L’Erbolario - Albero di Giada, Jade Plant Perfume Mignon

Fragrance is definitely our thing at The Amazing Blog. We always try to find new scents that excite! We were thrilled to try a perfume from a new discovery brand for us L’Erbolario, which is intriguingly made from the jade plant blossom.

L’Erbolario was started in 1978 in Lodi in Italy and  was founded by Franco Bergamaschi and his wife Daniela Vila. Over the years, L’Erbolario has not lost its unique and original philosophy of respect, and nod towards nature combined with the latest technology and knowledge. L’Erbolario has also implemented its zero impact project with energy savings, short production chains and vegan recipes.

They have recently launched a new face and body collection: Albero di Giada, which is made from jade plant flowers and this Jade Plant Perfume Mignon is among them. The Jade Plant Perfume comes in an elegantly designed, slender jade green packaging. The perfume is a feminine fragrance with a floral and citrus scent.  It is made up of jade plant flowers with notes of bergamot, yellow rose, white tea, exotic verbena and amber.

It is a super fresh fragrance and smells like a mix of wild flowers, and different green plants with a hint of zest and sweetness combined with well-brewed green-tea. Neither of the scents overpower each other giving a really refreshing green fragrance.  We recommend spritzing and then waiting for a few minutes, for that subtle and unique floral scent to sweep over you. This is an all-year-round fragrance with its intoxicating botanical mix.

L’Erbolario Jade plant perfume has no animal ingredients or animal testing. It has been tested for seven metals, (nickel, lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, antimony and chromium) ensuring that it suitable for use even on the most sensitive skin. It is GMO free with recyclable paper packaging. We also like the 15ml bottle because of its versatility and can fit in any bag. The Jade Plant perfume 15ml is £18.50 or 30ml for £33.50. Purchase your Jade Plant Perfume Mignon here.

soapNskin - Skin Cashmere Face & Body Mask

Most of us have long perfected the art of our regular skincare routine. At The Amazing Blog, we love to put our best face forward, but then often end up forgetting about the rest of our body. It’s time to start developing a proper daily body care regimen too, it’s as important to take care of the skin on your body, as it is the skin on your face. One of our favourite brands soapNskin, who recently launched a very special mask that we’ve been waiting to try with anticipation! Regular readers may recall how much we love this brand, when we featured their Argan & Orange Blossom Elixir here .

Founded based on friendship and heritage, soapNskin was created to empower women to change the way they see beauty. Beauty has been a part of culture for thousands of years and soapNskin pulled from some of that ancient beauty wisdom. Drawing inspiration from the mystical Silk Roads of the East, founders Rabia & Samar learned that nature, when harnessed correctly, offers interesting alternatives to chemical-based products. Every product from soapNskin is hand-bottled on demand, in their London studio. Freshness and quality is not something they’re prepared to compromise on when it comes to beauty, and they certainly prove this. We love how everything is made in Britain, cruelty-free, natural and that they support empowerment and gender-quality, providing a fair wage for workers where their ingredients are sourced.

Today we decided to pay homage to the more neglected parts of our skin with the Skin Cashmere Face & Body Mask. After cleansing your skin, simply combine the Skin Cashmere with your favourite floral water (we used rose water) and mix it into a thick paste. It’s quite fun to mix the Skin Cashmere yourself and apply it to the skin. Leave it on for 5-7 minutes, allowing the ingredients to soak into the skin, then remove with a warm damp cloth before the mask dries. It left our skin feeling fragrant, cleansed, hydrated and smooth, after rinsing off the mask we followed with applying our regular body moisturiser. The Skin Cashmere Mask is inspired by the ancient bridal rituals of the region of Kashmir, the mask contains rose petal, turmeric and sandalwood powders to protect the skin from ageing and pollutants. It also contains yoghurt and chickpea powders which exfoliate nicely and leave your skin glowing and silky. Kashmiri brides have practiced this tradition for hundreds of years to achieve cashmere-like skin and now you can, too. We urge you to discover a true test of time, with the soapNskin’s Skin Cashmere Face & Body Mask, a pot of 100g can be purchased here for £55.

amaiaa - atma oil secrets of the soul & morning radiance facial elixir

The skin is the largest organ in our body and our face is what gives the first impression of us. Therefore, at The Amazing Blog being number one fans of natural products, we like to know exactly what the ingredients are, that we’re about to put on our faces. As winners of 2019 Beauty Shortlist Award amaiaa, a natural skincare brand with Indian methodology, caught our eye, they have everything that we value with their ethos and quality botanical ingredients.

amaiaa brand is based in the USA but was born in the Himalayan Mountains of India. Ashu the founder of amaiaa, who took on a soul-searching journey that drove her to her native land, India. Inspired by her mother and grandmother as well as the culture and history of the country, she began developing what we know today as amaiaa. The brand is known for two products, atma and saya facial oils. Atma, Ashu’s grandmother’s name meaning ‘soul’, embodies her grandmother’s knowledge as an alchemist to provide skincare through natural products. Both products are primarily composed with jasmine, rose and sandalwood which boost rejuvenation and restore your skin. With every ingredient carefully picked and blended, amaiaa’s products make you want to travel all the way to India to explore the mysteries of Mother Nature.

We tried their atma Oil which we think will soon become your new best friend. With ingredients like Argan oil known as liquid gold, it offers amazing source of hydration. There is also apricot kernel oil which has a natural anti-ageing properties, rich in vitamin C and E which enhance collagen production and skin elasticity. The jojoba oil here is packed with vitamin E and other antioxidants that boost cell regeneration. The avocado and jasmine oils remove blemishes; and finally the sandalwood oil a natural illuminator of the skin. atma oil’s formula will undoubtedly help to encourage great results for all skin types. We mustn’t forget to also mention the vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B5, all of which treat rosacea, acne, sun-damage and ageing with its cell regeneration properties that aid redness and inflammations.

We applied it in the morning as a face oil or serum, this oil absorbs easily which means you can follow it quickly with your regular skincare routine, if you so wish. atma is cruelty, fragrance, paraben, sulphate, alcohol, toxin, additive and gluten-free. It’s vegan, hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic, making it perfectly suitable whether you have dry, oily, combined or hypersensitive skin. What we particularly admire about amaiaa is their giving-back policy, with a mission to empower women and young girls to lead a life of dignity, the association with the Animedh Charitable Trust ACT, through a series of a projects, which stays true to their core ethics of sustainability. This trust helps Indian girls get an education – so by buying amaiaa’s award-winning atma morning radiance facial oil, you’re helping, too.

Why not pamper yourself and get your Atma Oil here for $75.00 (worldwide shipping) for a 30ml bottle which will give you nurtured skin for around 3 months, a little goes a long way. Also, enjoy a 15% discount off your first order using the code WELCOME15.

Mr Vanguard - Eau de Parfum

As expectations go, the grooming market for us boys was always going to be big, however exploding into the multi-billion dollar industry has thoroughly proved the doubters wrong. My colleagues at The Amazing Blog inform me that within that market, the growth of  male fragrances has been extraordinary - a glance along the shelves in any perfumier exemplifies the range available. The array of bottles and concoctions designed in a myriad of shapes, colours and textures which would not be out of place in an art gallery, scream out for our attention - and of course our hard earned cash.

So, it is something of a breath of freshly scented air that Mr Vanguard arrived in 2017 offering up a discreet, and yet highly individual fragrance to challenge the huge marketing budgets of the larger brands.  Founded by Emmanuel Omoyele he commented that he wanted to “Develop a new generation of fragrance, merging quality, innovation and style.” He was determined to create a debut scent that was distinctive and a brand that fed the psyche of the contemporary man. Thus, proving that success stems from the core certainty of a winning product, rather than the hype of a huge advertising campaign. And the groaning shelf of awards Mr Vanguard has been decorated with is proof positive that these guys have a true winner on their hands, being awarded Best New British Brand, in Pure Beauty Awards 2018.

The fragrance has top notes of bergamot, grapefruit and coconut, along with jasmine, lily of the valley and rose; we’re transported to the tropical climates of The Far East and The Caribbean, finishing with the base notes of amber, vanilla, cedar wood and patchouli. A complex mix, with several layers, but ultimately a fresh and clean scent that will not overpower. The bottle itself is a triumph of self-restraint - clean and clear glass, angular in shape, simple no nonsense masculinity. Currently only available online here and competitively priced at £64.99 for 50ml, this self-assured fragrance is fast garnering a wide and loyal following, with exciting plans to expand distribution and availability.

La Sultane de Saba – Hammam Rituals Kit

Here at The Amazing Blog, we try to make time for relaxation - this is one of your top priorities; and recently we've been taking this routine to the next level, thanks to the luxurious spa brand La Sultane de Saba. This natural artisan French spa brand has established itself as spa and wellness experts, bringing unique globally inspired treatments to their 4 Parisian flagship spas and also to over 2,500 international spas. They pride themselves on developing products from the proven beauty traditions of past generations. Their products and treatments work on a holistic level and they understand how important it is for us all to find time for relaxation and downtime in our busy modern schedules. This amazing Moroccan inspired Hammam Rituals Kit is a home spa treatment and it's certainly helped us to let our stresses and strains fade away...

The Hammam Ritual Kit comes in an elegantly designed rich brown zippered pouch, it contains natural Rassoul Lava Clay, Black Soap, Shea Butter, a Kessa Glove and a spatula. The three products provide your hair, body and face with a variety of benefits that we'll go into more detail about below. You can use the included Kessa Glove with any of these three products to give skin a deep scrub that gets rid of dead skin cells. The included spatula allows you to use every last bit of these products.

First, we have the Rassoul Lava Clay which can be used on hair, body and face.  When applied to the hair this formula works to add volume and reduce oil. When used on the skin this spread is highly cleansing and works wonders for those with back acne. The star ingredients in this treatment are lava clay, rose and salicylic acid. The lava clay comes from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and works to purify. The rose works to calm, sooth and tone. The Salicylic Acid helps to improve cellular growth, create a more even skin texture, and is highly cleansing.

Next, we have the Black Soap which is a face and body cleanser for all skin types. The soap cleanser contains organic black and green olives, eucalyptus and olive fruit oil.  The organic black and green olives work together to hydrate skin, leaving a refreshed feeling. The eucalyptus provides an anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and decongesting effect.  And lastly, the olive fruit oil helps to regenerate and replenish skin. This Black Soap has made a great addition to our shower routine.  

Last but certainly not least, we have the Shea Butter. This body butter contains Shea which is nourishing, balancing, and healing. Shea naturally contains vitamins A, E & F providing skin with a variety of health benefits. The added orange blossom provides skin with a calm, soothing effect. In addition to being a body butter (which is our favourite use for the product), this product can be used to prevent/reduce stretch marks, fix chapped lips, as a moisturiser, massage balm or even as a hair mask.  You can purchase the Hammam Rituals Kit here for £52.95. We would also like to mention that The Spa at Dolphin Square in London uses La Sultane de Saba products, so if you are looking for an authentic full-on Hammam experience, we recommend booking in here.