Raven Botanicals: Solstice Rejuvenating Facial Oil

If you're familiar with The Amazing Blog, then you’ll know how much we love our skincare! We think finding the right product always starts with understanding the ingredients used. With the longest day fast approaching, we thought it'd be rather appropriate to feature this Solstice Rejuvenating Facial Oil from Raven Botanicals. A new natural skincare brand who offer full transparency on all their ingredients.

Raven Botanicals was founded in July 2020 by two sisters, Arabella and Charlotte Harvey. Growing up surrounded by the beautiful scenery of Scotland, they began to experiment with the natural ingredients that surrounded them. "From the only CO₂extracted sea buckthorn oil in the country, hand-picked on the ancient East Lothian coastline, to lavender oil from Fife, our range of serums, facial oils, masks, balms and cleansers pay tribute to the power of nature's finest ingredients." Choosing high-quality and locally sourced ingredients is a priority for Raven Botanicals. A cruelty-free brand, most of their ingredients are organic and either vegetarian or vegan; where these handcrafted products are created in small batches without preservatives. In addition to the ethical practices in the formulation of their products, the packaging is ‘deliberately simple’ with biodegradable and compostable labels. Their labels are made from sugar cane, hemp and linen to replace wood-based paper, and they strive to deliver their products without unnecessary shipping materials. Their products also come in widely recycled materials like glass and aluminium, with reusable components like pumps and droppers. Raven Botanicals also believe in the transformative power of self-care, and have a giving-back policy with regular product donations to the charity Womens' Aid. By joining their 'Love Raven Rewards' community, purchasers can use these points towards a discount on their next order or go to support Women's Aid. Although the brand is less than a year old, six out of the nine products have already been recognised as award winners!

The Solstice Rejuvenating Facial Oil has plant-based ingredients like sweet almond, rosehip, sunflower, pumpkin and evening primrose oils. It effectively addresses dry skin and the appearance of fine lines in mature skin types. Other natural plant derivatives like jojoba and camellia seeds oils are also used to help hydrate, moisturise and restore a healthy and youthful complexion. The combination of these oils stimulating collagen and elastin production, repairing and healing blemishes.

The 'Solstice' element of this Facial Oil gets its name from drawing on a rich heritage of ceremonial and symbolic ritual ingredients like myrrh and Damask rose in this skincare. . One of these time-honoured ingredients Myrrh, is resin obtained from a wound that penetrates through the bark and into the sapwood, where the tree secretes a Myrrh gum. This has been used as a perfume and for medicinal purposes for centuries. The Ancient Egyptians so highly prized Myrrh that they purchased entire boatloads, using it in incense and salves to heal wounds and sores. There is also rosa damascena (damask rose); this highly-scented rose was originally grown in Central Asia and Damascus, but then it was brought to Morocco in the Middle Ages. Now its mainly grown in the Dadès Valley for dried flowers, oils and rosewater. It’s said that the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to have rowed along a canal filled with rose petals with the Empress consort Mumtaz Mahal. In the intense heat of the sun, the scent was intoxicating: so much so, that the surface of the water was skimmed to capture the beautiful perfume and her luxurious residence furnished with opulent rose water fountains. In the 1940s, the French built distilleries to produce rose oil which has been widely used in perfumery and skincare ever since. Each year during April and mid-May, the M'Goun Valley, also known as the Vallée des Roses, produces between 3-4k tonnes of wild roses. This precious rosa damascena has intoxicating rosy notes accented by spicy facets, which are evident here in the Solstice Rejuvenating Facial Oil.

To get the best results, they suggest massaging 2-6 drops on your face and neck with your fingertips for a healthy, radiant glow. We used this for a morning and evening skin routine either by itself or under makeup. This Facial Oil helps lock in the moisture and delivers a soft and smooth complexion whilst also targeting and restoring problem areas such as dry or dehydrated skin. We can’t think of a better Facial Oil to use to celebrate the growth of life, and to see the shifting of the seasons with the sun rising on Monday June 21st , the first morning of summer!. They describe it as "lightly spiced, naturally, floral aroma is uplifting and soothing,” and we couldn't agree more. Available in 30ml here for £26 with free shipping on orders over £45. 

Corpo Sancto: Botanical Perfume Oil Collection

At The Amazing Blog, we love to try new fragrances, especially those that transport us to a different place or time, and with the Corpo Sancto’s newly launched Botanical Perfume Collection, we can wistfully imagine ourselves somewhere far, far away. This Botanical Perfume Collection takes us on a fascinating olfactory journey with their five unusually named perfume oils: Going To California, Marrakesh Express, Norwegian Wood, This Bird Has Flown, Gold Dust Woman, and Where The Wild Roses Grow.

Corpo Sancto is an Anglo-Scandinavian brand based in fashionable Brighton, which sells perfume oils, scented room diffusers, biodegradable luxury rapeseed wax candles, and a range of other home-related products made from reclaimed goods. Their perfume oils are made in small batches, vegan, and use only natural ingredients. Sustainability is at the heart of the brand, and wherever possible, their suppliers are UK-based and their packaging is made from recycled materials. Corpo Sancto is run by Chris and Annelie Bystrom-Turner, who are a husband and wife duo. In addition to being co-owners of Corpo Sancto, Chris is the drummer in Orange Goblin, and Annelie is a well-known makeup artist. Corpo Sancto’s mission is to be as eco-friendly as possible, carbon-neutral, with biodegradable products that are paraben-free and all without compromising on style or quality.

The Botanical Perfume Collection has a base of jojoba oil, and each perfume oil is then blended with a unique combination of scents. We’ve heard that the process of creating these fragrances is a highly guarded secret that involves weeks of sampling and testing to get it right. When asked about this new launch, Corpo Sancto said that they were tired of the misleading descriptions for traditional scents, and that’s why they deliberately chose obvious ingredient explanations here for each of their aromas. Which by the way, if you hadn’t already guessed, the five perfume oils are named after a rock or pop anthem (look them up!) - this is where lyrics, melodies, and scents meet.

Here are the perfume oils in the Botanical Perfume Oil Collection: Going To California which they describe as “Thumbin’ a ride to Laurel Canyon” with warm citrus notes of neroli and grapefruit mixed with coriander and spicy black pepper on a base of frankincense and myrrh. Marrakesh Express is of “Memories of Morocco through the haze of hashish smoke” with woody and warm amber fragrance notes blended with black pepper, tobacco, vanilla, sandalwood, tolu balsam and smoke. The Norwegian Wood – This Bird Has Flown is “A stroll through a Scandinavian forest on winter solstice” with fresh, woody notes of pine, cedar, rosewood and opoponax on an earthy base of patchouli and oakmoss. Gold Dust Woman is “A fragrance for the dark” with notes of Middle Eastern spices, rose and jasmine on a warm base of frankincense, myrrh and sandalwood. And finally, Where The Wild Roses Grow is described as “Petals crushed underfoot as you journey through the woods” with a hint of clary sage blended with rose, orris and labdanum on an earthy base of oakmoss, patchouli, and sandalwood. It’s hard to pick a favourite, but if we had to, it’d be neck and neck with Where The Wild Roses Grown and Gold Dust Woman.

Given the choice of wearing perfume oils or an Eau de Parfum, it’d be perfume oil every time for us. Why? Did you know that a perfume oil is more concentrated? With over 20% of fragrance concentration in the oil, this gives the wearer up to eight hours of scent, and even then, it still deliciously lingers. Whereas Eau de Parfum (EDP) contains about 12% fragrance concentration in alcohol, which evaporates after approximately four hours, leaving the wearer in need of reapplication. When using these perfume oils, we suggest anointing the pulse points, especially the wrists, rub a little to warm up the oil, and then take deep breaths; it helps to soothe the mind, uplifts the spirits and gives us our own little piece of calm throughout the day. We used these alone, but you could combine one or two from the collection to create an individual scent that resonates with your given mood. These are another of our #amazingfinds and we highly recommend experiencing these exceptional perfume oils; you can buy them individually at 10ml for £30.00, and 2ml for £5.00, or for the set of five in the Botanical Perfume Collection see here at £120.00.

Afterglow Candles: We Create

At  The Amazing Blog  we’re huge fans of scented candles. We love the ambience they give, and when lighting a solo candle under the stars, it always adds to mystical evening glow. Now that alfresco dining has finally arrived we wanted to try this wild fig and blackcurrant candle We Create from Afterglow Candles and it didn’t disappoint.

Afterglow Candles are a UK luxury black-owned and eco-friendly home brand founded by Alex Bertie and her partner and co-founder Darrell. Alex is a doctor, and Darrell is a barber. The idea came when they were gifted a simple candle making kit and where they soon got creative. Since then, they have built up the business finally launching Afterglow in September 2020. Their mission is to provide luxury candles that are affordable and safe for the environment. Alex said: "Afterglow has been a labour of love and a steep learning curve, which has completely exceeded our expectations. We've met some great people along the way and can't wait to see what the future holds!" These artisan, hand-poured, and unisex candles are made in East London; the designs are simple, chic and minimalist made to suit every gender, age and social group. Where the stylised monochrome designs express luxury and affordability all at the same time. Afterglow candles are eco-friendly, with waxes that are 100% vegan, cruelty-free and non-toxic. The metal tin cases, that house the candles, are all made from recycled sources and can also be recycled and reused – we think it would make a great pen holder! Most of the ingredients are sourced from the UK in order to support local businesses and reduce the carbon footprint. Finally, Alex and Darrell wanted to have a charitable element in their business. So, they donate £1 from every sale to charities supporting adults and children living with sickle cell disease, as Darrell suffers from the disease. And in the forthcoming months, Afterglow Candles is also working with a charity called Crescent Kids  who provide support services to children and families impacted by Sickle Cell and Thalassemia.

We chose the 'We Create' a wild fig and blackcurrant candle from the Empowerment Collection. As mentioned above, all the candles come in a metal tin, together with unbleached cotton and linen wicks. Their range of candles are made using a blend of natural coconut and soy wax with high-quality essential oils and fragrances. Both waxes are a great alternative to paraffin as they are more sustainable and don’t have any nasty fumes or black smoke when burnt. Coconut wax is harvested from coconut crops that are sustainable and high in yield. It is also a great diffuser of scents and has a low impact on the environment, whereas the soy wax here is made from soybeans which are renewable and biodegradable, and helps to provide a clean burn. The fragrance combination in We Create has the top notes of cassis (blackcurrant), raspberry and sweet cherry. The heart notes are raspberry leaf and fig, and the base notes are sandalwood and cedarwood. This is uplifting and refreshing; we’d even go as far as to say inspirational, where it brings together all these summer fruits which, when lit, linger beautifully in the evening air… We think it’s one to burn to when you want to make the most of these balmy summer evenings. Also thanks to coconut and soy wax, the candle can burn for approximately 40 hours making it very cost-effective. Afterglow Candles offers nine different scented candles and a few accessories like bags, a wick trimmer and snuffer and even a USB lighter. By the way, for each candle you buy, you'll get a mini tin opener plus £1 will be donated to their appointed charity, You can buy the 250ml 'We Create' candle here for £22.

BattleGreen: Lemon & Rose Natural Deodorant Balm

Do you use a natural deodorant that is 100% recyclable, sustainable and also gives back? No? Well, read on… This is where we couldn't wait to try the Beauty Shortlist Eco Lifestyle award-winning brand Battle Green, who have impressed us at The Amazing Blog, with both their eco-credentials and the quality of their products. Let's be honest, we all need to use a daily deodorant, especially with summer fast approaching (did we hear somewhere that this will be the hottest summer on record?!) And this Lemon & Rose Natural Deodorant Balm smells divine and didn’t let us down…

Battle Green was founded in 2018, near the edge of the picturesque Welsh mountains of Snowdonia by Lucy and her partner. They created this brand in response to the negative environmental impact that we, humans, have on our planet, oceans, biodiversity and the landscape. For these founders, it became critical to provide environmentally friendly products to give people an alternative to single-use packaging. That's why every Battle Green product is plastic-free, compostable, recyclable and often recycled. We also found it interesting to learn on their Instagram page that they use paper tape made with potato-based glue, and water-based ink for their packaging. Indeed, Battle Green are well ahead of the sustainability curve with all their zero-waste products, and that's what we loved about this brand. Their ethos is focused on sourcing local ingredients and products wherever possible and environmental well-being and animal welfare. These artisan products are sustainably made, have minimal packaging, and are certified PETA, vegan and cruelty-free. Battle Green are members of Surfers Against Sewage 250 Club and monthly donates to help the association's initiatives such as organising beach clean-ups. The brand is also a partner of One Tree Planted and commits to planting a tree for every Zero Waste Starter Kit sold. And Battle Green also donates £1 from every Reusable Cotton Gift Wrap to Freshfields, a non-profit charity that cares for abandoned, abused or unwanted animals. They already offer a wide range of products as diverse as reusable menstrual pads, soaps, lip balms and reusable zero-waste household goods. We also read that they'll be getting more involved with developing some upcycled reusable products with a local charity – and we can't wait to hear more.

The Lemon & Rose Natural Deodorant Balm comes in a 50g cardboard tube, making the product plastic-free and biodegradable. The deodorant is also vegan-friendly, cruelty-free and does not contain harmful ingredients, such as aluminium, parabens, synthetic colours or fragrances. As it is a deodorant, this natural balm won't prevent sweating but will absorb moisture and will stop any bacteria that cause unpleasant odours. The key ingredients here are sodium bicarbonate, arrowroot and organic shea butter.  The sodium bicarbonate has absorbent, antifungal and anti-odour properties. Whereas arrowroot powder, a starch, absorbs the moisture and oils that get trapped on the skin. The shea butter is here for its hydrating, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal properties. Other ingredients include the hydrogenated soybean oil, which acts as a skin-conditioning agent; coconut and lemongrass are here to help to fight against bacteria and detoxify the skin thanks again to their antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial propertiest Then there’s the citronellol, an organic compound extracted from the rose geranium oil, which gives it a fresh and slightly zesty scent that mingles with the lemongrass oil to give this its soft floral/lemony fragrance. Apart from the citronellol, rose geranium also has geraniol with the added bonus of being antifungal. All these transparent and natural ingredients go to make up this gentle Battle Green Lemon & Rose Natural Deodorant, which is a naturally-scented deodorant that helps absorbs moisture. It was duly put through its paces with pilates, workouts and brisk walks. We stayed fragrant, and thankfully there was no evidence of any nasty niffs. This will definitely be one of our 'empties' and another of our #amazingfinds for the week. There are also four other scents to try: Lime & Vanilla, Grapefruit & Mint, Orange & Patchouli and Lavender & Tea Tree. It's easy to use; just push up at the base of the cardboard tube and apply the balm to your underarms. You can purchase the 50g Lemon and Rose Natural Deodorant for £6.45 here. 

MINT: 3in1 Shampoo Bar Trio

At The Amazing Blog, something we’re always search for is multitasking products; today we have a trio of 3in1 Shampoo Bars from MINT  which offer a more sustainable way of living and a good starting point, for those looking to find environmentally friendly personal products. 

MINT is a wellbeing, beauty and grooming brand founded by Dee Momi. Before starting MINT, Dee had a successful career as a chef, until she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 30. During the treatment, she found herself feeling repelled by the smell of hot food, and so she started eating more cold or raw foods and drinking lots of plant-based juices. During this time, she also lost her taste and wasn’t able even able to taste her own cooking. However, she managed to make herself feel useful by preparing much appreciated smoothies for herself and her fellow chefs. This is where it all started for MINT. “A combination of my own story and striving for better health sparked the idea for me to launch my own powders and supplements with the range being plant-based, made locally in the UK and clearly labelled with dietaries/ingredients were the top priorities.” Today, MINT offers a selection of food supplements, plant protein powders and 3in1 Shampoo Bars. All the products are vegan and 100% plant-based, they also contain no artificial sweeteners, colours or flavourings. The powders and the food supplements are also GMO and chemical-free. All packaging is recyclable and their ethos is focused on being high-quality with natural and non-harmful ingredients, which are good for the body as well as the planet. 

We tried the 3in1 Shampoo Bar Trio set, which are three different cleansing bars. Each is a multipurpose cleansing bar that can be used on hair, face and body. They are all vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, palm-oil-free, SLS/SLES free and plastic-free. Plus, these bars can last up to five times longer compared to regular shampoo or shower gel. The three main ingredients used in each bar are shea butter, almond and jojoba oil. Shea butter is a good moisturiser, and with its high level of fatty acids, it regulates skin sebum. It contains vitamins A and E for strong antioxidant action on both skin and hair. Almond and jojoba oil combined, are also powerful moisturisers, efficient emollients, which balance the absorption of moisture, stimulate collagen and are enriched with vitamin E. We found all three of these cleansing bars highly nourishing, they kept our skin hydrated and helped to reduce any scalp irritation or dryness.  

The Sea Minerals bar is for all hair and skin types. The added ingredient here is Dead Sea salt which contains several minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium and sulphur. These exfoliate the dead skin cells to leave skin smooth, hydrated and purified. It also has the added benefit for hair by preventing hair loss and dandruff - this is excellent for the scalp and hair in particular. The Coconut + Argan  is recommended for dry skin, damaged or coloured hair.  This contains coconut oil with the previously mentioned benefits and Argan oil. The Argan oil here has moisturising, nourishing, cleansing and conditioning, properties with vitamin A and E, antioxidants, omega-6 fatty acids and linoleic acid.  This was our favourite of the trio – we found it gentle and efficient for removing makeup, and left our skin feeling super-hydrated too. When used as a shampoo it cleansed the hair leaving us with little or no need for a conditioner. The Tea Tree + Lime + Mint  is more for oily or combination skin and greasy hair. The Tea Tree leaf oil, is known for its cleansing and antiseptic properties, helps to eliminate dandruff. This oil is good for oily skin, and of course, thanks to the terpenes, it deeply cleanses. Lime oil is also present here and thanks to the limonene it contains, the antioxidant effect boosts skin health to make it look brighter. This lime oil also helps to fight against dandruff, and adds a glossy sheen to the hair. The spearmint leaf oil, provides a fresh scent to this cleansing bar and is also a natural antibacterial and anti-fungal. It also stops scalp dryness boosting blood circulation for healthier hair. With #lockdown nearly at an end (we hope!), these multipurpose 3in1 Shampoo Bars will fast become your new best friends as you throw them into your rucksack, and take-off this summer for your staycation adventure . You can purchase the 3 in 1 Shampoo bar trio for £22.00 here. 

MINT have kindly given you, our readers, 50% off! Please use the promo code IAMAMAZING (valid from 1 May until 31 July 2021 at 23:59). Where you can buy one and get one free on each of the three 3-in-1 Shampoo Bars (NB this does not apply to The Trio package). You can use the code multiple times until 31 July. Finally, all orders are dispatched on the same working day when completed before 3 pm.