Rosenserien - Rose Anti-Wrinkle Cream

If you’re a regular reader of The Amazing Blog, then you will know that we're big fans of natural and organic products. Today we’re returning back to an old favourite: Rosenserien. We have previously featured their Wash and Shave Gel for Men, as well as their Self Tan, so were excited to give their Rose Anti-Wrinkle Cream a whirl. Quickly added please don’t be put off by the words ‘anti-wrinkle' this is a great all-round cream for dry skin, whatever your age might be.

Rosenserien is a Swedish organic skincare brand for the whole family. Their products are free from animal testing, and synthetic ingredients, and are also free from parabens, alcohol and mineral oils. The products are also 100% from natural origin. What else could we wish for? The Rose Cream Anti-Wrinkle Cream is 100 % natural, vegan and 81 % of ingredients are certified organic certified. It helps to maintain the skin's pH balance, controlling excess oil, and reducing the redness of irritated skin. This includes acne, dermatitis and eczema prone skin, proving the effectiveness of the natural ingredients. This product contains essential rose oil and a base of certified and fair-trade aloe vera gel. It also contains Chinese green tea which aids to rid of impurities, and the creamy formula is ideal for moisturising and softening the skin. Yes, rose oil is known for its anti-ageing properties, helping to prevent line formation in the skin. However, this rich formula also contains antioxidants and fatty acids, which also help to protect, moisturise and help to slow down the ageing process. Overall, apart from the delicious fragrance, we found that this face cream really does help to promote a glowing (yet non-greasy) complexion.

They recommend applying this cream to cleansed skin, dampened in rose water, morning and evening to both the face and neck. If you’re wondering, do I have to travel all the way to Sweden to get this product? No, you can get it from their online website, just click here to purchase this 50 ml of Rose Anti-Wrinkle Cream at €43, your skin will thank you for it.

PHB Ethical Beauty's Gentle Cleanser

Anyone with sensitive, dry or eczema-prone skin will know that finding skincare is somewhat of a challenge. It is particularly difficult to find a gentle and effective cleanser; and as some of us suffer from mild eczema at The Amazing Blog, we thought it was about time to actively search for new and effective products. This is when we returned to one of our trusted favourites: PHB Ethical Beauty, a vegan, ethical and organic brand, bringing gentle skincare to the market, without an ounce of medical looking packaging. Regular readers will recognise this brand, having featured both their Skin Brighten Gel (see here) and 2-in-1 Hand and Body Moisturiser (see here). With raving reviews previously, we were excited to test whether their Gentle Cleanser would live up to expectations.

PHB Ethical Beauty is a family-run company providing a range of natural, handmade and palm oil free products. The brand is similarly alcohol-free, and halal certified - inclusive to all, no matter skin type or religion. One particularly admirable element of the brand is their charitable contribution, with 20% of net profits going directly to charities across the UK and around the world. There is a reason for the name PHB Ethical Beauty, and this brand indeed is one that favours people over profit.

We tried their Gentle Cleanser with Rosehip and Avocado, a cleanser designed for sensitive, overly dry and eczema prone skin. Thanks to the addition of vitamins A and E, this cleanser not only soothes and softens the skin, but equally reduces inflammation and redness. Rosehip is known for its antioxidant properties, which we gather is the critical ingredient for attaining that youthful glow. On the other hand, avocado (the nation's best-loved brunch ingredient) is particularly effective at moisturising the skin, protecting against unnecessary dryness. The real winner here though is the use of organic ingredients, and avoidance of essential oils and fragrance. For anyone with reactive skin, you'll know this is a make or break element of any product, and in fact, we would suggest, products with either are best to be avoided for any skin type. Additionally, the packaging also feels very premium, with a lovely glass bottle and eco-friendly box - not a single cheap plastic bottle in sight! To try this bottle of goodness for yourself, visit the PHB Ethical Beauty website here, where is it available for £17.00.

Marie Reynolds - MRL Restore

Here at The Amazing Blog, we are all in agreement that a girls night in, is long overdue. We’ve got our chick flicks, chocolate (and wine) lined up, but one thing we couldn’t forget, is a good face mask. We were therefore pleased to discover MRL Restore by Marie Reynolds, part of a successful skincare range designed to balance and brighten the skin. Marie is most well known for her facial treatments, which she undertakes at Fortnum & Mason in London and her clinic in Norfolk.

This very special skin food facial mask supports imbalances within the epidermal flora, and is completely cruelty-free. It is also 100% organic and uses no artificial colours or preservatives. The product is entirely natural and, just like all Marie Reynolds products, it doesn’t only focus on visual and physical causes of skin imbalances, but also aims to combat the impacts of stress and lifestyle.

The mask adapts to every skin type and condition, balancing the skin’s natural flora and fauna. It has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, rejuvenating and brightening results thanks to the plant-produced chemicals (phytonutrients) which are used to protect the skin from environmental toxicity. Using eight strains of live bacteria during the production process, a wide range of imbalances in the skin are targeted. The MSL Restore multi-strain formula works in multiple areas, providing protection against a wide range of harmful bacteria, fungi and yeasts that may be present on the skin.

We can confirm that the cleansing effect kicks in immediately, and as one jar contains about 19 applications, you can deliver a refreshing cleanse time and time again. To use this mask, you simply mix one teaspoon of MRL Restore with a small amount of water. Blend this into a smooth paste and apply it evenly on your face and neck. After 10 to 15 minutes, loosen the mask with wet hands, massage it again for a further minute and then remove the residue with warm water. This process is best followed by moisturising your skin, preferably using the Marie Reynolds’ Epidermal Blanket, but of course, any desired moisturiser is suitable.

Ramp up your girls night, and purchase your own MRL Restore jar for £68.00 (80g) here. Pass us the popcorn!

Friday Favourites: Body Care Products

When The Amazing Blog did a quick beauty poll amongst some friends, it seems that body care products are something frequently overlooked. We all take great care to moisturise our faces, but what about our poor hard-working bodies? Today we have reviewed some of our #amazingfinds for the body, which we hope will tempt even the most sceptical or lackadaisical among you.

Let’s begin with Lavera, a brand that we know and love (see here for more). Lavera never fails to live up to our expectations with their 100% certified organic ingredients, all of which are dermatologically proven, vegan and with all the free-froms. We like a good multi-tasker and with their Firming Body Milk we have found just that. Not only does it help to moisturise, but it also works to firm up the skin too. Lavera claims that when used every day, there will be a noticeable difference in your skin texture within two weeks – quite a claim, but one we can justify! Gently fragranced, the use of key ingredients, organic green coffee bean and green tea, help to stimulate the skin, for a soft and smooth finish. On the other hand, the use of rosemary and grape help to leave skin feeling silky-soft. It is lightweight to use and absorbs quickly, thankfully leaving no sticky residue. They suggest exfoliating first (Lavera has a rather lovely Smoothing Body Scrub) and applying daily. Whether you’re looking for body firming or not, we really liked the fragrance, feel and texture. Sensibly priced at £10.95 for a 200ml tube , it is available here.

Next, we have CeraVe’s Moisturising Cream, an impressive hyaluronic acid and ceramide based barrier cream, suitable for use on both the body and face, and gentle enough for eczema-prone skin. What are ceramides, I hear you ask; they are lipids that not only help to form the skin’s barrier and retain moisture but also protect against environmental pollution. This body moisturiser is particularly suitable for anyone with dry or very dry sensitive skin. CeraVe is a US brand developed in tandem with dermatologists, they have over 70 products to offer and what makes their product unique is their revolutionary delivery system: MultiVesicular Emulsion Technology (MVE). This technology releases moisturising ingredients over a 24 hour period, layer by layer, to help keep skin soft all day long. Ingredients are not natural, but they are fragrance free, non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic. CeraVe are also quick to point out that they have received more Seal of Acceptance awards from the National Eczema Association than any other brand, which makes them a very tried and tested brand. Available from Boots or Superdrug, this is an economical product, £8.50 for 177ml.

Our third body moisturiser is from the award-winning British brand PHB (Pure Handmade British) Ethical Beauty which is stuffed to the gunnels with delicious superfoods. This 2-in-1 Hand & Body Moisturiser has had us all cooing and oohing. We’ve been long-standing fans of PHB Ethical Beauty and have reviewed several of their products (and we hope many more) - see here. So when given the opportunity to try their new Hand & Body Moisturiser – we leapt at the chance! This brand is very special with 20% of their profits going to The OneLove Foundation (founded by PHB Ethical Beauty in 2015). All their products are made with ethically harvested and responsibly sourced ingredients that are 100% natural, vegan, cruelty-free and alcohol-free (Halal certified). They call this a “no-nonsense moisturiser” and we couldn’t agree more. It absorbs quickly and comes with a list of simple, natural and certified organic ingredients that perform; it feeds the skin with a pure and powerful blend of mango, shea butter, apricot and pumpkin seeds – we love both the fragrance and simplicity. It is available on the PHB website here for £16.60, in a 150ml recyclable tube.

Our final discovery are Liquid Body Washes from Fil Blanc (meaning “white thread” in French), perhaps best known for their high-quality Hammam Turkish cotton towelling (we have our eye on their multi-coloured hand woven bath robe). The brand’s inspiration is taken from Mediterranean luxury living, with a touch of bohemia thrown in. Fil Blanc is based in historical St. Nicholas Market at the Exchange Hall, Bristol where they started three years ago. All products are sourced or designed by the founder Gulsum Gok. She very kindly sent us two of their body washes Relaxing and Orange & Jasmine. All body washes are 99% natural with a 81.98 % organic base, also vegan, cruelty and paraben free. Again they come with a very simple list of ingredients: Relaxing is made with essential oils of geranium, lavender, orange and ylang-ylang; whereas Orange & Jasmine has only these. Both contain honey and aloe vera with an Argan oil base. At a reasonably priced £12 for 259ml you can purchase both here, or alternatively make a visit to their Bristol HQ.

Now there is no excuse not to implement a little body pampering!

MOA's The Green Balm

Happy New Year! We’re back in the office at The Amazing Blog, and are ready to make 2019 the best year yet. We’re kicking off the week with an overhaul of our beauty products, in an attempt to rectify the previous year of hoarding. The general office consensus is that multi-purpose products are the way forward, so we were excited to try the relaunch of MOA's The Green Balm. We were very pleasantly surprised, and wanted to share our findings with you…

MOA (Magic Organic Apothecary), began in 2010, when founder Charlie Fowler found a distinct lack of natural eczema products. Given that her daughter suffered from this condition, Charlie made it her mission to fomulate a natural and organic product, that would soothe, cleanse, tone and moisturise the skin. And so The Green Balm was born. Encased in a lightweight glass jar, this product is the ultimate multi-purpose beauty balm. As well as working as a cleanser and moisturiser, it is particularly effective at soothing skin post-shaving, waxing and threading. Additionally, it acts as an eyelash moisturiser and works to help fade stretchmarks. For those of you who have dry hands, knees, elbows and cracked heels then this balm also nourishes and moisturises these significantly. Finally, if that's not enough, then it acts as an effective eye makeup remover, taking it off quickly without any need to rub forcefully. What more could you ask for?

With ingredients like organic yarrow, known for its nourishing and healing properties, and tea tree oil know as a naturally powerful antiseptic; these all natural ingredients help to nourish and soothe all dry and itchy skin. Other ingredients such as coconut, sweet almond, beeswax and soy bean oil work as the carrier and also help to make this balm smell delicious. If you’re looking for a multi-purpose product that works wonders on your skin, then take our word for it, MOA's The Green Balm is our new go-to product for 2019. It has a great price point making it affordable at £6 for 15ml or £15 for 50ml. Click here to purchase your very own pot of magic.