Rebel Wine Ltd: CBD Infused Wine

Are you taking part in the new lockdown trend of the ‘virtual happy hour’? We at The Amazing Blog think it’s a brilliant way to say ‘cheers’ and stay in touch with our family and friends. As regular readers will know, we’re always looking to introduce new kinds of tipples, and today its Rebel Wine with their trio of CBD-infused wines. Yes, our beloved CBD in a very different guise!

Rebel Wine Ltd is a British company founded by Rupert St Aubyn, a wine connoisseur and merchant. After two years of experimentation, they created the perfect formula for CBD-infused wine, commissioning the award-winning South African winemaker Matthew Copeland from Vondeling Estates, to blend and create. St Aubyn had this idea to combine CBD and wine, and when asked why, he said, “CBD is usually served as an oil and can be taken in its natural form using a dropper. However, it has a bitter taste, so is much nicer when combined with food or drink. Blending our wine with CBD worked better than we could have dreamed of. It combines all the goodness of CBD with the highest quality wines imported from South Africa, to make a fabulous drink.”  Rebel Wine’s ethos is: “If you follow all the rules, you miss all the fun” this tongue-in-cheek attitude is reflected in their hip branding and kitsch 50’s vibe.  What makes this trio of wines unique, is that they’re the first CBD-infused wine produced here in the UK.  Each of the three wine varieties is combined with the highest-quality organically grown hemp from Colorado, where all the extraction is done using only the supercritical C02 method. It’s 100% vegan and each can contains 10mg of broad-spectrum CBD with no THC, guaranteeing a safe and completely legal drinking experience. Available in 200ml cans, makes these ideal for picnics or outdoor events. Not only do these cans lower the carbon footprint, but they’re more convenient for a quick glass, portable, fast chilling and easily recyclable. After only three months from their launch, the brand won their first Bronze award in the Beverages category of the Canex 2020 awards.   With a lower alcohol content of around 12.5% ABV, they currently offer a Rose, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot which are sold at an affordable price of £4.25 each, and for this price you simply can’t go wrong.  

We were sent the Three Can Gift set bundle to try: Merlot, Rose, and Sauvignon Blanc.  Given the option, we prefer to drink our wine from a glass, rather than straight from the can. Something to quickly mention, is that when poured all three of these grape varieties had a noticeably cloudy hue. This is absolutely no reflection on the wine quality, and it’s to do with the CBD infusion. First, let’s talk about our favourite the Merlot, this is a smooth and fruity red wine that is great for everyday drinking. It contains 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% ABV. This original Merlot from Vondeling is currently featured in the renowned Platter's Wine Guide in 2020 with 3.5 stars. Rebel Wine recommends drinking this in combination with eggs and bacon butty while listening to (of course) Rebel, Rebel by Bowie! We’d say, with its red fruits, easy tannins and soft finish we prefer to pair it with dark chocolate (yum!) Next, the Rose, this is a refreshingly fruity with a crisp finish and needs to be served chilled. It is a pale blush pink in colour and we think great as a light refreshment and aperitif, as its easily quaffable with or without food. Also made from the Merlot grape, this original Rose wine from Vondeling recently won a Gold at The Annual Rose Rocks Awards in 2020. Finally, the Sauvignon Blanc, is a zesty, light-bodied gooseberry-ish white. It contains 100% Sauvignon Blanc and 12.5% ABV. Again, served chilled, we think this is an everyday drinking wine that marries well with anything from seafood, soft cheeses to a naughty fried chicken takeaway!  All without that taste of hempyness, we applaud Rebel Wine for creating this exceptional trio and can’t wait to try more - perhaps a CBD sparkling wine next? To purchase the Three Can Gift Pack at £14 (3 x 200ml cans), click here.

UHURU Botanicals – Marula Lotion & Black Soap & Aloe Vera

Autumn is here and once again, we’re upping our skincare game with richer and more nourishing products. Today at The Amazing Blog, we’d like to introduce another of our #amazingfinds with a natural and organic skincare, that has adopted some of the centuries-old West African skincare traditions and made them their own. Meet the award-winning brand UHURU Botanicals. 

UHURU Botanicals was founded in 2017 by Neo Mkwebane Chatyoka, when she was searching for soothing products for her baby who had eczema and couldn’t find the right one. This spurred her on to make her own products using some of the purest and most potent ingredients from Africa, her home-continent. Since then, the brand has grown, finding markets both in South Africa and in the United Kingdom. Today, Neo’s mission is to help everyone who has a persistent skin problem, and regain what she calls “skin confidence”. This philosophy reflects in the word ‘Uhuru’ that she chose for her brand name, which means ‘Freedom’ in the Kenyan dialect Swahili. The entire skincare range is unisex, multi-use, 100% organic, natural, vegan and ethical (even the packaging is eco-friendly), and best of all, it’s ideal for hypersensitive skin.

The first product from their range that we would like to talk about is the Marula Lotion, which won Editor’s Choice in the 2020 Beauty Shortlist Mama & Baby Awards. The main key ingredient of the Marula Lotion is shea butter, which comes from the nut of karité trees that grow in the Savanah of Western Africa. Perhaps best known for its properties to soothe and heal eczema, psoriasis, cracked skin and rashes; the shea butter is mixed with baobab and marula oil from Eastern and South Africa, which help regenerate skin and heal scars. The lotion is presented in a UVA resistant brown-coloured glass bottle. Once on the skin, the lotion absorbs quickly, liberating a fresh and subtle citrusy scent from the lemon, grapefruit and sweet orange oils. These are all rich in vitamin C which helps to even out the skin tone. As it is 100% natural, organic, and free from parabens and chemical fragrance, makes it ideal to use on both body and face. This is a wonderful multitasking lotion that we just couldn’t get enough of and is one of our #amazingfinds for the autumn. The Marula Lotion with vitamin C comes in 200ml, and you can purchase it here for £11.99.

The second product is the Black Soap & Aloe Vera Cleanser which has taken its inspiration from the time-honoured traditions of the West African black soap formula. This natural blend is gentle, effective and cleanses whilst also locking in moisture. It also fights acne, evens skin tone, treats eczema, and minimises the blemishes and scars all at the same time. Thanks to the healing powers of aloe vera, shea butter, and tea tree when combined, they offer a deliver a deep hydrating cleanse. There are coconut and palm oils here, as well as the charcoal powder which acts as an antibacterial removing impurity from the skin. e,e,There is no specific fragrance; we could only detect a very pleasant neutral hint of tea tree. We massaging this cleanser straight onto dry skin in a circular motion, then we rinsed away with warm water. Our skin felt clean, soft and hydrated and it’s so gentle that we used it for both morning and night. NB: As both products a completely organic formula without preservatives, it should be stored away from direct sunlight. These have impressed us and we can’t wait to try more from Uhuru Botanicals. The Black Soap & Aloe Vera Cleanser is available in two sizes: 30ml for £4.00 or 200ml for £12.99 here. 

Inspira Cosmetics - Mykonos Blue Eau de Toilette

We bet you like us at The Amazing Blog you wish right now, that you were luxuriating on a Greek island – rather than sitting behind your desk! Well, we can’t exactly take you there - but we can ‘virtually’ transport you to the island of Mykonos with another one of #amazingfinds from Inspira Cosmetics with their new Eau de Toilette: Mykonos Blue.

Inspira Cosmetics is based in Aachen, Germany, and is known for its solution-based skincare. Their motto is ‘maximum effect, but as natural as possible’ where they have cutting edge technology, combined with natural and active ingredients. We think that they’re a true leader in their field, and this brand never ceases to amaze us with their latest products. We have previously introduced Inspira Cosmetics where we have reviewed some of their ranges here. We’ve even spoken about their other products from their Mykonos Blue skincare range see here. Inspira Cosmetics are innovators who create skincare and cosmetics for both the professional and consumer market and have their own R&D with their leading cosmetic laboratory.

Mykonos Blue is inspired by the legendary island, with its Grecian deep blue sea, white houses and blue-painted rooftops. The first impressions of this Eau de Toilette are that it’s fresh, fruity with a touch of lemon zest, giving us a relaxing vibe that made us feel as though we were in paradise….  Its weighty and elegant rectangular glass bottle contains this blue elixir. The fruity top notes of lemon blackcurrant, peach, and mandarin transported us back to summer holidays, wandering through the lemon groves to a beach where it meets the warm salty foaming sea. This deliciously citrusy scent then develops into floral heart notes with lily of the valley, jasmine rose and freesia. Finally, it deepens with its base notes of cedarwood, amber, white musk, and sandalwood adding a lasting depth the other fruity and floral notes. We think that this is an ideal fragrance to refresh and lighten the mood. A little spray on the pulse points or spritzed like a halo, truly does leave you feeling uplifted; almost as if you are enjoying some time out on your favourite Greek Island. You can purchase the 100ml Mykonos Blue Eau De Toilette here for €24.32.