Abibu London’s Nutra-Revitalising Moisturiser

As the largest organ in the body, our skin goes through an incredible amount of wear and tear. That’s where a moisturiser comes in as the artillery, and the skin’s sword and shield. It’s our job to give our skin the strongest weapons to fight dryness and the appearance of wrinkles. The Amazing Blog discovered just the product, a defensive moisturiser by Abibu London.

As a newly launched skincare, Abibu London was founded by renowned pharmacist and product formulation expert Tomi Abibu (MPharm MPharmS); her belief is that the most vital component of healthy skin is consistent hydration. This is where she launched Abibu London, with its first ground-breaking all-in-one Nutra-Revitalising Moisturiser from the forthcoming hydraVictuals skincare range. Essentially, the hydraVisuals range of skincare is formulated to boost absorption, and the distribution of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to help improve the look and feel of the complexion.

The Nutra-Revitalising Moisturiser is armed with peptides to help the skin feel firmer, anti-oxidants, vitamin C and E, and natural extracts from chamomile, calendula, and aloe vera. This moisturiser is certainly ready for battle, and is also paraben-free and not tested on animals. Use the Nutra-Revitalising Moisturiser to even your skin tone, reduce hyperpigmentation, and bring out your natural complexion. We particularly liked the elegant baby pink packaging with it's stylish square-shaped tub. It's certainly got a very luxurious feel about it and is a product that you'll proudly want to display as a dressing table centrepiece. The lightness of the consistency, together with the subtle rose scent, makes it a versatile and cost-effective product, we used it for both night and day. We say 'hurry up Abibu London' as we can't wait to try more from this new range! Purchase Abibu London’s Nutra-Revitalising Moisturiser 50ml here for £66.

La Scolca Gavi - Bianco Secco

If like us at The Amazing Blog you enjoy the odd glass of Gavi, this one will be of particular interest. What we like about La Scolca Gavi is that it comes across a little heavier than most, in as much as it has the characteristic flourish and fruitiness of a usual Gavi. It is slightly deeper, with more body than one would expect, with its particularly long finish. Whilst that means it would be fantastic for the predictable pairing with fish or pasta dishes, we also found that it worked extremely well with chicken and soft cheese.

Unsurprisingly for a wine of the Piedmont Region, it performs brilliantly on the nose and has a fabulous breadth, as you work through the bottle (we did thorough research on this one as you would expect!) La Scolca Gavi responds well to oxygenation and humidity, which is extremely pleasing on the taste buds. We would compare it to a Nyetimber Champagne in that it sits within a classification which is steeped in snobbery as well as history, however, it’s capability is very good in those scenarios. Having said that, coming from the very first winery to be established in the heart of Rovereto, this truly is a Gavi Grande Cru, it’s pedigree speaks for itself.

Good wine merchants should be able to source a bottle or two of this delicious wine, and it’s well worth the hunt, especially to enjoy on a summer’s evening as the sun goes down. We suggest trying here, it won’t break the bank, but it will certainly make the party!

Snowcrystal’s Blusher & Bronzer Duo

In an increasingly environmentally-conscious world, we are even more aware of the effects our make up products may have. We at The Amazing Blog were interested to learn about the brand Snowcrystal, a Swedish premium and award-winning cosmetics company, that offers customers a sustainable approach to make up. Plus they have developed a unique colour-coded cosmetics Custom Colour System™; this line is aimed at the 40+ age group, with its intuitive colour technology based on the key undertones of the skin in cool, warm and neutral.

Instead of throwing an empty palette away, Snowcrystal’s palettes are reusable. Thanks to their refillable duos and palettes, your cosmetic collection won’t continue to grow, taking up unnecessary space with nearly empty items. Simply hop online and choose which product you would like to refill your palette with. All of the textures, ingredients, and colours are guaranteed to be of the highest quality.

This Blusher & Bronzer Duo comes in three shades: cool, warm and neutral. How this works is to do with a higher percentage of cool or warm pigments. So the pink-base pigments will be in the cold (C = cool) category and warm yellow-based products in the (W = warm) line. Colours that have equal amounts of cold and warm pigmentation are found in the Neutral (N = neutral)  The Blusher & Bronzer Duo that we were sent are in the C1 Blush 'Graupel' and C1 Bronzer 'Flurry' (C = cool). We loved the micro-fine texture of the pressed powders which enabled us to create both a very natural daytime look and even more of a glow for the evening. The compact is portable, comes with a mirror and is handbag friendly. It’s also important to note that the product is cruelty-free. SnowCrystal’s Blusher & Bronzer Duo in the three available colours can be purchased for £39.60 here. We have our eye on their soft blended Foundation Duo to try next!

Haircare products by Routes Hair Extensions

Those who have hair extensions will know that their hair goes through an incredible amount of wear and tear, from hot straighteners, curling irons, and harsh hairspray. Let's not forget about sweat, spilt drinks, and pulled hair. While out on the town, I think it's fair to say that we’ve all been in the way of a spilt drink at least once!

We at The Amazing Blog are happy to report that we’ve found reliable premium hair products by Routes Hair Extensions, to protect and clean our natural hair and extensions. As one of the leading brands in the UK and USA, Routes Hair Extensions have extensive knowledge of the top professional human hair from around the globe. The hair has been sourced ethically, ensuring the hair has been fairly paid for, measured by length, weight and quality. Their products are guaranteed to be vegan-friendly and cruelty-free. For Routes Hair Extensions, it is essential that there is no illegal and unfair practice and that synthetics are not used. All of their extensions are 100% human Remy hair (cuticle correct). They source luxurious Indian Remy hair and use bonds from Italian keratin, to ensure they last.

Routes Hair Extensions very kindly sent us their collection of haircare products to try. Natural hair has a direct source of nutrients and moisture, whereas hair extensions don’t. Therefore, it's crucial to use the correct products to protect the extensions from everyday damage. Their Shampoo and Conditioner were easy to use, and both have a glorious delicate rose/floral fragrance. We would highly recommend these to everyone (hair extensions or not), as with regular use we certainly noticed their cuticle smoothing properties.  The Protein Therapy is a daily hair treatment which replenishes moisture and shine. There is a significant amount of B5, which moisturises and protects the hair surface, alongside wheat germ (vitamin E, zinc, magnesium, essential fatty acids, thiamine) and wheat proteins which repair the hair and prevent static. Together, all these ingredients create a protective spray which is suitable for all hair types. Our favourite product has to be the Extension Boost. This a wonderful treat for both extension and natural hair, particularly if you have fine hair that tangles easily. Routes recommend this non-greasy formula, to be used bi-weekly; perfect to help you achieve an easy comb through, with a soft and sleek texture and an added bonus of colour enhancement. Et voila! Purchase Routes Hair Extensions' products here: Shampoo 250ml can be purchased for £12.00; Conditioner 250ml for £12.00; Protein Therapy 250ml  for £12.00; Extension Boost 100ml tub for £12.00. 

GREK Teas

For those of us who deserve a bit of luxury every now and then, this incredibly delicious infusion has to be a clear front-runner. If like us at TheAmazingBlog, you are used to the delicate flakes of more usual tea leaves, then prepare for a wonderful surprise when opening GREK’s monochromatic, but very stylish boxes. GREK even won an award at the Best of British Awards 2018 for their bespoke packaging design.

Grek are a young British company, specialising in 100% organically certified Greek teas. They ensure that no chemicals, pesticides or harsh substances are used – only nature’s goodness. The whole leaves and flowers are then shipped from Greece to the UK where they are thoroughly inspected, before being stored in climate controlled units, so they maintain their flavour and freshness, ready for further processing.

Whether it’s their Greek Loose-leaf Mountain Tea Whole Flowers or Peppermint Tea Pyramid Bags; you can rest safe in the knowledge that the leaves and flowers are as ‘fresh as a daisy’. GREK enlightened us that the leaves and flowers are picked at the crack of dawn each day, as the temperature is cooler, and thus better for drying bunches of flora in airy barns. Drinking GREK's tea, you can relax and be transported to the serenity of Greece, whilst savouring the notes of leaves, fruits and earthy tones, with a light floral element.

If you like your tea as pure as it can be, then these two delicious teas will be a hit. Our tip would be to avoid hurrying the process, instead steep the loose tea or pyramid bags for a good six minutes, which ensures you’ll get the desired, rounded and smooth taste. Kick back and enjoy some much-deserved pampering in a cup. The brand is suitable for vegetarians, with no artificial flavours, or preservatives. Being naturally caffeine free, and from a company that follows strict ethical production values, GREK tea equates to a cup of all-around wholesome goodness. Proof that we really can just sit back and relax!

I completely loved the Peppermint Tea (boxes of 20 bags for £8.95) and have to say next to fresh mint leaves, this is the best peppermint tea that I've ever had! I even used the bags twice as the flavours were still as piquant, zesty and vibrant as the very first cup. Although £9.95 for 25g of the Greek Mountain Tea Whole Flowers might sound pricey, it needn't just be saved for special occasions. Even for a 'generously sized mug', it only takes 2 teaspoons of these flowers to produce the magic, we can confirm that they were utterly delicious.

It's no surprise that GREK have collected a number of awards in recent months. Their achievements include a silver award at the Best of British Awards 2018 and a gold award at the Food and Beverage Awards 2018, for bespoke packaging design. More globally, they were also awarded a Merit in the ADC 9th Annual Awards, New York! We are certainly won over by this wonderful brand and can’t wait to try even more teas from their fantastic range. We urge you to ‘buy and try’ GREK teas, see here for the full collection.