Object : Moisturising Shampoo Bar

At The Amazing Blog, we like to find new and artisan natural brands to talk about, and today, we’re featuring an award-winning eco-friendly natural haircare from the British artisan brand Object. We tried out their  Moisturising Shampoo Bar and their purposefully designed Light Weight Travel Tin shampoo bar container.

Object, is co-founded by Jack Wolton and Hugo Tylor, and focuses on providing “natural, ethical, and plastic-free products.” After struggling to find hair and body care brands that offer both sustainable and high-quality ingredients, Wolton and Tylor decided in December 2020 to create their own. The two are eager to offer new alternatives to wasteful plastic packaging, while also providing well-designed and effective natural ingredients. Object launched to fill this gap in the market and is built on the principles of creating natural alternatives and “objecting to the status quo” - hence the inspiration for the brand name! The founders also want to tackle and create awareness of social and environmental issues and in a recent interview with It’s Nice That, Wolton describes here how they care a lot about inclusivity and promote acceptance and diversity, and celebrate being ‘different’ in everything that they do. They also donate a percentage of their sales to local charities, plus they have a strict code of ethics which all their suppliers must comply with. To reflect their values, they do not use any chemicals in their products and only use natural ingredients, which can be found on their website here. The brand takes its sustainability efforts even further by being a waterless and plastic-free brand. The packaging is made from 50% recycled cotton, and they only use FSC (The Forest Stewardship Council) certified paper and cartons. They have gained brand recognition for their eco-friendly efforts, as their Moisturising Shampoo Bar was recently awarded Gold for the Best Sustainable Hair Product at the 2021 Global Green Beauty Awards. Object has also received the Butterfly Mark Certification by Positive Luxury to show how they meet the “highest verified sustainability standards.”  

As fans of shampoo bars, we couldn’t wait to try this Moisturising Shampoo Bar. We find that shampoo bars tend to last longer than liquid shampoos, and are gentler on the hair and scalp as they don’t contain sodium lauryl sulfate or ammonium lauryl sulfate, which can contribute to dry hair. The Moisturising Shampoo Bar is gender-inclusive, handmade in Spain, and does not use any sulphates, parabens, artificial colouring, or palm oil. As regular readers will know, palm oil contributes to deforestation, and the sulphates can lead to a dry and irritated scalp. This award-winning bar is made from moringa, jojoba and argan oils, blended together with coconut milk and essential oils. The moringa oil, made from the seeds of a moringa oleifera (a type of tree found in the Himalayan mountains), is packed with omega-3, which moisturises and strengthens the hair and scalp. Jojoba oil contains a blend of oils, vitamins, and minerals that help to regulate scalp sebum production, and leave hair feeling hydrated. As for argan oil, it helps soothe and nourish hair cuticles with its vitamin E and fatty acids. The coconut milk here is also packed with omega-3 fatty acids, along with vitamin E to fight against serum build-up in the hair. The combination of these ingredients helps hair to have more volume and shine and overall be more healthy. The sustainable nature of this product also is important to point out, as it’s all-natural, vegan, 100% plastic-free, and cruelty-free. Did you know that a shampoo bar saves the waste of up to three shampoo bottles? The bar also has a fragrance combination of earthy and citrus scent that is derived from the blend of ylang-ylang, cedarwood, citronella, and lavender essential oils. We found it long-lasting and both refreshing and nourishing for the hair. To use the shampoo bar, we soaked our hair and rubbed the bar in our hands to create a frothy lather, and worked it into our scalp. We then ran the bar down the hair strands to cleanse and finally rinsed. The shampoo bar left our hair squeaky clean with zesty fragrance; however, we did need to follow up with our regular conditioner to leave it tangle-free.

What we also like the ergonomically designed shampoo bar container, Object's Light Weight Travel Tin, to store the bar and to help to make it last longer. It’s made from rust-proof aluminium with strong durability and a screw top to prevent leaking. This container is perfect for draining your shampoo bar dry straight from the shower or for travel purposes. They suggest frequently emptying water from the tin, and ensuring that the bar is dry before putting it into the tin. The Light Weight Travel Tin can be purchased here for £5, and the Moisturising Shampoo Bar can be purchased here for £14.  

Mokosh : The Ultimate Nutritious Starter Pack

With so many different skincare products to choose from, mixing and matching products can often feel like trying to solve a puzzle! So, today at The Amazing Blog, we thought we’d keep it easy by featuring a set of products that work together in perfect synergy. Meet The Ultimate Nutritious Starter Pack, a sample-sized 4-step routine created by the organic skincare brand Mokosh.

Former medical scientist, veterinarian, and pathologist Marion O'Leary founded Australian brand Mokosh in 2006 after discovering many of the mainstream skincare brands she used contained toxic ingredients. She worked with her friend Jayne Bland who introduced her to the Indian science of Ayurveda, which focuses on working with the body's natural healing systems. The result is 10 years of research and experimenting, refining, and perfecting an organic skincare range that doesn’t compromise on ingredients - using the purest and most beneficial. Marion was determined to make "the world's cleanest skincare range" by creating Mokosh. She wants to target the root cause of skin imbalance and restore the skin's equilibrium with products that are potent, healing all made with simple botanicals. All products are formulated without water, or the skin-disrupting emulsifiers and preservatives. As a waterless brand, Mokosh products have a higher concentration of healing, natural ingredients that don't disturb the skin's microbiome or barrier. In addition, all Mokosh products are free from synthetic ingredients, fillers, palm oil, and artificial fragrances. They're cruelty-free, certified organic, and packaged only with refillable or recyclable materials. Mokosh offers a skin-match quiz on their website to recommend products based on your skin type, concerns, and needs. With natural products that are suitable for any skin type, it's no wonder that Mokosh is a multi-award-winning brand and recently received the "Most Revolutionary Skincare Brand" Award in the Luxlife Health, Beauty, & Wellness Awards 2021.

Mokosh sent us their Ultimate Nutritious Starter Pack,  a set of four different products designed to meet the needs of dry and mature skin. These products focus on hydration, replenishing the skin's protective barrier, removing dead skin cells, rebalancing skin pH, and delivering potent nutrients to promote collagen production and enhance elasticity. The first product in the pack is their Facial Cleanser, Exfoliator, and Mask,  a 3-in-1 formulation that removes superficial cell debris, clarifying, refining, and renewing the skin. It delivers humectants, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory molecules, minerals and α- and β- hydroxy acids that promote cell regeneration and collagen growth. It contains aloe vera gel powder to soothe and moisturise skin, meadowsweet leaf and flower powder which contains salicylic acid to exfoliate naturally, and pomegranate fruit juice powder to provide hydration and deposit vitamin C in the skin. This Facial Cleanser, Exfoliator, and Mask comes in a powder form, so to use it, take about ½ to 1 teaspoon of powder and add water to make a smooth paste. To cleanse, gently massage the face and rinse, and to use as a mask, apply it to the skin and leave for 15-20 minutes before rinsing. We liked using this product in the shower to make it easier to mix and rinse, but be careful not to allow water into the jar!

The second product in the pack is the Pure Hydrosol Toner made with a blend of damask rose and lemon balm hydrosols. Hydrosols are made by distilling fresh flowers, leaves, fruits, and other plant materials. They're water-soluble and contain as many nutrients as essential oils but are much gentler on the skin. Rose hydrosol is a mild astringent, so it controls sebum production, tightens pores, and balances skin pH. It also maintains moisture in the skin, delays the formation of wrinkles, and has anti-inflammatory properties, decreasing redness and repairing irritated and damaged skin. Lemon balm Hydrosol also soothes inflamed skin, tightens pores, and reduces the appearance of wrinkles. Both of these hydrosols also have aromatherapeutic properties, helping to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. You can spray this onto your face and neck after cleansing and before applying the serum. We also liked using it throughout the day, as it’s a refreshing pick-me-up.

The third product is the Raspberry and Pomegranate Beauty Serum, a hydrating concentrate that Mokosh designed for normal and dry skin. The serum is a blend of ten organic botanical seed oils that work together to protect dermal elements and plump and soften the skin to reduce signs of ageing. Pomegranate and raspberry seed oils contain high concentrations of antioxidants and essential fatty acids that fortify the skin's barrier, as well as Vitamin E, C, and A that provide deep moisturisation that helps to restore damaged skin and fade scars. After cleansing, warm about 3 to 4 drops of this serum in your hands before patting gently into your skin.

This routine's fourth and final product is the  Rich Face Cream formulated for mature or dry skin types. It's an award-winning and best-selling cream that delivers potent botanicals and nutrients that protect collagen, build the skin's protective barrier, and support cell growth. This cream contains ten oils mixed with shea butter, including rosehip, avocado, pomegranate, neem, and prickly pear oils - all rich in fatty acids and antioxidants, triglycerides, and vitamins. These nutrients nourish and repair skin, and help to reduce inflammation, and even skin tone. As the last step in your routine, take a half pea-sized amount, warm in your hands, and pat onto skin. It smells amazing and feels luxurious, almost balm-like in texture, and best of all, very little goes a long way. Being small and compact this Ulitmate Nutritious Starter Pack could also be a very good travel companion for a weekend away. To experience the benefits of the Mokosh Ultimate Nutritious Starter Pack, you can purchase it here for $45.00AUD.  

Nurme : Natural Deodorant Mandarin and Orange

At The Amazing Blog we know how important it is to stay fresh while living our busy and sometimes hectic lives. Whether we are running daily errands, going to the gym, or travelling, we all want to feel protected from unpleasant odours. We also love discovering new brands with natural or organic products that are not tested on animals and free from nasty chemicals. And let’s face it, no matter what the activity, we all want to smell our best! Today we are featuring Nurme’s Natural Mandarin & Orange Deodorant.

Nurme is an Estonian brand that has just celebrated 12 years of producing natural cosmetic products. The name stems from the Estonian word Nurm for meadow, a special place from childhood for Marit Tiits, co-founder of the brand. For her a meadow is a place that “always brought me joy was full of surprises, and when needed, offered comfort.” Nurme is a business built and run by a mother-daughteriew, duo, Marit and Luule Tiits, who decided to combine their knowledge, skills and drive to create this business when the financial crisis of 2009 arrived, resulting in redundancy notices for them both. Marit began by making handmade soaps and bath cosmetics in her home kitchen; she created unique gifts for friends and family. Marit describes it best: “At first, I thought that soap is just a nice accessory in the bathroom and never thought of washing myself with it. The excitement was even greater when I realised that I had managed to change the world.” When Marit became a mother herself, it became clear that skin problems affected many people and that your soap choice is the starting point in helping restore your skin. They found that your skin’s condition could improve by 80 per cent with a suitable natural soap.  Nurme strives to create “100% natural and organic products” literally from head to toe. Since 2009, they have been producing handmade and natural products with aromatherapy, body, skin and hair care products; and are also a multi-award-winning brand (see here).

The range of products from Nurme are created using only natural, herbal ingredients that offer gentle ingredients for both skin and hair. This same concept is used to formulate Nurme’s Natural Deodorant, which contains odour-neutralising essential oils and baking soda to prevent the spread of odorous bacteria. The other key ingredients here include cornstarch, which is excellent for absorbing moisture; coconut oil, which is used for its antibacterial properties to help reduce odour-causing bacteria. Plus beeswax, which is used as a natural consistency stabiliser and shea butter which leaves a non-greasy feel while moisturising the skin. Last but not least, Nurme uses sunflower seed oil due to its anti-inflammatory properties, which also benefits dry skin. Marit notes that “it can be said that basically all the oils, fats, waxes, essential oils, and extracts used in Nurme products are skin superfoods.” This natural deodorant is aluminium and paraben-free, without synthetic dyes or fragrances. Nurme’s Natural Mandarin & Orange Deodorant uses mandarin peel oil and sweet orange peel oil to give it the delicious citrus scent. To go along with their natural products, Nurme utilises “zero waste” packaging for their deodorant, made out of cardboard, so that it is environmentally friendly. This deodorant was duly put through its paces with pilates, workouts and brisk walks. It passed our test, as we stayed fragrant with no evidence of any nasty niffs. It's easy to use; just push up at the base of the cardboard tube and apply the balm to your underarms. If like us, you love natural deodorants that smell ‘natural’ and then this one is for you. Plus, it’s already gained worldwide recognition winning a silver at 2021 The Global Green Beauty Awards. Nurme’s 80g Natural Mandarin & Orange Deodorant is available here for €12.60 and also in five other fragrances. 

Sintra Naturals : Soothing Cleansing Balm

With the colder months approaching, skin dryness will likely be on the menu, which is why at The Amazing Blog, we always look for kind and gentle products. Particularly with a cleansing balm as we need it to remove makeup, and also soothe our sensitive skins. We stumbled upon this indie natural skincare brand Sintra Naturals, who pride themselves on offering natural skincare solutions, with their Soothing Cleansing Balm.

Sintra Naturals is a women-owned and run brand. Geethika Ghanta created this brand to create affordable, natural skincare. In India, she grew up using natural ingredients for each part of her daily routine – from skincare to haircare. Ghanta has always been interested in the formulations and ingredients of in-store skincare products, and this interest turned into a passion when her son was allergic to the “shop-bought baby soaps and lotions.” Even when Geethika looked at more high-end formulations and products, she found synthetic fragrances and additives. With this realisation, Geethika took matters into her own hands by learning how to make natural skincare and launching Sintra Naturals. “My mantra is that the term natural shouldn’t have to be expensive.” Sintra Naturals pride itself on creating handmade, vegan and effective natural products for all skin types. By only using natural ingredients, Sintra Naturals has developed products to calm and smooth skin. Geethika has one simple rule when it comes to ingredients: “if an ingredient is not deemed for human consumption, it should not be in our skincare routine.” She went on to say, “I will not claim that my products will heal any skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis but they are definitely gentle enough to bring relief.” The brand’s products are handmade and they also take the sustainability issue very seriously; they are plastic-free and have either recyclable or biodegradable packaging. The soaps are essential oil-free (good for sensitive skin) and packed in reusable organic food-grade re-usable cotton bags. There are absolutely no synthetic ingredients, fragrances or additives in the Sintra Naturals skin or body care. 

The Soothing Cleansing Balm is ideal for helping to restore hydration to the skin in a gentle and calming way. This Global Makeup Awards Bronze-winning balm, uses shea butter to restore the skin by moisturising but not leaving a greasy feel. Combined with castor oil which is well known for its natural cleansing properties, it helps clean out the pores by drawing dirt out without drying out the skin. Grapeseed oil is used due to its allergen-free and suitability for all skin types. Geethika loves to use this versatile oil in her products because it has “amazing, skin-loving properties” and is a by-product of the wine industry, making it a sustainable ingredient. Grapeseed oil is high in vitamin E and other vitamins and minerals used to maintain the elastin in the skin. The Roman chamomile here not only offers the balm its fragrance it also soothes redness with its anti-inflammatory properties. Finally, the kaolin clay ingredient is a gentle clay used to help clean the impurities from the skin, with antibacterial properties, which help to remove oils and contaminants from the skin. The Soothing Cleansing Balm is perfect for removing makeup or the residue from a day. To use simple warm a pea-sized balm in hands before gently massaging onto around the eye area, face and neck. Then wash away with warm water (or as in our case a warm washcloth), we particularly liked how it was gentle and efficient in removing all stubborn makeup. It’s suitable for all skin types, and we found it especially good for soothing problematic skin. This skin balm is available in either Tea Tree and Chamomile blends - we received the Chamomile. Sintra Natural’s Soothing Cleansing Balm is available for £10.00 from their website here.

Soya Garden : Soy Mask

There's something rather magical about the way skincare can lift our spirits and motivate us to be our best! At The Amazing Blog, we're big fans of face masks, as they enhance one of our most cherished pastimes of slipping into our pajamas and chatting for hours with our friends. Today we are featuring Soya Garden, a natural skincare from New Zealand, with their Soy Mask, perfect for using on these dark autumn nights-in.

Soya Garden launched in 2020, inspired by nature's adaptability and endurance. They spent 18 months sourcing potent soy extracts and natural ingredients, harnessing their properties to develop a clean and balanced skincare line. Soya Garden's goal is to create formulas that don't change how you look but change the way you feel, helping you feel more healthy, vibrant, and comfortable in your skin. Their philosophy is about making you feel confident through their products because when we feel more confident, we have the power and motivation to lift up the world! Their formulations contain bioactive soy extracts, as well as naturally occurring vitamins, antioxidants, and nutrients. One of these natural ingredients is γ-pga®. Also known as Natto Gum, γ-pga® is an extract first discovered in Natto, a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans. It promotes the natural moisturising factor's growth inside the cuticle cells, making skin softer and more moisturised. Another ingredient is Mang'in tense®, an organic active ingredient extracted from mango that promotes hyaluronic acid synthesis, replenishing water and locking in moisture. It also is high in antioxidants and phytochemicals that protect the skin from the free radicals that induce ageing. Soya Garden also has the Fernmark License, a trademark issued and endorsed by the New Zealand Government. When a New Zealand brand has the Fernmark License, it means that the brand is confirmed to be produced within New Zealand, compliant with all New Zealand laws and regulations. Also, with this Fernmark License, you can trust that the products are certified to be safe and reliable. 

Soya Garden sent us their award-winning Soy Mask, a multi-functional mask that dissolves away dryness and improves firmness and lustre. It has a light and creamy consistency, and we were pleasantly surprised by its slight floral fragrance - no smell of soy here! The mask offers many key benefits. It swiftly delivers potent nutrition into the skin, protects the skin from the damaging effects of dryness, reduces pigmentation, increases collagen production, and reduces roughness and fine lines. The mask contains three key ingredients, the first of which is lysofix. Lysofix is a natural lysophospholipid extracted from a non-GMO soybean source that reduces water loss, maintaining the skin's moisture and protecting the integrity of the skin's barrier. It's a mild, non-allergenic, and non-irritating ingredient that's suitable for delicate and sensitive skin. It also contains manuka honey, extracted from the nectar of the native New Zealand manuka flowers. It's rich in nutrients, vitamins, amino acids, and minerals that feed, protect, and renew the skin while offering antimicrobial and healing properties. Manuka honey is also a humectant, meaning that it draws in and retains moisture. The last key ingredient is tocopheryl, (most commonly known as vitamin E). It's a potent antioxidant that captures free oxygen radicals generated by exposure to light or pollution, helping to prevent further skin damage. It also can boost the protection against damaging UV rays, helping to prevent premature skin ageing too. To use the mask, apply it on cleansed skin, with an even layer, just thick enough to cover the skin’s surface, avoiding the eye and lips. Leave it on for about 10-15 minutes, and then rinse with water. They recommend following it up with a moisturiser (such as their Soya Garden Lotion). It is so light and fluffy; we almost forgot that we had it on! It left skin soft and hydrated and this 100ml pot gave us about five applications. To purchase the Soya Garden Soy Mask, visit here, where you can buy 100ml for $79.95NZD.