Skin Creamery : Basil, Baobab, Cypress,Marjoram Shower Oil

For us, at The Amazing Blog, there’s no better way to start the day than with a powerful and refreshing shower! And this is where we’re always looking for cleansing and post-shower products that are both kind to the skin and super hydrating. Edwina was delighted to test out this South African skincare brand Skin Creamery, with their Basil Baobab Cypress Marjoram Shower Oil for the recent 2022 Beauty Shortlist Awards, which we’re featuring today.

Skin Creamery was founded in 2014 by Hannah Rubin in Cape Town, South Africa. Growing up in the lush green Garden Route, she developed a more natural and conscious way of life. Hannah went on to work as a practitioner in top salons and spas, where she developed a passion for natural fragrances, ingredients and sensory wellbeing. Fueled by this interest, Hannah went on to study and launch her minimalist natural and organic skincare range, Skin Creamery. She told Afrenai in a recent interview, "With all the knowledge and experience I had gathered in my line of work and my passion for all things natural and organic [having grown up on a farm] that urged me to create my own range. One that met all my needs, of being simple and easy to use, that felt good on the skin, smelt amazing and was nicely packaged," The Skin Creamery ethos is to be kind to the earth and skin by using ingredients made from 100% natural origin that are earth-friendly and certified organic. The brand is dedicated to reducing plastic use, unnecessary packaging, and decreasing its carbon footprint. They also make sure their ingredients are from fair trade outlets and try to source all raw ingredients from South Africa or within Africa. Plus, wherever possible, they are waterless, meaning no preservatives are needed. A couple of their products, including the Everyday Cream and Oil-Milk Cleanser, are available as refills, and the Deep Cleansing Powder is gentle and plastic-free. Skin Creamery strives to be sustainable, and ideal for the environment and zero-waste beauty enthusiasts. Skin Creamery products are vegan and cruelty-free. The brand has already won several awards at the 2021 Beauty Shortlist Awards, including Best Oil to Milk Cleanser for their Oil Milk Cleanser and Best Facial Toner for their Skin Tonic.

The Basil Baobab Cypress Marjoram Shower Oil is very different from your average body cleansing product, and as a shower oil, it doesn’t foam or contain any soap. While the primary purpose of a product like a shower gel is to cleanse, the main goal here for the shower oil is to moisturise. Plus, shower gel can only be used in the shower; whereas the shower oil can also be used out of the shower. Skin Creamery's  Basil Baobab Cypress Marjoram Shower Oil is super-hydrating as it locks in moisture. The base oils sunflower, jojoba, baobab and Kalahari seed oil, which all help keep the skin supple. It also has natural essential oils that soften the skin leaving a refreshing natural herbal scent with a unique combination of cypress, basil, marjoram, peppermint, lavender and bergamot.

Basil has many skin benefits the natural oils act as a natural cleanser and removes surplus oil and impurities. It also soothes and calms the skin and is packed with powerful antioxidants has antibacterial, anti-inflammation, and antiseptic properties. Made from the twigs, stems, & leaves of the cypress tree, cypress oil also has antibacterial and anti-microbial properties. It fights bacteria that often cause acne, and it helps with oily skin. Peppermint with its cooling effect leaves the skin feeling energised and promotes better circulation. Lavender has a calming effect and detoxifies to purge harmful toxins from the skin while promoting tension-release for sore muscles. Bergamot is a natural cleanser and stimulates skin cell renewal as a natural astringent. Its clarifying and oil-reducing properties make it ideal for anyone suffering from overactive sebum production. Finally, marjoram is known to restore hormonal balance, hydrate, moisturise, and purify the skin. It strengthens lipid production to nourish and repair skin, alleviate dryness, and enhance moisture.

This shower oil is exceptional and impressed us with its super hydrating properties. The fragrance is deliciously green, herbal and garden-fresh - for us, it was stimulating and reviving. Its unique scent and oily texture make it both luxurious and calming. We used this after our morning shower by putting a few drops directly onto damp skin and gently rubbing it in to let it absorb and to let the natural scent linger for longer. The brand also recommends using it directly after dry brushing the skin to get maximum benefits from the natural ingredients. Housed an elegant green-tinted glass bottle, it not only makes a glamorous addition to the bathroom but also reduces plastic waste as the brand emphasises sustainability by using little to no single-use packaging, "Skin Creamery is committed to ethical business practices and is focused on creating innovative packaging solutions that are both luxurious and sustainable. We aim to replace single-use packaging with packaging that is functional, reusable or recyclable."  Apart from being awarded an Editor’s Choice Winner in this year’s 2022 Beauty Shortlist Awards, it’s also another of our #amazingfinds as an excellent shower oil/ body moisturiser. If you are looking to give your skin a natural hydration boost, then this is for you. The Skin Creamery's Basil Baobab Cypress Marjoram Shower Oil is 100 ml at R299.00 (approximately £15) from the brand’s website here.

Aura Organics : Mini Microdermabrasion Tropical Honey Exfoliating Face Mask

Let’s talk face masks; it’s something that we love at The Amazing Blog, and consider an essential part of our regular skincare routine. We were lucky enough to test out The Mini Microdermabrasion Tropical Honey Exfoliating Face Mask from Aura Organics, which won Best Exfoliating Product at the 2022 Beauty Shortlist Awards.

Aura Organics was founded in 2015 and is a small family run business by Danielle Andrean. It is a London based spa and beauty brand focusing on both beauty and wellbeing. Their motto is "Pura Vida", which translates to "pure life" and ties into their mission statement as a natural, organic and holistic brand. As they proudly state, "Our company policy is to always be environmentally friendly, always keep up to date on the most interesting new remedies from around the world. We are organic. We are natural." The brand was also awarded the "Silver Award" at the 2018 Free From Skincare Awards and was nominated again the following year too. Aura Organics has a physical space in London where they offer spa and yoga services. "We welcome you to Aura Spa. Our sacred space is where you can indulge in guilt-free beauty and wellbeing. We pride ourselves in high-quality service with our friendly all-female team." Their treatments range from facials and pedicures to massages and CBD tanning. Their yoga and wellness studio provides a variety of physical classes. You can pick between a relaxing yoga class or a high-intensity pilates class. Got a little one? You're in luck because Aura Organics also offers baby yoga. In addition to this, their wellness studio provides more spiritual workshops such as angel readings and meditation. The skincare range from Aura Organics is cruelty-free, as well as paraben and sulphate free. The brand is also free from harsh chemicals as they have an extensive knowledge of healing plants. They even use natural preservatives such as fermented radish and coconut (see below). Most importantly, the brand strictly highlights being an all-natural and organic range of skincare. Danielle said, "My experience in working within the mainstream skincare industry revealed many problematic, unnatural and cheap ingredients in a lot of products that lack nutritional value and cause skin irritation. This initiated the beginning of a mission to apply the knowledge I had learnt, alongside studying organic cosmetic chemistry to create wholesome and organic products." Aura Organics also uses special coloured glass bottles to help protect the product from harmful UV rays and keeps products free from contamination by plastics. Overall the brand offers a wide range of both skincare and services to help keep the skin glowing, the mind healthy, and the body active. 

What we loved was the Mini Microdermabrasion Tropical Honey Exfoliating Face Mask, which is said to help reduce clogged pores and leave the skin firmer, moisturised and radiant, The star ingredient here is honey. The brand specifically uses acacia mangium honey, which some have compared to manuka honey, but this is far more sustainable. The honey is imported from the Borneo rainforest, with the bees pollinate the abundance of acacia mangium trees. This honey (like most) is rich in nutrients and minerals like iron, zinc potassium calcium and copper, vitamin C and other antioxidants. However, acacia mangium honey, like manuka, it’s thought to help improve the healing time of wounds; making it a great choice to use if you have scarring or any common skin conditions like acne. Aura Organics says that they chose this honey as it's completely free from pollutants and supports the delicate ecological balance in its surroundings.

The Exfoliating Face Mask has a base of kaolin clay which is purifying and detoxifying, it gently cleanses the skin to remove dirt, grime, and general pollutants. It’s also infused with organic sweet orange oil and beta carotene-rich organic mango butter and extract. These both moisturise, are rich in antioxidants, stop dryness and help soothe any skin irritation.

For the exfoliant, the organic pineapple powder complements the bamboo extract, for a natural and gentle way to remove dead cells from the skin’s surface. Not only is bamboo high in antioxidants, but it contains large amounts of natural silica which strengthen and tighten the skin, that naturally retains moisture keeping the skin hydrated. It also naturally absorbs dirt and bacteria to keep pores clean, exfoliating the skin for better absorption of serums or moisturisers, in order to give a healthier-looking complexion. Finally, the fermented radish root and coconut are here as pure and natural preservatives - giving the product a safe and longer shelf life.

Packaged in a small metallic rose gold jar, we can only describe this mask as uplifting with its fruity and zesty scent. It smells almost good enough to eat! Whipped into a creamy paste, the kaolin clay combined with all the ingredients gives it a good thick texture, making it easy to spread generously and evenly on the face, neck and décolletage. We applied it as a mask and kept it on for about 10-15 minutes to hydrate and moisturise. Then gently massaged it in, using slow circular motions to exfoliate and eliminate all the dead skin, before rinsing off and patting dry. We love the natural and organic ingredients, and also how it leaves the skin super-soft and looking refreshed. Aura Organics recommends using this once or twice a week, followed by a soothing moisturiser. For us, it’s a keeper and another of our #amazingfinds. You can purchase the 100g Mini Microdermabrasion Tropical Honey Exfoliating Face Mask here for £12. 

Canax : Mellow Meno CBD & Vitamin Capsules

It is no surprise with all its many natural benefits, that we’re big fans of CBD products at The Amazing Blog, and we wanted to share a new CBD discovery with Mellow Meno CBD & Vitamin Capsules by Canax. It’s a product that has been primarily created to help ease some of the symptoms for women in perimenopause or menopause As well as being a Wellbeing Editor’s Choice winner at this year’s Beauty Shortlist Awards, they are also one of our #amazingfinds.

Canax was founded in 2020, based in Nottingham it’s the product of co-founders and best friends Jess Cohen and Sophie Garner, a paediatric nurse. They initially met through their husbands, who were football players for Nottingham Forest. The idea of creating premium CBD products started when Jess' mum was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (rare cancer that targets the plasma cells). Sophie said, "We came across CBD a few years ago, Jess's mum was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and she has found that CBD along with medical treatment has helped ease her daily anxieties and encourages sound sleep which is vital in any type of healing and recovery." As a nurse, Sophie had a first-hand account of how CBD helps her patients, and as mums, they know how overwhelming life can get. That's when Jess and Sophie realised they wanted to help others. They created Canax with a motto: less of the stress. "That's why our Mummy Gummies CBD range has been designed to fit perfectly around your own busy life, helping you take the edge off whenever you feel the need.” They are dedicated to providing only the highest quality organic THC-free CBD which is derived from a farm in Oregon, USA. Their products also offer a simple buying process with a rolling subscription service. All their ranges are organic, palm oil-free, and plant-based, meaning that Canax is suitable for vegans and vegetarians alike. Their best-known product, Mummy Gummies, has highly rated reviews and has been featured in major magazine publications. 

As mentioned earlier Mellow Meno CBD & Vitamin Capsules has been created to aid the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. Like all their other edibles, they contain absolutely no THC and are in a concentrated form of CBD Isolate only. Which is a purified crystalline form, and it is completely tasteless and odourless, which makes it the ideal candidate for use in edibles. It has soothing properties to help sleep, mood, and anxiety. In menopause, CBD is known to alleviate hot flushes and improve bone density by stabilising the hormone changes often caused by the menopause. CBD also has anti-inflammation properties that help cure acne for clear skin and ease rosacea.

The capsules are also made up of six other natural ingredients: Zinc, B12, B6, magnesium, vitamin C, and sage. Zinc is an essential element used for cell growth, hormone release, immune response and replication. Vitamin B6 and B12 have many advantages, and these two convert food into energy that helps create the organic chemicals serotonin and dopamine. Ultimately it helps with focusing, energy levels, and mood. Magnesium, another vital element, is crucial in producing energy, forming proteins, maintaining genes, and regulating the nervous system. Vitamin C, as you may know, is high in antioxidants. It helps protect the body's tissues from harmful free radicals and stabilises the linings of blood vessels. It can help soothe menopause symptoms such as varicose veins, cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis. Vitamin C also helps reduce the risk of severe medical conditions like heart attacks, blood clots, and strokes. Lastly, native to the Mediterranean region, sage can relieve symptoms like hot flushes and night sweats. It has been used as a natural remedy for menopause for hundreds of years, and fun fact, sage is actually part of the mint family.

What we like about Canax is that they’re very transparent about what's in each product, and their website provides an ingredient list of each product and what they do. The recyclable pink and yellow hue pack contains 30 CBD capsules with 20 mg of CBD in each. They recommend taking one capsule daily as they are, or emptying into a glass of water. Regardless of whether you are menopausal or not, we think these capsules are a great way to get daily 20mg of CBD (and all the vitamins) particularly if you don’t like the hempy taste of the oils. The brand also recommends taking these capsules continuously to reap the benefits, "You need to give Mellow Meno 7-10 days to kick in and really see the wonderful effects it will have." To get full use of the product, it's best to store it in a cool and dry place. For us as regular CBD takers, this is a low dosage, however, we think they offer a great introduction to those who are newbies to CBD. You can make a one-time purchase of 30 capsules or buy a monthly subscription here for £39.99 or £31.99. 

Menteath Lewes : Smoked Bay Body Oil

Today is the start of a series of our product reviews, where Edwina had the privilege to be on the panel of judges for this year’s 2022 Beauty Shortlist Awards. They are also our #amazingfinds here on The Amazing Blog. As regular readers will know we love to find and share new sustainable and indie brand products. And what better way to kick off than by reviewing a brand awarded “Best Brand to Watch 2022.” This unique skincare company, Menteath caught our attention with their handcrafted products and wild-grown ingredients inspired by ancient traditions. Watch this space as they make new strides in the world of natural skincare. We want to introduce you to their very special Smoked Bay Body Oil, which we fell in love with.

In 2019, Felicity Stuart-Menteath, inspired by nature’s beauty, created her brand Menteath in the memory of her grandfather, Fred Hatton. Menteath is an all-natural, organically certified and holistic skincare that carefully and thoughtfully creates infused skincare products. As Felicity says, “I have fused traditional smoke rituals from the Middle East and Old England, bringing together ancient traditions, conservation, and wildlife, with beauty in nature.” The name of the brand itself alludes to Felicity’s Scottish lineage, although the brand is based in Lewes, Sussex. She has drawn her inspiration from her journeys in the beautiful surroundings of the Sussex Downs and the Highlands to create a range of products, which include body oils, face oils, cleansers, and tonics. Apart from nature and the environment, Menteath prioritises sustainability and ethics. “I harvest fallen trees four times a year in line with the seasons in two woodland locations in Sussex, England, and Perthshire, Scotland. Each tree species allows me to create small batches of beautifully fragranced plant-derived oils.” They only use all-natural and well-sourced ingredients, and Menteath works with like-minded suppliers and producers that also aim to work ethically and sustainably. Additionally, the brand uses recycled materials for packaging its products, even generously offering a refill service to its customers. It’s important to the brand to source suppliers who work ethically, organically and provide alternative livelihood programmes supporting organic farmers who grow and harvest their plants every year. They have planted over 1,000 trees at Knepp Wildlife in Sussex, where each purchase of a Gift Box results in tree planting. Menteath also supports the Alternative Livelihoods Project (ALP) in Afghanistan, where much of the Earth's poppy seeds are harvested and sold. Poppies are crucial to the economy in Afghanistan, but they have unfortunately cost the lives of many innocent individuals. The ALP works to provide small farmers with the opportunity to grow alternatives to opium poppies and earn a stable income. Many of these farmers have successfully moved from poppy farming to organic rose otto farming. Each bottle sold of Menteath's Wild Path Body Oil supports these farmers in Afghanistan. Felicity also offers personalised massages and facials at her shop in Lewes - see here to book.

The Smoked Bay Body Oil is enriched with a smoky wood infusion, inspired by the smoke bathing similar to a dukhan, a practice where smouldering wood is placed around the oil, with wool draped over it to create a smoke chamber, which generates a rich herby and woody aroma from the scented smoking wood. According to Felicity, this body oil is a nod to the Aleppo Soapmakers in Syria, with its distinct smoky scent, and healing and soothing qualities.

The oil is rich in vitamins and actives that nourish the skin. The fundamental elements here are the combined oils with olive, wheat germ, jojoba, and sunflower. These moisturise and protect skin from environmental damage and pollution. They are also plentiful with fatty acids which helps the skin produce more collagen, for ample benefits to help improve the skin's elasticity. The wheat germ contains tocopherol (vitamin E) which nourishes, hydrates and is rich in antioxidants. The rosewood strengthens and regenerate the skin, and is, therefore, ideal for treating stretch marks or tired skin.

The further aromatic ingredients also include cade oil, which possesses anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities. Historically used in folk medicine, cade oil is obtained by dry distillation from the branches of Juniperus oxycedrus, also known as prickly juniper, and further gives the product its smoky and woody scent. Like cade oil, lanus nobilis fruit (bayberries) here has anti-bacterial properties and depth to the scent with its sweet and spicy notes.

Thyme, pimento and racemosa leaf (part of the West Indian bay tree family), generate a delicious herby aroma. There’s the anti-microbial parsley seed which adds green, spicy, herbal notes to balance the smokiness. Limonene and geraniol are both ingredients used here to enhance the product’s scent. Geraniol is a naturally derived fragrance from plants such as rose, geranium and citronella. It serves as an excellent scent carrier with a floral bouquet and is known to offer the aroma a longer shelf life. Finally, limonene is present for its antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. that is also known to calm skin.

The Smoked Bay Body oil is a treat. When opening the bottle the initial scent notes remind us of sweet burning leaves, which then mellow into more fragrant green tea and leathery notes. It becomes moreish, as the fragrance lingers with its rich aroma that gives a feeling of peace and comfort. Although it’s created as body care we couldn’t resist using it on hair ends too. Designed to be used after bathing or showering at night, we noticed when used, our skin was left hydrated and soft in the morning; making this another of our #amazingfinds and an excellent addition to any self-care routine. It’s a remarkable ode to nature and is undoubtedly a unique product, that has forged a way to connect modern skincare with ancient traditions. To purchase the 50ml Smoked Bay Body Oil at £48 see here. 

YUNI Beauty : Gliding Light Illuminating Multipurpose Beauty Balm

Now the world is opening up, and spring is on the way, it’s time for us at The Amazing Blog to think about booking a flight for a much needed weekend away. Which leads us swiftly onto multitasking products for hand luggage. One product we’ll be taking with us is this Gliding Bright Illuminating Multipurpose Beauty Balm from YUNI. This multipurpose balm is excellent for the face and body, not only for keeping the skin protected but also to add an extra holiday glow.

YUNI is a US-based beauty and lifestyle brand founded in 2012 by husband and wife team Emmanuel Rey and Suzanne Dawson. They met at Aveda though they both followed different paths to get there. Emmanuel has a degree in agricultural engineering and went on to earn his MBA, which led him to work in marketing for beauty brands. Whereas Suzanne’s career has focused on natural and plant-based remedies, wellness and self-care. After several years at Aveda, Suzanne and Emmanuel found their lifestyle impacted their health and well-being, so they decided to take time off to reconnect. During this time, they travelled to Greece, where they became yoga instructors. They also encountered a gap in the beauty market; they found no beauty brand committed to providing active health seekers and yogis with sustainable and organic products that enhance practice and training. The YUNI body care products aim to prepare both mind and body before any exercise with a short and refreshing post-workout clean up, which leaves a feeling of pure goodness. In conversation with The Urban You, Emmanuel explained, “At YUNI, we create healthy, natural skincare and body products that save time, restore health, and relieve stress—so active people who pursue life with passion can do more, live more, and find more joy in every moment.” YUNI dedicates itself to sustainability, with 90% of products manufactured and stored in either solar or wind-powered facilities. They package their products with sustainable materials, such as recycled plastic from water bottles and certified recycled paper. All tubes are sugarcane bio-resin and all product cartons are made with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified recycled paper and printed with soy ink. In fact, they go out of their way to ensure that each ingredient is organic and ethically sourced (from plants that are not endangered) and a product of fair-trade, eco-friendly cultivation and harvesting, which support sustainable local businesses. The brand also makes sure they work with factories that follow responsible waste disposal. As a vegan brand, it has eco-friendly formulas, and they are non-toxic, biodegradable, compostable, plant-based, gluten-free and cruelty-free. They are certified by Leaping Bunny and as a top 2022 cruelty-free brand with HEAL-ablel; plus, they won an Eco-Excellence Award in 2020 for their Shower Sheets.

YUNI’s Gliding Light Illuminating Multipurpose Beauty Balm is a moisturising balm that adds a subtle radiance to the skin. The key ingredients include organic kukui seed oil, olive oil, fair trade turmeric root, organic jojoba oil, shea butter, ethically sourced mica. The kukui seed oil has moisturising capacities, full of fatty acids like linoleic acid and omega-3; it also has vitamin A, C and E; all of which can penetrate deep into the skin to repair, nourish, and calm the skin. Olive oil full of antioxidants revitalises and strengthens skin's tonicity and repairs damaged tissues. The turmeric root powder is also full of antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties, and gives the skin a warm lustre. The jojoba seed oil, for its ability to hydrate the skin and balance natural oil production, and the shea butter hydrates and protects the skin’s natural barrier,

The enhanced shimmer qualities are due to mica; mica refers to a mineral incorporated into beauty products to give the ‘illuminating’ effect in this balm, making the skin glisten. Talking of glistening, there’s castor oil which gives a further sheen to the skin; plus it has anti-bacterial properties, much like the tocopheryl acetate, also found here, which is a form of vitamin E that protects skin from free radicals. 

Other ingredients found are caprylic triglyceride, made from coconut oil and glycerin, making skin feel smooth. The carnauba wax and candelilla wax are both vegetable waxes that give body to the balm. Hydrophilic fumed silica has sun protecting qualities and improves the elasticity, texture and hydration of the skin. Iron oxides and titanium dioxides are naturally occurring minerals. Iron oxides are generally known for adding pigment but have also been shown to offer enhanced protection against blue light. The titanium dioxide protects against UV light creating a transparent barrier that protects the skin from harmful sun rays.

The YUNI Gliding Light Illuminating Multipurpose Beauty Balm is one of our #amazingfinds for its versatility to enhance any beauty look. It nourishes and gives the skin a delicious shea butter aroma, and we used it as a highlighter on cheeks, shoulder and lips, and even on hair to heal split ends. We think this natural golden balm is a beauty must-have and predict that once tried, it’ll fast become your new and trusted travel buddy. To purchase YUNI’s 55g Gliding Light Illuminating Multipurpose Beauty Balm for £29, see here for the UK shop.