Shelton's Coffee - Coffee Hearts

For us a day without coffee is a day wasted! At The Amazing Blog ever time poor, we were thrilled to receive the rather special Shelton’s instant Coffee and their Coffee Hearts have since become a bit of a life saver here at the office. We don’t know about you, but sometimes during the week we’re just too busy, to even dive into the local café to pick up a quick caffeine shot.

Shelton’s Coffee is a family owned business based in UK, where they have focused their expertise in Colombian coffee for the past 40 years. Founded by Ximena Shelton (hence the name of the brand) whose Colombian background has helped in the brand’s mission to source 100% single origin Arabica Colombian coffee. This coffee is very high-quality, all sustainably grown, ethically farmed and artisan roasted. Direct from the crop to the cup, they use two different types of roasting one is the dark roast a perfect match for an espresso because of its creamy body; and the other is medium roast which is smoother and silkier. Like us, Ximena has a hectic lifestyle too. this is why she developed Shelton’s Coffee Hearts. With Coffee Hearts, they’re so easy that all you have to do is pop one heart into a cup with hot water and let it dissolve; they are convenient, practical, and easy, revolutionising the art of instant coffee.

While the Mocha Coffee Hearts are the most popular variety out of the 6 available, we kept flitting between the Classic Colombian giving us a taste of smooth, medium roasted coffee with fruity notes, and the Cappuccino Hearts which provided us with the intensity of an espresso combined with the taste of a creamy milk foam. Far too difficult for us to choose a favourite!  All hearts come in boxes containing 10 servings individually wrapped to retain freshness and each of them is only 5 calories. We loved Shelton’s Coffee because unlike most instant coffees, they took away the bitter after-taste, maintaining the true fresh coffee flavour. They are allergen free, and don’t contain any added sugars potentiating the natural ingredients.

Shelton’s Coffee Hearts was highlighted by Mintel UK for ‘The best convenience innovation in the coffee market’ and was selected to co-exhibit with the Department of International Trade at IFE2019 as well as being shortlisted for the 2019 CHS Awards. If you are unsure about what flavour to try, why not purchase the Assorted Coffee Hearts which contain one of each of the coffee varieties, then you can decide which one you like the best. Purchase your Shelton’s Coffee Hearts box here at only £5.00, not only are they delicious but uber time-saving too, we like that!

Urban Jack - Revolution Shave Serum

We have often wondered here at The Amazing Blog, why when it comes to shaving the unwanted follicles from our varied skin types, many shaving preparations often obliterate any view of the actual epidermis? When we are about to drag a ferociously sharp razor edge across our chins, would it not make more sense to have a cream which actually keeps visibility as a priority, allowing us to see what we are trying to do? We all have highly individual challenges when it comes to our skin, whether that be problematic acne or moles which obviously need to avoid the unforgiving blade, or indeed the more aesthetic requirements of trimming away only that which we are wanting to get rid of.

The anwer to this conundrum has happily arrived in the stylishly  designed range of products from Urban Jack - and in particular a hero product in the shape of their Revolution Shave Serum which was swiftly transferred onto the beard which needed a bit of attention. Boasting some seriously impressive ingredients -vitis vinifera (grape) fruit meristem cell culture, which are powerful antiioxidants that protect skin from UV stress and maintains the cell characteristics of epidermal stem cells; limanthes alba (meadowfoam) seed oil which functions as a skin-conditioning agent,  oryza sativa (rice) bran oil extract for skin soothing enzymes and antioxidant properties. And always one of our favourites, shea butter which not only provides a rich source of vitamin A, but is also rapidly absorbed into the skin and seals in moisture helping to keep those wrinkles at bay. The rice bran oil also brings unsaturated fatty acids to the mix, as well as natural antioxidants and vitamin E to help protect the skin, whereas the alba seed oil helps to form a natural barrier to keep moisture within the skin, avoiding dehydration. As proud as Urban Jack are of this shaving gem that is made up of 96% natural ingredients, they also take great pride in being against animal testing, as well as dermatologically tested, totally vegan-friendly, and of course made in the UK!

Urban Jack offer up a few suggestions to their customers of ‘how to use’ here . It comes  in at a very competitive priced £18 for 30ml, the Revolution ShaveSerum is available through their online shop here where the complete range can also be thoroughly inspected, which is definitely worth checking out for all the other goodies on offer. Standard delivery is free of charge, but we also have the option of next day delivery which is charged at £3.95. 

War Paint Makeup For Men - Concealer/ Tinted Moisturiser

Stand by your beds troops, we are about to be brought to attention - or is that ‘TEN-SHUN’? Well, whichever is besides the point, just so long as our skin is primed and ready for action… if not, the very exciting range from Warpaint Makeup For Men that has been lined up with military precision on this desk at The Amazing Blog is just what you need. Brace yourselves boys, we have got to pull our socks up and focus on bringing our grooming regime up to scratch, or accept defeat in the face of … well the face really!

Warpaint Makeup For Men, was launch by Daniel Gray who shares with us his struggle with body dysmorphic disorder, which propelled him on his journey starting the brand and helping other, he tells us: “I still struggle every single day with how I look but every day I’m learning how to handle it and I wouldn’t have progressed and come as far as I have if it hadn’t of been for makeup”. He also went on to say, “I’m in no way saying that makeup is a cure for bullies, or a miracle serum for low self-esteem and lack of confidence. But using makeup has really helped me manage my BDD and by creating War Paint, I hope it opens a door for men to also get the support they need from makeup.” The brand has broken the stigma that makeup is just for women by creating this masculine looking range of vegan and cruelty-free cosmetics. Apparently, there is a difference between men and women’s skin, men’s skin ranges from nearly 25% thicker due to the testosterone production which in turn creates more sebum and increases the oil produced.

Taking care of our skin is nothing new, in fact unless we have been cowering under a stone for the past 20 years, then each of us will have to some extent a daily routine of keeping our skin in as perky a condition as possible - the fact we are here tapping away merrily on the laptop at all is evidence of that. However, the inevitable has become mainstream, and now simply maintaining what Mother Nature gave us, is not enough - now we have to be making the very best of what we have with the help of Warpaint- great name to help recruitment, and great product for those of us who have already signed up and are now committed to showing ourselves at our best on the frontline!

The Tinted Moisturiser  is three products in one - a foundation, moisturiser and concealer. Light and easily absorbed, the tint just gives an extra depth to your skin tone, and if you need help choosing what skin type you are, then head over to here to see all the options to discover. For heavier blemishes or scars, we have the Warpaint Concealer in our arsenal to help cover those up, containing tea tree oil to boost the epidermis whilst in action. As a tip, we found using the handy shaped Face Sponge to apply the concealer which is available as part of the full range, made life a lot easier, but both products can be applied with the fingers if unarmed combat is more your thing. Costing £22 for 30ml of the Tinted Moisturiser here and £18 for a 5g pot of Concealer here, funding this weaponry for the daily battle ahead isn’t going to break the bank. All products are available through their website  here. BTW with every one their Concealers that you buy, War Paint will donate 50p from each concealer sale to CALM Campaign Against Living Miserably. This charity promotes the freedom of talking about the burdens that men face and the positive affect that a simple chat can have, when you’re just not feeling quite yourself. So remember troops - YOUR skin needs YOU!

PHB Ethical Beauty's Gentle Cleanser

Anyone with sensitive, dry or eczema-prone skin will know that finding skincare is somewhat of a challenge. It is particularly difficult to find a gentle and effective cleanser; and as some of us suffer from mild eczema at The Amazing Blog, we thought it was about time to actively search for new and effective products. This is when we returned to one of our trusted favourites: PHB Ethical Beauty, a vegan, ethical and organic brand, bringing gentle skincare to the market, without an ounce of medical looking packaging. Regular readers will recognise this brand, having featured both their Skin Brighten Gel (see here) and 2-in-1 Hand and Body Moisturiser (see here). With raving reviews previously, we were excited to test whether their Gentle Cleanser would live up to expectations.

PHB Ethical Beauty is a family-run company providing a range of natural, handmade and palm oil free products. The brand is similarly alcohol-free, and halal certified - inclusive to all, no matter skin type or religion. One particularly admirable element of the brand is their charitable contribution, with 20% of net profits going directly to charities across the UK and around the world. There is a reason for the name PHB Ethical Beauty, and this brand indeed is one that favours people over profit.

We tried their Gentle Cleanser with Rosehip and Avocado, a cleanser designed for sensitive, overly dry and eczema prone skin. Thanks to the addition of vitamins A and E, this cleanser not only soothes and softens the skin, but equally reduces inflammation and redness. Rosehip is known for its antioxidant properties, which we gather is the critical ingredient for attaining that youthful glow. On the other hand, avocado (the nation's best-loved brunch ingredient) is particularly effective at moisturising the skin, protecting against unnecessary dryness. The real winner here though is the use of organic ingredients, and avoidance of essential oils and fragrance. For anyone with reactive skin, you'll know this is a make or break element of any product, and in fact, we would suggest, products with either are best to be avoided for any skin type. Additionally, the packaging also feels very premium, with a lovely glass bottle and eco-friendly box - not a single cheap plastic bottle in sight! To try this bottle of goodness for yourself, visit the PHB Ethical Beauty website here, where is it available for £17.00.

By Sarah London's Organic Hair Oil

We're sure we're not alone in admitting that we spend our early mornings armed with a hairdryer (and other hot hair styling tools…) Whether we're going for a straight or curly style, we're no strangers to using a little heat to tame our tresses at The Amazing Blog; and while our hair looks well groomed, we do struggle with the inevitability of dry and damaged ends. From this issue emerged a quest to bring the shine back, bringing vegan brand, By Sarah London, into the frame. They introduced their Organic Hair Oil to us, and this has been our newfound way of injecting some much need moisture, and we couldn't wait to share this with you all!

By Sarah London is a natural and organic brand, providing products that demonstrate full transparency concerning ingredient choices. From humble beginnings, this brand emerged when founders Sarah and Lauren took on the challenge of soothing Lauren's skin while recovering from leukaemia. Their plant-based goal has since developed into a full range of hair care, body care and skincare products that promote conscious living and natural wellbeing simultaneously.

We tried their Organic Hair Oil, a 98% organic and 100% natural product, without the use of artificial ingredients, essential oils or fragrance. Instead, this gem of a find contains Argan oil, sea buckthorn oil and Vitamin E, actively working to prevent thinning of your tresses, and preventing the split ends often associated with the use of heat treatment. Having used this for a few weeks, we can confirm our hair looks and feels both stronger and softer, and with a pretty and recyclable glass bottle - it looks great on any dressing table too. The oil is also unscented, and is a nice addition in the market of heavily fragrance hair oils. To use, add 1-2 drops to clean, damp hair before blow-drying - or, we were also pleased to discover, this oil can be used before air drying your hair (with no sticky residue - bonus!)

To bring the shine back to your hair, visit the By Sarah London website here, where you'll find the 20ml bottle available for £21.50, a little goes a long way!.