Ancienne Ambiance Colonia VIII

Everyone needs a signature scent— period. Finding a personal fragrance that can transition from day to night or season to season can be quite a mission, but we at The Amazing Blog think we have got you covered. And as much as we love discovering new brands to fall in love with, there are some things, like a signature scent, that have us reaching back to brands we already know and trust. We keep returning to Ancienne Ambiance because we adore how luxurious their products are, like the Goddess Argan Hand and Body Wash and Beauty Oil. They are an artisan brand inspired by the ancient world and winner of the Beauty Shortlist Awards 2017, and we know that the unisex sweet fig blend of the Colonia VIII Perfume EDP will hit every note on your must-have list. 

The fig tree has a long, sacred past. With roots in Greek and Roman mythology to a symbol of enlightenment in Buddhism, this little fruit has made its mark on history. Ancienne Ambiance specialises in crafting niche fragrances inspired by the ancient cultures that started it all. The Colonia VIII scent honours the art of perfumery, as each perfume is bottled with the finest ingredients in limited quantities in France, all in a stunning 100ml glass column bottle that is sure to make you feel as lavish as Cleopatra. The fragrance has its base notes rooted in the warmth of sandalwood, its heart notes rounded in coconut, and the top notes have light, natural green notes that will follow you around throughout your busy day. Everyone will stop you just to ask what you're wearing: trust us, we know from experience. 

Want to make sure your scent lasts all day? Apply it to your pulse points or the inner wrist and elbow, behind your ears and knees, and at the base of the neck. Mist it on your clothes and hair as well and avoid rubbing the scent into your skin, as it makes the fragrance fade faster.
You can purchase the Colonia VIII Perfume here for £60.

Friday Favourite - Deodorants

This Friday The Amazing Blog is featuring some of our favourite new deodorants. We know that this is not a particularly 'glamorous' subject; however, we certainly regard it as an essential one. We invest hundreds, if not thousands of pounds a year on creams, perfumes and cosmetics, but most of us still buy the same brand of deodorant that we’ve been using for years! Think about it this way, you’re not still using the same mascara brand that you were at 14, so why are you using the same deodorant? We've compiled this post to show you some new options. Whatever you are looking for in a deodorant, we think that have found the perfect product for you.

The first on our list is a deodorant for men. 31st State is an amazing brand based in California (hence the name). Their products are inspired by the diverse Californian landscape, such as beaches, forests and mountains, where things seem a little less complex. As such they have created products to help make life as clean and effortless as possible. All of their products are designed for sensitive skin with no stinging or irritation. They are full of active ingredients, inspired by nature, designed to fight bacteria and soothe, with their well thought out ingredients.

Their roll-on deodorant is aluminium free and uses two strong anti-bacterial ingredients. The first is zinc which fights unwanted odours, together with silver, to combat microbes. Silver also acts as an effective anti-inflammatory and natural disinfectant. The product has a delicate masculine musk that is incredibly refreshing and promises not to overpower you like some other brands do. This is the perfect deodorant for the guy on the go and will keep you smelling good all day. Purchase it here for £5.99.

Next we have a spray deodorant specifically for women; The Damascene Rose Deodorant from the very special Spanish organic brand, Irati Organic.  Their ingredients are gathered from the farm of their parent company Josenea, a non-profit organisation who produce organic food and plants for all their healthcare and cosmetics brands. Key organic ingredients include rosa damascena flower water, pelargonium graveolens flower oil, rosmarinus officinalis leaf oil and salvia lavandulifolia leaf oil.

This deodorant is 100% free of aluminium, parabens, preservatives, dyes and synthetic perfumes making it ideal for those with sensitive underarms. The product uses essential oils to help neutralise any bad odours. It is extremely effective, with a gentle rose fragrance that isn't in the least bit overwhelming (unlike many others...) and scored as a big hit with our Exec Editor. It comes in an elegant glass bottle which merits display on any perfume shelf or vanity table. Simply spray under your arms and have a beautiful floral and fresh scent all day. You can purchase this deodorant here for roughly 11,95 €, (it is worth noting that while the prices are in Euros, the site uses PayPal).

For those of you who want to use an organic and natural roll-on deodorant, you have to try Deo Sensitiv from Giilnea Bio Organic. It is an innovative unisex product with powerful deodorising and anti-bacterial action. The product is alcohol-free and aluminium free using zinc, as well as rosemary-leaf extract and other active natural ingredients. The product is kind to the skin and will leave you feeling and smelling fresh all day long. It has a light, crisp and floral scent that reminds us of summer breezes. It does have a thicker consistency than you may be used to, but because it is a roll on, it is easily distributed across your skin. Purchase it here for £9.70.

Next on our list is the Deo Roll-on from Benecos which is another natural deodorant. We tried the Apricot and Elderflower fragrance which is very different to any other deodorant scent we have tried. Usually, deodorants are either fragrance-free or have a floral bouquet but they very rarely incorporate fruity scents like this one. What we love about this product is that the bottle is clear so you can see exactly how much is left. We think this would be a great product for a young adult new to the world of deodorant. The product is gentle and lets you perspire naturally while caring for the skin. You can purchase it here for £4.95.  

We hope that we have provided with some 'fragrant inspiration' and helped to save you from ruining any more of your beautiful dresses or shirts!

Bath Oil – Olverum

After a long and busy day, we here at The Amazing Blog love to turn off our working minds by taking a soothing and relaxing soak. When we do so, we like using bath products that we are sure will provide us with the care and relaxation we seek. So, when we received the Olverum's bath oil, we couldn't resist the temptation to experience them. The recipe for Olverum’s Bath Oils is a family secret that has been passed down over decades. In the early 20th Century in Germany Franz Otto Klein, a fine-wine maker, together with his wife, an accomplished pharmacologist, travelled the world to source rare and exquisite essential oils.

Through passion and specialist knowledge, they created a luxurious bath oil made with a mix of carefully selected plant extracts each renowned for having specific therapeutic benefits. The natural essential oils include Eucalyptus, Siberian fir Needle, Verbena, Juniper, Geranium, Lavender, Lime, Rosemary, Lemon and Lavandin. Siberian fir Needle is a long-used ingredient used by native women in the forests of Siberia to soothe aching limbs that Franz and his wife discovered on their travels.

The highly-concentrated oil helps to ease muscle and joint pain, and soften the skin. The aromatherapy benefits of the oil relieve stress, relax the mind and body, and promote a good night sleep, which in turn helps to repair the immune system. The unisex fragrance of the product is universally pleasant and is sure to uplift your mood during your evening bath. This oil offers the ultimate bathing experience, your skin soaks up all the benefits of the oil and is left nourished, relaxed and pampered.

Purchase the Bath Oil here for £29 (125ml), £53 (250ml) or £19 for the travel set (3x 15ml).

The Swan Lobe

Here at the Amazing Blog, we often look on enviously, but are put off wearing some the current heavy fashion-statement earrings. You know how it is, when you wear some glorious dangly earrings but they feels too heavy and pull down on the lobe creating an unsightly slit in the piercing, something I’m sure we’d all rather avoid! Well, we have found the solution to this age old problem, its the The Swan Lobe . Meet this innovative new unisex product that provides ear-support for heavy earrings.  It's cleverly constructed In the form of an invisible thick tape, which is shaped to fit behind the ear and positioned from the lobe upwards, it's designed to transfer the weight of the earring to the cartilage. This creates an instant lift to the ear lobe, no more sagging or damage when wearing earrings.

The Swan Lobe is clear and therefore virtually invisible, suitable for all skin tones, and most importantly extremely comfortable to wear. The product was developed in 2007 by brother and sister, Wendy and Georgie Swan; it is evident that this family run company has certainly done their homework in delivering a product that really works. They have produced a video showing how the product works and how easy it is to use, it can be found here. We loved the effectiveness and great quality of this product, we’ve finally been able to step away from the simple studs and embrace exciting new seasonal styles - bring on those chandelier earrings...

Keep your ear lobes protected by getting your own Swan Lobe here today for £7.99 per pack, in each pack you receive 7 pairs.