Skin Dewi – Ginkgo Biloba Firming Facial Cream

No matter how old you are, it’s always good to have a product that is anti-ageing – or a lot (The Amazing Blog isn’t a place to judge). In addition to products that fight off fine lines and wrinkles, it’s a bonus when they firm skin. So, we were very excited to try Skin Dewy’s line of natural and organic skin care products, especially their Gingko Biloba Firming Facial Cream.

The Indonesian-based brand was founded by Dewi Kauw, a mother who found it difficult to find organic and non-toxic products for her baby with allergies and atopic eczema. Kauw became highly educated in natural preservation and essential oils as well as chemical engineering, which has her approaching skin care scientifically and creating products that are effective at a cellular level. However, the fact that she is motivated by her children is seen in the all-natural ingredients of products like the Gingko Biloba Firming Facial Cream.

The gingko biloba and green tea extracts are what really set this anti-ageing cream apart from others on the market. These two ingredients work together to boost collagen production and prevent skin water loss, which results in more radiant and firm skin after only a few uses. The face cream is part of the Skin Dewi Brightening series and uses rosehip oil to brighten your complexion for a more youthful glow as well as protect skin cells from the sun. The formula has ingredients like botanical extracts and omega-rich oils for extra hydration, but the moisturiser itself is lightweight, sinks in quickly, and leaves your face feeling fresh rather than greasy. Did we mention it’s also recommended for sensitive and dry skin? This face cream is truly able to do it all in terms of making your skin look soft and supple whether you’re 25 or 45.

You can purchase the moisturiser (30g) here for 65.85€.

Alchemy Organic Super Blends

Brace yourselves, boys and girls for a stunning range of goodies that The Amazing Blog are offer up to you this week for your delectation in the form of The Alchemy Organic Super Blends - unmissable in their brightly designed packaging as we peruse the shelves of Planet Organic or Wholefoods, and bursting with  essential nutrients to help boost our health from the inside out.

The thinking behind this fabulous brand is not so much about adding supplements to your daily calorie intake, but more with working naturopathically with your body, and understanding the ways in which we process the nutrients we need and those which, in the modern world we should be looking to reduce. The philosophy here is very much more along the lines of boosting the good, and reducing the not so beneficial. Take stevia as an example - many see it as a worthwhile wholly natural alternative to the dreaded sugar, however Alchemy make the very valid point that the foods we eat, taken in their original state should ultimately satisfy our taste buds without the need to sweeten things up at all, because it is those highs and lows which make us crave the mid-morning or afternoon snacks and jolt our systems into nourishing said cravings, rather than allowing our metabolism to control the natural balance, individual to each of us.

As we have evolved, nature has done a spectacular job of keeping our systems responsive to the environment around us, but this was more along the lines of ‘fight or flight’ when our physical survival depended on our bodies converting the calorific intake into ready energy as and when the adrenalin kicked in, warning us of danger. Of course, in most of our daily lives now, the threat of coming across an aggressor is significantly reduced we hope. However, something is making those cortisol levels to rise and thereby increasing our blood sugar levels … and of course many of us unfortunately know the modern-day aggressor to be that insidious invader known as stress. We cannot defeat it by simply taking it head on in conflict, or fleeing from it and thereby burning off those heightened sugar levels, so we have to accept its presence and work around the challenges it brings.

Fortunately for us, we have these delicious sachets from Alchemy Super Blends to arm ourselves with as we go into battle to sustain our equilibrium. There are four blends to choose from: Morning Elixir , Energy Elixir ,  Beauty Elixir and Sport Elixir - we are literally Elixir rich in our choice! The option which made most impact here at The Amazing Blog was the Energy Elixir, but it was a tightly run race, as everyone had their individual favourites, however, we all could agree that the extra boost that the Energy Super Blend gave each of us, was undeniably effective. Available in handy Voyager Packs which contain four servings priced around £15, or the more cost effective 300g packs giving us 30 servings and priced around £40, they have a range which will fit seamlessly into anyone’s daily routine. Get your skates on though, and head to their shop here to enjoy some sale reductions of up to 50% in some cases of the Voyager packs and begin the process of that well-being reboot now!

Eleni & Chris - KeraMin Strengthening Shampoo & Conditioner and BoostaMin Instant Hair Treatment

Regular readers of The Amazing Blog will know that we're fans of the Scandinavian brand Eleni and Chris. We have recently reviewed their skincare products, the Bio-Cellulose Age Renewal Face and Eye Mask, and had the chance to try their ColourPro Shampoo and Conditioner and ColourPro Leave-In Treatment Spray in 2017.  

So when we had the  opportunity to try latest lauch KeraMin Strengthening Shampoo and Conditioner as well as the BoostaMin Instant Hair Treatment. We grabbed at it with both hands! The shampoo and conditioner both have the brand’s signature ingredient: cloudberries. These small orange berries are native to cool temperate regions of the earth and have been called "Scandinavian gold" as they are high in magnesium, calcium, and vitamins A, B, C, E. These elements, coupled with proteins and moisture, help strengthen and rebuild hair from within. Keratin in the Strengthening Shampoo additionally repairs hair while carefully selected proteins in the Strengthening Conditioner add extra softness. After using this duo, your hair will look stronger and healthier.

Whereas The BoostaMin Instant Hair Treatment should be put in towel-dried hair after shampoo but before conditioner 1-2 times a week for the maximum effect of strong and radiant hair. This product is named rightly so because keratin, cloudberry, and other ingredients combine to create an immediate effect — leaving your hair smoother and shinier than it was minutes before. It works on all hair types and it’s paraben free. On top of that, it comes in individual 20ml packs  ready to throw in your bag and take on your travels. Afterall we all know how sun, sea and sand plays havoc with our crowning-glory!

Whether you need to repair your hair from heat damage or want to maintain your locks, these products are perfect additions to your shower. You can purchase the Shampoo here for €26 and the Conditioner here for €28 or buy both for €50. You can buy single packs of the hair treatment here for €8 or a pack of six for €44. All products are in Euros but they do ship to the UK. Also by the time this post goes live, it might well be included with the rest of the haircare products in £ on FeelUnique.com

Voya Men's Grooming Range

We head over to the glorious the isle that is emerald, for this post, indulging in, without apology, Voya’s dreamy range of men’s skincare- with such a deliciously smelling combination of clove and lime, it certainly wasn’t a hardship - indeed more an exceptionally unrestrained bout of serious pampering. Such a start to the day really sets you up perfectly for what may lie ahead - good or bad (the day we mean!) the skin is certainly going to be in tiptop shape. The girls at The Amazing Blog have already experience the gorgeousness of this organic Irish brand with a few of their goodies including their Hydrating Body Lotion  So now it’s my turn!

The provenance of this range stems from a formidable heritage, rooted in the luxury spa marketwhich originated in the indigenous bathhouse tradition of Co. Sligo. The bathhouses which opened in 1912 may have since closed, but the essential ingredient which continues to provide it’s magic of course remains in bucketfuls … well vat-fulls really. And this essential ingredient which provides such incredibly healing results is of course seaweed. Naturally, the benefits of seaweed have long been known to soothe and heal, but more thorough investigation continues to throw up advantages not simply in deep detoxification, but also in aiding weightloss amongst other things. As nature’s most powerful anti-oxidant from the vegetal world, it’s hydrating and nourishing properties come from it’s plethora of minerals and vitamins, which have proven to effectively treat skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis and acne, and is particularly good for sensitive skin. It also naturally moisturises, whilst reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by improving skin’s elasticity and stimulating the renewal of damaged cells.

The Voya Men’s grooming range is totally focused on organic seaweed and the following two scientifically proven and 100% natural active ingredients. Speci’MenTM derived from the Baobab tree, and DEFENSIL®-PLUS: A complex of Blackcurrant Seed Oil and Balloon Vine extract. Here we have a three step routine to savour: An Invigorating Face Wash, (recently awarded Winner in the 2019 Beauty Shortlist Awards) Cooling Shave Gel  and Rejuvenating Moisturiser. These Seaweed-based products use the highest-quality botanical elements and aromatherapy oils in sustainable and historical processes to attain their high level of quality. The organic seaweed itself is harvested by hand to help protect the delicate coastline of West Ireland and no artificial colours or fragrances are used, with all products adhering to the strict COSMOS standard. All this science could easily overshadow the fundamental treat that comes with using this Voya For Men range -  but  we enjoyed, and enjoyment is certainly the route we took! It must also be added that they are perfect for fighting signs of aging, reduce enlarged pores, calm inflammation from shaving and soothe dehydrated skin.

Available here priced at £27.00 for the 125ml Invigorating Face Wash, £23.00 for the same sized Cooling Shaving Gel and £45.00 for the  50ml Rejuvenating Moisturiser … For the level of luxury on offer here, and the chance to bathe in some Irish magic, trust me the cost is well worth it.

Hi Honey

As we all know, the beloved bee populations in recent years has been decreasing at an alarming rate in the UK. Toxic pesticides, varroa mites and loss of habitat have threatened the fate of bee colonies and the crucial role they play in our food production. That’s why at The Amazing Blog we always try to find ways to buy bee products in order to help #savethebees. Recently, a new UK brand Hi Honey sent us four pots of their delicious honey. All with a bit of a twist with added flavours - we just couldn’t wait to try them.

Launched in August 2018, Hi Honey prides themselves on having the ‘biggest selection of pure honey with freeze-dried fruits and herbs.’ While the company is based in London, all of their pots of honey are produced and packaged in Lithuania.  They are quick to add, that their bees are only treated with ecological medications, the hives are wooden, the location of the apiaries adheres to the IKP (Exceptional Quality Product) requirements and their extraction techniques meet EU standards.  They also point out that: “The bees work for us and we work for them, and that is why we give special attention to those who cannot imagine their lives without unique, natural bee products.”

 Each of their jars contains pure honey that is infused with natural freeze-dried fruits, spices and herbs such as orange, peppermint, cinnamon and even cocoa, to name a few. Yum! We had the opportunity to try four of their exciting flavours of their delicious honey selections including their Mixed Nuts, Blackcurrant, Peppermint and Cinnamon, Orange & Lemon flavours. Besides being delicious, we loved that we could use all four kinds of honey to bake, marinate and glaze in different ways and recipes. A bonus is that Hi Honey has added into their packaging ideas on how to incorporate their honey into your daily recipes. We had to try them all out. For breakfast, we put the Mixed Nuts flavour into our morning porridge to give us an added sweetness and some of our daily protein. The Honey with Blackcurrant also gave a nice added sweetness to our smoothie for lunchtime. Not much of a breakfast person? Then Hi Honey recommends using their Peppermint infused honey to glaze over a lamb or pork chop. Their last honey we tried, the Cinnamon, Orange & Lemon, was a great addition to a warm slice of  apple pie.  If you want to try a new twist on your honey, visit the Hi Honey website here to purchase one of their 250 g pots for £10.99. Not sure which flavour to get? There are 3 mini sizes at 40g to mix and match that are available of each jar for £10 available here.