Pevonia - Radiance Mask Gift Set

As regular reader of The Amazing Blog, will know we prefer brands that can offer us natural ingredients and yet can deliver spa-quality results. That’s why we’ve been long standing fans of UK-based beauty brand Pevonia. Having reviewed a few of their products the past few years (check out our review about their EyeRenew Conceal & De-Age Treatment here). Pevonia’s newest release of their collection of Ravishing Radiance Masks did not disappoint, and left us feeling pampered with their three ultra-smooth masks.

Since its founding 1991, Pevonia has used completely natural and organic ingredients made from the ‘purest holistic botanical and marine elements’ in its products. All Pevonia products are free from any mineral oils, lanolin, PABA, animal testing and fragrances and alcohols that won’t dry out your skin. The range of three skincare masks each target different target problems and skin types but leaves your skin feeling just as radiant and glow-y. With the added bonus is that all three masks have aromatherapy benefits .

There was something for everyone in the office – One of us has combination, oily skin so the Bright Skin Green Apple Mask worked best with her skin. In addition to the polysaccharides, sodium lactate and sodium PCA found in green apple, the mask’s brightening and hydrating efforts are heightened with the addition of Red Clover extract which balances and evens-out the skin. For people with more acne-prone skin, Pevonia’s Pure Skin Charcoal mask, made with ‘the finest micronized Charcoal,’ clarifies and detoxifies skin to improve the complexion. The added Shea Butter and Grapefruit extract also gives an added brightening and moisturising boost to oily, clogged skin. The last mask of the range, the Ageless Skin Collagen Mask, contains collagen polypeptides, Orange peel extract and green tea antioxidants that help plump and reduce lines and wrinkles.

For best results, apply a small amount of your mask of choice to cleansed and moisturised skin. After 15 minutes, remove with water and continue with the rest of your skincare routine. If you’re ready to start seeing visible results, purchase one of Pevonia’s 1.7 oz. radiance masks here for the Bright Skin Green Apple Mask (£40), here for the Pure Skin Charcoal Mask (£36) and here for the Ageless Skin Collagen Mask (£40). We think these trio of masks are perfect for a pampering girls night in!

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.

Tenax Hair Pomade

Anyone who knows the team at The Amazing Blog knows that the chance of a sojourn to the haven that is Florence is always greeted with a less than dignified scramble to the front door … sadly this time it was all in vain. However, we were placated with the next best thing, as a little bit of Firenze came to visit us in the form of a rather attractive tin from the Tenax team with something special to keep our tresses in tiptop shape.

Shape being the operative word here; this is serious styling ground as the rhinoceros on the packaging suggests - however, no rhino was harmed in the process of bringing this gem to market, we are assured. Tenax have clearly gone to a lot of trouble in developing a brand which can be recognised as Italian, and as trusted as the Vespa scooter. However, the power of such brand recognition is being used to the fullest here as lifting the lid of this delicious pomade immediately transports us to the romance of that incredible place, conjuring up powerful images of suavely turned out ‘Italian gentiluomo’ going about their lives with no hair out of place … and if there is, it’s probably meant to be there, such is their relaxed confidence.

The beauty of this Tenax range is the strength of hold it provides without the cloying clagginess which can be the disappointing by-product of lesser brands. There’s nothing worse than a gentle run-through of the hair turning into a tussle to free the digits whilst trying to retain some semblance of composure! Fortunately the Tenax Matte Pomade saves us from such misery, as when it says it will give you long-lasting hold for whichever style you are going for … well to coin a phrase … it does exactly what it says on that tin! A light masculine fragrance, the water-based wax is simplicity itself to apply by rubbing a small amount between the palms and styling at your own pace - with quality like this, you too can enjoy the suave confidence that our italian friends who make look so completely effortless. For your Tenax Pomade - Matte in 125ml for £14.50 see here Bellissimo!

Friday Favourites: Body Care Products

When The Amazing Blog did a quick beauty poll amongst some friends, it seems that body care products are something frequently overlooked. We all take great care to moisturise our faces, but what about our poor hard-working bodies? Today we have reviewed some of our #amazingfinds for the body, which we hope will tempt even the most sceptical or lackadaisical among you.

Let’s begin with Lavera, a brand that we know and love (see here for more). Lavera never fails to live up to our expectations with their 100% certified organic ingredients, all of which are dermatologically proven, vegan and with all the free-froms. We like a good multi-tasker and with their Firming Body Milk we have found just that. Not only does it help to moisturise, but it also works to firm up the skin too. Lavera claims that when used every day, there will be a noticeable difference in your skin texture within two weeks – quite a claim, but one we can justify! Gently fragranced, the use of key ingredients, organic green coffee bean and green tea, help to stimulate the skin, for a soft and smooth finish. On the other hand, the use of rosemary and grape help to leave skin feeling silky-soft. It is lightweight to use and absorbs quickly, thankfully leaving no sticky residue. They suggest exfoliating first (Lavera has a rather lovely Smoothing Body Scrub) and applying daily. Whether you’re looking for body firming or not, we really liked the fragrance, feel and texture. Sensibly priced at £10.95 for a 200ml tube , it is available here.

Next, we have CeraVe’s Moisturising Cream, an impressive hyaluronic acid and ceramide based barrier cream, suitable for use on both the body and face, and gentle enough for eczema-prone skin. What are ceramides, I hear you ask; they are lipids that not only help to form the skin’s barrier and retain moisture but also protect against environmental pollution. This body moisturiser is particularly suitable for anyone with dry or very dry sensitive skin. CeraVe is a US brand developed in tandem with dermatologists, they have over 70 products to offer and what makes their product unique is their revolutionary delivery system: MultiVesicular Emulsion Technology (MVE). This technology releases moisturising ingredients over a 24 hour period, layer by layer, to help keep skin soft all day long. Ingredients are not natural, but they are fragrance free, non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic. CeraVe are also quick to point out that they have received more Seal of Acceptance awards from the National Eczema Association than any other brand, which makes them a very tried and tested brand. Available from Boots or Superdrug, this is an economical product, £8.50 for 177ml.

Our third body moisturiser is from the award-winning British brand PHB (Pure Handmade British) Ethical Beauty which is stuffed to the gunnels with delicious superfoods. This 2-in-1 Hand & Body Moisturiser has had us all cooing and oohing. We’ve been long-standing fans of PHB Ethical Beauty and have reviewed several of their products (and we hope many more) - see here. So when given the opportunity to try their new Hand & Body Moisturiser – we leapt at the chance! This brand is very special with 20% of their profits going to The OneLove Foundation (founded by PHB Ethical Beauty in 2015). All their products are made with ethically harvested and responsibly sourced ingredients that are 100% natural, vegan, cruelty-free and alcohol-free (Halal certified). They call this a “no-nonsense moisturiser” and we couldn’t agree more. It absorbs quickly and comes with a list of simple, natural and certified organic ingredients that perform; it feeds the skin with a pure and powerful blend of mango, shea butter, apricot and pumpkin seeds – we love both the fragrance and simplicity. It is available on the PHB website here for £16.60, in a 150ml recyclable tube.

Our final discovery are Liquid Body Washes from Fil Blanc (meaning “white thread” in French), perhaps best known for their high-quality Hammam Turkish cotton towelling (we have our eye on their multi-coloured hand woven bath robe). The brand’s inspiration is taken from Mediterranean luxury living, with a touch of bohemia thrown in. Fil Blanc is based in historical St. Nicholas Market at the Exchange Hall, Bristol where they started three years ago. All products are sourced or designed by the founder Gulsum Gok. She very kindly sent us two of their body washes Relaxing and Orange & Jasmine. All body washes are 99% natural with a 81.98 % organic base, also vegan, cruelty and paraben free. Again they come with a very simple list of ingredients: Relaxing is made with essential oils of geranium, lavender, orange and ylang-ylang; whereas Orange & Jasmine has only these. Both contain honey and aloe vera with an Argan oil base. At a reasonably priced £12 for 259ml you can purchase both here, or alternatively make a visit to their Bristol HQ.

Now there is no excuse not to implement a little body pampering!

Pretty Little Palette - The Sassy One Eyeshadow

We try to keep upbeat as the cool weather closes in, with the wind getting brisker and grey skies appearing. However, we all agree here at The Amazing Blog that a fantastic way to raise our spirits is by discovering a new seasonal line of make-up to play around with. And what could be better than an affordable eyeshadow palette to help us do so. Pretty Little Palettes is a UK line of globally distributed make-up. They are an environmentally conscious, 100% cruelty-free and a vegan friendly company that strives to inspire their customers with their creative collections of bold colours. They also offer matte liquid lipsticks and lipglosses, as well as eyeshadow palettes and contour palettes, all to help you create your desired look.

They sent us one of their luscious Pretty Little Palettes, which all come in designer illustrated recyclable cardboard containers. We tried the eyeshadow palette ‘The Sassy One’ and found that the mixture of bright, earthy tones was perfect for achieving an autumnal look. The palette contains eight eyeshadow colours: LOL, Nah, Never, Seriously Tho, Bitch, Physically, Bad One, and K. We think you’ll agree; that these are a selection of very unusual of names! We were pleased to find that the eyeshadow applied with ease and lasted throughout the day. We have to say that our favourite colour out of the eight was Seriously Tho because of its glorious auburn and copper shimmer. Seriously Tho, is great applied by itself or we liked to mix it with the colours Never or Nah, to make it even more vibrant!

You can purchase your Pretty Little Palettes, ‘The Sassy One’ for £24.00 here. Plus, you’ll get a free Matte Liquid Lip Kit when you buy any palette from the Pretty Little Palettes range. The lip kit contains a matte liquid lipstick and a lip liner. Now there’s no excuse not to make autumn even more colourful.