Bnatural CBD UK - Award Winning Face Oil

 We love to exploring new products at The Amazing Blog and one of our latest #amazingfinds is a new CBD skincare, which as regular readers will know is currently riding the crest of the UK beauty wave. Meet the Award Winning Face Oil (yes it really is called that!) by BNatural CBD UK. Those with oily skin often swerve face oils, but this CBD infused oil has many benefits for ALL skin types -  including oily. We first discovered BNatural CBD when they won a silver award at The 2019 Hemp & CBD Awards, and it’s a very well done to them, as they were pitted against some of the biggest CBD industry players.

BNatural CBD UK is a family run business that offers some of the highest quality ingredients, at a very competitive price point. They sell full-spectrum CBD cosmetics (skincare) and oral tinctures and are proud to announce that all their products have full traceability from farm to shelf. This way they can not only proudly offer products from the best suppliers and extractors but also carry out their own third-party lab tests on every product. For their ingestible products, they source hemp from the hills in Switzerland and only use Co2 extraction (we talked about this method with a previous CBD brand here ). They are also members of the trade associations Cannabis Trades Assoc. and CannaPRo which gives us all the assurance that their products are all fully compliant with the current UK laws. We want to applaud this brand for their giving back policy to Zellweger UK, where they donate each month a percentage of their sales. Zellweger Spectrum Disorder which is a rare genetic condition which belongs to a group called Peroxisomal Biogensis Disorder (PBD).

The Award Winning Face Oil, is a full-spectrum CBD skincare, which means that it contains a small amount of THC coming in line with the UK regulations. It combines 100mg of full-spectrum CBD golden oil together with other natural and vegan oil ingredients. Best of all, you can rest assured that it is free from pesticides, herbicides and heavy metals. In creating the Award Winning Face Oil, they have chosen each element carefully to work in harmony with the cannabinoids, which includes rosehip, jojoba, geranium and orange essential oils. All of which when combined with the CBD, offers a fragrant, light to the touch, nourishing and moisturising face oil. Contained in a dark blue glass bottle with pipette, this face oil is a delightful slightly citrus-scented golden liquid. It was easily absorbed, leaving the skin smooth and without any oily residue. We think it would work perfectly too for all makeup lovers out there, as a great primer to give their complexions a wonderful radiance prior to applying foundation. Plus, all the cannabinoids here bind directly to the endocannabinoid system in the skin, helping the skin find its balance. CBD has many healing properties and added benefits such as being anti-ageing and anti-inflammatory, again making it ideal for anyone who has acne and mild eczema. You can purchase the 30ml bottle of Award Winning Face Oil for £ 30.00 here.

Bao-Med Pure Oil Bodywash & Pure Soap

We hate having dry skin, particularly at this time of year when we’re regularly applying our fake tan. At The Amazing Blog far too often we’ve experienced our sunless tan going patchy and flaking off from the hard London water. This is why we’ve been exploring new products with baobab oil, known for its super-hydrating qualities. It’s an extraordinary seed oil that has impressed us in Body Balm and Moisturiser here and as a Hydrating Body Oil here.  Today our latest baobab #amazingfinds are Pure Soap and Pure Oil Bodywash from Bao-Med UK.

Bao-Med UK has four products: Pure Soap, Pure Oil Bodywash, Food Supplements and Pure Skin, Scalp & Hair Oil (the latter won an award with Beauty Shortlist Award in 2020). All products are natural and organic and come with international certification. Baobab seed oil production contributes to the economic revival of the poorest parts of South Africa and Venda. Bao-Med's products are made from pure baobab seed oil and a vitamin and mineral-rich white powder from the fruit which is used in their Food Supplements. This oil has softening, protective and restructuring properties and which are excellent for skin and hair, often used for stretch marks or dry and damaged hair. Bao-Med products use only a sustainable process, only collecting the fruit that has fallen from the tree onto the ground, leaving the tree intact. In this way, they ensure a sustainable harvest and the tree can produce fruit for hundreds of years to come. This brand’s products have been created to help promote healthy skin, scalp, hair and nails; as the baobab seed oil is renowned for its hydrating and healing properties.

First of all, let's start with their Pure Soap made with pure baobab oil with the addition of a natural fig fragrance. It’s smooth to handle and looks like a maple fine-grained wooden roundel. The fig fragrance is subtle, even moreish and particularly evident when lathered up in the hands. We ventured to use this both on the hands and body. It also became a regular fixture both prior and during our covid19 lockdown. Best of all, unlike other soaps when used, we didn’t need to follow it immediately with hand cream, as it magnificently cleansed and moisturised.

Then we have the Pure Oil Bodywash made from baobab and olive oil. This hit the spot addressing our dry skin problem. Hydrating? Oh yes, this most certainly was. With a pH balance of 6.0 pH (neutral and akin to milk) when applied, it had the consistency of oil not that of liquid soap. As soon as it mixes with water goes from being clear into a silky milk-like foam. The product is not greasy and as soon as you apply it, you can feel that it cleaning and moisturising, which leaves a dewy glow to the skin. It also gve a delicate fragrance and worked like a wonder oil keeping our dry and flaky skin at bay. We think this would be particularly good for those with sensitive skin who find regular soap too harsh. Out of the two, this was undoubtedly our favourite. You can purchase your Pure Oil Bodywash 50ml for £9 or a 200ml bottle for £25 here. You can also buy the 90 gm Pure Soap here for £15.

Norse - Exfoliating Face Wash & Shower Bar

Have you noticed how the girls at The Amazing Blog are slaves to their skincare routine? Well, it’s now starting to rub off on me! I’ll let you into a secret… This week I’ve found some amazing new grooming products that are not only 100% natural, handmade, vegan and parabens free, but come in an eco-friendly bar form. Meet British brand Norse. The two products I’m going to be talking about today interact efficiently and look promising to offer results.

Norse is a startup company, founded by Iain Kerrigan, whose main focus is to produce 100% natural grooming products for men. Iain is a bearded gentleman who was bored of looking like a grease monkey from the products he used, hence his mission began to create his own… Whether it’s for maintaining a beard, a moustache groomed or keeping skin smooth; Norse has something to offer every well-groomed man (or lady - but razors only!) They are all handmade in the UK and as Iain says they are “plastic-free, environmentally (and wallet) friendly.” His range has everything from skincare and shampoo to plastic-free razors. The products I tried out are their Exfoliating Face Wash Bars and Shower Bars which are a must-have for every man out there, and the reason I underline the word ‘every’ is that these gems are for all skin types.

I’ll begin with the Exfoliating Face Wash Bars which come in two amazing scents: Woodsman and Citrus. They are produced using olive, coconut, castor, organic sustainable palm and almond oil. These oils are rich in vitamins A and E, they have anti-inflammatory effects and penetrate the dermis preventing moisture loss. The organic sustainable palm oil tightens the pores in an efficient manner and helps in preventing the rough bumps which may be caused by sun damage or aging. The ingredient together with the activated charcoal effectively cleanses the skin, removing dead skin cells and impurities, leaving the skin smooth, clean and even-toned.  You will find the link for both Exfoliating Face Wash Bars here, so you can purchase the one with your favourite scent Woodsman has a base of tea tree and peppermint, whereas the Citrus has a mixture of orange and lemon oil, each is only £ 8.50 for a 100gm bar.

Next with the Norse Shower Bars which also come in the same two scents as the Exfoliating Face Wash Bars; Woodsman and Citrus. They are produced using similar ingredients as the Face Wash Bars with olive, coconut, castor, organic sustainable palm and almond oil but minus the addition of activated charcoal. They are solid bars, and as we mentioned above, these ingredients offer great benefits. We’d also like to add that not only they are made of 100% natural ingredients, but they are also environmentally friendly simply packaged in cardboard boxes, thus no plastic waste is produced. To purchase your favorite scent of the Shower Bar for only £ 8.50 you can find Citrus here or Woodman here.  My favourite? It had to be the Exfoliating Face Wash (Citrus) – it left my face clean and fragrant from the city grim and is ideal for my newly acquired lockdown whiskers!

Esteem Royale Cosmetics - Goat's Milk Soaps

Here at The Amazing Blog we’ve long been fans of goat’s milk. From drinking it as an alternative to cow’s milk (easier to digest and not pumped full of hormones) to using it as a body wash see here. So when we heard about an international brand Esteem Royale Cosmetics with their Goat Milk Soap, Royale Marrakech Blend (which was the winner in the Pure Beauty Global Awards 2019 for Best New Bath and Shower Product here) we knew we had to try it.

The brand was created in 2013 by two Nigerian sisters Odion and Idowu Ejere. They commented: “We have developed skincare potions and makeup that cater to people of every colour and every age in different climates with inputs from our loyal customers, retailers, distributors, dermatologists and beauty experts.”  Thanks to being online, the brand sells its products globally and you’ll find all kinds of skincare products for face and body (including their Goats Milk Soaps) as well as a range of lipsticks. Their cosmetics were initially created for women of colour but can also be used by everyone.

They kindly sent us their full collection of four Goat Milk Soaps.  First of all, the packaging is a set of stylish rounds that are made of eco-friendly cardboard boxes. Each soap comes in a 3/4 ball shape with a flat base, making it easy to handle. They are all rich with anti-ageing properties, vitamins, nutrients, proteins and naturally occurring triglycerides. Plus, they are formulated with carefully sourced ingredients that exfoliate, soften, nourish and visibly brighten the skin. The rich lactic acid content helps to remove dead skin cells on the surface to reveal younger-looking skin, and hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, lactic acid, vitamin A, selenium helps protects the skin from sun damage.  Let’s start with the Bubblegum Tang – its fragrance is sweet and fruity (like bubblegum) key ingredient (after goats milk) is brown sugar which is a natural humectant and has natural anti-bacterial properties. Then there is Mucatti Mandarine Crush  - this is as it sounds citrusy. It has mandarin orange extract and vitamin C from grapefruits and limes which lighten the skin and promote collagen production. Then there is the Toasted Coffee Blend - the scent is like sweet milky coffee which is not surprising as it’s main ingredient is black coffee beans, which are highly exfoliating, help to fade dark spots, prevents acne and combats cellulite (we preferred using this on our body, not our face!) Finally, their award-winning soap Royale Marrakech Blend this was undoubtedly our favourite. With its subtle fragrance and creamy texture, it also has the additions of oatmeal, soybean protein, coconut oil essence and Xinjiang liquorice extract.

For those of you who are not in the know, goat’s milk is a very gentle cleanser rich in fatty acids and it also has many anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial qualities. It helps to give the skin a healthy barrier keeping it nourished and moisturised. To purchase your any of the Esteem Royale Goat Milk Soaps for £8.67 see here.

Nursem – Caring Hand Cream & Caring Hand Fix

Something during these pandemic times it has become second nature to us is to keep washing our hands. Of course, after constant washing, most of us at The Amazing Blog have noticed irritation, dryness and cracked skin. However, let us just take a moment to consider what everyday life must be like for nurses who are on the frontline. Did you know that the average ICU nurse washes their hands 150 times a day? Which results in 85% suffering from painful and sore hands. Not anymore, step forward the new British brand Nursem who has created a specific range of solution-based hand care. 

Nursem is a skincare brand, created by Jonny Philp who teamed up with his wife, Antonia (an ICU nurse), to create a range of special hand care products. As Jonny commented: “Our aim is to make every working day better for all hardworking hands, so we’ve developed a range of products that are formulated to care for, hydrate and replenish your skin’s natural defences.”  What testifies to this brand’s success is that its products are loved by nurses, mums and many more. We met Nursem at the CEW Showcases and were so thrilled to be given both their Caring Hand Fix, and Caring Hand Cream to try out. 

Let’s start with the Caring Hand Fix which is a cruelty-free, vegan and dermatologist approved. This works like a healing balm (although it’s a cream) it’s intensive care for hands where it soothes and calms. It’s fragrance-free with the main ingredient of calming colloidal oatmeal, this works together for layers of protection with avocado oil, shea butter and glycerin to help minimise moisture loss from the skin. Avocado oil is known for its healing benefits on skin, rich in vitamin E and other nutrients it nourishes the skin to accelerate the healing process. While shea butter is an ingredient known for softening the skin and it also has anti-inflammatory properties. The Caring Hand Fix soothes redness and irritation, as well as regenerates the skin using a blend of pro-vitamin B5, naturally derived hyaluronic acid and allantoin. We think that using the product overnight probably brings the best results.  To purchase click here The product comes at a size of 50 ml for £14.99.

Next, the Caring Hand Cream that has been created by using natural ingredients. The Caring Hand Cream’s key ingredient here is medical-grade manuka honey, which is known to help aid the healing of sore hands and improve the skin’s appearance. The manuka honey can balance the skin’s pH levels and remove the dead cells, leaving the skin soft and clean. The Caring Hand Cream has a subtle scent similar to orange water which comes from the combination of citrus and bergamot. It also has an extract of white willow and oils such as grape seed, coconut, passionflower and pomegranate seed all of which help soften the hands. To purchase the 75 ml size for £9.99 click here. To purchase the 300 ml size for £19.99 click here. This is a long-lasting and effective formula for sore and dry hands.

Both of the products contain no parabens, mineral oil or silicone and we think are a must-have for everyone who has over washed hands that are suffering. What is also important to mention, is that Nursem has a ‘giving back’ philosophy and for every product sold, they offer a month’s worth of free Nursem to a nurse or a midwife. Please help us to keep this mission going by purchasing their hand care products here.