Pura Vida Organic - CBD After Shave Moisturiser and the Shaving Gel & Wash

At The Amazing Blog we learned that Pura Vida is a phrase that originates from Costa Rica, and translates as ‘pure life’ or ‘simple life’. Today we’re talking about CBD infused grooming products from the Croatian skincare company Pure Vida Organic. As regular readers will know we are big fans of all things CBD (see here).

According to Pura Vida Organic founder Jennifer Deegan, ‘pure life’ is a philosophy that she encourages us to apply to our own lives, just as she applies it to the products that her company creates.  In a world where we have to address the issues of sustainability alongside those of our own consumption, here is a manufacturer proudly bringing us the purest natural alternatives to mainstream cosmetics, whilst also keeping the environmental impact as low as possible. Now of course as soon as one mentions CBD or Cannabidiol, there are going to be those who inevitably will flinch at the association with anything remotely cannabis-related (which we explain in our CBD feature here). However, it is worth noting that there’s some research now available on the benefits of CBD oil. With reports of good acne management, as well as relief from anxiety, neuroprotection and pain relief it opens up endless healing possibilities for the future.

The two products that we tried from Pura Vida Organics were the Shaving Gel & Wash, and the CBD After Shave Moisturiser. Apart from the obvious convenience of having a Shaving Gel & Wash in one handy bottle, the Budrovic Lavender from Hvar (Croatia) and peppermint water base gives a welcome refreshing boost to the morning ritual. It helps to set the skin up perfectly for an onslaught of a steel blade and includes aloe vera into the mix, which gives a gentle and soothing effect during cleansing. This continues unabated through to the completion of the shave, keeping irritation to a minimum.

However, should there be any stress or redness to the skin, then this is where the Pura Vida Organic’s CBD After Shave Moisturiser steps in with a defined calming sensation that comes through from the essential oils again of peppermint and lavender. These ingredients are also aligned with that of pine needles and the moisturising butter both providing immediate relief from irritation, with the 30ml – 620mg organic cannabis sativa seed extract (CBD) full-spectrum with 0.001% THC. Sustainability is also a priority for this brand, with all its packaging uniquely made from 25% grass. All products are vegan, Cosmos Organic approved, cruelty-free and handmade in Croatia. Pura Vida Organic’s Shaving Gel & Cleanser is 50ml, priced at €15.98 here, and the CBD After Shave Moisturiser is 30ml priced at €17.90 here. This is most certainly a brand to watch, and we can’t wait to try more from their skincare and body butters.

Terre De Mars - 004 Resonance Body & Hair Oil

At the Amazing Blog we’re big fans of the humble coffee bean and its versitility - not only can it give a wonderful boost to those of who find the early mornings a bit of a trial, but the health and medicinal benefits of caffeine-based cosmetology is now also sitting centre stage and rightly getting the attention it deserves. Terre De Mars is a company at the forefront of this.

Started by three friends who had memories of their grandmother espousing on the virtues of coffee as more than just a beverage, they started their empire from the humble beginnings of a 100% pure coffee face scrub. Alexandre, Poulad and Salem had such a phenomenal success with their scrub, that they progressed onto a more sure footing with the launch of a full range of coffee-based products, all of which are COSMOS, COSMEBIO, vegan and cruelty-free certified, and gender fluid. They created their formulae which comply completely with ECOCERT Standards, having researched and understood the benefits of using caffeine in a highly concentrated form, and along with the other totally natural ingredients, the results are a perfect fit for skin bio-compatibility and sensorial richness.

Today we’re talking about the Terre De Mars Résonance 004 Resonance Body & Hair Oil which contains antioxidant and nourishing oils to achieve radiance and smoothness. Castor oil regenerates the skin, and that vital caffeine component tones and invigorates the skin tissues, with Argan oil providing much-needed hydration. The complete range is a happy marriage between science and nature, formulated from powerful bioactive and probiotic ingredients, thus providing a powerful cocktail of nutrients. The benefits do not end there, not only is this nurturing balm kind to our skin, but the packaging is all created with recycled material, meaning the environment reaps huge rewards also. By the way, It doesn’t smell of coffee and has only a hint of zesty citrus scent from the bitter orange water.

Available here at €58 for the 100ml bottle, this is clearly unlikely to be an impulse buy, but the benefits of this newfound elixir are there to be experienced, and the results celebrated. We also believe from their retailer’s page here that it is currently available instore at Wolf & Badger or Make Me Feel (in London) for approx. £48.

R&R Luxury - Shea Oil Marrakech Nights & Liquid Black Soap

Let us at The Amazing Blog bow down to the wonders of shea butter, and its remarkable natural healing qualities, as developed by the R&R Luxury skincare company based in Ghana and bringing 100% natural African luxury to our skin in their formidable men’s range.

Developed by the founder Valerie Obaze in 2010 as her quest to bring a moisturiser that could be as gentle on a grown-up’s skin as well as that of a newborn baby, we have literally at our fingertips, the pure unadulterated natural benefits of shea butter which is the main constituent in both the face and body oil and their Liquid Black Soap.

The Face & Body Oil is tantalisingly called Marrakech Nights, and the main ingredient, of course, is shea oil which is particularly effective in the treatment of various skin conditions such as scarring, dry and/or ageing skin, as well as sunburn. Because it is so gentle of course, sensitive skin can also be soothed by this balm. Just a few drops are enough to be rubbed between the palms, and then applied directly to the skin when wet, or added to another body cream for an overall application.

R&R’s Liquid Black Soap contains the essential oil of lemongrass which gives it the most wonderfully fresh fragrance, and a burst of aromatherapeutic essence producing a highly effective and thorough cleansing gel. Again, with the benefits of the shea butter, this is particularly good for treating complaints like eczema, psoriasis and acne. Being 100% natural means we also don’t have to worry about parabens, artificial colours or mineral oils.

The unisex range is available from the website here. The Shea Oil - Marrakech Nights at 250ml at £17  and  Liquid Black Soap at 250ml at £12.50. The brand is actively seeking new distributors, so hopefully, availability will increase soon. With that and also the company’s success at 2018 Pure Beauty Awards, it can only be a matter of time before this range racks up yet even more success.

Shakeup Cosmetics

My turn dear readers to say ‘Happy New Year’! Today I’m kicking-off with one of our #amazingfinds which is a new brand of men’s cosmetics. Apparently us boys have different skin to the girls… (NB: Girls at The Amazing Blog!) that may sound a glib expression, but there is an increasing amount of data to show that our skin is 20 - 25% thicker due to the presence of testosterone, which goes some way to explain why certain products manufactured for women can be ineffective for us. Since we also have slightly larger active sebaceous glands, our pores tend to be larger leading to a higher propensity of acne and pore blockages. Of course, we also put our skin through the dreaded daily slash of a sharp blade which inevitably stresses the epidermis, making it far more sensitive.

Happily, for us twin brothers Shane Carnell-Xu and Jake Xu have come to our rescue - they are the driving force behind Shakeup Cosmetics and are shining the light ahead for us boys to reap the benefits of a skincare range as diverse as that for women, but specifically tailored for our needs. Whilst we all want to look our best, not everyone wants to make it headline news when we walk into a room, which is where Shane and Jake have come to our aid with their Shakeup Cosmetics For Men range. Although born in Beijing, the boys emigrated to the UK in their teens and are proud to have formulated and produced their line here, ensuring the highest standards, as well as rejecting animal testing, and keeping their products totally vegan-friendly.

At the moment, we have the Under Eye Concealer and Moisturiser, called ‘Eye Eye Captain’, the ‘Let’s Face It’ Tinted Moisturiser, and the ‘Lip Life To The Full’ Volumising and Moisturising  Lip Gel, with the first two of that list coming in Light, Medium and Dark shades for the skin palette. Retailing at £20 for the Concealer, £25 for the Moisturiser, and £12 for the Lip Gel, we can get our hands on these goodies from here and that stalwart of the pioneer brands, Harvey Nichols - and when HN starts stocking a range, you know it’s one to watch! This range is certainly one to try, as there is a revolution afoot in the male grooming world, and it is being spearheaded by dynamic teams like Shane and Jake who believe in natural, wholesome skincare, and are bringing it to market for us to enjoy.

Barber Pro - Foot Peel Treatment

With all the Christmas Shopping now well underway, we at The AmazingBlog are keen to look out for those special products which go to help us all in the pursuit of ticking the ‘Done’ boxes on those names on our presents lists. When we find something extra special, we end up shouting about it, and this week we have an absolute corker for you in the shape of a pair of magical booties from that inventive team over at Barber Pro, who have literally condensed the most wonderful pedicure into a handy pochette with clear instructions on how to make the most of their ingenious Foot Peel Treatment. So here we go with our festive bellow …

This is not a ‘foot mask’ but more of a peel - to be exact, with all the benefits of one of those blissfully indulgent appointments with a pedicurist who knows their stuff and take our worn-out hooves, and transform them into tingling tootsies ready for the party circuit. Now, this process is quite involved, so attention should be paid to getting it right, and then enjoying those well-earned benefits - even if that does mean another round of Christmas shopping … the beauty here is that the process works over several days and means whatever we are doing the results continue to generate.

The key ingredients in this award-winning Foot Peel Treatment, include salicylic and glycolic acids, along with the more pampering focused goodies of sage, lavender, honeysuckle, peach, rosemary, as well as lemon and lime, with a jolly good dose of vitamin E thrown in for good measure. The first candidates on that list may not immediately fill you with ideas of relaxation, but their presence is vital in the process of ridding the skin of all the detritus which can build up through lack of attention, and we all know the one area of our body which works hardest of all, and gets the least amount of attention is the feet. Having washed the feet with clean water, we literally slip them into these envelopes of heaven and allow the science to take over. Fear not, the process is a gentle one - there are no mineral oils, lanolin, petroleum or parabens here, and for 90 minutes we allow the magic to begin.

 It will take 7 days for the incredible results to bloom, and in that time do be prepared for any skin nasties to be discarded, but the wait will be worth it. Obviously there are aftercare pointers to observe - no foot creams for a minimum of 7 days also, and it is best to not be scrubbing the feet too harshly as that could undo all your preparation, but you will be left with a matching set of perfectly primed pinkies, ready to sheath in those Monster Munch socks which undoubtedly will be in our stockings ℅ Santa! Costing £7.95 from here - if you manage to find a pair, grab them as they are proving incredibly popular … and we can happily see why.