted to produce products that make a difference in peoples’ everyday lives.  After having struggled with endometriosis, Christina turned to CBD which has helped to turn her life around. Ever since she made a promise to raise awareness around both CBD and the medical condition of endometriosis. The company sources its CBD in the purest form from Holland and Germany. It is THC-free and extracted by C02 method. They use ‘CBD distillate’ in their oral oils, which is a highly refined cannabis extract often derived from hemp flower and hemp biomass. CBD distillate typically contains around 80% CBD with the balance including minor cannabinoids, terpenes, and other plant oils and extracts. Otherwise, in their skincare, they use ‘CBD isolates’ which contain only CBD in its purest form with no other terrapenes or cannabinoids. Currently, they have 100% biodegradable packaging on their bath bombs and aim to have all their other containers and packages completely green by the end of 2022. They are also actively involved campaigning with Seed The Future that is a pressure group that aims to get the government to tell the truth and abandon the unsubstantiated and unfounded laws and regulations surrounding cannabis. 

We've already featured many different CBD products here, and as regular readers will know, we’re big fans of this natural ingredient. Let’s do a quick recap for those of you new to CBD. Many people think CBD will get you high like cannabis, however, that’s far from the truth. The natural ingredient cannabidiol (CBD) used in products here in the UK, is only allowed to contain a limited amount of up to 0.02% of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). THC is one of many compounds found in the resin secreted by glands of the marijuana plant. Other compounds unique to marijuana, are called cannabinoids, one of these is CBD which is nonpsychoactive and according to studies actually blocks the high associated with THC. CBD works with your endocannabinoid system which is exceptionally effective in dealing with anxiety, depression, pain, inflammation, improving sleep. Not only that but we also like CBD in skincare for its effectiveness in fighting acne and treating eczema and psoriasis.

The product we want to talk to you about today has earned its spot among the finalists in the World CBD 2019 Awards in Barcelona for Innovation  – as Innovative Award Finalist, the Intense Hair Serum- 250mg CBD. The 250mg of CBD  here is isolate (see above paragraph). As discussed, CBD oil has many known benefits like pain and inflammation reduction, and it also encourages a sense of well-being and calmness. But did you know that CBD oil is also beneficial for your scalp and hair? CBD oil is rich in vitamin E and fatty acids that will nourish the scalp and consequently strengthens the hair and encourage growth. Therefore, CBD is ideal for people suffering from hair loss. Inside the cannabidiol, the fatty acids are omega-3, 6, and 9 which will moisturise and feed the scalp. CBD oil contains abundant amounts of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and vitamin E – which is a natural anti-inflammatory, which makes it ideal for common scalp conditions like psoriasis or folliculitis. It also balances your scalp's natural production of sebum, whether it was too much or too little.  CBD works as an adaptogen and is excellent for all hair types as it regulates sebum production. CBD will increase the elasticity, volume and shine of your hair because of the lipids. This Intense Hair Serum also contains jojoba oil which is an excellent remedy for dandruff.  Jojoba is rich in vitamins and minerals that will support the hair, with vitamin C, B and E, copper, and zinc all of which fortify and thickens it. This serum blend also contains castor oil, a remedy long used in traditional medicine which is said to stimulate the scalp, ease dandruff, and leave your hair smooth and shiny. Rich in olive oil it will help to alleviate itchiness or scalp irritation. The Intense Hair Serum smells of rosemary, which is different from other CBD based hair products which usually smell of hemp. The rosemary oil in the blend makes it very appealing as a scent and will also fight hair loss together with the added horsetail oil. They do this by improving the blood circulation in the scalp which in turn improves the condition of the scalp and the individual hair follicles stimulating hair regrowth. Finally, the nettle leaf oil here is loaded with protein, fibre, fats, vitamins A, B, C and K and minerals such as calcium, silica, magnesium and iron. All these work together to shield and protect the hair from free radicals and strengthen the blood vessels, which means that the follicles will receive more nutrients and oxygen, resulting in better hair growth.  I have used the whole 30ml bottle, which lasted for two or three hair massages (I have long wavy hair) and found that it left my hair with no frizz (unusual!) and super-smooth and shiny. For me, it worked as a wonderful hair treatment with the added bonus of rehydrating and calming my slightly itchy scalp.  Essench CBD advises massaging the Serum gently into the scalp and leaving for about 10 minutes then combing through so all hair is coated evenly. Leave it in for a minimum of 1 -2 hours then wash thoroughly. Repeat 2 times per week or as desired. We’d highly recommend this for your fight against frizz, it’s one of our top summer #amazingfinds, to purchase your Intensive Hair Serum 30ml for £20, see here.

Ting Tang - Dry Wash Shampoo

Do you wash your hair every day? I don't! When I mentioned this to the team at The Amazing Blog – there was a gasp of horror from a few. Did you know that by washing your hair every day it strips the scalp natural oils and microbiomes leaving the hair looking dull, lifeless and brittle? This is why I’ve been a fan of dry shampoo between washes. Not only does it give my fine hair more volume and body, but it also freshens it up and is a lifesaver when I've got a full-on day. So, when I learned about an entirely new type of 'anytime anywhere' foam-based Dry Wash Shampoo - Ting Tang, I knew I had to try it!

First let's meet the creator of Ting Tang, Purdey who was working in banking before she decided to quit and pursue her career as a trapeze artist. However, her secret dream had always been running a business of her own. Her daughter gave her the inspiration when she developed an aversion to water, which led her to create this clever Dry Wash Shampoo.  Despite having had the idea from a toddler, this is a gender-neutral product that and can be enjoyed by people of all ages, with or without toddlers of their own. Not forgetting to mention, that this start-up company even won a BBC One's award on the programme The Customer Is Always Right being selected as the customers’ favourite.

This Ting Tang Dry Wash Shampoo is unlike any traditional or dry shampoo, for that matter. It is a foam-based fragrance-free product that actually cleans! I find that most dry shampoos do offer volume but also mask the dirt and tend to leave a residue of heavy scent. With Ting Tang, I found it easy to apply with about 3 or 4 pumps of foam on my hair, massaging it through from the roots to ends, then towel-drying. Followed by a quick blast of the hairdryer and I styled my hair as usual – start to finish it took all of about 8 minutes. What I like about Ting Tang, is that it washes and cleans the hair with no fragrance or stickiness, as I'd first imagined. It's the ideal size for travelling at 100ml, and can easily be slipped into a carry-on for a long haul flight where it’s perfect for a quick refresh.  This will not only be loved by your hair, but also by the planet as it's fully recyclable, vegan, gluten and cruelty-free - they even offer a refill pack for the bottle!  NB: We reviewed the Ting Tang Tots, but they told us that ingredients are the same as the adult version. Give you dry shampoo the elbow and try this instead. You can purchase your Ting Tang Dry Wash Shampoo 100ml here for only £8.49.

Bao-Med UK - Pure Skin, Scalp & Hair Oil and Food Supplements: Hair Skin & Nails

They say that hair is a woman’s ‘crowning glory’ (a phrase that dates back to Biblical times) and we at The Amazing Blog couldn’t agree more.  After all, when you have a full head of shiny and voluminous hair, it makes you feel glamorous and feminine. Today we’re going to introduce you to two products that will help to put that va va voom right back into your hair with the main ingredient focus being from the baobab fruit.  Meet The Pure Skin, Scalp & Hair Oil, and the Food Supplement: Hair, Skin & Nails from Bao-Med, they both work well alone or when used in tandem.

We have introduced Bao-Med previously on in our features here, where we have written about their Pure Soap and Pure Oil Bodywash. So, we were excited to try out more from this brand again. Bao-Med offers natural products with baobab fruit as its key ingredient. Baobab is known as a ‘superfood’ because of its highly nutritious values. The baobab powder is very rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin C, making it an ideal choice for your hair health. The baobab tree can live for up to 3000 years and Bao-Med practices sustainability by only collecting the fruit that has already fallen on the ground, thus not damaging the tree. By doing this, the tree will continue to be a great source of the fruits for many years to come. Bao-Meds’ Pure Skin, Scalp & Hair Oil recently won an award in The Beauty Shortlist Award in 2020. What we particularly like about this brand is that all their products are organic and come with international certification. As mentioned previously, Bao-Med's products are made from pure baobab seed oil and vitamin and mineral-rich white powder from the fruit which is used in their Food Supplements. The oil from the nut of this fruit has softening, protective and restructuring properties and which are excellent for skin and hair, often used for stretch marks or dry and damaged hair. This brand’s products have been created to help promote healthy skin, scalp, hair and nails; as the baobab seed oil is renowned for its hydrating and healing properties.

Let’s start with the Pure Skin, Scalp & Hair Oil which is extracted as a cold-pressed oil from the baobab seed. Golden in colour, with the addition of a light fig fragrance, it’s made up of 99.8% baobab and 0.2% of natural fig perfume.  They tell us that 33% of the baobab seed consists of oleic and linoleic acids to soothe and protect.  We found it to be a bit of a ‘wonder oil’ where it protects, heals and repairs with its multipurpose use. Apart from scalp and hair (where it did very efficiently come to our aid of split ends and itchy scalps) it’s also great for skin, nails and lips; where we found it relieved dry skin and quickly absorbed leaving it deeply moisturised.  The oil is rich in omega 3, 6 & 9 and it has the added bonus of these great anti-ageing properties. We loved using it to rehydrate dry and frizzy hair working it into the ends after washing, and lightly massaging into the scalp to help reduce itchiness. You can purchase your Pure Skin, Scalp & Hair Oil, which comes in a 30ml bottle here for only £ 25.00.

Then we have the Food Supplements: Hair Skin & Nails, which helps to maintain a balanced body. The key ingredient again is the baobab powder which is combined with other ingredients such as biotin, zinc and, folic acid, making it the ideal supplement for healthier hair. Biotin, in particular, is critical to healthier hair growth, keeping it strong and shiny. This Supplement is rich in prebiotics too, which helps with gut health and supports a good digestion. Did you know that the baobab powder has four times vitamin C than oranges? Which when you put all this together with potassium and calcium for the wellbeing of kidneys and bones, plus the magnesium which balances the metabolism and prevent diabetes and osteoporosis; by taking just two capsules a day with food - you get full body benefit with just one supplement! You can buy the 60 capsules of this Food Supplements: Hair Skin & Nails here for only £ 25.00.