By Achilles - Blue Jasmine Facial Serum

Everyone tells us that they have had at some point, either an overly dry or oily complexion. Today at The Amazing Blog we are sharing another of our #Amazingfinds, with a serum made with potent natural and organic ingredients that are specifically designed to relieve and treat all types of skin issues – we think that this Blue Jasmine Facial Serum By Achilles is a bit of a miracle-worker.

The founder of By Achilles is Michelle Zenia Achilles, a certified holistic aesthetician, with expertise in aromatherapy and skincare formulation.  Her interested in beauty started early on, as she formulated her very first skincare elixir while still in school, and this Facial Sunshine Elixir is still sold today. Since then, she has developed a whole skincare collection, with beauty tools, pure oils, and teas. Her recipes are inspired by the treasures that nature has to offer and information about skincare formulations that she has gathered throughout the years. All formulas are handcrafted from her atelier in Copenhagen, with organic, wild-grown, and sustainably sourced ingredients, and lots of positive energy! Because Michelle believes her formulas should only bring good to both the soul and skin, all of her products are created without additives, preservatives, or colourants. A good example is this Blue Jasmine Facial Oil that we’re reviewing today, where the only preservatives used here are willow bark and rosemary oil extract. The beautiful cerulean colour makes the formula unique together with its floral, yet calming, fragrance. If you are wondering where this deep cerulean blue comes from, keep reading on…

If you’re a fan of super-potent formulas that target atopic skin, then you won’t be disappointed with this Blue Jasmine Facial Oil 100% vegan cocktail. Packed with antioxidants, nutrients, and rebalancing ingredients that do an excellent job at locking in moisture and protecting the epidermis while renewing the cell structure by unclogging the pores and stimulating the collagen production at the same time. This oil is a must-have for anyone facing skin disorders whether it be acne, imperfection-prone combination skin, an uber-sensitive skin suffering from eczema, or mature skin in need of a regeneration boost. Today we’re going into a little more detail than usual with this product.

Its all-natural composition is without chemicals and silicones, makes it the perfect formula for any skin that needs rebalancing. The primary carrier oil here is jojoba, which is probably the best natural-based hydration source that exists for oily and acne-prone skins, because of its composition which is close to our skin’s own sebum. The formula also contains multiple other non-comedogenic vegetal oils, like olive squalene – which is the plant version of human skin’s lipid. The other extracted oils from watermelon seeds, shea, kukui, evening primrose, and palmarosa, are all very light, with similar moisturising properties as jojoba. This makes the serum extra-light in texture and super easy for the skin to absorb. Extremely high in oleic and linoleic fatty acids, which also resemble human sebum, as they trick the skin into thinking that it has produced enough sebum while giving it just the right amount of nutrients to hydrate the epidermis and protect it. These fatty acids and olive squalene which is also a good source of antioxidants, as the molecules act as protection against free radicals that damage the epidermis and make the skin more prone to age faster, leaving scars, dark spots, and fine lines. The palmitoleic and stearic acid from the apricot kernel, andiroba, shea butter, and evening primrose help detoxify the pores and clear the complexion. Not forgetting the super-antioxidant actives like phenols and phytosterols that are found in red berries like the açai berry and pomegranate, and grapeseed, all known for their cell exfoliation and renewal boost. These ingredients not only protect from skin radicals, but they also target the scar tissues to ensure that the scars are correctly formed for healing.

The Blue Jasmine Face Serum has been formulated with essential oil extracts from extra potent plants renowned and used for thousands of years by ancient civilisations for their medicinal and analgesic properties. These include lavender, jasmine, blue tansy, rosemary, geranium, and calendula, which all contain significant doses of powerful antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal properties; making them the perfect ingredients to free your skin from acne, eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. These essential oils are also the perfect ally for atopic skins, as they have the anti-inflammatory action needed to carry out by the other ingredients mentioned earlier (jojoba, shea, palmarosa). The watermelon and evening primrose oil with terpenes like limonene, camphor, a-bisabolol, and chamazulene act on our cannabinoid receptors to help soothe inflammation. You might have noticed the name ‘blue tansy’ (pictured above). This tiny rare flower is indeed the one that provides this beautiful and compelling colour to the formula, along with chamomile, which it is related to. This deep blue colour, which is not originally found in the flower, is obtained during the extraction process when the chamazulene and guaiazulene are released. These are actually exceptionally potent compounds used for treating all sorts of skin issues and redness due to their highly anti-inflammatory action. These essential oils are also a signature of the brand, where their knowledge of medicinal plants and aromatherapy come into play.  

Although on paper, it says it’s the perfect care for combination and imperfection-prone skins with the fatty acids, purifying actives and healing compounds that all balance each other. This also creates the ideal balance of hydration, cell regeneration, and antioxidation, restoring for both oily and dry skin to obtain a ‘normal’ epidermis, while treating and preventing inflammations acne and ageing. This all-encompassing serum, we tried alone and under our regular moisturiser, it is easy to use and gave an excellent hydration boost to the skin – we found it calmed, did its work and left our skin blooming! To purchase the 30ml bottle, see here for £49.93.

AnneMarie Skincare: Palo Santo Body Butter

We at The Amazing Blog know that taking care of the skin on the body is just as important as taking care of your face. Particularly in these cold winter months and for those with a propensity to dry or cracked skin. We found that looking for a rich, hydrating and natural body butter that performs can be a bit of mission. We’ve heard a lot of good things about the brand AnnMarie Skincare and their hero product Palo Santo Body Butter and could wait to put it to the test.

The story begins with AnnMarie and Kevin Gianni, who at the time in 2008 were both healthy living bloggers, set out on a trip through North and South America. They spent their journey looking for natural care products and sharing them with their viewers on their YouTube channel, The Renegade Health Show.  After multiple viewers asked Annmarie what products she used, like many people, she realised they weren’t as clean and green as she wanted. While trying to find cleaner and greener products, she found nothing that was to her standards. AnnMarie randomly found a company after visiting a small spa in Patagonia, Arizona, United States. She contacted the brand founder Bunnie a herbalist and chemist, on working together on a collaboration for a natural skincare line and sell it on a bigger scale rather than just at the spa. In 2009, AnnMarie Skincare launched in collaboration with Bunnie and the brands has gone on from strength to strength winning awards and gaining global recognition. Their artisan products are non-GMO, cruelty-free, wildcrafted and contain organic ingredients wherever possible; these all come about through their 3-step process. In their first step, they choose their organic and wildcrafted ingredients and audit them to ensure purity. Their step two is infusing herbs into aloe vera and skin-nourishing oils for up to 30 days to create a base. The third and final step is to carefully craft products using numerous other natural ingredients such as oils, plant extracts.

In these uncertain times with lockdown, we think giving skin a little self-love and care is much needed. The Palo Santo Body Butter is a truly luxurious body treatment. It is formulated specifically to get the skin hydrated and healthy. This Body Butter includes key ingredients of shea butter and fair-trade cocoa butter which are both known to give the skin great hydration. The shea butter not only hydrates but helps the fight against ageing and soothes sensitive skin. The cocoa butter includes fatty acids which help tighten the skin’s appearance, with antioxidants that protect the skin's surface from oxidative damage caused by free radicals and environmental aggressors and give this butter its subtle chocolatey aroma. There is jojoba packed with vitamins such as E and B, and ideal for sensitive skin.  Kukui nut is for soothing and softening without leaving a greasy film and is beneficial for eczema and psoriasis. Whereas the macadamia reduces the appearance of ageing and has manganese, an essential mineral required for collagen production. The four essential oils here are cardamon, palo santo, vetiver and nutmeg. The cardamon is full of vitamin C improving the tone and texture of the skin and is a great antioxidant. The palo santo, which the product is named after, is an essential oil that has calming effects for the body and soul, it is a rare oil extracted from trees in Ecuador. It has a unique fragrance and is often used in ‘smudging’ rituals to clear and calm a room. The vetiver and nutmeg warm the skin and adds to the scent. The fragrance is unusual we could pick out the cocoa butter and vetiver and nutmeg in particular, what we loved was the performance. It is rich and luxurious as it says, but also long-lasting. When applied in the morning we found it kept skin soft throughout day and night, shielding and protecting and was still evident on the skin when showering the following morning. It is expensive but as we often say, a little goes a long way and this 200ml tub will last a good month or so. The Palo Santo Body Butter was sent to us by UK online retailer Live in the Light. They believe that products you put on your body have an impact on your health. All the products that they stock are natural, organic and chemical-free, you can purchase the Palo Santo Body Butter here for £69.50.

Soapology - Hair Conditioner Bar

With the world as it is, we’re all now looking for more sustainable ways of living, and a question we keep being asked is: Where do we start? A good starting point is to find environmentally friendly personal products, such as skin and hair care. Today at The Amazing Blog we want to introduce you to greener alternatives for your hair care with a Hair Conditioner Bar by Soapology.

Based in Nottingham, Emma Grosse started her company Soapology in 2011, after making natural body scrubs and skincare for friends and family; as they told her that these products were much better than the options found in-store! This was the turning point when Grosse decided to produce commercially and said: “Any product we buy in liquid form such as a shower gel, shampoo or conditioner can be made in a solid version and is much more eco friendly as we are stripping the need for a watertight container which is usually a plastic bottle. Our solid Hair Conditioner Bar is great because it’s plastic-free and therefore zero waste. It’s also great for travelling.” The brand has concentrated on the production of handcrafted artisan soaps and spent months doing research and trial tests to perfect the products. Grosse’s love for the craft prompted her to open up the Soapology Studio in 2014, holding group soap-making workshops as well as one-on-one sessions. Soapology is committed to combatting homelessness and has partnered with Framework. For every ten items purchased, they donate one bar of soap to this charity which supports vulnerable and homeless people in the Nottinghamshire area. 

The Hair Conditioner Bar in 2020 has swept the board with awards, a silver for the Best Ethical Hair Product and the Best Zero Waste Product in the Global Green Beauty Awards, plus a gold at the Green Parent Natural Awards. So, we couldn’t wait to try it! We think that this should be your first step in getting rid of those plastic conditioner bottles in your bathroom. It is housed in an aluminum tin, which can be reused once the bar is finished. We recommend using this after shampooing, where you squeezing out the hair, and rub the conditioner bar directly starting at the ends and working up, letting it absorb into the hair strands, then rinsing out after a minute or more. Between uses, they suggest leaving the Conditioner Bar to dry, which can be done in their tin. We love that it contains four key natural ingredients which are cocoa butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil and castor oil. It also has a fresh scent that comes from pure essential oils of grapefruit, lime and rosemary. Here the cocoa butter (bean pods pictured above) adds moisture, volume and strength, it helps to repair damaged hair. The coconut oil helps fight against dandruff and provides moisture, shine, and softness. The jojoba oil is rich in vitamins such as vitamins B, D and E, all of which help to nourish the hair. Finally, the castor oil hydrates the scalp increases blood flow and thus stimulates new hair growth. Combining these ingredients gives the hair a deep condition and helps de-tangle (a must for us). We have fallen in love with this Conditioner Bar with its simple ingredients, high performance and zero-waste green credentials. It’s another one of our #amazingfinds. It is good value and lasted for us approximately 6-8 washes (with very long curly hair). You can purchase the 50g Hair Conditioner Bar here for only £8.

Marc Inbane - Perle de Soleil

It’s November, the leaves are turning glorious hues of bronze, red and orange. However, our skin at The Amazing Blog has that grey ‘city pallor’ and is much in need of some help to get back its healthy summer glow. We were thrilled to receive some ‘sun beads’ from one of our favourite award-winning tanning brands Marc Inbane, where these ‘Perle de Soleil’ are easy to incorporate into our everyday skincare regime adding a golden shimmer to the complexion.

Marc Inbane was founded in 2012 in the Netherlands by a trio whose names  INgo, BArt and NEle form a portmanteau to cleverly become the brand name ‘INBANE’.  Marc Inbane is a tanning brand that we first introduced with their traveling set here and is a brand that we have kept a steady eye on as they grow. They have created a safe premium tanning brand that has innovative formulas that allows the consumer to achieve a healthy and natural-looking glow all-year-round. Their products are suitable for all skin types and tones; they’re vegan, cruelty-free and don’t contain any parabens, silicones or sulphates. And most importantly, dermatologically tested and EU compliant. Their products are award-winning and now retailed in over 40 countries, they’re also used by leading make-up artists and recommended by dermatologists.

Perle de Soleil was launched in 2018 and has been developed based on a four-fold tanning technology that uses an airless drop dosage system.  This particular award-winning unisex product is probably the easiest self-tanning product that we have tried in ages, as it integrates seamlessly into daily skincare. All you need to do to achieve that lost summer glow is mix a few drops of Perle de Soleil with your day cream. The convenient ‘one drop’ applicator allows you to create that custom sun-kissed look with the intensity that you want. The brand suggests using 2 to 3 drops to subtly enhance skin colour, or 4-5 drops to create a medium tan and 5+ drops if you are going for a full-on sun-drenched look. You can also progressively increase the number of drops if you want to give the illusion this winter of returning from the sunny ski slopes. The product is quick and takes about 3 hours to work its magic, lasting up to 3 or 4 days, giving the skin a natural look. After this, you can shower, sleep, go out in the sun, (with an SPF of course, perhaps mixed with these drops?)  Two quick reminders: (1) Don’t forget to exfoliate your skin before using a self-tanning product to prepare the skin and rid it of those pesky dead skin cells to leave the skin a silky smooth blank canvas. (2) Wash your hands after applying or you’ll end up with orange palms! The product comes in a sealed airless sleek 15ml black tube which allows for a long shelf life without preservatives. We recommend including this in your next beauty shopping list, where you can purchase it here for € 34.95. it’s another one of our #amazingfinds as it’s cost-effective and lasts up to an astonishing four months, which in our view is excellent value.

KAYO - Detox Mask to Scrub

Everybody needs a little self-love after the past year of Covid disruption. So here at The Amazing Blog we’re looking again at more home-spa products as we enter, yet again, another lockdown here in the UK.  Today we are featuring The Kayo Detox Mask to Scrub, which helps the body to detox and start afresh.

Founder Christine Bullock believes in the idea that taking care of your skin should not stop at your chin. She knows first-hand about taking care of the skin as a renowned fitness expert; Bullock saw the skin on her body ageing faster than the skin on her face! She scoured the internet to find consumer beauty products specifically created for ‘rejuvenating the body’ but drew a blank. This propelled her on her journey to design a skincare regime specifically formulated for the body as a solution-based range and two years later, she launched KAYO Body Care. Bullock commented: “The skin on your body is just as important as the skin on your face. Yet, the industry does not treat it as such. The goal with KAYO Body Care is to change this complacent way of thinking about skin and body care. Our skin is our largest organ. Keeping it healthy not just from the inside out but the outside in is vital for overall health." These products are face grade ingredients but for the body and are made in small batches at a family-owned and run lab. All products are cruelty-free using only clean and effective ingredients that revitalise the skin and help to fight against damaging elements such as pollution and UV rays.

The KAYO Detox Mask to Scrub they describe as an ‘all-in-one’ product. However, we think it is more of a ‘two-in-one’ product; It provides not only a mask but also an exfoliant scrub for the whole body which is suitable for all skin types. The mask gives hydration, by locking in the skin’s natural moisture. In contrast, the scrub washes away dirt, pollutants and toxins that contribute to many skin issues.  They also call it a ‘Face Grade Body Care®’ and it’s certainly a first for us to try. By using this Detox Mask to Scrub, it will help to give a healthy, smoother and more glowy skin and comes in a sleek bathroom-friendly 70g white plastic tub with a gold accent screw-on lid. It has a slightly fruity fragrance with key ingredients such as bamboo charcoal, which clears pores helping remove impurities such as chemicals and dirt. This works together with the kaolin clay which also gently cleanses and balances the body oils; absorbing impurities by purifying and detoxifying, plus soothing sensitive and irritable skin. The volcanic pumice here acts as the exfoliant by buffing away the dead skin. Whereas the aloe vera juice, coconut and avocado oils, and shea butter all come together to hydrate the skin. We found it easy to apply, massaging it into damp skin, then leaving it on for up to five minutes, followed by either soaking off in the bath or rinsing away in the shower.  It gets thet thumbs up from us as it left our body feel clean and energised - ready to take on the day! To purchase your KAYO Detox Mask to Scrub at $54 see here.