Lavender Essential Oil - Sanatio Naturalis

Here at The Amazing Blog, we know how important it is to wind down at the end of the day. We find that by using calming essential oils it's the perfect way to do just that. Inspired by the healing properties of nature and powerful botanicals, the aromatherapy brand Sanatio Naturalis sent us their very special Lavender Essential Oil.

The words Sanatio Naturalis come from Latin meaning 'the healing power of nature'. Their Lavender Oil is sourced directly from France in Haute Provence, where the brand can guarantee its origin, traceability and the highest quality ingredients. Lavender itself has numerous health giving benefits, including relieving pain and stress, as well as improving sleep. It has also been known to improve blood circulation, treat acne and help battle respiratory disorders. Used in aromatherapy, this Lavender Oil can soothe, relax and revitalise. 

Sanatio Naturalis’s Lavender Oil comes in a pretty little blue 10 ml glass bottle, it's scent is pure and intense and can be used for numerous things. Perfect for a relaxing massage, sprinkled in the bath, a few drops in body lotion or steamed in a diffuser - all to create a relaxing mood. In fact the options are endless... 

Purchase it here for £22. Sanatio Naturalis also sells other essential oils including Lemon, Tea Tree and Ginger Root.  

Body, Face & Foot Balms by Okko

It is no secret that here at The Amazing Blog we value good skin care products above all else after all beauty trends come and go, but our skin is here for life, so it’s imperative that if we always want to look our best that we take care of it. As such we are always searching for new and exciting products that to help care for our skin and manage any conditions it may have. So we were thrilled when Okko Skin Care sent us some samples of their 100% natural and environment-friendly balms. 

Okko’s balms are deeply moisturising sticks containing organic rosehip oil, organic jojoba oil, aloe butter and organic chia seed oil just to name a few.  Okko produces two distinct body balms, two unique face balms, and one original foot balm. The body balms are suitable for all skin types, and both left our skin feeling nourished and moisturised. We particularly loved the Organic Borage and Rosehip Body Balm Stick, as the borage oil helps to enhance skin’s elasticity. The two face balms were light and gentle. The Organic Chia Seed and Rosehip Balm was great on dry skin, as chia seed and rosehip are deeply nourishing. The clary sage and rose geranium, in the Organic Clary Sage and Rose Geranium Balm, left our skin feeling velvety soft. 

We think that the Organic calendula and Eucalyptus Foot Balm is a must have this summer. As we approach summer so do we approach sandal season. The foot balm is an excellent way to calm and smooth feet. The organic calendula oil aids to smooth skin and helps with tissue regeneration, therefore healing and smoothing rough or broken skin on feet. Using has removed any fears we may have had about getting our feet out this summer!

You can purchase all of the Okko products on their website here, and prices range from £18.00 - £22.00. However, if you want to test them out first before buying full-size balm you can! Okko have Try me versions of all their products for £2.50
 

Lipstick - Uslu Airlines

With the sun out in full force today, all of us here at The Amazing Blog are in the holiday mood.Unfortunately fo us, holidays are a long way off, but that's not going to dampen anyone's mood as we are sampling Uslu Airlines fun airport-inspired lipstick line. Renowned makeup artist Ferdie Uslu founded the brand and adopted the airport motif after creating her first line around airbrush makeup techniques.  Working with air inspired the brand to name their products after airport codes, giving them a playful cosmopolitan feel, which perfectly reflects the brands exciting and distinctive image.

Each lipstick has a unique shade that embodies the destination they are named after. For example, the pink AMM lipstick is named after the AMM airport in Jordan, which was itself named after Queen Alia. Going into a work meeting with this elegant, reserved and natural pink shade on will make you feel like a queen too. Meanwhile, the dark-plum PAO lipstick mirrors Palo Alto, the edgy home of countless trendy tech companies. What we love about these lipsticks are the different looks you can achieve with them. Apply one layer for a tinted, subtle day look and add a few more layers for a richer, bolder evening look. The versatility means that you only have to carry one lipstick around with you, and if you're a lipstick addict like we are, this is a big plus.

What's more, Uslu Airlines’ lipstick line is cruelty-free and contains Vitamin E, which acts as a repairing oxidant meaning that as well as making your lips look gorgeous, it nourishes them too; this is a far cry from the often drying nature of other mainstream lipsticks. The company is based in Berlin, so, unfortunately, all the product prices are in Euro's, but fear not you can use PayPal to purchase these amazing lipsticks.  Prepare for take-off by choosing from Uslu Airlines’ lipstick line here from about £21.00. 

Coco Hydro Sport - Coco Hydro

At The Amazing Blog, we believe it is important to live a healthy and well-balanced life. You can have and do anything you want as long as it is in moderation. So it can be a real disappointment after a long and arduous gym session to glance at the back of your sports drink and realise that what you’re putting into your body to help you, has just nullified most of what you’ve done! Luckily for us though one of our favourite brands Coco Hydro has released a new Sports version of their popular powders.

Available in three flavours, Original, Pineapple and Lemon and Lime, Coco Hydro Sport offers a fantastic alternative to other sports drinks currently available. Acting as a high-performance coconut water-based hydrator this superb product has a higher electrolyte content than regular Coco Hydro, as well as added mineralized sea salts to help support extreme workouts and sports. Equally, the natural chelated organic ionic trace minerals have a 98% faster absorption rate.

Containing only seven ingredients there is nothing to worry about when drinking this product. You no longer have to settle for  over-dyed, sugar filled and over packaged sports drinks. As Coco Hydro point out, by replacing just two bottled drinks with this, you will save on average 104 plastic bottles a year! So if you’re concerned with the waste that other sports drinks cause then, you can sleep a little easier knowing the Coco Hydro Sport helps you help the world. It couldn’t be simpler to use Coco Hydro Sport, simply blend in water to taste or mix it in with a recovery drink or smoothie for increased efficiency in helping to heal those hard working muscles.

You can purchase Coco Hydro Sport here from £18.30, or you can purchase the Original Coco Hydro Sachet's on Planet Organic's website, buy one get one free, for £1.59.

Friday Feature: London Marathon Inspired Fitness

If you are anything like us at The Amazing Blog, then the fact that the London Marathon is this Sunday has inspired you to up your fitness game! While it is too late to actually take part and run in this year’s marathon there are still tonnes of cool and exciting ways to get fit this April. We’ve put together a list of great classes that will have you beach body ready for those summer plans, or have you fulfilling any resolutions you made at the beginning of the year that may have slipped your mind! The key to fitness success is to enjoy what you’re doing and we are sure that one of the classes below will inspire you to get active, and more importantly, stay active.

First on our list is 1Rebel, which you may recognise from your favourite fitness social media accounts or shows such as Made in Chelsea.

We recommend their ‘reshape’ classes which are 45 minutes of mental and physical intensity. It is an intensive group experience that is designed to condition and re-sculpt selected muscle groups. Their website says that ‘their patented 1R workout platform will help mould your body and break your barriers.’ This is an understatement, within a few sessions those wobbly arms and jiggly thighs will be gone. You are given your own workstation with dumbbells, resistance bands and a treadmill. You spend four minutes doing squats, chest presses, frog jumps and more before jumping on the treadmill for another four minutes to do interval sprints. With each set, the intensity increases, and with each the session, the effects are more and more noticeable.

What we really love about these classes is that while you work harder than you ever have before they’ll make the experience as easy as possible. There is no contract to sign and you simply go online and pay as you go. 1Rebel will provide you with towels, water and even makeup remover meaning that all you need to bring is yourself and a change of clothes. With a beautiful décor, you’ll feel like a celeb going to this gym. The changing rooms are fitted with copper lockers that look like something out of a sci-fi film, the benches are heated, and the vanity area is a dream with hair dryers, GHD straighteners and endless beauty products. Once you’ve worked out and done yourself up again, you can head to their bar upstairs called Roots and Bulbs for a delicious and nutritious juice or smoothie, or a free glass of prosecco on Fridays. It’s wonderful to feel so pampered after you’ve worked so hard and is a real incentive to keep going back.

Book your first class here and thank us later!

If you are looking for something a little different and quirky then Flying Fantastic’s Hoop Class is the fitness session for you! Classes take place on the Aerial Hoop, which is a circular steel ring, providing the perfect structure for your acrobatic moves. Flying Fantastic believes in inclusivity so whatever your ability or experience – from novice to Olympic gymnast – they will be able to cater to you and help you get the best from your experience. Each class has a ratio of 2 people per hoop and there are only ever 7 people per instructor so you know you’ll be getting the best out of this class.

The classes will have you progressively working on your core muscles and balance by focusing on developing your strength, stamina and flexibility. Core muscles are essential for executing the moves with confidence, so it helps if you have good core stability beforehand, but if not don’t worry as these will develop! The Hoop classes are an amazing way to hone your upper body muscle groups, so as well as a better range of motion and flexibility, you’ll have Michelle Obama arms in no time.

This is a perfect class for those who don’t take exercise too seriously, or are looking for a way to jazz up their fitness routine, all the while still working hard to develop your bodies.  
You can get involved here with an introductory offer of 3 classes for just £45

For all the swim buffs reading then do we have the perfect class for you!! Virgin Active has created an amazingly intensive, hour-long, swim session called hydro. The fast moving class combines full body training with expert coaching. Due to the weightless nature of the pool based exercise, this a brilliant way to push your body without straining your joints making this ideal for those with either joint problems or recovering from an injury.

This class is not for the faint-hearted, though, burning 400-600 calories a session, you have to be able to swim a minimum of 100m to join in. The Hydro class will push you both physically and mentally! Whether you are looking to train for an event or just on the hunt for a great and challenging workout, you’ll tone up, build strength and endurance, and improve your technique. Coaches will help you tackle a variety of exciting speed and distance challenges while using a variety of different strokes. 53 Virgin Active clubs run Hydro - so no excuses! 

1Rebel Reshape class, Flying Fantastic Hoop Class or a Hydro swimming session - which one will you choose?