GÍÍLINEA BÍO: Organic Anti-Ageing Elixir & 24hr Advanced Moisturiser

We always like to look a little further afield than the UK for some of our skincare features and today’s products are from the dreamy landscapes of Austria. Meet the certified organic and vegan brand GÍÍLINEA BÍO with their latest Organic Anti-Ageing Elixir Serum and 24hr Advance Moisturiser. We at The Amazing Blog have reviewed one of their body care product in the past here.  What we like about this brand is that they have quality and transparency with this family-run business that sources 98% of their ingredients from organic farms.

GÍÍLINEA BÍO was founded by Franz Leibetseder who grew up surrounded by a family of chemists, which fired his passion for herbs and natural remedies. It started out selling products to regional pharmacies and stores but has since grown and distributed throughout Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Best known for their use of aloe vera barbadensis harnessing its healing, skin-nurturing anti-ageing power. GÍÍLINEA BÍO only uses the aloe vera gel in its purest form. Products are manufactured partly in Austria and Italy where most of the ingredients (long list here!) like argan and olive oil, apricot and pomegranate seed oil, rosemary and lavender extracts, hibiscus seed and grape seed oil and shea butter are grown, harvest and immediately dispensed into the products. These natural ingredients always hold their freshness because the plants are not processed with heat but cold-pressed, which makes the actives stay fresh longer. GÍÍLINEA BÍO firmly believes that by using plant-based products in their skin and haircare positively enhances wellbeing. All products are certified organic, vegan and cruelty-free. No silicones, paragons, sulphate or nanoparticles are used. As well as PEG´s, mineral oils, synthetic fragrances or pigments.

We must also mention that we applaud GÍÍLINEA BÍO for their giving-back policy.  They’ve been working with likeminded partners on a rainforest project in Brazil, see here; ​and have developed a coffee project with sale of Bio Café Art&Child coffee where they support a street child project UÈRE in Brazil, you can help by buying their coffee online here.

Today we’ve brought to you yet another one of #amazingfinds from the power of nature itself with the GÍÍLINEA BÍO Organic Anti-Ageing Elixir, a serum from their special treatment range. They call it a ‘powerful elixir’ and this subtly fruity-scented serum contains their hero ingredient of aloe vera, an antioxidant, that combats free radicals which ultimately helps to slow the ageing process and improves collagen production and skin elasticity. It also has glycerine which will hold the moisture and give it a youthful glow.  We certainly found that this serum gave our skin a wonderful glow! The argan oil and hibiscus seed extract not only helps with the age spots but it gives an overall feeling of freshness, and a younger smoother-looking complexion. It has natural fruit acids that purify skin by removing dead skin and improves cell regeneration. The wheat germ oil extracted is a rich source of vitamin E, which helps reduce skin damage, fight free radicals, and support collagen formation and helps to maintain an even skin tone. While the hyaluronic acid plumps and gets rid of all fine lines. Thanks to the combination of all these natural actives, it instantly gives good natural cell renewal and a natural lifting effect. They advise applying one drop on your face, neck, and décolleté (and even on the eyes!) night and day before moisturiser. If you have oily or combination skin, this can be used solo.

Then this Elixir can be followed with their 24hr Advanced Moisturiser. This floral-scented lotion is in an air pump bottle, it’s particularly recommended for stressed skin. It absorbs really quickly and contains water and aloe vera making it ideal as eye care because of the soothing, hydrating and refreshing qualities it offers.  There is sweet almond oil extract that protects the skin from UV ray damages and helps your skin look smooth and free of fine lines. The fatty acids in the almond oil also help in maintaining the moisture in your skin making it glowy. This wonderful 24hr Advanced Moisturiser also contains jojoba oil which helps in regulating the sebum production, while the pomegranate oil in it has potent anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties and fends off free radicals. Just like its name indicates, this moisturiser is long-lasting and can be applied day and night (we suggest after the Anti-Ageing Elixir). You can find the Anti-Ageing Elixir serum here for 61.90€ and the 24hr Advanced Moisturiser here for 36.9€ 

Inspira: Med Anti Ageing Sun Protection

Who’s wearing sunscreen today? We hope that it’s all of you! We at The Amazing Blog are very sun leery, particularly with this unpredictable UK summer weather. You can leave home in the morning when it’s overcast and then find yourself stranded at midday in full sun with no SPF and very little shade! That’s why today we want to bring you one of our #amazingfinds with a favourite solution-based skincare brand and their reliable SPF (and after-sun) for face or body. Say hello again to Inspira Cosmetics with their Med Anti Aging Sun Protection. We couldn’t resist trying this range after hearing that they won the LuxLife 2019 Health Beauty & Wellbeing Award here for this Anti Ageing Sun Protection range.

Inspira Cosmetics are based in Aachen and were founded in 2000. They’re known for their solution-based skincare and have a special motto of ‘maximum effect, but as natural as possible’. True trailblazers in the world of skincare, they are leaders in skin technology with natural and biotech active ingredients. As regular readers will know, we’ve already shared with you some of our favourite products here.

They kindly sent us both the Anti-Aging Sun Guard Spray SPF30  and Anti-Aging Sun Guard Spray SPF50. These SPF Sprays are quickly absorbed, with no white residue, non-greasy and have the added bonus of being water-repellent. The key ingredient in their suncare range is the natural active called Ectoin®. This active is obtained from microorganisms that live in extreme environments (e.g. in geysers, salt lakes or the Arctic). This ingredient increases the barrier effect on the skin as it protects it from the damaging effects of the sun and stressful environmental factors related to UV light or pollutants thanks to its antioxidant ability. It also serves as an emollient on the skin and in cosmetic formulas. We found that these two SPF Sprays work as excellent primers under make-up as well as a solo moisturiser/sun protection. We cannot stress enough the importance of wearing a strong SPF. The Ectoin® here contains anti-inflammatory properties and stabilises the skin cells, protecting them from UVA and UVB radiation. If you want an advanced SPF all-in-one moisturiser/primer/sun cream, then these Anti-Aging Sun Guard Sprays in SPF30 or SPF50 are for you! These Sun Guard Sprays contain karanja oil (AKA as pongamia oil) which is obtained from the Indian beech tree. This has soothing properties which also help to slow down the premature ageing process and shields the skin from the sun with its high UV absorption. Like us, you may wish to apply this Sun Guard Spray first thing in the morning under your make up. However, we do strongly recommend reapplying repeatedly if you are exposed directly to sunlight or on a beach or swimming.  We love the clean and subtle floral scent and can guarantee, that if your skin is anything like ours, then it’ll remain dewy and protected throughout the day. Both are 150ml the SPF30 retails at 28.76 Euros here and the SPF50 retails at 32.17 Euros here.

Finally, let’s move onto their After Sun. They kindly sent us the Immediate Soothing After Sun Foam which is mild creamy and crafted specifically for soothing over-exposed or sun-damaged skin. It immediately calms irritated skin thanks to the Ectoin®, panthenol, pumpkin seed extract and, seawater. The panthenol also called provitamin B5 which has a calming effect on the skin – again it increases skin hydration and creates a protective barrier. The pumpkin seed extract is rich in fatty acids such as omega 3 and 6 and also vitamin E, zinc, and other antioxidants that help to keep the skin moisturised for a more youthful appearance. We all know how vital water is for humans, being the most important molecule for the body and skin. What better way to include this ingredient, than by using seawater. Used since ancient times it holds therapeutic qualities and gives a regenerative and mineralising effect to the skin. This gentle foam also contains glycerine the famous water magnet and last but not least aloe vera, which relieves burns and itching thanks to the cooling effect - like a breath of cold air on the skin. This can be bought in 150ml here for 28.76 Euros.

All the range can be used on the face and body and we consider them to be an everyday essential, not just as a one-off holiday wonder. So, if you are still self-isolating or on lockdown at home, you might have forgotten just how intense the sun can be in the park, on your balcony or in the garden. By applying either of these SPF products daily will certainly ensure no more red faces!

Cochine: Tuberose and Wild Fig Reed Diffuser

Still feeling a bit housebound? Then what a better way to enhance your mood than by an uplifting fragrant reed diffuser and we at The Amazing Blog can guarantee that you’ll love this one! We’ve been itching to try the reed diffusers from Cochine since we first discovered the brand as winners on global The Beauty Shortlist Awards.

Cochine is a luxurious and sustainable brand, launched in 2008. Its founder Kate Crofton-Atkins, took her inspiration to create her range of special fragrances from the charming hidden Saigon streets, overflowing with jasmine against the stylish backdrop of French architecture, that she encountered on her move there. The name of the brand is derived from La Cochinchine, the name given to Southern Vietnam by the French. In the beginning, Kate spent a year working with essential oils, and then partnered with a New York-based fragrance house to launch Cochine in Hong Kong. Today there is a range of over ten different fragranced perfumes, reed diffusers, candles and skincare products for bath and body. This brand has now found global recognition and is in select boutique and five-star hotels around the world. These high-end products reflect elegance from the actual scents through to the beautiful presentation and packaging.  Today we’re excited to be reviewing one of their unique reed diffusers that have been filling the office here with it’s intoxicating scent, Tuberose & Wild Fig, Kate said: “It’s inspired by my favourite time of day in Saigon -dusk - where the warm air carries the really rich and romantic scent of jasmine and tuberose, and that’s what I wanted to bottle.”

With this Tuberose and Wild Fig reed diffuser, let’s talk about the key scent notes found here. The tuberose, unlike the name suggests, is not a rose. It is, in fact, a member of the agave family (which gives us tequila!) it provides a powerful floral and heady nose with an olfactive spectrum, the smell of tuberose is like an explosive bouquet of white flowers.  Studies have shown that the tuberose scent when inhaled can help reduce stress, and help fight insomnia The inclusion of the warm night-flower jasmine is known to improve balance, restore, and revitalise energy giving an uplifting feeling of joy and relaxation. The ripe, fruity and earthy wild fig lingers here as the base note, cocooning and embracing with its softness. Finally, there also gentle burst of freshness from the citrusy bergamot.  What we love about reed diffusers is that they can be left unattended or you can remove the reeds and replace the stopper for occasional use. Also Inverting the reeds or increasing the number of reeds will strengthen the fragrance. You can find the reed diffuser here for £60.

nknaturals - Summer Collection

At The Amazing Blog we first discovered today’s skincare brand when their Cleansing Balm ‘Beautiful’  was listed among the finalists in The Beauty Shortlist Awards 2019. We’re excited to be featuring nknaturals today with their natural skincare to coordinate with the seasons. As we know only too well, with each new season brings new environmental challenges for the skin. This is where nknaturals have rather cleverly incorporated seasonal ingredients to help the skin adapt.  

Nicola Kidd the founder, has had a life-long interest in skincare, from a trainee scientist in skincare development at Boots through to the start of creating her own small natural artisan skincare range in Lanzarote during 2011. It was only 2017, after moving back to London that these seasonal collections were born. She soon realised that having only one type of skincare routine for all year round wasn’t enough. Nicola found her skin reacting differently to the changeable British weather, which is where her inspiration came for creating Spring, Winter, Autumn (and now Summer) Collections. Just as we buy seasonal food ingredients, each of nknaturals product ingredients follows the lunar calendar, being optimised the benefits of each new moon. Plus, nknaturals only uses locally sourced ingredients that are non-GMO and free from pesticides. We also love that she uses beeswax from local independent beekeepers.  Nicola said: “This is essential to support the wellbeing of the bee population in England and completely different to mass bee farming. None of my formulations contains more than eight ingredients in total to maximise each of their qualities and when blended they enhance each other.” This sunny and joyful Summer Collection has five energising, luxurious and natural products to help to fight the rising temperature and humidity. Nicola believes in using a minimal amount of ingredients in order to enhance the effect of the products. Therefore, when blended all together each ingredient intensifies the other, thus creating the perfect formula.

First, we tried the Summer Concentrated Cleansing Balm in 60ml. nknaturals are probably best known for their balms. This new Summer Concentrated Cleansing Balm contains sesame oil, vitamin E, sea buckthorn, spikenard, red raspberry seed oil, frangipani. However, what makes it unique is its richness with the raw organic beeswax where the brand uses local beekeepers. This handmade balm, with its organic bee wax, gives it the bonus of healing capabilities and provides natural hydration to the skin. Rich in vitamin A, the beeswax will support cell regeneration and creates a skin barrier. We found the best way to use it, is by working a small amount into the skin then wiping it away with a damp muslin cloth - both morning and evening. It leaves the face both supple and smelling divine. They also suggest following the cleansing balm with the Summer Copper Distilled Botanical Mist.

This Summer Copper Distilled Botanical Mist is ideal for rebalancing the skin’s pH and unclogging the pores. Restoring moisture, it provides instant relief for any over-sunned skin which could be either parched or clammy. We think this is an essential item to keep in your bag while out and about, as it refreshes, soothes and invigorates tired skin. Ingredients include cedarwood hydrosol which acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and grapefruit seed which is anti-bacterial and helps to regulate any oil build-up. This mist gives a sense of wellbeing and calmness. We used this Botanical Mist with every step in the range from cleansing, moisturising to the home halotherapy (steam inhalation with the Summer Deep Steam Salt Infusion).

Then we have the Summer Enriched Protection Moisturiser available in 60ml. This lightweight daily moisturiser is for face, neck and décolleté. It absorbs quickly leaving no residue and offers enough hydration to keep skin moistured all day long. Key ingredients are again sesame oil, beeswax, vitamin E, sea buckthorn, red raspberry seed oil, spikenard, cedarwood oil, frangipani. What makes it a perfect skin balancer or even a great first base for make-up is the oat kernel flour. The latter provides a silky feeling to the skin with the lipids and ceramides and reduces redness and skin irritation while also hydrating and protecting the skin. Finally, the addition here of titanium dioxide, which is an anti-inflammatory and helps to provide a protecting barrier against UV rays. 

At night we used the Summer Nutrient Rich Facial Oil available in 15ml. This hand-blended facial oil with its a lymphatic drainage effect should be ideally massaged into the face before bed. It has wonderful regenerative qualities with the sesame oil, which is non-comedogenic (meaning that it doesn’t clog pores) and also acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory on the skin. It also contains red raspberry seed oil that helps soothe the skin and heal redness and eczema, reducing flare-ups. This Oil has sea buckthorn as well as, cedarwood oil, spikenard and frangipani all of which can help uplift the mood while still deeply hydrating the skin. They also suggest using the Botanical Mist before use.

Last but not least, we have the Summer Deep Steam Salt Infusion available in 120ml. This salt infusion should only to be used once a week, preferably in the evenings. They suggest using these as halotherapy (a steaming technique) in a skin routine to open pores and act as a deep cleanser. The salt infusion is made out of vanilla pod rich in vitamin B and antioxidants that help it deep cleanse the skin and aid conditions such as acne. It also contains sea buckthorn berries a ‘superfood’ known for their ability to hydrate and provide skin elasticity. This Summer  Deep Steam Salt Infusion also contains Atlantic Sea and Himalayan salts that have detoxifying powers and increase circulation as well. And let’s not forget the air-dried rose petals a skin cleanser and another antioxidant. All-in-all, we think this product is a bit of a wonder treatment for the skin.

Tempted by this Summer Collection? Then see here where all these products can be bought individually or you can get the entire bundle for £85.

Pure Anada - Fresh Cucumber: Hand & Body Wash and Cocoa Body Butter

As regular readers will know, at The Amazing Blog natural products are our thing. And in the wake of the global pandemic, we ‘ve noticed that more consumers are now mindful and ingredient aware when it comes to making their skincare purchases. We’ve also recently received lots of enquiries asking us to advise on the best natural skincare to buy etc. So, in our search for something new to share, we’ve turned to one of our favourite online stores Live In The Light; where they kindly sent us a selection of products from an organic transatlantic brand, the first of which we’re featuring today, meet Pure Anada.

For Candace Grenier, the Canadian founder of Pure Anada, it all began in 2003, when she started a family and changed her way of living into a more environmentally friendly one. This began with changing her household cleaning products and went right the way through to all her cosmetics. Candice discovered a niche in making her own, “I made colours for myself, friends and family.  I was surprised to learn how many ladies were sensitive to traditional cosmetics.  It seems as if our bodies are just saying…’enough already with the chemicals’!  Even more fascinating was that the products I was creating from organic botanicals, and food-grade minerals didn’t irritate their skin at all!” Having always been passionate about creating her own products, she went on to launch a very successful business, making a variety of organic household and personal care products. Candice has high ethical standards when it comes to her products and ensures that there is no child labour or discrimination against women. Pure Anada avoids using toxins and other ‘dirty dozen’ and try to maintain a clean formula with each product they make. All their products are free from common allergens and are derived from natural or plant-based origins; as well as cruelty-free, they don’t test on animals and most of their ingredients are vegan. They have an open appreciation for nature giving their brand transparency through all their products. Today we’re featuring  Pure Anada’s Fresh Cucumber Hand & Body Wash and Fresh Cucumber Cocoa Body Butter.

The Fresh Cucumber Hand & Body Wash is free from silicone, artificial ingredients and fragrance. What we love in this Hand & Body Wash is that this has biodegradable surfactants that are derived purely from sugar and coconut oil making it rich in elements that help to heal dry skin. This gentle Fresh Cucumber cleanser also contains cetearyl olivate extracted from olive oil, which is not only an excellent antioxidant but also a brilliant skin protector. There’s sunflower oil which acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and contains fatty acids like the omega-6, vitamin E. Finally, the other more unusual ingredient here is the leuconostoc/radish root ferment filtrate which provides mild protection against bacteria, mould, and yeasts. Radish root is a great natural alternative to synthetic preservatives. There is no overpowering scent in this Hand & Body Wash, we could only just make out a subtle cucumber fragrance. It applied like a milky lotion but created a good lather to clean and left our skin soft and moisturised. It comes in a convenient 300 ml size and costs £9.50 here.

Next, we have the Fresh Cucumber Cocoa Body Butter which echoes similar ingredients to the Hand and Body Wash. it’s super-rich in sunflower seed and coconut oil, as well as shea and cocoa butter; which will provide your skin with all the protection and moisture it’ll need. Deeply hydrating, it’s the perfect partner to go with the Hand & Body Wash. We loved using both in equal measures - so no particular favourite here. With the summer now upon us, we suggest starting your day by using these in tandem, that way you stay fresh and fragrant all day long! The Fresh Cucumber Cocoa Body Butter in 125ml costs £8.00 here.