Sugar StripEase

Hair removal is a chore most women face, and an often painful one at that. Here at the Amazing Blog, we want to make it a more pleasant experience. Thanks to Sugar StripEase, we no longer have to damage our skin with the use of razors or hot wax, they have brought sugaring back!

Sugaring is an ancient art of hair removal, dating all the way back to Ancient Egyptians believe it or not. Sugar StripEase is a quick and easy option that is 100% natural, you are therefore able to use it on any part of the body. The paste is simply made up of sugar syrup and water, it adheres only to the hairs rather than to the skin too, making it far less painful than waxing. That’s what we like to hear! If you get cold feet once the paste is on, have no fear, it washes off with a little soap and water.

 We decided it was time for our first sugaring experience. The paste glided smoothly onto the skin, and it was extremely effective at removing all the hairs, although not totally pain-free. What we loved the most is the elimination of the ingrown hairs! The skin doesn’t get damaged, therefore the hairs can regrow in their natural direction.

The whole set comes with a Soothing Mist and Pure Fine Talc, these products keep your skin soothed and soft. The mist contains witch hazel and bergamot which calms and disinfects the skin. The use of talc then softens and dries the skin without dehydrating it. These three products are a match made in Sugaring Heaven. Have a pleasant hair removal experience by getting your own here for £19.99.

Friday Favourites - Hand Cream Feature

Working in an office, the team here at The Amazing Blog often struggle with dry hands. Air conditioning and constantly juggling papers parches our mitts to no end, so we’re always keeping an eye out for nourishing and soothing hand care products. Being the beauty junkies that we are, there are a number of hand creams that pass through the office, but we’ve decided to pick out a few of our favourites to share with you.

The most notable thing about Odylique’s new Lemon Butter Hand Smoothie is its sweet and distinctive smell. Needless to say, if you aren’t a lemon lover, this probably isn’t the lotion for you. However, if you are a common user of zingy scents, the lemon and vanilla fusion will keep your senses indulging in lemony bliss. Don’t worry, the smell of the product is strong, but it is effective as well. The combination of cocoa and coconut butter, along with virgin avocado oil, is sure to fully moisturise your hands and keep them from cracking. It is also 100% natural and 93% organic. This product is available online for £12.99.

We usually moisturise our hands with a cream rather than a balm. However, when we heard about the drive behind the company Kahina Giving Beauty, we decided to try their Fez Hand And Body Balm. The founder Katharine L’Heureux uses Organic Argan Oil to protect, nourish and enhance the quality of skin in each product her company produces. Kahina donates a percentage of its profits to support programs that improve the lives of Berber women who extract the Argan Oil used in the products. If that wasn’t enough, she personally ventures to Morocco to pick up the oil to ensure that the women who are extracting it are being treated as they should. To read more about her story and the drive behind this charitable company, visit their website. You can pick up the hand balm for £35 here.

We have featured Touche By Flavien on our blog before, but that’s because we just can’t get enough of the products! Luckily, along with its other great skincare products, the company provides a hand cream as well. The Rosa Rubiginosa & Prickly Pear Regeneration Hand Cream is full of skin conditioning botanics which are sure to help tackle the pesky signs of ageing on your beloved hands. The Rosa Rubiginosa scent is unique in a sense that is has traditionally been referred to as “the fountain of youth.” In our opinion, this fact speaks for itself in the wondrous results it provides. Purchase the product for £38 here.

Here in the office, we find British heritage a fascinating subject, and admire the work of organisations like the National Trust, who work to preserve our national treasures. We were delighted when we discovered that Tisserand Aromatherapy had collaborated with the company, bringing a range of bath oils and lotions carefully created with the National Trust’s ethical and environmental ethos in mind. Their Rose Garden Hand & Body Lotion combines a beautiful blend of Rose Essential Oil and Sandalwood, which evokes scenes from our favourite Jane Austen novels. The floral cream also contains Shea Butter and Jojoba Oil, ideal for nourishing skin, and is perfect for preserving our delicate hands. You can pick up the Hand & Body Lotion here for £8.

Ina Crystals - Bath Crystals

Now that we’re winding down from Christmas and New Year, and the hectic months are behind us, it’s time to finally take a breath and relax. We here at The Amazing Blog love nothing more than a pampering evening in, soaking in a nice hot bath with a few candles burning and a good book in our hands. Mercifully, we’ve found the perfect aid to a stress free evening in Ina White Gold Detox Bath Crystals.

The indulgent grains are a perfect combination of carefully mined white gold crystal salts, and the essential oils of Basil, Fennel and Juniper which help to detoxify, cleanse and heal the body, exactly what we need after a season of over indulgence and partying! Not only this, but the pure salts can also be used for aches and pains, and even to treat mild cases of eczema and psoriasis, so you don’t have to reserve them for your major post-Christmas detox. The brand do recommend that you use the entire 1kg container in a single bath, which may seem a little pricey for one soak, but we must admit, it was totally worth it for a one off treat. When we emerged, we really felt like we were walking on air, and drifted off to bed without a care in the world.

We can't think of a better way to soak your troubles away. Immerse yourself in a little bit of heaven, and buy the Crystals here for £46.50.

Madame La La Tan

The tanning industry is an incredibly popular one, especially at the moment because none of us are going to get a tan in this frosty weather. At The Amazing Blog we would rather our bronzed glow come from tanning creams and sprays than exposing our skin to UV rays on a sun bed. In the run up to the Christmas party season we have been trying out self tanning products to make sure we are fearless when it comes to revealing a little flesh in our Christmas dresses. One product we all agree on is the Madame La La Tan, in fact, we love this tan so much, that our Executive Editor will be taking it away on holiday with her!

Madame La La Tan is a self-tanning DD mousse (Dynamic Do-all); it is lightweight and gently tinted to leave you with a natural looking glow without the risk of looking orange. It is perfect for any fake tan first timers out there as the mousse leaves a guide colour on the skin during application so you know exactly what you have covered which means you have even and streak free coverage. This guide colour also means that you are instantly tanned, which is perfect if you are in a rush. The tan will then take approximately 4 hours to develop into a sun kissed golden glow which lasts for up to 10 days, and it even fades naturally just like a real sun tan.

To use the Madame La La Tan, we recommend exfoliating your entire body before moisturising drier areas such as knees, elbows and ankles. Then pump the mousse directly onto a tanning mitt and smooth over the skin, taking care to ensure you have covered everything, then leave to dry for 5 minutes before dressing.

There is a delicious tropical coconut fragrance upon application so you are not left with a horrid biscuity smell that might giveaway your tan as fake. Unlike other tanning products we’ve used, it is not at all drying on the skin. The mousse contains Coco Water which is hydrating and smoothes the skin while preventing streaks. It also boasts anti-aging Aloe Vera and green tea leaf extracts which are also hydrating and repairing. 

The Madame La La Tan is now available in the UK and you can get your from their website where a 200ml bottle is £36.

Friday Favourites: Think Pink for Breast Cancer Research

As you might already know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and with breast cancer being the most common form of cancer in the UK currently it has never been so important to raise awareness of the symptoms of this horrible disease. Here at The Amazing Blog, we have been collecting a range of our favourite products that are currently raising money for this wonderful cause by donating a portion of their profits to breast cancer charities. Bodhi are an eco-luxury skincare brand based on the philosophy that a good natural skincare routine will not only boost your skin, but also your wellbeing. The Bodhi products use traditional botanical remedies as the basis of their skincare range, using only 100% natural essences. To support the cause of Breast Cancer Research, Bodhi have created the Desert Rose Rejuvenating Face Oil Limited Pink Edition. This is a luxurious facial oil is based on the Bulgarian Damask Rose and features Argan Oil, which has skin renewal qualities and Rose Hip Oil which has anti-aging properties. Bodhi founder, Elijah Choo says “Our aim is to empower and inspire women to support this tremendous cause by helping to reinforce body confidence during breast cancer.” To support the work of this fantastic charity, Bodhi are donating £10 to Breast Cancer Research from every sale. You can purchase the Desert Rose Rejuvenating Face Oil for £38 from the Bodhi website.

Dell’Ugo have created a very special pasta to raise money for Breast Cancer Research this October. The new edition to their fresh pasta line is the exciting Beetroot and Goat's Cheese Fiorelli, which not only sounds delicious, but looks it too as this pasta is pink! We think that this would be a very quirky choice to serve up at a dinner party as the pasta offers up complex flavour combinations because the beetroot has been tenderly marinated in a relish consisting of pomegranate and mint. You are in safe hands with Dell’Ugo as they have been creating delicious new recipes in the UK since 1929. You can try the special pink pasta yourself as it is available now from Waitrose where it is retailing for £3.49. Dell’Ugo will be donating 10 pence from every pack that is purchased to Breast Cancer Research.

This October, OPI has launched its seventh annual Special Edition Pink of Hearts 2013 nail duo to promote breast cancer charity Look Good Feel Better. The set contains a gorgeous baby pink polish 'Pink-ing of You' and a Limited Edition glitter polish 'More than a Glimmer' that can be worn over the top of the pink shade. As an added bonus, OPI are giving away free nail decals within the set so you can add crystals and pink ribbon embellishments to complete your look. For every Limited Edition Pink of Hearts kit sold, OPI will donate £2 to Look Good Feel Better. You can purchase your own kit from the OPI website for £18.80.

 To support the work of the Pink Ribbon Foundation, haircare brand Paul Mitchell have created a limited edition collection: 'The Girls are Alright'. The collection includes the Super Skinny Serum, the Super Strong Daily Shampoo and the Super Strong Daily Conditioner, which are all presented in limited edition packaging to raise awareness of breast cancer. The range aims to improve the appearance and quality of your hair by strengthening and conditioning it. We love the colourful and fun packaging of these lovely hair goodies. You can get your hands on these special products from the Paul Mitchell website where the Super Skinny Serum is available for £17.25 for 150mls, the Super Strong Daily Shampoo is £11.50 for 300ml and the Super Strong Daily Conditioner is £14.25 for 300ml. Clinique have released a special edition Pink With a Purpose lipstick in the shade 'Pink Ribbon Honey'. The lipstick is a lovely pink colour that will give you a sheer coverage so it will enhance your natural lips without being too heavy. The lipstick also comes with a limited edition pink ribbon case which is perfect for storing makeup essentials in your handbag for reapplication on the go. We love the sleek and luxurious packaging and think it is the perfect size for girls who are always on the move. For every purchase of the Pink With a Purpose Lipstick, Clinique will be donating £2 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and you can show your support now by getting your own from the Clinique website where it retails for £16.