Herbal Earth: Sheer Tinted Lip Balms

As chilly mornings are still with us, we thought we’d share some new natural lip protection, with these Sheer Tinted Lip Balms from Herbal Earth. These four hydrating balms keep lips moist, are long-lasting and taste delicious! Regular readers of The Amazing Blog may be familiar with the name brand, as we reviewed their much-loved No 42 Antioxidant Facial Oil here.

Driven to find natural products with quality ingredients specifically formulated for even the most sensitive skin types, Nancy O'Reilly founded the Irish skincare Herbal Earth Skincare in 2017. Herbal Earth is a small-batch indie skincare range that, in her own words, "combines the best of nature and science to create advanced natural products for sensitive skin." Like many of us, Nancy became frustrated that even though many creams and serums made claims to be formulated for all skin types, they still caused irritation. This spurred her on to create Herbal Earth, a brand that aligns with being: "Natural. Gentle. Honest." Nancy graduated in Organic Skincare Formulation from Formula Botanica, where she has utilised her knowledge and expertise. According to an article by EMPOWER Female Entrepreneurship, "The brand is targeted at women aged between 35-55 who have sensitive skin, and are into wellness and natural products.” All products are handmade, vegan, cruelty-free, natural, and suitable for every skin type. They were a recent finalist in the 2022 Irish Made Awards and a 2022 Beauty Shortlist Mama & Baby Awards winner. It’s also important to note their commitment to sustainability, where consumers can order refill pouches of products which reduces waste, plus all packaging is recyclable or biodegradable. Future plans are to power their production using renewable energy from wind and solar technologies, enabling them to implement new initiatives to further minimise their environmental footprint and support Mother Nature.

What we love is that these Herbal Earth Sheer Tinted Lip Balms offer subtle and sheer pops of colour in a range of four colours: Perfect Plum, Deep Rose, Sangria, and Guava Lava. Perfect Plum has a purple hue, while Deep Rose has a deep pink. Sangria has a rich red tint, while Guava Lava is a softer coral. Warm reds and coral always look good on skin with a warmer undertone, while deep purples and pinks complement a cooler skin tone. Their Perfect Plum and Deep Rose echo the shade ‘viva magenta,’ Pantone’s 2023 Colour of the Year described as a "bright, crimson red, it balances boldness with a feeling of fun", a shade we’ve already spotted on the cover of Vogue and the 2023 spring/summer fashion runways.

These Sheer Tinted Balms contain hydrating ingredients such as calendula infused in rice bran oil and castor seed for shine. The candelilla wax offers a protective barrier and is a popular alternative to beeswax in vegan products. There’s also cacao and cupuacu seed oil, which gives this lip balm a delicious aroma and taste. Then there are the colours, they use varying amounts of manganese violet, for its purple or violet shade, and iron oxide for its red hue used to create the orangey/red tones.

All have the naturally occurring white pigment titanium dioxide, increasing the colours' brightness and opacity. Mica is present, too; it’s an ethically sourced and naturally-occurring mineral used for its light-reflecting properties, adding a touch of sparkle and shine to the balms. It also gives a smooth, clump-free texture and improves skin adhesion, helping the tint to last. Combine the mica and titanium dioxide, and they offer a glossy, pearlescent effect. These carefully selected ingredients are all-natural, vegan and contain no essential oils. Finally, they’re housed in simple wind-up polypropylene plastic tubes, which are 100% recyclable.

Something to note is that a tinted lip balm is not the same as lipstick or gloss. Formulated with translucent pigments, they have more natural hydrating oils or waxes and are primarily designed to provide lip nourishment instead of colour. Did you know that lips are 100 times more sensitive than fingertips? They have more than a million different nerve endings and have only 3 to 6 layers of cells, compared to the 16 layers elsewhere in the body. The lip’s blood vessels are close to the surface, which gives the lips their rosy pink/red hue. Red lips are perceived as more sexually appealing than pale ones, which is why the use of red lip pigments throughout the ages has always been so widespread.

These are brilliant and affordable sheer lip balms, and another of our #amazingfinds; they feel smooth and silky and can be reapplied as and when needed. Individual lip balms are £6.56 (€7.50) for 4.5ml, and a multi-pack including all four colours + a clear moisturising lip balm is £26.27 (€30.00). All Herbal Earth Sheer Tinted Lip Balms can be purchased here.

Aura Organics : Mango & Orange Cleansing Oil

How do you cleanse? Is it with a one-off cleanse and rinse? Or perhaps, it was like us, with a double cleanse using a cleansing oil and then followed by a water-based toner. Whichever way it is, we want to introduce you to a single cleanse, with this oil-to-milk Aura Organics Mango & Orange Cleansing Oil from Aura Cosmetics. It's a discovery from Edwina's 2022 Beauty Shortlist Awards judging; and one that also wowed us with its exceptional performance and moreish fruity fragrance. A little while ago, on The Amazing Blog, we also reviewed their wonderful Exfoliating Face Mask, see here.

Aura Organics are a London-based indie natural and organic skincare brand. Founded by the holistic practitioner, formulator, and spa owner Danielle Andrean, whose experience in working in mainstream skincare revealed many unnatural and problematic ingredients, which were not only lacking in nutritional value but causing skin irritation in her clients. This began her mission to launch her own skincare with Aura Organics, a name that comes from the Latin word for a ‘breath of fresh air’. Alongside her existing knowledge, and study of organic cosmetic chemistry, it was the start of this natural, organic and cruelty-free skincare range. All products are made in small batches and are free from harsh chemicals, synthetic fragrances, and harmful toxins. It's important to Danielle that her products contain natural and organic ingredients that align with her holistic brand ethos. This small, family-run business seeks to inspire and educate people on the importance of natural skincare and is committed to sustainable living with both products and packaging materials, that are recyclable, biodegradable and refillable to reduce pollution and waste.

 In addition to developing an organic skincare range, Danielle also launched Aura Organics Spa. The spa uses its own range of holistic and organic products paired with ancient healing remedies, allowing them to create individually tailored treatments and globally inspired wellness rituals. They aim to provide a relaxing experience that promotes physical and mental well-being. Apart from treatments, their wellness studio offers a variety of yoga, pilates, and meditation classes to suit all levels. To adhere to their sustainability ethos, even the yoga mats are made with renewable harvested tree rubber and recycled materials that are free of PVC and latex. They also run a free community meditation class to make yoga and meditation accessible to all. 

Their award-winning Aura Organics Mango & Orange Cleansing Oil , really caught our eye. It’s packaged in a stylishly frosted metallic glass bottle, which protects the special ingredients from harmful sunlight and contamination from plastics. A vegan blend of mango extract, organic orange peel oil, vitamin C, and magnesium helps to hydrate, soothe, brighten and fight acne breakouts. Organic gotu kola (AKA centella asiatica) has been used for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine and strengthens the skin while brightening dull-looking. Finally, beta carotene, a natural vitamin A form, helps boost the skin's defence and signs of ageing.

All the organic oils present are for cleansing and nourishing. The grapeseed and sunflower oil are rich in vitamin E, for the repair of the skin’s barrier, both are highly absorbent and won’t clog pores. Olive, peach kernel, castor, orange peel and rosehip are all rich in antioxidants and offer anti-inflammatory properties that fight bacteria and moisturise. Rosehip and sweet almond oil are is high in vitamins A, E, zinc and linoleic acid, all of which boost collagen production and hydrate.

If you wonder why oils are used for cleansing, it’s because they are non-comedogenic and bond with any makeup or grime. Did you know that your skin is home to over 1,000 species of bacteria? Quickly added, these are not all bad bacteria, in fact, the skin offers a variety of distinct ecosystems, with communication between bacteria, skin cells and immune cells. Unfortunately, washing the skin is completely out of sync with the needs of our skin, and damages the good bacteria making it harder for the skin to retain moisture. As a result, it disrupts the skin’s pH level. However, by using an oil cleanser, you are supporting your skin’s army of healthy bacteria. This interaction helps to reinforce, repair and bolster the barrier formed by the skin, and acts as a barrier to protect the skin from pollutants locking in moisture. Why do we like cleansing oils? It’s because they work to remove any stubborn residue from sunscreens and are also very adept at dissolving all types of makeup. Many cleansing oils and balms now contain an emulsifier; this allows the oil to mix with water to form a milky emulsion, making only a single cleanse necessary, as they remove all makeup and grime, and rinse away without leaving any greasy excess.

As mentioned earlier, this organic cleansing oil has a delicious smell of mango and orange. We found the scent uplifted our spirits, and left our skin beautifully fragranced. We found that by massaging a small amount of this oil to milk cleanser, the light and silky texture dissolved makeup, and the deep cleansing oils targeted pollution and grime leaving skin soft and squeaky clean. For stubborn eye makeup, we used a reusable makeup pad, wet hands and a splash of water, then massaged the cleanser until it became a milky white emulsion - best of all, no eye stinging!. Then, with a quick final rinse, we were left with a clean, hydrated, glowing complexion! It gets top marks from us and is another of our #amazingfinds. To purchase your bottle of Aura Organics Mango & Orange Cleansing Oil at £17.95, see here.

Tea & Tonic : Bright Awakening Halen Môn Body Scrub

Has your year started with a stressful January? Then it’s time to treat your mind and body, as well as you treat your face. At The Amazing Blog, we have a new self-care suggestion: Tea & Tonic’s Bright Awakening Halen Môn Body Scrub. An exfoliating salt scrub rich in minerals, omega fatty acids and antioxidants awakens, brightens and revitalises the body and mind like no other. While the unique Halen Môn salt softens and tones, the nourishing plant oils hydrate and smooth skin, saving you time from further moisturising.

Having worked with luxury lifestyle spa brands for nearly 20 years and natural skincare and wellness brands for the past 12 years, spa insider Sarah Strang founder of Tea & Tonic, demonstrated a passion for inner and outer wellness. The stress in Sarah’s busy day-to-day life contributed to her wellness journey, leading her to realise that to achieve health, balance, and brightness in skin and self; we need to strengthen our resilience to everyday stress. It was when she discovered adaptogen super herbs to support her high-paced life that everything came together. In a recent interview, she said, “The approach to stress-relief felt a little bit one dimensional, like those de-stress massages and oils in spas.” She went on to say, “stress is at the heart of how we look and feel. I wanted an approach to a range of products that really focused on inner and outer wellness, through creating products with an adaptogenic complex that brings out the best, with the best of the best.” With the help of medical herbalist/aromatherapist Jane Wallwork and biologist/elite athlete Helen Hall, she created Tea & Tonic; a stunning and effective range of skincare and teas that serve as a true tonic for mind and body. In Female First Helen commented, “As an athlete, I am always looking for natural ways to aid recovery, and was already aware of adaptogens and their benefits,” she also added, “however, most products I came across containing adaptogens were in supplement form where you don’t fully know the ingredients and ultimately on discovering Tea & Tonic, what better way to get your Adaptogen fix than through the enjoyment of your favourite cup of tea?”

Tea & Tonic is part of WIld Brands Ltd, which provides holistic therapies and luxury natural skincare to various world-class spas and wellness spaces. In a nutshell, they are a British super-herb apothecary. All products are hand-blended and 100% natural, with a range of skincare, bath and body collections as well as everyday teas to encourage brighter skin and self. All products are responsibly sourced and sustainably packaged. Best of all, they are based on the millennia-old tradition of medicinal herbs; adaptogens, which are clever botanicals that adapt to our system’s needs and stresses at the time. Adaptogens improve one’s resistance to stress, support the immune system, and promote skin health and overall wellness. Tea & Tonic’s unique adaptogen complex comprises 11 adaptogens that synergistically work together for maximum benefit and resilience against daily stressors. Examples include amla, one of the richest sources of vitamin C and phytonutrients with vitamin B5, B6 and copper; gotu kola, a skin healing plant, and schisandra berry, the fruit of longevity.

The Bright Awakening Halen Môn Body Scrub is filled with hand-harvested Halen Môn Salt from Anglesey using pure charcoal-filtered seawater. The key ‘scrub’ ingredient is sea salt. We were interested to learn that the Halen Môn sea salt boasts high concentrations of potassium, magnesium and bromide, and possesses well-reputed therapeutic and skin conditioning properties. And Tea & Tonic is the first-only spa and skincare range where you can experience this exclusive Halen Môn mineral-rich salt. They also carefully trace the actual source and person who hand-harvested and packed the salt, ensuring full transparency. At the forefront of their mind are freshness, sustainability, quality, mileage, and environmental production methods. 95% of these ingredients are grown on UK farms, and refills for this mighty body scrub are also available.

We discovered this body scrub when it was entered into The Beauty Shortlist 2022 Eco Awards and won Best Zero Waste Product (Self Care). It’s a 100% natural and cruelty-free body scrub, with carrier oil ingredients that include lavender, sourced from a third-generation family farm in the beautiful Cotswold Hills. Lavender has remarkable healing and uplifting adaptogenic properties and is a good source to aid sleep and deep relaxation. The crambe abyssinica seed oil is an emollient and omega fatty acid rich for skin softness and anti-ageing. Hemp seed oil restores the skin barrier while retaining moisture; safflower seed and calendula oil are both non-comedogenic and anti-inflammatory oils. The beeswax is a humectant and natural exfoliator, and finally, the yarrow extract adds its soothing, therapeutic, antimicrobial and pain-relieving qualities.

Some of the more unusual botanicals in the body scrub are brahmi, a leaf used in Ayurvedic medicine for enhancing the complexion. A trio of ginseng, starting with red ginseng, a warm stimulant which oxygenates skin; white ginseng, that’s cool and restorative and works with red ginseng to bring balance; Siberian ginseng, a skin strengthener rich in eleutherosides and complex polysaccharides. Holy basil is a plant with anti-inflammatory, cooling and soothing properties. There are adaptogens which include gotu kola, amla and schisandra berry (mentioned above). Also, essential oils such as juniper berry, rosemary and bergamot all possess anti-bacterial, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Red clover helps to preserve a youthful skin texture while reducing redness; sweet violet treats stress, fatigue and insomnia; and cypress restores skin’s hydration and eases dry skin. Vitamin E delivers the finishing touches by creating an antioxidant-packed natural barrier to keep moisture in your skin.

It’s a treat to use, either in the bath or shower. Begin with a generous scoop and massage in circular motions onto wet skin. We found the formula both rich and hydrating with a fragrance that enlightens the senses and calms the mind without being overpowering – thanks to its aromatherapeutic blend. Salt crystals are always our preferred base, as they detoxify the skin as they scrub, and this left skin soft and smooth, particularly our dry upper arms. It’s an unequalled adaptogenic charged scrub and is another of our #amazingfinds.

To purchase a 200g jar of Tea & Tonic’s Bright Awakening Halen Môn Body Scrub for £39, click here. Or for a 200g refill at £36, click here.

KinKind : Give me MORE! Shampoo & Deep Conditioner Bars

For our lovely readers with dry, curly or textured hair, this one's for you. At The Amazing Blog, we understand how difficult, or maybe even unheard of, it is to find haircare bars that detangle and hydrate our kind of hair. KinKind's Give me MORE! Shampoo and Deep Conditioner Bar for Damaged, Frizzy and Curly Hair are two one-of-a-kind haircare bars that set a new bar (pun intended!) for haircare products. Yet another one of our #amazingfinds, each bar saves two (250ml) plastic bottles and is 100% plastic-free while being proudly handcrafted in the UK, vegan, paraben-free, cruelty-free and delivered directly through the letterbox. The gently cleansing, fabulously foaming, and freshly fragranced duo has won two awards recently, earning them the Bronze Award at the 2022 Global Beauty Awards.

Even after changing her shopping habits from single-use plastic to reusable bags, significantly reducing disposable coffee cup usage, and rediscovering milk delivery in glass bottles, Victoria Coe and her family knew they could do more to reduce the massive environmental issues caused by plastic pollution. They realised that most plastic consumption occurred at home, where the average UK household uses 480 plastic bottles per year. This plastic bottle usage mainly happens in the bathroom, as none of the big personal care brands can tackle the plastic pollution problem head-on due to a primary focus on recycling plastic instead of changing production lines. This was Victoria Coes' aha moment, inspiring her to develop plastic-free products that are easy swaps with solid shampoo bars and body wash soap bars. It was at this time in 2019 that KinKind was born. As if it couldn't get even more eco-friendly, the products sell directly to families online with a subscription model, minimising carbon impact. While KinKind strongly hopes to create a positive environmental change by creating eco-friendly bars, customers are always of equal importance: ensuring the same high quality and user experience - despite using a different type of shampoo and conditioner. As they say at KinKind, "Bye Bye Bottles…Hello KinKind!" KinKind has saved over 289,091 bottles since its launch, helping oceans and sea creatures alike, one bar at a time. In an interview with Natural Product News, Victoria commented, “At KinKind, we believe that families can create positive change against plastic pollution and climate change, and our products are an easy, effective and enjoyable way to radically reduce the use of plastics in our bathrooms.”

Launched in February 2022, KinKind's Give me MORE! Shampoo and Conditioner Bars are unlike any shampoo or conditioner bar you've seen. KinKind's Give me MORE! is here for those who need more care and protection for their hair. One of the best shampoo and conditioner bars out there for curly, frizzy, damaged, long and thick hair, its silicone-free, wheat bran based and protects hair fibres for extra smoothness, softness, hydration, moisture, shine, strength, resistance, and ease of combing – the whole package. The Shampoo Bar is rich, foaming yet gentle, and cleansing with a fresh geranium and ylang-ylang fragrance. They use a gentler cleanser than bottle shampoos, and it’s suitable for coloured or highlighted hair. On the other hand, their Deep Conditioner Bar is enriched with cocoa seed butter and coconut oil, and packed with concentrated conditioning ingredients. Each palm-sized conditioner bar lasts up to a generous 50 washes, allowing an easy switch from bottles. You'd be surprised at how much rich lather and conditioning comes from each bar, leaving hair feeling silky soft.

The Shampoo Bar is pink in colour and starts with sodium coco-sulfate, a mix of all fatty acids from coconut oil that creates foam, cleanses the hair and is much gentler than SLS, followed by polyglyceryl-4-caprate, a water-loving emollient and solubiliser, and then pentylene glycol, a glycol with conditioning and preservative abilities. Then, there's glycerin, the much-loved humectant with excellent moisturising properties, wheat extract, skin softening and hair conditioning agent, caprylyl glycol, a skin conditioning agent with antimicrobial activity, 1,2-Hexanediol, a synthetic preservative and moisture-binding humectant, and lastly, benzyl benzoate, a solvent and preservative. Citronellol, a fragrance chemical from geranium, rose, and other plants that give the bar a citrus-like scent, and geraniol, a naturally derived fragrance from rose, geranium and citronella for a fresh, natural scent, make it in the mix too. You can also find limonene, a chemical with potent antioxidant benefits, linalool, floral and spicy terpene alcohol that gives off citrusy and lavender scents—lastly, CI 17200, a pink colourant.

The Deep Conditioner Bar's recurring ingredients include wheat extract, caprylyl glycol, pentylene glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, benzyl benzoate, citronellol, limonene, geraniol and linalool. New elements comprise Cetearyl alcohol, a chemical to soften hair and stabilises products; cocoa seed butter, a deeply nourishing, soothing and scalp-supporting fat. There’s coconut oil, a dandruff-relieving, lustre-restoring and frizz-taming protectant, and behentrimonium methosulfate, a non-irritating and mild conditioner that reduces static and frizz. While also encouraging moisture retention, voluminous hair and easy detangling without causing build-up. Besides that, the conditioner bar houses caprylic triglyceride, an excellent emollient and skin-replenishing ingredient.

We used the Shampoo Bar, rubbing it into a lather in our hands, and then putting it directly into our hair, to lather gently and rinse accordingly. For the Deep Conditioner Bar, we smoothed the bar between our palms, then down the length of our hair, from root to tip. Easy to use, the Deep Conditioner Bar, after leaving for a minute, provided instant conditioning when rinsed away. It also lends itself as a hair treatment when left on longer. For both bars, pop them on a rack after use to allow them to air dry. If you're using their Curly Girl Method, (kindly put together by the KinKind team), it's recommended to use both the Give me MORE! Shampoo Bar & Deep Conditioner Bar every few weeks. This is to be part of your curly hair routine to properly cleanse any dirt or bacteria from your hair. For our hair, we found this Give Me MORE! duo ingenious, our hair was left with a softer texture, hydrated, tangle-free and super-shiny. The mild Shampoo Bar lathered well, and delicately moisturised our hair, and the Deep Conditioner Bar tamed our wild locks. A one-of-a-kind shampoo and conditioner, it's another of our #amazingfinds, we highly recommend this for dry, damaged or other curly-haired people out there.

To purchase a 50g bar of the Give me MORE! Shampoo Bar at £6.50, click here. For a 40g bar of the Give me MORE! Deep Conditioner Bar at £7.00, click here.

Moksa: Damask Rose & Vetiver Bath Salts

Calling all bathtime junkies - it's now the season of self-care after all those overindulgent festivities. At The Amazing Blog, we think that simple pleasures are always the best; and for us, there's nothing better than to grab a book and unwind in a steamy bath with some fragrant and relaxing bath salts. That's why we couldn't resist trying these Damask Rose & Vetiver Bath Salts from British indie skincare brand Moksa that made an excellent addition to our bathing ritual.

Moksa a Devon-based natural skincare brand which all began from the inspiration that founder Chloe Osborn's found during her travels. The unusual brand name Mokṣa is a Sanskrit word meaning liberation, bliss and inner peace; Chloe said, "The word Moksa really resonates with me in so many ways. With my travel came a great sense of freedom and a definite sense of inner peace, so it just felt so apt; with that Mokṣa was born." In an interview with The Green Parent, Chloe explained, "I spent some time in an Ashram learning all things yogic, which was a huge inspiration. The idea that I could actually create my own business filled me with anticipation and excitement. The name Moksa came to me the day we returned to the UK, it sounds silly, but it really was one of those magical lightning bolt moments." Established in 2018, Moksa has gone from strength to strength and developed products ranging from skincare to bath products, candles and even teas. Each product embodies the brand's core values as 100% natural, handcrafted, environmentally friendly, vegan, cruelty-free, and ethically sourced. They also use UK-based suppliers who farm ethically and are sustainable and fair trade, sharing similar values. These artisan products have organic ingredients and contain no parabens, petrochemical (mineral oils), sulphates, alcohol or fillers. Moksa is an award-winning brand that has received awards from the Beauty Shortlist, FreeFrom awards, and The Green Parent Natural Beauty Awards; they were also shortlisted for the International Beauty Awards in 2019.

One of the most important aspects of taking a bath is the 'feel-good factor' inspired by relaxation and the heady aromas emanating from the steamy, fragrant vapours. This is where Moksa's Damask Rose & Vetiver Himalayan Bath Salts scores a whooping 10/10, with us for its plethora of relaxing and natural ingredients.

The seven key ingredients in the bath salts are: Himalayan pink salt, Fleur de Sel de Guerande, Epsom salts, rose absolute, vetiver and geranium essential oils, and dried rose petals. The Himalayan pink salt is a detoxifier harvested from the Punjab region in Pakistan, where the rock salt gets its pinkish hue. They are anti-microbial premium grade pure, unrefined and considered the purest in the world as they contain upwards of 84 minerals and trace elements, including calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium. The Fleur de Sel de Guerande, is hand-harvested French sea salt; it works to remineralise the body, which in turn helps regulate fluid balance and blood pressure. Epsom salts (AKA magnesium sulphate) are a naturally occurring mineral known to ease pain and relieve inflammation. Magnesium plays a number of roles in the body regulating the activity of over 325 enzymes helping muscle and nerve function, together with preventing the arteries from hardening.

These bath salts get their soothing scent from a combination of essential oils. The rose absolute is derived from the damask rose and introduces a light and floral aroma; it's hydrating and ideal for dry and sensitive skin types. The vetiver essential oil promotes skin regeneration, and the geranium adds another uplifting sweet floral note to the fragrance and is also known for its anti-anxiety and depression properties. Finally, the dried rose petals, besides emitting a warm scent, detox the body and help with better sleep.

As Chloe says, "You'll feel transported to the gorgeous flower baths of Bali with this sensuous blend." With its unique scent and texture, what better way to soak away stress at the end of the week? We held a couple of scoops (bamboo scoop provided) under a warm running tap to help them dissolve, et voila, a wonderful at-home spa, which left skin feeling soft, fresh and infused with rose. Best of all, they felt like they removed built-up toxins, and cleansed and relaxed both mind and body. Tempted to try?

Moksa offers this product in three sizes: A jar of bath salts at 250g with a glass jar with a bamboo scoop and lid at for £18. Or if a refill pouch is more your style, there’s a 100g refill priced at £10, or a 400g refill at £21. The Damask Rose & Vetiver Himalayan Bath Salts can be purchased here.