Aussie Bronze - Body Bronzer

Getting a tan in the UK is almost impossible. When it’s not raining it’s overcast, and of course when the sun shines, it’s midweek and we’re all inside working at our desks! At The Amazing Blog we wistfully long for that healthy looking tan, however with the erratic weather here, it’s highly unlikely we’ll get one. So, our search for summer sunless tanning products began. We recently met and got chatting to instant tanning brand Aussie Bronze at the NOPE exhibition, and couldn’t wait to try their Body Bronzer.

Aussie Bronze as the name suggests, hails from Australia. Sacha Roberts the founder, has developed a high-quality, toxin and DHA free instant organic fake tan. She couldn’t find any good safe chemical-free instant tanning products for her daughter’s young skin. Thus, the journey began and she set about creating her own instant tan. Aussie Bronze will guarantee you a natural glow and adapts to any skin tone. All made with water, sunflower oil, avocado oil, almond oil, vitamin E, Shea butter, titanium oxide, and other organic ingredients. We particularly liked the way it applies with the ease of a tinted moisturiser and is gentle enough for both face and body. This is definitely one of the better instant tans that we’ve used and will keep using! What better way to get a quick tan and avoiding all the drama and downtime waiting for one to develop.

We love that it is an ‘instant tan’, it’s just perfect for quickly applying to legs or face just when the sun comes out - this bank holiday weekend?. The product is vegan, and also cruelty, paraben, sulphate, petrochemical and PEGs free, keeping our skin healthy from the inside out. Aussie Bronze is 100% Australian and made with only natural ingredients.  All you have to do is shake the bottle, apply the product smoothing it over your body. Best of all is that it washes off at the end of the day.  Get your Aussie Bronze here 125ml for just £34.95.

Fushi - Wild, Cold-Pressed Pomegranate Oil 80%+

We love to support indie brands here at The Amazing Blog particularly those that source their ingredients seasonally. This is why we always want to try new products from Fushi. They have just launched a new product: Wild, Cold-Pressed Pomegranate Oil 80%+ sustainably sourced from South Africa utilising the entire Pomegranate fruit making sure it’s free from artificial ingredients and chemicals. What we love about this product is that it’s also food grade too – so can be taken sprinkled liberally not only on your face but on your favourite cereal, salad or smoothies!

Founded by Ria Pattni and Rannesh Jansari, Fushi the brand was created to keep ancient techniques alive. Passed on from Ria’s grandmother, to her mother and then onto her originating mainly from Ayurvedic recipes. The products are composed of natural oils and herbs all hand-blended to create organic, ethical and pure formulas to primarily enhance skin rejuvenation. As mentioned previously in our post on their BioVedid range, Fushi means ‘eternal life’ in Japanese. Their products maintain the essence of natural remedies used in the past, with a modern touch. Fushi not only takes care of your skin but also the planet. They are members of the Ethical Company Organisation workers and suppliers, as well as being a member of the Ethical Company Organisation and the Good Shopping Guide, as well as supporting Fair Trade with their inventions.

The Fushi Wild, Cold-Pressed Pomegranate Oil 80%+ is a new formula rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, linoleic acid, oleic acid and flavonoids that by altering the way it is produced, the punicic acid, better known as Omega 5 has been boosted to over 80%. Increasing Omega 5 has made this oil perfect for anti-ageing, heart health, stronger immunity, and more. It is believed that Fushi has cracked the code and created the first pomegranate oil 80%+ in the market. No one likes greasy or heavy oils, and this is where it scores well as Fushi’s Pomegranate Oil is light and absorbent, making it non-greasy and ideal for mature, normal, damaged and skins. Apart from the topical application, pomegranate oil is high in flavonoids and antioxidants, which makes it a popular dietary supplement. All packaged in amber glass bottles which protect the contents from heat, light, oxidation and moisture. We’re already thinking of ordering another bottle before we run out! Get your 50ml bottle of Wild, Cold-Pressed Pomegranate Oil 80%+ for £20.00 here.

Fushi – BioVedic Skincare Range

With the heatwave today, no one can deny that here in the UK it’s summertime. Much as we all enjoy having sun-kissed skin, and while the sun (in moderation) has multiple benefits, please stay in the shade to avoid the midday sun and dangerous UVA/UVB rays - we hope not to see lots of sunburnt faces on our commute tomorrow. Anyway, as The Amazing Blog regular readers will know, we like to champion indie brands which include all sorts of natural, organic, ethical and vegan products. Today, we bring you the wonderful BioVedic Skincare Range by Fushi, which is a natural and organic skin food.

Fushi meaning ‘eternal life’ in Japanese, was created through the heritage of Ayurvedic recipes. Ria Pattni the co-founder explained: “In Ayurveda, nothing is more powerful than botanicals when used in their purest form, which is why I love oils and herbs for their natural protective properties and their active ingredients for natural skin rejuvenation.” The formulations have been passed down through the generations to the now founders by their grandparents. The production of the products still remains the same which is by hand blending the oils and herbs creating organic, ethical, and pure skincare remedies. In alignment with their products is their ethos: Transparency, honesty and caring for the planet; these are the core values of the brand. Fushi also supports Fair Trade, ensuring the wellbeing of all workers and suppliers, as well as being a member of the Ethical Company Organisation and the Good Shopping Guide. We particularly like that they act responsibly reducing their impact on the people and planet by staying as green as possible.

The BioVedic Skincare Range is comprised of 3 products. The first of which is the BioVedic Enzyme Face Wash. This wash is mainly composed by vanshlochan herbs which deeply cleanse the skin and Rice Bran oils – packed with vitamin E - to moisturise the skin, giving it a long-lasting glow and helping blood circulation. The second is the BioVedic Radiance Face Oil which is a combination of 5 nutrient packed oils: raspberry seed (rich in vitamin A, E, and fatty acids), kalahari melon seed, rice bran, and moringa as key ingredients. This facial oil is light and fast-absorbing, It will act as a protective barrier against harmful chemicals throughout the day as well as working in tandem with the instant hydration cream to give your skin a radiant look. Lastly, the BioVedic Radiance Face Cream made from manjistha and saffron infused in kalahari melon seed oil (rich in omega), boosts your complexion, hydrates and repairs any imperfections. We applied it immediately after the Radiance Face Oil and loved how it nourished and protected the skin. Our favourite was the Radiance Face Oil using it either alone at night to feed our complexion, or by adding a few drops mixed in with the Face Cream, if our skin was feeling a little dry thus adding extra nourishment. All three skincare products should ideally to used together as part of your daily skincare routine to achieve ultimate results. Get the Fushi BioVedic Skincare Range here, the BioVedic Enzyme Face Wash  for £15.00, the BioVedic Radiance Face Cream for £20.00, and the BioVedic Radiance Face Oil for £22.00. Oh and if you have overdone it with the sun today, this skincare range will certainly help to repair the damage!

Together Health – Complexes and Boosts Food Supplements

While we at The Amazing Blog try to maintain healthy and balanced diets, London has delicious food on practically every corner. So, to fill the gaps in our diets, we often take vitamins, but many vitamins are hard to travel with and contain harsh preservatives. That’s where Together Health ’s all-natural food supplements, packaged in portable sachets, come in. 

The brand was launched in the UK by two brothers, Lee and Daniel Robertshaw, who found it difficult to sustain a healthy lifestyle amidst busy schedules and unhealthy yet conveniently located food. They partnered with health and nutrition experts to develop food supplements that ‘support as many people on their own journey to find a path to health that works for, and not against, them’. The company is 100 per cent transparent about the supplements’ ingredients that are naturally derived from the ocean and plants and contain no artificial additives or processing aids. We tried eight of the different supplements Together Health offers, four from the Boosts collection and four from the Complexes collection .

The Boost supplements are designed to give you extra vitamins and antioxidants in your diet. The four we tried were Curcumin & Turmeric Complex (helps reduce inflammation), Marine Magnesium contains five natural forms of magnesium minerals), Plant Based Coenzyme Q10 (generates energy in cells), and Vegan Vitamin D3 (helps absorption of calcium and phosphorous from food). One of our favourites from this collection was the Curcumin & Turmeric Complex, which contains organic turmeric root and 95 per cent curcumin extract. These two ingredients have been used for centuries for their natural healing properties as they are antioxidant-rich, neutralise harmful free radicals, and have anti-inflammatory properties. 

The Complex supplements target specific needs for you to live a healthier life. We tested the Joint Aid Herbal Complex (helps reduce inflammation in joints), Multibiotic Fermented Food (improves digestive and general health), Night Time Complex aids sleep onset and duration), and Stress Aid Complex (reduces stress with food-based vitamins and ocean minerals). Our favourite of this collection was the Night Time Complex. It contains five forms of ocean-sourced magnesium: oxide, hydroxide, sulfate, carbonate, and chloride. Since the magnesium is naturally derived rather than synthetically made, it allows your body to absorb it faster. The supplement also has 5-HTP from Griffonia extract to synthesise serotonin and hops extract to regulate inconsistent sleep patterns or inability to fall asleep. We found that taking two capsules 30 minutes before bed had us sleeping better throughout the night and waking up well-rested. 

Each supplement comes in a ‘vegecap’ made from Pinus Elliottii tree plant cellulose, and you can take it apart to mix into food or drink if you don’t like taking pills. There are approximately 30-60 vegecaps packed in each resealable sachet that can last for two months and is travel-friendly. Together Health has a helpful product recommender here if you aren’t sure what kind of supplement would be best for you. You can buy the supplements here starting from £6.99. 

Desavery – STELLAR Daily Serum

At The Amazing Blog, we love when our skin care products have a great scent. It makes us feel better and more ready to conquer the day. What if your skincare products had ingredients that were scientifically proven to boost your mood and improve your focus? The STELLAR Daily Serum from Desavery does just that while leaving your skin looking brighter than before.

Andrea Dinnick founded Desavery in 2017 on four principles: feel good, look good, be good, and do good.These principles encapsulate Dinnick’s mission of creating ‘fantastic skin care that’s as good for your skin as well as your mood and mind’. Desavery uses ingredients that are effective in improving your skin, but also positively affect your biochemistry. Of these ingredients, many are sustainable such as the brand’s staple prickly pear and vetiver, and five per cent of the company’s profits go to supporting the women who pick and process the prized prickly pear.

This serum is part of the Desavery STELLAR collection, which is intended to give you a ‘rise and sparkle’ feeling and after trying it, we can see why. The formula is packed with antioxidants that stimulate collagen production and cell renewal for smoother skin. Prickly pear, rosehip, and camellia oils further brighten and improve skin plumpness. The ingredients are all certified-organic, but the ones that stood out to us were the mood lifters: clary sage and bergamot. Clary sage, a plant used commonly for its medicinal properties, has been found to have anti-depressant effects and balance hormones. Bergamot is a citrus fruit known to improve alertness, cognition, and lower cortisol levels to make you feel calmer. We have to say that some of us here who tried this serum in the morning reportedly felt most clear-headed and uplifted. We found that it absorbs quickly and is best when used on slightly damp skin.

The product is very aromatic, and you are intended to take deep breathes to capture the beneficial elements of the plants while you perform your skin routine. It also comes in a modern reflective dropper bottle, so it’s stylish enough to leave next to your mirror and reach for every day. You can purchase the STELLAR Daily Serum (20ml) here for £65. A little does go a long way.