Terre De Mars - 004 Resonance Body & Hair Oil

At the Amazing Blog we’re big fans of the humble coffee bean and its versitility - not only can it give a wonderful boost to those of who find the early mornings a bit of a trial, but the health and medicinal benefits of caffeine-based cosmetology is now also sitting centre stage and rightly getting the attention it deserves. Terre De Mars is a company at the forefront of this.

Started by three friends who had memories of their grandmother espousing on the virtues of coffee as more than just a beverage, they started their empire from the humble beginnings of a 100% pure coffee face scrub. Alexandre, Poulad and Salem had such a phenomenal success with their scrub, that they progressed onto a more sure footing with the launch of a full range of coffee-based products, all of which are COSMOS, COSMEBIO, vegan and cruelty-free certified, and gender fluid. They created their formulae which comply completely with ECOCERT Standards, having researched and understood the benefits of using caffeine in a highly concentrated form, and along with the other totally natural ingredients, the results are a perfect fit for skin bio-compatibility and sensorial richness.

Today we’re talking about the Terre De Mars Résonance 004 Resonance Body & Hair Oil which contains antioxidant and nourishing oils to achieve radiance and smoothness. Castor oil regenerates the skin, and that vital caffeine component tones and invigorates the skin tissues, with Argan oil providing much-needed hydration. The complete range is a happy marriage between science and nature, formulated from powerful bioactive and probiotic ingredients, thus providing a powerful cocktail of nutrients. The benefits do not end there, not only is this nurturing balm kind to our skin, but the packaging is all created with recycled material, meaning the environment reaps huge rewards also. By the way, It doesn’t smell of coffee and has only a hint of zesty citrus scent from the bitter orange water.

Available here at €58 for the 100ml bottle, this is clearly unlikely to be an impulse buy, but the benefits of this newfound elixir are there to be experienced, and the results celebrated. We also believe from their retailer’s page here that it is currently available instore at Wolf & Badger or Make Me Feel (in London) for approx. £48.

R&R Luxury - Shea Oil Marrakech Nights & Liquid Black Soap

Let us at The Amazing Blog bow down to the wonders of shea butter, and its remarkable natural healing qualities, as developed by the R&R Luxury skincare company based in Ghana and bringing 100% natural African luxury to our skin in their formidable men’s range.

Developed by the founder Valerie Obaze in 2010 as her quest to bring a moisturiser that could be as gentle on a grown-up’s skin as well as that of a newborn baby, we have literally at our fingertips, the pure unadulterated natural benefits of shea butter which is the main constituent in both the face and body oil and their Liquid Black Soap.

The Face & Body Oil is tantalisingly called Marrakech Nights, and the main ingredient, of course, is shea oil which is particularly effective in the treatment of various skin conditions such as scarring, dry and/or ageing skin, as well as sunburn. Because it is so gentle of course, sensitive skin can also be soothed by this balm. Just a few drops are enough to be rubbed between the palms, and then applied directly to the skin when wet, or added to another body cream for an overall application.

R&R’s Liquid Black Soap contains the essential oil of lemongrass which gives it the most wonderfully fresh fragrance, and a burst of aromatherapeutic essence producing a highly effective and thorough cleansing gel. Again, with the benefits of the shea butter, this is particularly good for treating complaints like eczema, psoriasis and acne. Being 100% natural means we also don’t have to worry about parabens, artificial colours or mineral oils.

The unisex range is available from the website here. The Shea Oil - Marrakech Nights at 250ml at £17  and  Liquid Black Soap at 250ml at £12.50. The brand is actively seeking new distributors, so hopefully, availability will increase soon. With that and also the company’s success at 2018 Pure Beauty Awards, it can only be a matter of time before this range racks up yet even more success.

Vilana - Mint Hair Conditioner

One of our missions this month has been to find a completely natural hair conditioner that won’t irritate an itchy or sensitive scalp. Not an easy task!  At The Amazing Blog, we’ve searched high and low and were recommended to try a brand called Vilana Natural Beauty, who are famed for their gentle hair care products and advice on hair loss.

Founded by Vilana Bagdone, a wife and mother of three who has a light bulb moment when one day she caught sight of her ‘dull, drawn and pale skin’. Despite using countless bottles of high street creams and serum, nothing seemed to help. It was only then that she realised she needed to return back to basics to harness the true power of nature and natural products. Today Vilana Natural Beauty uses a selection of top-quality essential oils to ensure she has the best to create her effective skin and hair care solutions. We’re excited to report that the brand has recently been nominated for The Scottish Business Awards which will be held on 23 February.

We tried the Vilana Natural Beauty Mint Hair Conditioner which is their hero product from the hair care collection. Looking at the key ingredients, it’s no surprise it is a bestseller. The conditioner is enriched with apple vinegar that leaves the hair feeling soft, shiny and smooth and peppermint essential oils which help to promote hair growth. Peppermint has antimicrobial and antifungal properties which help to tackle dandruff and other scalp issues. The shea butter and honey also add moisture for more luscious and thicker-looking hair. We’ve used this several times and noticed that it helped to restore, nourish and soften the hair effortlessly. They advise that you leave the product on the scalp for up to five minutes, in order to let the conditioner soothe and sink into the scalp, then rinse away. We were left with a refreshing scent of mint and very shiny hair. The added bonus is that it can be used as a hair mask as well.  There are no sulphates or parabens, and they even offer a full ingredient list with an explanation here. This one of our #amazingfinds of the week; you too can purchase a 200ml pot of Vilana Natural Beauty Mint Hair Conditioner for £12.50 here.

Dermasynergy Professional Skincare - Synergy Balm

With the seasonal changes, our skin can be dry or even flaky, that’s why we at The Amazing Blog like to keep an emergency multi-balm always to hand, especially for these chilly months! So we were very happy to discover Derma Synergy Professional Skincare who has their Synergy Balm a professional healing balm that has a multitude of uses.

Ideal for dry and sensitive skin, it’s 100% natural, this Balm targets tired prematurely ageing skin in need of repair, restoration and rehydration.  One of its key ingredients is blackcurrant seed extract, a powerful natural antioxidant tool that regenerates damaged skin cells. A little-known fact for you, in the Second World War, parents would make their children drink blackcurrant juice due to its high concentration in vitamin C and its ability to prevent scurvy. The other ingredients also serve useful purpose including vitamin E contributing to neutralising free radicals (which lead to premature skin ageing) and marula extract which works on increasing skin hydration and elasticity.  The frankincense oil stimulates the growth of new cells and can reduce inflammation and acne scarring. We also like that this Balm has mango butter which is a natural vitamin A source and is effective in treating trickier skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

It’s a waxy consistency that warms up in the fingertips making application easy, leaving no excess; we’ve been using it on lips and hands (nails in particular). It comes in two sizes and we were lucky enough to receive both. The 15ml tin is £9.99 here which fits neatly in a pocket or handbag, making it great for hydration on the go. The 100ml tin is £35 here which we’ve also been using it intermittently a night balm, as well as a skin neutraliser to let our skin ‘rest’ from using other products as it’s brilliant for skin repair.

Clothes Doctor - The Eco Wash Laundry Set

Sick and tired of shelling out hundreds of pounds on a designer jumper - then you go ruin it in the wash? Frustrated with splurging money on horrifically expensive dry cleaning just so you can wear that cashmere scarf one more time? Here at The Amazing Blog, we’ve been fighting this battle for years. However, fear not our recent discovery serves as the answer to all our prayers. Brace yourself, the information we share next will have you, like us, jumping with joy and smiling from ear to ear. Meet Clothes Doctor who is an online clothing maintenance service providing clothing repairs, alterations and restoration treatments to customers all around the UK. Alongside their valuable services, they also sell fantastic products such as Eco Wash bottles that help you care for your wardrobe from the convenience of your home.

All products contain natural ingredients and are designed and sourced sustainable with longevity in mind, and can also be used time and time again. These eco-friendly clothing products prolong the life of your garments and help reduce fashion pollution and waste. Thus serving as a key part of any and every clothing maintenance routine and further helping you love your clothes for longer, and taking pleasure and pride in your wardrobe. Founder Lulu O’Connor, said “This product range is the natural next step on our mission to reduce waste and help consumers enjoy their clothes for longer.” All products are made in the UK, are vegan, cruelty-free and virtually free from plastic. Expertly fragranced with sandalwood, patchouli, and bergamot, the products are unique and contain a Clothes Doctor proprietary anti-moth formulation that offers clothing protection from moth damage long after washing.

Each of the bottles contains 250 ml of liquid and can be used for up to 14 washes. The brand has carefully devised different formulas for different fabrics and materials. For instance, the Clothes Doctor No. 3 Eco Wash formula caters to cashmere clothing and the Clothes Doctor No. 4 Eco Wash is primarily for silk clothing. If you’re looking for something a little less specific and for all other fabrics, you could opt for the No. 2 Eco Wash which is known as their signature. Once you’ve finished your non-contaminating grade of aluminium bottles, you even have the option of refilling them instead of buying more. How eco is that?!

The Eco Wash Laundry Set includes the No.2, No.3 and No.4 Eco Wash all for an affordable £35.50. What better way to start 2020 with this little investment which could literally save you hundreds of pounds that you may otherwise spend on dry cleaning. You can purchase the set online or even buy individual bottles depending on your specific needs here.