Top Herd's Snacks

Oh yes, groan, it’s that time of year again: ‘New Year, new you, new us’ - prepare to be flooded with gym membership teasers that promise the powers of a total detox, ond a general shedding of the skin belonging to 2018. At this time of year, we at The Amazing Blog are being bombarded with messages to look more closely at what we’re putting into our bodies - which is where the range from Top Herd comes into it’s own.

With Top Herd’s delicious Jerky selection in six flavours (four beef and two turkey) and their two salami flavours to choose from, they give the taste buds something of a workout to decide which to go for. The beauty of these tasty treats is that they are packed full of protein and are therefore brilliant at helping us to boost our energy levels, and fulfil our new year resolutions, whether they be at the gym, the office, or indeed at home. The stand out offering for us amongst the jerky offerings is their Smokey BBQ Grass Fed Beef Jerky, with only 91 calories per packet, it will certainly help to shape that waistline in the right direction. All natural ingredients, gluten-free and without a nitrate in sight. The journey that all their products undertake, is of paramount importance to the Top Herd Team - all meat is responsibly sourced to ensure the animals destined for our snack box have been grass fed, having enjoyed a carefree life, roaming at their leisure and taking good exercise out in the open air. No nasty chemicals are allowed to enter this chain, keeping each ingredient as unadulterated as possible.

The lean salami comes in two flavours - ‘Tomato’ and ‘Mild Chilli’ with 5.7% and 6.1% fat respectively. In our tastings, the ingredients each came through, without being overpowering - especially the chilli options which can sometimes be hit or miss in some snacks. Of course the really interesting test came in whether these yummy morsels actually staved off the hunger pangs - we can report that they did, adding an extra boost of gusto to our step which wasn’t entirely down to the feeling of self-righteousness!

In a world where we are increasingly being lectured on the rights and wrongs of what we keep in our larders, it makes a refreshing change to come across a brand who are fearlessly pushing their products forward, and encouraging us to eat well, and play well. The message from Top Herd is to lay a foundation of good nutrition and well being, and then get out into the fresh air and explore all manner of adventures. It’s the perfect premise for the beginning of a new year, and possibly a new and fulfilling direction for those of us willing to taste something new. Individual pouches of jerky will set you back between £1.59 and £2, but you will also find the ‘Adventure box of Jerky’ bundle priced at £12, and the ‘Go Wild Snack Box’ at £14. These are all available from the Top Herd website here. Happy snacking!

Myroo Skincare - Gentle Cleanser + Cloth

As colder temperatures have set in, our skin at The Amazing Blog is beginning to suffer. As much as the crisp air and colourful leaves are a welcome element of the changing seasons, many of us are subject to heightened dry skin as a result of the colder climate. We were therefore pleased to discover Myroo Skincare, a brand that is formulated for sensitive, allergic and problem skin, and gentle enough to solve October woes for any skin type.

Myroo Skincare, based in Harrogate, Yorkshire, was founded by skincare expert Rachael Dunseath. Using her own experiences of allergies, Dunseath sought to create a range of products that leave you "comfortable in your own skin" and "confident in the ingredients". This ethos is embedded in the 100% plant-based products, which are handmade in small batches to preserve nutrients and guarantee freshness - a commendable philosophy that we were keen to try for ourselves.

We tried their Gentle Cleanser, an organic and vegan cleanser that is free from gluten, nuts and dairy ingredients. We found the nut-free formula particularly interesting, as this includes inedible traces which are often found within other 'nut free' products. The cleanser is also free from all common food allergens, and the use of known synthetic irritants (including parabens), is prohibited. Quite an impressive list of considerations I'm sure you will agree! Equally as impressive, however, are the ingredients themselves, with the use of apricot kernel oil, starflower oil and orange blossom, which are packed with vitamin E and omega 6. These work together to create a silky and luxurious formula that helps to protect and repair the skin's natural barrier, encouraging it to regenerate, for a fresher and softer complexion.

Alongside the plethora of carefully considered ingredients, the cleanser is also cruelty-free, free from animal testing and available in a fragrance-free version. The Fragrance-Free Gentle Cleanser doesn't contain any of the common 26 cosmetic allergens, ensuring that even the most sensitive of skin is left looking refreshed and radiant. To use either product, we recommend utilising the double-sided organic cloth that is included in the packaging. When used alongside the cleanser, we found that our skin was both gently cleansed and exfoliated (without the use of microbeads), which encouraged brighter and fresher skin, as well as acting as an environmentally friendly alternative to other exfoliating products. It also allows the product to become a 2 in 1 solution, something we are always keen to promote! If you're continuously searching to simplify your skincare routines, then this may well be the answer.

To try this star product for yourself, massage 3-4 pumps over the face and neck, and remove with the hot cloth (use warm water for maximum effect). Do this twice a day to reap the full benefits. We found that a little goes a long way, so we recommend being economical with the amount applied. If you're suitably impelled to try Myroo Skincare, then click here to buy your own Gentle Cleanser + Cloth, or here for the Fragrance-Free version, both priced at £27. Happy cleansing!

Friday Favourites - Natural Cleansers

What’s more important to you… A skincare regime in the morning to pep up your skin? Or perhaps in the evening, to help get rid of the daily grim? When we did a quick poll in the office and found that we all tended to lean towards an evening ritual. Although maybe one or two of us might admit to having fallen asleep with our make up on - oh what a sin! Of course, when this is the case we’ve paid the price; you know the look of dark panda eyes, streaky cheeks and an irritated skin breakout. Today we at The Amazing Blog explore four natural, cruelty-free and gentle cleansing products to help you up your cleansing game - whether its for the day, night or both.

First and foremost, we all know that we’ve got to remove our make up. Nadur is an Irish natural and vegan skincare brand that has a wonderfully gentle and effective make up remover. Nadur was a Pure Beauty Global Awards 2018 Finalist, and they are committed to crafting non-toxic and well-designed products that are safe for the environment and the user. The name ‘Nadur’ means nature and comes from the ancient celtic/viking alphabet ‘Ogham’, with their 20 symbols that represent sacred trees. They focus on the ‘acid mantle’ (the skins natural defense mechanism) and their products are a careful blend of science and artistry using ‘green chemistry’.

We tried their Genie Rinsable Oil Cleanser & Makeup Remover and were pleased to find the naturally ethical formula is non-greasy and hydrating. This cleanser and make up remover hybrid works well for normal, oily, combination, and dry skin. To use it, smother over dry skin, wetting the face to emulsify it, and gently work it in. Give your face a rinse, and you’ll feel squeaky clean, without the tight sensation. This water-soluble solution is gentle on the skin’s natural protective barrier because of the inclusion of organic jojoba oil, which means the skin’s moisture levels are restored. We particularly like all the antioxidants and minerals, such as pomegranate seed, that help to rejuvenate the skin. The Genie Rinsable Oil Cleanser & Makeup Remover is vegan, gluten, cruelty-free, non-toxic, and 100% natural. Its faint floral, nutty fragrance comes from the sweet almond oil and ylang-ylang flower extract. Purchase Nadur’s Genie Oil Cleanser & Makeup Remover 200ml here for £25.00.

Let’s move from Ireland to Britain, to explore Nakin Skincare. We’re particular fans of this new British brand which focuses on natural anti-ageing products, and recently featured their Active Dew Face Cream here. As a nominee for Best New Skincare Brand in the Pure Beauty Awards, founder Cris Beetham said: “Our whole ethos is about effective natural skincare, for people who want great skin without the use of harsh chemicals.” And we certainly do! Hyaluronic acid, seaweed and plant extracts, healing butters, and reviving oils are some of the powerful ingredients in Nakin’s products that help to enhance your skin’s natural beauty. All of their products are cruelty-free and are without parabens and artificial colour and fragrances.

We took their Natural Anti-Ageing Advanced Cleansing Milk for a spin. This cleanser is 98% natural and wheat and gluten-free. We particularly enjoyed using this product because of how gentle it is on sensitive and dry skin, and it proved to be a great hit with our Exec Editor. The Cleansing Milk is easy to apply, simply massage in circular motion before removing with a cotton pad - it’s brilliant for removing stubborn make up. The hyaluronic acid and pomegranate fruit extract help to fight the key signs of ageing. The seaweed extract also helps to even skin tone. The completely natural, light floral fragrance is refreshing but more importantly we liked that this cleanser was effective. If you’d like to try Nakin Skincare’s Natural Anti-Ageing Advance Cleansing Milk, it can be purchased 150ml here for £15.00.

If you’re in the mood to try something different, then Speak Skin Beauty has got you covered. They are a natural skincare company founded by Nisa and Tiara, who wanted to make a difference. Their mission is to empower women with fair and reliable information on skincare ingredients, to allow them to make an informed decision; and wishing to make a positive impact on their community and environment. Both had struggled on their journey to find a suitable skincare for their complexions; Nisa with dermatitis and Tiara for her ever-changing, hormonal skin. This skincare brand is all about advocating good clean and conscious products. They carefully choose their ingredients to ensure that their products are appropriate for even the most sensitive skin. We love how they are minimising waste by getting rid of unnecessary packaging. We received their 01 Cleansing Powder in a charming fabric mini tote all made from recycled material. This packaging makes the product all the more meaningful in our eyes. They’re strictly cruelty and paraben-free, and make all their products in small batches.

Speak’s 01 Cleansing Powder system was new to most of the team here, as they hadn’t used a powder cleanser before. It is a gentle, soap-free cleansing powder that has only four ingredients: organic oats, lavendar extract, kaolin clay and sweet almond oil. It’s simplicity at it’s best. The scent is particularly enticing, the fragrance of this almost poultice-like texture is lead by the combination of lavender and oatmeal. The oats help to soothe the skin; the lavender calms redness; the sweet almond oil prevents dryness and hydrates, and the kaolin clay diminishes sebum production. This cleanser proved very popular with those of us who have more oily skin with frequent breakouts, as it helps to calm and stabilise. Mix the powder in the palm of your hand with warm water to make a paste, then apply by gently massaging the paste on the face, rinse off, et voila! You too can purchase Speak Skin Beauty’s 01 Cleansing Powder 60g here for £8.88.

Last but by no means least, we found Skincare with Compassion, an organic skincare company founded to be entirely cruelty-free and vegan. Based on the Island of Jersey, founder Emma Froch explains that the brand is “dedicated to changing the way in which people think about skin care” by advocating natural and animal-friendly products. Emma’s thirst for expertise in the skincare industry began over nine years ago when she realised that cruelty-free and vegan products were in short supply. She made it her mission to formulate 100% natural and non-animal derived products, working with beauty experts to discover ethical ingredients without nasty additives. We certainly admire the ethics of the company and were thrilled to try the Geranium and Thyme Purifying Face Wash.

This face wash is designed for those with oily or spot prone skin, a welcome discovery for certain members of The Amazing Blog team who suffer from hormonal blemishes. It contains 83.7% certified organic ingredients, including four superpower botanicals: geranium, thyme, lavender flower and rosemary. The geranium provides the benefit of minimising the look of wrinkles whilst still leaving your face feeling moisturised and supple. The thyme is a powerful force against bacteria, helping to eliminate and calm sebum levels. Similarly, lavender flower has antibacterial properties, reducing blemishes and fighting against the dark spots and scars that we are often availed with (as if having the spot in the first place wasn’t bad enough!) Finally, rosemary is antiseptic, helping to reduce redness and puffiness, by balancing congested skin. All in all, a robust set of ingredients that not only soothe our skin, but smell light and fresh.

To see the results for yourself, apply a small amount of the cleanser to wet skin (we suggest opening your pores with warm water first) and gently massage. You’ll be met with a silky foam, which needs only to be rinsed with warm water to remove. To purchase a 100ml bottle of Skincare with Compassion’s Geranium and Thyme Purifying Face Wash for £18, then click here.

There is a natural cleanser here to suit almost every skin type. We think that all four of these cleansers are fabulous alternatives to the plethora of chemical-infused cleansers, that are so readily available on the high street. Please let us know if you get try out some of our new finds, otherwise we hope that we’ve inspired you to go and search out new cleansing alternatives.

Strictly Come Dancing Dazzle Shimmering Mist by Norvell

While summer is not quite here yet, all winter we've been diligently keeping up with our self-tanning routine. Here at The Amazing Blog, being 'pale and interesting' is not our thing! When the sun shines, we like to have a bit of a tan as it makes all the difference to how we feel. So we were happy to discover a product that helps to boost our skin tone and give us even more of a summer glow: Norvell’s Strictly Come Dancing Dazzle Shimmering Mist. This product is just perfect for adding that little bit extra glitz to our skin. If you are new to Norvell, they are a professional tanning brand from the US that has also created a selection of high-quality retail tanning products.

For those of you who don't know, Strictly Come Dancing is a television dance competition on BBC Worldwide and Norvell is appointed as their official tanning brand. Norvell provides professional tanning for all the dancers and celebrities on the show. In June 2017, Norvell released their Strictly Come Dancing Sunless Collection licensed by BBC Worldwide. This retail range helps to create the same bronzed look as the dancers on the show, all in the comfort of your own home. This award-winning tanning line includes four products, all of which are appropriately named; Show Stopper, Perfect 10, Dazzle and Perfection. These help you to look dance floor ready with glowing tanned skin and the additon of an incredibly fine sparkle. 

After testing out the Dazzle Shimmering Mist we really liked how it gave us a great glistening finish that when the light caught our limbs, they looked luminous and absolutely flawless! This Shimmering Mist has a light consistency and comes in a handy 59ml spray bottle which delivers a fast drying and even cover.  It has a wonderful coconut and pina colada fragrance and is infused with water and aloe vera leave juice. Like us you can apply the mist to your body to upgrade your tan or just spray it on to give a bit of extra every day glamour. We also suggest lightly spraying Dazzle Shimmering Mist on your hair to help create more sheen and brilliance giving a really head turning look.  We applaud Dazzle Shimmering Mist for also being paraben, sulphate, gluten free and 100% vegan. You can purchase the Strictly Come Dancing Dazzle Shimmering Mist by Norvell here for £9.99.

Geosticks by Geobar

We love snacking at The Amazing Blog. It is our biggest vice, and although swimsuit season is a long way off, it’s all too easy to use layers to hide as our bodies turn into bears. While this may be cosier and on the whole a more enjoyable experience, it is, firstly, fooling no one and secondly makes swimsuit season all the more stressful as we battle against the results of our bad choices. To entirely avoid this we have decided to change our ways and make healthier snack choices. In our research, we found the delicious Rice, Lentil and Quinoa Geosticks from one of our favourite brands Geobar. The crisps come in three moreish flavours Sweet Chilli, Herby and Peppery. 

Each pack is gluten and dairy-free and contain Fairtrade rice from Thailand and Fairtrade quinoa from Peru.  No matter which flavour you choose the packet won’t exceed 91 calories. Making these not just an ethically right choice, but an excellent choice for your waist. We partularly loved the Sweet Chilli which had a subtle chilli/tomato/spice sauce flavour which came through on these delicious crunchy sticks. All three flavours are utterly addictive, and with their low-calorie content, you don’t have to feel guilty next snack time! 

You can purchase a Geosticks multi pack from Traidcraft here for £21.60. This will include 8 packets of each flavour which will certainly be enough to see you through the next month or two!