Rejuvenated - Immune Complex

Are you feeling tired? Or a little low on energy today? Well, we at The Amazing Blog can certainly relate to both of these! Although we’re normally pretty good on our nutrition we sometimes we fall down on taking our regularly vitamins or supplements. We’re also guilty of consuming one too many carbs – hence we don’t get enough of the micro and macronutrients that our bodies need to maintain a nutritional balance. A good immune system functions with good gut health and prebiotics and probiotics provide the healthy bacteria that support the digestive system. Our of our recent #amazingfinds is the Immune Complex by Rejuvenated which offers a blend of prebiotics, probiotics, antioxidants and vitamins, all of which enhance the gut bacteria for optimal gut health. Rejuvenated is one of our favourite nutraceutical brands, and you can see our reviews on their H3O Hydration and Collagen Shots.

Rejuvenated was founded in 2003 by Kathryn Danzey, a health and wellness expert, who has over 20 years of experience and who believes that beauty comes from within. Here she’s brought together top scientists and nutritionists, to create her highly successful range of 100% active natural ingredients promoting inner health and outer beauty. Rejuvenated is a family run award-winning brand, where they select each one of the ingredients carefully to make sure that they work in perfect harmony and for a maximum benefit. Best of all the Rejuvenated products are gluten, sugar, and lactose-free, making them ideal even for diabetics. Their next goal is to be plastic-free by early 2021.

Today, we’re reviewing their Immune Complex capsules which have been formulated for overall support of immune health. And what could be more timely, than now with the current pandemic! Not only do they support physical wellbeing, energy levels but also cognitive mental health. We’re all aware of the importance of having a strong immune system and how it starts from the gut. The core of the ingredients here is probiotics, like acidophilus, are bacteria and prebiotics such as cordyceps mushrooms and beta-glucans which enable probiotics to work more effectively. This Immune Complex also has the added bonus of protecting against the harmful effects of stress and helps promotes healthy cell division. With other ingredients such as selenium, zinc, vitamin C and D; these all get the stamp of approval from the European Food Standards Authority as contributing to the normal immune system, protection of cells from oxidative stress and maintaining normal muscle function. By taking one capsule a day for the past 3 weeks, the first thing I noticed was a rise in energy levels. We think that this Immune Complex is a must-have supplement to give the body the extra protection it needs in these times of uncertainty. You can purchase your Immune Complex 30 (675mg) capsules here for £20. 

Budslife – CBD Patches

The girls at The Amazing Blog are big fans of all things CBD and have finally persuaded me to try some. What harm can there be, I thought, only good things can come from the wonderous hemp plant. I think I would be right in saying that many of us have been feeling a little stressed with the possibility of yet another lockdown and the current uncertainty – so something to potentially ‘take the edge off’ was most welcome. I didn’t want to take any of the sublingual CBD (I’m not good at ingesting things that taste a bit strange!) So they found me the perfect solution with some rather innovative skin patches – yes, patches! They’re the newly launched CBD patches by Budslife which are scent-free, flavourless and easy to use – just unpeel and stick it onto clean skin – et voila!

Budslife founder Shaun Williams came up with the CBD patches concept at the time when his daughter was going to university. She was about to face new challenges all alone, and that’s when her stress and anxiety kicked in. Instead of taking pills and medications, Shaun came up with the idea to create these CBD patches, which helped her cope to feel more relaxed and focused; which is when he realised that many others could also benefit from these CBD patches. 

These CBD patches come in a box with two silver foil sachets (eight patches to the sachet). Budslife sources their Full-Spectrum and 0% THC CBD from Holland, which is then impregnated into the patches which are made up of pressure-sensitive medical glue and penetration enhancers (antioxidant, hydrocarbon C5 / C9 and copolymer). The patches have a slow release of over 8-10 hours with each patch being infused with 16g of CBD. They are designed to release safe and measured levels of CBD throughout the time of wearing. Conveniently this could be night or day (I preferred to stick my patch on at night) where they are absorbed trans-dermally. This is thought to be quicker to get than into the bloodstream than through sublingual application. I have to be honest and say the 16mg patch was not enough for me and so I was advised to double up with 2 x patches = 32mg. Which BTW is perfectly safe. I believe that Budslife is about to launch the next range with 32mg and a 64mg range of patches. Upping the CBD dose did make a difference to me, I would say not immediately but accumulatively; by night 3, I was feeling more relaxed despite having had a rather stressful day. So if like me, you dislike the taste of hemp, but are curious to try CBD, then these are definitely for you, a box of 16 patches is £14.99 here.

Ting Tang - Dry Wash Shampoo

Do you wash your hair every day? I don't! When I mentioned this to the team at The Amazing Blog – there was a gasp of horror from a few. Did you know that by washing your hair every day it strips the scalp natural oils and microbiomes leaving the hair looking dull, lifeless and brittle? This is why I’ve been a fan of dry shampoo between washes. Not only does it give my fine hair more volume and body, but it also freshens it up and is a lifesaver when I've got a full-on day. So, when I learned about an entirely new type of 'anytime anywhere' foam-based Dry Wash Shampoo - Ting Tang, I knew I had to try it!

First let's meet the creator of Ting Tang, Purdey who was working in banking before she decided to quit and pursue her career as a trapeze artist. However, her secret dream had always been running a business of her own. Her daughter gave her the inspiration when she developed an aversion to water, which led her to create this clever Dry Wash Shampoo.  Despite having had the idea from a toddler, this is a gender-neutral product that and can be enjoyed by people of all ages, with or without toddlers of their own. Not forgetting to mention, that this start-up company even won a BBC One's award on the programme The Customer Is Always Right being selected as the customers’ favourite.

This Ting Tang Dry Wash Shampoo is unlike any traditional or dry shampoo, for that matter. It is a foam-based fragrance-free product that actually cleans! I find that most dry shampoos do offer volume but also mask the dirt and tend to leave a residue of heavy scent. With Ting Tang, I found it easy to apply with about 3 or 4 pumps of foam on my hair, massaging it through from the roots to ends, then towel-drying. Followed by a quick blast of the hairdryer and I styled my hair as usual – start to finish it took all of about 8 minutes. What I like about Ting Tang, is that it washes and cleans the hair with no fragrance or stickiness, as I'd first imagined. It's the ideal size for travelling at 100ml, and can easily be slipped into a carry-on for a long haul flight where it’s perfect for a quick refresh.  This will not only be loved by your hair, but also by the planet as it's fully recyclable, vegan, gluten and cruelty-free - they even offer a refill pack for the bottle!  NB: We reviewed the Ting Tang Tots, but they told us that ingredients are the same as the adult version. Give you dry shampoo the elbow and try this instead. You can purchase your Ting Tang Dry Wash Shampoo 100ml here for only £8.49.

Pure Anada - Delicate Compact Palette & Sweet Stillness Nail Polish

At The Amazing Blog, we think there is nothing better than having a new selection of make-up to experiment with to cheer us all up! Particularly, when it has a range of beautifully subtle daytime shades of blush and eye colours. We’re talking about Pure Anada and today we’ve bringing you another of our #amazingfinds with the Delicate Compact Palette and their softest pink Sweet Stillness Nail Polish. 

If you want to know why we’ve chosen to review Pure Anada a Canadian beauty brand, then see our other feature here. Let’s do a quick recap of their inspiring story behind this brand. Growing up in a eco-household, Candace Grenier, founder of Pure Anada, already had a vast knowledge of what proper nutrition should be and the importance of what the body needs. Passionate about making things for herself, she decided in 2003 to make her home and environmental as holistic as possible, discarding anything chemical. She went on to create a line of ‘natural, safer alternatives to mainstream cosmetics’ homecare, skincare and make-up which is where this success story began. These products are ethical, i.e. no discrimination or child labour is ever involved in the processing of making her raw materials. With clean formulations free from common allergens and ingredients that are naturally sourced, and everything is made in their certified organic labs in Manitoba. Their products are also cruelty-free, mainly vegan and certified with the Leaping Bunny programme. We found these at their UK retailer Live in The Light, so it’s a big thank you to them for sending us these products for review. We’re big fans of this online retailer and recommend a visit to their website as they also share our ethos in promoting holistic and environmentally friendly brands.  

Today we want to talk about Pure Anada’s Delicate Compact Palette and Sweet Stillness Nail Polish.  First things first, the Delicate Compact Palette’s colours are discreet, natural and gave us an effortless no make-up look. The pale rosy pink blush named Sweet Pea pairs perfectly with four eye-shadow colours: The satin luxurious taupe/grey that shifts to a shimmering pink called Haunt, a velvet taupe/mauve titled Macchiato, an iridescent champagne blush named Darling, and finally a matte ballet slipper pink Water Lily. If these moreish colours don’t swipe you off of your feet, then perhaps their win with the Sweet Pea blush at The 2020 Beauty Bible Awards here will. The packaging is recyclable with a pretty floral designed outer box and metallic foil etched cardboard inner palette, that also comes with a mirror inside. It only contains all-natural formulas comprised of pressed mineral pigments and jojoba oil for softness. The jojoba oil keeps the texture silky and smooth and most importantly, non-greasy.  Apart from the colours and natural formulas what we particularly like about this make-up is its cost-effectiveness. Unlike most palettes, this one is refillable! When finished, you can buy the individual colours and pop them right back into each of the magnetic slots in palette. Best of all,  the coverage is sheer but buildable and the blusher promises a demi-matte fresh healthy glow to the face and that’s exactly what it delivered. This is for us a smart investment with its natural everyday colours and is available for £29.95, you can find it here.  

Moving on to the Sweet Stillness Nail Polish which is from a range of twenty long-lasting colours. This Sweet Stillness is a pale rose pink non-toxic nail polish. More importantly, it is free of the five most toxic ingredients which are usually found in regular nail polish. The three most toxic ingredients being dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde, and toluene. They are followed by another two which are formaldehyde resin and camphor.  If you wish to know how toxic they are, here’s a quick explanation:  The dibutyl phthalate, or otherwise called the plasticizer, is used to provide sheen. It has a carcinogen effect and can cause thyroid problems and is often linked to hormone changes. Formaldehyde used to harden the nails, is also carcinogen when inhaled and while it’s evaporating can sometimes cause allergic reactions if it comes in contact with your skin. The toluene used to give a smooth finish and keep a uniform colour can cause eyes, lung, and throat irritation when inhaled and can also affect the central nervous system. The formaldehyde resin used to strengthen the nails is a skin allergen and remains active for up to three days after your nail polish dries, and can cause dermatitis. Finally, camphor, which used to be a treatment for cold or flu, is now chemically manufactured and can have a serious side effect when ingested. When exposed in large doses, primarily through inhalation, it’s known to cause irritation, nausea, dizziness, and headaches, it is therefore highly toxic! Quickly added the formulas in the Sweet Stillness Nail Polish are solvent-based and not water-based, but this is long-lasting and a more durable option than water-based.  We’d also advise applying it with their Super Base Coat and the Free Topcoat. You can find Pure Anada’s Sweet Stillness Nail Polish here for £8.95. 

GÍÍLINEA BÍO: Organic Anti-Ageing Elixir & 24hr Advanced Moisturiser

We always like to look a little further afield than the UK for some of our skincare features and today’s products are from the dreamy landscapes of Austria. Meet the certified organic and vegan brand GÍÍLINEA BÍO with their latest Organic Anti-Ageing Elixir Serum and 24hr Advance Moisturiser. We at The Amazing Blog have reviewed one of their body care product in the past here.  What we like about this brand is that they have quality and transparency with this family-run business that sources 98% of their ingredients from organic farms.

GÍÍLINEA BÍO was founded by Franz Leibetseder who grew up surrounded by a family of chemists, which fired his passion for herbs and natural remedies. It started out selling products to regional pharmacies and stores but has since grown and distributed throughout Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Best known for their use of aloe vera barbadensis harnessing its healing, skin-nurturing anti-ageing power. GÍÍLINEA BÍO only uses the aloe vera gel in its purest form. Products are manufactured partly in Austria and Italy where most of the ingredients (long list here!) like argan and olive oil, apricot and pomegranate seed oil, rosemary and lavender extracts, hibiscus seed and grape seed oil and shea butter are grown, harvest and immediately dispensed into the products. These natural ingredients always hold their freshness because the plants are not processed with heat but cold-pressed, which makes the actives stay fresh longer. GÍÍLINEA BÍO firmly believes that by using plant-based products in their skin and haircare positively enhances wellbeing. All products are certified organic, vegan and cruelty-free. No silicones, paragons, sulphate or nanoparticles are used. As well as PEG´s, mineral oils, synthetic fragrances or pigments.

We must also mention that we applaud GÍÍLINEA BÍO for their giving-back policy.  They’ve been working with likeminded partners on a rainforest project in Brazil, see here; ​and have developed a coffee project with sale of Bio Café Art&Child coffee where they support a street child project UÈRE in Brazil, you can help by buying their coffee online here.

Today we’ve brought to you yet another one of #amazingfinds from the power of nature itself with the GÍÍLINEA BÍO Organic Anti-Ageing Elixir, a serum from their special treatment range. They call it a ‘powerful elixir’ and this subtly fruity-scented serum contains their hero ingredient of aloe vera, an antioxidant, that combats free radicals which ultimately helps to slow the ageing process and improves collagen production and skin elasticity. It also has glycerine which will hold the moisture and give it a youthful glow.  We certainly found that this serum gave our skin a wonderful glow! The argan oil and hibiscus seed extract not only helps with the age spots but it gives an overall feeling of freshness, and a younger smoother-looking complexion. It has natural fruit acids that purify skin by removing dead skin and improves cell regeneration. The wheat germ oil extracted is a rich source of vitamin E, which helps reduce skin damage, fight free radicals, and support collagen formation and helps to maintain an even skin tone. While the hyaluronic acid plumps and gets rid of all fine lines. Thanks to the combination of all these natural actives, it instantly gives good natural cell renewal and a natural lifting effect. They advise applying one drop on your face, neck, and décolleté (and even on the eyes!) night and day before moisturiser. If you have oily or combination skin, this can be used solo.

Then this Elixir can be followed with their 24hr Advanced Moisturiser. This floral-scented lotion is in an air pump bottle, it’s particularly recommended for stressed skin. It absorbs really quickly and contains water and aloe vera making it ideal as eye care because of the soothing, hydrating and refreshing qualities it offers.  There is sweet almond oil extract that protects the skin from UV ray damages and helps your skin look smooth and free of fine lines. The fatty acids in the almond oil also help in maintaining the moisture in your skin making it glowy. This wonderful 24hr Advanced Moisturiser also contains jojoba oil which helps in regulating the sebum production, while the pomegranate oil in it has potent anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties and fends off free radicals. Just like its name indicates, this moisturiser is long-lasting and can be applied day and night (we suggest after the Anti-Ageing Elixir). You can find the Anti-Ageing Elixir serum here for 61.90€ and the 24hr Advanced Moisturiser here for 36.9€