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. 

IDUN Minerals: 2-in1 Pressed Powder & Foundation

Mineral makeup is a hot favourite at The Amazing Blog not only for being waterless and bacteria-free but also for its pure mineral content. Today we are featuring a 2-in-1 Pressed Powder & Foundation, from the established Swedish mineral makeup brand IDUN Minerals.

IDUN Minerals is a Swedish beauty brand founded by Göran Agard. The brand was launched in 2011 with a purposeful mission to bring ‘simply, pure and clean’ products into daily makeup routines. They also cite themselves as an industry role model within the beauty sector, offering high-quality, vegan, cruelty-free, and environmental-friendly cosmetics.  Their makeup, haircare and skincare products are based on a few highly purified minerals which are deemed beneficial to skin; all of which are suitable for sensitive skin or for those with skin issues such as acne and rosacea. IDUN Minerals’ products are sold exclusively at pharmacies, meaning that its products meet the international pharmacies’ high safety and quality standards. Committing to sustainability, IDUN Minerals has created their products using recyclable packaging, no microplastics or per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), these are made only with sustainable content. These are then transported globally by using a low-pollution shipping method. What we thought was interesting, is that the IDUN Minerals mineral powder foundation is the only cosmetic product on the market to be recommended by the Swedish Asthma and Allergy Association.

We had the opportunity to try out the award-winning 2-in-1 Pressed Powder & Foundation, which can be used as both a foundation and setting powder.  It is currently available in three different shades Sarek (light), Skärgård (light to medium) and Österlen (medium), and if you’re unsure of what will suit you, see their skin tone guide here. What makes this Pressed Powder Foundation unique is the clever design, where the application pad is stored under the pressed powder, opening and retracting from the compact with the lid’s automatic movement. This is a double-sided application pad (with smooth or porous), so depending on the desired effect wanted, the smooth side can be used for setting powder to remove shine; or the porous side for apply the powder as a foundation allowing for light to medium buildable coverage. Suitable for all skin types, it doesn’t contain talc, oil, silicone, perfume, bismuth or preservatives (such as parabens) or any substances that might cause irritation or an allergic reaction. Here there is a high concentration of minerals, antioxidants, and other beneficial ingredients. For example, the silica in the formula builds up the skin’s strength and elasticity and stimulates cellular regeneration. The mica gives the skin a smoothing, radiant effect and protects against damage caused by free radicals. And the natural oils such as passion fruit oil and sunflower seed oil, makes the powder feel light and smooth on the skin, and prevents it from clogging the pores. What we like, is that it keeps skin looking silky smooth and matte. This Pressed Powder Foundation is a recent winner in the 2020 Scandinavian Global Makeup Awards: Gold for Best Foundation and Silver for Best Design & Packaging; and we can see why, with its excellent light texture and coverage and innovative compact design. We think this Pressed Powder & Foundation is Ideal to keep in a handbag for quick touch-ups throughout the day; and unlike some other pressed mineral foundations that we’ve tried, this won’t leave you looking overdone or cakey. If you’re looking for a foundation that will allow your skin to breathe and one that offers you even and natural coverage, then look no further! You can purchase the 2-in-1 Pressed Powder & Foundation in 7.7g here for €27.

Verolive Natural Products: Innovative Sulfate-free Revitalizing Shampoo

It’s an exciting day for us in England, as after four months hairdressers are FINALLY open! So today, at The Amazing Blog we thought it appropriate to talk about a unique haircare.  We’re excited to share another of our #amazingfinds with a natural Innovative Sulfate-free Revitalizing Shampoo, all the way from Crete. Meet the brand Verolive, and their products made with locally sourced organic olive oil and prickly pear seed oil.

Verolive Natural Products was founded in 1975, by Yannis Tzortzakakis in the heart of the Messara Valley, Crete. This area is well known for its endless olive groves, producing top quality extra virgin olive oil, which can be found in each of Verolive's products. The brand has developed a unique core range of ten products, using meticulously selected natural and locally sourced ingredients. Their ethos is focused on high-standard eco care and packaging, with ingredients dermatologically tested, vegan, clean in composition and above all, high in quality. Every product has been designed to protect both the environment and its customers' wellbeing. Apart from the consumer, they also cater to spa professionals and built long term successful partnerships with some of the best-known wellness centres. All plastics are BioPET, which means the plastic is based on 30% renewable raw material such as starch, glucose, vegetable oils and cellulose and 70% oil-based raw material. To maintain their continuity and brand excellence, they only produce each item in a limited batch to ensure superior quality control. Their philosophy and strategies have certainly paid off with their multiple award wins in the 2020 Mama & Baby and a Gold for Best International Breakthrough Brand in The Pure Beauty Awards London 2020.

After two years of research, their shampoo has become of one the top bestsellers; so, as you can imagine, we were eager to try this Innovative Sulfate-free Revitalizing Shampoo. It was developed to ‘respect hair, sensitive scalps and the environment’. This sulphate-free shampoo is formulated with 98% of natural ingredients without any PEGS, silicones, parabens, propylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, cocamidopropyl betaine or phosphates. Among the seven active ingredients, there are two key oils:  Firstly, the organic extra virgin olive oil, which contains omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, and a large number of vitamins, such as vitamins E, A and K. Secondly, the organic prickly pear seed oil and bio-active extract, which certainly piqued our interest, as it’s one of the world’s rarest and most expensive oils rich in fatty and amino acids, it’s known to promote hair growth, treat the scalp and give hair a magnificent lustre. This shampoo is aimed at those with dry, damaged and/or coloured hair. And this could not have been more appropriate for us! We’d like to say that it is almost a co-wash (conditioner wash) rather than a shampoo per se.  With my long (remember no hair cut in four months) fine and curly hair which breaks easily, I found it kind to the hair, as it left it completely tangle-free! Which, to be frank is unheard of. I’m always leary of using shampoo by itself as my hair mats up quickly, making it almost impossible to comb through. By using the Revitalising Shampoo, this was not the case, the comb slide through the hair like a hot knife through butter. It’s impressive, and as mentioned above, it’s rated as one of our #amazingfinds. All we did was to apply it onto wet hair, gently massage and rinse; it left hair clean, soft and shiny, easy to comb and hydrated. Best of all, you don’t need any conditioner; and who doesn’t want to save time and money? You can purchase Verolive Innovative Sulfate-free Revitalizing shampoo (300 ml) here for €27.90.

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.