Ultra Luxe Moisturizing Sunscreen - BB Lifestyle

At The Amazing Blog, we’re always on the search to find a great sunscreen that (1) doesn’t make us look like pale and zinc-y and (2) protects as well as moisturises our skin. We’re happy to report in that BB Lifestyle’s Ultra-Luxe Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30 is everything we want and more…

Based in California, BB Lifestyle is a luxury unisex skincare brand that aims to educate people in the way that they view skincare offering a more holistic approach. Bill Bakho the founder, makes sure that his brand is all natural, with no-filler and that it is a ‘multi-tasking, easy-to-wear sun screen that is inspired by nature.’ He also claims that in their natural skincare range they deliver dermatological-grade results. After using the Ultra-Luxe Moisturizing Sunscreen first hand, we agree that its non-greasy, weightless formula left us feeling both protected and pampered. Besides being SPF 30+, their signature, luxury sunscreen is made with seaweed, orchid and algae extracts as well as their patented HC56Complex, which is a hemp oil that provides anti-oxidant benefits to your skin. The sunscreen also has anti-ageing benefits with added UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum to help prevent skin damage. Another added plus for those of us with sensitive skin is that the full BB Lifestyle range are also vegan including the Utra-Luxe Moisturizing Sunscreen.

Application of the Ultra-Luxe Moisturizing Sunscreen is like any sun cream. A small amount applied 15 minutes before you are out in the sun and re-apply every two hours. This will leave your skin feeling protected yet glowing. We used it also as a primer under makeup, which worked a treat! To try living the #BBLifestyle you too can purchase their 100 ml tube of signature sunscreen for £49 on their website here.

PHB Ethical Beauty's Gentle Cleanser

Anyone with sensitive, dry or eczema-prone skin will know that finding skincare is somewhat of a challenge. It is particularly difficult to find a gentle and effective cleanser; and as some of us suffer from mild eczema at The Amazing Blog, we thought it was about time to actively search for new and effective products. This is when we returned to one of our trusted favourites: PHB Ethical Beauty, a vegan, ethical and organic brand, bringing gentle skincare to the market, without an ounce of medical looking packaging. Regular readers will recognise this brand, having featured both their Skin Brighten Gel (see here) and 2-in-1 Hand and Body Moisturiser (see here). With raving reviews previously, we were excited to test whether their Gentle Cleanser would live up to expectations.

PHB Ethical Beauty is a family-run company providing a range of natural, handmade and palm oil free products. The brand is similarly alcohol-free, and halal certified - inclusive to all, no matter skin type or religion. One particularly admirable element of the brand is their charitable contribution, with 20% of net profits going directly to charities across the UK and around the world. There is a reason for the name PHB Ethical Beauty, and this brand indeed is one that favours people over profit.

We tried their Gentle Cleanser with Rosehip and Avocado, a cleanser designed for sensitive, overly dry and eczema prone skin. Thanks to the addition of vitamins A and E, this cleanser not only soothes and softens the skin, but equally reduces inflammation and redness. Rosehip is known for its antioxidant properties, which we gather is the critical ingredient for attaining that youthful glow. On the other hand, avocado (the nation's best-loved brunch ingredient) is particularly effective at moisturising the skin, protecting against unnecessary dryness. The real winner here though is the use of organic ingredients, and avoidance of essential oils and fragrance. For anyone with reactive skin, you'll know this is a make or break element of any product, and in fact, we would suggest, products with either are best to be avoided for any skin type. Additionally, the packaging also feels very premium, with a lovely glass bottle and eco-friendly box - not a single cheap plastic bottle in sight! To try this bottle of goodness for yourself, visit the PHB Ethical Beauty website here, where is it available for £17.00.

Ecologic Cosmetics

They say prevention is better than cure and this certainly applies when taking care of our complexions. Welcome our latest #amazingfind  Ecologic Cosmetics; founded in Mallorca, it’s a brand that has created natural, organic, sustainable and vegan beauty products for over 25 years. Following the hashtag #ClimateFriendlyCosmetics, their motto is: “Caring for your Beauty, Caring for our world”. This is certainly something we can get behind at The Amazing Blog, and were excited to learn more.

We particularly like about this brand is its credentials with environmentally conscious packaging (100% recycled), plus their simple and straight forward organic ingredients. As explained by founder, Linda Nicolau - a trained skincare professional and therapist:, “What we put on our skin enters our bloodstream, and matters. I cannot emphasise enough that it is never too late to care for your skin with natural, respectful, non-toxic ingredients.” Something we heartily agree with.

We tried Ecologic Cosmetics’ Hydrating Lipsome Serum and Bio Facial Elixir. We were very pleasantly surprised by the effectiveness of the Hydrating Liposome Serum. This 10 day action water-based serum contains vitamins C and E, helping to lock hydration into the skin. The formula also contains marine plants and botanical hyaluronic acids, making it 99% of natural origin, containing 89% eco-certified ingredients. This serum is powerful at cell-repairing and moisturising, leaving the skin both smooth and luminous. It can be applied around the eyes, as well as on your face, neck and décolleté. Simply add a thin layer over the desired areas, after cleansing. It smells light and natural, and the wooden lid of the clear bottle gives it a simple and pure touch. This super hydrating serum also closes open pores, regenerates the skin and diminishes wrinkles and blemishes. What more could we ask for?

We were similarly impressed by the Bio Facial Elixir. Restoring and regenerating, this elixir contains organic botanical oils, including rosehip chia seed and geranium, an excellent combination for anti-ageing. With 99% eco-certified ingredients, this elixir is also suitable for all skin types. The rich and luxurious formula helps your skin to recover and replenish, while the unique blend of essential and organic oils helps to improve elasticity and firmness, The elixir’s lightly sweet scent and silky rich composition immediately relaxes your skin and facial muscles. It regenerates, recovers and replenishes, for progressive and long-lasting effects.

To restore your skin, by giving it a hydrating boost and healthy glow, purchase the Hydrating Lipsome Serum here for £69 (30ml) and the Bio Facial Elixir here for £49 (30ml).

Rawgaia - Hemp Glow Cleanser

Our skin is continuously suffering from the cold temperatures. Add into the mix London's pollution, and an array of skincare products containing chemicals, and it's clear to see why we're struggling with dry and dull complexions. With upcoming festive parties, we’ve been searching for new skincare products at The Amazing Blog, hoping to nourish our complexions back health. On this quest, we re-visited Rawgaia, an award-winning brand that uses only pure, raw, cold pressed and healthy ingredients - giving excellent value for money, and peace of mind that the products are protecting your skin. We have in fact tried their Cold Pressed Carrier Oil before, so we were pretty certain it would help us this December!

Started by wellbeing expert, Jessica Michael, who is also the owner of Rawgaia, it is registered to COSMOS Organic Standards and has Soil Association certification. Their focus is on creating skincare that is nourishing for the skin, with natural ingredients as opposed to synthetic ones. We tried their Hemp Glow Cleanser, which promises to pull out dirt and balance the avails of daily life. This is something we can vouch for, our skin felt squeaky clean, yet was still nourished and supple. We particularly like that it is gentle enough for eye makeup removal, as there's nothing better than a multi-purpose product. The ingredients are the talking point of this product, 91% of which are organic. The use of flower water, vitamin E, sunflower seed oil and witch hazel are notable for controlling sebum levels while remaining moisturising. Additionally, tea tree is another natural ingredient known for fighting against oily skin, and the use of hemp (a Cannabis plant fibre) is an exciting addition that forms a protective layer over the skin. Hemp also prevents skin rashes and provides relief from acne, a powerful ingredient to fight skin troubles.

This cleanser should be used both morning and night and is suitable for oily and combination skin types. Simply smooth this cleanser over your face and neck, gently massaging it into the skin. We recommend removing it with a damp and warm cloth, to unearth a radiant glow. You'll find this cleanser leaves a brightened complexion without a sticky, greasy or heavy feeling. Purchase your own bottle of goodness here for £28.00 (50ml).

Friday Favourites - Organic Skincare

Here at The Amazing Blog we are all about natural beauty and we strive to find the best products to keep our skin youthful and healthy all year round.  It’s important to find the right beauty product for your skin whilst avoiding those packed full of nasty chemicals. So, we’ve done the legwork and collated a list of some of our favourite organic beauty products.

You may recognise London Ethnic as a London-based fashion label.  However, we were excited to discover that they recently launched their debut beauty range.  The products are made using nourishing organic ingredients and pure botanical actives, and the best thing about them is that they’re free from parabens and artificial preservatives.  We particularly love their Warming Bath Oil.  It has a delicate, relaxing scent and leaves our skin feeling soft, refreshed and revitalised. If you like the sound of this you can pick up your own online here for £32, as well as checking out the rest of their range.

Another fabulous brand, Unica, pride themselves on being 100% organic and natural.  Sonia, the brand’s founder, is passionate about the healing power of herbs and oils after suffering with skin issues herself.  Through making her own products, she gradually began to heal and wanted to share her fantastic products with the world. Our stand-out product was the Kiss It Better Moisturiser which is suitable for even the most sensitive skin.  The formula includes Nilotica Shea Butter to keep skin moisturised, Rosehip Oil and Calendula, all of which reduce itching, promote healing and relieve the symptoms of eczema, psoriasis, and inflamed skin.  Get it here for £12.95.

Terre Verdi proudly produce ethically-sourced products made from natural ingredients and endeavor to use as many organic ingredients as they can.  Honouring founder, Alessandra de Gregorio’s Sicilian roots, the brand have a stunning range of products for both face and body. Our favourites are the Aloe Toner and Moisturiser.  The toner is great at removing any residual make-up and dirt left after cleansing, and has a powerful combination of Aloe Vera and gentle Rose Water to help heal, protect and fight signs of ageing.  Their Face Moisturiser also combines the properties of soothing Aloe Vera with those of pro-youth Apricot Kernel Oil, perfect for hydrating the skin. And it’s not just for women - it’s fantastic as an after-shave too!  Treat yourself to the Terre Verdi Toner and Moisturiser here for £14 and £15 respectively.

Not far from Sicily, Mille Ulivi is the love child of a team of Italian biologists and cosmetologists. The 100% natural and innovative formulas combine the antioxidant power of Extra Virgin Olive Oil with active ingredients derived from the olive tree, to prevent skin aging. We fell in love with their Nourishing Day Cream. The beautiful recycled wooden packaging immediately sets this apart from other products in its category, but the real beauty is inside.  It’s rich in natural antioxidants and highly concentrated SWISS Gardenia Stem Cells, which are your best ally against the signs of ageing. What’s more, the light, non-greasy formula, makes it an ideal base for make-up too. You can buy it for £46.05 from their online site here.

Another of our favourite natural brands is Nadeballa. The brand makes products based on the philosophy that your skin needs the right ingredients to keep it looking its best. This is a sentiment that we can wholly get on board with, so when they sent over their Night Replenishing Cream, we were over the moon.  With a plethora of nourishing ingredients, including Almond Oil and Apricot Kernel Oil, it’s packed with the essential vitamins your skin needs. It’s great for delivering an extra boost of hydration whilst your body rests and your skin regenerates. We woke up looking younger, with a plumper, smoother looking complexion. It certainly is a great aid for our beloved beauty sleep. You can buy it on Nadeballa’s website for £39.