Flower and Spice - Rose & Coriander Travel/Discovery Set

 At The Amazing Blog, we all can relate to the need to pamper ourselves after a hectic week at the office. Therefore, we like to treat ourselves with natural skincare products that are both soothing and calming. So when someone suggested we try the newly launched skincare brand Flower and Spice with their range of natural and organic products, we did just that!

After deciding to stop working in the marketing industry, Flower and Spice founder Karmen Novak  went on to studying organic skincare science at UK-based Formula Botanica before launching the brand last year. Her mission is to ‘...bring nature back to your daily life.’ After experiencing great results on her own skin from the selection of natural oils she chose, Karmen decided to share her propriety blend of essential oils with the world, all in the form of her first launched product the much haled Midnight Beauty Rich Revitalising Serum. Since then, she has gone on to release two other equally successful products. While we only got to try two out of their three products, in the Rose & Coriander Travel/Discovery Set we were extremely pleased with the results. The set is comprises of two of Flower and Spice’s, products the Soothe and Repair Daily Moisturiser and the Midnight Beauty Rich Revitalising Serum. Both of these contain rose absolute and coriander seed oil and other botanical ingredients ensuring the efficacy while also exuding a gentle and relaxing aroma during use. 

The first product in the set is the Midnight Beauty Rich Revitalising Serum. This contains ten essential oils and is void of any parabens and fillers. In addition to the rose and coriander oils, the serums are antioxidant rich with other oils like prickly pear, plum seed, jojoba, apricot seed, argan, evening primrose and macadamia. Together these work to regulate your skin’s oil production and the texture of your skin by hydrating and preventing signs of ageing.  Flower & Spice recommend using this alone at night-time by simply gently press about three pumps of the serum onto cleansed skin. However, If like one of our team, you have particularly dry skin we suggest using this Serum in tandem with the Soothe and Repair Daily moisturiser during the day.  Let the Serum sink into your skin before applying the moisturiser to lock-in the effects.  

Next we tried was the Soothe and Repair Daily Moisturiser. While the rose absolute in the moisturiser provides an aromatherapy feel, other plant-based ingredients such as the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory coriander seed oil, grape seed oil, the rare prickly pear seed oil, aloe vera, rosewater and arctic oat extract all soothe, smooth and moisturise giving the skin a dewy, supple complexion. After cleansing skin, apply a generous amount of the moisturiser for day or night. This Rose & Coriander Travel/Discovery Set is perfect to use either individually or together with a layer effect depending on your skin type. Start your journey towards giving your skin a special relaxing treat by purchasing the duo set which contains a 30ml bottle of the Moisturiser and an 10ml bottle of the Serum here for £61.43 and if you purchase now you get 2 gifts offered!

Zuii Organic – Certified Organic Flora Gradual Tan Body Lotion and Self Tanning Foam

In the summer, at The Amazing Blog we not only like to sport a healthy tan that looks like we’ve just returned from some exotic clime, but we also don’t want to spend hours roasting in the sun risking getting skin cancer! We’re big fans of self tan products particularly if they are certified organic. Enter the 2019 Beauty Shortlist award winning Australian brand Zuii Organic’s  with their Certified Organic Flora Gradual Tan Body Lotion and Self Tanning Foam (in both Dark and Medium). Both products offer a great way to get a sunless tan, plus their organic ingredients give you a fabulous golden and glowing skin.

The Australian brand was founded in the 90s by beautician Rose Bessey, who wanted to create “organic products that have you looking incredible, while your skin benefits from wearing them”. This mission led her to create products that are all vegan and cruelty-free and have certified organic ingredients. The company’s tagline ‘wear flowers on your face’ stems from Zuii Organic using real flowers like roses, sunflowers, and jasmine in its products, which have lots of skin benefits and of course smell delicious.

The first product we tried was the Gradual Tan Body Lotion. Infused with organic bamboo juice, raw cacao, shea butter, and sunflower oil; the lotion hydrates and softens the skin so much so that you can use it alone as a body moisturiser. However, be advised that it does not contain sunscreen if you go out during the day. These nourishing ingredients leave your skin glowy while the product creates a gradual tan on your skin. We were very impressed with the colour that it gave, as it was extremely natural looking and is customisable by you. After using the product 1-2 times per day (morning and evening in our case) the gradual colour begins to emerge on your skin, and what we liked was that you can build the product up, until you achieve your desired tan. Have no fear, this lotion will not leave your bed sheets an ugly colour the next day and has a light citrus scent. Also it was long lasting and faded evenly.

The second product we tried was the Certified Organic FloraSelf Tanning Foam which they very kindly sent us both their Dark and Medium versions, but it also comes in four shades: Light, Medium, Dark and Ultra Dark. Having had basal carcinomas, I’m a regular all year around self-tanner, so my choice was the Dark version. I was impressed with the ease of application and performance.. I am extremely fussy about my tanning products and this truly gave me just the darker sun-kissed colour that I like! Unlike the lotion, this foam has a colour guide, so as you apply you have an instant tan that when dry will last for a week or more. The unique foam texture is lightweight and dries quickly. However, make sure you apply this product on evenly with a mitt to avoid streaks. The formula has bamboo juice, raw cacao, and grape skin, and doesn’t leave you feeling sticky. With its smooth application and rich colour, we can see why it is a winner achieving awards from Pure Beauty Global Awards Finalist too. It is perfect for achieving an optimal tan, with minimal effort. Exfoliate your skin before applying the lotion or foam. You can purchase the Gradual Tan Body Lotion (250ml) here for £31.50 and Self Tanning Foam (200ml) here for £36. Certainly one of my #amazingfinds for this summer and I can’t wait to try more from Zuii Organics

PariQu - Rose & Cacay Hydrating Serum Cream and 24K Gold & Rosehip Rejuvenating Cream

We don’t know if it’s just us at The Amazing Blog, but we love the smell of roses in our skin care products. Roses smell so fresh and clean yet remind us of subtle elegance and rejuvenation. So, we were very excited to try two new PariQu products that are meant to revitalise skin and smell like a fresh garden.

PariQu  was founded in October 2018 by Henry Tianus, who suffered from sensitive skin and acne throughout his teenage years and early twenties. Tianus set out on a goal to create clean, effective, vegan, and cruelty-free products that ‘help people feel better about their skin regardless of their age’. All of the company’s products also contain 99 to 100 per cent natural ingredients and are all hand made in London.

The first product we tried was the Rose & Cacay Hydrating Serum Cream. It’s a 2-in-1 serum and moisturiser that hydrates skin and reduces the appearance of wrinkles. Bulgarian rose extract gives the cream a nice sweet smell while calming and protecting skin from premature ageing and environmental elements – ideal for London’s bus-filled roads. The formula also contains cacay oil (has the fatty acid linoleic acid which contributes to skin renewal) and saccharide isomerate (smooths wrinkles and rejuvenates skin as a vegan hyaluronic acid alternative). What we thought set this product apart and made it worthy of an Editor’s Beauty Choice at the 2019 Beauty Shortlist Awards . We found it fast-acting, you can feel the beneficial effects in the skin in a matter of minutes while the non-greasy formula absorbs nicely.

The second product we tested was the 24K Gold & Rosehip Rejuvenating Cream. This cream also diffuses into skin easily like the serum and contains antioxidant-rich ingredients that nourish and firm. The cream’s 24K colloidal gold is particularly well-suited for sensitive skin while shea butter and rosehip oil protect skin from UV damage and reduce signs of ageing. This product is perfect for everyday use to boost the appearance of your skin and a remedy for dry, mature, and sensitive skin. For severely dry skin, it is recommended to mix in 2-4 drops of their serum or face oil.  

You can purchase the Hydrating Serum Cream (50ml) here for £36 and the Rejuvenating Cream (60ml) here for £48. All orders have free global delivery.

The Kind Planet Company – Power Balm

To keep up with our minimalism goals this spring at The Amazing Blog, that also means using less products that currently clutter in our dressing tables. Besides doing a bit of tidying up around your flat, fewer beauty products mean fewer minutes spent getting ready and more time enjoying the gorgeous warm weather. We have found the perfect product that to do just that. The Power Balm is an all-in-one organic product that will clear your counters of masks, moisturisers, and lip balms.

One of the nine ‘power ingredients’ in the Power Balm is red palm oil, which is used for skin care and eaten as a superfood in West Africa. Palm oil has gotten negative press lately because it is in almost everything we consume (foods, cosmetics, cleaning products) and it causes devastating destruction to ecosystems. We know that, as does The Kind Planet Company, so they’ve come up with a sustainable and kind solution. Working with Sierra Leonean women, Kind Planet’s red palm oil is handpicked and certified by the Rainforest Alliance to ensure animal habitats are not destroyed in the collection process. The company’s shea butter ingredient follows a similar process in Ghana. At the core of Kind Planet and its Power Balm is giving power to its customers and female workers as well as kindness to the environment.

The Power Balm has a mix of red palm oil, other natural plant oils, shea butter, and vegan wax to nourish your body while providing protection and long-lasting moisture to your skin. Key ingredients in the formula in addition to red palm oil, which is rich in antioxidants and hydrates your skin, are jojoba oil (removes excess dirt and oil), mandarin essential oil (brightens and diminishes scars), and rosehip oil (reduces redness). These oils combine to create a fresh and aromatic scent. The balm is useful on all skin types as a cleansing tool, face or body moisturiser, face mask, lip or beard balm, and even a highlighter. Our personal favourite is using it as a hand moisturiser at night because it is incredibly soft and hydrating, great for nails and doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy. Due to its versatility and 100 per cent organic formula, we predict the Power Balm could be the next multipurpose staple.

Power Balm also does not have any preservatives, parabens, synthetic fragrances, petrolatum, animal by-products, or animal testing. You can purchase the Power Balm (50ml) here for £19.50 (postage and packaging included in the price). Five per cent of the sales go to Planet + People Power charities.

Love Sun Body - SPF 50 Fragrance Free

With the UK experiencing its hotter and hotter summers apply a high SPF is an essential part our daily routine, not only our faces but also our bodies. From recycling to using reusable straws, we can change little things in our day-to-day lives for the better, including changing what sunscreen we use. According to the Environmental Working Group,  the chemical-filler oxybenzone which is widely found in non-mineral sunscreens can cause bleaching and deformation to the ocean’s reefs. With that in mind, many began talking about the need for reef-safe SPF, including the state of Hawaii who recently banned any sunscreen that is not deemed safe for the ocean. Once we heard this, at The Amazing Blog we started the hunt for a summer sunscreen that is free from these harmful chemicals. When we read all the rave reviews about Love Sun Body’s range of natural mineral sunscreens, we knew that we had to try.

The founder is Dr. Terry Zickerman is a former banker who returned to his passion for science, biology and healthy living. Love Sun Body was born out of a conversation at the beach in Point Pleasant in New Jersey. After six years dedicated to research and formulation, this US skincare brand Love Sun Body made its debut last summer. Instead of the chemical UVA and UVB filters found in most sunscreens, Love Sun Body’s sun protectants contain zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to physically block out the rays instead of turning the UV into heat as chemical filters usually do. The ingredients found in their sunscreens are water-resistant and safely yet effectively protect you from the sun. Love Sun Body are also the first U.S. sunscreen brand that is internationally certified by Ecocert Cosmos Natural. While we wished we could try all of Love Sun Body’s products, they kindly sent us their SPF 50 Fragrance Free sunscreen to try. Known fact: Mineral sunscreens do not penetrate the skin – they sit on top and act as a barrier – whereas chemical sunscreens absorb into the skin. Oxybenzone, one of these chemical sunscreen ingredients, is added to 70% of non-mineral sunscreens and, in a study of 2500 Americans, the CDC found Oxybenzone in 96% of the participants bodies.

In addition to being fragrance-free, Love Sun Body’s SPF 50 sunscreen contains 100% natural ingredients that won’t irritate eyes or break out your skin. Unlike other mineral sunscreens, the SPF 50 sunscreen isn’t chalky and dries into a sheer matte finish. Inactive ingredients found in the sunscreen like almond and sunflower oils also make sure your skin stays moisturised. The sunscreen has also proven to be non-comedogenic, so no need to worry about your pores clogging or forming acne. Before taking a dip this summer, make sure to use Love Sun Body’s SPF 50 as you would any sunscreen and re-apply every 80 minutes. SPF 30 sunscreens filter out up to 97% of the sun’s UV radiation while SPF 50 sunscreens filter out up to 98%.For everyday use, we like to apply a small amount of the sunscreen over our favourite moisturiser or serum. If you want to protect both your skin and the environment, purchase a 100 ml bottle for $21 or a 200ml bottle for $32 on the Love Sun Body website here or on Amazon here.