Viliv - skincare range

We love skincare that helps to keep our complexions looking plumped up and lush. At The Amazing Blog we’ve been hearing lots of great things about a new Swiss brand that recently launched here in the UK.  Step forward centre-stage Viliv with their uber-stylish contemporary branding and science-driven skincare.

Dr. Felix Bertram, founder of Viliv, is a leading Swiss skin specialist who’s noted for his exceptional aesthetic and anti-ageing treatments. From teaching workshops to educating doctors and students in dermatology and laser medicine, he also has global recognition for his award-winning dermatological clinic. There is absolutely no doubt that Viliv has an impeccable pedigree with its extensive scientific research behind all of the products.

Regular readers will remember that we reviewed the Viliv e - Shape Your Eyes Rich Eye Cream and so we couldn’t wait to try four more products from the range: Foam to Face Cleanser, Vi-Lift Your Skin Serum, Brighten Your Eyes Serum, and Get a Rich Restore Ultra-Nourishing Moisturiser.

Let’s start with a morning routine cleanser Viliv Foam to Face cleansing foam, easy to use with just two pumps massaged on our face in circular motions, then quickly rinsed this off. What we particularly liked about this cleanser is its fragrance, it contains chamomile and allantoin which soothes the skin leaving a fresh and subtle floral scent.  As a foam, a little goes a long way and with typical Swiss efficiency, it was also extremely effective at removing all makeup residue leaving our city-skin feeling fresh, hydrated and clean.

Next, we have the Vi-Lift Your Skin Serum which offers 24h urban protection. Here’s a fact that you probably didn’t know, blue light and infrared radiation (i.e. from your phone) affect the skin’s defence mechanisms. These disrupt the exchange of information between cells, leading to cell damage and premature skin ageing. The irony is that modern technology is now ageing us! The Viliv Vi-Lift Serum contains an exclusive active ingredient called +VIDERMACTIVE 7 that is rich in vitamin C and protects the skin from free radicals such as pollution or the blue light and preserves mitochondrial DNA. We also like that it’s quick to apply, not at all sticky, fragrance-free and it sinks easily into the pores for protection.

The Vi-Lift partners well with Viliv Brighten Your Eyes Serum, this is serum is our favourite out of the four we tried. We often forget that the skin around the eyes area is continually moving with active facial expressions and is four times thinner than the rest of our face. Therefore it needs support as we age and Viliv addresses this with their special ingredients of tetrapeptide eyeseryl which improves circulation and firmness, as well as reducing dark circles and puffiness. Plus the liftonin xpress which gives an instant lift with its microalgae extract and natural polymers. We found this Eye Serum gave us visible and instant results, it felt very cooling when applied and really does work wonders on tired eyes.

Lastly, in this skincare routine is Viliv Get a Rich Restore Ultra-Nourishing Moisturiser.  This is a cream that keeps on working, and as they say, it’s a ‘24-hour anti-ageing expert’. Containing PerfectionPeptide P7 which activates the skin’s natural defences by stimulating the responsible enzymes and managing the impact of UV related stress to protect against moisture loss. Other ingredients are silymarin, carosin and vitamin E all to help reduce wrinkles and firm the skin.  We also mustn’t forget to mention that Viliv is 100% vegan, cruelty and gluten-free, with no parabens, mineral oils, colourants, PEG, BHT EDTA or fragrance. See the full Viliv product range here with prices starting from £29. These products get a big 10/10 from us!

Friday Favourites - Natural Products for the Face

Living in a city our faces are constantly exposed to all sorts of challenging environmental stresses, pollution, chemicals, chilling winds, harsh sunlight and so on. Today on The Amazing Blog we want to share with you some of our special natural face products and #amazingfinds for our Friday Favourites from Sea Magik, Face Halo, Inner Senses and Joji.

Let’s begin with Sea Magik, the world’s first line of mineral-infused spa skincare, which has its origins in Hungary. We recently wrote about their Pink Salt Shampoo and 3-Seaweed Scalp Mud here.

Another one of Sea Magik’s star products, is their 21 Mineral Mist, a refreshing water mist infused with 21 minerals from the Dead Sea. This Mist has 7 key minerals: Magnesium and bromide which have a calming and relaxing effect, potassium used to purify, sodium excellent hydrator, calcium which has anti-aging properties, iodine, ideal for detoxifying and sulphur used for soothing.  Quite a list! This is excellent for remineralising the skin and to awake the senses. You can use the mist over makeup for extra glow and hydration or simply spritz over the face and body as needed for soothing. On top of that, Sea Magik 21 Mineral Mist is 100% vegan, allergen and cruelty-free, free from dairy, gluten, GMOs, parabens, PEGS, petrochemicals, silicones, sulphates, and synthetic fragrance. Additionally, the packaging is recyclable, with plastic made from sugar cane and other sustainable materials.

We’ve loved using this mist during this summer and recommend storing it in the fridge for extra coolness! You’ll find it here for £8.95.

Moving on to the latest trend for reusable and recyclable make-up remover pads, we want to talk about Face Halo. We also like to recycle and reuse packaging wherever possible always in an attempt to save the planet, and so it’s great to see that the make-up industry are starting to do so too. One of the pioneering brands of this is Face Halo. Founded by Lizzy Pike in 2017, these reusable make-up remover pads make it quicker, easier and better to clean your face. Face Halo has redefined the way the world removes make-up by ticking all the boxes; effective, non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and cost-efficient. We think these are great travel companions for girls on the go.

The pads are fibre-filled (100 times thinner than a human hair) to reach deep into your pores to remove all traces of make-up, Using water only, these pads remove makeup in half the time of any other traditional cleansing methods in just one step. Each Face Halo remover is dual-sided, and are able to be washed up to 200 times. Face Halo is a 2-in-1 problem solver; it saves the planet and quickly removes your makeup without making a mess. Wave goodbye to your environmentally unfriendly cotton wool pads and get a single reusable pad here for £7.00.

Talking of cleansing, let me introduce you to one of my favourite organic and holistic skincare brands Inner Senses. I’ve been curious to try their rather special Greenhouse Tomato and Carrot Seed Renewing Oil Cleanser. As regular readers will know we like our products to be natural with no nasties or artificial fragrances. This Renewing Oil Cleanser is all that with the added deliciousness of an aroma of ripe vine tomato, just heavenly! When I squirted a few drops in my hands, closed my eyes, inhaled and was magically transported back to my parents’ greenhouse.

Inner Senses was founded by the accomplished teacher, aromatherapist and author Lisa Basso. Lisa offers some of the finest organic botanical ingredients in her skincare and truly takes you on a journey of apothecary and tradition. As members of the Aromatherapy Council, you can also be assured of the purity of their ingredients. This Cleanser is not only 100% natural but 93% organic and packed full of lycopene (tomatoes), beta-carotene (carrots) and papaya enzyme, it is a nourishing cleanser. All you need to do is put 4-6 pumps of the oil onto your face, rubbing it in gently. Then take a warm wet face cloth and lightly wipe away your make-up and residue of the day. I’ve been using this morning and night and it has left my skin wonderfully soft, supple and clean.  To get your Tomato and Carrot seed Renewing Oil Cleanser in 100ml for £42 here. A little goes a long way, and I’m happy to report that this bottle has lasted me well over a month.

Lastly, we move on to Joji with their Hydrate Moisturiser. Joji is a small indie brand that was founded by Jo Mortensen with sustainability as her top priority. Their motto is: “We are natural without compromise.” Jo who confessed to being beauty obsessed, wanted to initiate a force for good in this sector. Therefore, all Joji products are organic, fair trade, cruelty-free with raw materials that strive for zero waste. We have featured their Frankincense and Sandalwood Oil Cleanser previously here.

Joji Hydrate Moisturiser contains only organic ingredients with patchouli, bergamot, black pepper, and lavender essential oils. The blend of these oils together with others from almonds, cocoa and thistle plants, provides your skin with a softening and rejuvenating effect. This number one selling moisturiser is ideal for all skin types and it sinks in perfectly in the skin. Do good and feel good by getting your Joji Hydrate Moisturiser here starting from £10.00.

Hopefully, these products have inspired you to not only take care of your face, but also the planet too. We think supporting brands, that support the environment should be a priority. Protect you face and wrap up warm for the weekend!

Mill Creek Botanicals – Keratin Shampoo and Conditioner

Haircare can be a drama; the pollution, the humidity, the dryness, the curls, the frizziness, the split ends… you know the story! At The Amazing Blog we’ve been testing out a few and we interested to hear about the US brand Mill Creek Botanicals who have just launched here in the UK.

Panch Prasad, CEO of Mill Creek Botanicals, is a trained chemist and natural products advocate. When he purchased the brand in 2001, he wanted to give it a fresh new look with a commitment to being beneficial for the planet. All Mill Creek products are sulphate, paraben, gluten free and vegan; they are certified organic by USDA or QAI following the guidelines of PETA and GMP, and all created in a carbon-neutral environment. All of this has made the brand a multiple winner of awards such as Natural Beauty 2019. With nature and people at the core of their values, Mill Creek has been committed to delivering quality products at an affordable price since 1975.

Although Mill Creek Botanicals’ natural product range is very extensive, we wanted to try the Keratin Shampoo and Conditioner as together they repair and renew the hair with their natural and organic ingredients and high concentration of plant-based keratin. The Keratin Shampoo This shampoo boosts the effects of keratin by combining it with panthenol, argan oil and herbs, all of which repair the hair strands, giving it strength and elasticity. You can now say goodbye to your split ends! The fragrance is slightly fruity and fresh, all from the combination of aloe vera, coconut oil, organic wild cherry, chamomile, hops and field horsetail. To use these, simply wet your hair, pump a little bit of shampoo into the palm of your hand and with its light consistency, massage your scalp and rinse. To achieve even better results, follow it with the Keratin Conditioner.

The Conditioner acts like ‘belt and braces’ to the Shampoo and it made even our tangly hair sleek and manageable. Also composed of the same core ingredients as the Shampoo, the hydrolysed keratin (plant-based), panthenol, argan oil in this Conditioner added to the reduction of hair breakage, also adding a natural bounce and shine. We applied it after the Shampoo, focusing on our ends and left it for a couple of minutes. However, you can leave it on your hair for up to 10 minutes if your hair is dry or has sustained damage; it then acts more like a hair mask. We just rinsed and kept going with our regular haircare routine.

Both the Keratin Shampoo and the Conditioner work beautifully in tandem. If you’re looking for an affordable natural shampoo (with organic ingredients) to improve the quality of your hair, then look no further. It’s another one of our #amazingfinds! Get your Mill Creek Botanicals Keratin 414ml Shampoo for £6.99 here and the Mill Creek Botanicals Keratin 414ml Conditioner for £6.99 here and put an end to bad hair days.

Silver Swift - Spirited Spritzers

Come rain come shine, weekday or weekend there will always be time for a drink or two at The Amazing Blog. If it’s a celebration in the office, then we like to make life easy by finding a chilled spritzer style mixer stashed away in the fridge. In our search for this very type of tipple, we discovered Silver Swift Spirited Spritzers.

Rose Unwin, the founder of Silver Swift Spirited Spritzers, created this when she (like us) was looking for something quick, ready mixed and unique. In 2017, her mission was to make a delicious ready-to-drink spritzer for those wanting a sophisticated British made cocktail. Since then, Silver Swift has already gained recognition by being awarded a silver for the vodka-based spritzers in the Global Speciality Spirit Masters 2018 and shortlisted for the Great British Food 2018 and for ‘Best Newcomer 2018’ by Speciality Food Magazine.

Silver Swift Spirited Spritzers come in four vibrant flavoured cocktail combinations, and each contains a high-end distilled spirit. The first flavour we tried was Basil Blush Vodka which is a blend of sparkling water, award-winning Brittains Vodka (a Doncaster premium vodka), strawberries and fresh basil. The drink has a sweet pepperiness to the finish and beautiful blush tint in the glass.

Tipsy Iced Tea Vodka also contained Brittains Vodka it is light sparkling drink made of gooseberry, elderflower and earl grey. We like the twist with earl grey which gives it a subtle smoky taste and a tang of iced tea.  

Wild Rose Gin is composed Two Birds’ Old Tom Gin, sparkling water, blackberry and raspberry, rose and a dash of lemon. I think this was our favourite we liked the lingering floral rose flavour.

Lastly, Orchard Pear Gin Tonic is a new addition to the spritzers range. As the name suggests, it is made up of sparkling tonic water, a juicy pear and elderflower with a dash of lemon. The drinks are best served chilled or over ice with bits and pieces of real fruit and a slice of lemon. It reminded us of a classic ‘Gin Fizz’ with a shot of elderflower.

Make no mistake, these Silver Swift drinks are no ordinary spritzer drinks. The drinks are low in calories (from 85 to the highest of 98), they are made with country garden flavours, vegan free from gluten and other nasties and are made with Britain’s award-winning spirits. You’ll also be glad to know that each of their drinks only has a low alcoholic percentage of just 5% abv. These four drinks not only look pretty they are very palatable and unusual, we think they’re great for drinking alone or pairing with food. The bottles are 250ml  with a price point of £2.55 each, to purchase see here, Cheers!

Friday Favourites - Summer Alcohol

Are you ready to try a new summer tipple? Then read on as at The Amazing Blog we’d like to give you a global tour of some very special alcohol brands stretching all the way from Japan to Switzerland, Iceland and then returning back to the UK. We guarantee it’ll liven up the tastebuds and add something extra to your regular sun-downer drinking. It’s always fun to experiment with new and different alcohols and today we’re happy to move on from our ubiquitous G & T.  While gin in known as the archetypal British go-to drink; whisky and vodka keep a steady visibility and are currently climbing in popularity. We hope these featured whiskies and vodkas will encourage you to explore new textures, experiences and flavours.

So, let our journey begin. First stop is Japan, specifically in the temples of Nara, which is considered to be ancient land and one of the epicentres of spiritual belief, with temples that date back to the 8th century, and was once the capital of the country. Omiwa Shrine lies at the bottom of the Mount Miwa in Nara and is the centre of the Japanese alcohol producers, giving life to this Kamiki Whisky.  This whisky is one of the alcohols often served as a blessing at the Shinto temples. Kamiki Whisky is a remembrance of Japanese culture and tradition as well as nature and artisanship, and its name derives from the mount; ‘Kami’ meaning ‘God’ and ‘Iki’ meaning ‘Breath’.

Kamiki Whisky combines the west and eastern cultures. Using the purest spring water from Japan and the Yoshino Sugi – aka Japanese cedar – the whisky’s aroma and smooth texture that introduces us to mindfulness, giving peace to both mind and body. Kamiki is the world’s first whisky to finish its maturation with Japanese cedar cask. Kamiki whisky is also blended with the finest malt whiskies from around the globe, making it a unique and flavourful drink. Kamiki is mainly composed by heather honey, sweet caramel, Japanese plum, oak, peat and toffee with a touch of sandalwood and green tea. All these ingredients are carefully selected and blended incorporating the perfect percentage to achieve the finest flavour. This whisky is non chill-filtered at 48% volume in order to maintain balance and maximum taste. It also ensures that the oils do not become viscous at colder ambient temperatures or become cloudy in the bottle. You can purchase the 50cl of Kamiki Whisky at the Masters of Malt for £59.99.

Next stop is Switzerland for a taste of the three Gold Winner of the Wizards of World Whisky Awards, for their Classic Langatun Whisky. Originating from a family owned brewery in 1860 created by Jakob Baumberger, which progressed into a distillery in 1907 by son Hans Baumberger the 1st. Handed down through the next generation and in 2007 they continued their grandfathers vision creating this hand-crafted Swiss Whisky "Langatun“ single malt. So, what is so special about Langatun? Let’s talk about its timing and barrel composition: Malting, mashing, fermentation, distillation, cut, maturation and bottling. The fermentation is much longer compared to other whiskies and during the first distillation, the alcohol is given a cut at 26% and in the second distillation that it is upped to over 80% where it really packs a punch. The whole production process is carefully monitored to ensure optimum results.

We tried the Langatun Old Bear Cask Proof Smoky Whisky which is from the range of their five Classic whiskies . This single malt is matured in oak barrels using Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine casks and bottled at cask strength. It a peated malt that is laborious and painstaking made by a double distillation process with roasted malted barley added, hence the epithet ‘smoky’. The peating process goes through a smoking process similar to that for meat or fish. The distillation date on the bottle is October 2012, the bottling is March 2017 and it even has a lot number on the bottle! Master whisky drinkers say that it has a smoky fresh nose with a hint of red fruits and orange while the flavour is said to be of juicy grapes, toffee and wood smoke, leaving a long dark chocolaty finish. The distillery is open to the public for in-house events, such as brunch, a tour or whisky and dinner gatherings.

We have had a taste (of course, who could resist!) and found it remarkable toasty and smooth with a deliciously rich aromatic flavour. This is a perfect for rounding off the evening as a night cap. Get your Langatun Old Bear Cask Proof Smoky Whisky 50cl (62.4%) at the Gauntleys of Nottingham  for £64.78 or at Master of Malt, Nickolls and Perks, Shop4Whisky or The Whisky Exchange.

Next, we travel all the way to Iceland where we meet the Icelandic Mountain Spirit. Based in Reykjavik in 2016, the founders created a range of four alcoholic formulations; Eagle Spirit, made with Gin; Mountain Spirit, based on Vodka; Dragon Spirit, made for shots; and Taurus Spirit, made with Rum. FUN FACT ALERT! The Mountain Spirit might be familiar to you if you’re a Game of Thrones fan, if not let us explain: ‘The Mountain’ is Hafthor Julius Bjornsson, (actor in Game of Thrones) he is also The World’s Strongest Man and one of the founders of this Icelandic Mountain Spirit.

What makes this vodka stand out (besides the Game of Thrones fact) is that is it made with Icelandic water, known as the purest water in the world. This vodka, gluten-free and is distilled seven times which makes it incredibly smooth, soft, and quaffable! They recommend drinking it on its own but for those who are not so keen on shots, combining it with a simple tonic seemed the way to go for us. Each Mountain Vodka bottle is printed with ‘The Mountain’ on the reverse of the bottle, making it an ideal gift for all those GoT fans. It is 40% ABV and more importantly, was a Gold Medal Award Winner at Tastings.com; proving its quality, sourcing of ingredients and time spent perfecting this vodka. Based on the Tastings jury review: “…Creamy, with confected aromas and flavours of spumoni, peach jam, and pistachio paste and a lychee and mint cream finish” this clearly makes it a winner. We love the heritage (as G of T fans) and because of its smooth and creamy qualities we also enjoyed it in a chilled Kamikaze cocktail: 1 part vodka, 1 part triple sec, 1 part fresh lime juice; which is a bit of twist on the popular Margarita.

To get your very own star-studded vodka, go to Icelandic Mountain Spirits website here for £25 including delivery (any mainland UK address). Although the spirits are distilled in Iceland, they are shipped directly to Northumberland for distribution.

Last stop, we’re coming home. UK based vodka RK Vodka is considered to be an ultra-premium brand and is only available in selected stores. Featured in GQ and Tatler, RK Vodka aims to combine old with new, past with future, traditional with modern. RK Vodka combines the high-quality, authentic, hereditary vodka with forward-thinking and modern techniques.

RK Vodka is different, it is bold. Distilled only once and being non-filtered, the drink is full of character. Making it enjoyable on its own as well as mixed (we suggest a zesty mixer). RK Vodka contains English sugar beet which adds a sweetness, replicating the flavour of vanilla. Going back to the production process, traditionally it is suggested that multiple filtering makes for a higher quality and smoother vodka. However, RK Vodka defies that. The founders say that the more you filter it; the more the natural flavours and power of the drink will disappear. This is why RK Vodka is not filtered to preserve its characteristics and minerals, rather than just water and alcohol. This vodka is only distilled once which all takes place in a copper pot to reduce the tannin (what makes vodka poor and rough) and also gives it the smooth finish, whilst being both gluten and sulphate free. Apart from its stylish and elegant black and white bottle, these alternative production methods are what make RK Vodka stand out. They have managed to create a high-quality and a dedicated drink for a modern and cosmopolitan market. We added only lemon zest to the very chilled RK Vodka and loved it! Get your RK Vodka here for £38.00 (70cl, 40%).