Epicuren Discovery® : Defend & Balance Sunscreen Tinted Mineral SPF 50

As the weather warms up and summer fast approaches, we hope that like us, at The Amazing Blog, you’re upping your game by applying stronger sunscreen. We have been looking for an all-in-one sunscreen and discovered this recently launch Defend & Balance Sunscreen Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 from Epicuren Discovery®. We love how this includes all our asks of sunscreen, CC cream, AND moisturiser.

Epicuren Discovery®  is a family-owned and established advanced skincare brand with the goal of ‘leaving the biggest impression on this world through natural skincare while leaving the smallest footprint’. Founded by Colleen Lohrman with developmental scientist Robert Heiman over 35 years ago,  Epicuren® skincare products originated from pharmaceutical enzyme research, performed on severely damaged skin. For over a decade, Epicuren® continues to incorporate the result of its research using technologies, especially with its Metadermabolic Enzyme (a complex of proteins and vitamin B’s) anti-ageing formulas, in their high potency skincare. The range is made up of natural skincare created for both the consumers and the professional. However, occasionally synthetic ingredients are used to enhance product quality;  Epicuren® uses pure, natural ingredients with certified organics to make their safe yet effective products. Based in California, it’s a popular brand amongst Hollywood celebrities like Megan Fox, Kristen Davis. and Gwen Stefani. We like how Epicuren® commits to natural beauty and sustainability, plus its packaging is BPA free and recyclable. 

Released last year, the Defend & Balance Sunscreen Tinted Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50  is a unique mineral-based, chemical-free, skin-brightening and reef-safe SPF 50 sunscreen that automatically adapts to and enhances every skin tone with light coverage. It is a sunscreen that provides maximum full-spectrum sun protection and uses vitamin C to shield your skin against UVA and UVB rays. The great thing about this 4% titanium dioxide and 15.5% zinc oxide mineral UV filters is that it’s harmless to the environment and are considered the safest and most effective sunblock ingredients today. The antioxidant in the formula, such as green tea leaf extract, vitamin E and argan oil, balance inflammation and protect skin against environmental stressors. The sunscreen is also rich in sodium hyaluronate, meadowfoam seed oil, kukui nut seed oil, which all serve as hydrators. What we loved about this Sunscreen was its light citrus fragrance, a thin and non-tacky texture and self-adjusting subtle tint which didn’t leave any white cast or residue. It’s also nourishing enough to wear on its own as CC cream, or as a primer under makeup.  It is cruelty-free, recycle-friendly, vegan and water-resistant for up to 40 minutes. It is one of our #amazingfinds and we’ll certainly be ordering more! You can purchase the 30ml multi-tasking sunscreen Defend & Balance here  for $84 on their website.

Nume-Lab: Resurfacing Night Peel Serum

Today, at The Amazing Blog, we’re back with Nume-Lab, a new Swiss biotech skincare brand, which offers at-home professional style skincare. This time, it's with their Resurfacing Night Peel Serum, which is a cell-regenerating serum that helps to exfoliate away dead skin cells, and offer smoother skin. You may remember we recently reviewed their two other products, Deep Exfoliating Cleanser and Advanced Renewal Face Cream here.

The idea of Nume-Lab  is a Swiss brand that started three years ago, when Paulina Kostrzycka and her co-founder, realised most of their expensive skincare products were gathering dust. They noticed that these multiple products with their ingredients had been overlapping in use and potency. That was when they decided to create a skincare brand that offered products that are highly effective, with a conscious and ethical approach for long-lasting results. This is where they have designed a line of clean, sustainable, and affordable skincare products that not only promote environmentally friendly products, packaging and business practices but also empower people, especially women. Kostrzycka said: “Giving freedom of choice to women and men who follow different lifestyles and have different needs was important to me. Nume-Lab goes beyond skincare. It is a bridge between different cultures and a promotion of diversity.” After years of hard work, in 2020, they finally launched Nume-Lab in Switzerland. The brand is  Halal certified, where all products have the highest ethical manufacturing process required, including being cruelty-free with no animal testing and using sustainably sourced ingredients. This meant banning alcohol, other toxic chemicals and mineral oils from formulas. There are a trio products, designed to work together which are aimed at the age-defying market with the Resurfacing Night Peel, Deep Exfoliating Cleanser, Advanced Renewal Face Cream and Resurfacing Night Peel Serum. Recently the brand has committed to donating 10% of its profits to support the Pediatric Burn Center at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center across the USA and Canada.

The Resurfacing Night Peel Serum, is an anti-ageing exfoliating serum for all skin types. The key ingredient that the brand uses is snail mucus. The mucus production is highly regulated and conforms to the cruelty-free standards set by the Halal certification. The snails are kept in good conditions and are put in a bumpy environment that helps them produce the filtrate. As an ingredient that Korean brands have used for centuries, it swiftly regenerates, protects and nourishes the skin effectively, it’s naturally rich in glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid, peptides and antioxidants. It was also used in ancient times to cure wounds, burns, inflammation and other skin issues. This Regenerating Night Serum promises to reduce blemishes, fine lines, and other impurities like blackheads by exfoliating and stimulating regeneration.  Here we have a high concentration of AHAs, snail mucin extract, niacinamide (B3), pantheon (B5), tocopherol (vitamin E) and betaine, a mighty amino acid and humectant that helps the skin stay hydrated, plump, and youthful. These come together to help refine skin texture and allow the Advanced Renewal Face Cream to penetrate faster. The presence of shea butter and aloe vera together with the snail mucus are here to hydrate and soothe. In contrast, the apricot kernel and walnut shell powders give gentle and natural exfoliation. This formula’s primary function is to stimulate cell regeneration by deeply exfoliating old and dead cells from the upper layers of the skin. The Night Serum is a clear viscous fluid and neutral and fragrance-free - they describe this as an ‘at home peel’. Despite the high concentration of AHA’s here, we found this surprisingly gentle. We applied as directed, keeping away from eyes and lips, and only using once or twice a week over a period of 2 months. This we massaged (in order to lift and sweep away dead skin cells), and left on our skin for 10-15 minutes, then wiped away with a warm damp washcloth. Used in conjunction with the two other Nume-Lab products, we can happily report back that we definitely noticed a reduction in pigmentation, less blemishes and a brighter skin texture. However, a few words of caution, if you have sensitive skin, do a patch test - as due to AHA’s it can leave skin red and tingly. Also, when using this Resurfacing Night Peel Serum, it is advisable to use an SPF 50+ during the day, as it will make skin super-sensitive to sunlight. As we all know, using any AHAs can cause the skin to burn when exposed to UV light up to 24 hours after the last application. To purchase Nume-Lab's Resurfacing Night Peel Serum in 30ml for CHF 79, see here. 

DR. K CBD - Nano Emulsified Lavender Hand Cream

Everyone who has been busily washing their hands and applying alcohol-based gels, will no doubt, like us at The Amazing Blog, be suffering from the after-effects of dry skin and irritation. With this in mind, we’d like to suggest another one of our #amazingfinds for the week, with the CBD topical  Nano Emulsified Lavender Hand Cream  from DR.K CBD which brought us much needed skin relief.

DR.K CBD, is a British brand, recently launched by two long-time friends, Dr Ruchira Karunadasa and Manish Patel. They both became interested in the healing powers of CBD and together have developed a range of ‘self-care’ products that they felt were missing from this market place. They offer a range of CBD oils and topicals; where all their products have one thing in common, they contained broad-spectrum CBD – which is THC free and obtained by supercritical CO2 extraction. Despite not having any THC, with their extraction process, it still has 85% active CBD with the phytocannabinoids and terpenes from the hemp plant. All of the hemp is sourced from the USA and grown organically in bio soil without using any herbicides, pesticides, or nasties.  Dr. K CBD’s mission was to launch a range of transparent and trustworthy products that contained CBD to help aid issues like acne, eczema, pain, anxiety and lack of sleep. The brand's philosophy is to: "Help in managing day to day imbalances alongside a responsibility to advise on long term lifestyle changes to modify the root causes of that imbalance." What sets the brand apart is the nanotechnology in their topicals. They claim that their Nano Emulsions are 5 x times more effective than similar creams due to the particles being much smaller and thus absorbing more easily. This turns active cannabinoids into nano-sized droplets; which causes high bioavailability of the CBD in the balm or cream. This is where the brand are keen to flag up that this technology allows the users to get more out of their products. 

We had the opportunity to try their Nano Emulsified Lavender Hand Cream. As we explained earlier, this is one of their topicals with the unique nanotechnology.  Apart from the 100mg of broad-spectrum CBD, this Hand Cream contains plenty of natural oils, including sweet almond, avocado and coconut, all of which make for an excellent emollient. For further moisturising properties, there’s also shea butter, honey and cocoa butter. But let’s concentrate the cannabinoids here; when absorbed through the skin these interact with cannabinoid receptors present underneath the dermis. This is where this Hand Cream will offer anti-inflammatory, hydrating and antioxidant actions. It’s lightly fragrance with lavender and green tea extract, we found this Hand Cream quick to absorb and, yes, super-hydrating. It’s plastic-free and housed in a recyclable aluminium tube which is where the brand has thought about its eco-credentials. They say this is a ‘luxurious treat for dry, or chapped hands’ and we couldn’t agree more. It certainly came to the rescue, on more than one occasion, where we’ve been overzealously washing and sanitising hands. To sum up, we’d recommend keeping this to hand (sorry, terrible pun!) And we can absolutely vouch for its impressive hydrating qualities, but as for being an anti-inflammatory? I’m not sure. However, if it’s a pain relief for hands that you’re looking for (hello, fellow keyboard addicts), then we’d suggest looking at their Nano Emulsified Joint Relief Balm with 300mg of CBD – which we hope to try next... Back to the Hand Cream, with only a hint of lavender/green tea fragrance, it’s not hempy or intrusive, and with all the natural oils and butters, it offered the added bonus of feeding our nail beds too. You'll find the 75ml Nano Emulsified Lavender Hand Cream for £19.99 here. 

Wicked Gummy Co: Multivitamin Gummy

If like us, during these uncertain times, you've been upping your vitamin supplements, something that we can all agree, is that swallowing vitamin pills can become a bit of a chore! Today, at The Amazing Blog we'd like to introduce you to the Multivitamin Gummy from the Wicked Gummy Co, which are a great way to get your nutritional benefits in just two tasty daily chewable treats.

The Wicked Gummy Co aims to keep their customers happy and healthy with their selection of tasty vitamin-infused gummies. After learning that so many people worldwide suffer from difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) and pill fatigue, Wicked Gummy Co was determined to provide a solution. This is where they’ve created a convenient and safe alternative to taking vitamin pills. As they say, “Healthy never tasted so naughty!” These gummies are filled with high-quality plant-based alternatives developed with pectin, a naturally occurring ingredient found in fruit, that creates a jelly-like consistency. They are 100% vegan, gluten, allergen, and cruelty-free, specially formulated by health and nutrition experts to put the ‘fun’ back into daily vitamin intake, all without sacrificing the product’s ultimate efficacy. With a choice of over nine different Wicked Gummy Co supplements to choose from, they also come in a variety of delicious flavours like apple, strawberry, orange, lemon, berry, passionfruit, yoghurt, peach and mango. All packaging is 100% recyclable, and they’re actively looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact further to become as sustainable as possible.

As mentioned, we were sent the Multivitamin Gummy which are the perfect way to start the day and to give your immune system a good boost. They are lemon flavoured and made with natural ingredients, have no added sugar and are also GMO and are allergen-free. The role of a multivitamin supplement is to fill a gap where essential nutrients are missing. We’ve all been guilty of forgetting breakfast, eating on the run and then, to cap it all, only snacking in the evenings. Our bodies need a good selection of vitamins and nutrients to function correctly with reproduction, maintenance, growth and general regulation. What we like about this Multivitamin Gummy is that they are delicious (truly!) BTW even though they are red, we can assure you they do taste of citrus! The recommended daily intake of two gummies, contains the correct amount of vitamins A, niacin (B3), B6, biotin (B7), C, D and E as well a minerals like selenium. The Wicked Gummy Co say that these should, “Reduce tiredness, improve your immunity and enjoy stronger vision and bones”, and since taking these, we have to say that we feel a little more replenished and brighter. To purchase a months’ supply of the Wicked Gummy Co Multivitamin see here. We think these are very reasonably priced at only £14.99.

SKIRR: Anti-chafing Stick Sport Body Balm

In this new world of lunchtime walks, jogging or running for our daily 10k steps - we’ve heard lots of moans and groans of newfound soreness from skin rubbing or blisters. So, when we at The Amazing Blog  heard about Skirr Skin with their Anti-Chafing Stick Sports Body Balm – we had to give it a try – after all, prevention is better than cure!

Skirr Skin is a sustainable sports skincare brand based in Argyll, Scotland, for eco-conscious adventure and endurance athletes looking for body care to address sport-specific problems and protect their skin from chafing and blistering. Chafing and blisters are caused by friction from clothing or two areas of skin rubbing together. It can worsen during very sweaty and wet conditions causing extreme discomfort. We don’t want that! Skirr, an old Scottish word for glide or move faster, and is founded by registered nutritional therapist and entrepreneur Moira Newiss. Having graduated from Formula Botanica, Moira always dreamed of being an entrepreneur with an eco-focused company. When she couldn’t find a brand that sold natural and sustainable products for sports skincare, she was eager to start her own to combine her passion for sport and the environment. Soon, Skirr Skin was launched in February 2020 with her first product, the Anti-Chafing Stick Sport Body Balm. This was formulated and tested out at the Tyndrum24 Ultra race in January 2020 at the Scottish Highlands and proved itself to have effective protection for runners over 70 miles! Moira believes she has created not only an eco-friendly product but a product that protects athletes (and novices) who have struggled with chafing. One of these athletes is Kyle Gordon, who is the brand’s first ambassador, a full-time Scottish elite cyclist who is training for the Commonwealth Games 2022 and spends between 15 – 25 hours a week in the saddle. We couldn’t wait for our tester to try this Body Balm. 

The Anti-chafing Stick Sport Body Balm  contains eco-friendly, natural and organic ingredients that help to prevent blisters, chafing and maintain healthy skin. It also acts as a nourishing moisturiser to keep the skin supple and in good condition. It is suited for multi-sport use, including running, cycling, swimming, skiing, and surfing. We think that you’ll never go wrong with this Sport Body Balm! It even contains 30% more product than its main competitor. It is packaged in fully recyclable cardboard so you can enjoy sport as well as preserve the outdoors. Skirr suggests using the Sport Body Balm by pushing up the tube’s bottom and applying it directly to areas where you may experience chafing, such as the feet, groin, neck, or chest. The ingredients are unique and critical here. Coconut oil contains nourishing fatty acids that help hydrate and protect the skin. Jojoba seed oil is a crucial ingredient proven to combat acne, dry skin, and other skin conditions such as chafing. Beeswax creates a protective layer on the skin. It also removes dead skin and keeps the skin soft and hydrated. Sunflower oil is a highly absorbent non-irritant that helps combat dry chafing skin. Finally, vitamin E will help make the skin look its best, and rosemary will relieve any pain and inflammation. Our tester is new to exercise, with both running and cycling, and complained bitterly about the soreness on the inside of his thighs. He even purchased lycra shorts to wear under his tracksuit bottoms – but alas these didn’t offer a solution. After we handed him the Skirr Sports Balm to try, he eulogised how even after a whole weekend of full-on activities, there was no more soreness. He was also impressed with how this Sport Body Balm both protected and soothed. He has subsequently abandoned his undergarment of lycra shorts! You can purchase the Anti-chafing Stick Sport Body Balm directly on Skirr Skin’s website for £19.99 here.