Happy Carrot Skincare – Incredible Carrot Hero Balm

Today at The Amazing Blog we’re looking at a simple and effective vegan skincare – well after all it’s still ‘Veganuary’. Today the humble carrot is the key ingredient with the  Incredible Carrot Hero Balm which is full of plant-based goodness, award winning and a great multi-tasking product from Happy Carrot Skincare.

Victoria Carpenter, founder of  Happy Carrot Skincare decided to name the company Happy Carrot because she believes in the benefits and power of the plant-based ingredients -  mainly the carrot! Launched in 2019, the Happy Carrot Skincare is committed to creating plant-based skincare - that works. This Vegan Society registered brand, wants to bring a positive change to our skin and the planet. Carpenter commented: “We focus on ingredients that are amazing for combination skin which are also great for the planet. Our skincare superheroes are extremely nourishing and calming for even troubled skin, and deliberately fragrance-free.” All pots are made from recyclable plastic with compostable labels, and they use cold-pressed oils from Europe with up-cycled fruit seeds and kernels, which are excess and have been discarded from food production. They consider themselves to be a zero-waste and low carbon footprint brand. Happy Carrot Skincare keeps their ingredients to a minimum, where all their ‘superhero’ products contain less than ten in total. The brand has won by numerous awards such as The Beauty Shortlist Awards, Global Green Beauty Awards,  Free From Skincare Awards and VegFest UK Awards. Their four products range from Terrific Tomato Facial Oil, Awesome Apricot Lip Balm, Reusable Cleansing Pads to the (below) featured Incredible Carrot Hero Balm.

The Incredible Carrot Hero Balm comes in two sizes a 15g or 40g pot with recyclable plastic. This Balm helps cleanse, calm, and moisturise your skin. This one of their superhero products which only contains eight plant-based ingredients. The hero here is the carrot extract because of the number of antioxidants it has, and it also gives the skin a golden glow. Carrots contain two types of vitamin A, carotenoids and retinoids (which the liver converts into the magical ‘retinol’). These are key in producing new skin cells, being high in antioxidants reduce skin inflammation and sun damage – reducing age spots and pigmentation. The murumuru butter mixed with vegan waxes such as myrica and candelilla wax, give the Balm a smooth texture making it easy to apply and leaving the skin soft.  The other fruit seeds oils used are watermelon, tomato and raspberry which are light and fast-absorbing; they’re clarifying for those with oily skin but also nourishing for dry.  Combined they protect and moisturise with antioxidants, minerals and unsaturated fatty acids. The Balm can be used in numerous ways; we used it as a cleanser, mask, moisturiser and lip balm. However, we see that many others like it as a nail and cuticle balm. We recommend scooping a little into your hands and massaging onto the face or neck, leaving it overnight to give skin an extra vitamin A and retinol boost, then removing any excess with a gentle toner in the morning. With a whole host of vitamins and nutrients, it left our faces feeling moisturised but not greasy. This is a one-pot-wonder; we think a good investment and ideal for using when travelling light. To purchase The Incredible Carrot Hero Balm see here  40g for £25.00.

Rejuvenated: H30 Hydration® Sachets

Now we’re all held captive ‘inside’ during lockdown, it’s given us time to reflect on the state of our nutrition and its effect on our skin. Today at The Amazing Blog we’re talking about supplements and featuring one of our favourite nutraceutical brands Rejuvenated, with another of their hero products H30 Hydration® powders which are rich in natural ingredients like polyphenolic antioxidant from resveratrol - a potent weapon against ageing. 

Rejuvenated is a British nutraceutical brand founded in 2003 by Kathryn Danzey, a health and wellness expert. With a team of scientists and nutritionists, she developed a range of natural supplements focusing beauty from the inside with harmony and balance. Danzey recently said: “By embracing an overall progressive approach, we can make drastic improvements in not only our face but our whole well-being.” The brand’s core values are keeping their products 100% natural, traceable and ethically sourced. There’s no artificial sweeteners or flavourings and all their products are GMO, gluten and lactose-free. Although all products are cruelty-free they also recently launched some vegan alternatives to some of their marine collagen supplements. We applaud Rejuvenate for committing to provide 90% plastic-free packaging by the end of 2021.

Having won the prestigious global Beauty Shortlist Award three times, we consider this a must-have supplement to try. The H30 Hydration®  is a skin hydration supplement it offers a radiant boost to both the skin and energy levels. Rejuvenated has carefully combined a list of key ingredients such as hyaluronic acid giving a long-lasting surge of skin hydration.There’s resveratrol, a plant compound with powerful antioxidant properties, that tackles underlying skin stress plus protects the heart and circulatory system, and lowers cholesterol levels. With other specific nutrients included like vitamin C to protect the body from oxidative stress and inulin a fermented fruit sugar and prebiotic, it’ll further enhance your daily supplement regime. The ionic minerals here also play a crucial role and allow this drink to absorb through the gut wall more effectively. Once again, Rejuvenated has delivered an exceptional supplement where this H30 Hydration® drink, when taken regularly, will do its work by plumping up skin cells keeping them firm; where the ionic electrolytes will adjust and control the even distribution of fluids throughout the body. All of these ingredients will regulate the lipid barrier function, cellular turnover and anti-oxidant production ensuring that a supple, glowing and beautiful skin is enhanced and maintained. Drink it anytime (we drank it at night), it’s easy to use and all you have to do is add one sachet to 400ml of water, stir well and drink. This  H30 Hydration® is available in 24 individual Sachets here at £24.95.

Shake CBD: Moisturising CBD Epsom Salts - Twinset

Now we’re all at working from home; there is nothing better than taking time out to reflect on our day with a relaxing bath before bed. At The Amazing Blog we’re back with some new CBD bath-time gems to soak away the day with Shake CBD  and their Moisturising CBD Epsom Salts.

Shake CBD founder Leighton was always a fan of all things CBD, especially when he witnessed the difference it’s made to the lives of friends and family. Many people are sceptical of CBD, its effects, and what it does, which is one of the main reasons Leighton started Shake CBD, as he wants to encourage more people to experience the benefits it offers. The CBD industry is beginning to become quite saturated here in the UK, which is why Shake CBD wants to provide cost-effective natural CBD infused products.  The brand is proving to be very popular with the body-building fraternity; and now has a brand ambassador with Will McKeown, the athlete and bodybuilder. McKeown recently commented on using these CBD Epsom Salts: “ With sleep being of critical importance for muscle repair and cognition, I was surprised by just how relaxed I felt after using some of Shake’s CBD infused Epsom Salts. After a tough day of work and training, I was instantly put in a more relaxed state which allowed me to settle down for the evening and get the most out of my night’s rest. I firmly believe using CBD products had a drastic and positive effect on my training.”  Currently, Shake CBD have three CBD products in their range with 1000mg Full Spectrum CBD oil, 1200mg CBD Muscle Rub and their 100mg Moisturising CBD Epsom Salts. They try to keep a low carbon footprint with their CBD which is sourced and manufactured here in the UK.

These handmade artisanal Moisturising CBD Epsom Salts  are a twin set and come in 200mg recyclable and reusable clear glass bottles with metal screw tops. There are only four natural ingredients used which are a combination of Epsom salts, sweet almond oil, 100% pure essential oils and 100 mg of CBD. The sweet almond oil hydrates and nourishes the skin and the type of CBD used in these Bath Salts is a mix of isolate and full-spectrum oil. The orange label bottle has the botanicals of lavender, bergamot and sweet orange essential oils. Lavender can help ease anxiety and also fights insomnia by helping you get a better night sleep. Bergamot is a stress reducer, lessens feelings of fatigue, and helps alleviate inflammation and sweet orangel is also anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory. The blue label bottle contains a combination of lavender, jasmine and thyme essential oils. Here the jasmine oil can be a form of anti-depressant and helps release stress whereas the thyme oil is stimulating and anti-bacterial. Apart from the CBD, the other main ingredient in both is the Epsom salts which are not ‘salts’ but are made up of therapeutic magnesium, sulphates and oxygen. They provide the body with magnesium (did you know that most people don’t consume enough magnesium in their daily diet?) Having an appropriate amount of magnesium helps boost sleep and ease stress by regulating over 325 enzymes, reducing inflammation and aids muscle and nerve function. The sulphates improve the absorption of nutrients, flush out toxins and soothes headaches.  It was hard to choose a favourite between the two, if pushed, we’d say the orange label as the fragrance we found to be slightly more uplifting.  To purchase these Moisturising CBD Epsom Salts see here for £19.99.

Zaza & Cruz - Glacial Mineral Detox Mask

Let’s talk natural face masks, after all, now we have more time on our hands between zoom calls and bedtime, there’s now no excuse for not finding a moment to pamper ourselves! At The Amazing Blog, we’ve covered quite a few face sheets, mud and liquid masks but none so unique as today’s powdered Glacial Mineral Detox Mask from Zaza & Cruz.

After spending time working as a makeup artist and beauty expert, Rebecca Hastings founded Zaza & Cruz in 2013. It all began when she started to question all the chemical ingredients in both her skincare and that of her clients. With her background in makeup and beauty, this already gave her knowledge and an added advantage; thus in 2011, she began research on natural ingredients to create her own skincare line that would not only look and feel good, but have health benefits. Based in Scotland, Hastings has developed this range into a unisex and eco-aware brand to provide products that offers protection against pollution, cellular and environmental damage. Hastings commented: “At Zazu & Cruz, we’re proud to work alongside businesses that provide sustainability, are environmentally friendly and produce a low carbon footprint with their products.”

Recently a silver medal winner at 2020 Pure Beauty, Global Green Beauty Awards, this Glacial Mineral Detox Mask is specifically formulated to give skin a boost and is one of the first companies to utilise pure Canadian Glacial Clay as its key ingredient. Found only in British Columbia, the resident indigenous people here have been using this Clay for centuries.  This Clay comes from underneath a live and active glacier that emerges with Canadian Pacific waters, where it is ethically sourced and hand-harvested. Every jar is made with over 80% pure organic glacial clay, that is enriched with more than 30 natural minerals which are rich in marine phytoplankton and healing micronutrients. It’s designed to be used on the face and body to draw out impurities, hydrate, plump and tighten the skin.  Ground into a powder form, it only needs a small amount of water to activate it into a creamy consistency ready to apply.  It forms a green paste, no distinctive fragrance, only a neutral and pleasant mineral/flinty scent.  We used this at night and found that the Clay dried quickly and left it on for 15 minutes. Then we gently wiped away the residue with a warm wet flannel; it left skin feeling cleansed, firmer and velvety to the touch. To follow, we suggest using a face oil to seal in the goodness (Zaza & Cruz have one here ) A weekly face mask for us is a must and what makes this so special, is that it feels pure and unadulterated, and contains only the simplest three ingredients with sea salt, Canadian glacial marine clay and kaolin. We applaud Zaza & Cruz for creating such a unique beauty find! To purchase the 30g pot of Glacial Mineral Detox Mask for £22 see here.

Ann & Eli Apothecary- Happy Period Tea

We knows how many women dread that ‘time of the month’ and at The Amazing Blog we like to find new ways to help ease period pains. Welcome Ann & Eli Apothecary who have created a solution with their Happy Period Tea.

Founder Andrea Bomo is a holistic wellness coach based in Montreal with a background in journalism. After her own rocky path in life, and after hearing others stories, this propelled her on to the natural health and wellness path. She spent her early twenties not paying much mind to her diet or mental health and suffered from chronic illness and depression. She was later diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome; which is when she decided to prioritise her health. Bomo is a great believer that there is a connection between our emotional and physical health. Thus her drive and inspiration behind creating Ann & Eli Apothecary is to help other women in need of support and guidance, especially to “ live naturally healthy lives and take care of their little ones.” Ann & Eli Apothecary specialise in a wide range of healing organic herbal teas and tinctures.

 The Happy Period Tea comes as a loose tea in a 57g bag with twenty five servings/portions. This tea is labelled as a menstrual cramps relief tea, but it can also help PMS and to help regulate the menstrual cycle. We recommend you use this tea if you have period pains before or during menstruation, experience PMS, have irregular periods, heavy bleeding, or have missing periods (amenorrhea). NB: They say please do not use this tea if you are pregnant. The suggested intake is to drink one to three cups a day, starting three days before the first day that your period is due. Scoop around one teaspoon of the tea into a cup or tea infuser before adding in boiling water, then allow the leaves to steep in the water for up to 15 minutes. After steeping, strain the leaves out and enjoy. Red raspberry leaf helps support healthy menstruation, toning the uterus, lessens cramps, and helps to regulate mood and hormones. Yarrow is used to relaxing the muscle in both the intestine and uterus. Sage is another ingredient that helps regulate the menstrual cycle in amenorrhea. Lemon balm also helps to relieve menstrual cramps and premenstrual syndrome. Mugwort, sounds worse than it is (!) and increases circulation to warm up the uterus, and also regulates hormone levels. The zingibain enzyme found in the ginger helps your body fight against inflammation. As mentioned, Ann & Eli Apothecary have a range of other herbal teas. These range from those for nursing mothers, pregnant women, and some are for the everyday person for everyday use, such as Cleanse Organic Liver-Detox tea and Morning Boost, to even Beauty Sleep and an immuniTea – something we all need now that we’re in #lockdown! To take period pains away try Happy Period Tea here 57g for £12.70.