Squeeky Life Bottle: Organic Glass Cleaner & Multi-Purpose Cleaner

With all of us in lockdown, we’re cleaning our homes like never before! No more time-poor excuses, we’re all wielding the Dyson or mop. However, with cleaning at such close proximity both the girls at The Amazing Blog and I agree that we’re tired of having lingering chemical nasties in our homes. Think phthalates, ammonia or chlorine – to name but a few... With this in mind, dear reader, we’ve searched out some effective and organic cleaning products which are Squeeky Cleaners. Their products range from limescale remover through to bathroom, glass, floor, multi-purpose cleaners and so much more. These can also be refilled with a concentrate, so great for the planet with fewer bottles used. 

Claire Nicolas originally founded Squeeky Cleaners as a laundry and cleaning company in Chippenham, Wiltshire. Claire said: “It started to take shape around the kitchen table! To cut a very long story short, my cleaners were about to be made redundant. I was at a loose end and said (quite naively) I’ll start a cleaning business…. In 2016 The Squeeky Cleaners were born. Our business grew very rapidly, outgrowing the kitchen area and within a year we were looking for a unit that would accommodate our growing Squeeky family.” She went on to say, “our products are completely natural and harmless, and of course they do the job. When cleaning your home, you won’t have to worry about potential health impacts to yourselves, your family or your pets. It’s completely safe, even if you ingest it. We are also reducing the carbon footprint by making refill bottles of concentrate available to our customers.” The company has developed its household products to be plastic-free organic, pet-safe and vegan. We had the opportunity to try their Glass Cleaner and the Multipurpose Cleaner which both arrived in their aluminium spray trigger bottles with one free dose of the cleaners, which you fill up with tap water, give it a shake and you’re up and running.

The Glass Cleaner is quite surprising, I found the fragrance actually quite uplifting! With its plant-based ingredients such as citric, acetic and caprylic (from coconut) acid it is gentle on the nose but ruthlessly removes greasy marks left on glass, giving you a ‘squeaky’ clean. It’s easy to use and effective on both mirror and glass surfaces – they even suggest using it in the car! Next, we used the Multipurpose Cleaner, again easy to use with a pleasant smell and leaves surfaces streak-free. It’s great on kitchen tops, desks and gentle enough for wooden surfaces. The ingredients are similar to the Glass Cleaner, although the addition of PSL6 (1004) left us baffled - what’s that?! The one criticism that we have, is that we’d like to see Squeeky Cleaners give more of an explanation on each of the ingredients used together with their origin.

Both bottles are 500ml, the Glass Cleaner can be bought for £9.99 here or Multisurface Cleaner here also for £9.99. They also offer refills at £7.99 which can be bought here. Why not order up today and not only help to save the planet but your health too.

Inspira - 4 Men Only 24H Skin Supercharger

As the girls at The Amazing Blog will tell you, I’m hard to please on my requests and this time there was a caveat to my brief... I decided to put them through their paces, asking for an anti-ageing post-shave skincare - but - from a new brand that I’ve never heard of before. Hah, I thought that’ll flummox them. Well, apparently not! They found me this a little known gem called 4 Men Only 24H Skin Supercharger by Inspira, see below.

Inspira is a German company based in Aachen, founded in 2000 and best known for creating solution-based skincare, boasting a motto of ‘maximum effect, but as natural as possible’. As a leading cosmetic laboratory, they create skincare for both the professional and consumer market. All products are formulated using the latest cutting-edge scientific research, with both natural and biotech active ingredients. The 4 Men Only range here has a unique key botanical ingredient called scutellaria baicalensis georgi (aka as Chinese skullcap). This is a hardy plant that thrives in inhospitable conditions and is rich in baikalin (known for its anti-ageing properties) to help delay cellular senescence and promote rejuvenation of skin cells.

The team found this 4 Men Only 24H Skin Supercharger which was shortlisted in 2019 Pure Beauty Awards. It comes with lots of precious and actives such as allantoin, bisabolol and D-panthenol.  Plus the hyaluron and pentavitin provides intensive moisture, while ectoin protects the cells. The other ‘natural’ ingredients include barley, juniper and oak bark these are all anti-inflammatory and skin-soothing, whereas the natural caffeine from guarana enhances a fresh, youthful glow. Lastly, the baikalin here also restructures and tones the skin. The product has a gel-cream consistency I found it very soothing, particularly after the razor scrapes of shaving. They suggest that this is for combination or oily skin, although I have a normal skin type and found it to be very light and hydrating.  Most gel creams are sticky or heavy, but this Inspira cream smoothly blended seamlessly into the skin with its translucent pale blue hue. The aroma is sophisticated, subtle and refreshing - best of all it’s not too over-powering for a night time routine. To use, simply put a small amount in the palm of your hand and gently massage into cleansed skin. They have many other products in the range such as eau de toilette, eye and face lift and body/face wash - all of which are worth checking out too. The Men Only 24H Skin Supercharger comes in 50ml black sealed airless pump with stylish metallic branding and can be purchased for € 29.50 here

The Spoiled Bee - Cleanser, Mask and Serum

Who doesn’t dream of having perfect skin? Us for one! Here at The Amazing Blog we’re lucky enough to receive lots of fabulous beauty products to test and review, and at this time of year, we’re always on the hunt for light and nutritious skincare to take us through into the summer months. As regular readers will know, we’re especially fond of bee brands particularly those that support beekeepers and their hives.  So, the latest one of our #amazingfinds is The Spoiled Bee, which we recently discovered at the CEW Awards demonstration evening. 

This is a British brand founded in 2017 by France and her daughter Violette. France is a former osteopath who also has a passion for organic products, who went on to study for a master’s degree in the field of aromatherapy. Violette even as a teenager only used the skincare made by her mother using pure and natural ingredients. The Spoiled Bee brand was born out of a desire to protect bees always making sure that the bee products they use are harvested in a way that respects bees and the environment. Within their range of 100% natural and cruelty-free skincare, they offer a specific range of bee products that offer some wonderful properties for skin, body and hair. Quickly added, to avoid any confusion, that not all their products are ‘bee products’. What we particularly applaud this brand for is that when you spend £10 on their website, they ‘give back ‘by sponsoring 100 bees for one month through their network of beekeepers. The Spoiled Bee Company very kindly sent us a selection of their products: The Honey Cleansing Balm (a bee product), the White Coconut Face Mask and their 10% Fruit Enzyme Glow Serum. 

The Honey Cleansing Balm ‘s texture is slightly waxy and what impressed us is that you only need very little to remove even the most stubborn makeup. We even tried it on waterproof mascara with fantastic results. After rinsing, the skin is incredibly soft and moisturised and left us with a subtle glow, it’s also very gentle on the skin without leaving any tight or tingling sensations. The smell is divine, which is not surprising, as it contains apricot, vanilla and sweet almond oil and of course – beeswax/honey. The honey is raw, which offers incredible benefits for the skin both anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial it’s also moisturising and gently exfoliating.

The White Coconut Face Mask was a very pleasant surprise too. It comes in a dry powder form, which unlike some creamy masks, means it has a longer shelf life with no oxidation. We followed the instructions and mixed 1 tbsp of powder with ½ tbsp of water. After leaving the mask on for 15 minutes, we then rinsed it off with a facecloth and warm water. Our pores seemed smaller and skin was left soft, moisturised and fresh. Besides, the healing properties of the coconut milk and kaolin clay the addition of jasmine essential oil is also great for reducing scars and acne. We found that it is ideal even for the most sensitive skin. You can buy the here the 30g White Coconut Face Mask here for £22.80.

Which was our favourite? We have to admit that it was the 10% Fruit Enzyme Glow Serum.  It has a delicious fruity fragrance which made us think of ripe juicy Victoria plums! What we loved about this rich serum is that the skin absorbs it quickly and with impressive ease. We used it in the morning before the makeup and in the evening before going to bed. Our skin felt beautifully silky, nourished and renewed. This little marvel is made from the enzymes of no less than ten different fruits, which act as antioxidants for the skin, and plum kernel oil has vitamins A, C and E as well as Omega 6 and 9, great protection the skin whilst giving it a great boost. You can purchase the 30ml Serum here for £31.20.

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.

BOOSH - Bone Broth

We’ve been hearing all about the potent and nutritious qualities of bone broths for quite some time now. It’s been a hot topic linked with the keto diet and the likes of celebrities Kylie Jenner and Gwyneth Paltrow. However, when someone mentions bone broth (aka chicken soup), we tend to think of our Granny’s remedy for all ills! So what do you know about bone broth?  Not much? Well, read on as today at The Amazing Blog we’re excited to share with you another one of our  #amazingfinds with this new trio of delicious bone broths from BOOSH. 

Boosh bone broths launched in September 2019 and offer 3 organic bone broth flavours: Chicken, Beef and Asian Spiced Organic Chicken. This bone broth is a combination of animal (or fish) bones with vegetables and meat all of which are slowly simmered in water for greater nutritional value for over 16 hours. This creates a delicious extract that offers high levels of collagen and protein; it’s also very nutritious claiming to help reduce conditions like inflammation, a leaky gut, arthritis and generally boost weak immune systems. Not only that - these bone broths are low in calories and have almost zero carbs.

We love that BOOSH can be used in our favourite ‘gobble and go’ ramen and soup dishes or just as a warming nutritious beverage. Other bone broth brands have never made taste a priority, but BOOSH has taken a different approach bringing their bone broth to the mainstream consumer without sacrificing taste. Another thing to mention is their packaging - they only use 100% recyclable glass bottles and cardboard sleeve. Another added bonus is that bone broths are a great way to reduce the signs of ageing – think about all those vitamins, minerals, amino acids and collagen that you’re ingesting! Perfect for helping maintain a great looking complexion and banishing fine lines and wrinkles.  BOOSH only uses certified organic ingredients with their chickens, cattle, vegetables and herbs, all of which have to be the finest and most responsibly sourced. To try one of BOOSH’s bone broths in your next recipe, or simply enjoy it solo, visit BOOSH here where each 350 ml broth can be purchased for £4.99 or the set of 3 in the Mixed Pack Bone Broth for £13.50 here.