face oils

Sanatio Naturalis: Precious Oil Treatment

When it comes to skin nourishment, face oils are always our first choice, with bonus points given if they’re also natural and sustainable. At The Amazing Blog, we couldn’t resist featuring one of our favourites with its abundance of organic oils, the Precious Oil Treatment from the award-winning botanical and sustainable brand Sanatio Naturalis.

Sanatio Naturalis was created in 2015 by founder Valerie Ruonan Shi, and we wrote the brand in 2017 featuring their Lavender essential oil, see here.  The essential oil and aromatherapy range were developed with the help of leading aromatherapist and author Daniele Ryman. Sanatio Naturalis is a British brand that incorporates the healing powers of botanicals, and the Latin name itself means 'the healing power of nature’. As Valerie says, "The holistic beauty secrets of plants have been passed from generation to generation. The ancient Greeks shared them, inspiring our Latin name, Sanatio Naturalis." The brand has raw and organic natural ingredients, all of which are sustainably sourced. "We place great importance on the origins of our raw materials. We travel the world in search of plants and oils." These all have full traceability with ingredients like geranium comes from Egypt, rose is cultivated in Bulgaria (4,000 kg of rose petals are needed to obtain 1 kg of the essence), lavender is from Haute Provence (France); lemons are harvested in southern Italy and frankincense from Somalia. Ingredients are all COSMOS Certified Organic, cruelty-free and vegan; these are ethically grown and harvested raw, therefore, free from preservatives, fillers, and chemicals; made without any parabens, or phthalates, sulphates, mineral oil, petroleum, synthetic colours and fragrances. In 2020, the brand supported COVID-19 pandemic NHS workers by giving away one product for each product purchased to NHS staff members. Since its inception, Sanatio Naturalis has worked tirelessly to perfect its formulas, which has earned them several awards, including Eluxe Magazine's 2018 Best Up and Coming Beauty Brand, and of course the 2022 Beauty Shortlist Awards, Editor’s Choice Winner.

Precious Oil Treatment is a concentrated face oil full of nutrients combining antioxidants, vitamins, and essential fatty acids. This blend is created to awaken the skin, and help it reach its optimum potential by restoring elasticity and hydration. As they say, "This silky light, nourishing oil absorbs instantly, leaving skin feeling smooth, supple and soft. A nourishing complex of 8 mostly organic luxurious oils to help restore firmness and elasticity, including jojoba, prickly pear, safflower, camellia seed, rosehip, argan, sunflower and cacay oil, it delivers immediate nourishment and radiant glow in just a few drops." This oil is also infused with calendula, edelweiss, and red-flowered silk cotton tree.

First, let's begin with the benefits of the oils. Jojoba is known to nourish your skin with hydration and vitamins; it also leaves skin feeling soft, silky, and smooth. Argan oil is easily absorbed by the skin, to give a glowing complexion. Prickly pear seed oil is an unusual raw ingredient on the list. This oil has antibacterial and antioxidant properties. It also carries different vitamins, omegas, and fatty acids to help reverse signs of ageing and improve firmness. Cacay oil with its high doses of vitamin E and 68% linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid), stimulates the renewal of cells to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles. Rosehip oil is full of vitamin C and works to stimulate collagen and heal scars. Camellia oil is used to retain hydration and promote soft and silky skin to reduce signs of ageing. Sunflower oil is used for skin hydration. Last but not least, safflower oil helps hydrate skin and soothe inflammation as it's filled with linoleic acid and vitamins B6 and E.

Then there are the three skin-protecting ingredients: edelweiss extract, calendula, and red-flowered silk cotton. Edelweiss extract is a natural anti-ageing agent and sun protectant. It acts as a powerful antioxidant, more potent than vitamin C, so it helps skin stay plump and smooth. It also helps protect from harmful UVA/UVB rays and helps repair damage caused by harmful free radicals. Calendula oil is made by infusing marigolds steeped in a carrier oil such as olive or jojoba oil. This blend helps with irritation and soothes skin with its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Last but not least, we have red-flowered silk cotton. Found in Africa, this tree has parts that hold medicinal properties. Using the thorny part from the stem, this ingredient helps prevent damage from UV rays and toxic pollutants and supports the skin's natural defences.

Natural essential oils are added to give it a fresh aroma. "Naturally fragranced with a precious blend of therapeutic essential oils including Neroli and Jasmine to relax and soothe the senses, and provide an immediate sensation of well-being." The Precious Oil Treatment is easy to incorporate into your skincare; Sanatio Naturalis recommends applying a couple of drops onto cleansed and fresh skin day or night. We even added a drop to our moisturiser to enhance its hydration. It feels deliciously luxurious and can work well with any other skincare used, the fragrance of this oil won’t conflictt with its subtle jasmine/neroli scent. Not only is the product itself perfect for nourishment, but it comes in a sustainable small white 30ml glass bottle with a dropper and recyclable box. It also makes a perfect travel companion fitting into hand luggage for those sunny weekends away. You can purchase the 30ml Precious Oil Treatment here for £60.

Jane Scrivner - Balance Skin Elixir

edwinas thursday At The Amazing Blog we're true lovers of a good oil - we're just obsessed with hair oils, body oils and face oils. One of our early discoveries this year has been Jane Scrivner's Balance Skin Elixir. It claims to balance every skin type - from dry, to oily and dehydrated. Since December I've been using a face oil every evening, and ever since the texture and the appearance of my dry (now normal-ish) skin has dramatically changed for the good. When Jane Scrivner's Balancing Skin Elixir arrived to The Amazing Blog's HQ, I was running out of my regular serum of choice and I decided to give it a go - and I'm completely taken with it.

Jane Scrivner's Balance Skin Elixir's main ingredient is Jojoba - perfect for dry, dehydrated and oily skin alike... contradictory in terms, but it actually makes sense. Jojoba penetrates deep and merges with the skin's natural oils, tricking the skin to reduce or increase - in order to regulate - the production of sebum, transforming your skin to a balanced canvas.

My skin absorbes this fantastic oil almost instantly, leaving it soft, supple and healthy-looking and feeling. I just squeeze one pump onto my fingers, warm it rubbing my fingers and patting it onto my skin (not rubbing it). It is perfect either by itself or under your regular moisuriser.

As I said, I've been using face oils for a couple of weeks now, and the overall appearance of my skin has changed for the better. My skin is no longer dry  (it's much less dehydrated now) and I've found that oils have helped me a  fading scars (I have a small electrolysis scar just above my lip). At The Amazing Blog we can't recommend using face oils/serums enough and Jane Scrivner's has quickly become one of our favourites.  A little goes a long way and this 30ml bottle is still going strong - so a good price at £29 - which will probably last anything between - 30 to 60 days. We will also be writing about her Nourishing Cleanser which has been a real hit with Lara - but you'll just have to wait until February to read her review :o)