Wicked Gummy Co: Multivitamin Gummy

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

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

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

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.

Suneeta London: Cleansing Pack (Combination Skin)

We believe that to find some the best skincare, it doesn’t always have to be expensive. Today at The Amazing Blog, we’d like to introduce you to an artisan skincare and zero-waste brand Suneeta London with their Cleansing Pack, which has everything you would ever need to cleanse your skin - without having to spend too much.  

Suneeta London is a family run business launched by Suneeta Dinraz in 2019. They sell hand-made, natural and fresh skincare, deodorants, hair and body care products for all skin types and ages. Their formulas are based on the Ayurvedic principles, which are known for enhancing well-being, combined with an original twist to make skincare products fun and easy to use. Suneeta believes that families should use products that they trust are safe to use. Don’t we all?  To increase this trust, Suneeta is working to raise awareness for natural ingredients and inspire future generations to take care of what they put on their skin. By purchasing their products, you’re helping their campaign against the use of unnecessary chemicals and animal testing. They recently won an award for Best Inclusive Beauty Product in the 2020 London Pure Beauty Awards; and Suneeta holds an incredible passion for keeping high ethical beauty standards: “There is definitely a double standard in what we as consumers in the west deem to be ethical. Frustratingly, we know more about animals being harmed for our cosmetics than we do about black and brown workers supplying ingredients. Luckily more and more businesses are making it easier to make the right choice.”  The brand also focus on creating zero waste skincare and accessories - which we love!  

Suneeta’s three-step Cleansing Pack (Combination Skin)  contains the Mandarin & Calendula Cleansing Balm, a toner specifically chosen for your skin type and a sample size of the Aloe & Jojoba Facial Scrub with Sandalwood. Also included here’s are a small hand tooled wooden spoon, an organic cotton cloth and cotton bag.  We started by opening the Mandarin & Calendula Cleansing Balm   it is a light anti-ageing balm suitable for removing even the most stubborn mascara, make-up or daily impurities from the skin. The unrefined virgin cocoa butter softens the skin and works as an antioxidant to prevent ageing signs and reduce scarring. The calendula stimulates collagen production to promote skin healing, and the mandarin essential oil maintains moisture balance in the skin to boost cell production and immunity. It smelled incredible and was super easy to use. We gently massaged a small amount onto dry skin, and then used their cotton cloth (provided) damped with warm water to gently wipe away the daily grime. Next, we tried the sample size Aloe & Jojoba Clay Facial Scrub with Sandalwood which is a gentle grainy scrub made with natural jojoba beads and Fuller’s earth which mildly exfoliates away dry skin. They recommend using this scrub once or twice a week but it can be used as often as you like. We found that it stimulated the skin and made a good pore-cleansing facial scrub and left skin soft and fragrant from the sandalwood oil here. Finally, there’s the toner. This varies in the Cleansing Pack according to skin type, we were sent Orange Blossom & Aloe Vera Skin Toner which, as they say, is an excellent cooling and hydrating toner for combination skin. It contains cooling aloe vera, healing orange blossom water and a refreshing peppermint essential oil to help reduce oiliness while also soothing and healing the skin. After cleansing, we sprayed the toner onto a cotton pad and gently sweep across the face and neck to ensure removal of any further impurities. We also liked to spritz this during the day to boost skin hydration - from living with too much central heating! The other toners available are Organic Rose Water  designed for normal skin, or the Frankincense & Lavender Toner  which is for dry or sensitive skin and made with natural flower hydrosols. We were impressed with both the performance and affordability of this Cleansing Pack, and to purchase Suneeta’s Cleansing Pack for your skin type at £20.00, see here.  

Karma Coast: Karma Organic CDB Hemp Tea

Back at our desks after the Easter break, we thought today we’d share about one of our #amazingfinds from The Amazing Blog, particularly if you’re looking for natural products to help steady nerves, reduce stress, and give you some much longed for, uninterrupted sleep. As regular readers will know, we’re big fans of CBD products (see here) because of the numerous benefits it provides, especially the calming effect. Which is why we’d like to introduce Karma Coast  and their Organic CDB Tea.

Karma Coast was founded in 2018 and is based in Tynemouth. Their aim is to produce high-quality, organic and vegan CBD products to help improve overall wellbeing. The co-owners, Dylan Mortimer and Magdalena Dopierala, have a wealth of knowledge in cannabis sector and have over 20 years of combined experience in professional healthcare. They offer complimentary wellness consultations in their Tynemouth dispensary, either over the phone or via video link, with a mission to improve the quality of life for the local community or for further afield. Karma Coast believes that CBD products can help to supplement our endocannabinoid system and are an alternative way to create and maintain wellness. They source their hemp from a Polish organic farm in the Bieszczady Mountains, where the plants are gently harvested, dried and finely sorted by hand and their organic hemp tea is farmed without any herbicides or pesticides. They’ve developed a wide range of high-quality products, including CBD tea, coffee, oils, tinctures, vapes, topicals and hemp clothing and merchandise. Their key focus on quality has made Karma Coast the winner of five independent awards, such as ‘Best Organic CBD Products 2020’ at the UK Enterprise Awards  and ‘Best Organic CBD Products 2020’ at the Northern Prestige Awards.  All of their products are packaged in recyclable, compostable, biodegradable and reusable materials. 

They very kindly sent us their Karma Organic CDB Hemp Tea which is made from 100% organic hemp with full-spectrum CBD, meaning that it has all the cannabinoids, terpenes, flavanols, lipids, waxes, and chlorophylls with the regulated amount of 0.2% THC – which as regular readers will know, this amount will not get you high! However, these compounds will give you an ‘entourage effect’, which increases the benefit you get when multiple components of the plant work synergistically. These compounds also help to improve clarity and aid conditions such as anxiety, stress and sleep disorders. The potent terpenes like linalool, are known to help sleep and inflammation and studies have also shown terpenes can produce an antidepressant-like effect. This Hemp Tea is made with 100% organic, natural, allergen-free, and vegan hemp leaves with no herbicides or pesticides. The hand-picked, dried, and finely sorted leaves reserve the maximum amount of nutrients. To prepare this loose tea, use one teaspoon of hemp tea, per cup, infused with boiled water. We found that if you want a mild and deliciously fruity tasting tea, it needs to be left to brew for 3 to 5 minutes max, or if you let it steep for longer, i.e. 10+ minutes, you’ll reap more of the benefits; but it also has a deeper and slightly bitter taste – where we’d recommend adding in some honey. They suggest drinking it at breakfast time to help set you up for the day, but we preferred drinking at night, as we found it gave us a much better quality of wonderful and unbroken sleep! You can buy the Karma Coast’s Organic CDB Hemp Tea here starting from £10.00 for 30g/20 servings to £50.00 for 200g/133 servings.