Friday Favourites - Body & Hand Care

At the Amazing Blog we have to confess to being a little obsessed with body and handcare products, particularly during these cold winter months. We don’t know about you, but our skin tends to be much drier and we find ourselves piling on layers of lotions and body butter. However, as always we’re ever mindful of ingredients and prefer to use more natural products. For today’s #amazingfinds we’re going to highlight some natural/organic body and handcare products, not just for winter, but for the whole year-round.

Avid readers of The Amazing Blog know that we have showcased many of the Lavera products, previously reviewing their products like their Firming Body Milk. Lavera, which means ‘the truth’ in Latin, is an affordable natural skincare range for people of all skin types. Containing 100% natural and organic ingredients, we love how transparent they are with their ingredients. With Lavera, we can rest assured that what we’re putting on our bodies is natural and safe.

That’s why we wanted to try the Lavera Neutral Body Lotion, which is specially formulated for sensitive and easily irritated skin. With organic evening primrose oil, it’s good at soothing itchy or flaky skin. Lavera body care in general consists of a rich emulsion with high lipid content, meaning that they nourish skin for longer than perhaps other body lotions. The organic jojoba oil and shea butter are the perfect combination to help lock in moisture, keeping the skin smooth and supple. We recommend using it daily after showering to experience the enriching benefits of their balanced pH-neutral composition which supports cell renewal. We also mustn’t forget to mention the all-important squalene, fennel, witch hazel and olive oil extracts. To feel the uplifting effects, you can buy the Lavera Neutral Body Lotion 200ml here for £14.95

Next, we have an award-winning beauty brand, Beeutiful. We discovered Beeutiful when they were crowned The Best Bee Beauty Brand at the Beauty Shortlist Awards 2019 as well as winning the Best Body Balm Category with the B-Rose Frankincense & Rose Body Balm. Beeutiful’s skincare is so natural that you could almost eat it! Made from 100% natural ingredients, the product range is created by using UK sourced ingredients and beeswax and honey from Beeutiful’s own hives. To quote Carly, the founder: “Our products are not tested on animals and we only harvest that from the bee that does not harm them; honey, wax and propolis. You will not see Royal jelly or bee venom in any of our products as dead bees are necessary for their obtainment!”

The B-Rose Frankincense & Rose Body Balm comes in a generous size glass pot that is fully recyclable. The luxurious oils feel rich and extremely hydrating on the skin, and we loved using it morning and night. The combination of jojoba, coconut and cocoa butter and beeswax glide onto the skin. The essential oils of frankincense and rose were chosen for their toning, skin-soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. Together they create a ‘beeutiful’ blend and fragrance, particularly with the rose absolute (one of our favourite scents). This Balm not only hydrates but also calms the skin making it an excellent anti-inflammatory for sensitive skins. It’s a hot favourite with our Exec Editor! Apart from producing this glorious body Balm they also donate 10p from every sale to Friends of The Honey Bee. All products are free from parabens, sulphates, preservatives, artificial or synthetic colours or fragrances, phthalates, silicone, GM ingredients and petrochemicals. See here to purchase your B-Rose Frankincense & Rose Balm it is £43 per 200ml or a smaller 120ml size for £28.

Philosophia Botanica is inspired by African beauty secrets. Surrounded by the nature of Cape Town, South Africa, founder Francesca was inspired to create a 100% natural beauty brand while supporting sustainable agricultural practices. Francesca who’s an oriental medicine, acupuncture spa consultant and formulator, took her passion for well-being, herbal remedies and anything natural and Philosophia Botanica was born.

The Philosophia Botanica Baobab Hydrating Body Oil is created with the key ingredient Baobab seed oil. Often referred to as the ‘tree of life’, the baobab tree is grown in Africa and produces a velvety-looking fruit the size of a coconut which is where the baobab seed oil goodness comes from. With a rich and recognisable scent, it packs a healthy punch for the skin with calcium, magnesium and ten times more vitamin C than in oranges! It’s filled with antioxidants, fatty acids & vitamins to replenish the skin all the way down to the cellular level. Baobab seed oil is an excellent choice for lightweight hydration for any skin type. The oil formula absorbs quickly and nicely, removing any signs of dryness and is particularly good for anti-ageing. The other key ingredients here are moringa oil, which is also famous for its anti-ageing properties, it helps to eliminate wrinkles and slow down the ageing process. Plus, the yangu oil which is full of linoleic acid, omega-6, and oleganic acid, omega-9 these essential fatty acids make it perfect for moisturising the body. This ingredient hails from seeds of the cape chestnut tree also found in Africa. Finally, there’s neroli oil, which is obtained from the bitter orange tree, it is steam-distilled from the small white waxy flowers. Apart from its gorgeous aroma, something we were intrigued to discover is that it also possesses actives that have the ability to reduce acute and chronic inflammation too. A little goes a long way and this Hydrating Oil is a great multitasking product and can be used as a massage oil and in the bath too. To experience Africa’s best-kept secret for yourself, the Philosophia Botanica Baobab Hydrating Body Oil can be purchased here £52 for 200ml.

While we’re making sure that our body is moisturised, we mustn’t forget about our hands, too! Born from a passion for nature, natural and organic products, Akamuti’s founder Lindsey was determined to create a range of products that were brimming with goodness and mindfulness. Lindsey aimed to develop products that told a story with their ingredients, and the Cuticle Moon Hand & Nail Butter certainly does just that. They have a zero-waste policy where all of their waste is recycled, whether it be plastic, aluminium, glass, printer toners, cardboard – nothing reaches the landfill. Akamuti also use a mixture of materials for their packaging. The PET containers are fully recyclable, phthalate and BPA free. NB since writing this, they seem to have swapped this container for an aluminum tin.

This hand cream is one of three in their range of handcare. Scented with lime, lemon and a dash of lavender, this Cuticle Moon Hand & Nail Butter smelt so good that we had to stop ourselves from slathering it all over our arms and torso! it smells divine and we recommend spreading a generous amount on your hands and nails, particularly after washing to replenish oils and moisture. This award-winning Cuticle Moon Butter (The Green Parents Natural Beauty Awards Best Buy 2016) is enriched beeswax and honey (from the forests of Zambia and Ethiopia), and organic cocoa butter to combat dryness. The lemon oil is a natural nail treatment to help cleanse, purify and strengthen with its natural antiseptic properties. The organic virgin cocoa butter has nutrients essential for skin repair to feed your dry hungry skin. The Akamuti Cuticle Moon Hand & Nail Butter 50ml can be purchased here for £6.95

Matis - Réponse Homme Anti-Ageing Cream

We all know that to moisturise our skin is a daily requirement, and the earlier we start that process the better it is in the long-term, especially in a world where unseen pollutants constantly assault our epidermis. Yes an assault, whether that be as we go about our regular commute, or as we relax within the confines of a centrally heated or air-conditioned home. We at  The Amazing Blog have discovered the professional skincare brand Matis who have a proven track record in understanding this requirement, and have been bringing us their scientifically researched solutions since 1936… So their pedigree stands up for itself, and this is particularly true with their options for those of us with skin which, well let’s just say is the other side of 40, but still deserves some TLC.

As with all their products, Matis put the greatest emphasis on the provenance of their ingredients, bringing us the science behind how our epidermis changes, along with their thoroughly researched solutions. Particularly their grooming skincare Réponse Homme range with Anti-Ageing Active Cream  is the perfect example of this, whose main ingredient centella asiatica or tiger grass for those of who flunked their Latin, is fundamental to the formula which regenerates our skin cells. A tropical climbing plant which originates from India, it has always been known for its soothing properties - animals roll around in it to heal their wounds. And, along with sweet almond oil biopolymers, messenger peptides, hemp oil and the wax from our trusted favourite bee, we have the perfect antidote to modern day living, literally at our fingertips. With all those goodies, you would expect the cream to be somewhat on the heavy side, but no, this deliciously fragranced balm is light and therefore easily absorbed into freshly cleansed skin in both the morning and the evening.

For those of us who can’t pop over to Paris to purchase our Matis hit, this magnificent moisturiser is of course available online here currently offering 50ml at £37.99. This stockist currently has a special offer when you purchase the Active Cream, customers can get a full size tester of the Matis Reponse Homme Eye Care Eye for free ALSO If you enter the code 'matisgift' at checkout you will also get an additional free gift too!

Therapie by Roques O'Neil - Inner Light Sleep Drops

If you are keeping up on The Amazing Blog you will know how much we rate Michelle Roques-O’Neil’s Therapie aromatherapy products. We were lucky to have used their Restore Aura Spray as well as their Himalayan Detox Bath Salts and Cherish Skin Repair Body Serum in the past. Always being busy and on-the-go we know how important it is to relax at the end of the day – but we also know it can be hard to unwind sometimes. That’s why we wanted to review the Therapie Inner Light Sleep Drops today, which have helped us get a much deeper and more blissful sleep.

The Sleep Drops contain a fantastic mix of oils for example passionflower, frankincense, sandalwood, lavender and many more.  All those ingredients work to calm and soothe your mind as well as effectively strike overextended nerves so you can fall into a deep and nourishing slumber. Overnight your body and mind can restore and rebuild thanks to these Sleep Drops. What we love about the Inner Light Sleep Drops is how versatile they are. You can put 30 drops in a hot bath and soak for 20 minutes, have a foot bath or use them on a cotton wool pad under your pillow. We enjoyed soaking a cloth with warm water that was infused with the drops and then putting it on our face for 30 seconds breathing deeply.

The small bottle is great for travelling and perfect for taking on those stressful business trips. It’s also a go-to product when you feel the need to unwind and slow down your hectic pace of life. You can buy the Inner Light Sleep Drops on their own for £48 here or you can purchase them with a The Colourful Dot Rose-Quartz for £58 here.

Organii Arnica Gel

Getting out of bed in the morning is difficult enough, and when you have sore muscles and stiffness, it becomes quite the mission. We here at The Amazing Blog have found the solution to all your bodily aches and pains with the Organii Arnica Gel. This miracle in a bottle has us no longer fearing those days of sore muscles after a tough work-out, which is why we couldn’t wait to share it with you. In the past, we tried Organii's Shea Butter Shower Gel and Aloe Mouthwash what we love this brand is its dedication to producing natural and organic products. Organii places importance on obtaining their ingredient from similar ethically minded manufacturers so that they can produce highly effective and affordable products that are suitable for the whole family.

The key ingredient in this gel is Arnica Montana Flower Extract, which has been used medicinally for hundreds of years because it has a powerful ability to soothe aches and pains and reduce inflammation. But the benefits of this gel don’t stop there; it also helps to reduce bruising as well as pain from arthritis and osteoarthritis. All you need to do is apply the gel to the injured area and massage in well. The gel will be quickly absorbed into your skin and you will notice its soothing effects. The Soothing Arnica Gel leaves skin with a light Arnica flower scent that smells absolutely delightful. It’s also certified organic and vegan and uses 100% natural ingredients. If you are a bit accident prone, this gel will be perfect to keep in your bag to prevent and reduce any swelling, bruising or pain throughout your day. You can purchase a 50ml tube of the Soothing Organii Arnica Gel for £3.95 here and rest easy knowing it’s got your back.

Soap Folk- Natural Soaps

We like brands with good ethics and philosophies here at The Amazing Blog, especially those that attach great importance to the provenance of the ingredients used in their products. Soap Folk is one of these British brands that make it a priority to create their products with only the purest and finest ingredients. They were kind enough to send us a set of their four artisan soaps which include: Lavender and Oatmilk, Milk and Honey, Peppermint and Rose Geranium. We couldn’t wait to take them home and try them.

These soaps pamper and protect the skin, all being natural, handmade and kind to the body. A few of the common ingredients to each are olive, sweet almond and shea butter which means that they're all intensely nourishing. The Lavender and Oatmilk soap is formulated to calm and ease skin, while the scent helps to relax the mind. The Milk and Honey soap is designed specifically for sensitive skin that needs extra care. Honey and goat milk are added to the formula to provide extra-hydration, soothe and gently cleanse skin.  The Rose Geranium soap has a more floral scent; which is delightful. The essential oils infused in the formula protect and rejuvenate skin. Those of you looking for a refreshing boost, you're going to love the Peppermint soap. Its minty and fresh fragrance awakens your senses and uplifts the spirits. Enriched with peppermint and avocado oil and rosemary extracts this soap leaves skin refreshed and cooled, making it our favourite.

What makes these soaps extra special is their packaging. We love the charming handmade and hand stamped designs on the wrappers, all wonderfully illustrated by Susie Hetherington. We think that this set of four make a fabulous and afforable gift. You can purchase the Soap Folk soaps here for £4.95 each.