Nêô Sephiri's: Pure Kalahari Melon Facial Oil

At The Amazing Blog, regular readers will know that we love introducing new skincare ingredients together with their extraordinary benefits. Today it’s with Pure Kalahari Melon Facial Oil from South African skincare Nêô Sephiri. Kalahari melon seed oil is something that we have discussed before here, but only as one of many in skincare. This time, it’s exclusively as a solo ingredient..

Nêô Sephiri is a luxury skincare brand dedicated to only selling their Pure Kalahari Melon Facial Oil. The brand's name means 'a secret gift' in Tswana and was founded in 2020 by Olga and Bernard van Vuuren after ten years of researching the properties of Kalahari melon seed oii. This Kalahari region of Africa has been experiencing regular harsh droughts caused by climate change, many plants were dying, leaving this melon as one of few to adapt to the extreme conditions. For some reason the native Kalahari Melon, an indigenous plant, has survived and evolved in these desert conditions for hundred’s of years. This melon is citrullus vulgaris, ’the first wild watermelon, coming in all shapes and sizes with a yellow colour and is only grown in region of the Kalahari. They are far from the refreshing watermelons that we all know and love and have a very bitter taste. Bernard first discovered the ingredient while completing his PhD in Biochemistry in England after his uncle, a farmer within the Kalahari Basin, contacted him to investigate the potential of this oil. He discovered these melon seeds could be cold-pressed and filtered to produce a 100% nutritious oil to treat the skin. Co-founder Dr Bernard van Vuuren said, "What I really want people to understand is that this one ingredient can serve 80% of your skin's needs by promoting skin health and restoring skin barrier function." His wife Olga also had a very positive experience with this cold-pressed Kalahari melon seed oil when it changed her skin for the better. It healed her sunburn, windburn and post spots scarring, and she says that it repaired her skin even when it was in the most desperate states. Together they created a prototype and were astounded by the influx of positive comments they received from people with various skin concerns. The Pure Kalahari Melon Facial Oil helped to soothe acne, rehydrate skin and even decrease scar marks. Friends began to use the oil on their babies for baby massage and on their baby bumps. Hence, Neo Sephiri was born as a vegan certified, sustainable, ethical, skincare. In addition to harvesting from their local accredited organic farm in Kalahari Basin, they also cold press, filter, and bottle the oil themselves. Which gives back to the community by providing support, jobs, opportunities and livelihood to help the economy and indigenous people grow. This also guarantees the quality and purity of their products. The brand commented, "Our mission is embedded into our company foundation documents, and we are fully focused on achieving meaningful and lasting social impact for communities in the Kalahari Basin." Sustainability is at the forefront of Nêô Sephiri and its ethos with a multifaceted approach, encompassing ecological, economic and social impact and being part of the Cambridge Social Ventures cohort. All the waste from the melon's harvesting process is returned to the same land as the next harvests' fertiliser, and any excess from the oil production, is returned to the farm, as high protein animal feed. The brand has already gained international recognition, and are recent winners of The 2021 Beauty Shortlists Editor’s Choice and the Best New Sustainable Skincare Product in the Pure Beauty Global 2021 Awards.

Pure Kalahari Melon Facial Oil is currently Nêô Sephri’s only product. It is 100% natural, cruelty-free, fragrance-free, and of course, vegan. This unrefined cold-pressed facial oil is packed with essential fatty acids and vitamins; the fatty acids repair at the cellular level, building resilience against irritants and environmental stressors. Other antioxidants in the oil reinforce the skin barriers lipid matrix causing the skin to look firmer, reduce wrinkles and promote elasticity. In addition, this oil locks in hydration to enhance moisture for a natural glow. Repairing the integrity of the skin barrier reduces inflammation, scar marks and offers a soothing effect. Compared to other plant oils, Kalahari melon seed oil has more antioxidants with vitamin A.C and E and 70% omega-6 linoleic acid than most other African oils. It contains five times more vitamin E than argan oil and almost ten times more than marula oil. The natural tocopherol vitamin E (not the lab version of ‘tocopherol acetate’) is a fantastic ingredient that we all look for in our skincare products as it nourishes and hydrates. Linoleic acid gives this oil its fast-absorbing quality and promotes natural oil production. It’s a dry facial oil that is excellent for all skin types: particularly sensitive, dry, oily, acne-prone, and combination (see here for their Tested on Reactive Skin). For all readers with dry skin, this oil is ideal due to its essential nutrients that nourish the skin and boost skin health. And for those with oily and acne-prone skin, don't overlook this oil. Its lightweight formula leaves skin with the perfect amount of oil to not over clog pores and controls sebum production. Why not make a direct impact on the communities of Kalahari Basin, and add this unique facial oil to your skincare collection. We love how pure, lightweight and easily it absorbed into the skin, best of all it’s a facial oil that leaves little or no residue! With just three to five drops, It really does bring a little luxurious glow to the skin. We gently massaging it into the face and neck using any leftover oil for hands and cuticles. This is truly another one one of our #amazingfinds with this magical natural ingredient. To purchase Nêô Sephiri's 30ml Pure Kalahari Melon Facial Oil see here for £85.00.

Puritx - Superior Hand Sanitisers

In this new strange world of COVID-19, none of us at TheAmazingBlog leave home without some sort of hand sanitiser tucked away in a pocket. However, knowing how we all like to use natural products, finding a hand sanitiser that has 99% natural ingredients has proved tricky to find – until now. Meet Puritx and their deliciously fragranced superior hand sanitiser.

Puritx is a brand born mid-quarantine, as their parent Canova a home fragrance company, went temporarily on hold in order to speed up the production hand sanitiser to meet the nation’s demand. Puritx’s mission is to create the most superior hand sanitiser with the finest ingredients available. Based in Herefordshire, they have produced six fragrant products that have 99% natural (29% organic) ingredients in a skin-soothing aloe vera base. All the ingredients are sourced responsibly and ethically and contain 70% ethanol alcohol from British grain. Apart from this brand being a shining light in these dark times, we love the fact that they support the local key workers by donating 20% of their production of hand sanitisers to help keep them safe.

We received two x 60ml samples to try. First the Manuka, Cedar & Grapefruit. This has a great combination of healing ingredients with the manuka honey here as the miracle worker, with its antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, studies show how it has wound-healing capabilities and tissue regeneration. Thus, it’s an effective skin barrier and helps to prevent any infection. Besides being an excellent mood lifter in aromatherapy, grapefruit essential oil also has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties too. Finally, the cedarwood in this blend is an all-natural antiseptic and known to be used topically to help combat bacterial and fungal infection. The fragrance is mellow and warm with keynotes of citrus and wood. 

Then we tried the Geranium, Lime & Peppermint. This is a refreshing blend of geranium oil which works as an anti-inflammatory and antiseptic agent and is used in natural medicine for infection and pain management. The lime oil provides both uplifting and invigorating properties together with its limonene which contributes to its cleansing ability. Then, the peppermint oil will cool, clear and refresh the surface of your skin and with its antiseptic powers help to purify your skin. The geranium is the dominant fragrance note here making it floral and revitalising. All Puritx Superior Hand Sanitisers contain aloe vera known for being a natural moisturiser helping to rehydrate dry and rough skin, as well as being a cleansing agent that will shield the skin from bacteria. Squeeze a generous amount onto dry hands, spread from fingertips over palms and back of hands. Allow it to dry for 30 seconds giving time for the aloe vera and essential oils to absorb fully.  Why not invest in these fantastically fragranced, 100% vegan and natural hand sanitisers here starting from £4.50 for 60ml.

Concrete & Wax - The Modular Collection: Tealight Trio in All Sage

It’s nearing to the end of August and we can feel that slight autumnal bite in the air. Shorter days and longer nights are not far away and the candle season is almost upon us. This is why at The Amazing Blog we thought we’d introduce you to one of our first #amazingfinds for the autumn. Meet the contemporary styled and hand-poured candle company Concrete & Wax with their versatile Tealight Trio in All Sage from The Modular Collection which are stackable tea lights where you can build them vertically or burn each one independently. 

They were founded in 2018 by Alex Sommer and Laura Keller (AKA Mr. Concrete and Mrs. Wax) who among many other things, are also expert trend forecasters in the fashion industry. They came up with this conceptual brand, which offers the consumer a variety of design choices with mix and match concrete modular and interchangeable candleholders, together with uniquely fragranced soy wax candles. The holders are available in six plain colours and three unique camouflage designs. They’re cleverly adaptable and fit into almost any interior style whether it’s a minimalist contemporary penthouse or rambling country cottage. At each stage of brand development Concrete & Wax, wanted to make sure that they kept their sourcing of materials and suppliers as sustainable as possible. And as a true testament to artisan craftsmanship, they produce all products in their Suffolk workshop where everything is hand-poured, finished and packaged. They say: “When it comes to the finishing touches, we scour the local market to source as much as we possibly can - our aim is to support local business and to keep our footprint as small as possible.” The general perception of concrete is a rough, heavy industrial material; however, here we see it being used as a smooth material taking on streamline and stylishly statuesque shapes. They produce a selection of reed diffusers, in black bottles with concrete tops that double up as a tealight holder. Also not forgetting the recent addition of coasters in all the different colourways including a new splatter design.

Concrete & Wax very kindly sent us the Tealight Trio in Sage these are three hand-poured sage green concrete tealight holders in varying heights. As mentioned, they can burn independently or be stacked to make one tall tower. Each of these concrete holders has natural cork feet making them appear as if they’re slightly floating, plus the cork offers protection for heat-sensitive or polished surfaces.  We preferred to arrange these all nestling together for an extra twinkly effect. All candles (including tealights) are made of 100% vegan blended soy wax with a choice of fragrance. We’re fans of soy wax as it’s clean-burning and tends to hold scent longer than other varieties of wax due to the slow burn which releases the scented oils gradually.

There are four candle fragrances. The Lime, Basil & Mandarin is a citrusy fragrance that is relaxing and energising all at once. Lime is known to help clear the mind, the basil is thought to boost mood, and the mandarin soothes tensions. Secondly, we have Tobacco & Oak, this is considered as a very earthy aroma with smoky tobacco and dark oak mixed with leather, spice and musk. It’s very masculine, but not overpowering. This autumnal scent makes you want to hunker down and snuggle up in the warmth. The musk here will also help elevate your mood and give a general feeling of wellbeing. Thirdly, Sandalwood & Black Pepper, which according to Concrete & Wax, this scented candle is the most luxurious in the collection. Sandalwood is believed to be beneficial in treating anxiety, fatigue, and insomnia and the warming scent of black pepper will help relieve stress. Last but not least, Amber Noir, is the latest addition to the collection and is warming, intoxicating and mysterious. Tropical and exotic, burning this candle will spirit you off to far and distant climes … Top tip: These tealight candles will also fit into the Slim Holders. We love the pick ‘n ‘mix and the interchangeable aspect, which allows us to swap fragrance, colour or style of container all on a whim to fit our mood!  To see the full range from Concrete & Wax see here starting from £22.

Alvarez Gomez - Agua de Colonia Concentrada

As someone who loves a great refreshing aftershave or cologne, those lovely girls at The Amazing Blog have been sourcing me some great new signature smells to go forth into the summer. I told them to find me something light, breezy and a classic fragrance to boot. They bobbed up with Agua de Colonia Concentrada from the Spanish fragrance brand Alvarez Gomez  In fact, they’ve actually written about their Flores Mediterrneas collection here, so I was curious to try the Agua de Colona Concentrada find for me…

Agua de Colonia Concentrada is a timeless classic cologne and is one of the first fragrances created by the Spanish fragrance house Alvarez Gomez in 1912.  Now with its fourth family generation of owners, this company is a global name with over 100 years of experience in the fragrance sector, well-known for its quality and distinctive traditional fragrances. And as they say about this cologne, “it’s a product that has survived the intense competition of fashion and is knows no age, gender or time…” You’ll often find their fragrances in top 5-star Spanish hotels, showcasing their stylish art deco bottles and sitting in pride of place on many washroom shelves.

This cologne is somewhat zesty and fresh with prominent lemon citrus that really lifts up the fragrance to set it apart from the others. The other top notes are geranium and lavender (two varieties here Spanish and English!) both of which add a little piquant. The middle notes of rosemary and thyme give a more mellow sweet and sour quality to the fragrance followed by the base notes of aromatic bergamot and lavender. This Agua de Colonia Concentrada perfectly captures the scents of the Mediterranean. What I particularly like is their Travel Kit which offers a selection of cologne, deodorant, body lotion and shower gel all for just £34. If you’d like to try Alvarez Gomez - Agua de Colonia Concentrada, it can be purchased here for £30 for 300 ml.  This is definitely topping the list for my go-to summer fragrance must-haves - in fact, it’s a ‘must-have’ for any time of year!

Shakeup Cosmetics

My turn dear readers to say ‘Happy New Year’! Today I’m kicking-off with one of our #amazingfinds which is a new brand of men’s cosmetics. Apparently us boys have different skin to the girls… (NB: Girls at The Amazing Blog!) that may sound a glib expression, but there is an increasing amount of data to show that our skin is 20 - 25% thicker due to the presence of testosterone, which goes some way to explain why certain products manufactured for women can be ineffective for us. Since we also have slightly larger active sebaceous glands, our pores tend to be larger leading to a higher propensity of acne and pore blockages. Of course, we also put our skin through the dreaded daily slash of a sharp blade which inevitably stresses the epidermis, making it far more sensitive.

Happily, for us twin brothers Shane Carnell-Xu and Jake Xu have come to our rescue - they are the driving force behind Shakeup Cosmetics and are shining the light ahead for us boys to reap the benefits of a skincare range as diverse as that for women, but specifically tailored for our needs. Whilst we all want to look our best, not everyone wants to make it headline news when we walk into a room, which is where Shane and Jake have come to our aid with their Shakeup Cosmetics For Men range. Although born in Beijing, the boys emigrated to the UK in their teens and are proud to have formulated and produced their line here, ensuring the highest standards, as well as rejecting animal testing, and keeping their products totally vegan-friendly.

At the moment, we have the Under Eye Concealer and Moisturiser, called ‘Eye Eye Captain’, the ‘Let’s Face It’ Tinted Moisturiser, and the ‘Lip Life To The Full’ Volumising and Moisturising  Lip Gel, with the first two of that list coming in Light, Medium and Dark shades for the skin palette. Retailing at £20 for the Concealer, £25 for the Moisturiser, and £12 for the Lip Gel, we can get our hands on these goodies from here and that stalwart of the pioneer brands, Harvey Nichols - and when HN starts stocking a range, you know it’s one to watch! This range is certainly one to try, as there is a revolution afoot in the male grooming world, and it is being spearheaded by dynamic teams like Shane and Jake who believe in natural, wholesome skincare, and are bringing it to market for us to enjoy.