Argan oil

Douvall's Argan & Ungurahua Oil Shampoo & Conditioner

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Most people when you mention Argan oil, think about it from a culinary perspective and their gastronomic trips to Morocco. However, here at The Amazing Blog we want to talk about it as a key ingredient in skin and hair care. For centuries women in the Arab Maghreb have been using Argan oil for its beneficial properties in their hair. Today we’re featuring Douvall's latest launch of Argan & Ungurahua Shampoo and Conditioner. Douvall’s were one of the first British brands to use organic Argan oil here in the UK.  We’ve reviewed their Moisturiser here and more recently, their Organic Hemp & Argan Oil and  Cannabis & Argan Oil here. Knowing how much we love their products, we couldn’t wait to try these! 

As mentioned previously, Douvall's is a British make-up and skincare brand whose key ingredient is organic Argan oil, founded by mother and daughter, Alicia and Georgia Douvall.  They produce vegan, cruelty-free, eco-friendly cosmetics made from only natural ingredients. They use no chemicals, artificial fragrances, sulphates, parabens or alcohol and the brand also commits to support charitable causes such as the breast cancer charity The Haven. They also partner with the women's cooperatives that produce their argan oils in Morocco. This partnership has led to the construction of a school and a reforestation project. 

The Shampoo and Conditioner look quite similar; the packaging is recyclable brown plastic pump bottles which are useful as it allows us to see how much product we’ve used. The label is a pale salmon pink with gold and black writing which makes the duo both girly and aesthetically pleasing. The fragrance of each is natural and subtle where we could easily pick out green tea extract. The key ingredients in both are Argan oil (which we know about) with its antioxidants, vitamin E, omega 3,6 and 9. The other, Ungurahua oil was new to us. It derives from the rainforests of Central and South America, dating back centuries to the time of the indigenous people. It is high in unsaturated fatty acids, especially oleic acid and due to its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, Ungurahua is also considered to be one of the best remedies for treating scalp problems, especially itchy dandruff and hair loss. Plus, it stimulates the regeneration of follicle cells. Impressive!  We wonder if this will set the trend, and we’ll see more hair care containing this new ingredient soon. 

They both also contain the same ingredients such as organic green tea, aloe leaf, rosemary leaf, honeysuckle flower and raspberry leaf. The Shampoo complements the Conditioner perfectly. We particularly like that they are both colour safe, which we find this is a rare find in the world of organic and natural hair care. As one of us has coloured, long, fine and curly hair, this cetainly set a challenge. Not only did it step-up to the mark but actually detangled without damaging and left hair silky, shiny and soft to the touch. Will we be buying more? Absolutely! To purchase 275ml Argan & Unguraha Oil Shampoo for £24 and the 275ml Conditioner for £26 see here.

 

Untamed ™ The Defrizz Wave Tame Machine Hairdryer

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As regular readers will know, at The Amazing Blog we’re always trying to find you ‘something a little bit different…’ Well, today we’ve got a truly new and innovative product. Think hairdryer but with a spritz, in fact, an Argan spritz!  Say goodbye to frizzy hair and meet Untamed

Untamed has an impeccable pedigree in the world of hairdressing. They’ve had years of experience working with top hairdressers and premium brands, which is when they saw a gap in the market for those (like us) who complain about their unruly frizzy locks. Having spent over two years perfecting this unique hairdryer/ styling tool, they said: “ This is the most amazing styling tool for all hair types. We want to bring an end to frizzy hair. Our Untamed™ defrizz wave tame machine is more than a hairdryer it is a styling tool. It is unique and a UK first”. This little beauty first came to our attention when it won the Editors Choice for the Beauty Shortlist 2020 Awards. It has taken hair drying to a whole new level dispensing Argan oil on your hair as you blow-dry.  What could be better timing to purchase such a product, when we’re all missing our wonderful hairdressers and scrambling to get our hair looking good enough for our Zoom parties or work meetings.  

Thrilled to be one of the first to try out this Untamed™ in isolation, it has cheered me up no end!  As we’re always extolling the virtues of Argan oil in different products here, you’ll see we’re big fans of this magical oil, particularly for dry skin or hair.  The oil contains vitamin E and fatty acids and has antioxidant properties, so it has all bases covered.  I started out being a little sceptical as my hair is very fine, curly and flyaway and I was nervous about spritzing Argan oil after a conditioner in case it made it flat and lifeless.  However, I’m happy to report my fears were ill-founded – it was far from flat or greasy giving me only a lustrous finish. Following their advice, I part dried my hair first and used the Argan oil sparingly, I’d recommend you go slowly at first as everyone’s hair is different.  It is quite easy to use, powerful and yet lightweight.  Putting the Argan oil spritzer onto the hair drying nozzle was super easy but you can check out the video clip on their website if you need it here. I found the heat came out evenly, so it won’t damage the hair over time.  Also after reading the blurb, I discovered that emitting negative ions was also helping stop static and frizz, who would have thought? Well, Untamed™ did!  In addition to the 5 other settings, I finished with the cold shot to keep everything smooth; as we all know, it’s something hairdressers always do at the end of the blow-dry.  The Argan oil bottles do of course run out, how quickly depends on how often you use them, but you can refill with any other Argan hair oil.  I loved this Untamed with or without the Argan oil. It gave me the results I wanted and I found it to be quicker and kinder than other hairdryers I’ve used. I’m happy to report that the home blow-dry just got professional! To get your Untamed™ for £69.99  with 3x 5ml Argan oil bottles and 3 x different styling nozzles see here.

Douvall’s - Skin-High: Organic Hemp & Argan Oil and Cannabis & Argan Oil

We don’t know about you, but recently we seem to be plagued by dry skin. Maybe it’s caused by #stayhome #staysafe stress or perhaps the constantly fluctuating change in temperature. In our search for a solution, we’ve returned to one of our favourite and trusted brands Douvall’s, who recently launched two skincare products in their Skin High collection. In the past, some of you will have seen that we’ve written about one of their hero products the Organic Argan Oil Moisturiser here.  At The Amazing Blog what we like about argan oil is that it’s a one-stop ingredient for skin, hair and nails. Today we are exploring their products that combine their hero cold-pressed organic argan oil with both organic hemp and cannabidiol.

Douvalls are best known as a trailblazer with their cold-pressed organic argan oil skincare. Created by mother and daughter Alicia and Georgia Douvall, it’s an award-winning range that harnesses the benefits of organic argan oil either using it pure and combining with other ingredients for their skincare, makeup and more recently hair care too. This is a responsible and eco-conscious company that gives back to the planet. They are also natural, cruelty-free, vegan and contains no chemicals, toxins, artificial fragrance, sulphates, parabens or alcohol. They work closely with The Breast Cancer Haven charity and partner with women’s cooperatives in Morocco where their argan oil is sustainably harvested.

Let’s start with Skin-High Organic Hemp & Argan Oil but don’t get confused with this and their Skin-High Cannabis & Argan Oil. The difference between these two is the ingredients of either hemp or cannabidiol (CBD etc).  The hemp oil is made from seeds of the hemp plant whereas cannabidiol is made from leaves, flowers and stalks of the hemp plant. Both offer their own potent health benefits. Hemp oil is simply obtained by a basic cold pressing extraction; whereas cannabidiol (CBD etc) has to go through a complex and expensive extraction method (known as supercritical CO2 extraction). All ingredients for the Organic Hemp & Argan oil are 100% eco-certified and contain simply 50/50 of each and only that! This rich and powerful oil glides effortlessly onto the skin, rich in linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) and vitamin E. The combination of organic pressed argan and hemp oils here have many extra health-enhancing minerals, such as phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulphur, calcium, iron and zinc. Rich and nutritious, a little goes a long way; it’s great to use by itself or a few drops mixed with your regular moisturiser for added benefit. And in case you are wondering, it’s CBD and THC free and only has the faintest natural hemp oil scent. This comes in two sizes 50ml at £48 see  here or 15ml at £18 see here.

Next is the Skin-High Cannabis & Argan Oil made from cannabidiol and cold-pressed organic argan oil; the argan here contains a high concentration of antioxidants (including oleic acid and linoleic acid) which helps to fight ageing by neutralising free radicals which damage cells. Whereas the 200 milligrams of full-spectrum cannabidiol (CBD,CBDA,CBDV,CBC and CBG) offers this and so much more.  As cannabidiol is produced using the whole plant, it naturally contains very high levels of CBD as well as other organic compounds, known as phytocannabinoids and terpenes. It protects against oxidation and reduces sebum due to its anti-inflammatory properties. It nourishes and hydrates helping the skin to absorb vital nutrients with its high concentration in vitamins A, D and E together with a balance of essential fatty acids (omega 3, 6 and 9 in the same proportions). The cannabidiols also treat skin disorders like dry skin, psoriasis, and eczema. They say it is THC free but the packaging states that it’s full spectrum too (?) Douvall’s, we’re a little confused here… However, we loved the texture and were surprised by its divine delicate and slightly grape-like fragrance. I think out of the two ‘Skin-High’ products this was our favourite. We recommend this as a night oil, as it left skin feeling soft, boosted and revitalised in the morning. This also comes in two sizes, where you can purchase 50ml for £58 here or 15ml for £20 here.

Ylang Ylang, Argan & Rosemary Shampoo and Conditioner by AA Skincare from Amphora Aromatics

It is no secret that The Amazing Blog holds natural beauty products above all others. Amphora Aromatic's natural skincare range, AA Skincare, has come out with new plant inspired natural shampoos, which have obviously caught our eye. With six new shampoo and conditioner sets to chose from we decided to put their Ylang Ylang, Argan & Rosemary Conditioning shampoo and conditioner to the test. It's worth noting that the conditioner is vegan, however the shampoo contains honey so is only suitable for vegetarians.

The first thing to say is that this product smells utterly amazing. The delicate but fragrant notes of the Ylang Ylang are the first thing to wash over you and instantly made us feel like we were at the spa. Asides from it's delightful scent, the Ylang Ylang essential oil in the product helps to promote a healthy scalp by nourishing and repairing brittle hair. The cucumber extract soothes the scalp and leaves hair feeling silky and soft. Yet, it is the rosemary extract that is the hero ingredient as it actually encourages hair growth and adds volume. The reviving conditioner is the perfect way to finish your hair wash as it is filled with argan oil, promising to leave your hair looking shiny and healthy.

That's why the Ylang Ylang, Argan & Rosemary range is ideal for dry hair, as the ingredients are moisturising and nourishing. If your hair concerns are elsewhere, their Amla & Clary Sage range soothes scalp irritations, the Cedarwood & Peppermint is deep cleansing for oily hair, the Peony, Bay & Brahmi is nourishing and soothing, the Rose & Pomegranate range is 'ultra-gentle', and the Rosemary, Sage & Burdock repairs damaged hair.

The shampoo is available here and the conditioner here, both for £5.94 each.

Charme D'Orient - Shea Butter with Argan Oil

Organic beauty products is one of our favourite products to receive here at The Amazing Blog . When we received a product from the trusted brand Charme D'Orient , we were practically falling over ourselves to try and get a chance to use it. 

The benefits of Shea Butter are endless, and it is even better when you know it is Grade A and unbleached unlike many other product containing the same ingredient. Shea Butter is also known to contain vitamin E, an ingredient that results in an increased micro-circulation which increases blood supply to and from the skin. Vitamin E can also act as a barrier to those dangerous UV raises, acting as a very light SPF. Rub this cream over your body after exercise as it aids in releasing muscle tension and small wounds. Argan Oil is another primary ingredient in this product which is a fantastic skin toner and exfoliator. Using this product regularly will help to improve the appearance of your skin and give you a youthful glow. This product is ideal for all skin types, especially those who are prone to dry skin or skin allergies.

What we also really appreciate here in the office is a product that will last; getting more bang for your buck is vital to us. A little goes a long way with this product, you can purchase Charme d’Orient at just £22.98 here