Friday Favourites: Make-Up We Love

We here at The Amazing Blog are true beauty junkies. Whether we’re obsessing over a new lipstick or testing out a bold eye shadow, we just can’t get enough.

Out of all the cosmetics to choose from, it’s hard to know what to buy and which products are truly worthy of our praise. Thankfully, today’s post contains four of our favourites, so you’ll know they’ve passed our product quality test.

 

Wish you had eyebrows like Cara Delevingne or Lily Collins? We are totally into the bold brow trend, which is why we have started using Threads Beauty’s ‘Crayon De Sourcil’ to make our thick eyebrow dreams come true.

Threads & Beauty’s ‘Crayon De Sourcil’ is a semi-permanent mineral brow pencil that lines, defines and fills in the brow instantly. Made with carnauba Wax, bees wax, cocoa butter, shea butter and manganese violet, this richly pigmented pencil enhances the appearance of the brows by boosting their fullness and boldness and protects the layer of skin around the brows. The pencil tip mimics the appearance of tiny hairs, evenly distributing and smoothing brow hairs while providing natural looking shape and contour.

If you want model-inspired brows, you can purchase the ‘Crayon De Sourcil’ for £15.00 here and choose between black, brown and coffee shades. You can also purchase them at the Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge.

 

A glowing complexion doesn’t always come naturally, so for the days when we want a little something extra, we reach for the Glow Up powder from Ellis Faas. It comes in three shades and plays with the light around you for an effortless glow. Since the powder contains vitamin E, you’ll be protected from the outside environment, and it’s free of parabens and oils so it won’t weigh your skin down.

For a soft shimmer, dust the powder onto the spots where light hits your face first: the bridge of your nose, your upper cheekbones, your Cupid’s bow and your collarbone. This will emphasis strong bone structure, bringing forth a young and vibrant appearance.

To get your own Glow Up powder, head to the Ellis Faas website here and get the powder and a compact holder for £22.


We always love a fabulous lip product, whether we’re heading to the office or out with our friends on a weekend. Since red-toned shades are our signature, we loved the Dissolved in Dreams lipstick from Rouge Bunny Rouge. It’s the perfect shade combining the best parts of red and coral lipsticks.

The finish of this lipstick was unlike any other we have tried. It’s wasn’t matte or sheen, but rather gave us a dewy, classic finish. It stays comfortable and soft all day long, and won’t dry out your lips like other lipstick finishes might. Its vitamin E formula nourishes and protects, while filling in fine lines and ultimately making sure your lips look their best. Even though the shadows provides shimmer, they don't feel rough or gritty like some other shimmer lipsticks might.

Try out this lip colour for yourself by heading to the Rouge Bunny Rouge website here and picking it up for £24.

For the times when we’d rather focus on creating a fun eye shadow look rather than concentrating on a statement lipstick, we reach for the Mineral Eye Shadow Quads from Mary Kay. With these palettes, you don’t need to figure out which shades will work well with one another, since they’re already chosen for you.

The shadows combine matte and shimmer shades that allow you to add variety to your look as you choose. You can use all of the colours or just one, giving you an infinite amount of creativity. The colours are long-lasting and glided onto our eyelids so smoothly without any irritation. Plus, the shades work with every skin tone and eye colour, so everyone in the office could try out the shades and they looked great on all of us.

Head here to get your favourite eye shadow quad for only £10.

Skin Chemists Bee Venom

The harsh "sting" of realising that your skin may be ageing is quite painful, but the ladies here at The Amazing Blog know just how to prevent signs of ageing through the use of high-quality skincare products. The bee venom serum from Skin Chemists doesn’t involve getting stung by a bee, but rather combines the skin-loving powers of Manuka honey and bee venom into a unique skincare experience.

In Egypt, Greece and millennium China, beehive-based treatments have been greatly idolized for their repairing, revitalizing and anti-inflammatory benefits. Treatments that utilize beehive ingredients, such as honey, propolis, royal yellow and venom, are known as apitherapy products. With the rise of modern medicine, apitherapy practices were seen less often, so Skin Chemists brought this ancient and effective practice back to life in 2013 with their line of natural products.

The key ingredients in this serum work together to brighten your complexion and reduce the signs of ageing, since the Manuka honey hydrates, repairs and soothes skin. Additionally, the serum restores the epidermis, as the bee venom improves blood circulation, which stimulates the regeneration of the epidermis. In turn, your skin will feel firmer, smoother and plumper after just one use. 

Experience all the buzz about this product yourself when you purchase it here for £135.

Newby Teas - Masala Chai Black Tea

There's something quite therapeutic about sitting down with a warm cup of tea at the end of a long work day. Here at The Amazing Blog we take our tea time seriously, so we expect only the best from our favourite hot beverage. After trying the Masala Chai Tea from Newby Teas, we knew we’d found our new evening favourite, savouring every cup we pour.

The award-winning tea blend is influenced by traditional Indian culture, staying true to its roots with only natural ingredients. The chai blend contains the finest whole leaf Assam Black Tea, and when combined with cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper and ginger, it becomes a true artisan beverage. For an extra indulgence, we added a slice or two of orange, a cinnamon stick and a drop of honey. As well as looking extremely aesthetically pleasing, it added an extra dimension to the delicious tea. The enticing aroma alone will have you craving another cup before you've finished the first.

Pick up your own silken tea pyramids here for £5.85 and be transported into the wonderful world of gourmet tea. 

Chulo Naturals - Charcoal Spa Range

There's something a bit counter-intuitive about rubbing coal on your face, but so many brands offer activated charcoal masks that it has become the norm in the world of beauty. Used to unclog pores and clear away impurities, there's nothing better for perfecting a smooth and clarified complexion. Here at The Amazing Blog, our latest obsession has become Chulo Naturals new Charcoal Spa range, which offers a wonderful selection of skin clarifying products.

First used medicinally by the Ancient Egyptians, the antique ingredient helped to keep wounds clean. Ahead of their time in so many ways, the Egyptians had charcoal sussed for its detoxifying properties thousands of years before we thought to give it a try! Nowadays, its natural ability to draw unwanted toxins from the body make it the perfect natural ingredient to treat acne and other skin problems.

As opposed to only offering a mask, as other companies often do, Charcoal Spa have monopolised on the beautifying potential of charcoal. All 100% organic, the brand have a range of charcoal products, including the Detoxifying Salt ScrubDetoxifying Face Mask and Charcoal Soap. The Salt Scrub is perfect for exfoliating and brightening the complexion, whilst the Charcoal Soap is a wonderfully gentle cleanser, perfect for everyday use. My personal favourite is the Face Mask. Its deep cleansing properties have really helped to brighten my complexion, leaving my skin feeling super soft after use.

Want to explore the benefits of charcoal for yourself? Head to the website now to grab your own set of charcoal products for £25.00.

Popcorn Kitchen Popcorn

Here at The Amazing Blog we love a snack that is low in unhealthy ingredients and high in good taste. With the delicious popcorn flavours from Popcorn Kitchen, we can indulge without guilt. The popcorn is free of gluten, dairy, nut, soya and GMO. It’s vegan as well, so foodies of all kinds can enjoy their original flavours.

The main method of success for Popcorn Kitchen is the way they prepare their popcorn. In their humble beginnings, they used to pop corn in a giant, stainless steel kettle at small festivals and food fairs. After a lot of positive feedback from consumers, they were encouraged to start a small business in order to sell their popcorn to a wider audience.

They only use “real” ingredients, meaning products you can find in your kitchen cupboard rather than artificial flavourings. Their passion for gourmet artisan popcorn and the use of traditional handmade preparation methods make them a brand to watch.

The four iconic popcorn flavours include: Sweet & Salt, Sweet Chili, Sea Salt & Olive Oil and Simply Sweet. The Sweet Chili flavour was even a winner of a Great Taste Gold Star in 2014. Since the brand strives through their originality, the flavours they offer make for an enjoyable and unique popcorn experience. Rather than mindless eating plain kernels while watching a film, you can enjoy a true popcorn experience that is sure to please.

You can find the popcorn at a variety of grocery stores and farm shops, including but not limited to: Selfridges, Keelham Farm Shop, Monkshill Farm Shop and Natural Kitchen London. The popcorn is also available for purchase in bulk on the Popcorn Kitchen website to enjoy the great taste again and again.