Beautanix - Beautiful Glow Clay, Day Oil and Serum 40

As regular readers will know at The Amazing Blog we like to search out new indie brands that have created something special. Therefore, it’s great to find a new natural skincare brand that specifically targets the 30+ age group. We are talking about Beautanix whose affordable products work to combat early signs of ageing by using only natural ingredients that help the regeneration skin cells, protect the skin and help to give us a more youthful appearance.

The Beautanix Founder Margaret Frixou is a reflexology and massage therapist who early in her career used essential oils and is well-versed on their wonderful healing properties. Margaret saw first-hand how natural ingredients really make a difference. Shocked by the list of harmful chemicals in her regular skincare, she decided it was time to create her own range using her knowledge and experience, thus Beautanix was born. Beautanix has seven key products that have natural ingredients that are vegan and ethically sourced. We received three products to try the Beautiful Glow clay mask and the Replenishing Light Day Oil and Serum 40 .

First, we used the refreshing Beautiful Glow clay mask, then went on to apply the Replenishing Light Day Oil to restore and protect our complexion. The Beautiful Glow is both soothing and nourishing. The product glides onto the skin flawlessly leaving a subtle floral/zesty scent. Made with fine kaolin clay, it has organic avocado and rice bran oils which help to lift dull and tired skin both hydrating and giving a healthy glow. Other key ingredients are carrot seed and sea buckthorn CO2 extracts which promote healthy skin cells. This refreshing clay mask works well on dry or sensitive skin types and is best used once a week on clean skin. We found Beautiful Glow to be a gentle product that left skin feeling soft and moisturised.  The pot contains 8-10 full face applications, and once applied, wait 30-45 minutes for it to absorb then rinse off with warm water.

Next, we used The Replenishing Day Oil which was our favourite product of the three. It has key ingredients of rice bran oil, thistle meadowfoam, rosehip. The combination of these potent raw botanicals contain antioxidants and wonderfully beneficial giving the skin a much-needed boost. This Day Oil is suitable for dry and sensitive skin and can be used daily on face and décolletage. It’s light in texture and we loved its delicious floral bouquet. We used it after the Beauty Glow clay mask, which helped to keep the skin supple and protected – we also found that a little went a long way.

The final product we used from the trio was Serum 40, which was a recent Editor’s Choice Winner in The 2020 Beauty Shortlist Awards, it’s perfect for irritated or sensitive skin. It’s a rich serum that helps to regenerate skin cells and prevent wrinkles. Vital ingredients here include sea buckthorn, eco marine extract, prickly pear seed oil with frankincense and patchouli, the latter two are the ideal essential oils for nourishing more mature skin. The serum is best used at night 2-4 times a week it immediately nourishes the skin upon touch and has a refreshing and calming aroma. The serum is the perfect way to end the day. We think these products complement each other well. You can find The Beautiful Glow clay mask in 60g for £25.99 here, the Serum 40 in 15ml for £31.00 here and the Replenishing Light Day Oil is 15ml for £24.99 here.

Afon Mêl - Heather Mead

Regular readers at The Amazing Blog will know, we can’t resist trying a new tipple! If you like us, you thought that honey was something reserved just for your tea and toast, then think again...  Let us introduce you to a honey-based wine, which we found to be so delicious that it rivalled even our most favourite of dessert wines. We’re talking about Afon Mêl’s Heather Mead, whose outstanding pedigree won a 3-Star Great Taste Award in 2019.  You can also see here the video of the judges sampling their Heather Mead here.

Afon Mêl is a family-run honey farm, founded by the Cooper family in 1995 in Ceredigion, Wales. They produce five types of raw honey all which have a unique flavour from the wildflowers from the cwms (a steep-sided hollow) and hedgerows which surround their rural farm. Their bees particularly love the blossoms from sycamore, hawthorn, willow trees, as well as the heather, rosebay, willowherb, clover, blackberries and many more. From one of their special raw honey comes the distinctive flavours that give their Heather Mead its original and characteristic taste.

Mead is made by fermenting honey and water together, this beverage has long earned heritage brewed by monks through the middle ages, and it’s thought to be the oldest alcoholic beverage in the world. Also known as honey wine, mead has been around for millennia with mead makers, sometimes being called ‘mazers’.  The word honeymoon originates from the early tradition of the drink being given to newlyweds. Mead’s been expertly crafted for generations and is mainly responsible for making the Welsh famous and the process of making mead takes place over two year period in order to perfect. One of the key factors in making this beverage is to ferment it at ambient temperatures during the summer months allowing it to mature

Beautifully designed in a slim and elegant bottle, the Heather Mead elixir is golden in colour and fermented using their heather honey which gives a rich almost sherry-like finish.  It’s not a sweet as you might imagine, and they say that it has a slightly smoky taste from the heather. We found it easy to drink (perhaps a little too easy!) and it paired well with pudding or cheese.  Apart from the Heather Mead, Afon Mêl also produce a variety of other flavoured meads including the rather delicious sounding Welsh Chocolate Mead and  Welsh Raspberry Mead. If you’re interested in trying an exciting new tipple, then Heather Mead is for you. The Afon Mêl- Heather Mead is 13% Vol and available in four sizes; we tried the 37.5cl which retails for £11.50 here. We can’t recommend this enough and are certainly tempted to buy a few more bottles of their other Meads and raw honey too.

Absolute Health - De-Stress Drops

Alas as humans, we’re not immune to negative feelings triggered by stress, tiredness or anxiety. Here at The Amazing Blog, we know those feelings only too well… Luckily, we were given by Absolute Health their De-Stress Drops which offer a little help here, with a formulation of blended of flower essences and 27% grape-based brandy. Flower essences are liquid extracts used to address a variety of issues ranging from well-being, soul development and mind-body health. They are part of an emerging field of energy medicine, which also includes homoeopathy.

Absolute Health was founded in Russia by Galina Boggis-Rolfe, a specialist in psychosomatic illness and stress-related issues. The De-Stress Drops feature a blend of red chestnut, oak, olive, hornbeam and lotus flower essences, and are free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives. They are also suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

Red chestnut essence is for those who have selflessness, over concern for others, especially for close friends and family. Oak essence helps those workaholic type people who find it difficult to take necessary breaks. Hornbeam essence helps combat that Monday morning type feeling and helps sharpen inner liveliness. And the final essence, lotus flower offers divine inspiration and light as well as soothing emotional imbalances.

Absolute Health suggests their De-Stress Drops are most beneficial in situations such as prolonged stress, working overtime in crisis mode, caring for ill relatives, preparing for exams, or buying or selling a house. To consume, place four drops directly onto the tongue with a clean mouth (no caffeine or strongly flavoured food residue) or they can be dropped into a glass of water. These special drops come in a 10 ml bottle for £10 and can be purchased here. We just can’t wait to put these drops to the test the next time a stressful situation arises!

HuGG - CBD Skincare Products

No weekend is complete without some pampering and indulgence. Here at The Amazing Blog we’ve been lucky enough to discover a new range of CBD skincare products that will enhance your ‘you time’ as well as make your body and skin as smooth as butter. We’d like to introduce to you HuGG.

The HuGG CBD products are a range of cannabis-based products from the research firm CiiTECH; a registered UK cannabis biotech company and collaborative partner with Israel’s Hebrew University of Jerusalem – the epicentre of cannabis research and development. Using their knowledge and expertise of their CiiTECH researchers, the aim of The HuGG CBD is to discover, develop, and commercialise CBD products. Their collaborative efforts with leading Israeli cannabis research institutions – as well as local hemp suppliers here in the UK and EU – has allowed them to deliver market products based on a high level of quality and expertise. As you can discover from our recent feature on CBD (see here ) when it comes to your health, you need to choose CBD oil you can trust — in terms of quality, safety, and purity.  In a period where the fast-emerging CBD industry has been difficult to comprehend, not to mention overwhelmed with low-quality ‘snake oils’, it’s important to feel comfortable and confident with the CBD products you choose. The product development team at The HuGG collaborates and consults with leading researcher’s scientists to identify unique CBD formulas, plus innovative delivery systems, and advanced extraction techniques designed to create premium and leading products for every part of your mind and body. Plus HuGG recently swept the board with wins in the CBD categories for the 2020 Beauty Shortlist Awards.

We tried and tested a number of products. Let’s begin with the HuGG Coffee Body Scrub. It is antioxidant exfoliating facial scrub with 50mg CBD and when used, results in a youthful glow. Infused with essential oils and enriched with 50mg CBD, this ‘wake me up’ caffeine Inspired Scrub exfoliates, tightens pores as well as moisturises all in one. It smells so delicious, almost good enough to eat!  The CBD in this Scrub will aid your skin making it feel more radiant. Priced at £24.99 here we think that his CBD infused coffee scrub is an essential.

Next, we tried the HuGG CBD Massaging Oil.  We were sent a small 25ml bottle to try which sadly all went in one sitting so can’t confirm about the benefits here. Made with essential oils such as lavender, lemon and frankincense, in a base of sunflower seed oil, grapeseed oil and apricot kernel oil as well as 50mg CBD amongst various others, they claim that this body oil will leave you feeling blissful and calm. Not only can it be used as a massage oil but also as a skin indulging moisturiser. This oil smells amazing and absorbs easily into the skin without leaving a greasy residue. Priced at an affordable £17.99 here.

Let’s move onto the HuGG CBD Cuticle Oil ideal for feeding the nail beds. Made with lavender, rosemary, and clary sage essential oils and Infused with 20mg CBD, this cuticle oil creates a skin-soothing remedy for nails, hands and feet. This mani-pedi style of nail care is all-natural to give you the best plant-based care all around. Furthermore, it also leaves no greasy residue, priced at £14.99 here .  

Further adding to their Cuticle Oil, we also tried the Hugg CBD Foot Soak Salts with 30mg CBD. Made with hemp extract, coconut oil, dead sea salts, Himalayan salts and other essential oils. These salts help your feet unwind after a long day or simply indulge in a nourishing pedicure foot soak with the essential oils and salts. The Foot Soak is also infused with eucalyptus for antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Priced at £6.99 here.

Last but not least, we have the HuGG CBD Roll Away with mint, lavender and 50mg CBD. This is our favourite and is a handbag essential that is cooling and relaxing giving you everything you need, just when you need it. It helps you take a small break from your busy lives and just breathe. The lavender and mint essential oils create an invigorating yet calming refresher to support tension throughout the day. Apply In circular motions, roll the gel onto your temples, close your eyes and take a deep breath. Repeat 3 times and continue on. The rollerball can also be used on other pressure points. Priced at £17.99 here this product will help to steal away all your stress and tensions in moments...ah Luxury!

The Love Light Life - Wellbeing Candle

We’re all mindful that Mother’s Day will soon be upon us on 22 March, and it’s time to put on our thinking caps and find the ideal gift to express our love and gratitude. Here at The Amazing Blog, we’ve certainly got one good idea for that perfect gift, meet The Love Light Life Wellbeing Candle. This candle has a delicious combination of lavender, ylang-ylang and geranium scents which your Mother is sure to love.

Founded in November 2018 by Nathalie Vanpoperinghe, Love Light Life Candles offer luxury natural candles for your wellness journey. Vanpoperinghe’s background as a business consultant in spas and wellness put her in the prime position to spot a gap in the market. She noticed that most candles in the spas she visited were badly made and inconsistent with how they fragranced the rooms. Hence her mission began…

The Wellbeing Candle is the first candle to launch. It is designed and made in France with ingredients of essential oils, cotton wicks, soy and coconut wax. Unlike other candles, it does not contain paraffin wax and is free from synthetic fragrances and dyes. Something to note is that when synthetic candles are burned, they can release carcinogenic chemicals which can cause headaches and allergies. We were pleased to hear that The Love Light Life’s Wellbeing Candle that was recently shortlisted for the 2020 Gift of the Year Awards in the Home Fragrance category.  

The essential oils in this candle have unique properties that can combat everyday stress, anxiety, and fatigue. Lavender relieves stress, curbs headaches, and can improve short term memory. The ylang-ylang promotes relaxation, kills bacteria in the air and has been linked to alleviating depression, making this scent perfect for an afternoon pick me up. And the geranium improves circulation and concentration as blood flows faster to the brain. Love Light Life told us that they are also in the process of creating three new scented candles and we can’t wait to try them. The Wellbeing Candle offers 50 hours of burn time and can be purchased for £32.00 here. So why not get your Mother a gift she’ll truly love, and be sure to check out Love Light Life candles.