Cudié Chocolates

Want to know one of our simple pleasures in life? Chocolate. We can’t get enough of it at The Amazing Blog! Who cares if you had a healthy breakfast, or which strict New Year diet you’re following, it would be rude not to indulge in a few sweet treats once in a while. We recently discovered Cudié, a company that have produced family made chocolate since 1946. Based in Vilafranca del Penedes, Spain, all recipes are a family secret - with a plethora of products, from pralines, to Marconi almonds, premium chocolates and catanies (a combination of nuts and chocolate, signature to Cudié). We therefore couldn’t wait to try the brand - all in the name of research of course!

Among the range of sweet treats, Cudié offer collections of assorted delicatessen chocolates. We tried their Mediterranean Tiles chocolate box, consisting of 6 delicious and gourmet chocolates - perfect as an evening treat, with a cup of tea (or glass of red wine). These chocolates come encased in a stylish black box, with a vibrant pink sleeve. Each chocolate is delicately decorated, with rose, coffee, salt, orange, cinnamon and hazelnut flavours to choose from. Our favourites were the coffee and cinnamon flavours. The coffee had a surprising depth of flavour, and we were thankful that it didn't have the stereotypically bitter flavour often prevalent in other coffee chocolates. The cinnamon flavour was also an interesting one, adding a bit of spice and warmth, and definitely one we weren’t expecting to like so much.

To buy a box of 6 Cudié chocolates for yourself, then click here. You will find the box available for 3,91€. Additionally, you can also buy boxes of 18 or 36 chocolates, we will certainly be purchasing a larger box next time! Click here to see the full range of Mediterranean Tiles.

Sana Jardin - No. 5 Celestial Patchouli Perfume

A specific scent can immediately change your whole mood, bringing good memories back or creating new and exciting ones. This is why we at The Amazing Blog love exploring new fragrances. It’s so interesting to see how each person’s skin interacts, and the different perceptions of the very same fragrance. For that reason, we were thrilled when Sana Jardin, the world’s first socially conscious luxury fragrance house. What we love about Sana Jardin is that their mission is not only to provide a long-lasting scent, but also to help empower women all across the globe.

We first fell in love with this natural perfume brand Sana Jardin when recently reviewing their Discovery Set (see our blog post here). This is their range of 7 Eau de Parfums, presented in discreet and elegant bottles which were launched in Harrods in 2017. In collaboration with IFF Master Perfumer Carlos Benaim, these Sana Jardin perfumes were created, unfolding the healing power of natural oils while primarily using some of nature’s most exotic scents, without the use of artificial colourants, parabens, phthalates or formaldehydes.

To keep this never-ending love story going, we asked to try No.5 Celestial Patchouli. Its rich intense smell creates a notion of soft cinnamon bark and leather, with a bit of Australian sandalwood and of course, the slightly sweet but dominant smell of patchouli. It then unfolds to reveal rose and jasmine, as well as Moroccan orris root and the fruity aroma of osmanthus. As these full notes mingle, a deliciousness is revealed, we would go as far as to say making you feel more balanced, relaxed, empowered and harmonised. The packaging is exquisitely designed and we love the magnetic top on the bottle, all of which adds to the luxurious feel. All in all, we think that this fragrance creates an all-round feel good factor. No.5 Celestial Patchouli can be purchased at Harrods, or here at £95 for a 50ml bottle or £180 for an 100 ml bottle.

We must also mention the brand’s founder, Amy Christiansen Si-Ahmed, who created this luxury brand as a vehicle for social change, empowering low-income women. Her brand is the force behind The Beyond Sustainability™ Movement, a movement to impact lower-income women, not with the use of charity, but rather through commerce. The opportunity comes from recycling floral waste into products which end up being sold locally and nationally. Amy Christiansen Si-Ahmed is proud to call this process a true flower revolution. So why not join the change, and empower women to ‘flower to power’? This movement already supports 3 of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. Sana Jardin is not only about having a powerful scent but is also focused on making a change! For further information, visit the Sana Jardin website or have a look at @sanajardin on social media.

Africology Coffee and Rose Diffuser

Who doesn’t love entering into a beautifully scented room? Here, at The Amazing Blog, we have a weakness for reed diffusers as they are safer and more versatile than candles. At this time of year, we want a room fragrance that has both warmth and freshness, this is where one of our favourite beauty and lifestyle brands Africology never fails us. Our regular readers will remember our post on their Rose Body Balm where we commented on their African heritage and how they capture the key flora and fauna of Africa in their ingredients.

Africology has as range of five different fragranced Atmosphere Reed Diffuser sets. We tried the Coffee and Rose diffuser, which for us was absolutely delightful. From its simple, elegant packaging to its sophisticated tawny glass bottle design, it offers soft warm top floral notes combined with the rather interesting and more robust coffee ones, making it a more weighty fragrance and perfect for that heady romantic evening ambience. Apart from its elegant design that will complement any décor, this diffuser is long-lasting; we had ours on the go for at least 3 months!

This diffuser is made from only 100% natural oils. It is very simple and easy to use, just open the bottle and place the diffuser reeds into the bottle until the reeds are fully coated with liquid. Wait about 5 minutes and take the reeds out and insert the opposite dry end of the reeds back into the diffuser. To enhance your home with this long-lasting and evocative fragrance, purchase the Africology Coffee and Rose Room Diffuser here for £45.00. Or at their newly opened London store here.

Bamboo Pearl Facial Exfoliator By Potionshop

Plant-based beauty is a firm favourite of ours here at The Amazing Blog. When we heard that Potionshop’s products are firmly planted in natural and organic ingredients, and how seriously they take this, we were all ears. We were lucky enough to sample their Bamboo Pearl Facial Exfoliator.

The founders, Beverly Higham and Bernie Mulligan, have over 40 years’ experience in the holistic therapy field. A team of cosmetic chemists, together with a team of herbalists, bring these magical products to life. Potionshop does not simply create beauty products, but holistic blends that work to lessen conditions such as shingles, eczema and pain. This holistic skincare line is made up entirely of organic products which are laced with essential oils. They are handmade in the UK, with British ingredients of guaranteed high quality. Potionshop ensures that no corners are cut in the process, as they aim to craft something truly special.

Using natural and organic products means that they contain on average 80-90% active ingredients compared to artificial products which on average contain less than 10%. Potionshop never uses chemical or synthetic ingredients, such as parabens, alcohol, artificial fragrances, formaldehyde and much more. This cruelty-free brand’s products are vegan; free from animal ingredients and by-products. Moreover, their ingredients are sourced from sustainable resources, even including the palm and kernel oils. Potionshop, we salute you.

The Bamboo Pearl Facial Exfoliator is a natural exfoliator that is even ideal for sensitive skin. Rose petal gel and smooth bamboo pearls gently exfoliate the skin. The salicylic acid works wonderfully to slough away dead skin on the face, leaving you with a smooth and fresh complexion. Potionshop has a whole range for sensitive skin, in which rose geranium organic essential oil is infused into each product. This divine little ingredient works wonders on sensitive skin.

Purchase the exfoliator here for £20.00, with a free gift on every order.

Body and Facial Oil - Holos Skincare

When we find a product at The Amazing Blog, that not only works but are also handmade, ethically-produced and mindful of the environment, it is quick to become a favourite of ours. As such, after trying their Body Oil and Facial Oil, the Irish brand Holos has become a staple among us here at the office and is now a valued step in our beauty regimes.

Holos describes their rich and nourishing Body Oil as the basis of their 'Love Your Skin' range. It is a blend of essential oils of Rose, Palmarosa, Benzoin and Frankincense in Sweet Almond oil. This oil is suitable for all skin types but especially benefits dry and mature skin as the hydrating properties of these oils help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. The special blen of essential oils means that the product is ble to achieve a lot of results; the palmarosa oil encourages cell regeneration, the rose and benzoin oil reduce inflammation of the skin, and the rose also helps fix broken capillaries. 

Their Facial Oil is Holos’ best -selling product, and we can see why. It contains the same oils as the Body Oil (Rose, Palmarosa, Benzoin and Frankincense) but this time combined with Argan oil to give you a premium anti-ageing oil. It works brilliantly at the plumping skin, which helps smooth out wrinkles and restores a glow of youthfulness to ageing skin. Equally, the unique blend of essential oils helps to reduce any redness of inflammation. We love that the oil has multiple uses; it can be applied with a moisturiser or on its own, and it works a replacement eye cream marvellously. What's more, four drops are enough to use on both the face and neck.

So give your skin some love with this amazing all natural, gluten free, vegan and paraben free brand, Holos. You can purchase the Body Oil here for £15.99 and the Facial Oil here for £22.99