NeoNaturelle: C-Major 23% Vitamin C Serum

Like many of you, here at The Amazing Blog we only want to use clean beauty, which is ideally organic, vegan or natural. As the skin is the largest organ in the body, we think it deserves to be pampered with the best.  We’ve reviewed many different face serums in the past; however today, we were curious to try this C-Major 23% Vitamin C Serum from NeoNaturelle, with its unique waterless formula and high potency of vitamin C. This Serum is also fortified with potent botanical actives that claim to brighten the skin and reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

NeoNaturelle is founded by a mother and daughter team Nila and Marina Cook in Vancouver, Canada. It all began in 2019 when Nila’s pregnant daughter Marina wanted to swap her regular skincare for more natural and cleaner formulas that contained anti-ageing and active ingredients. This proved to be challenging to find, as many of the natural skincare products which had the right ingredients, didn’t offer any of the potent anti-ageing actives. It was at this moment, that Marina and Nila decided to create NeoNaturelle skincare with clean, safe, natural and plant-based potent actives, which they'd been searching for. NeoNaturelle, is where science meets nature , with its seven products in the range, six are certified safe even for pregnant and lactating women or those with sensitive skin. The only exception here is their Skin Repair face oil which has retinol, as it is advised pregnant women avoid retinol (vitamin A) in their skincare. The brand’s mission is to provide customers with brand transparency as well as a skincare education. They want to inspire and educate the consumer, with their story and holistic approach to wellbeing, mental health, diet, exercise, and much more.

This newly launched C-Major Serum has already secured an award win with  Made in Vancouver 2020 Awards. As mentioned at the start, this 23% vitamin C  serum is in a stable waterless, oil-soluble formula that ensures the prolonged and safe use of this maximum potency of vitamin C activity. While high concentrations of regular vitamin C can cause skin irritation due to its ascorbic acid, C-Major uses a gentle and non-irritant formula. Let’s take a look at some of Serum’s key ingredients; these consist of aloe vera extract, which acts as a hydrating agent with its soothing and antioxidant properties. Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, unlike pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid), is fat-soluble, making it easier and fast-acting for the vitamin C to penetrate the dermis. The niacinamide (aka vitamin B3) minimises and tightens enlarged pores, renews skin cells and protects against UVA, toxins and pollution.  Apricot kernel oil is rich in vitamin E and works in partnership with vitamin C to improves skin tone, maintain softness and nourish the skin. Rosa Canina (aka rosehip) oil is rich in vitamin C, is excellent for cell regeneration and improves skin texture. Dl alpha-tocopherol is a synthetic and stable form of vitamin E; it reduces UV damage, is an anti-inflammatory and protects the skin from damage caused by free radicals. Finally, the Hydrolyzed oat, is an oat protein that reduces the appearance of fine lines and is a natural long-lasting humectant with powerful anti-ageing properties. 

The C-Major’s blend aims to boost collagen production, nourish the skin, and reduce pigmentation while making skin appear brighter and healthier. It is a light, quick-absorbing Serum and suitable for all skin types, even (as mentioned) the most sensitive. With its golden elixir it has a delicious aroma of tropical fruits – a mix of passionfruit/ grapefruit. Interestingly, they suggest using this Serum under OR after moisturiser. We used this Serum morning and evening under moisturiser. It was quick-absorbing and easy to use, it blended well and left our skin looking dewy. Thankfully it had no adverse reactions (unlike some other vitamin C serums), our skin did look brighter. Although vitamin C serum is known to help protect against sun damage (applied after exposure); during the day we would recommend using this with an SPF, as sun sensitivity increases with the use of vitamin C based skincare. We like that this C-Major offers safe ingredients and a maximum doses of vitamin C, all without the risk of irritation.  To purchase NeoNaturelle’s Vitamin C Serum for $96 (approx. £70.34 ) click here.

LA FERVANCE: Éclat Extraordinaire

We’ve found a way to replace three skincare products in our daily routine by using just one. This is a balm made up of not 95 or 98% natural ingredients, but 100%! Intrigued?  Well, we certainly were, at The Amazing Blog, we would like to introduce LA FERVANCE  with the brand’s first-born Éclat Extraordinaire.

LA FERVANCE takes its name from the French word for “fervour”;  this brand is all about keeping things simple and caring for the planet, whilst also indulging all the senses by offering high-performance luxury skincare. The brand is a marriage of the two cultures that have been part of Melissa Obeid’s life for many years: Australian and French – where the Australian born Melissa studied fashion in Paris in 1990. Melissa officially created LA FERVANCE  in 2016, when she and her family came back to France for a sabbatical.  This is when she saw a gap in the market, as very few ethical, transparent and sustainable skincare brands with 100% natural ingredients and origins were available in the market. Thus, this led her to go on and create this luxury and clean beauty brand that would not only take care of skin but also the planet.  After three years of complex research, development, and certification phases, with the help of French experts, she officially launched her brand in December 2019 with a single, multi-purpose product, thereby making a strong statement to say that no one needs a 10-step skincare routine, instead use one efficient multi-tasking product that does it all, which is what gave rise to the ÉclatExtraordinaire production. And as Melissa says, “less is more! This is what luxury is all about,” she also went on to say, “LA FERFANCE will resonate with those seeking authenticity, integrity and real results.” Theirs is a new philosophy of ‘Fusionistique Skincare™’ where the products are the first and only of their kind, fusing 100% natural ingredients, eco-packaging, culture and usage with a vision to the future. The brand in the future, will offer the consumer refills for their existing jars avoiding purchase of full replacements with all the packaging. They see themselves as visionaries and hope by 2025 that they will be regarded as pioneers in the luxury beauty space.

As mentioned previously, Éclat Extraordinaire is a multi-purpose 100% ethical and sustainable balm. They want to offer the best possible luxury skincare experience, with their formula that is entirely free from any synthetics, and contains only carefully chosen ingredients that are 100% natural and clean. The product has already achieved a certification from product and packaging from COSMOS, a membership of COSMEBIO and has been awarded the Butterfly Mark from Positive Luxury. Enhanced with its 67 active ingredients this waterless formula boasts 100% natural hyaluronic acid and bio-active blends.  These include mimosa AKA Australian wattle (pictured above), which is high in polyphenols which provide strong antioxidants; then there’s jojoba and baobab (which we’ve discussed often). The kakadu plum extracts is high in vitamin C (and lesser-known antioxidants like gallic acid and ellagic acid). The buriti oil is rich in beta-carotene and unsaturated fatty acids; plus, there’s vitamin E and seawater from the Brittany coast. This enriched balm also has a combination of Australian herbs and spices which they call their 'Mountain Harvest™’ these are a mix of Aniseed Myrtle Leaf, Mountain Pepper Leaf, and Wild Rosella Flower. These three botanicals are highly effective in offering protection against free radicals and come with anti-ageing actions. The last active ingredient used for this formula is a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that is also by far the noblest on the list: 23K conflict-free Italian gold dust, with the added pearl pigments for extra luminosity. Yes, gold! This gives the skin a warm glow, plus, the gold activates cell regeneration, stimulates elastin and collagen production, and helps the blood circulation, fight toxins, and enhance the gold's anti-ageing effect.

This prestige skincare is a luxurious creamy balm that comes in an elegant and recyclable 50ml glass jar with a gold embossed lid. The texture is quite impressive, as it literally melts into the skin leaving its soft and sophisticated bespoke scent. The product has been clinically tested, and has been specially created to offer smoothness and shine. They suggest 3 different ways to use  Éclat Extraordinaire, as a day and night cream, and also a mask ritual. So far, we’ve used it in two different ways: As a morning ritual, using a small amount between your fingers and apply to cleansed face and neck to wake your skin and give it a nice golden glow boost, where you can either decide to use it as a leave-on day cream for a naturally glowy look or use it as a primer for your make-up, as the sucrose fatty acids ester base act as silky protection that locks in moisture for 24 hours. We also used it as an overnight night balm, for when skin needed a hydration boost. Apply a medium layer to a cleansed or exfoliated face and neck. Then massage the skin either with your finger tips or with a beauty massaging tool to increase the circulation and enhance the actives and vitamins for better stimulation for cell renewal. Our verdict? We loved the versatility of this rich balm, plus the radiant effect it had on our complexion. Probably best suited to the 35+ age group or those with a normal/dry skin type. LA FERVANCE is a brand that will easily seduce those who aspire to a simple but luxurious skincare. However, we think it will appeal first and foremost to those looking for authenticity, integrity, and performance without compromise. The Eclat Extraordinaire balm is available here for €195.00 (approx. £177.75).

Quarnero: Fleur de Sel Relax Bath Salts

With winter still upon us here, at The Amazing Blog we love taking a hot bath at the end of the day, to warm up before bed and soak away the day. We've recently featured a few different bath products, but today we have an exceptional and award-winning brand Quarnero, with their delicate and unique Fleur de Sel Relax bath salts. 

Quarnero was founded by mother and son Zorica and Rešid Seferović, and is based in the Kvarner region in Croatia. They produce natural and organic face & body oils and bath salts, which have up until recently, been primarily created for the spa and salon sector. Their ingredients are mainly derived from the local region where the wild plants flourish in the clean air, and the unpolluted Dalmatian shoreline gives life to their fleur de sel. Otherwise, other key organic ingredients such as organic cold-pressed sesame oil and a few of the essentials oils are carefully sourced from selected organic locations. They use organic biodynamic plant actives combined with their time-honoured knowledge of ancient medicinal remedies to bring these select products to life – for Quarnero their brand ethos is to get’ back to basics’ and ‘less is more’. All products have the prized certification from NATRUE, International Natural and Organic Cosmetics Association https://www.natrue.org, who are committed to promoting and protecting global natural and organic cosmetics. All Quarnero products are handmade, vegan and delivered in solid, simple apothecary-style jars with Miron violet glass. Interestingly, this violet glass is scientifically proven to maintain fresh ingredients longer than clear glass. It also acts as a barrier preventing the loss of bioenergy, enzymes, smell or colour from the product stored within, making preservatives less necessary. The brand is now available in 39 countries, with six products in total, which are within the two ranges of Face & Body Oils and Bath Salts.

These Fleur de Sel Relax bath salts were a recent Wellbeing Winner, named as the Best Bath Soak at the global 2020 Beauty Shortlist Awards. As the name suggests, these contain the beautiful fleur de sel crystals, together with Quarnero organic botanical oils. When poured into the bath, this heady mix is slow to dissolve, fragrancing the water which in turn, absorbs into the pores relaxing the body. Any undissolved fleur de sea crystals can also be used to gently exfoliate and stimulate the lymph,as well as improving the skin's texture by making it soft and smooth. Fleur de sel is a salt enriched with natural minerals such as calcium, magnesium and iodine from the Adriatic Sea. It forms in oceanic conditions in seawater; it’s flaky, fragile and forms either as flat mass or as hollow pyramids, which look like angular delicate flowers (hence the name ‘flower of salt’). These bloom and float on the surface and are carefully harvested by hand. Fleur de sel is known as the purest form of salt on earth, as it contains no impurities or bitterness from the sea. Its been a tried and tested formula for therapeutic bathing since the Roman Empire and some even say that these salts have the aroma of violets.  Apart from the salts, other ingredients include oils from lavender, bergamot orange peel and geranium leaf. Lavender, as we know, relieves stress and aids sleep. Bergamot has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and soothes the skin. The geranium leaf has been used as far back as the Egyptians in tea to alleviate anxiety and fatigue. When I opened the jar of Relax Bath Salt, it immediately filled the room with its notes of lavender, bergamot, geranium leaf; and the potent fleur de sel. Another one of our #amazingfinds, it was deliciously intoxicating and from just opening the lid, I could slightly ‘taste’ the saltiness in the air. I can honestly say, that I could not get enough of these Relax bath salts. They made me feel uplifted, and yet tranquil, relaxed and at peace. With all the lockdown, stress and anxiety – what better way to soak away the worries of the day and get a good night’s sleep? To purchase the Relax Bath Salt in 450g at €94,49 please email info@quarnero.hr for enquiries due to the online shop currently being unavailable.

CUBID CBD: Re:Vive Stay Active Gel

We don’t know about you, but here at The Amazing Blog time seems to have flown by - can you believe that it’s almost March? Whether like us, you’ve been keeping up with your New Year fitness goals, or just began your activities; certainly one or other of us here has already experienced some kind of soreness, joint pain or both! Most probably because in lockdown we’ve pushed ourselves even harder with a new home workout or perhaps walked too many extra steps. If this is you, don’t fret, as today we talking about the very soothing Re:Vive Stay Active Gel by CUBID CBD. 

CUBID CBD is a brand specialising in CBD, hemp-derived cannabidiol topicals and oils. Based in Derby CUBID CBD was founded by Paul Caplin in 2019, they produce high quality, award-winning CBD products with a reassuring tagline, “Choose a Better Day, Everyday.” Danielle Nodwell, CUBID CBD’s brand director, commented that the brand was created to “become an influencer, lead CBD revolution, and deliver a range of products that answered the specific needs of our customer.” Because the demand for CBD has been growing in the UK, CUBID CBD has made their products THC free, vegan and cruelty-free; using only broad-spectrum hemp oil in each of their topical products. Combining agricultural and scientific expertise, CUBID CBD's hemp is grown on a farm in Colorado where they to use an ethanol extraction method which is classified as GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe) by the FDA. The CBD here has natural cannabinoids, proteins and fats, plus it is free from pesticides, solvents and parabens. CUBID CBD has a carefully curated self-care skin and body care regime, known as ‘the seven R’s’: Re:juvenate; Re:fresh; Re:lax; Re:scue; Re:new; Re:set and Re:Vive (which we review below).

CUBID CBD Re:Vive Stay Active Gel was a recent winner of Highly Commended in the Pure Beauty Awards London 2020; this is a botanical anti-inflammatory gel, which is light, cooling and designed to aid aching muscle issues. This has 500mg of CBD in the 100ml, where the 66% CBD combined with the other botanicals soothes any inflammation and finds a way to mend it. It’s blended with botanicals such as wintergreen leaf oil known to help ease stiff muscles, grapeseed oil to improve blood flow and rosemary oil with its anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties. Also enriched with eucalyptus leaf this helps with arthritis and has the added plus of its scent which helps to ignite an inner calm for a clear mind. Whereas the fruit extracts such as blackcurrant containing gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) that's been said to help ease inflammation, and the strawberry extract with ellagic acid is also another effective anti-inflammatory. The black pepper seed oil offers relief from spasms and cramps; and finally the cinnamon leaf oil stimulates circulation reduces muscle stress and relieves pain. It had a silky-smooth texture which melts seamlessly into the skin offering comfort to exhausted and tender muscles. With its soft fragrance, we could only detect a very pleasant and subtle eucalyptus and rosemary scent on the skin. As someone who has arthritis, I found that this offered some gentle relief. I also found it good for overworked hands, as well as shoulder and neck stiffness. Apply this Gel directly onto the skin and massage in circular motions to target the sore areas. You can use it daily at any time, or  before bed for a night of enhanced restful sleep. The Re:Vive Stay Active Gel can also be paired up with the oil drops by CUBID CBD for additional benefits. By the way, if you purchase the Re:Vive Stay Active Gel along with their Re:Set Oil Drops  you can save £20. The Re:Vive Stay Active Gel is here 100ml for £30. 

Rebel Wine Ltd: CBD Infused Wine

Are you taking part in the new lockdown trend of the ‘virtual happy hour’? We at The Amazing Blog think it’s a brilliant way to say ‘cheers’ and stay in touch with our family and friends. As regular readers will know, we’re always looking to introduce new kinds of tipples, and today its Rebel Wine with their trio of CBD-infused wines. Yes, our beloved CBD in a very different guise!

Rebel Wine Ltd is a British company founded by Rupert St Aubyn, a wine connoisseur and merchant. After two years of experimentation, they created the perfect formula for CBD-infused wine, commissioning the award-winning South African winemaker Matthew Copeland from Vondeling Estates, to blend and create. St Aubyn had this idea to combine CBD and wine, and when asked why, he said, “CBD is usually served as an oil and can be taken in its natural form using a dropper. However, it has a bitter taste, so is much nicer when combined with food or drink. Blending our wine with CBD worked better than we could have dreamed of. It combines all the goodness of CBD with the highest quality wines imported from South Africa, to make a fabulous drink.”  Rebel Wine’s ethos is: “If you follow all the rules, you miss all the fun” this tongue-in-cheek attitude is reflected in their hip branding and kitsch 50’s vibe.  What makes this trio of wines unique, is that they’re the first CBD-infused wine produced here in the UK.  Each of the three wine varieties is combined with the highest-quality organically grown hemp from Colorado, where all the extraction is done using only the supercritical C02 method. It’s 100% vegan and each can contains 10mg of broad-spectrum CBD with no THC, guaranteeing a safe and completely legal drinking experience. Available in 200ml cans, makes these ideal for picnics or outdoor events. Not only do these cans lower the carbon footprint, but they’re more convenient for a quick glass, portable, fast chilling and easily recyclable. After only three months from their launch, the brand won their first Bronze award in the Beverages category of the Canex 2020 awards.   With a lower alcohol content of around 12.5% ABV, they currently offer a Rose, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot which are sold at an affordable price of £4.25 each, and for this price you simply can’t go wrong.  

We were sent the Three Can Gift set bundle to try: Merlot, Rose, and Sauvignon Blanc.  Given the option, we prefer to drink our wine from a glass, rather than straight from the can. Something to quickly mention, is that when poured all three of these grape varieties had a noticeably cloudy hue. This is absolutely no reflection on the wine quality, and it’s to do with the CBD infusion. First, let’s talk about our favourite the Merlot, this is a smooth and fruity red wine that is great for everyday drinking. It contains 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% ABV. This original Merlot from Vondeling is currently featured in the renowned Platter's Wine Guide in 2020 with 3.5 stars. Rebel Wine recommends drinking this in combination with eggs and bacon butty while listening to (of course) Rebel, Rebel by Bowie! We’d say, with its red fruits, easy tannins and soft finish we prefer to pair it with dark chocolate (yum!) Next, the Rose, this is a refreshingly fruity with a crisp finish and needs to be served chilled. It is a pale blush pink in colour and we think great as a light refreshment and aperitif, as its easily quaffable with or without food. Also made from the Merlot grape, this original Rose wine from Vondeling recently won a Gold at The Annual Rose Rocks Awards in 2020. Finally, the Sauvignon Blanc, is a zesty, light-bodied gooseberry-ish white. It contains 100% Sauvignon Blanc and 12.5% ABV. Again, served chilled, we think this is an everyday drinking wine that marries well with anything from seafood, soft cheeses to a naughty fried chicken takeaway!  All without that taste of hempyness, we applaud Rebel Wine for creating this exceptional trio and can’t wait to try more - perhaps a CBD sparkling wine next? To purchase the Three Can Gift Pack at £14 (3 x 200ml cans), click here.