No 7. - Primer, Foundation and Blusher

Who doesn’t love a good selfie? We won’t lie as here at The Amazing Blog we’re always flattered when our faces look beautiful without big effort. We have a secret to reveal, its name is No.7.

We are big fans of this brand and lately we’ve discovered that the Airbrush Away primer and foundation can add that extra touch of perfection to our daily make up routine. Here in the office we’re all about simplicity and it’s good to know that with this must have we won’t need any filter to make our skin look naturally flawless. The primer absorbs in seconds leaving the skin brighter, smoother and even. We cannot believe how a little amount totally covers and camouflages pores and fine lines.
 Use No 7 foundation on top of the primer to finish off that airbrushed skin effect. There are 14 shades to choose from, giving us plenty of choice. As tan is only a happy memory, we decided to try Warm Ivory; a neutral shade which still gives our skin that summer glow. It dries quickly so you don’t need to wait endless minutes before applying blush and powder and the best bit is it stays on for hours. The formula has been created to leave the natural tone of your skin revealing under the foundation whilst disguising all the little flaws and discolorations.
For a final touch, warm your cheeks up with a gentle stroke of No.7 Match Made Blush.  There are 8 shades and we loved the Rose Blossom an intense dark pink, perfect for winter. 
It looks much pigmented but once on the cheeks it blends softly and evenly. If you like a stronger and dramatic effect, it is buildable.

Go and add to your make up collection with these must haves. The primer, at £16.50, is available here; buy the foundation at the same price here. Blushes price is £9 and they’re available here.

Time Bomb - Glory Days Day Cream and Flashback Night Cream

Here at The Amazing Blog we love nothing more than sumptuous products to help give our skin a youthful glow, and Time Bomb Glory Days Day Cream and Flashback Night Cream do just that.

Unlike typical day creams Time Bomb Glory Days forms a moisture barrier and transforms skin into a smooth, perfect canvas. A super-power blend of glucose, borage oils and white flower oils help re-energize cells and aid in regeneration, leaving skin plump, dewy and tight.

With powerhouse peptide Matrixyl which has been clinically proven to almost double the amount of collagen in the skin - this emollient-rich moisturiser-and-more absorbs quickly. Hyaluronic acid forms a matrix that penetrates into skin to trap moisture and smoothes skin’s surface making it an ideal surface for makeup application with no streaking or pulling. Opalescent particles give skin an instant radiance. Skin instantly looks, feels and 'acts' younger.

Night-time is the best time to launch an anti-ageing attack and Time Bomb Flashback Night Cream is the weapon of choice. This super-rich formula drenches skin in healing oils such as Borage Oil, botanicals, phytoplids, hyaluronic acid and vitamins. Rice Bran Wax and Shea Butter form a mini mask to plump, smooth and soften the skin.

Flashback is lightweight, yet incredibly powerful, creating a barrier that seals moisture in as it is absorbed into skin.  Unlike typical night creams, Flashback will stay on your skin, instead of on your pillow! Powerful anti-oxidants that would normally deplete over time are stored as reserves so you wake up with a dewy glow that lasts long into the day.

Time Bomb is available at Selfridges London and Birmingham, QVC and on Time Bomb’s website. Purchase the Glory Days Day Cream for £12 here and the Flashback Night Cream for £13.50 here. 

Senspa - Bath Salts

Here at The Amazing Blog, we appreciate the importance of a good long soak in the bath once in a while, with all our lotions and potions! So when Senspa sent us a bag of their 100% natural Himalayan Bath Salts we couldn't wait to turn the taps on.

One of the most important aspects of bath and shower products is the smell. If something dissolves into the water to give off a gorgeous fragrance, it’s immediately 10 times more appealing. So, when we opened the Senspa salts, we were blown away by the intensity of the Lavender, Rose and Cedarwood fragrance and were immediately hooked. This on its own can be intense but pour under hot water and it’s a delight, filling the bathroom with a sweet floral fragrance. Made with 100% Himalayan salts and mined by hand, they are premium grade pure and unrefined and considered to be the purest in the world as they contain upwards of 84 minerals and trace elements. These include calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium which are all released when mixed with warm water. The bath salts can be used in handfuls for daily bathing but if you fancy removing the toxins from your body in one go, the whole bag (500g) can be used for concentrated use. Soaking for 20 minutes is recommended before rinsing any residue off. We highly recommend a soak with Senspa especially after a long and sweaty commuting day. These salts take away any impurities that you may have and leave the skin feeling soft, fresh and infused with rose and lavender.  Best of all, afterwards you'll simply feel like a new woman!

 You can purchase your own Senspa Himalayan Bath Salts here for £5.95.

Ark Skincare for Defence and Protection

It’s no secret that we at The Amazing Blog are fans of Ark Skincare. One or other of us has a pot or two on the go at any one time. Plus not forgetting to mention that their flagship salon is based nearby our office. So I in particular was excited to receive their new Regenerating Skin Defence and SPF 30 Primer, which work very neatly together or separately to fit with your regular skincare regime.

I’ll start with The Ark Regenerating Skin Defence available here – this is suitable for all skin types and is designed to protect and nourish the skin. It is a great daily moisturiser particularly for those of us who are city dwellers, as this product is designed to defend the skin against pollution, environmental and lifestyle pressures. We love the texture and smell. It comprises of advanced plant stem-cell technology which helps to repair and the regenerate skin cells. Ingredients include stem cells of Alpine Rose, Camelina Oil, Natural Vitamin C and that all important Hyaluronic Acid.  You can get your bottle for £42,  for 50ml that will last and last…

 We’re also impressed with The Ark SPF 30 Primer, which can be found here.  This is a product that has been four years in the making, the new ARK SPF30 Primer is clinically tested and contains an advanced formulation fusing skincare and SPF to protect skin from sun damage and pollution, while enhancing its appearance and texture. Again it is suitable for all skin types and it not only delivers protection like the Regenerating Skin Defence, but also works as a fabulous primer giving the skin a silky feel and a wonderfully luminous velvet finish. Key natural ingredients include Vitamin E, Shea Butter, Jojoba, Mimosa and Sunflower. The primer is available for £36, for 50 ml – we consider this an essential.

 I personally vary using them together and apart. Great products that my skin loves – what more can I say?

Miners Fresh Faced Foundation

 

Mineral make-up is growing in popularity every day because it’s actually good for our skin. The Amazing Blog has come across a revitalising, light mineral foundation which moisturises the skin and conceals imperfections without caking your face. Miners Fresh Faced Foundation is a great handbag-sized product for when you’re in need of a quick touch up.

The Fresh Faced Foundation smells refreshing and somewhat youthful. Unlike thick heavy foundations, we found that the texture and application was more comparable to that of a moisturiser which is why the smell is more fragrant than you’d expect.  The smell sticks around as well so you get to enjoy it all day long. Miners have three shades to choose from, Ivory, Buff, and Almond.  This particular foundation would be perfect if you are looking for something with a bit more coverage than a BB Cream but not as dense as most foundations. As we head toward the colder months, a little coverage might be just what you need for those rosy cheeks and Rudolph nose. It reminds me of some of the first foundations I used in my teens, with noticeable but light coverage to avoid that embarrassing foundation two-tone line on your jaw. It’s easy to apply and blends into your natural skin tone nicely, evening out any blemishes or imperfections.

The natural properties of this foundation means it is paraben free and mineral based. Not only does it make your skin look good but it has no harming qualities unlike some other brands which may have ingredients that irritate more sensitive skin. We like to team this Fresh Faced Foundation with a little bit of blusher and a berry lip to get the perfect winter look. They are also a fun stocking filler if you have young daughters starting to become aware of the world of make-up.

At £4.99, these little foundations are very affordable, however they are more like travel sized items. To see the range of shades on offer and to get your hands on your own then visit the Miners website.