Netsai Rose & Avacado Cleansing Balm

Who doesn’t love a balm? At The Amazing Blog, we actively look for new natural balms, any balms that are for cleansing or moisturising the face, lips and body. Out of all of these, the cleansing balm is the winner for those of us living in London. The hard water here is full of calcium and magnesium compounds that not only causes limescale but strips our skin of all its natural oils, which can then lead to large pores, dry skin rashes, itching or worse rosacea! That’s why we want to talk about a natural cleansing balm from British indie brand Netsai.

Netsai was founded by Esnath Moyo in 2019, when she realised that most beauty brands on the market never represented the people that she identified with. Wanting to be an example to her loved ones and making sure that they would all be accepted for their beautiful selves, she set herself a challenge to create her own beauty brand Netsai. This is where she followed her dream, to produce this skincare, promising products that would hold innovation, support sustainability, diversity and inclusion. This cruelty-free and organic brand promote community helping change lives by ‘inspiring confidence in the marginalised’ that’s then reflected into every day. We applaud you Esnath!

Back to balms. With our love of balms, we chose to review the Rose and Avocado Cleansing Balm. This is suitable for all skin types; it’s a luxurious balm and contains a plethora of great ingredients. Let’s start with the key ingredients of shea butter, which is highly concentrated in fatty acids and vitamins, and also has anti-inflammatory and healing properties. Then the lactic acid which is an anti-wrinkle and pigmentation-fighting ingredient. It’s an alternative to glycolic acid which means that it’s less irritating, yet just as effective and an excellent ingredient for sensitive skin. The carnauba wax is actually an edible ingredient, as an emollient, it has a high melting point and can be used for thickening skincare as well as being a deeply hydrating moisturiser. Avocado oil, will deeply penetrate the skin to nourish, soften and boost your skin’s immunity against environmental stresses. What makes this balm even more of an exceptional hydrator is its richness with the coconut oil.  Lavender in this is for a deep cleanse and to calm any redness and irritation. Rose oil is the antioxidant powerhouse, which will strengthen skin cells and regenerate skin tissues. If you have dry skin, then this will help hydrate it, and finally, the addition of orange flower water which is a good toner that balances oils brightening the complexion.

We applied 10p size dollop of the cleansing balm, with a spatula from the jar, into our hands. We then warmed it up in our palms and spread it liberally over a dry face and neck. Massaged in for 60 seconds and splashed with warm water to emulsify, rubbed in a little more and then wiped it away with a damp cloth. It integrated easily into our skincare routine and this natural high performing formula even melted away make-up and SPF, all in one go. What set this apart for us, is its ability to be used as a make-up remover or as a second cleanse, where it worked like magic with the hard water and left our complexions clean and soft. If you live in a city with hard water, you need this cleansing balm! See here for your 60ml jar for £18.00.

Paso’s CBD Milk Chocolate

Do you love chocolate? Because here at The Amazing Blog we certainly do! With the past year of world turmoil, we’ve been on the search to find comforming products to help relax during this time of uncertainty and take a step back. We’ve heard lots about our #amazingfinds of today with their chocolate, their very special CBD chocolate, no less. meet Paso CBD 75mg Milk Chocolate which gives you just that.

Paso CBD stared when best friends (and cousins), Alex and Sophie left their jobs in consulting and law to venture into the cannabis industry. They created this company with the idea of creating enjoyment in the simple pleasures of life. Their friends were hesitant about CBD products, which only motivated them more to create products that normalise CBD. They pride themselves on their high standard products that are 100% organic, premium CBD and ‘non-psychoactive’ which they source from hemp extract from farms in Colorado and Oregon. Even though their products are entirely hand made in the UK. They support Cool Earth which is an organisation that is committed to ending tropical deforestation and conservation of the rainforests. Paso has cleverly been able to master producing edible CBD products, that actually taste good. Some of the products in their line include vape pens, cartridges, e-liquids, CBD gummies and oils. Their chocolate comes in White, Dark and Milk; Milk is the one we’re going to talk about today.

We’re impressed with their branding and the sleek royal blue cardboard packaging which reveals the silver foiled chocolate. This all feels very premium. Milk chocolate is THC-free and broad-spectrum. Each square of chocolate contains 3mg of CBD, where you break off a couple of pieces to help you relax and unwind (the maximum daily dose they recommend is 70mg per day). The chocolate is rich and creamy with caramel notes, and is made with hemp extract (including CBD), 42% cocoa mass, cocoa butter, soya lecithin, natural vanilla flavouring, sugar, and whole milk powder. All these ingredients have a health benefit. The hemp extract has antioxidants and healthy omega fatty acids, which makes it great for hair and skin or just stress relief. The cocoa mass not only gives it its flavour but in moderation, it can help keep the heart-healthy. Like the hemp extract, cocoa butter is high in fatty acids which can help hydrate and nourish the skin. Soya lecithin can raise good cholesterol (HDL) while lowering bad cholesterol (LDL). Natural vanilla flavouring brings a flavour, but it’s also rich in antioxidants. Sugar gives sweetness to the chocolate and also according to some scientists is can be beneficial for brain health. The whole milk powder found here is a good source of minerals such magnesium, calcium, zinc, potassium as well vitamins A, D, E and K. We have to be honest and say that we noticed a slight after-taste, which we didn’t mind too much and nibbled at it throughout the day, but it’s rich and we didn’t need much to get our chocolate fix and feel fully satiated. We’ve heard that it’s good to eat before bed to help with sleep, hah! Who needs that excuse? To enjoy this simple pleasure, you can purchase your Paso CBD Milk Chocolate 75mg for £8.00 here. We would like to thank CBD-Produce who kindly sent us this and several other CBD food products from the extensive range. Whether this is your first time trying CBD, or you are an experienced user, we think you’ll find something to tempt you at this great one-stop-shop for all things CBD. 

Fuishena Skincare - Divine Ambrosia Serum with 8% VitaNova™

At The Amazing Blog, we can't resist luxurious skincare not just with the branding but for the ingredients too. As regular readers will know, discovering new formulas is our passion, and today we have an Australian skincare that has a new ingredient that we want to introduce.

Fuishena Skincare comes all the way from beautiful Byron Bay. Founded by two sisters Fiona and Lucia Berwein. They took their inspiration from their parents, who asked them to join them in their supplement and lifestyle business. The two sisters have taken the leading role in creating a new brand and developing the existing formula into a super antioxidant skincare line in collaboration with Canadian and Australian laboratories. They teamed up with formulators who helped them with proven clinical trials as the effectiveness of their advanced formula VitaNova™ This super-antioxidant ingredient interacts with the skin on a cellular level. There are two lines of skincare Divine Ambrosia and Divine Nektar. Divine Nektar, is designed for brightening dull complexions and ideal for those with sensitive, oily/ combination skin, who live in warmer climes.  The Divine Ambrosia is for normal to dry skin, again it's also for those with sensitive skin but who live in a colder climate and have fine lines and wrinkles. Fuishena is a skincare where science meets nature and wherever possible, they only use organically grown products from the region. It claims to have remarkable anti-ageing properties with this patented VitaNova™ antioxidant, which is designed to return skin back to its natural, glowing beauty. They are cruelty-free brand, have packaging without plastic and support recycling with their glass bottles..

 We were sent the Divine Ambrosia Serum with 8% VitaNova™. This serum is a rejuvenating, anti-ageing serum which nourishes and regenerates helping to counteract the ageing process. This looks and feels luxurious, presented in an elegant frosted recyclable glass bottle with a dropper;  we love the branding with its white faux leather embossed pouch (to store this serum out of sunlight). They are the first Australian brand to utilise the VitaNova™ ingredient, which was originally introduced into Asian skincare over ten years ago. It is made up of a carbon allotrope called fullerene, where its antioxidant power is unlocked by emulsifying with a blend of amino acids and vitamins. They produce their products in small batches, in darkness, to ensure all ingredients are kept fresh and active. The VitaNova™ has excellent versatility and can detox, brighten, moisturise and be used as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-ageing formula. How does it work? VitaNova™ is a super antioxidant that can find, bind and remove free radicals and other toxins from your skin. It is over 100 times more potent than vitamin C. It rejuvenates the skin by converting free radicals into water and oxygen. Its anti-inflammatory properties deal with redness, irritation and impurities, which is especially helpful after laser or other invasive treatment. The antimicrobial function eradicates infected areas and helps to reduce noticeable pores size. This serum has the highest concentration of VitaNova that will make it a firm but also be a gentle rejuvenator. The other ingredients here are vitamin E, which can also block free radicals, and replenish lipids and in turn slows down the signs of skin ageing. The sweet almond oil improves your skin's overall appearance and luminosity. It also contains some vitamin A, also known as retinol, which evens out skin tone and texture, brightening the complexion. Vitamin C promotes collagen production as well as prevents premature ageing. It also has properties that suppress aggressive melanin production in the skin, which can cause skin discolouration, dark spots or hyperpigmentation. The aloe vera will act as another antioxidant; it contains enzymes and vitamins, aiding inflammation, acne or dry skin. The avocado and pomegranate oils will shield and offer protection from UV damage. Finally, the white tea extract has further antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress on the skin’s surface. I used this serum for two weeks and loved how it was hydrating enough, to use alone. The honey-coloured liquid has a soft floral/white tea scent. The serum's velvety texture glides evenly with its abundance of active ingredients that left a delicate and protective layer on my skin. I did notice my complexion was less dehydrated and fine lines were plumped up too, although I would need to use the serum for a longer period of time, to give a proper conclusion. Yes, I would buy more… to purchase your  30ml Divine Ambrosia Serum for £79.00 see here.

AMAZINC! Skincare - Mineral Sunscreen, Lip Balm and Mineral Shield

As regular readers will know we’re always preaching about sun awareness.  Particularly with the erosion of the ozone layer and the planet heating up… Today we’d like to talk about a mineral-based sunscreen and block. AMAZINC! Skincare is a sun care range that provides high protection and is made for those who have an active lifestyle and who want to indulge in a bit of surfing or other water-based fun.

This Czech brand AMAZINC! Skincare, launched in 2015 by Jan Kostelnik and Stepan Martinek, whose vision was to create a natural sunscreen and block that was not only functional but also kind to the environment.  What sets this apart from other suncare brands is that it has been created by a team of nature lovers who regularly hike in the mountains and surf the oceans – so they knew that there was a gap in the market and what was needed. We like that they have no nasties in their formulas, as we’ve found that many of the high street sun protection products have chemical formulations that are dangerous for marine life and corals (check out your regular sunscreen's ingredients here). These chemicals pollute playgrounds, mountains and oceans with compounds that destroy the environment. A quick run-through on the main chemical to look, oxybenzone is the one that harms marine life and is known as one of the most toxic ingredients in the cosmetic industry. This has proved to be deadly when in contact with marine life and wildlife in general, where It creates reef bleaching that causes the death of the coral. Something we didn’t know, is that non coated nanoparticles of zinc oxide or titanium oxide aren’t any better either! AMAZINC! ensures that these chemical compounds are not found in any of its products and helps to raise awareness around this. Their products are mainly vegan and also have plastic and chemical-free packaging (reusable aluminium bottles, tins and cardboard tubes). Also, as an environmentally aware company, they’re on a mission to help educate their customers too.

We tried the Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50, which offers a high level of protection with only mineral filters and natural ingredients, making it a nature-friendly form of sun protection. The key ingredients include almond oil that protects the skin from the UV as well as reversing any damage. It also has jojoba oil a popular ingredient in natural sunscreen products with vitamin E which when combined with other antioxidants such as those found in olive oil, protects the skin from sun damage; these will stop skin dehydration or flaking. This product is also rich in zinc oxide, a topical skin product that is used as a protective coating also used for mild skin irritations or abrasions as it speeds up healing. Finally, the triticum vulgare germ oil here is to relieve dryness.  This natural mineral sunscreen has a subtle sweet almond fragrance. We used this as a one-off application, out sailing all day with hot sun and the reflections from the sea, and when we returned to land there wasn’t even the slightest bit of redness in sight! I would advise that this Is not suitable for those who are wishing to pose on the beach topping up their tan, as this Mineral Sunscreen does leave a white residue (from the zinc/titanium oxide). However, it’s perfect for the action-packed adventurer who just wants one application and to go.  This Mineral Sunscreen you can find in 150ml here for €24.95.

Next is their natural Lip Balm this is rich in natural emulsifiers which help to retain moisture, making it ideal dry or chapped lips. We found it very smooth to apply and unusually long-lasting. There’s jojoba oil, rich in vitamin B and E and essential minerals like zinc that will make your lips soft. The almond oil here will does wonders for the lips keeping them hydrated and rejuvenate. The antioxidant properties in the olive oil condition and protect lips from drying out. The texture is balm-like and waxy and the vanilla planifolia fruit extract not only adds to the fragrance and taste but has antioxidant benefits and skin-soothing agents. This Lip Balm does not contain sun protection – so please bear this in mind. It’s perfect for carrying in your pocket all year round to provide a lip pick-me-up. You can find it here in a generous 30g for €12.25.

Last but not least, is the Mineral Shield which has 17.5g of essential zinc cream that comes in four colours. This sunblock offers full UV protection and is easy to apply/remove and yet is highly water-resistant. They have perfected this formula with their Mineral Shield compound with a mix of zinc oxide, magnesium oxide and kaolin. The combination of these natural ingredients will provide nature-friendly and sustainable sun protection. They say it’s for applying to on the face and lips, we think it’s also ideal for covering up and protecting any suspicious moles or skin damage. We like that this Mineral Shield does not get washed away, it stays put until you wipe it off. The blend contains bee wax which works as a natural binder, stabiliser and skin-conditioner, and is often used as a topical, non-allergenic sunscreen ingredient to condition and repair. It also contains olive oil and lanolin (wool fat) so this product is not vegan! It’s a great little full sunblock, ideal to keep on hand in case you need some serious cover-up. You can find it here for €11.95. 

We’re impressed with this sun care range and certainly put it to full use. What would we order more of? Both the AMAZINC! Mineral Shield to dab on moles and the Lip Balm as we loved the taste and texture.

Elo Cosmetics - Hydra Derm Clay Mask, Soothing Lavender Mist & Hand & Body Moisturizer

At The Amazing Blog, we find that simplicity is best, and that’s why today we’ve chosen to talk about an indie vegan skincare that contains only a few simple key ingredients. Meet the Canadian-French brand Elo Cosmetics who pride themselves on being ‘the new face of vegan skincare’. 

Elo Cosmetics was born from a challenge when the two founders Elodie and Luis took up a ‘pas cap’ contest.  As devout vegans, they would try to outdo each other, by finding beauty products with the purest vegan ingredients that mirrored their values, but also didn’t have a long list of ingredients, that they had to decipher! Having drawn a blank in finding their perfect products, this prompted them to create their own natural and 100% vegan skincare and cosmetics, partnering with a Canadian formulator to help develop their range. They are all about keeping it simple, from the branding to the ingredients.

We were sent three of their skincare products. The first is one of their three clay masks, the Hydra-derm Clay Mask which has its key ingredient of kaolin clay, rich in vitamins, minerals, silica and offers a neutral pH balance. This ultra-hydrating face mask will both nourish and remove impurities from the skin balancing the hydration and leaving it smoother, softer and more supple. The clay helps to remove sebum from the skin's surface and has a calming effect on any inflamed breakouts. It also contains vitamin E, which is a powerful antioxidant protecting skin from damage caused by free radicals. This pale green mask has the addition of avocado oil, rich in protein and fatty acids as well as vitamins A, D, and E which protect and also increase collagen production. The grapeseed oil is high in omega-6 fatty acid, fortifying the skin's barrier aiding the reduction of water loss. While other ingredients such as almond oil reduces puffiness and under-eye circles and the chamomile, has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. Finally, the aloe vera will moisturise the skin, boost healing and fighting skin ageing. This clay mask is a powerhouse of antioxidants and ideal for revitalising and hydrating the complexion. We used it in the evening, applying it to the face for 10-15 minutes then rinsing off in warm water, it gave us silky soft skin. You can find it here for $21.99.

Following the face mask, we used the Soothing Lavender Mist, again, this is one of three face mists from their range. This nourishing mist will soothe irritated skin and detoxify; it will moisturise helping to regenerate and repair cells, offering a healthier-looking complexion. The lavender, besides having anti-inflammatory properties it will calm dry skin. The blend has the deep hydrator aloe vera and chamomile (properties discussed in the above paragraph). The cucumber here will detoxify the skin and boost elasticity and decrease water loss. Say goodbye to inflammations and skin breakouts with this mist! This subtly fragranced lavender mist has hyaluronic acid, providing excellent hydration which in turn improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Finally, there is vitamin C that will even out skin tone and resveratrol to brighten tired-looking complexions and minimising any redness. This Soothing Lavender Mist we used to freshen up the skin not only after using the face mask but throughout the day. What we love is that this will combat free radical damage and enhance collagen production. The Soothing Lavender Mist can be found here for $23.99.

We’re saving our favourite until last, the Hand & Body Moisturizer. This is a non-greasy and rich lotion that quickly absorbs into the skin.  Its fragrance is a delicate, a combination of green tea and chamomile. It has a high concentrate of aloe vera that will instantly heal dry skin and help to reverse any sun damage. We used it on the face, hands and body, which left us with a velvety soft skin, we think this is a great multitasker and one to take for a weekend away when luggage has to be kept to bare a minimum. it’s designed to keep skin radiant, smooth and deeply nourished as well as counteracting the effect of pollution. The benefits of the green tea here are as an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. The matricaria flower extract, (aka chamomile) is a natural healer and contains tannic acid for skin calming. Finally, the lanolin oil (which we presume is sourced from plant butter not wool?) is known to be an emollient or balm which restores water loss and soothes dehydrated skin. This product, in particular, was a hit with us all and you can find this Hand & Body Moisturizer lotion here for $19.99. 

We’d also love to try their cosmetics range of vegan eyeshadows and glitters – which we think would be perfect for the forthcoming winter months and party season ahead.