Raised Spirit: Organic CBD Cacao

I think we can all agree that sitting around at home during lockdown can be a bore. But we’ve learnt some new and fun ways to pass the time by experimenting with our baking. Today, The Amazing Blog  would like to introduce a tasty new healthy treat from Raised Spirit with their delicious Organic CBD Cacao use it in baking, spread it on a toasted bun, or just spooned straight from the jar!

Raised Spirit was launched in 2013 by health coach Nick Osipczak. As a former professional athlete, Nick had the opportunity to travel worldwide and learn about health and nutrition from various experts and discovered the hemp plants benefits. He always dreamt of releasing an organic, plant-based product, and in 2017, they launched with CBD Coconut Oil Pro, as their first hemp-infused product. Raised Spirit creates a variety of organically certified CBD edible and topical products, that have the versatility to be used to enrich a diet or applied to the skin.  What sets the brand apart from its competitors, is that they are the first UK brand to produce CBD infused organic coconut oil, which is a superfood in its own right. Their vision for the future is to increase their hemp-based offerings, expanding into clothing, building materials and biofuel.

We couldn’t resist trying the Organic CBD Cacao which is a delicious and divine nutrient-dense superfood. We like that it is  made using only four simple ingredients: Organic CBD coconut oil GOLD, raw cacao powder, coconut blossom syrup and sunflower lecithin.  In this 200m jar is their exclusive ingredient of Organic CDB Coconut oil GOLD, which contains 500mg of full-spectrum (with 0.2% THC), which offers the maximum ‘entourage effect’ meaning that the whole hemp plant is used rather than a single aspect. This offers significant benefits with all the compounds working together boosting the health, and the overall therapeutic effect of the cannabinoids. Plus, there’s vitamins A, D, K and E, as well as 400+ offer compounds found in the hemp plant. This is combined with organic coconut oil made of 100% medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) with a shorter chemical structure than other fats. In simple terms, the fats are quickly absorbed, promoting satiety and preventing fat storage. The lauric acid in the oil destroys bacteria that can lead to stomach ulcers and food poisoning, and converts to monolaurin, for a protective immune function. It also has the advantage of being a stable oil without spoiling when used at high temperatures making it an excellent substitute for any kind of butters or vegetable oils.

The addition of the raw cacao here is another superfood, made from raw fermented unroasted cocoa beans. This organic cacao powder has 40 times the number of antioxidants of blueberries, is full of anti-inflammatory flavanols, and is packed with mood-enhancing compounds that release endorphins making it so compatible with the full-spectrum CBD here. The other two ingredients are coconut blossom syrup, a nectar collected from the sap of coconut blossoms, a healthy sweetening alternative to sugar and contains iron, magnesium and zinc. And finally, the sunflower lecithin, is the vegan alternative to the lecithin typically sourced from egg yolks, it has antioxidant properties and helps contribute to brain, heart and liver health.

This Organic CBD Cacao has a semi-sweet coconut-chocolatey taste that offers a variety of uses, and is gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. Whether you’re in the mood for baking chocolate brownies, or quickly adding some to a smoothie, this won’t disappoint! So, If you’re planning to make changes for a healthier diet, or just looking to experiment with something new, this will make for a tasty substitute. It is very rich, so if you get tempted to spoon it from the jar (like us!), you’ll find that 2 teaspoons will quickly satisfy that chocolate craving. Dare we compare this to a well-known high street hazelnut spread? Yes, we will as we think this is much nicer!  We used it (as suggested) combining two tablespoons of CBD Cacao with 1 cup of oat milk on low heat, whisking it and blending thoroughly - yum.  We also got creative and used this in a recipe "Cacao & Almond Date Energy Balls" on Raised Spirit’s Facebook page here;  which we found to be a good sweet energy pick-me-up ideal for those afternoon slump moments. Or you could try experimenting with your favourite chocolate brownie recipe by substituting butter and cocoa with this healthier (and tastier) alternative. Curious to try?  Then see here where you can purchase this 200ml jar of Raised Spirits Organic CBD Cacao for £39.99.

Kiskanu - CBD Face Oil

As we enter into Tier 3, here in London – the pandemic stress levels of 2020 are taking their toll on our skin. That’s why at The Amazing Blog we’ve been concentrating on find healing and soothing skincare to calm our complexions and help to stop our miserable skin-stressed breakouts. Our latest #amazingfinds is the CBD Face Oil from Kishanu which offers the perfect solution with this curative and multipurpose skincare. 

With over 20 years in the cannabis industry, Gretchen and Jason Miller run their family-owned and operated business, Kiskanu in California where they’re based within the Wiyot Nation ancient and sacred land. This is where they’ve put their knowledge and learnings into their product research and manufacturing. Using only organic ingredients, as well as whole-plant extracts, with virgin and cold-pressed oils as a base - gives their products both purity and simplicity. One of their goals is to be environmentally friendly by using organic farming, sustainability methods, and providing safe lab-tested products. Their paper tubes, cardboard boxes, and glass jars are all recyclable or reusable; they want to avoid as much plastic packaging as possible. This practice is carried through and implemented into their facilities by reducing paper products and usage, as well as no single-use plastic in production. Sourcing their CBD from the United States keeps a low carbon footprint, and their CBD products contain only 0-0.3% THC. Kiskanu said: “Rather than isolates or concentrates, we believe in the effectiveness of whole plant medicine to imbue healing qualities into our products that are palpable.” They currently offer a small range of CBD skincare, an intimacy oil, botanical drops, capsules and even a suppository!

The CBD Face OIl is encased in a sleek pale blue tubular cardboard casing, which when opened, reveals a stylish 30ml frosted glass spritz top bottle. We used this unisex Face Oil as a moisturiser, makeup base and even as a beard oil. Due to the 100mg CBD (cannabidiol) here, this Face Oil is for all skin types including sensitive ones, where it repairs free radical damage. The base is a combination of cold-pressed organic oils with sunflower, argan, coconut, and jojoba. These hydrate, soothe, moisturise and help to minimise ageing. The full-spectrum CBD is derived from hemp and has anti-inflammatory properties that are high in antioxidants that help to calms the skin. Other key ingredients are calendula (extracted from marigold flowers) which is primarily used for healing soothing eczema or irritated skin. Rose geranium and lavender essential oils help to brighten the skin by removing dead skin cells and reducing wrinkles.  Whereas, the wild carrot has carotenes and vitamin A which repair the skin’s tissues and offers protection against harmful radiation. The oil is light in texture, absorbs well and has delicious subtle fragrance notes of lavender and rose geranium. This is one of the best face oils that we’ve used in a long time; it felt both restorative and healing. It’s also so versatile, we used it morning and evening, alone and under makeup (and I even caught my partner sneaking a drop to rub into his whiskers!).  Whether for you or a loved one, you can purchase the Kiskanu Hemp CBD Face Oil here in two sizes 30ml for $40 or a 5 ml for $17.

Black Ink - CBD Infused Coffee

We’ve previously introduced CBD oil, skincare and a few edibles; today we’d like to talk about another way of getting your daily dose of CBD, that we’ve been experiencing at The Amazing Blog. It’s one that’s perfect for the coffee enthusiast, or for those who want to try CBD, but dislike the earthy taste of hemp. Welcome Black Ink CBD Coffee.

Black Ink CBD Coffee is founded by Irish entrepreneur Gavin RC Moore and is now one of the leading CBD coffee brands here in the UK and Ireland. It owes its reputation to its premium-quality organically certified Arabica coffee beans, and its full-spectrum infused European CBD. The coffee beans are grown on the Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, which is what gives the beans their world-renowned flavour. You’re probably wondering what purpose there is to mix CBD and coffee. Well, CBD and caffeine each have similar beneficial properties, some of which include mood-lifting and antioxidant effects. Because of these shared properties, caffeine and CBD enhance each other. As most of our regular readers will know, the real benefit of taking CBD is to calm anxiety and nerves and help soothe pain, as it has a ‘relaxing’ effect. As surprising as it may be, this is where the CBD comes into play; its relaxing effect balances the stimulant of the caffeine, helping to eliminate the jitters and anxiety. Now, you might be wondering how you are going to get your usual morning pick-me-up if there is CBD inside. Rest assured, the CBD will not completely overpower the caffeine, so you will still be able to get that alertness from your morning coffee, the caffeine’s ‘drawbacks’ are simply balanced. The result is a pretty good feeling of being energised but relaxed all at the same time, a sort of ‘serene concentration’.

The girls at the office have been having this as their morning coffee, and say that the coffee tastes rich and smooth with a touch of very well-rounded nuttiness and subtle berry flavours. However, interestingly not with a trace of hempiness! It’s an almost identical match to pure Arabica coffee, with no bitter aftertaste. On the safety and ethical sides, you’ll be pleased to know that this product is third-party lab tested, that the grains and hemp used for the blends are organic and that their packaging is entirely recyclable. Each pack has 200g of CBD-infused ground coffee beans and should make about 20 cups. A cup of coffee includes approximately 10mg of CBD which provides you with your morning wellness nutrients (it takes about 20 minutes for these to spread through the body).  We used our trusty Aeropress for single cups. They suggest brewing your coffee in a cafetiere, by adding about 10-15g of Black Ink CBD Infused Coffee per person, pour near-boiling water, stir, and cover. Wait about 3-4 minutes, then push the strainer down. Your CBD-infused cup of coffee is now ready! Even though this is the traditional way to make it, you can also drink it as a cold brew. Like any other coffee, it should be kept in a sealed container in a cool, dry place and away from direct sunlight to last. Remember, it needs to be consumed with three weeks from opening to get the full benefits from the fresh ingredients. If you want to make BLACK INK CBD Infused Coffee part of your morning routine, you can purchase the pack of 200g for £30 here. You can also turn it into a monthly subscription and save up to 10%.

ULU (U Love U) - Revitalise 5% CBD Serum and Happy 1% CBD Body Oil

We like to support all things CBD and at The Amazing Blog we search out the very best that we can find. Today at The Amazing Blog we want to introduce you to ULU (U Love U), a newcomer that produces CBD oils and skincare. We like that their motto is ‘love your life’ and as we all know, the pressures of everyday life can often lead to anxiety and stress and ULU are here to help break that cycle. CBD has become more and more popular here in the UK and we’ve been featuring it here for a while now. We’re always curious as see to how products from this humble hemp plant can play a positive part in our lives. 

Founded by Paul Hembery, whose background is motorsport, where he worked in a high-pressure and stressful environment. After having discovered the merits of CBD products, he wanted to provide a solution for other people experiencing similar challenges. He believes in spreading positivity and wellbeing, “I was studying a life course in California with the Bob Proctor Institute and was struck by the need to increase positivity and confidence in people and life in general.” Paul went on to say: “Combine that with the opportunity CBD is providing and my personal mission to provide high-quality solutions, I decided to create ULU. You only get one life. So, above all, I want people to love it.” All of which proved to be his inspiration to venture into the world of CBD. ULU offers THC free full-spectrum CBD products (we recently explained THC-free full spectrum process in another CBD feature here). Their product range includes skincare, pet supplement oils,  sublingual oils, capsules, combined amino CBD and vapes.  They are made in Germany and are herbicide and pesticide-free. Today we are reviewing two of their skincare products Revitalise 5% CBD Serum 750mg and the Happy 1% CBD Body Oil 750mg.

Indeed, CBD oil has numerous ‘positive’ properties and one of the many adverse effects we’ve felt from this quarantine/pandemic has been stress, and this stress is reflected immediately on our skin; whether it’s an acne breakout, skin redness, or dehydration.  The Revitalise Serum offers the skin relief and protection against environmental pollution and free radicals. A powerful and natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, the CBD here is broad-spectrum and THC-free (confusing, I know when they tell us they’re full-spectrum, perhaps it’s only the sublingual products?) The CBD is the key ingredient in this Serum, where it helps purify the skin and offers some great anti-ageing effects too. The Serum has 5% of CBD (750ml in this 15ml bottle) making it and the Body Oil, the highest concentration of organic broad-spectrum CBD in skincare, here in the UK. However, don’t be concerned it is very gentle on the skin despite its strength, we found that it suited all our skin types and really plumped up the skin. Their organic cannabidiol here is combined with organic aloe leaf juice an antioxidant-rich in vitamins and known for its legendary heal properties. There is organic coconut oil and sunflower seed oil, which are rich in vitamins A, C, and, D. Plus the red raspberry, blueberry, and cranberry extracts that shield the skin and act as a cell regenerator, encourages cell growth and boosts the collagen levels in the skin.  We think that this Serum is ideal for dry skin with its addition of organic neem seed and rosehip seed oils which even out skin tone and rebalance any redness. This Revitalising Serum is available for here in 15ml for £41.

The second product from ULU we tried is the ULU Happy 1% CBD Body Oil is a deeply hydrating body oil which contains 1% of CBD (750mg in 15ml). What better way to leave your skin with velvety result than by using this Body Oil. It contains jojoba seed oil that will help soothe your skin and leave it glowing with the Meadowfoam seed oil which will help prevent loss of skin moisturisation. The avocado oil will make sure your skin gets all the vitamins and protein it needs to keep it healthy and protect it from UV rays damages. This Body Oil also contains sunflower seed oil, neem seed oil, and organic coconut oil and has a natural slightly zesty aroma to keep you smelling fresh and feeling energised. They recommend using this also on eczema and acne. With a name like HAPPY who could resist? Quickly added neither of these products smells even the tiniest bit ‘hemp-y’ - which we’ve heard as a common complaint with some CBD skincare. See here for the ULU Happy 1% CBD Body oil in 75ml for £44.

Bnatural CBD UK - Award Winning Face Oil

 We love to exploring new products at The Amazing Blog and one of our latest #amazingfinds is a new CBD skincare, which as regular readers will know is currently riding the crest of the UK beauty wave. Meet the Award Winning Face Oil (yes it really is called that!) by BNatural CBD UK. Those with oily skin often swerve face oils, but this CBD infused oil has many benefits for ALL skin types -  including oily. We first discovered BNatural CBD when they won a silver award at The 2019 Hemp & CBD Awards, and it’s a very well done to them, as they were pitted against some of the biggest CBD industry players.

BNatural CBD UK is a family run business that offers some of the highest quality ingredients, at a very competitive price point. They sell full-spectrum CBD cosmetics (skincare) and oral tinctures and are proud to announce that all their products have full traceability from farm to shelf. This way they can not only proudly offer products from the best suppliers and extractors but also carry out their own third-party lab tests on every product. For their ingestible products, they source hemp from the hills in Switzerland and only use Co2 extraction (we talked about this method with a previous CBD brand here ). They are also members of the trade associations Cannabis Trades Assoc. and CannaPRo which gives us all the assurance that their products are all fully compliant with the current UK laws. We want to applaud this brand for their giving back policy to Zellweger UK, where they donate each month a percentage of their sales. Zellweger Spectrum Disorder which is a rare genetic condition which belongs to a group called Peroxisomal Biogensis Disorder (PBD).

The Award Winning Face Oil, is a full-spectrum CBD skincare, which means that it contains a small amount of THC coming in line with the UK regulations. It combines 100mg of full-spectrum CBD golden oil together with other natural and vegan oil ingredients. Best of all, you can rest assured that it is free from pesticides, herbicides and heavy metals. In creating the Award Winning Face Oil, they have chosen each element carefully to work in harmony with the cannabinoids, which includes rosehip, jojoba, geranium and orange essential oils. All of which when combined with the CBD, offers a fragrant, light to the touch, nourishing and moisturising face oil. Contained in a dark blue glass bottle with pipette, this face oil is a delightful slightly citrus-scented golden liquid. It was easily absorbed, leaving the skin smooth and without any oily residue. We think it would work perfectly too for all makeup lovers out there, as a great primer to give their complexions a wonderful radiance prior to applying foundation. Plus, all the cannabinoids here bind directly to the endocannabinoid system in the skin, helping the skin find its balance. CBD has many healing properties and added benefits such as being anti-ageing and anti-inflammatory, again making it ideal for anyone who has acne and mild eczema. You can purchase the 30ml bottle of Award Winning Face Oil for £ 30.00 here.