Manicure You London - Nail Polishes

We can never get enough of manicured nails, here at The Amazing Blog whether it’s to coordinate with our latest outfit or to pack into our travel bags for holidays. With Christmas fast approaching we couldn’t resist adding a trio of new sparkly colours from Manicure You to our collection.

Like many of us, Nicola Soremekun, the founder of Manicure You had damaged nails after years nail-biting and acrylics. Finally, she decided that it was time take care of her natural nails which took her on a nail journey creating an Instagram page ‘Nikki & Nails’ where she photographed and detailed her manicures, nail growth and colours of the week.  As a nail polish convert, she decided to launch her own brand in 2018 with a range of luxury nail products offered at affordable prices. Also, a black-owned business, being inclusive for all skin tones was a must for her, Nicola said: “I wanted to create a product that is inclusive of all skin tones, toxin-free and would allow my nails to breathe, be nurtured and grow whilst still rocking the latest shades.” All the Manicure You nail polishes are free from ingredients such as toluene, dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, and xylene. For those of you new to nail lacquer formulations, here is why they are not included in the Manicure You formulations: Toluene is a neurotoxin that can cause neurological damage when inhaled. Although Dibutyl Phthalate helps improve nail durability but it is also associated with damage to the liver and kidneys. Formaldehyde and it’s by-product Formaldehyde Resin can cause allergic reactions, asthma, nausea, and dermatitis. Camphor can also trigger allergic reactions, headaches and nausea. Low doses of Xylene can cause headaches, and high doses can affect the respiratory system. Ethyl Tosylamide is banned in Europe due to it causing mild to severe allergic reactions; it also can disrupt hormones. With cuticle oil, top and base coat, as well as an array of over 23 vibrant colours in the range, there is something for everyone here. This collection of chic and environmentally friendly products, give results with a long-lasting gel-like finish, without the use of a UV lamp or soaking your nails in toxic acetone. 

Adding some twinkle to fingers and toes, and creating fun nail art always gets us in the celebratory mood. This is where the Christmas trio of shimmer shades from Manicure You with Moonlight, Ruby Queen and Trophy complement, adding some serious festive pizzazz to our home manicure. Best of all, we found that the recommended application of two thin coats gives a gloop-free and long-lasting colour. Ruby Queen is a ‘lipstick red’ with the tiniest flecks of gold which glistens in the light, we think this shade is great for a girly night out or for the on-trend fashionistas. Whereas Trophy is the perfect in-between metallic shade of silver/gold making it the most versatile colour of the trio to rock for Christmas parties. Moonlight is a midnight blue giving a prism effect with light-reflecting rich cobalt shades, all of which add a little drama - this was our favourite shade from the trio. You can use these colours alone, or there are numerous nail art designs you can create. We suggest starting with Trophy as the base followed by a line of Ruby Queen and Midnight on the tips, like a reverse French. Or perhaps having Ruby Queen as the base and then taking Trophy to paint diagonal lines creating a candy cane effect. However, if you’re nail art novices, like us, then go for a more straightforward look by painting eight fingers in Midnight and both ring fingers in Trophy to give a festive accent. Why not follow this by painting all toes in the glorious Ruby Queen, the perfect colour for getting your feet party-ready. You can purchase all the Manicure You nail polishes here for £8.50 each.

The Flat Lay Co: Leopard Print Full Size Flat Lay Makeup Bag

Finding a perfect present for one person can be challenging, but when it comes to Christmas with lots of friends and family, now we’re having a complete meltdown! Here at The Amazing Blog when we ask our makeup-loving friends what they want, they just say: “Oh we’ll leave it up to you…” But then there’s always the question of: “Is it the right brand and colour?” However, the problem‘s solved this year with our latest #amazingfinds and The Flat Lay Co with their Flat Lay Makeup Bags.

After spending time getting her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, the founder Izzy Howe realised that it wasn’t the right career for her and promptly switched to business for her postgraduate education. After working in multiple tech companies, she decided to change her focus and 2017 The Flat Lay Co was born. Based in Shoreditch, Howe’s goal has been to create a product which offers a time-saving solution for an everyday problem. She noticed a gap in the market for a drawstring flat lay make up bag. This is a cosmetics bag that opens flat, offering the user to view all their makeup at once, with no more scrabbling around to find that all-important lip gloss at the bottom!  This ingenious drawstring flat lay makeup bag is the brand’s signature product and comes in a variety of colours and designs. Apart from the drawstring open flat makeup bags, they also have Brush Cases, Box Bags, Oversized Eye Masks and Scrunchies, so something to suit every budget.

The Leopard Print Flat Lay Makeup Bag has been a joy to use, as it’s both practical and stylish and comes in two sizes 50cm at £19.99 (that we have) or in a ‘Mini’ in 33cm at £17.99. Best of all, there is a range of fourteen different colourways to choose from, as well as three pale coloured soft velvet bags that coordinate with the Box Cases and Brush Bags. This leopard print was the one that caught our eye, and in a matter of seconds, we could open the flat lay makeup bag and find exactly the product we wanted, rather than rummaging around for ages.  The outer shell is made of a thick material which protects products from breakage, where there’s also a raised edge to stop anything from rolling away. Let’s not forget to mention the inside and outside pockets too, which hold loose products that might get lost, plus four elastic holders designed for brushes. What more do you need? We love these and think the ‘Mini’ is ideal for everyday use in our handbag, whereas the ‘Full size’ also makes an excellent travel companion. More importantly, we think this is an absolute must-have present for every makeup lover.  You can purchase any of The Flat Lay Co Makeup Bags here and by using our exclusive code THEAMAZINGBLOG15, you can receive 15% off your purchase.

Gold Haircare: Metamorphyc Dream Shampoo & Come True Conditioner and Ten-in-One

In our never-ending search to find green and sustainable products (that also care for the planet) at The Amazing Blog we happily stumbled across this multi-award-winning professional haircare Gold Haircare that offers all of the above.  Although they are a salon-based professional haircare they supply the consumer too.

Gold Haircare is a Danish company created by hair specialists and founded in 2009 by Victor Moreno and Marco Merie. Both these two haircare professionals have challenged the professional hair industry by redefining the standards of haircare with their green credentials. This is a new generation of haircare designed for a luxury performance that also takes into consideration sustainability and caring for the planet. This is where Gold Haircare meets with the stringent environmental regulations in Denmark, a country known to be one of the most advanced in terms of green credentials and sustainability. All of the products are formulated to be cruelty-free, natural, with renewable and sustainable ingredients. There are certainly no parabens, ammonia, and Resorcinol (a toxin that is often found in hair dyes) or sulphates to be found here Gold Haircare is vegan and ISO 16128 certified which guarantees that all shampoos are formulated with at least 60% natural ingredients and their conditioners and masks are with a reassuring 90% too. Furthermore, the company is a member of PETA, and strongly supports two other environmental organisations: The Nature Conservancy and Oceana. In just ten years of trading, this brand has gained global recognition as one of the most innovative Danish haircare brands, and in the last couple of years, it has carved out space in the beauty and fashion sectors. This year, Gold Haircare competed in the Global Green Beauty Awards 2020 and were a Gold winner in the Best Hair Masque with their Luxury Hair Masque. Every year Gold Haircare organises their exclusive Gold Show, where the Gold international artistic teams from all around the world, meet to compete showcasing some of their artistic and cutting-edge hair designs. 

 The two of the three products we’re talking about are the GOLD Dream Shampoo and the GOLD Come True Conditioner, are from the Metamorphyc range. We note that these were also awarded at the Global Green Beauty Awards were these two products with Silver and Bronze in their respective categories. This range is designed to bring hair an innovative two-stage regenerating programme working together with their other products ‘healing bond’ and ‘vitamin miracle’. The key ingredients in this range are marula seed oil, porcelain flower, and purple orchid; which when combined help to boost strength and protect the natural structure of the hair. This collection is specifically designed to enhance inner hair strength with a coating of oils that help to lock in and ensure long-lasting colour. The gentle shampoo and conditioner here both have a pH of 5 and 4 where they intensely moisturise hair, scalp as well as protecting colour with its incorporated UV filter. The GOLD Come True Conditioner also gives control to curls together with moisturising and nourishing. To apply start with the shampoo, using a small amount on damp hair, massage then rinse away. Follow this directly with the Come True Conditioner which needs to be left in the hair for 3-4 minutes, then again rinsed away. We found that our hair felt incredibly soft and revitalised with a glamorous and healthy-looking sheen. It also left the hair smelling fresh with a subtle vanilla/floral scent. You can purchase the GOLD Dream Shampoo 250ml for £27.95 here and the GOLD Come True Conditioner 250ml for £30.95 here.

The third product that was kindly sent to us was the GOLD Ten In One. This spray is an all-in-one mist that can be used either on wet or dry hair, to untangle, control frizz or simply as a prep for a blow-dry. It has oils like sunflower and argan as well as hydrolysed wheat protein all of which offer a high concentration of omega-6 acids, vitamins A and E, and antioxidants to moisturise and protect the hair. We sprayed this on dry hair and found it to be a lightweight and perfect for achieving a velvety lustre that controlled static, all without weighing the hair down. To use on wet hair, spray from a 20cm, untangle the hair with a comb, style the hair, then blow-dry, straighten or let the hair dry naturally. Or on dry hair, apply on the palm, then gently apply from mid-length to the ends. We mustn’t forget to mention that this Ten In One was also awarded the Best Argan Product and is available for £24.95 here. We think that Gold Haircare products are perfect for anyone looking for high-performance luxury haircare with an environmental conscience.

AnneMarie Skincare: Palo Santo Body Butter

We at The Amazing Blog know that taking care of the skin on the body is just as important as taking care of your face. Particularly in these cold winter months and for those with a propensity to dry or cracked skin. We found that looking for a rich, hydrating and natural body butter that performs can be a bit of mission. We’ve heard a lot of good things about the brand AnnMarie Skincare and their hero product Palo Santo Body Butter and could wait to put it to the test.

The story begins with AnnMarie and Kevin Gianni, who at the time in 2008 were both healthy living bloggers, set out on a trip through North and South America. They spent their journey looking for natural care products and sharing them with their viewers on their YouTube channel, The Renegade Health Show.  After multiple viewers asked Annmarie what products she used, like many people, she realised they weren’t as clean and green as she wanted. While trying to find cleaner and greener products, she found nothing that was to her standards. AnnMarie randomly found a company after visiting a small spa in Patagonia, Arizona, United States. She contacted the brand founder Bunnie a herbalist and chemist, on working together on a collaboration for a natural skincare line and sell it on a bigger scale rather than just at the spa. In 2009, AnnMarie Skincare launched in collaboration with Bunnie and the brands has gone on from strength to strength winning awards and gaining global recognition. Their artisan products are non-GMO, cruelty-free, wildcrafted and contain organic ingredients wherever possible; these all come about through their 3-step process. In their first step, they choose their organic and wildcrafted ingredients and audit them to ensure purity. Their step two is infusing herbs into aloe vera and skin-nourishing oils for up to 30 days to create a base. The third and final step is to carefully craft products using numerous other natural ingredients such as oils, plant extracts.

In these uncertain times with lockdown, we think giving skin a little self-love and care is much needed. The Palo Santo Body Butter is a truly luxurious body treatment. It is formulated specifically to get the skin hydrated and healthy. This Body Butter includes key ingredients of shea butter and fair-trade cocoa butter which are both known to give the skin great hydration. The shea butter not only hydrates but helps the fight against ageing and soothes sensitive skin. The cocoa butter includes fatty acids which help tighten the skin’s appearance, with antioxidants that protect the skin's surface from oxidative damage caused by free radicals and environmental aggressors and give this butter its subtle chocolatey aroma. There is jojoba packed with vitamins such as E and B, and ideal for sensitive skin.  Kukui nut is for soothing and softening without leaving a greasy film and is beneficial for eczema and psoriasis. Whereas the macadamia reduces the appearance of ageing and has manganese, an essential mineral required for collagen production. The four essential oils here are cardamon, palo santo, vetiver and nutmeg. The cardamon is full of vitamin C improving the tone and texture of the skin and is a great antioxidant. The palo santo, which the product is named after, is an essential oil that has calming effects for the body and soul, it is a rare oil extracted from trees in Ecuador. It has a unique fragrance and is often used in ‘smudging’ rituals to clear and calm a room. The vetiver and nutmeg warm the skin and adds to the scent. The fragrance is unusual we could pick out the cocoa butter and vetiver and nutmeg in particular, what we loved was the performance. It is rich and luxurious as it says, but also long-lasting. When applied in the morning we found it kept skin soft throughout day and night, shielding and protecting and was still evident on the skin when showering the following morning. It is expensive but as we often say, a little goes a long way and this 200ml tub will last a good month or so. The Palo Santo Body Butter was sent to us by UK online retailer Live in the Light. They believe that products you put on your body have an impact on your health. All the products that they stock are natural, organic and chemical-free, you can purchase the Palo Santo Body Butter here for £69.50.

Marc Inbane - Perle de Soleil

It’s November, the leaves are turning glorious hues of bronze, red and orange. However, our skin at The Amazing Blog has that grey ‘city pallor’ and is much in need of some help to get back its healthy summer glow. We were thrilled to receive some ‘sun beads’ from one of our favourite award-winning tanning brands Marc Inbane, where these ‘Perle de Soleil’ are easy to incorporate into our everyday skincare regime adding a golden shimmer to the complexion.

Marc Inbane was founded in 2012 in the Netherlands by a trio whose names  INgo, BArt and NEle form a portmanteau to cleverly become the brand name ‘INBANE’.  Marc Inbane is a tanning brand that we first introduced with their traveling set here and is a brand that we have kept a steady eye on as they grow. They have created a safe premium tanning brand that has innovative formulas that allows the consumer to achieve a healthy and natural-looking glow all-year-round. Their products are suitable for all skin types and tones; they’re vegan, cruelty-free and don’t contain any parabens, silicones or sulphates. And most importantly, dermatologically tested and EU compliant. Their products are award-winning and now retailed in over 40 countries, they’re also used by leading make-up artists and recommended by dermatologists.

Perle de Soleil was launched in 2018 and has been developed based on a four-fold tanning technology that uses an airless drop dosage system.  This particular award-winning unisex product is probably the easiest self-tanning product that we have tried in ages, as it integrates seamlessly into daily skincare. All you need to do to achieve that lost summer glow is mix a few drops of Perle de Soleil with your day cream. The convenient ‘one drop’ applicator allows you to create that custom sun-kissed look with the intensity that you want. The brand suggests using 2 to 3 drops to subtly enhance skin colour, or 4-5 drops to create a medium tan and 5+ drops if you are going for a full-on sun-drenched look. You can also progressively increase the number of drops if you want to give the illusion this winter of returning from the sunny ski slopes. The product is quick and takes about 3 hours to work its magic, lasting up to 3 or 4 days, giving the skin a natural look. After this, you can shower, sleep, go out in the sun, (with an SPF of course, perhaps mixed with these drops?)  Two quick reminders: (1) Don’t forget to exfoliate your skin before using a self-tanning product to prepare the skin and rid it of those pesky dead skin cells to leave the skin a silky smooth blank canvas. (2) Wash your hands after applying or you’ll end up with orange palms! The product comes in a sealed airless sleek 15ml black tube which allows for a long shelf life without preservatives. We recommend including this in your next beauty shopping list, where you can purchase it here for € 34.95. it’s another one of our #amazingfinds as it’s cost-effective and lasts up to an astonishing four months, which in our view is excellent value.