Smiths Scents: Green Tomato Leaf Candle, and Copper Wick Trimmer

There’s nothing quite like a candle to help create a very special ambience. At The Amazing Blog , we think that there’s nothing better than creating  harmonious surroundings with a beautiful and fragrantly rich candle. Candles have long been one of the most preferred ways of setting a mood, and we’re here to carry that legacy forward. Today we’re  introducing you to two of our #amazingfinds from Smiths Scents: The Green Tomato Leaf Candle with the  Copper Wick Trimmer. 

Smiths Scents  is a brand based in Somerset, with its roots originating back to 2013, founded by husband and wife duo Robert and Hayley Smith. With their beginnings as a candle-making as a hobby in their kitchen and inspired by their wedding preparations, Smiths Scents has since flourished into a business that they officially launched in 2018. Throughout the years, they’ve maintained their passion for making inviting and warm fragrances, and every candle is carefully hand-poured, made of cruelty-free ingredients and dispatched from their home, even to this day. The Smiths love flowers and herbs, and it’s evident in their products.  Their fragrances feature unusual combinations of floral and herbal oil which include candles such as Bay & Blackberry, Carrot Blossom & Fennel, and Cardamon & Mimosa, to name just a few. In fact, their passion for natural ingredients and materials doesn’t end there. Smiths Scents makes their candles with 100% soy wax and their diffusers with soy-based oil too. In addition, Smiths Scents pride themselves on being as sustainable, selling candles and diffusers in recyclable and vegan containers and only using packaging materials that are biodegradable or recyclable. 

We requested to try out their Green Tomato Leaf Candle. Described on their website as a “fresh and leafy uplifting fragrance that makes you reminiscent of a summer greenhouse,” it’s a perfect scent to accompany these warm summer days. The top notes of the candle are cucumber and tomato, the heart notes are basil, and the base notes of oregano and thyme tie the candle together to create a cohesive and uplifting fragrance. As we mentioned above, Smiths Scents makes all their candles using soy wax and essential oils. As a natural and renewable resource, soy wax is biodegradable and has a lower melting point than other waxes commonly used for candle-making. This difference means that soy wax candles will burn longer and last longer; they also burn cleaner and emit less black soot than other candle types. Because the candles include essential oils rather than artificial scents, you also reap the holistic and aromatherapeutic benefits as these candles burn, such as stress relief, relaxation, or a brightened mood, depending on which scents you pick. 

If you burn a candle you need a wick trimmer!  Smiths Scents kindly send us their Copper Wick Trimmer. With wick clippers on one end and elongated holders on the other, the Copper Wick Trimmer provides easy and no-mess access to the wick even after your candle has burned deep into its jar. Trimming candle wicks is an essential part of candle maintenance that improves the longevity and appearance of the candles. Untrimmed and long wicks can cause candle flames to take on a dull appearance, give off more black soot, and produce a larger flame that burns through your candles at a faster rate. By trimming your candle wicks, flames burn clearer and brighter with less unsightly soot, and help to burn candles at a slower pace, making them last longer. Top tip: It's safest to wait until your candle has completely cooled off to room temperature before you trim the wicks, and we actually like to trim our candle wicks each time before we light them. We recommend cutting wicks to about ¼ of an inch, and any debris that falls from the wick should be cleaned up before lighting the candle to keep your home safe. 

Through their shop Smiths Scents they offer a wide array of fragrances available both in candle and diffusers. If you’d like to experience the 220g Green Tomato Leaf Candle for yourself, it’s available to purchase here for a very reasonably priced £13.95 (if you select packaging with a copper lid). Or for £11.95 if you select packaging without a lid. Best of all, the burning time on this candle is 35-40 hours. The Copper Wick Trimmer is also available here for £8.00.

Poppy’s Natural Skincare: The Super Age-Defying Organic Face Oil Bakuchiol & Amla

Today, at The Amazing Blog we’re feature an award-winning British natural skincare that we've had our eye on for quite some time… Meet Poppy's Natural Skincare with their 100% pure botanical actives, that help to connect us back to nature.

Poppy's Natural Skincare is a high-performance natural skincare brand founded by Poppy Choudhury. it was born out of necessity , due to Poppy’s extremely sensitive skin, she knew that the only way ensure the quality of the skincare ingredients, was to formulate her own! And from a young age, she has been aware of the therapeutic and healing powers of botanicals and plants.  Poppy also has a scientific background and read Molecular Biology at university, worked in London with pharmaceutical clients, and studied Cosmetic Formulation and Science in Skincare. Her scientific knowledge and passion for natural beauty remedies led her to develop this skincare range that brings together the best of science and nature. Poppy was born in Bangladesh and raised in England; she can trace much of her inspiration back to her early days from observing plant remedies being incorporated into everyday medicinal and beauty routines. Poppy's Natural Skincare is a range of potent botanicals designed to help repair and protect skin's barrier function together with a whole host of other skin benefits. The brand's products include face oils, face masks, accessories, body butters, balms, and cleansers. Poppy encourages the ritual of self-care with her skincare, to help us all luxuriate in the experience and enjoy the moment. All products are uniquely formulated and handmade in Poppy's workshop, located in the English village of Kings Langley, Hertfordshire. They use the most potent ingredients that are 100% plant-based, ethically sourced, sustainable, cruelty-free (certified with Leaping Bunny), with thirteen out of the fourteen products being vegan. Plus, all products and packaging are 100% recyclable. We applaud the brand for their giving-back where they donate 10% of their profits to the Myna Mahila Foundation, which employs women from urban slums in Mumbai to manufacture and sell affordable sanitary pads in their communities, thus providing stable employment, improving menstrual hygiene, and building a trusted network. Being born in the Indian subcontinent and having family there, Poppy knows how hard it is for women to access sanitary products, so Myna Mahila is close to her heart. Poppy's Natural Skincare has a very popular following and is loved by many and won many awards from Natural Health, Global Green Beauty, FreeFrom Awards, Green Parent Natural Beauty and The Beauty Shortlist. To sum up the ethos of the brand, Poppy said, "The Poppy's Natural Skincare range was developed by me, but the knowledge comes from our amazing, shared history of the botanical world and its healing powers." 

One of Poppy's Natural Skincare's hero products is the recent winner at the 2021 Global Green Beauty Awards, the Super Age-Defying Organic Face Oil Bakuchiol & Amla. This is suitable for all skin types, and works to help prevent signs of premature ageing. It is a lightweight and fast-absorbing oil-based formula and contains a luxurious blend of age-defying phyto-retinol compounds that are supercharged with youth-boosting botanically active ingredients to help repair, rejuvenate, and bestow radiance. As Poppy Skincare tells us, this is formulated with 31 of the world's most potent botanicals, including bakuchiol, co-enzyme Q10, marine algae, amla, acmella oleracea, kahai, unsaponifiable olive oil, neroli, and olive squalene. Bakuchiol extract is from the psoralea corylifolia (babchi) plant's leaves and seeds (see photo above). It is a compound recognised as a phyto-retinol and a natural alternative to the synthetic retinol. It works in the same way and stimulates collagen production, reduces visible lines and hyperpigmentation, and helps restore the skin's elasticity. Poppy first came across this key ingredient in Bangladesh, where babchi is used to treat vitiligo, eczema, and also found in some skincare. The co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is both age-defying and a potent antioxidant. It protects the skin from the damaging effects of sun exposure and free radicals; it also helps to reduce sun damage, even skin tone, and improve skin hydration. Marine algae extract is a potent age-defying botanical that increases cell turnover and collagen production, thus reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Amla (Indian gooseberry) is a super berry and is a highly regarded medicinal Ayurveda plant too. It contains copious amounts of vitamin C, which helps to fade hyperpigmentation, and has amino acids and antioxidants which also actively encourage collagen production. Acmella oleracea, in known to relax the facial muscles lessening muscle tension, and in turn softening the appearance of fine lines. The kahai (cacay oil) has high levels of vitamin A, linoleic acid, and vitamin E. Unsaponifiable olive oil replenishes the skin's lipid layer to restore skin suppleness and elasticity. The essential oil neroli is also here, which is said to be cytophylactic, meaning it helps with the creation of new skin cells. It's also the fragrance in the Face Oil. Finally, there is the olive squalane, this helps to slow down the transepidermal water loss and boosts skin moisture.

Because we have dry and dehydrated skin, we used about two or three pumps of the oil (rather than the suggested one or two). We applied it by massaging the oil gently into the face, neck and décolletage. It absorbed well, leaving a fine veil on the skin, which for us, made a good base for applying makeup – dare we suggest, that you could even add a pump of the oil to your foundation, to help it glide more gracefully onto the skin.  We love the neroli scent with its rich, honeyed floral notes and citrusy overtones, which always has a soothing effect on our mood and makes the ritual of applying this Face Oil even more pleasing…. What a joy this is to use, and we are so pleased to have finally tried this award-winning Super Age-Defying Organic Face Oil. We believe in supporting indie skincare brands like Poppy’s Natural Skincare, this is for many reasons. We find their products are created with great passion, love and care and always formulated with far more superior ingredients, which makes this another of our #amazingfinds!  To try the 30ml Super Age-Defying Organic Face Oil Bakuchiol & Amla, you can find it here for £75.00.

Lebarde: Natural Eye Cream Gold Bee

At The Amazing Blog, we think that bees are some of the most important living beings on Earth. After all, 70% of the world's agriculture depends exclusively on bees. We appreciate what they do and, in particular, the benefits that bee's nectar can give to our skin. Today we'd like to share Lebarde, a natural raw skincare made with bee nectar from Caucasian honey bees. It piqued our interest when they won an award in the 2021 The Beauty Shortlist Awards. They very kindly sent us their recent award-winning Natural Eye Cream Gold Bee to try.

Ever since a young age Maia Gigiberia, founder of Lebarde, has always lived a natural and healthy lifestyle, and being part of a family of pharmacists, growing up in Colchis, Georgia, it’s always made her curious about science and the natural world. Interestingly enough, Maia's ancestor was the daughter of King Colchis, who invented the first natural medicines and cosmetics. So, health and beauty come naturally to Maia. After struggling with sensitive skin and being unable to find skincare products that were natural and calming for her skin, Maia started researching local botanicals, florae and bees to create an all-natural, raw skincare range. And with that, she founded Lebarde in 2019. Lebarde has now has three skincare products in the range, made with 100% natural sourced ingredients from Colchis, Georgia's Alps Mountains and nectar of the Caucasian honey bees from the local plants. The Georgian mountains have vibrant flora and fauna which thrive in the non-polluted areas, creating a natural and clean environment where Lebarde sources to make their ingredients. In addition to these botanicals, Georgia is home to the Caucasian honey bee, where they've lived for around 5,500 years. What makes these bees so unique is that they have received 3 Gold medals at international events, where the Georgian Gold Bee has the most extended proboscis -7.3 mm, which is the longest among any the honey-bees; this means that they can extract nectar from the deepest nectar tissues where no other species can. Lebarde's skincare was recently selected as the Best Special Innovation finalist at Pure Beauty London awards 2020 and the Best Eye Cream Bronze Winner in the UK Global Makeup Awards 2021. 

Lebarde's Natural Eye Cream Gold Bee is natural and free from any artificial chemicals, synthetics, and preservatives and made with only eight simple and clean ingredients: water, olive oil, pin leaf oil, pine needle oil, beeswax, Royal jelly, damascene rose oil and jojoba oil,  The key ingredients here are the bee nectar (Royal jelly) and beeswax from the bees and endemic botanicals found in the Alp mountains of ancient Georgia, Colchis, making it rich in natural retinol, vitamin E, A, and C, antioxidants and natural fatty compounds.  Royal jelly has been found to speed up skin cell renewal, boosting collagen production and helping to protect against UV damage. Beeswax, apart from forming a protective layer that won't clog the pores, it's also full of vitamin A. This vitamin A is a natural retinol that helps to boost collagen around the eyes, reducing dark circles, fine lines, and wrinkles. There is also olive oil full of vitamins A, D, E, and K, which is not only moisturising but is like beeswax and Royal jelly and has strong antibacterial qualities. The pine leaf and pine needle oils here are antimicrobial and soothe skin stopping any inflammation or dryness. The jojoba oil is rich in vitamin E and mimics the skin's sebum, making it ideal for both dry and oily skin. The damascene rose oil is a volatile oil obtained from the fresh flower petals of Damask rose, which has a mild emollient action that helps retain moisture in the skin. Rich in vitamin A and C, the citral here promotes the formation of vitamin A, which helps regenerate the skin's epidermal cells. Combine these eight ingredients, and you have a potent and yet gentle, effective eye cream; which we found to be extremely hydrating and nourishing when applied both day and night. . With no artificial ingredients or fragrance in this Natural Eye Cream, you can almost feel the magic of honey bees, with its powerful anti-inflammatory properties that immediately help to calm any redness or irritation. We think this gentle and luxurious eye cream is perfect for all-natural and raw skincare lovers, and yes, it is another of our #amazingfinds.  To purchase 15ml Lebarde Natural Eye Cream, see here for £79.00. 

AYPA Terra Inka: Raw Face Balm with Copoazu, & Hydrosol with Andean Hierba Luisa

There’s something very comforting about knowing that we are nourishing our skin with products that are also kind to the earth. Today, we’re revisiting a brand whose top priority is their connection to the earth: Aypa Terra Inka. In June, we covered two products here from their Aypa Raw Collection, and today at The Amazing Blog we’re excited to feature two more with the Raw Face Balm with Copoazu and the Hydrosol with Andean Hierba Luisa .

Aypa’s journey began in 2009 when founder Mirella Crovetto travelled to the Andes in her native Peru, where she sought to develop a skincare and spa brand rooted in Andean traditional healing and botanicals. There she lived alongside indigenous communities as she learned about their philosophy of life, relationship to nature, and knowledge of plant-based healing techniques. Incorporating those teachings with her background in working with international cosmetics companies, Crovetto settled in Spain and officially launched Aypa in 2011. Aypa means ‘earth’ in the indigenous Quechuan language, symbolising the values that the Andean Inca culture holds for nature. At the intersection of tradition and innovation, Aypa’s philosophy and practices are best summarised by a quote from the founder herself: “I have recovered ancient Andean wellness recipes and, with a more personal view and experience of health and beauty, I have integrated them into our contemporary world, while staying true to the Andean values.” Aypa expresses these values through their organic, toxin-free, cruelty-free, and eco-friendly skincare and through the various skin and body treatments they offer at their exclusive Aypa Spa . We also love their products are in stylish glass container with integrated bamboo lids and in minimal packaging.

The first of today’s products is their award-winning Raw Face Balm with Copoazu, a handy balm that doubles both as a cleanser and a moisturiser. This balm has a 70% concentration of copoazu butter, an ingredient extracted from the copoazu fruit native to the Peruvian Amazon rainforests. The butter is rich in antioxidant polyphenols, phytosterols, and fatty acids, all of which work together to combat free radicals, reduce inflammation, and moisturises and hydrate the skin. This allows the copoazu butter to attract 240% more water than other types of butter, preventing trans-epidermal moisture loss and maintaining the skin’s elasticity. The Raw Face Balm with Copoazu also carries babasRsu oil, another ingredient native to the Amazon extracted from the seeds of the babassu palm. It includes phytosterols and antioxidants such as vitamin E, protecting the skin while soothing and regenerating it. To use it as a cleanser, apply the balm to dry skin and massage in circular motions, add warm water to the skin and let it emulsify and removes impurities, then rinse away thoroughly. You can use the balm on its own, they recommend pairing it with Aypa’s Quinoa Face Cleanser as part of a double-cleansing routine. To use as a moisturiser (our favourite), simply apply the balm to clean skin and leave it on overnight, cleansing with warm water in the morning, with a quick spritz of their Hydrosol to freshen up. As all Aypa products go through strict screening process to ensure that they are organic and toxin-free, the Raw Face Balm with copoazu is suitable for all skin types. In addition, Aypa sources all the ingredients ethically and sustainably, and packaging is minimalist and eco-friendly. We’re thrilled to find that the Raw Face Balm with copoazu is just as kind to our faces as it is to the environment.

The second product is the Hydrosol with Andean Hierba Luisa, a toner and mist that is suitable for all skin types and is neither comedogenic nor photo-sensitising. The key ingredient in this product is hierba luisa, also known as lemon beebrush, a plant native to the Peruvian Andes used for its medicinal and therapeutic properties since ancient times. Distilling the essential oil of hierba luisa results in the aromatic hydrosol that captures the cellular water of the living plant. This nutrient, mineral, and antioxidant-rich hydrosol provides plenty of benefits: it fights oxidative stress and prevents ageing, calms skin irritation, reduces pore size, evens skin tone, regulates sebum production, and refreshes skin to produce an instant glow. You can use the Hydrosol as a cleanser, facial toner, or hydrating mist. To apply close your eyes and spray the pump about three times over your face, allowing time for your skin to absorb it afterwards. The Hydrosol is refreshing and hydrating with a soft zesty scent. With the hierba luisa it’s organic, pure, toxin-free, and contains no other fragrances or essential oils, so it’s suitable for all skin types, including sensitive ones. It’s also comforting to know that Aypa holds this Hydrosol to the same eco-friendly and ethical standards as their other products. Luckily, you don’t have to travel to Peru to experience the benefits of these very special traditional Andean raw botanicals! You can purchase the 50ml Raw Face Balm with Copoazu for 59.00€ here and the 100ml Hydrosol with Andean Hierba Luisa for 38.00€ here . The full range from the Aypa Raw Collection rates very highly with us, and we highly recommend these as another of our skincare #amazingfinds.

Nêô Sephiri's: Pure Kalahari Melon Facial Oil

At The Amazing Blog, regular readers will know that we love introducing new skincare ingredients together with their extraordinary benefits. Today it’s with Pure Kalahari Melon Facial Oil from South African skincare Nêô Sephiri. Kalahari melon seed oil is something that we have discussed before here, but only as one of many in skincare. This time, it’s exclusively as a solo ingredient..

Nêô Sephiri is a luxury skincare brand dedicated to only selling their Pure Kalahari Melon Facial Oil. The brand's name means 'a secret gift' in Tswana and was founded in 2020 by Olga and Bernard van Vuuren after ten years of researching the properties of Kalahari melon seed oii. This Kalahari region of Africa has been experiencing regular harsh droughts caused by climate change, many plants were dying, leaving this melon as one of few to adapt to the extreme conditions. For some reason the native Kalahari Melon, an indigenous plant, has survived and evolved in these desert conditions for hundred’s of years. This melon is citrullus vulgaris, ’the first wild watermelon, coming in all shapes and sizes with a yellow colour and is only grown in region of the Kalahari. They are far from the refreshing watermelons that we all know and love and have a very bitter taste. Bernard first discovered the ingredient while completing his PhD in Biochemistry in England after his uncle, a farmer within the Kalahari Basin, contacted him to investigate the potential of this oil. He discovered these melon seeds could be cold-pressed and filtered to produce a 100% nutritious oil to treat the skin. Co-founder Dr Bernard van Vuuren said, "What I really want people to understand is that this one ingredient can serve 80% of your skin's needs by promoting skin health and restoring skin barrier function." His wife Olga also had a very positive experience with this cold-pressed Kalahari melon seed oil when it changed her skin for the better. It healed her sunburn, windburn and post spots scarring, and she says that it repaired her skin even when it was in the most desperate states. Together they created a prototype and were astounded by the influx of positive comments they received from people with various skin concerns. The Pure Kalahari Melon Facial Oil helped to soothe acne, rehydrate skin and even decrease scar marks. Friends began to use the oil on their babies for baby massage and on their baby bumps. Hence, Neo Sephiri was born as a vegan certified, sustainable, ethical, skincare. In addition to harvesting from their local accredited organic farm in Kalahari Basin, they also cold press, filter, and bottle the oil themselves. Which gives back to the community by providing support, jobs, opportunities and livelihood to help the economy and indigenous people grow. This also guarantees the quality and purity of their products. The brand commented, "Our mission is embedded into our company foundation documents, and we are fully focused on achieving meaningful and lasting social impact for communities in the Kalahari Basin." Sustainability is at the forefront of Nêô Sephiri and its ethos with a multifaceted approach, encompassing ecological, economic and social impact and being part of the Cambridge Social Ventures cohort. All the waste from the melon's harvesting process is returned to the same land as the next harvests' fertiliser, and any excess from the oil production, is returned to the farm, as high protein animal feed. The brand has already gained international recognition, and are recent winners of The 2021 Beauty Shortlists Editor’s Choice and the Best New Sustainable Skincare Product in the Pure Beauty Global 2021 Awards.

Pure Kalahari Melon Facial Oil is currently Nêô Sephri’s only product. It is 100% natural, cruelty-free, fragrance-free, and of course, vegan. This unrefined cold-pressed facial oil is packed with essential fatty acids and vitamins; the fatty acids repair at the cellular level, building resilience against irritants and environmental stressors. Other antioxidants in the oil reinforce the skin barriers lipid matrix causing the skin to look firmer, reduce wrinkles and promote elasticity. In addition, this oil locks in hydration to enhance moisture for a natural glow. Repairing the integrity of the skin barrier reduces inflammation, scar marks and offers a soothing effect. Compared to other plant oils, Kalahari melon seed oil has more antioxidants with vitamin A.C and E and 70% omega-6 linoleic acid than most other African oils. It contains five times more vitamin E than argan oil and almost ten times more than marula oil. The natural tocopherol vitamin E (not the lab version of ‘tocopherol acetate’) is a fantastic ingredient that we all look for in our skincare products as it nourishes and hydrates. Linoleic acid gives this oil its fast-absorbing quality and promotes natural oil production. It’s a dry facial oil that is excellent for all skin types: particularly sensitive, dry, oily, acne-prone, and combination (see here for their Tested on Reactive Skin). For all readers with dry skin, this oil is ideal due to its essential nutrients that nourish the skin and boost skin health. And for those with oily and acne-prone skin, don't overlook this oil. Its lightweight formula leaves skin with the perfect amount of oil to not over clog pores and controls sebum production. Why not make a direct impact on the communities of Kalahari Basin, and add this unique facial oil to your skincare collection. We love how pure, lightweight and easily it absorbed into the skin, best of all it’s a facial oil that leaves little or no residue! With just three to five drops, It really does bring a little luxurious glow to the skin. We gently massaging it into the face and neck using any leftover oil for hands and cuticles. This is truly another one one of our #amazingfinds with this magical natural ingredient. To purchase Nêô Sephiri's 30ml Pure Kalahari Melon Facial Oil see here for £85.00.