Cochine: Vanille & Tabac Noir Reed Diffuser

Now that everyone is talking about a second lockdown, here at  The Amazing Blog we’re remembering that dreaded feeling of being house-bound, again! Somehow, we need to get our inside space to feel more like the outside, and with a few minor changes like adding a room fragrance, we find that this can help. Now with autumn here, we’ve already changed our room fragrance to something richer, earthy and more reflective of the season. Thanks to Cochine who sent us another of their delicious reed diffusers in Vanille & Tabac Noir, we can now enjoy this comforting and warming scent to uplift our spirits. This simple reed diffuser stimulates our olfactory sense and helps to make our anticipated ‘stay at home, stay safe’ more enjoyable and a whole lot less stressful.

We have previously featured their Tuberose and Wild Fig Reed Diffuser which we totally loved. Kate Crofton-Atkins founded this luxury brand in 2008, and she has been creating a unique selection of fragrances ever since.  Kate spent the first year working with essential oils and then she had the opportunity to partner up with a New York-based fragrance house to launch Cochine in Hong Kong. Since then, Cochine has produced a range of perfumes, reed diffusers, candles, and skincare products. The brand offers luxurious products that have gained them global recognition, in five-stars hotels and boutiques. They have a strong focus on design as well as a sensory focus where each of their fragrances transports you to a global destination and evokes memories and fires up the imagination.

Vanille & Tabac Noir Reed Diffuser is produced by blending several key base notes such as that of vanilla bean, patchouli and the warming sensual scent of the tobacco flower.  BTW did you know that Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco flower) has a long history of use by herbalists as a relaxant, as well as relieving nausea and travel sickness? Yes, that was news to us too! These ingredients are all enhanced with extracts of nutmeg, cardamom and basil leaves which give a warm and opulent aroma to this oil, with the added extra of a feeling of luxury and well-being. All you need to do is arrange 4 to 8 rattan reeds and let them absorb the oil inside the bottle, then by occasionally turning the reeds, it will keep the room well-fragranced. Unlike burning a candle, these can be left unattended; and because they don’t contain any alcohol, they will keep on giving out a long-lasting fragrance.  Or you can remove the reeds and put the stopper for occasional use and the number of reeds used can be adjusted to strengthen or soften the scent. You can purchase your Vanille & Tabac Noir Reed Diffuser here for £60.00. This makes the perfect background fragrance and will add elegance to any home. 

Incensum Fragrance – Sanctifino Perfume Oil

These past few months, the COVID 19 pandemic has forced us all to reconsider our place on this earth. During the lock-down, nature began to take back this place that we call home: Plants were able to finally grow freely and animals started coming out fearlessly to live their happy and simple lives. And while each and every one of us at The Amazing Blog has had time to reflect about the endangered state of our planet Earth, a new fragrance that we’ve received from Incensum has helped to uplift our spirits, and reconnect us back with nature.

Sanctifino is a unisex perfume oil from the LA-based brand Incensum Fragrance, which is created by designer and founder of the brand Jeannine Clark. With its completely vegan, synthetic-free, and hand-crafted formulas, the brand celebrates the origins of perfumery by honouring the reverie that the ancestors avowed to nature. Through its all organic perfume oil, the brand aims to calm the senses, helping the wearer find peace and embark on a spiritual journey to commune with nature and the universe. When talking about their alchemy and olfactory process, they told us: “Both human and non-human creatures are known to communicate their emotional states through the scents they emit. A fragrance may complement or intensify one's own natural pheromones which can evoke subconscious effects.” Intriguing! This may only be their debut perfume oil, and if Sanctifino is anything to go by, we feel sure that their next one will be even more alluring! 

This perfume oil Sanctifino is supernatural – in every sense of the word – an elixir trapped in a luxurious hand-crafted bottle, that reflects the mystical and heavenly ambience that emanates from the bottle. It comes in two sizes 50ml and 5ml, we received the 5ml with a roll-on top, making it the perfect size to fit into even the smallest bag.  With strong top notes of incense and a piquant of very intense green scent from the galbanum green resin fighting for dominance, it oozes autumn.  We think it’s reminiscent of the wafting smoke from sweet autumn leaves left to smoulder. It gently caresses and with its oily finish makes for a longer-lasting scent release on the skin, unlike its cousin Eau de Parfum. When the organic jojoba base oil warms up, the middle notes become more apparent as they liberate softer aromatic and more comforting notes of clary sage, silver fir. The sweet orange here also lingers, helping to create a warmth and sense of wellbeing. If describing it as a smoky scent sound surprising for a fragrance, we want to point out that it is nonetheless deliciously original, and works well with the other essential oils, to create a perfect balance of a smoky-sweet-earthy scent. When we close our eyes and inhale, we can almost imagine being transported to an ancient temple, surrounded by wild plants, where the incense burn and the sunlight cast shadows on the gold-carved statues of gods. We recommend anointing the wrists, rub a little to warm the perfume oil, and then taking deep breaths; it helps to soothe the mind giving you your own little piece of calm throughout the day.  Again, they say that it is a: “Multidimensional experience as well as shedding light into the nature of reality by fusing the mind, body and spirit through aromatic essential oils.” And, we couldn’t have said it better! If we’ve managed to intrigue you with this Sanctifino Perfume Oil, you too can purchase their 5ml here for $35. 

Mitomo: Aloe + Cherry Blossoms & Camellia Flower Oil + Matcha Essence Sheet Masks

Today at The Amazing Blog we’re talking about sheet masks. Did you know that they originated in Japan (not Korea)? Sheet Masks are thought to have been invented by the Japanese Geishas who would soak small silk squares in flower water, and then rest them on their faces as part of a skincare routine. We don’t have silk sheets but we do have Mitomo’s Essence Sheet Masks which are made from sustainable bamboo fibres and impregnated with botanical extracts.

Mitomo is a Japanese company that launched in 2006, which specialises in producing high-end sheet masks. Their products and branding reflect the culture, where you can’t miss the famous cherry blossom on their packaging and extracts in most of the ingredients. The symbolism cherry blossom in Japan means ‘a time of renewal’, as the blossom is only evident for two weeks before it starts for fall. In a bygone era, it signalled the rice-planting season, where its blooms were used to bless the forthcoming harvest. We’ve already tried many of their different sheet masks, see here; so, we’re looking forward to trying two new sheets masks that they have added to their Ukiyoe Essence Masks collection with the Aloe + Cherry Blossoms Essence Sheet Mask and the Camellia Flower Oil + Matcha Essence Sheet Mask. These are made from bamboo bio cellulose material and what we like about bamboo is that it’s biodegradable and the fibres have no chemicals. It also has good breathability and water absorption; together with being antibacterial. They also manufacture and designs sheet masks for other international beauty brands, and are known in more than 60 countries all over the world. 

Let’s start with our favourite, Aloe + Cherry Blossoms Essence Sheet Masks which are ideal for those who wish to enhance moisture and elasticity in the skin. It contains a rich source of caffeic acid and other phenolic antioxidants for antioxidants that prevent cellular damage; as well as arbutin known for reducing dark pigmentation spots. The cherry blossom extract is used as a soothing agent because it has an anti-inflammatory effect. It helps to repair skin damages and gives the skin a natural barrier. It is rich in collagen, therefore, not only can it improve skin elasticity, but also prevents the effect of glycation, a process in which the excess of sugar in the body destroys the elasticity and create wrinkles and sagging. This face mask is also rich in multivitamins and enzymes including vitamins A and C and stops skin breakouts thanks to the aloe vera extract here. Finally, the mask is rich in a boswellia serrata gum extract (also known as Indian frankincense)  known for its ability to keep the skin look firm and youthful. We used these once or twice a week, on cleansed skin, leaving for 20 minutes, removing and squeezing out any excess extracts which we gently massaging into the face. You can find it here for £2.70 each or a pack of 10 for £23.90.

The Camellia Flower Oil + Matcha Essence Sheet Mask is a very different mask, it’s a purifier. One of its main ingredients is the camellia flower oil, which is non-greasy and an excellent moisturiser for oily or combination skin. It absorbs quickly and reaches the dermal layers of the skin, therefore providing even deeper hydration. It’s also a great balancer rich in vitamins A, B, D, and, E as well as omega 3,6, and 9. The matcha (ground green tea) here is very popular in East Asia and is used for detoxing in both cosmetics and food. Good for the body and digestive system; it provides DNA restoration for the skin. The tea polyphenols in matcha powder offer protection against UV ray damage. It can reduce the redness of the skin and bring an overall feeling of smoothness. It also has properties that help with the reduction of sebum secretion. The boswellia serrata gum extract used in both masks is included for anti-ageing reasons and as an acne reliever. Alongside these great ingredients, it also contains refreshing and soothing aloe vera. You can find this purifier mask for £2.70 each or a set of 10 for £23.90 here 

Soular Alchemy - Classic 5000mg CBD Hemp Spagyric Infusion

If you tune in regularly to read our blog posts, you’ll know that here at The Amazing Blog the girls and I have been big fans of all things CBD for quite some time now. Several studies have demonstrated that CBD is good for the body and the soul, so of course, as wellbeing and beauty devotees, we try to incorporate different types of CBD products into our daily routines.  With CBD oils and tinctures being some of the most popular forms, it’s a tincture we’re reviewing today. In basic terms, the difference between CBD oil and a tincture is the alcohol-base, that said, they both mimic the same therapeutic properties. 

The brand that we are talking about here is the award-winning Soular Alchemy. Based in the U.S., it was founded by Kristopher Grove and Trevor Polinsky who both have a background in the organic foods and/or the natural wellbeing sector. Polinsky and Grove came together to primarily share their knowledge and to educate people on the health benefits of the hemp plant. What makes this brand so unique – and also why it caught our eye – is the ‘beyond full-spectrum’ statement which they advertise. We all know about isolate, broad-spectrum and full-spectrum; but beyond full-spectrum CBD? That’s a new term for us. In an interview, Polinsky explained that the notion of beyond full-spectrum refers to the fact they use the whole plant to make their tinctures; thus the user gets the maximum ‘entourage effect’. This means that they use the whole hemp plant rather than a single aspect, this offers significant beneficial results with the compounds working together boosting the health benefits, and overall therapeutic effect of the cannabinoids.  Unlike other brands, the process they use is actually a lot more complex than just a CO2 or ethanol extraction. The process that they use is called ‘spagyric’, which is from a method of ancient alchemy used in the preparation of tinctures. Spagyric production depends on the manipulation of the three mythologised substances that alchemists believed made up everything: salt, mercury, and sulphur - which translated to the minerals and salts representing ‘body’, the essential oils and organic acids being ‘soul,’ and alcohol was its ‘spirit’.  In short, it consists of several extractions to separate and recombine multiple plant components, including CBD, terpenes and flavonoids with a little bit of the organic cane ethanol as solvent. When all of these components are brought back together, they interact chemically with each other, creating what is called ‘ester’, a state where the elements enhance each other, creating a full entourage effect, carrying the whole benefits of the plant. Reassuring points are that all their products contain less than 0.2%, are produced with Good Manufacturing Practices, and are also EU compliant. And, the bonus here, is that the hemp is organic and free of pesticides, heavy metals, and microbials. We like that you can access their full lab analysis on each product directly from their website (i.e. for the Classic Hemp Spagyric Infusion see here).

The product that Soular Alchemy sent us is the Classic 5000mg Hemp Spagyric Infusion in 50ml. It contains a potent 50mg of total cannabinoids per ml. This is the biggest size of the tinctures that they sell and it includes all of the terpenes present in the hemp flower. The other distilled botanical terpene extracts here in the blend are sacred frankincense, blue mallee, Bavarian hops, lime and basil. All of these ensure that it’s an all-round efficient product, without addressing one specific need. Apart from the hemp spagyric, there is organic MCT coconut oil too. It comes elegantly packaged and is very instructive detailing the different terpenes present inside each plant and their benefits. To use, shake the bottle then put the drops under the tongue, hold the liquid sublingually here for a minute, then swallow. This allows the Infusion to bypass the digestive system avoiding it being broken down by enzymes and enables it to transfer through the membrane reaching the bloodstream quicker. Soular Alchemy recommends starting with 12 drops and then increasing as and when needed. If you’ve tried other full-spectrum CBD oils, then you’ll know how some can taste earthy and bitter leaving a bit of kick at the back of the throat when swallowed. Not this one. We couldn’t get over how pleasant, smooth and palatable it was, leaving absolutely no aftertaste. Our Executive Editor who thoroughly testing this out, remarked on having a better quality of sleep, less anxiety and noticeable pain relief from both her perpetual stiffness and arthritis. Although the price tag may seem hefty, it certainly seems to have lasted her well with plenty more to use. When asked if she would buy more - the answer was a resounding yes! Their two awards attest to this tincture's quality: Best CBD Tincture at the CBD Expo East 2019 Orlando, and Finalist for Best Tincture at the World CBD awards 2019 Barcelona. Apart from this Classic Infusion, there are also nine other Infusions to choose from, see here. So, if you are searching for a more specific action-oriented product to soothe a specific condition, Soular Alchemy does smaller doses of 1500mg of their hemp spagyric infusions in a 15ml bottle. These contain the selected terpenes to target particular conditions like depression, insomnia, anti-bacterial action, pain relief, to name but a few. As for this Classic 5000mg Hemp Spagyric Infusion at 50ml that we’ve reviewed today, you can buy it directly from their website here for $250.00.

West Barn Co (WBCO) - Balancing Cleanser & Brow Elixir

At The Amazing Blog, we love to make new brand discoveries, especially when they have been created for professional makeup artists. Meet West Barn Co who specialise in brow and skin preparation products, where today we review their Cleanser and Brow Elixir.

West Barn Co (WBCO) is based in the heart of Durham and created by a mother and daughter team, Donna McCann-Turner and Kim Cattin. It all began in August 2016, when Kim was working as a professional make-up artist on an editorial photoshoot. She wanted to create something entirely different for the Instagram brow trend that was buzzing at the time; Kim wanted to create a brushed up, fluffy, natural brow. Having found no product that could actually fulfil her wish, Kim used an old Hollywood trick by using soap to freeze the brow in place but was a little hesitant about using hand soap on the faces of her clients. This is when Donna and Kim locked heads and created a little tin of brow soap with a brow brush, and the legendary Soap Brows® was born. This then went on to explode on social media last year with fans such as Beyonce, Perrie Edwards and Sophie Turner. This natural and ethical brand went from being a small artisan product made in Donna's home to becoming a globally successful business, all within a year. The company now focusses on creating high-quality brow and skin preparation products for professional make-up artists. Amazed and inspired by the increasing success of the original Soap Brows® they turned their attention to other skin preparation products. Donna has gone on to formulate more skincare products that have proved just as popular with the pro make-up industry elite. Today, this successful company contains 14 staff members working in fulfilment, manufacturing and marketing. It ships internationally to 60 countries, and their mission has evolved into creating a complete range of exceptional brow and skin prep products that professional make-up artists will choose for their kit. All products are cruelty-free and vegan. 

We were sent two of their products. First, we’ll talk about the Bog Myrtle and Lime Balancing Cleanser. It's a beautifully light and creamy face cleanser that will deeply clean and tone skin in just one simple step. It is made to give an instant brightening effect and is refreshing, uplifting and balancing. This facial cleanser is ideal for including in a daily routine or a part of a self-care session. It has properties from the bog myrtle plant which are known to tightens pores and reduces spots. It is has a balancing effect on the skin and can stop breakouts thanks to its antiseptic properties. The lime oil in the blend is used to reduce pores, tones the skin and add a refreshing zesty scent to this energising lotion. Castor oil here has antioxidant properties that help keep skin detoxified; It also has excellent moisturising properties and will hold moisture. Finally, the agonis fragrans branch/leaf oil adds a citrus/spicy scent and purifies the skin with its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory properties. We found that this Cleanser worked best for us when used it primarily as a make-up remover, as the castor oil makes light work of gently lifting away foundation and daily grime. What's more, this Cleanser comes with a sustainably sourced organic bamboo and cotton cloth. To use it, WBCO advises to take the cloth and run under lukewarm water for a few seconds. Place it over your face to allow the warmth to open those pores and soften your skin. Two pumps of this Cleanser should be enough. Gently work the cleanser into the skin using circular motions and working up the face. Once you have thoroughly cleansed your face, use the wet cloth to remove the product, which leaves skin soft, clean and clear. It can also be used as part of a double cleanse too. To purchase this 100ml Cleanser see here for £19.00.

The second product was our favourite, the Brow Elixir which is full of brow enhancing ingredients. This brow elixir claims to boost and stimulate the healthy growth of your eyebrows. So, if your brows feeling a little lacklustre or perhaps like us you had a little too much tweezer time in the 90s, this will help to revive, nourish and promote growth. I’m always cautious when it comes to using brow serums, as I’ve got brows with permanent makeup and regular use of ‘active ingredients’ can fade the pigments. I was delighted to read on the list of ingredients here, that there are no actives! This contains key ingredients such as evodia rutaecarpa fruit extract, which has a balancing and soothing effect on skin. The camelia seed oil (aka tea seed oil) which will enrich skin feeding it with a plethora of vitamins and minerals. The blend also includes hydrolysed vegetable proteins which will give a power boost to strengthen brow hair. The cucumber extract will keep skin refreshed. The vitis vinifera seed oil is extracted from grapes and promotes healthy hair growth and acts as a natural dandruff treatment. The macadamia oil will bind to the hair shaft and infuses it with fatty acids, leaving hair follicles stronger and healthier. Finally, your eyebrows are left silky and soft thanks to the propanediol, which is plant-based glycol, that enhances the absorption of all other ingredients too. To use it, WBCO advises coating the brow hair, from root to tip. Brush through your eyebrows, using a circular motion to stimulate microcirculation and get the follicles stimulated. When this has finished, I’ll be purchasing another, despite no regrowth being evident yet, I’m hoping in another month, I’ll see some… to get your 8ml Brow Elixir, see here for £29.00.