Beautanix - Beautiful Glow Clay, Day Oil and Serum 40

As regular readers will know at The Amazing Blog we like to search out new indie brands that have created something special. Therefore, it’s great to find a new natural skincare brand that specifically targets the 30+ age group. We are talking about Beautanix whose affordable products work to combat early signs of ageing by using only natural ingredients that help the regeneration skin cells, protect the skin and help to give us a more youthful appearance.

The Beautanix Founder Margaret Frixou is a reflexology and massage therapist who early in her career used essential oils and is well-versed on their wonderful healing properties. Margaret saw first-hand how natural ingredients really make a difference. Shocked by the list of harmful chemicals in her regular skincare, she decided it was time to create her own range using her knowledge and experience, thus Beautanix was born. Beautanix has seven key products that have natural ingredients that are vegan and ethically sourced. We received three products to try the Beautiful Glow clay mask and the Replenishing Light Day Oil and Serum 40 .

First, we used the refreshing Beautiful Glow clay mask, then went on to apply the Replenishing Light Day Oil to restore and protect our complexion. The Beautiful Glow is both soothing and nourishing. The product glides onto the skin flawlessly leaving a subtle floral/zesty scent. Made with fine kaolin clay, it has organic avocado and rice bran oils which help to lift dull and tired skin both hydrating and giving a healthy glow. Other key ingredients are carrot seed and sea buckthorn CO2 extracts which promote healthy skin cells. This refreshing clay mask works well on dry or sensitive skin types and is best used once a week on clean skin. We found Beautiful Glow to be a gentle product that left skin feeling soft and moisturised.  The pot contains 8-10 full face applications, and once applied, wait 30-45 minutes for it to absorb then rinse off with warm water.

Next, we used The Replenishing Day Oil which was our favourite product of the three. It has key ingredients of rice bran oil, thistle meadowfoam, rosehip. The combination of these potent raw botanicals contain antioxidants and wonderfully beneficial giving the skin a much-needed boost. This Day Oil is suitable for dry and sensitive skin and can be used daily on face and décolletage. It’s light in texture and we loved its delicious floral bouquet. We used it after the Beauty Glow clay mask, which helped to keep the skin supple and protected – we also found that a little went a long way.

The final product we used from the trio was Serum 40, which was a recent Editor’s Choice Winner in The 2020 Beauty Shortlist Awards, it’s perfect for irritated or sensitive skin. It’s a rich serum that helps to regenerate skin cells and prevent wrinkles. Vital ingredients here include sea buckthorn, eco marine extract, prickly pear seed oil with frankincense and patchouli, the latter two are the ideal essential oils for nourishing more mature skin. The serum is best used at night 2-4 times a week it immediately nourishes the skin upon touch and has a refreshing and calming aroma. The serum is the perfect way to end the day. We think these products complement each other well. You can find The Beautiful Glow clay mask in 60g for £25.99 here, the Serum 40 in 15ml for £31.00 here and the Replenishing Light Day Oil is 15ml for £24.99 here.

Terre De Mars - 004 Resonance Body & Hair Oil

At the Amazing Blog we’re big fans of the humble coffee bean and its versitility - not only can it give a wonderful boost to those of who find the early mornings a bit of a trial, but the health and medicinal benefits of caffeine-based cosmetology is now also sitting centre stage and rightly getting the attention it deserves. Terre De Mars is a company at the forefront of this.

Started by three friends who had memories of their grandmother espousing on the virtues of coffee as more than just a beverage, they started their empire from the humble beginnings of a 100% pure coffee face scrub. Alexandre, Poulad and Salem had such a phenomenal success with their scrub, that they progressed onto a more sure footing with the launch of a full range of coffee-based products, all of which are COSMOS, COSMEBIO, vegan and cruelty-free certified, and gender fluid. They created their formulae which comply completely with ECOCERT Standards, having researched and understood the benefits of using caffeine in a highly concentrated form, and along with the other totally natural ingredients, the results are a perfect fit for skin bio-compatibility and sensorial richness.

Today we’re talking about the Terre De Mars Résonance 004 Resonance Body & Hair Oil which contains antioxidant and nourishing oils to achieve radiance and smoothness. Castor oil regenerates the skin, and that vital caffeine component tones and invigorates the skin tissues, with Argan oil providing much-needed hydration. The complete range is a happy marriage between science and nature, formulated from powerful bioactive and probiotic ingredients, thus providing a powerful cocktail of nutrients. The benefits do not end there, not only is this nurturing balm kind to our skin, but the packaging is all created with recycled material, meaning the environment reaps huge rewards also. By the way, It doesn’t smell of coffee and has only a hint of zesty citrus scent from the bitter orange water.

Available here at €58 for the 100ml bottle, this is clearly unlikely to be an impulse buy, but the benefits of this newfound elixir are there to be experienced, and the results celebrated. We also believe from their retailer’s page here that it is currently available instore at Wolf & Badger or Make Me Feel (in London) for approx. £48.

Popcorn Shed

At The Amazing Blog we always have a small selection of snacks at our desks to feast on. We try to be good by consuming only low fat and healthy snacks. Today we want to tell you about our new discovery Popcorn Shed that left our taste buds tingling!

Popcorn Shed was founded by cousins Laura Jane and Sam Feller in 2016, and like every great brand it has a story, Jane’s and Sam’s story starts in a shed! Their popcorn is a home-grown, family-owned business where they’ve created a unique set of flavours, that not usually found in rival popcorn brands. These are gourmet popcorn range that are natural, gluten-free and suitable for vegetarians. Their popcorn is made using an artisan cooking process using a fresh caramel batch in every process, before being scattered in either melted chocolate, nuts or dried fruit all adding a new texture to the popcorn. What piqued our interest is that each of their packets of popcorn have an average of fewer than 140 calories per pack. Don’t worry the popcorn is easily chewable and you won’t have to worry about kernel or sticky caramel getting stuck in your teeth! We’re also fans of the vibrant packaging which make them unmissable.

The first of the seven flavours we tried was the Pop ‘n’ Choc. These are evenly coated with Belgian milk chocolate in a smooth cocoa-caramel base. They are not too sweet and the chocolate is in the right quantity to be enjoyed without being overpowering. Next is Salted Caramel which was our favourite. Coated with sea-salt caramel and Belgium milk chocolate, it has a fabulous crunch and a slight hint of salt, making it very moreish. We then move on to Butterly Nuts, all peanut butter with a blend of salt, caramel and nuts, this hit the spot! The peanut butter is creamy and the nuts offer an irresistible crunch. The Pecan Pie popcorns are partly coated in caramel and real golden pecan nut pieces. They have a smooth nutty, buttery and sugary taste and a sensational crunch that leaves you wanting more.

Probably the most unusual flavour of the collection is the caramel and cheese in Sweet Cheesus. These popcorns are partly coated in caramel and cheddar cheese offering the bursts of sweet and salty together,  this is one for the fans of less sugary snacks.  Then we have the Berry-licious where fruit tart meets dark chocolate – freeze-dried raspberries in the rich chocolate make it almost a dessert in itself. Lastly, Say Cheese! The Cheddar Cheese popcorn flavour is coated with cheese that leaves a tangy tingle on the tongue, melting perfectly to release a creamy milk and cheesy flavour which all cheese fans will adore.

A Popcorn Shed box of 80g is £3.50 and a 16 pack of 24g is £19.98 here. Why not grab a new popcorn flavour and awaken your taste buds.

Malavara - Ultra Luxuriant Hair Elixir

Who else feels like they’re constantly stripping their hair by colouring it, curling it, straightening it or washing it? At the Amazing Blog we’re constantly looking for that ‘Holy Grail’product to reverse all of our hair damage… and we just may have found it!

Malavara Ultra Luxuriant Hair Elixir is a modern take on a 5,000 year old Ayurvedic ritual of hair oiling. By Inspired by India but made in London, the elixir utilises potent Hairy Basil Root which acts as food for hair follicles and promotes growth. With sleek packaging, easy-to-follow directions and all-natural ingredients, Malavara gives hair oiling a modern twist.

A Gold Winner at The Pure Beauty Awards 2018, Malavara’s Ultra Luxuriant Hair Elixir is meant to be applied at least 30 minutes before washing your hair. Although it’s meant as a pre-shampooing treatment, a little goes a long way and we recommend to only use enough to massage through your scalp without friction. Made with Gooseberry, Almond and Bhringraj Oil, the Hair Elixir conditions the scalp while transforming the health of your hair. We love that the Malavara Hair Elixir doesn’t leave a layer of oil on your hair that is hard to remove with just a normal amount of shampoo. The best part? It’s vegan, naturally-derived and sustainably-sourced.

Want to experience the 5,000 year old ritual of hair oiling for yourself? A 30ml bottle of the Malavara Ultra Luxuriant Hair Elixir can be purchased here for £29.

Scence Natural Skincare - Natural & Nourishing Body Moisturiser Balm

At The Amazing Blog we’ve certainly tried our fair share of beauty and skincare products (in fact, it’s near 4k featured product post!) Week after week we find ourselves still impressed by the new products that arrive for us to try. Most of the time we are just amazed by how cutting-edge and innovative the products really are. However, today we’d like to go back to basics with an organic, eco-friendly packaged and simple to use brand Scence Natural Skincare Products.  For those of you less familiar with the brand, we recently featured their natural deodorants here.

Handcrafted in Cornwall, Scence offers products for people who care about what they put on their skin, and how they impact in the world around them. The founder, Krista Taylor, knew she wasn’t alone in her feelings towards the single-use plastic conflict and created her range of vegan-friendly, all-natural products in fully compostable and recyclable packaging. Sence was born.

We put the Scence Natural & Nourishing Body Moisturiser Balms to the test. Made with coconut oil and mango butter, the moisturiser balm comes in 8 different fragrances, we tried 5 of these each is curated using different natural essential oils. The first two that we had to try were Clary Sage and Earth Spice. They both had quite earthy scents that we felt were perfect for the nights as they draw in and as we gravitate towards the winter equinox.  The stand-out amongst the balms was the Summer Citrus scent with hints of orange and bergamot - this was our hot favourite. Best of all none of these scent combinations are overpowering, instead, they are subtle and light. We love the stick format of this body balm, it simply glide it over your skin after showering and it melts right in. It also creates a soft barrier to the skin without feeling greasy or thick. For those who have sensitive skin, why not try the body balm which is Jojoba Balm and unscented. And finally the After Sun Balm which makes the perfect addition to your travel bag, this has the lavender, peppermint and roman chamomile essentials oils, this healing combination also smells divine.

The fully compostable and recyclable packaging beautifully complements the all-natural ingredients. It’s important to care just as much about what goes into the ingredients as what the product is packaged in, and we love that Scence noticed that. If you would like to purchase a Natural & Nourishing Moisturiser Balm from Scence, they are available here for £12.