2020 Beauty Shortlist Awards

Quarnero: Fleur de Sel Relax Bath Salts

With winter still upon us here, at The Amazing Blog we love taking a hot bath at the end of the day, to warm up before bed and soak away the day. We've recently featured a few different bath products, but today we have an exceptional and award-winning brand Quarnero, with their delicate and unique Fleur de Sel Relax bath salts. 

Quarnero was founded by mother and son Zorica and Rešid Seferović, and is based in the Kvarner region in Croatia. They produce natural and organic face & body oils and bath salts, which have up until recently, been primarily created for the spa and salon sector. Their ingredients are mainly derived from the local region where the wild plants flourish in the clean air, and the unpolluted Dalmatian shoreline gives life to their fleur de sel. Otherwise, other key organic ingredients such as organic cold-pressed sesame oil and a few of the essentials oils are carefully sourced from selected organic locations. They use organic biodynamic plant actives combined with their time-honoured knowledge of ancient medicinal remedies to bring these select products to life – for Quarnero their brand ethos is to get’ back to basics’ and ‘less is more’. All products have the prized certification from NATRUE, International Natural and Organic Cosmetics Association https://www.natrue.org, who are committed to promoting and protecting global natural and organic cosmetics. All Quarnero products are handmade, vegan and delivered in solid, simple apothecary-style jars with Miron violet glass. Interestingly, this violet glass is scientifically proven to maintain fresh ingredients longer than clear glass. It also acts as a barrier preventing the loss of bioenergy, enzymes, smell or colour from the product stored within, making preservatives less necessary. The brand is now available in 39 countries, with six products in total, which are within the two ranges of Face & Body Oils and Bath Salts.

These Fleur de Sel Relax bath salts were a recent Wellbeing Winner, named as the Best Bath Soak at the global 2020 Beauty Shortlist Awards. As the name suggests, these contain the beautiful fleur de sel crystals, together with Quarnero organic botanical oils. When poured into the bath, this heady mix is slow to dissolve, fragrancing the water which in turn, absorbs into the pores relaxing the body. Any undissolved fleur de sea crystals can also be used to gently exfoliate and stimulate the lymph,as well as improving the skin's texture by making it soft and smooth. Fleur de sel is a salt enriched with natural minerals such as calcium, magnesium and iodine from the Adriatic Sea. It forms in oceanic conditions in seawater; it’s flaky, fragile and forms either as flat mass or as hollow pyramids, which look like angular delicate flowers (hence the name ‘flower of salt’). These bloom and float on the surface and are carefully harvested by hand. Fleur de sel is known as the purest form of salt on earth, as it contains no impurities or bitterness from the sea. Its been a tried and tested formula for therapeutic bathing since the Roman Empire and some even say that these salts have the aroma of violets.  Apart from the salts, other ingredients include oils from lavender, bergamot orange peel and geranium leafLavender, as we know, relieves stress and aids sleep. Bergamot has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and soothes the skin. The geranium leaf has been used as far back as the Egyptians in tea to alleviate anxiety and fatigue. When I opened the jar of Relax Bath Salt, it immediately filled the room with its notes of lavender, bergamot, geranium leaf; and the potent fleur de sel. Another one of our #amazingfinds, it was deliciously intoxicating and from just opening the lid, I could slightly ‘taste’ the saltiness in the air. I can honestly say, that I could not get enough of these Relax bath salts. They made me feel uplifted, and yet tranquil, relaxed and at peace. With all the lockdown, stress and anxiety – what better way to soak away the worries of the day and get a good night’s sleep? To purchase the Relax Bath Salt in 450g at €94,49 please email info@quarnero.hr for enquiries due to the online shop currently being unavailable.

Barker & Sloane - Daily Defender Protecting Moisturiser

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When it comes to daily skin routine, you’ve often told us that you get more than a little overwhelmed by the large number of skincare brands to choose from… Today at The Amazing Blog we’d like to introduce you to a British newcomer Barker and Sloane with their Daily Defender Protecting Moisturiser. What attracted us to this brand is that they are a natural skincare from the heart of the English countryside using quintessentially British ingredients.

Barker and Sloane was founded by Claire Barker, who is passionate about the rural environment and is also a professional beekeeper. She left the corporate life to launch this successful skincare business which also integrates their honey-based elements into these products. Claire loves nothing better than to spend most of her time outside with nature, be It participating in all the different country pursuits or taking part in her local shoot. Therefore, when it comes to being exposed to the sun on a daily basis or having skin dehydration, no one understands your needs here better than her! With all the above being said, and in case you needed more reasons to try Barker and Sloane, they recently won an award in the 2020 Beauty Shortlist (Editor’s Choice) for their Overnight Recovery Repairing Night Cream. They certainly get our vote for being 100% natural which means no parabens, no mineral oils, no SLS’s, no phthalates, no lanolin, no artificial fragrances.

As mentioned, the product we’re focusing on today is their Daily Defender, Protecting Moisturiser. This perfect skin protector has the key ingredient of marine algae, a seaweed with abundant vitamins, minerals, antioxidants here to help nourish and fight skin issues. There are also plant actives which include fruit, plant, and flower-based ingredients that act like miracle workers. They’re often used to get rid of acne, smooth wrinkles, hydrate, repair and rejuvenate the skin cells.  These plant actives here are the white poppy seed oil, which is an emollient ingredient that contains vitamin E to feed the skin and has a high concentration of linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid) making it an excellent choice as a barrier for damaged and sensitive skin. It also rebalances the sebum production of the skin and helps to relax a tired face. The jojoba oil too is known for helping the skin to produce its natural oil and works as a deep hydrator. Whereas the Raspberry seed and avocado oils serve as great boosters for skin repair. This moisturiser also contains wonderful fatty acids that aid in building a good and healthy skin membrane, the natural skin oil layer that helps keep your skin hydrated and younger-looking. Just like its name says, the Daily Defender has antioxidants that will help your skin fight against the UV rays (however this doesn’t contain any SPF!) As you all know, long term exposure to UV hastens premature ageing, making this little gem a no brainer for those who are in the countryside, or spending most of their time outdoors. It’s so important to shield our skin, after all, who wants wrinkles, sunburns, age spots, and discoloration? This Daily Defender with all its actives will act as a great first layer to your skin’s defensive strategy and will guarantee a much brighter and smoother skin, boosting elasticity and stopping trans-epidermal water loss which causes dehydration of the skin. Charmed by this little Daily Defender? Then you too can purchase their 10ml bottle costs £12 and the 50ml bottle £55 here.