Cally King London- Fragrances

For some young girls trying to navigate their way around the world of fragrance, can be really quite daunting. We at The Amazing Blog have heard this from various younger sisters, nieces and friends. So, where do they begin?  Step forward Cally King a welcome newcomer to the beauty world, who has created an original concept with a range of fragrances mainly aimed at the teen market.

Cally King London was created by Kate Wright, whose inspiration came from wanting to give her teenage daughters a bearing in the over-populated and confusing world of perfume. Kate herself, recalls falling in love with different fragrances as a young girl. For her, it all started when seated in her grandmother’s bedroom watching her daily ritual of spritzing her favourite scent. She said “bottle after tantalising bottle was unstoppered for me to try, Guerlain, Chanel, Dior and I was quickly hooked. But confused!” Years later, curious to see how her own daughter would navigate her way in this world, Kate took her to a perfumery. They started trying all the different fragrances until they both became dizzy with choice and couldn’t tell one from the other. Kate added, “I realised we needed to get back to basics – to try some scents out at home, to find out what we really like. Which is how Cally King was born.”

Cally King is not only perfect for teenage girls, but for anyone who wants to experiment with fragrance. They have a handy selection on four scents which can used by mixing and matching at home. A perfect way to discover what kind of scents suit you, by smelling them individually or layering in any combination you choose. It also gives young perfume aficionado the chance to experiment on their own, without feeling pressurised by pushy sales assistants. The choice of these four eau de toilette fragrances helps to demystify perfume by offering four distinct aspects of the fragrance wheel - fresh, floral, exotic and woody. Their Gift Set presentation box containing all four is stylish, girly and elegantly designed and comes with an explanatory notebook and sample strips.

The first scent in the Gift Set that we tried was Aspen, which is a woody scent reminiscent of a forest after a heavy down pour. It smells of a combination of sandalwood/cedarwood and has a delicious chocolate and earthy finish to complete it. The second is Honor (named after Kate’s daughter), which has a fresh smell identifying to us as mainly citrus. Awakening the senses, it also has a hint of mint and fresh green leaves which adds another dimension to this zesty scent. On the other hand, Maya is a stronger more exotic and sophisticated fragrance with a moreish fruitiness of ripe apricots and spice. The final quartet in the Gift Set is Grace which is floral, feminine and light. Grace reminds us of English flower garden in full bloom, it’s the perfect fragrance to brighten up even the dullest days. Our favourite? Layering Aspen and Grace, to strengthen the floral top notes and tone down the woody base notes, it’s a great combination do try it.

To purchase Aspen, Honor, Maya and Grace see here. All fragrances are eau de toilette, 10ml and individually priced at £9.95. These scents are also available in roller balls at the same price. Cally King also offers a Gift Set here with the full quartet of scents at £30.

Nonsuch Shrubs

Drinking vinegars are now a top trending topic at The Amazing Blog, I hear you say ‘drinking vinegar, seriously?’ It was not until we received Nonsuch Shrubs that we understood how delicious they could be. Nonsuch Shrubs was founded by Henry Chevallier Guild, the cider entrepreneur (Aspall Cyder), all with the aim to challenge the alcoholic beverage industry. It all started when he noticed that there were very few alcohol-free alternatives on a dry night out.

Nonsuch Shrubs have take their inspiration from ancient Babylonian techniques, creating their sweet and sharp cordial drinks with cyder vinegar and sparkling water. Much as drinking cider vinegar is a hot topic now, adding water to vinegar actually started in ancient times in order to make water to safer to drink. The founder Henry was quoted in an interview “I wanted something that behaved like alcohol, without getting me drunk.” Interestingly, the word ‘shrubs’ is derived from the Arabic work ‘Sharbah’ which means ‘a drink’. Nonsuch shrubs, a.k.a. Nonsuch drinks, are a drinking alternative that behave like alcoholic drinks due to the precise balance of the ingredients. Mainly composed by raw fruits, herbs and apple cider vinegar. Thus out of an ancient formula, a modern elixir was born.

We tasted two out of their four different varieties. They both paired extremely well with food, and we were very impressed with the zesty flavours with their infusions of fruit, herbs and apple cider vinegar. Their Peach & Basil Shrub is an ideal drink to partner with fresh snacks like hummus, almonds, and summery salads such as tomato and mozzarella; pear, walnut and gorgonzola; and more. With a golden straw colour, the vinegar boosts the flavour of the basil and the peach. The Sour Cherry & Garden Mint has a dark red cherry colour and the combination of flavours will transport you to the Middle East. Its blend of cherry, mint and apple, give you a tang of acidity and sourness that is enhanced with the hint of vinegar and contrasted with the minty aroma. We think it works perfectly with lamb or vegetable tagine as well as cucumber salads, fish and artichokes.

Nonsuch shrubs are not only good to the taste buds with their unique harmony of savoury, sweet and sour experience. Quickly added, the beautiful designed packaging make it even more appealing too. Try one of these sparkling, rich in vitamin C, with no added sugars getting your 250ml bottle here for £3.29 and let your mouth experience a burst of flavours. These are a MUST-try!

Be Spunki – REBOOT

Okay boys - so who is in need of a bit of a boost? Perhaps your energy levels need something of a top up, or maybe the concentration is slightly off? Well, let us delve into a box of ‘REBOOT’ from  the Be Spunki team, to pep ourselves up so that we can return to operating at full capacity, whether that be at work, in the gym, or if the testimonials are anything to go by, the bedroom! The knowledge that as the years go by our hormones start playing snakes and ladders is of course nothing new, but our attitudes to how we deal with this reality, most certainly are, and Be Spunki are forging ahead with in-depth research as to how best address these issues, in a healthier and sustainable way. Of course, there have been synthetic options available for many years, but with increased and more targeted data now at our fingertips, it is now clear just how much potential damage these synthetic forms of testosterone and anabolic hormone supplementation can do.

Be Spunki was co-founded by entrepreneur Shaun Sargent, who said “Whilst looking for a solution personally, it was a huge shock for me to find that nothing on the market really catered for what most men require at this time.” He went on to say, “There is not much information about the issues we face as men, nor the tips to take charge and change this for ourselves. Not the multi vitamins, not the well-man products, not the gym fixers, the steroid replacements - nothing. It’s a taboo subject for most guys, hence the alarming rise in male suicides.”  The REBOOT capsules from Be Spunki offer a completely natural alternative supporting whole body health, longevity and vitality. With a suggested dosage of two capsules to be taken twice a day with meals, such a complementary addition to our daily intake is a welcome and relatively simple option. Specifically aimed at the male market, these capsules are clinically proven, vegan friendly with no fillers, binders or plastic capsules, and contain powerful tried and tested traditional herbs as their key ingredients. With extract from seeds (fenugreek), roots (ashwagandha and ginseng) and herbs (tribulus terrestris, rosemary and cinnamon) as well as zinc and selenium, the main goal of balancing hormone levels is supported, especially where testosterone is concerned. The importance of keeping our glucose metabolism in check, as well as our cardiovascular function are clear, but alongside all of this come many health benefits such as improved immune system and enhanced physical and cognitive performance. Stamina, energy and endurance can also be improved, and stress, anxiety and irritability, relieved. Do see their fascinating scientific proof on REBOOT here I’ve only taken this for one month so I can’t report in any major changes, although I have found it’s made me sleep better.

Coming to us hotfoot from Australia, this range of supplements is currently only available online, but it is gaining a strong and formidable team of fans. Check out here for the full range, testimonials and details of delivery - one month’s supply of the REBOOT capsules (120 capsules) costs $120 (they do convert currency at the daily rate, and shipping to the UK is reasonable) However, I have to tell you that they also offer The Ultimate Thrival Kit, here which contains the month’s supply of REBOOT as well as a 370g satchel of RECOVER which has been specifically formulated to support recovery post-workout. As they say, this is REBOOT-ing your system in a very easy scientifically proven way.