La Coèss - REVITALISÉ Nutrient Organic Face Oil

As the nights are drawing in and temperatures drop, this signals to us at The Amazing Blog to change our skincare regime by adding in something a little richer and more protective. That’s why we’ve been searching for plant-based face oils with concentrated nutrition to revitalise, restore and helps balance our complexions. Today is one of our first #amazingfinds for autumn skincare with REVITALISÉ Nutrient Organic Face Oil from La Coèss.   

La Coèss REVITALISÉ Nutrient Organic Face Oil took over eight years in the making. This is because the founder Sophie Wang wanted to search out the best of the best for this her signature product. In her mission to find the perfect face oil, it led her on a long journey with testing over 312 ingredients, in order to find the right blend. So as to optimise these organic plant-based oil extracts, they are all freshly crafted in micro-batches in Portland, USA. Every attention has been given to the detail and design including the stylish handmade glass bottle, with its dropper top made from wenge wood. This REVITALISÉ Nutrient Organic Face Oil feels luxurious. The packaging is made up of a quality white cardboard box, embossed with a rose and separated into two parts. It has a closure of a seal, that is stamped with their logo and when opening the box, you find the heavy frosted bottle on its throne, all of which screams sophistication and luxury.   

Let’s talk about REVITALISÉ Nutrient Organic Face Oil itself, it is a powerhouse to fifteen natural oils from 10 different countries. When you first open the bottle a hint of the jasmine immediately greets you, its role is to offer protection from external stress factors and pollution and will even skin tone. However, this face oil contains first and foremost, jojoba and rosehip oils. These natural ingredients are known to rebalance the oil on your face, they contain vitamin B and fatty acids that are known for their ability to soothe skin. The rosehip, in particular, will repair any skin damage thanks to its high concentration in antioxidants, linolenic acid, and provitamin A. Together with the sea buckthorn they generate the rosy coloured hue in the oil. Sea buckthorn here will also purify and fight clogged pores. Then there is the magical golden Argan oil, straight from the Moroccan it has an incredible ability to nourish, moisturise and, protect. The avocado oil provides an emollient ingredient ideal for dry, dehydrated, damaged and mature skin and is rich in chlorophyll which will reduce inflammation. Moving on to the camellia oil used in the ancient Japanese traditions, this will soften lines and act as an anti-ageing oil, simultaneously, giving a natural radiant glow. The Rosemary will refresh and balance and rejuvenate the complexion. The exceptional blend also contains chia seed oil which will help to maintain the moisture level and the healthy protective layer. It will give relief from irritation, dryness and peeling.  Among the long list of other potent natural ingredients, there is lavender which is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent that will help with breakouts, relax and detoxify. The pomegranate makes for a reliable hydrator; it will also soften and regenerate. The grapeseed oil is a highly penetrating oil that will protect and shield, whereas the prickly pear is an extraordinary healing agent that has been used for centuries, rich in amino acids that will stimulate the collagen which will promote cell renewal. It also contains vitamin K, which will brighten the face. The evening primrose is rich in fatty acids that will leave skin deeply hydrated. Finally, the carrot root oil is an exceptional cell regenerator. And that, I think concludes on the function of each of the fifteen oils found here. 

This REVITALISÉ Nutrient Organic Face Oil is suitable for all skin types and is vegan, cruelty-free and certified organic. Apply to a cleansed face adding the Face Oil by dropping 3-8 drops on the hands or directly on the face. Massage the oil in an upwards and clockwise movement making sure it reaches face, neck and décolleté. For best results, apply it both day and night.  We used this Face Oil alone at night with their clear quartz guasha ( I’m not sure whether they send this automatically with each order?) This guasha is a beauty tool used to apply pressure and gently scrape the skin to relieve tension, it helps increase skin cell nutrition and improves blood flow.   During the day we mixed a few drops of the Face oil to enhance our regular moisturiser, which made it a better base for applying makeup. To purchase you can find the 30ml  REVITALISÉ Nutrient Organic Face Oil here for $108. Although this may seem expensive, we found a little went a long way and the bottle appears to have lasted much longer than we anticipated. Would we buy more? Definitely.

Carina Organics - Unscented Natural Body Deodorant

We at The Amazing Blog know how important it is to stay fresh while living our busy and sometimes hectic lives. Whether we are running daily errands, going to the gym, or travelling; we all want to feel protected from unpleasant odours. We also love discovering new brands that have natural or organic products that are vegan friendly, not tested on animals and free from nasty chemicals.  That’s why we tried and tested this fragrance -free natural deodorant for sensitive skin Unscented Natural Body Deodorant by Carina Organics. 

Carina Organics is based in Vancouver and aims to provide 100% natural products, completely free of synthetics, parabens, fragrances, gluten and dyes. Founded by Helmut Gollner, who migrated from Germany to Canada and whose passion for homeopathic skin and haircare led him on this journey to launch Carina Organics. Since Carina’s inception in 1972, its main focus and philosophy is to create self-care products by replacing chemical ingredients with natural and organic ones. Gollner believes that nature provides the means to keep our skin healthy and beautiful, which is why  Carina takes great pride in their formulas and the quality of the ingredients they use. All of Carina products are manufactured by hand on the North Shore of Vancouver, where they produce a wide range of hair, face, body and baby care.

We chose to review their Unscented Natural Body Deodorant, as one of our bugbears is heavily fragranced deodorants. Although we all like to smell fragrant, it can also conflict with our chosen scent of the day; i.e. a heavily scented floral deodorant clashing with a delicate fresh cologne. What we love about Carina’s Unscented Natural Body Deodorant is that it’s produced using only natural and non-staining mineral salts. It protects the skin for up to 24 hours, leaving it fresh and odour-free, making it impossible for bacteria to develop. Made of only three simple ingredients: Filtered water, potassium alum, and pine extract, this deodorant is hypoallergenic, 100% biodegradable, cruelty-free and vegan.  Applied with 5-6 pumps of the spray under each arm or on any other desired area of the body, it dries quickly and is long-lasting. The Unscented Natural Body Deodorant was sent to us via Live in the Light, a UK online store which distributes their products. With a holistic approach, Live in The Light believes that skincare products that we use in our daily regime have an impact on our health, and supplies only high quality natural and organic products, just like this Unscented Natural Body Deodorant which you can purchase here for £13.50. 

Netsai Rose & Avacado Cleansing Balm

Who doesn’t love a balm? At The Amazing Blog, we actively look for new natural balms, any balms that are for cleansing or moisturising the face, lips and body. Out of all of these, the cleansing balm is the winner for those of us living in London. The hard water here is full of calcium and magnesium compounds that not only causes limescale but strips our skin of all its natural oils, which can then lead to large pores, dry skin rashes, itching or worse rosacea! That’s why we want to talk about a natural cleansing balm from British indie brand Netsai.

Netsai was founded by Esnath Moyo in 2019, when she realised that most beauty brands on the market never represented the people that she identified with. Wanting to be an example to her loved ones and making sure that they would all be accepted for their beautiful selves, she set herself a challenge to create her own beauty brand Netsai. This is where she followed her dream, to produce this skincare, promising products that would hold innovation, support sustainability, diversity and inclusion. This cruelty-free and organic brand promote community helping change lives by ‘inspiring confidence in the marginalised’ that’s then reflected into every day. We applaud you Esnath!

Back to balms. With our love of balms, we chose to review the Rose and Avocado Cleansing Balm. This is suitable for all skin types; it’s a luxurious balm and contains a plethora of great ingredients. Let’s start with the key ingredients of shea butter, which is highly concentrated in fatty acids and vitamins, and also has anti-inflammatory and healing properties. Then the lactic acid which is an anti-wrinkle and pigmentation-fighting ingredient. It’s an alternative to glycolic acid which means that it’s less irritating, yet just as effective and an excellent ingredient for sensitive skin. The carnauba wax is actually an edible ingredient, as an emollient, it has a high melting point and can be used for thickening skincare as well as being a deeply hydrating moisturiser. Avocado oil, will deeply penetrate the skin to nourish, soften and boost your skin’s immunity against environmental stresses. What makes this balm even more of an exceptional hydrator is its richness with the coconut oil.  Lavender in this is for a deep cleanse and to calm any redness and irritation. Rose oil is the antioxidant powerhouse, which will strengthen skin cells and regenerate skin tissues. If you have dry skin, then this will help hydrate it, and finally, the addition of orange flower water which is a good toner that balances oils brightening the complexion.

We applied 10p size dollop of the cleansing balm, with a spatula from the jar, into our hands. We then warmed it up in our palms and spread it liberally over a dry face and neck. Massaged in for 60 seconds and splashed with warm water to emulsify, rubbed in a little more and then wiped it away with a damp cloth. It integrated easily into our skincare routine and this natural high performing formula even melted away make-up and SPF, all in one go. What set this apart for us, is its ability to be used as a make-up remover or as a second cleanse, where it worked like magic with the hard water and left our complexions clean and soft. If you live in a city with hard water, you need this cleansing balm! See here for your 60ml jar for £18.00.

Fuishena Skincare - Divine Ambrosia Serum with 8% VitaNova™

At The Amazing Blog, we can't resist luxurious skincare not just with the branding but for the ingredients too. As regular readers will know, discovering new formulas is our passion, and today we have an Australian skincare that has a new ingredient that we want to introduce.

Fuishena Skincare comes all the way from beautiful Byron Bay. Founded by two sisters Fiona and Lucia Berwein. They took their inspiration from their parents, who asked them to join them in their supplement and lifestyle business. The two sisters have taken the leading role in creating a new brand and developing the existing formula into a super antioxidant skincare line in collaboration with Canadian and Australian laboratories. They teamed up with formulators who helped them with proven clinical trials as the effectiveness of their advanced formula VitaNova™ This super-antioxidant ingredient interacts with the skin on a cellular level. There are two lines of skincare Divine Ambrosia and Divine Nektar. Divine Nektar, is designed for brightening dull complexions and ideal for those with sensitive, oily/ combination skin, who live in warmer climes.  The Divine Ambrosia is for normal to dry skin, again it's also for those with sensitive skin but who live in a colder climate and have fine lines and wrinkles. Fuishena is a skincare where science meets nature and wherever possible, they only use organically grown products from the region. It claims to have remarkable anti-ageing properties with this patented VitaNova™ antioxidant, which is designed to return skin back to its natural, glowing beauty. They are cruelty-free brand, have packaging without plastic and support recycling with their glass bottles..

 We were sent the Divine Ambrosia Serum with 8% VitaNova™. This serum is a rejuvenating, anti-ageing serum which nourishes and regenerates helping to counteract the ageing process. This looks and feels luxurious, presented in an elegant frosted recyclable glass bottle with a dropper;  we love the branding with its white faux leather embossed pouch (to store this serum out of sunlight). They are the first Australian brand to utilise the VitaNova™ ingredient, which was originally introduced into Asian skincare over ten years ago. It is made up of a carbon allotrope called fullerene, where its antioxidant power is unlocked by emulsifying with a blend of amino acids and vitamins. They produce their products in small batches, in darkness, to ensure all ingredients are kept fresh and active. The VitaNova™ has excellent versatility and can detox, brighten, moisturise and be used as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-ageing formula. How does it work? VitaNova™ is a super antioxidant that can find, bind and remove free radicals and other toxins from your skin. It is over 100 times more potent than vitamin C. It rejuvenates the skin by converting free radicals into water and oxygen. Its anti-inflammatory properties deal with redness, irritation and impurities, which is especially helpful after laser or other invasive treatment. The antimicrobial function eradicates infected areas and helps to reduce noticeable pores size. This serum has the highest concentration of VitaNova that will make it a firm but also be a gentle rejuvenator. The other ingredients here are vitamin E, which can also block free radicals, and replenish lipids and in turn slows down the signs of skin ageing. The sweet almond oil improves your skin's overall appearance and luminosity. It also contains some vitamin A, also known as retinol, which evens out skin tone and texture, brightening the complexion. Vitamin C promotes collagen production as well as prevents premature ageing. It also has properties that suppress aggressive melanin production in the skin, which can cause skin discolouration, dark spots or hyperpigmentation. The aloe vera will act as another antioxidant; it contains enzymes and vitamins, aiding inflammation, acne or dry skin. The avocado and pomegranate oils will shield and offer protection from UV damage. Finally, the white tea extract has further antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress on the skin’s surface. I used this serum for two weeks and loved how it was hydrating enough, to use alone. The honey-coloured liquid has a soft floral/white tea scent. The serum's velvety texture glides evenly with its abundance of active ingredients that left a delicate and protective layer on my skin. I did notice my complexion was less dehydrated and fine lines were plumped up too, although I would need to use the serum for a longer period of time, to give a proper conclusion. Yes, I would buy more… to purchase your  30ml Divine Ambrosia Serum for £79.00 see here.

AMAZINC! Skincare - Mineral Sunscreen, Lip Balm and Mineral Shield

As regular readers will know we’re always preaching about sun awareness.  Particularly with the erosion of the ozone layer and the planet heating up… Today we’d like to talk about a mineral-based sunscreen and block. AMAZINC! Skincare is a sun care range that provides high protection and is made for those who have an active lifestyle and who want to indulge in a bit of surfing or other water-based fun.

This Czech brand AMAZINC! Skincare, launched in 2015 by Jan Kostelnik and Stepan Martinek, whose vision was to create a natural sunscreen and block that was not only functional but also kind to the environment.  What sets this apart from other suncare brands is that it has been created by a team of nature lovers who regularly hike in the mountains and surf the oceans – so they knew that there was a gap in the market and what was needed. We like that they have no nasties in their formulas, as we’ve found that many of the high street sun protection products have chemical formulations that are dangerous for marine life and corals (check out your regular sunscreen's ingredients here). These chemicals pollute playgrounds, mountains and oceans with compounds that destroy the environment. A quick run-through on the main chemical to look, oxybenzone is the one that harms marine life and is known as one of the most toxic ingredients in the cosmetic industry. This has proved to be deadly when in contact with marine life and wildlife in general, where It creates reef bleaching that causes the death of the coral. Something we didn’t know, is that non coated nanoparticles of zinc oxide or titanium oxide aren’t any better either! AMAZINC! ensures that these chemical compounds are not found in any of its products and helps to raise awareness around this. Their products are mainly vegan and also have plastic and chemical-free packaging (reusable aluminium bottles, tins and cardboard tubes). Also, as an environmentally aware company, they’re on a mission to help educate their customers too.

We tried the Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50, which offers a high level of protection with only mineral filters and natural ingredients, making it a nature-friendly form of sun protection. The key ingredients include almond oil that protects the skin from the UV as well as reversing any damage. It also has jojoba oil a popular ingredient in natural sunscreen products with vitamin E which when combined with other antioxidants such as those found in olive oil, protects the skin from sun damage; these will stop skin dehydration or flaking. This product is also rich in zinc oxide, a topical skin product that is used as a protective coating also used for mild skin irritations or abrasions as it speeds up healing. Finally, the triticum vulgare germ oil here is to relieve dryness.  This natural mineral sunscreen has a subtle sweet almond fragrance. We used this as a one-off application, out sailing all day with hot sun and the reflections from the sea, and when we returned to land there wasn’t even the slightest bit of redness in sight! I would advise that this Is not suitable for those who are wishing to pose on the beach topping up their tan, as this Mineral Sunscreen does leave a white residue (from the zinc/titanium oxide). However, it’s perfect for the action-packed adventurer who just wants one application and to go.  This Mineral Sunscreen you can find in 150ml here for €24.95.

Next is their natural Lip Balm this is rich in natural emulsifiers which help to retain moisture, making it ideal dry or chapped lips. We found it very smooth to apply and unusually long-lasting. There’s jojoba oil, rich in vitamin B and E and essential minerals like zinc that will make your lips soft. The almond oil here will does wonders for the lips keeping them hydrated and rejuvenate. The antioxidant properties in the olive oil condition and protect lips from drying out. The texture is balm-like and waxy and the vanilla planifolia fruit extract not only adds to the fragrance and taste but has antioxidant benefits and skin-soothing agents. This Lip Balm does not contain sun protection – so please bear this in mind. It’s perfect for carrying in your pocket all year round to provide a lip pick-me-up. You can find it here in a generous 30g for €12.25.

Last but not least, is the Mineral Shield which has 17.5g of essential zinc cream that comes in four colours. This sunblock offers full UV protection and is easy to apply/remove and yet is highly water-resistant. They have perfected this formula with their Mineral Shield compound with a mix of zinc oxide, magnesium oxide and kaolin. The combination of these natural ingredients will provide nature-friendly and sustainable sun protection. They say it’s for applying to on the face and lips, we think it’s also ideal for covering up and protecting any suspicious moles or skin damage. We like that this Mineral Shield does not get washed away, it stays put until you wipe it off. The blend contains bee wax which works as a natural binder, stabiliser and skin-conditioner, and is often used as a topical, non-allergenic sunscreen ingredient to condition and repair. It also contains olive oil and lanolin (wool fat) so this product is not vegan! It’s a great little full sunblock, ideal to keep on hand in case you need some serious cover-up. You can find it here for €11.95. 

We’re impressed with this sun care range and certainly put it to full use. What would we order more of? Both the AMAZINC! Mineral Shield to dab on moles and the Lip Balm as we loved the taste and texture.