B Loved - Hormonal Bath & Body Oil

With the winter season in full swing, soaking in a hot bath is just what we long for at The Amazing Blog. So let us introduce you to one of our favourite aromatherapy brands B Loved, where we’ve previously reviewed one their Naturally Scented Candles, The Balancer here. Today we want to talk about their Hormonal Bath & Body Oil which we think is the perfect way to soothe away the day. 

After going through professional and personal challenges in 2016, Elizabeth Burchill started to make her products as a source of therapy. She loved essential oils and their aroma, which prompted her to pursue a diploma in aromatherapy and essential oil science while also taking product making courses to perfect it. She is now a clinical aromatherapist accredited by the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists. Fast forward three years and she now has a wellbeing brand that creates aromatherapy candles and bath and body products, all of which are natural, sustainable, cruelty-free and vegan friendly. B Loved also sources their ingredients from UK suppliers who are members of the ATC. Products in the range include pulse point oils, body lotions, body scrubs and their hormonal bath & body oil.

This Hormonal Bath & Body Oil comes in a reusable glass bottle and pipette. In times of emotional stress or hormonal tension, this product help to alleviate these symptoms. You can use this product in two different ways, either by adding a few drops into your bath to fully relax and ease tension or directly massaging into the skin. It is packed full of numerous oils, the key being rosehip which is full of anti-inflammatory fatty acids to firm and moisturise the skin. The argan oil here contains oleic and linoleic acids which absorb quickly and hydrate. Apricot kernel oil also has moisturising properties, but can also gently exfoliate the skin and relieve inflammatory conditions. There are also key essential oils here: The grapefruit has soothing effects by balancing the cortisol levels to help ease stress. Whereas Clary sage is known to reduce premenstrual tension, periods pains, and anxiety. Finally, the patchouli oil treats skin conditions such as dermatitis, acne, dry and cracked skin; it can also aid relaxation, easing anxiety. As some of us who don’t have a bath to soak in, we particularly like that this formula is also gentle enough to use as a body oil. So, for those of you who do, before hopping in to destress after a long day, week and even year, we highly recommend purchasing your Hormonal Bath & Body Oil here for £35 - it also smells divine!

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.

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.

Essential Drops Bathroom Aromatics - Pomegranate & Lychee

Do you need to take your bathroom fragrance from drab to fab? Finding a natural scent to put down the loo is something of a rarity. In our search in the office bathroom looking for a product to cover up the delicate issue of ‘nasty smells’ at best, all we could find was some rather unpleasant cheap air freshener that filled the place with fumes, that when you accidentally breathed them in, they almost made us choke! At The Amazing Blog we were thrilled to be given a natural aromatic deodoriser that delivers botanical freshness and neutralised unwanted pongs - leaving the bathroom smelling sweet. We often talk about essential oils; however, this one from Essential Drops Bathroom Aromatics is specifically designed for one purpose – the loo!

Essential Drops Bathroom Aromatics is a British brand that is formulated by Bruce Green who is also known for his skincare brand SOS Serum Skincare which we have reviewed here. Green specialises in skincare and is a chartered scientist, a chartered chemist, and a fellow of The Royal Society of Chemistry. He is a man with great expertise and has contributed to the formulations of many cosmetic brands in the UK & North America, and he also sits on several EU advisory committees. This brand is his first foray into the world of bathroom fragrance. These Essential Drops are excellent for eliminating unwanted and unpleasant smells, helping to maintain a fresh sweet fragranced bathroom by only using natural essential oils. This means that there are no artificial ingredients, they’re cruelty-free, vegan and locally produced. By sourcing their ingredients from reputable local suppliers, they can deliver high-quality products every time. We also like that their glass bottles are recyclable. They currently have a range of three different scent combinations: Grapefruit & Kumquat, Ginger & Black Pepper and Pomegranate & Lychee (which we are featuring today). 

The Pomegranate & Lychee comes in a frosted recyclable 50 ml glass bottle with a pipette top. Each bottle can last around 50-100 uses depending on the frequency and amount you use. You can either drop one full pipette or 3-4 drops directly from the bottle into the bowl before or after flushing. If you want to make your bathroom smell more like an at-home spa, you could use the Essential Drops in both your loo and hand basin, bringing an uplifting fragrance to the entire room. These drops create an almost like a film-like surface (which flushes away) allowing the water to trap the unpleasant odours whilst releasing the good ones! We love that there are only three ingredients here in total, with the essential fruit oils of pomegranate and lychee in a grapeseed oil base. To get rid of those lingering bathroom whiffs and start your lockdown spa day at home, purchase your Essential Drops Bathroom Aromatics in Pomegranate & Lychee here for £18.00 or £50 for the full collection of all three here.

IGNITE CBD - Skincare

As regular readers will know, we’re always on the lookout for new CBD brands particularly those with sublingual’s or skincare. Today, at The Amazing Blog, we’re bringing you an international CBD brand with their newly launched range of skincare. They very kindly sent us a wide selection of products from face creams, muscle rubs to body oil and bath bombs.   

Launched in the USA in September 2018, IGNITE is a global and premium CBD brand. The inspiration for the IGNITE came from its CEO, Dan Bilzerian, where IGNITE has positioned itself as the gold standard and industry expert in cannabis and CBD, supported with a premium apparel line, beverages, and now a skincare range - all for inspiring an active lifestyle. Their CEO is also best known for his extravagant parties and very public social media lifestyle.  Saying that, IGNITE is keen to be seen as a socially responsible company. It is committed to using its marketing and brand power as a positive catalyst for a healthy lifestyle. Their branding, as you would expect is slick and sexy with stylish unisex black and silver packaging. All their skincare products have no THC, as the CBD here is sourced from CBD isolate only. This means that they have a refined crystalline form CBD which is thought to be the purest and most potent form of CBD and is both tasteless and odourless. Mainly extracted from hemp, the isolate is produced by removing all other compounds found in the plant including other cannabinoids isolating the CBD.  Therefore, making these products ideal for athletes to use, without the fear of THC, if they’re randomly drug tested. The CBD isolate helps treat pain and reduces inflammation and has no psychoactive effects. All IGNITE products are vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free, with no pesticides, THC free and thoroughly tested.

As big CBD fans, we were thrilled to receive this bumper gift box with ten skincare products to review. Let’s start with the 100mg CBD Bath Bombs (Energise and Relax). The CBD level in both bath bombs is less to 0.2% (100mg). Here is shea butter, known for soothing your skin and giving a velvety texture but also treat your inflammations. The oils found here are coconut known for having antibacterial and moisturising properties, golden Argan which calms the skin, peach kernel that will give your skin a great glow. And lastly avocado rich in vitamins and fatty acids such as vitamin A, D and E and proteins, that provide the skin with protection from UV rays damage. Then the essential oils, of rosehip act as an anti-ageing ingredient whereas the pomegranate oil is a has potent anti-inflammatory.  Of course, we mustn’t forget the crucial key ingredient for Energise, is the citrus and orange oil which leaves a sense of freshness and lifts the mood. Whereas Relax, has lavender oil to help ease muscles and joint pain after a hard day’s training in the gym. IGNITE advises using one of their bath bomb every day, leaving it to fully dissolve in the bathtub before getting in, then soaking in this great mix of aromas and CBD for 30 minutes to get the best results. Both retail here at £8 each.

The IGNITE 500 mg CBD Body Oil, certainly piqued our interest. This CBD Body Oil is blended with five oils designed to fight dry skin and nourish the body. The CBD here is the healer and rejuvenator of skin cells. Mixed with grapeseed oil a powerful antioxidant, sweet almond oil for treating dry skin like eczema and psoriasis; the lavender oil known for killing bacteria and preventing acne breakouts, it also unclogs pores and reduces inflammation. This vanilla and floral-scented body oil also has the nut oil tamanu oil promotes collagen and helps to slow ageing. The fifth oil in this blend is the evening primrose oil which provides hydration and elasticity. This Madagascan Vanilla & Lavender 100ml Body Oil smells divine and applies easily. To get the best results, gently massage it into dry skin to stimulate circulation and blood flow. Apply at least once a day for £25.00 here. 

Because tattoos can hold significant meaning to those that have them, it’s essential to take care of your skin before, during and after having the procedure. Here IGNITE has launched a pot of  500g CBD Tattoo Balm. For preparation, procedure and aftercare this is the balm to have. The chamomile oil with its anti-inflammatory properties, the lavender oil reduces inflammation and redness, and the miraculous tea tree oil will ease swelling and speed up healing. The CBD isolates here also act as a healer and protector. You can find a 50ml pot here for £25.00. That brings us on to the 500mg CBD Footcare Cream, rich and silky this footcare will help soften the hard skin on your feet. The sea buckthorn oil promotes hydration, elasticity and cell regeneration. The shea butter here will hold the moisture and heal dry skin; the jojoba oil is used as a deep cleanser and moisturiser for the skin. This cream has a thick whipped consistency guaranteeing an intense foot treatment, see here for £25.00. Moving on, IGNITE also has  500 mg CBD Joint Cream and a Muscle Rub Gel both have been created to ease joint and muscle pain, particularly after exercise. The CBD here, as previously mentioned, holds anti-inflammatory properties and helps increase mobility. Theses blends are mixed with natural oils such as olive and avocado oil both of which help to speed up healing. They also contain coconut oil which is antimicrobial and reduces inflammation while keeping the skin moisturised and shea butter is an excellent skin conditioner. Plus, the camphor and menthol relieve skin irritation and gives a cooling sensation. The Muscle Rub Gel is as it says a gel, and has the addition of aloe vera which provides pain relief, it also penetrates the dermis to help lubricates the joints thanks to the hyaluronic acid. The lavender oil extract will help ease muscles boosting blood circulation and helping to reduce any stiffness or muscle discomfort at night.  The 50ml Joint Cream is here for £25.00. The 50ml Muscle Rub Gel can be found here for £25.00

Finally, we have the three skincare products for the face. The first step is the orange and grapefruit 500mg CBD Hydrating Face Serum. This formula is infused with natural oils and contains CBD isolates (which we have discussed). The grapefruit oil will detox and brighten your skin, the orange peel oil gives a healthy complexion thanks to the vitamin C. It is blended with avocado oil, great for shielding your skin against UV rays. There is retinol, a pure source of vitamin A, making this serum a rejuvenator as it will stimulate the collagen in the skin. The aloe vera leaf powder here is for hydration and skin healing;  argan, jojoba and rosehip oils will balance the skin and sebum production; and the green tea extract is full of antioxidant properties. And finally, the passion fruit extract will help with fine lines. IGNITE suggests gently dabbing this product onto cleansed skin, then after applying tap the face with fingertips to encourage the serum to penetrate to the deepest layers of the skin. You can find this refreshing anti-ageing serum here for £25.00. The second step is the 500 mg CBD Moisture Day Cream.  The key ingredients are the blackberry and ylang-ylang which will renew the skin cells and balance the pH of the skin helping to prevent any extreme dryness. The sunflower oil is rich in vitamin A, C, D and E and acts as an antioxidant. It contains shea butter which softens the skin helping to rid it of dark spots. Also rich in olive oil, hydraulic acid and green tea all known for reducing sebum oil in the skin, rejuvenating and repairing it make the skin look younger and glowing. CBD Moisture Day cream will also tighten the pores, use it every day on your face and neck for good daily hydration. Find it here for £25.00. Last but not least, in the face care range, we have the 500mg CBD Hydro Night Cream.  On top of the significant CBD effect on the skin, it contains avocado oil, shea butter, olive oil, sunflower oil, rosehip oil, and, lavender oil. This night cream complements the day cream where the skin feels hydrated in the morning, with the new skin cells being regenerated overnight. It also contains coconut oil which will heal the redness of your skin; oat silk which mattifies and brightens the skin, it removes greasiness and excess oil, all without drying. This night cream Is also ideal for sensitive complexions. This mildly lavender-scented, the night cream won’t clog the pores and penetrates the deeper layers of the dermis, providing long-lasting hydration and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. You can find it here for £25.00.  

NB: For those new to CBD skincare, these products contain 500mg of CBD isolates which translates into 0.5% except for the bath bombs which are 0.2%. This percentage is enough to act effectively and add an extra boost to a skincare routine. Due to the antioxidants present, it will help acne-prone skin and is also suitable for those with sensitive skin as it has deeply soothing properties. If you’re unsure of the percentages, you can check here with A Beginner Guide to CBD Dosing.