Herbal Earth - No 42 Antioxidant Facial Oil

At The Amazing Blog we like to give our readers the ‘heads-up’ when we find a new natural skincare brand with eco ingredients and biodegradable and recyclable packaging. That’s why today we want to talk about Herbal Earth’s No. 42 Antioxidant Facial Oil.

Based in Ireland, Herbal Earth was founded in 2017 by Nancy O’Reilly to “provide natural solutions to common problems.” A year into this business, Nancy graduated with a diploma in Organic Skincare Formulation from Formula Botanica, where the knowledge and education she received have helped her create a range of skincare that is honest, natural, and gentle. The ingredients are simple yet effective, with no cheap fillers or exaggerated claims, and are “rich in high-performance components carefully selected for their skin benefits.”  Nancy believes that creating clean skincare is crucial, but knows that sustainability goes beyond just the ingredients. Inspired by the trailblazing Jo Chidley from Beauty Kitchen, Nancy has adopted a similar “return, refill and repeat scheme” for her products. With this process, once you finish your favourite Herbal Earth product, you simply return the bottles to Herbal Earth, where they will clean and sanitise the glass jar to be used again. This process allows everyone to feel good about their choices in a world that is consumed by increasing waste and overconsumption. Beyond this approach, Herbal Earth uses biodegradable packaging to help reduce its impact on our planet and are looking to install wind and solar technologies to power production and run the office. Plus, they have partnered with Mossy Earth a global organisation that helps rewild the planet. Herbal Earth’s goal is to “combine the best of nature and science to create natural skincare for sensitive skin.” 

What we like about Herbal Earth’s No. 42 Antioxidant Facial Oil is that it protects the skin from harmful effects of pollution, UVA, UVB and blue light (HEV) damage; while also nourishing and repairing the skin and its natural barrier. Launched in June last year, this award-winning facial oil is packed with natural antioxidants and botanicals with scientifically proven benefits. Let’s talk about the ingredients; each has its own unique benefit and is delivered in a concentrated oil form. Passion fruit seed is high in vitamin C, which promotes collagen formation and reduces redness; it also has soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. Marula seed is high in antioxidants and fatty acids and so it helps improve the skin’s ability to hold moisture. Watermelon seeds are full of vitamin C and magnesium, which enhances the complexions overall appearance. Grapeseed is high in vitamin E and other vitamins and minerals; these strengthen collagen and maintain elastin. It is also known to be “exceptionally high in the omega-6 fatty acid”, leaving a lightweight feel while penetrating the many layers of skin. The next ingredient in this facial oil is meadowfoam seed, an oil pulled from the seeds of the meadowfoam flower; it delivers nutrients deep into the skin while also locking in moisture. Astaxanthin, here, is one the most potent antioxidant that can be found, belonging to the carotenoid group. Carotenoids are the most widespread group of pigments that are found in nature, visibly seen in algae, lobster, salmon, and prawns. This is where astaxanthin improves the appearance of fine lines and protects the skin against UVA, UVB and blue light damage. Last but not least, are frankincense and myrrh. These two ingredients are both derived from tree sap and are best known for their fragrance in incense. Frankincense is known for being antifungal and for rejuvenating damaged skin. Myrrh is an ancient ingredient that dates back to Ancient Egypt when used for face masks and other cosmetic purposes. This extract has rejuvenating properties, where it evens skin tone giving a more youthful-looking appearance.

This facial oil is a glorious rich russet colour, probably from carotenoid in the astaxanthin, and has a subtle warm and slightly wood scent, all of which help the skin “recapture its radiant glow.” Best of all, for those with sensitive skin, this No. 42 Antioxidant Facial Oil doesn’t contain any essential oils or nut oils. To use simply apply 1 or 2 pumps day and night to damp skin, and then gently massage in an upward and outward movement. According to Herbal Earth, an impressive 86.7% of users tested said their skin was smoother and more moisturised. Made in small batches with only natural ingredients, Herbal Earth pays particular attention to the little details that make this facial oil stand out. If you live in Ireland, this facial oil is included in Herbal Earth’s sustainability initiatives by offering a refill purchase option. If you choose just to refill your facial oil, you will receive a bottle with a cap (you need to hang onto your pump insert for reuse) and this option is sent without a product box, reducing paper waste. The No. 42 Antioxidant Facial Oil is available in a 30 ml jar for €54.95 or a mini, 3ml jar for €7.50 here.

Founder's Formula : Post-Workout Australian Clay Detox Mask

At The Amazing Blog, we’re always on a quest to find new natural products with unique plant-based formulas. And in our search, we discovered the Australian botanical skincare brand Founder’s Formula. Regular readers will remember that we recently reviewed their Phyto-A+ Australian Native Tobacco Serum here. Today we’re featuring their equally intriguing face mask, but this is not just any face mask… It’s a Post-workout Australian Clay Detox Mask, see below to learn more.

Founder’s Formula was launched by anthropologist Dr. Annie Holden in 2021, but the brand’s story starts three years earlier. After visiting Cosmoprof, the world’s biggest beauty trade show in Italy, Annie realised that there were plenty of beauty products from around the globe, but none with Australian botanicals. This inspired her to go back to Australia and conduct research on Australian botanicals and how to include them in modern-day skincare. Dr. Holden immersed herself in the research, as she had done previously when spending 35 years of her professional life working with indigenous peoples in remote parts of Australia. During this time she built her lab where she experimented with gentle formulas rich in wild-harvested and organic ingredients. Australia’s geographic location makes its plants extremely unique, in fact, 85% of its plants grow only in Australia. Also, did you know Australia has 23,000 known species? However, those that have been properly studied, are less than 1,000! These botanicals have adapted to the harsh Australian climate and have developed ways to store large quantities of phyto-compounds (chemicals believed to have medicinal properties) to survive in this environment. As a skincare enthusiast, Dr. Holden was eager to create her own skincare range using these potent plant-based ingredients. Once she shared her newly created products, she received overwhelmingly positive feedback and Founder's Formula was born. The brand was created to be the “best possible in uncompromising, potent, effective skincare using Australian Botanicals.” By working with one of Australia’s leading formulation chemists and applying research from Australia's leading 5-Star Plant Science universities, the company has created a range of skincare to target hydration, anti-inflammation, depigmentation, and pro-ageing. Specifically, the 13 products within the range are crafted to bring hydration back into the skin, fight and prevent inflammation and combat hyperpigmentation which can be a result of sun damage, helping to revitalise the skin bringing it back to optimum health. Dr. Holden purposely avoids the use of essential oils and fragrances, formulas are developed using only the most simple and natural ingredients to be kind to both the skin and planet. These evidence-based formulas are clinically clean, and the ingredients are sourced from certified organic suppliers, making the brand CertClean certified. Founder’s Formula shows their commitment to harvesting organic ingredients, and they also meet the Australian Certified Organic Standard (ACO). The products are all manufactured in Australia, are toxin-free and are developed without animal testing.  

We received the Post-Workout Australian Clay Detox Mask designed to cleanse and soothe the skin. This mask won the Best Natural Skin Mask (Bronze Winner) at the 2021 Global Clean and Green Beauty Awards. With the mask’s exceptional blend of natural Australian botanicals, let’s just say, we weren't surprised it was award-winning. Clay masks are known to help skin heal, brighten the complexion, improve blood circulation beneath the skin and promote collagen production. The Founder’s Formula mask here aims to draw out toxins, deeply cleanse, maintain clean skin health, and soothe the skin. This product combines key ingredients like Australian clay, Tasmanian mountain pepperberry, babassu seed oil, and squalane to nourish and respect your skin's natural balance. Australian clay works to draw out toxins from your skin, which can strengthen the skin barrier and improve skin elasticity. The Tasmanian mountain pepperberry (pictured above), comes from a shrub found in south-eastern Australia. It’s used in skincare to reduce inflammation redness and sensitivity. This pepperberry consists of the powerful active polygodial, which has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. It’s also a bushfood condiment added to curries and alcoholic drinks and even export to Japan to flavour wasabi!  As for the certified organic babassu seed oil, this extract is packed with lipids and restorative essential oils to moisturise the skin, and it is highly recommended for people with eczema or dry skin. Plus, we found that this babassu seed oil doesn't clog pores as many other oils do! Another ingredient to highlight is the plant-based squalane, a hydrocarbon and natural emollient, which means it helps your skin deeply retain moisture. Squalane has a long shelf life and is a common ingredient in skincare, as it prevents dry patches and is highly effective at leaving your skin feeling smooth and hydrated. A few other elements worth mentioning are the peptides (tyrosine and arginine based molecules) that are included in the mask. These peptides work with skin nerve cells to trigger met-enkephalin, an opioid peptide, to help calm the skin and prevent inflammation at the source. In a sea of face masks, this one stands out. It leaves skin feeling cleansed and refreshed, plus we were impressed with this mask’s ability to promote longer hydration in the skin. The clay mask is easy to use, fragrance-free, cruelty-free, and suitable for vegans. It is packaged in an aluminium tube, as aluminium is a highly recycled and circular economy material; but there’s a plastic cap, so please recycle this too! The mask also comes with a complimentary muslin cleansing cloth to help with removal. Founder’s Formula suggests using the mask after a workout, a run, or any time after your skin is exposed to an unclean environment, this is when the clay mask is at its most effective as it binds oils and draws out the residue of sunblock and other toxins. We thoroughly enjoyed taking 15 minutes of relaxation time to use the clay mask, and applied a light layer directly onto our post-workout skin and left it on for 10 minutes - for optimum performance - then rinsed away in lukewarm water. By the way, the brand says to get the best results, please refrain from cleansing your face prior to mask application. The results were noticeable, skin felt was hydrated, and our complexion softer. The mask can be applied daily, and with the results we received, it seems like we have a new product to add to our post-workout skincare routine. We are looking forward to featuring more from Founder's Formula, to share with you its array of magical antipodean botanicals. You can purchase the 75ml Post-Workout Australian Clay Detox Mask here for $68.00AUD.  AND to get a 10% discount please click here expiring 30 June 2022, Adding code AMAZING at check out, valid one per customer.

The Clean Beauty Club : Wonder Balm & Serums

At The Amazing Blog we love to have a go-to beauty staple or two, and for us, not many beat The Clean Beauty Club's trio of Wonder Balm, Wonder Morning Serum and Wonder Evening Serum with their brand transparency and simple ingredients.

The Clean Beauty Club is a Scottish brand that started small and simple and has now grown into the 'wonder – ful' company that it is today. Originally called 'A Pony Called Steve,' The Clean Beauty Club went through a name change so that the branding matched the high-quality products they were producing. Owners Emma Campbell and Aminah Morgan have been working closely together since they met at school. Their friendship made it easy to make this necessary branding change. They said it best, "So it's time for us to rethink what we're saying to the world. We want everyone to know how incredible this balm is, because it really is changing skin for the better." The name change came with a change in products and how they sold their products. Prior to the change, A Pony Called Steve only sold to independent shops and had an extensive collection of products. When The Clean Beauty Club came to life, their focus was to produce and perfect their Wonder Balm, which was a balm they had personally been using for over ten years. The new branding aligned with this great product using only the best, natural ingredients and recyclable packaging to embrace the idea of 'clean beauty.' An important component to their brand is that their decisions are "based on love and joy, not success." Emma and Aminah want their customers to be happy with their products and love them as much as they do.

Their Wonder Balm is one of their hero products. They have been making different variations of the balm for about ten years. Over the years, they have worked tirelessly to create the best version of the Wonder Balm that they could, and they researched until they were "100% sure that they had the best ingredients they could possibly use."  With a list of powerful antioxidant and vitamin-rich ingredients with anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antimicrobial, and anti-ageing properties, the Wonder Balm will have your skin feeling cleansed nourished and moisturised all in one - it’s a multi-balm. The lemon seed oil helps soothe inflammation and moisturise the skin helping maintain the skin's health, appearance, and texture. While the moringa oil is used to moisturise and cleanse the skin. And the pomegranate seed oil supports the skin's hydration. We love how this Wonder Balm can be used as a ‘one and done’ skincare routine - great for keeping to hand for when you’re on the go. It can be used to remove makeup, even tough products like waterproof mascara, while cleansing and moisturising skin. The Wonder Balm has been nicknamed 'facial in a tin' by users of the product it's easy to use and available for a one-time purchase for £12.00 here or a subscription option with your choice of delivery every month, two months or even three months for £9.60 – a savings of 20%! 

Next, we tried the two Wonder Serums – both share hero ingredients similar to the Balm, including lemon seed oil and pomegranate seed oil (see above). Plus, the moringa oil is a key ingredient that is extremely lightweight in texture but full of vitamins, A.C and E. It also has cytcytokinins, which promote cellular growth to support and nourish cell tissue and fatty acids, which are high content of mono-saturated oleic acid (omega 9) to help improve the skin's natural protective barrier that keeps skin looking hydrated and plumper. These are the Wonder Serum - Morning and the Wonder Serum - Evening.

Let's talk about the Wonder Serum -  Morning first; this is an oil-based serum used following a morning cleansing routine. This product gets to bear the Wonder name due to similar, powerful ingredients like the Wonder Balm. It was a finalist in the Clean Beauty Awards 2021, and with good reason, this serum has high levels of moringa oil, which, as discussed, is known for its moisturising and healing properties. Another one of the active ingredients here derives from a microalgae, which reduces the damage usually caused by adrenaline when we are stressed. The results speak for themselves as it leaves skin glowing. It’s easy to use in the morning after cleansing and super gentle and with little or no fragrance - so it won’t clash with any other skincare used. Just use a few drops and pat gently into the skin on your face and neck. The Wonder Serum - Morning is available in a 10ml bottle for £12.00 here. 

To round out the Wonder products, let finish with the Wonder Serum - Evening which packs a powerful punch. This serum uses the same natural yet effective ingredients as the Wonder Balm and Morning Serum, just at a higher concentration. Pomegranate seed oil nourishes our skin due to the high concentrations of vitamin C, which offers regenerative, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to give skin that glowing appearance. Just like the morning serum, the Wonder Evening Serum should be used after cleansing by just using a few drops, then patting it gently into the skin. The Wonder Evening Serum is available for £10.00 for a 10ml bottle from their website here.  Our favourite? We’re suckers for multi-use products so it’d have to be the Wonder Balm - and in this cold weather, it’s also great protection against chapped lips!

All three of these Wonder products are available for purchase through The Clean Beauty Club's website here.

The Cool Projects : Mood of the Day Box of 7 Soaps

With Christmas just around the corner, spirits are high and keeping that festive mood going is just what we are looking for, that, and of course, finding the perfect last-minute Christmas gift. At The Amazing Blog we couldn’t resist this Mood Of The Day: Box of 7 Soaps by The Cool Projects, these are a set of 100% natural soaps, beautifully designed with feel-good themes that helps keep the festive mood going.

The Cool Projects is founded by Greek designer Marina Koriolano-Lykourezou and her artist life partner Giannis Zagorianakos after they moved to the island of Aegina from the hectic city of Athens. What they found there were lots of olive tree groves, and a beautiful environment, which would later spark their business idea. Living in Aegina brought Marina and Giannis closer to nature, prompting them to create handmade, natural cold processed soaps using the traditional Greek method of production. In 2013, they began their business journey with the launch of their soap company, Cool Soap. In a recent interview with Greece Is, the co-founders explain how they wanted to develop a “local product that could travel”, and their soaps, made from Aegina extra virgin olive oil and other natural ingredients, reflect just that. Greece is known for its olive oil, and it’s one of its top agricultural exports. Their goal is to “produce a series of quality natural handmade Greek olive oil soaps with respect to nature, people and animals.” Cool Soap has gained an international cult following and expanded to become the brand The Cool Projects, that we all know and love today. Under this umbrella are four collections, Body, Bath, Kitchen and Lifestyle.  The Cool Projects team work in collaboration with skilled artisans from Aegina to produce not only handcrafted soaps but also bath and home accessories ranging from ceramic cups to cutting boards.  The Cool Projects company, as a whole, values the importance of craftsmanship, high-quality designs, “natural handmade products, and an effort to sustain small traditional workshops.” The Cool Projects also works to respect the environment by reusing and recycling as much as possible and only using natural ingredients. 

The Mood Of The Day: Box of 7 Soaps is a part of ‘The Mood Series’ collection which has soap bars, soap flakes and shower gels. The idea for this product stemmed from a collaboration between The Cool Projects and graphic designer Iliana Alexandrou. They wanted to create the ideal gift by providing customers with natural and colourful soaps presented in unique packaging. These offer a range of olive oil-based soaps in seven different colours and scents to help improve specific moods, hence the name. What we like about these seven soaps, is that you can use one for every day of the week for a different positive affirmation. As we near Christmas, being able to choose a desirable mood to improve our day sounds like the best way to let the festivities commence! Each of The Mood Series soaps represents a different mood, curious, happy, loved, sexy, calm, relaxed, and lucky. 

As these soaps are all made with olive oil, they’re rich in antioxidants with anti-ageing properties and are packed with vitamins that leave skin moisturised. They use palm oil which they reassure us is from “responsible sources” see here for more on this. Plus a blend of carefully selected essential oils which are coloured with natural pigments and oxides to match the given mood. For the yellow ‘Curious’ mood soap, it is scented with rosemary and sage essential oils. Some studies have found that rosemary essential oil can increase brain activity and combat tiredness, and sage has been known to clear the mind and fight fatigue as well. The orange ‘Happy’ soap blends citrus fruits and rosewood essential oils together to create an improved mood. Citrus fruits harness the power of vitamin C to help combat depression and drowsiness, and rosewood essential oils have sedative properties that allow the body to calmly deal with stressors. The pink ‘Loved’ mood soap purposefully combines jasmine and bergamot essential oils to encourage a warm, loving feeling, as jasmine has been linked to acting as an aphrodisiac and bergamot is believed to help the brain release dopamine. The ‘Sexy’ red soap is scented with ylang-ylang and bay essential oils, known to promote sensual energy. The jasmine and lavender essential oils found in the blue ‘Calm’ soap accurately depict this mood, as they help relax your nerves to relieve stress. As for the ‘Relaxed’ mood soap, it’s a combination of lavender and chamomile essential oils that creates a masterful cocktail for relaxation. Lavender and chamomile are some of the most well-known essential oils for promoting a sense of calm and fighting both depression and anxiety. Finally,  ‘Lucky’ the green mood soap, is composed of lavender essential oil, which eases stress and boosts your mood, and eucalyptus essential oil, known to stimulate and revitalise your mind and body. 

Their stylish packaging is also very pleasing with the white canvas-looking background paired with the playful and colourful imagery exclusively designed by Iliana Alexandrou, with a character holding the ‘mood’ like a present. We think these are perfect for those looking to create a positive affirmation and good energy, making this box of 7 soaps the ideal gift for all. They also offer a single soap where you can select any specific mood which makes the perfect stocking filler at €4 each, see here. You can purchase the full set of The Mood Of The Day: Box of 7 Soaps on their website here for €22, or you can buy here in the UK for £18.

H Drop CBD : Sixty Moments

As the festive season gets underway, are you getting enough sleep? Perhaps you’re burning the candle at both ends.  Or maybe you’re lying awake feeling anxious about the spread of the new Covid variant. Well, at The Amazing Blog, we’d like to make a suggestion, to try these rather aptly named ‘Sixty Moments’ from one of our favourite and trusted CBD supplement brands, H DROP.

H Drop is a Dutch family business whose story began in the 19th-century when their great-grandfather Rochus Sliupas started his medical practice fighting cholera and tuberculosis outbreaks. Today, his great-grandson, also named Rochus, continues the family tradition of working in the wellbeing sector. Only this time, it’s with hemp-based full-spectrum THC-free CBD supplements. H Drop’s range currently comprises four CBD oils and two CBD capsules, and they conveniently have a CBD dosage calculator if you’re unsure of the amount to take. H Drop uses only 100% organic hemp, sourced from European fields and extracted in German/UK labs, with an ISO 9001 certification and manufactured under the HACCP  guidelines. This means that they comply with the strictest standards of processing raw materials, quality control, packaging and distribution of the products. Where they have perfected one of the most advanced extraction methods with CO2 chromatography technology. The CO2 extraction means that the CBD is a raw oil and not extracted at high temperatures, ensuring that the enhancing properties of the plant are not damaged. This method also allows them to detect and carefully remove 99.9% of THC molecules from the naturally extracted full-spectrum oil. The H Drop extract still contains all the beneficial cannabinoids (CBN, CBV, CBG, CBC), myrcene, limonene, pinene, humulene, flavonoids (apigenin, quercetin, cannaflavins) and other terpenes which are found in hemp leaves, except for the intoxicating THC. You can also see their laboratory results here. The range is deemed suitable for everyone (although not vegans/vegetarians, as the capsules are made from bovine gelatine!) The packaging is simple and made of recycled cardboard and filled with hemp fibre. There’s also a nice touch with Braille on the sides, translating their motto of Hemp (fully organic), Help (GMP certified) and Health (CO2 extracted).

Sixty Moments’ capsules are a little stronger at 25mg of full-spectrum CBD than the other 10mg Sixty Breath which we reviewed a while back.  Although with the same ingredients, these have been specifically “created for those seeking precise and stronger dosage.” We took these to help improve our sleep patterns – anything to stop those 4 am brain scrambles that poke us awake. These, of course, are made worse at this time of year, with the series of late nights, followed by super-early mornings at our desks. Striving for better quality sleep and balance, these offer a potential solution done by taking some ‘Sixty Moments’ - and mindful moments - stop, breathe and clear the mind. CBD interacts with the serotonin receptors (these play a role in regulating our mood) and is thought to help promote a more positive mental state and a healthy functioning nervous system. The organic hemp oil in each capsule has the bonus of omega 3, 6 and vitamin E. The hemp oil contains cannabinoids that ease anxiety and help to reduce the symptoms of depression. The essential fatty acids, such as omega-3 and omega-6, are also known to improve memory and work to protect the brain and the nervous system and can work as an immune-enhancing supplement if taken regularly. Therefore helping to improve mood and enhance sleep quality

They suggest dividing the dosage evenly with 1, 2 or even 3 times a day. Swallow don’t chew and gradually increase the dose if needed but never exceed 200mg of CBD per day. The bottle contains 60 capsules (1,500mg) which offer approximately a 30 days supply. As they say, the amount of CBD you take will depend on several factors such as body weight and chemistry, the condition you’re treating and the concentration of CBD. For us, it was trying to regulate our sleep patterns, so we took two capsules at night and two during the day (total of 100mg). As we’re old hands, it only took a few days to kick in. It gave us a sense of calm, and so far, to quote H Drop, “no more anxious days and restless nights.” They are a little pricey, but worth it for the quality of the ingredients. To purchase H Drop: Sixty Moments 60 capsules for €89, see here.