PARA’KITO®

There’s really nothing quite like a run around the pond in Hyde Park or an evening stroll after work around the boating lake in Battersea Park, refreshing, energising and invigorating. However, at The Amazing Blog, we’re all only too aware of the dreaded mosquito bites that come with the territory of being near still water. We may get a great workout but then return home covered in itchy bites. This is when we discovered PARA’KITO® to help solve the problem.

According to PARA’KITO®, the world is a wonderful place full of exciting adventures. They want you to embrace this world, go travel and explore - all free from the nuisance of mosquitoes! Hence, the brand has created a new generation of topical repellents to combat mosquitoes and ticks. Cleverly they have achieved the feat of combining a mosquito repellent with extremely effective natural formulations for optimal protection that you can trust.

After several years of research and development with a team of determined biochemists, the brand has created some unique formulations. While traditional mosquito repellents tend to resort to alcohol and chemical surfactants as binders, PARA’KITO®, has incorporated patented technologies with only natural formulations in water-based or dry oil formulas.

The brand has released two key ranges of products.  The first being a repellent for tropical areas and the second is a repellent for regions in Europe. These come as a roll-on and spray product, these include cellulose and clay (ClayCell technology) allowing PARA’KITO® to avoid the toxic impacts of active ingredients through the skin and potentially into the bloodstream. It uses a mineral (clay) and vegetal extract (cellulose) as binders, with no alcohol or synthetic surfactants. These are able to reduce the repellent actives’ penetration into the epidermis, enhancing product efficacy. Furthermore, PARA’KITO® also uses Citrepel which contains PMD in its products, thus setting the company apart from traditional repellent brands. Citrepel is a natural derivative of citronella Java essential oil. It has the highest and most stable concentration of PMD (p-menthane-diol), a repellent very effective on a wide variety of insects, especially mosquitoes and ticks. PMD is the only natural repellent that provides the most protection against mosquitoes. It acts on the sensory receptors of mosquitoes with a level of efficacy similar to the 3 other active ingredients which are synthetic chemicals (DEET, IR3535 and Icaridin). That’s all the technical stuff!

PARA’KITO® have quite a few different types of repellents, one is a Pellet filled with natural essential oils which is worn as a wrist or ankle band. Made of comfy neoprene and comes with two refills that diffuse as a unique cocktail of natural essential oils that effectively mask our olfactory signals. These pellets last up to 15 days and include ingredients of citronella, rosemary geranium mint, clove and peppermint essential oils.

The products we tried were five from the range (see above photo). Let’s start with the Family Spray and Roll On in the green range, which is for Europe. They provide complete protection for the whole family for 8 hours against tiger mosquitoes and 5 hours against ticks.  Whereas The Tropical Spray and Roll On is a stronger formula for up to 10 hours protection against tiger mosquitoes and up to 6 hours against the Anopheles (malaria vector) as well as 7 hours against ticks.  Both ranges come with a wristband too – best for full protection - see here both the Roll-Ons and Sprays start from £14.95 ea. They feel gentle on the skin and smell deliciously of citronella without a trace of anything chemical (i.e. DEET!) Each helps safeguard you against mosquitoes depending on the geographical region that you’re in. What sets these products apart is that they don’t use any artificial chemicals and serve as a brilliant alternative to chemical repellents.

They also have a mosquito and tick repellent in the form of a water-resistant Dry Oil. It has a 6 hour proven efficacy and can be used as a skin moisturiser or after-sun care. This product uses coconut oil extracts, vitamin E and organic vegetal oils, as these moisturising lipophilic compounds have an affinity with the epidermis. The unique HydraActive™ technology boosts the active’s repellence by achieving, at a lower concentration, with optimal and prolonged efficacy. The Dry Oil product is renowned for its moisturising and nourishing properties as well as with highly concentrated of  Citrepel® and extracts of shea butter and liquorice to smooth and repair the skin, priced at £14.95 for a 75ml bottle.  Our favourite from this range? The Dry Oil wins hands down! Head over to their official website here to buy the full range, and protect yourself against these horrible blood-sucking beasties!

Allira Organics - Nourish Anti-Ageing Cream & Brightening Foaming Cleanser

Have you like us, had the endless night creams and serums that promise a reduction in fine lines? But then only offer exhaustion of your time and money. Well, fortunately for you, The Amazing Blog is here to help restore your faith in the skincare miracles and anti-ageing products all over again.

Allira Organics is an Australian hand-crafted, vegan and cruelty-free brand that creates products their labs with esteemed and knowledgeable naturopaths and nutritionists who have over two decades of experience in natural skincare formulations. They offer an array of products created with the highest quality and certified organic raw ingredients in order to deliver a range of products that embed your skin with the nutrients and help to showcase your true radiance. Every dedicated formulation takes birth from current research and approaches skincare from traditional and effective plant methodology and thus is designed to be, in its truest sense, anti-ageing. Allira Organics aims to take you on a luxurious journey that will leave your senses deeply intoxicated and your mind at ease. Their products carry an aromatic smell of organic botanicals that will transform your bathroom into a spa sanctuary where all your worries can miraculously float away.

The Allira Nourish Anti-Ageing Cream is an award-winning formula made with natural ingredients such as gumbi, calendula and rosehip. Made and manufactured in Australia, it is a nourishing cream (as the name suggests) and extremely rich in antioxidants, pure essential oils and calming organic herbs that do their magic as powerful anti-ageing agents. The formula will leave your complexion feeling nourished, radiant and of course, with consistent use rejuvenated! We recommend you use it twice a day, both before you put on your facial armour to take on the world as well as after you retire and succumb to the comforts of your bed.  

This award-winning cream is complimented best with the Allira Brightening Foaming Cleanser that packs together a unique blend of earthy minerals, herbs and essential oils deeply cleansing the skin while simultaneously soothing and brightening your complexion. Made with refreshing aloe vera, lactic acid, gumbi, rose water, red and white clay as well as green tea and grapefruit extract, the Cleanser works as a timeless product for all skin types but especially well on oily/acne-prone skin. Additionally, the 40ml bottle will go a long way since you don’t need more than a drop or two to work through your canvas and get rid of all the impurities. We also recommend using the cleaner twice a day, prior to applying their magnificent Anti-Ageing Cream.

The two products are available on the official Allira Organics website here and are priced at an affordable £30.76 and £20.69 respectively. Re-enforcing an indulgent beauty ritual, Allira Organics proves to be a one of a kind brand that doesn’t only make promises but also delivers on their every word.

Dermasynergy Professional Skincare - Synergy Balm

With the seasonal changes, our skin can be dry or even flaky, that’s why we at The Amazing Blog like to keep an emergency multi-balm always to hand, especially for these chilly months! So we were very happy to discover Derma Synergy Professional Skincare who has their Synergy Balm a professional healing balm that has a multitude of uses.

Ideal for dry and sensitive skin, it’s 100% natural, this Balm targets tired prematurely ageing skin in need of repair, restoration and rehydration.  One of its key ingredients is blackcurrant seed extract, a powerful natural antioxidant tool that regenerates damaged skin cells. A little-known fact for you, in the Second World War, parents would make their children drink blackcurrant juice due to its high concentration in vitamin C and its ability to prevent scurvy. The other ingredients also serve useful purpose including vitamin E contributing to neutralising free radicals (which lead to premature skin ageing) and marula extract which works on increasing skin hydration and elasticity.  The frankincense oil stimulates the growth of new cells and can reduce inflammation and acne scarring. We also like that this Balm has mango butter which is a natural vitamin A source and is effective in treating trickier skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

It’s a waxy consistency that warms up in the fingertips making application easy, leaving no excess; we’ve been using it on lips and hands (nails in particular). It comes in two sizes and we were lucky enough to receive both. The 15ml tin is £9.99 here which fits neatly in a pocket or handbag, making it great for hydration on the go. The 100ml tin is £35 here which we’ve also been using it intermittently a night balm, as well as a skin neutraliser to let our skin ‘rest’ from using other products as it’s brilliant for skin repair.

Kaneh - Cleansing Bar & Skin Purifier, Glossy Lip Recover

As the world is migrating towards more natural and organic products, especially in the world of beauty and cosmetics, here at The Amazing Blog, we are always thrilled to try out new products with different or unique compositions and formulas. CBD infused beauty products are now slowly but surely making their mark here in the UK. We recently discovered a new brand called Kaneh that creates CBD infused products which when used, reap enormous benefits.

Co-founders Julie and Fam are both passionate about creating new and improved products. They believe that taking the best skincare ingredients and combining them with the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD will result in long-lasting skin rejuvenation. Using this belief and converting it to an actual formula, they now have a whole range of effective products to offer. Since its very inception, Kaneh identified the need for the next generation of skincare appealing to cross-gender millennial trends. Kaneh believes that amalgamation of nature and science has the power and ability to enhance lives for the better. Numerous studies have proved that CBD does, in fact, have anti-inflammatory properties when applied on the skin and thus can be used to fight a number of skin problems such as acne or even eczema with its soothing and calming actives. CBD oil also works brilliantly as an anti-ageing substance. CBD oil has antioxidant properties and when used topically, it can effectively reduce signs of visible ageing. By counteracting free-radical damage and reducing the look of inflammation, CBD anti-ageing creams visibly diminish issues like wrinkles, skin dullness, or a ruddy skin tone and have numerous benefits when applied topically.

Additionally, as a brand that focuses on offering natural products, they are also extremely conscious of the environment. This is apparent in their packaging since they use glass and bamboo lids, as well as package their soaps in aluminium tins which can be frequently re-used. Another factor that makes Kaneh extremely attractive to us is the fact that it is a female-led team that is proud to promote and empower women throughout their entire production line. Businesswomen have been featured heavily in their journey and have been crucial in aiding the development of their products. 

We were kindly sent their Kaneh Cleansing Bar and Skin Purifier which is a salicylic acid-based facial soap that provides skin-clearing benefits while also soothing and calming red and inflamed skin with whole-plant hemp extract. It contains full-spectrum CBD of 50mg which means that the product contains all the cannabinoids that are found in the cannabis plant in nature, rather than just CBD (Cannabidiol). The soap also uses activated charcoal that has been treated with oxygen thus giving it the ability to act as a magnet for toxins and impurities. The appeal of skin-perfecting clay gently exfoliates and deep cleans without over-drying, calming redness and giving a healthy glow ensuring you look radiant and beautiful at all times.

Next is the Kaneh Glossy Lip Recover, this Lip Recover comes in three flavours: Neutral, Strawberry and Mango. We tried this is Strawberry and were absolutely smitten. The advanced formula moisturises and nourishes the lips giving them a silky smoothness. Enriched with rich fruit extracts, beeswax as well as oils and butter, this lip balm gives dry lips the necessary moisture while beautifies and revitalises the lips. This Lip Recover also has full-spectrum CBD of a 100mg and has less than 0.02% THC. This addition of full-spectrum cannabinoids with their antioxidant effect to the formula provides a soothing effect to the highly moisturising texture. Both the products can easily be purchased on their official website and are sold for an affordable £11.99 for the Cleansing Bar and Skin Purifier here and £14.00 for the Glossy Lip Recovery here respectively.

Clothes Doctor - The Eco Wash Laundry Set

Sick and tired of shelling out hundreds of pounds on a designer jumper - then you go ruin it in the wash? Frustrated with splurging money on horrifically expensive dry cleaning just so you can wear that cashmere scarf one more time? Here at The Amazing Blog, we’ve been fighting this battle for years. However, fear not our recent discovery serves as the answer to all our prayers. Brace yourself, the information we share next will have you, like us, jumping with joy and smiling from ear to ear. Meet Clothes Doctor who is an online clothing maintenance service providing clothing repairs, alterations and restoration treatments to customers all around the UK. Alongside their valuable services, they also sell fantastic products such as Eco Wash bottles that help you care for your wardrobe from the convenience of your home.

All products contain natural ingredients and are designed and sourced sustainable with longevity in mind, and can also be used time and time again. These eco-friendly clothing products prolong the life of your garments and help reduce fashion pollution and waste. Thus serving as a key part of any and every clothing maintenance routine and further helping you love your clothes for longer, and taking pleasure and pride in your wardrobe. Founder Lulu O’Connor, said “This product range is the natural next step on our mission to reduce waste and help consumers enjoy their clothes for longer.” All products are made in the UK, are vegan, cruelty-free and virtually free from plastic. Expertly fragranced with sandalwood, patchouli, and bergamot, the products are unique and contain a Clothes Doctor proprietary anti-moth formulation that offers clothing protection from moth damage long after washing.

Each of the bottles contains 250 ml of liquid and can be used for up to 14 washes. The brand has carefully devised different formulas for different fabrics and materials. For instance, the Clothes Doctor No. 3 Eco Wash formula caters to cashmere clothing and the Clothes Doctor No. 4 Eco Wash is primarily for silk clothing. If you’re looking for something a little less specific and for all other fabrics, you could opt for the No. 2 Eco Wash which is known as their signature. Once you’ve finished your non-contaminating grade of aluminium bottles, you even have the option of refilling them instead of buying more. How eco is that?!

The Eco Wash Laundry Set includes the No.2, No.3 and No.4 Eco Wash all for an affordable £35.50. What better way to start 2020 with this little investment which could literally save you hundreds of pounds that you may otherwise spend on dry cleaning. You can purchase the set online or even buy individual bottles depending on your specific needs here.