So Aesthetic Makeup- The Ultra Coverage Foundation

If an artist used makeup, then the foundation would be the base for the canvas. Just like an artist, at The Amazing Blog we’re always looking for that smooth and flawless foundation! This has been particularly challenging for some of us here with darker skin tones in our search to find the correct shade and texture. Although many professional makeup brands like Nars and MAC have catered for women of colour, it is only in recent years that retail brands like Fenty Beauty have popped up offering a full spectrum of forty foundation shades to suit all. As regular readers will know, we like to champion the smaller independent beauty brands, and today we’d like to introduce you to the award-winning Ghanaian makeup brand So Aesthetic who produce cosmetics dedicated to the darker skin tone.

The founder of So Aesthetic Sacha Okoh has a wealth of experience as a professional makeup artist, and this is where she saw a gap in the market to develop her own makeup line for Ghanaian women like herself. In particular, she created the Ultra Coverage Foundation because she wanted to give every woman of colour a ‘second skin’ that would not only be healthy and glowing but also long-lasting - and she has certainly kept her word! For those of you new to So Aesthetic, their Ultra Coverage Foundation was voted ‘The Best New Makeup Base Product’ at 2019 Pure Beauty Global Awards.

The Ultra Coverage Foundation took over two years in development, finally launching in 2018. It comes in eight different shades to suit all dark skin tones with each shade being given a beautiful Ghanaian name. We tested Okaibea and Asantewaa and we have to say that this foundation lives up to its reputation. It does feel like a second skin thanks to the unique multi-layered formula that conceals, smoothens and illuminates the skin with its light, creamy texture and subtle fragrance. It’s a very fluid foundation that is highly pigmented thanks to the percentage of micro-pigments that blend beautifully into the skin. It leaves the skin looking bright and smooth with a matte velvet finish. We also like how it is water-resistant offering a barrier against pollutants as well as leaving no tightness or caking. Last but not least, we’re happy to report that So Aesthetics offers good quality products at very reasonable prices. You can purchase the 30ml Ultra coverage Foundation here for £23.

Solid Cologne UK – All Black Collection Gift Set

Have you ever had that frustrating moment when you arrive at the airport, and forget that you’ve still got your favourite big bottle cologne in your hand luggage? Well, I have! This is where the Solid Cologne UK  has an interesting option, a highly concentrated, wax-based cologne that is portable. Yes, dear readers, we know that we’re still in lockdown but here at The Amazing Blog we like to plan ahead!   

Solid Cologne UK is a British brand that launched in 2016 and is a sister brand to The London Beard Company (where I previously wrote about their Eastern Spice Beard Oil here). The idea for the concept was inspired by travellers who had a common problem, like us, of transporting fragrance in hand luggage and then being over the liquid limit. They believed this needed a solution, and from there Solid Cologne UK was born. This solid perfume concept goes as far back as Egyptian times with the anointing of an ‘unguent’ a combination of animal fat, scented oils and resin. Since then, I’m happy to report the Solid Cologne UK has had a big update on this original formula! They’ve put their own unique twist on the idea, where their Solid Colognes are made with the highest quality of natural ingredients including beeswax, shea butter and jojoba oil. Quickly added, this is a far better for your skin compared to alcohol-based scents as they’re gentler, more moisturising and can be layered to get the right strength of your preferred ‘fragrance’.

Today, we’re talking about their All Black Collection (Pack of 3) which includes the fragrances of Sikandar, Malcolm & Valentin Cologne. Let’s start with Valentin which is light and fresh – perfect for trans-seasonal wear now, with its clean scents of basil, sage and mint, this made it not only my favourite, but also a big hit with the girls in the office too.  Malcolm has top notes of citrus with a tang of fruit from blackcurrant, bergamot and apple. However, the base notes pack a woody punch with incense, jasmine, sandalwood and musk. The final fragrance of this trio is Sikandar which again has a heady citrus top note but with more spice with middle notes including geranium, cinnamon and cloves. This one for me would be to wear in the evenings or at a cooler time of year.

With over thirteen different colognes to choose from, you can certainly adapt (or even mix and match) these fragrances to your mood thus channeling your inner masculinity, without them being too overpowering. The packaging comes in a sleek, pocket-sized sliding black 18ml tin, perfect no matter how small your luggage is. The products are not tested on animals and are even handmade in London. They are easy to apply, making them ideal for those times when you are on the go. I found that the fragrances were long-lasting, as well as rather timeless and elegant. There is something rather special about carrying around one of these tins, which allows you to dab a bit here and there in order to freshen up anywhere.  We heartily recommend these solid colognes they are not just reserved for us boys – the girls seem to love them too! All the colognes can be bought individually or in packs. The All Black Collection (Pack of 3) gift set can be purchased here for £50.00. The individual cologne can be purchased from £17.99 here.

Baie Botanique - Rose Renew Regenerating Face Wash and Renew Regenerating Anti-Ageing Serum

The rose has been coined ‘the queen of flowers’ for its natural beauty and properties that protect the skin from ageing, fine lines and wrinkles; it’s also been used in beauty routines for thousands of years from Cleopatra to the Duchess of Cambridge. At The Amazing Blog, it’s no secret that we have a penchant for all things rose. So, we’re excited to share with you another one of our #amazingfinds  Rose Renew Regenerating Anti-Ageing Serum and Rose Renew Regenerating Face Wash by the organic skincare Baie Botanique. We first spotted this brand as one of the award winners at The 2019 Beauty Shortlist Awards and have been itching to try their products ever since!

When launched in 2014, Baie Botanique’s mission was to create a powerful botanical skincare range with pure and natural ingredients and high organic content. The founder, Sophie Oliver has over 20 years of experience in the beauty industry as a makeup artist. During this time she transitioned to a plant-based lifestyle where she fused her twin passions to form this unique skincare range. Now a multi-award-winning brand, this innovative rose-based botanical range contains plant stem cells that combine ‘wisdom of our ancestors with the power of modern skincare technology.’ Impressively, this brand also has all its products certified cruelty-free and vegan by PETA .

We find it’s best to start with a cleanser, so here’s The Rose Renew Regenerating Face Wash. With ingredients such as rose water, rose absolute and rosehip oil combined together with orange flower water, olive oil and green tea, it’s soothing and cleansing. Plus with the vitamin C here, it’s got added protection for the skin against UV sun damage. We like that it’s easy to use, and gently removed our everyday makeup (and city pollution!) Simply apply to wet hands and massage onto the face and neck. Rinse with warm water to leave skin looking clean, healthy, refreshed and of course rose-radiant. The formula boosts being 70% organic and with 98% naturally derived botanicals and can be purchased here at £19 for 125ml.

The Rose Renew Regenerating Anti Ageing Serum has enriched Ingredients which include bio-actives such as 15% Hyaluronic acid (plant-based), MSM and Glycolic Acid (AHA); these aid cellar renewal, firming and improve the appearance of any fine lines and wrinkles. Apart from the bio-actives, the main ingredients in this award-winner serum are rose water, witch hazel and aloe which together with the other selected botanicals leaves the skin with a brighter, softer, and healthier appearance.  It is light in texture, cooling to the touch and truly smells divine! We also liked that this serum has 80% organic and 98% naturally derived botanicals, it’s quick to absorb and versatile enough to be used both morning and evening, at £34 for 30ml it can be purchased here. This light-weight, gel formula is perfect for applying after the use of Baie Botanique’s Rose Renew Face Wash, and you can buy the two in a duo Cleanse & Hydrate Bundle for £47 here. We hear that they’ll be launching lip balms sometime this year - and we can’t wait to try them and more from the range!  

Lily England – The Marble Luxe Makeup Brush Set & Bag in Black & Rose Gold

Although we’re currently in lockdown, this doesn’t give us the excuse to let our makeup gather dust. Now is the ideal time to ‘brush up’ (excuse the pun!) and improve our makeup skills. However, we remember being told by an esteemed makeup artist that when applying makeup it’s all down to the quality of brushes and ‘technique, technique, technique’. So imagine our delight when The Amazing Blog received this very timely Lily England’s Marble Luxe Makeup Brush Set & Bag in Black and Rose Gold.

Lily England is a British beauty brand created in 2015 by Kayleigh Graham, who previously worked in social media with brands like Selfridges and Burberry. That was when she spotted a gap in the market for stylish makeup brushes and bags, that were both affordable and mirrored the millennial trends. The brand is cruelty-free and vegan with its synthetic hair brushes, and if you’re searching for good quality, ethically produced beauty tools, then Lily England’s brushes are your answer.

The Marble Luxe Makeup Brush Set & Bag comprises of nine brushes: Crease, Angled, Smudger, Pencil Eye, Eyeshadow Packer, Sculpt & Glow, Kabuki Foundation and Large Powder. Not only are these super-soft and great quality, they also have sturdy and stylish rose gold mouldings around the bristles. This brush set comes in a waterproof black marble pouch, making it an elegant and stylish (not to mention insta-friendly) ‘must-have’. Let’s talk about three of our favourite brushes, beginning with the Kabuki Foundation Brush, a foundation brush that is great to use whether it’s with a liquid, or mineral powder. We found that brush strokes magically vanished, it was deliciously soft on the skin and best of all none of the hairs shed on our face! We also enjoyed using the Eyeshadow Packer with our Eloise Queen Eye Shadow Palette (see here for our recent feature). This brush quickly picks up the colour pigment and then reapplies it evenly, which makes it super-easy to blend. Last but not least in our top three, is the Large Powder Brush because it’s an essential finishing step for lightly dusting our loose powder to set makeup.

There’s so much you can do with this Marble Luxe Makeup Brush Set, whether it’s a natural glow or a stronger night-out look, there’s no limit to what you can create. As mentioned earlier, the set comes with its handy pouch so you can keep the collection in your handbag or pack it away for your travels. We think that this set makes the perfect gift or just an update for your makeup brushes. Your Lily England brush set is just one step away… Purchase your Marble Luxe Makeup Brush & Bag in Black & Rose Gold here for £39.99.

Douvall’s - Skin-High: Organic Hemp & Argan Oil and Cannabis & Argan Oil

We don’t know about you, but recently we seem to be plagued by dry skin. Maybe it’s caused by #stayhome #staysafe stress or perhaps the constantly fluctuating change in temperature. In our search for a solution, we’ve returned to one of our favourite and trusted brands Douvall’s, who recently launched two skincare products in their Skin High collection. In the past, some of you will have seen that we’ve written about one of their hero products the Organic Argan Oil Moisturiser here.  At The Amazing Blog what we like about argan oil is that it’s a one-stop ingredient for skin, hair and nails. Today we are exploring their products that combine their hero cold-pressed organic argan oil with both organic hemp and cannabidiol.

Douvalls are best known as a trailblazer with their cold-pressed organic argan oil skincare. Created by mother and daughter Alicia and Georgia Douvall, it’s an award-winning range that harnesses the benefits of organic argan oil either using it pure and combining with other ingredients for their skincare, makeup and more recently hair care too. This is a responsible and eco-conscious company that gives back to the planet. They are also natural, cruelty-free, vegan and contains no chemicals, toxins, artificial fragrance, sulphates, parabens or alcohol. They work closely with The Breast Cancer Haven charity and partner with women’s cooperatives in Morocco where their argan oil is sustainably harvested.

Let’s start with Skin-High Organic Hemp & Argan Oil but don’t get confused with this and their Skin-High Cannabis & Argan Oil. The difference between these two is the ingredients of either hemp or cannabidiol (CBD etc).  The hemp oil is made from seeds of the hemp plant whereas cannabidiol is made from leaves, flowers and stalks of the hemp plant. Both offer their own potent health benefits. Hemp oil is simply obtained by a basic cold pressing extraction; whereas cannabidiol (CBD etc) has to go through a complex and expensive extraction method (known as supercritical CO2 extraction). All ingredients for the Organic Hemp & Argan oil are 100% eco-certified and contain simply 50/50 of each and only that! This rich and powerful oil glides effortlessly onto the skin, rich in linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) and vitamin E. The combination of organic pressed argan and hemp oils here have many extra health-enhancing minerals, such as phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulphur, calcium, iron and zinc. Rich and nutritious, a little goes a long way; it’s great to use by itself or a few drops mixed with your regular moisturiser for added benefit. And in case you are wondering, it’s CBD and THC free and only has the faintest natural hemp oil scent. This comes in two sizes 50ml at £48 see  here or 15ml at £18 see here.

Next is the Skin-High Cannabis & Argan Oil made from cannabidiol and cold-pressed organic argan oil; the argan here contains a high concentration of antioxidants (including oleic acid and linoleic acid) which helps to fight ageing by neutralising free radicals which damage cells. Whereas the 200 milligrams of full-spectrum cannabidiol (CBD,CBDA,CBDV,CBC and CBG) offers this and so much more.  As cannabidiol is produced using the whole plant, it naturally contains very high levels of CBD as well as other organic compounds, known as phytocannabinoids and terpenes. It protects against oxidation and reduces sebum due to its anti-inflammatory properties. It nourishes and hydrates helping the skin to absorb vital nutrients with its high concentration in vitamins A, D and E together with a balance of essential fatty acids (omega 3, 6 and 9 in the same proportions). The cannabidiols also treat skin disorders like dry skin, psoriasis, and eczema. They say it is THC free but the packaging states that it’s full spectrum too (?) Douvall’s, we’re a little confused here… However, we loved the texture and were surprised by its divine delicate and slightly grape-like fragrance. I think out of the two ‘Skin-High’ products this was our favourite. We recommend this as a night oil, as it left skin feeling soft, boosted and revitalised in the morning. This also comes in two sizes, where you can purchase 50ml for £58 here or 15ml for £20 here.