Ocean Mist & Hair in the Sun - Sachajuan

Ocean swims, basking in the sun, balmy nights are all on our minds here at The Amazing Blog as we dream of summer. However, we also cringe at the prospect of trying to maintain our hair during the warmer months, often having to contend with frizz, dryness and colour fade. This is why we love the Professional Haircare range from Sachajuan, especially their summer hair products Ocean Mist and Hair in the Sun.

Whether you are at home experiencing a milder British summer, or are lucky enough to be travelling to a warmer clime for a holiday, you will most likely need a product that can protect your strands and look after its style. Hair in the Sun is sunscreen for your locks! Featuring a UV filter, this hair styling product protects hair from the sun and also helps to maintain the integrity of your hair style whilst outside in the summer sun. While Ocean Mist creates effortless beachy waves, delivering the volume and natural curl that comes after a day by the ocean – bliss!

Achieve effortless beach-babe hair with Sachajuan, with Ocean Mist for £20 here and Hair in the Sun for £20 here

Friday Favourites: Our Lazy Summer Weekend Reads

With the summer season comes summer holidays, and with all of that free time, we here at The Amazing Blog plan to settle down with a good book. Being the good Samaritans that we are, we thought we’d take the legwork out of finding the good reads for you, and list the best reads for a long weekend of relaxation.

So you love writing, you may even have a blog where you spend your spare time posting away. Sounds familiar? Well have you ever thought about writing a book? The mere thought of it is intimidating, but here at The Amazing Blog, we have discovered it is easier than you might think. The talented British author and entrepreneur, Lisa Newton, has written a book which can be used as a guide to create your first literary success. The book is filled with handy tips to help you reach your goals and this easy step by step guide allows you to write down your notes, organise your ideas and get writing. Lisa wrote ‘How to write a book in two weeks’ to answer the questions of prospective writers out there. If you want to start your writing journey, Lisa Newton’s book is available here from £3.99.

If you feel that writing a book in 14 days is too far into the deep end for you, Lisa Newton’s other literary creation ‘Cosmic Ordering With Vision Boards’  may be a better place for you to start. This book is designed to banish those dusty to-do lists and replace them with boards depicting what you want, ‘vision boards’ to help bring you closer to your desires. ‘Cosmic Ordering With Vision Boards’ can be ordered from Amazon here for £6.02.

For the beauty buffs among us, we’re sure that you’ll be more than familiar with cosmetic store, Lush. Renowned for their cruelty free, aromatic beauty products, and their friendly, hands on approach to retail, they’re now expanding into the world of publishing. Their book, Danger: Cosmetics To Go, tells of the rise and fall of Cosmetics To Go, the company that came before Lush. Filled with the most wonderful retro photography, interesting insights into the ranges and products provided by the postal order service, I really enjoyed flicking through its pages. I particularly enjoyed exploring the origins of much loved products like bath bombs and massage bars, and seeing how the packaging has evolved throughout the years, but has never lost its eccentric essence. It’s exactly how you would imagine Lush to be in book form, and is a must read for any fans of the quirky store. You can get your hands on the book in store at Lush, or on their website, here for £19.95.

For any of our younger readers looking to get into the fashion industry, keep your eye out for From Intern to Stylist by Celebrity Stylist and presenter, Charlene Campbell. A short, simple exploration into one girl’s journey up the fashion ladder, it’s a great beginner’s guide for anybody considering a career in clothes when their school days are over. With everything from the working order of season shows, to a handy list of references and agencies in it’s final pages, it’s the ideal starter, giving you the contacts you will need to explore the industry further and get your stylishly adorned foot in the door. The book is newly available to buy in appropriately fashionable Topshop, or online, here for £9.99.

Finally, for anybody who is concerned with the price of beauty, we’d highly recommend that you check out No More Dirty Looks. An in-depth expose into the dangers of our everyday beauty products, and their ill, this book will have you determined to detox your collection and embark on a new clean routine immediately. Casually written, and structurally sound, it breaks down into chapters those nasty ingredients that are actually making us look worse, and recommends friendly alternatives. Initially it’s quite scary to read about how little regulation there is in the cosmetics industry, particularly in the US. An excellent read, I’d proceed with caution if on a budget, as we had a shopping list as long as our arm when we put it down, ready to cull our cabinet in favour of healthier options. Purify your prettiness by buying the book online, here , for £6.29.

Simon Copeland - Wardrobe Detox

Made an expensive mistake in Summer sales? Or perhaps you need help culling your exploding wardrobe? Well then look no further because we at The Amazing Blog have the answer to your prayers. Fashion Designer, Simon Copeland, with expert tailoring skill, will advise you on colour, style and fit, and you won't have to move from the comfort of your home. And if you need a little addition to make that jacket or dress really work, he can sort that too, with a wide range of outfits and separates designed exclusively for you.

A Wardrobe Detox Consultation lasts for two hours, with Simon coming to your home or office and going through your wardrobe, or indeed simply the pieces you wish to pull out for attention. There are three categories:

Current Season - the pieces you are wearing to their full potential, and therefore earning their place in your wardrobe.

Potential Tweaking - the pieces which may appear dated or even unwearable, but with a little adjustment, can be altered to become part of your Current Season Wardrobe.

Redundant Pieces - the outfits which have served their purpose, and which need to be sent to the recycling bin, and thus creating space in your wardrobe. He calls it CPR for your clothes!

 

The cost of the detox is £250, which covers the initial two hour consultation, and the alteration of one outfit which is undertaken by Simon's team, at his studio, and then returned to you. Further alterations can be arranged, and quoted for accordingly. For every friend you introduce to The Wardrobe Detox, and who books a consultation, you can claim a further free alteration. Further information, testimonials and details can be found at www.simoncopeland.com/detox. Simon can be contacted on 020 7924 1985 or the mobile 07768 760315. The mobile is better as Simon is always out and about dealing with troublesome wardrobes! Alternatively, you can email detox@simoncopeland.com or Simon directly on simon@simoncopeland.com. Our Executive Ed at TheAmazingBlog was very ebullient about her experience; she felt ‘totally cleansed’ and we’ve certainly seen her sporting some rocking remakes…

Friday Favourites - Sun Products with SPF

With yet another unpredictable English summer upon us, here at The Amazing Blog we were anxious to find something to protect our skin from the sun, should it choose to come out! So, we decided to give some of the newest and most exciting products with SPF on the market a test run.

First off was the Green People Sun Lotion. A Beauty Bible award winner for ultimate natural product, Green People never use no harsh chemicals (82% of ingredients are organic) and 10 per cent of profit is donated to the Marine Conservation Society charity, making them an ethical role model.  Although it only has a 25 SPF factor and a medium coverage rating, it is designed to be kind to sensitive skin, so could be perfect for olive skin individuals who still suffer from sensitivity from time to time, like myself. This product is an environmental triumph, as well as being good to skin. At only £18.95 from the Green People website, it’s a reasonable price compared to some alternatives and does a whole lot of good at the same time.

Another unique product we tried was The Sun Mousse. A unique brand, they have products for both adults and children. We sampled the 30 SPF, 6 hour protection, water resistant product and were amazed. I was originally apprehensive about how much to use but the mousse comes out moderately slowly so don’t panic about explosions of fast foaming mousse! It rubs in quickly and feels so light on the skin; the oily thick feel that most creams have is a thing of the past.  So the fact that The Sun Mousse, goes on quickly, easily and without fuss or frills, helps to remove all moaning from small people  desperate to get into the pool or sea. The six hour protection also means children (and adults) can run, jump and play in the sun without worry. If maximum protection is your biggest worry then this mousse is perfect. Easy application, maximum protection. It’s available here, from the Sun Mousse website for £19.99.

For some variation, we also tried the Resultime CC Cream from Collin Paris. CC creams or colour corrector creams are a relatively new concept to the make-up world. They are designed to even out skin pigmentation and leave a flawless finish. Unlike the other products we tried, this CC cream also has anti-aging elements. The vitamin E also helps to improve skin moisture and the SPF 30 rating ensures you’re protected from the sun all day long. The product is light and goes onto the skin beautifully. It comes in two skin shades, natural and golden they blend so well that they are suitable for almost any skin tone. If you’re searching for something lighter than foundation for the summer months this CC cream could be the perfect product. The Resultime CC creams are available here £35.50 each.

We also tried one of the hero products from Murad, Essential C Sun Balm is a stick application sun cream with an SPF of 35. Although this isn’t the maximum protection it still offers adequate cover, as well as hydrating the skin. The roll-on stick nature of the product is definitely its unique selling point. The quality and versatility is demonstrated by its 2013 Shape Sun Award. It makes it super easy to apply, especially to the face, with no worries of using too much or staining clothes like some liquid creams. With extracts of broccoli for UV protection and tangerine butter for moisture as well as being anti-animal testing, Murad’s Essential C Sun Balm ticks all the boxes for the perfect face and neck sun cream. The cream is available here for £19.50.

The final product in our sun feature is the Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral SPF 45. This unique product comes in the form of a brush on sun protector for immediate, any time UVA/UVB sun-protection. This product is so versatile, acting as a bronzer/powder concealer as it creates the illusion of smooth radiant skin, whilst also offering a level of sun cream protection. So, if you still keep up your make-up routine on holiday, this touch up powder is perfect. It also helps prevent sunburn, skin damage, freckling and uneven discoloration, leaving you flawless but protected. The Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral SPF 45 is available through Salon Skincare here in the UK for £17.60

Laguna Star - Swim Shorts

Summer time is here, and we at the Amazing Blog are always keeping an eye out for swimwear. Laguna Star has great looking pairs of swim shorts for yourself or a man in your life, and we think every guy should have one! They are extremely light weight and have a classic look, reassuring that you’re always ‘in style’. Aside from the timeless look of the shorts, this quick-dry material is perfect for warm weather adventures. Each pair of shorts is one of a kind and hand embroidered, using only the finest materials and threads. There are also a variety of design elements, including 4 colours and 4 embroidery options, totalling 16 combinations of shorts. We love traditional items here at the Amazing Blog because there’s no need to buy the ‘new style’ each season, and the item ends up paying for itself.

Laguna Star also supports Project Seahorse, which is a Marine Life Conservation project. £3 of each purchase goes to this cause in order to make a difference in our oceans. Get your own pair of Laguna Star Swim Shorts here for £90.00.