Victoria Green – Amy 3 in 1 Travel Makeup Wallet

We find that managing to keep our makeup and toiletries organised in one bag when travelling can be a real nightmare. We will jiggle and juggle and then the bag becomes so bulky that we just can’t fit it in the carry-on! Finding an all-in-one makeup/travel bag that’s both functional and stylish is a real challenge. However, fear not The Amazing Blog found the solution when we saw the ‘Amy 3 in 1 Travel Makeup Wallet’, a versatile trio of waterproof popper wallets that combine to make up one bag, all designed by Victoria Green at the 2019 showcase for CEW Awards .

This smart little makeup wallet has already been featured in the top media outlets such as The Independent, The Sunday Times, the British Beauty Blogger and many more. The award-winning founder of the brand, Victoria Green, found herself as a disorganised woman living a hectic life ­which is not the best combination! In her past life she travelled the world constantly and was always that one person who got stopped by security at the airport, always having her beauty products confiscated. This is when she had a ‘light bulb moment’ realising that she wasn’t the only one that this happened to and that it was a common problem. Hence, Victoria Green’s travel/makeup bags and organisers were born.

Victoria’s Amy 3 in 1 Travel Makeup Wallet is elegant, practical, strong and leak proof; it’s also made from vegan leather, making it easy care and wipe-clean. It is fabulously functional and makes you effortlessly organised, with each compartment coming with a zip and poppers ensuring your beauty items are protected. A big plus is a central section which is transparent and TSA compliant so ideal for your cabin bag. This 3 in 1 design allows you to use each section separately, creating a single, double or triple bag according to space in your luggage. Each compartment is wipeable, fits full-size makeup brushes; it’s 100% phthalate-free with inner packaging composed of 100% recyclable paper. All the Victoria Green bags are also vegan and cruelty-free. We not only love this bag for our toiletries but applaud Victoria Green for being partnered with cancer poverty charity Something To Look Forward To and for their pledge to be PVC-free by 2020. We already have our Amy 3 in 1 Travel Makeup Wallet at only £20.00, to get yours for summer travels ahead, see here.

Fushi – BioVedic Skincare Range

With the heatwave today, no one can deny that here in the UK it’s summertime. Much as we all enjoy having sun-kissed skin, and while the sun (in moderation) has multiple benefits, please stay in the shade to avoid the midday sun and dangerous UVA/UVB rays - we hope not to see lots of sunburnt faces on our commute tomorrow. Anyway, as The Amazing Blog regular readers will know, we like to champion indie brands which include all sorts of natural, organic, ethical and vegan products. Today, we bring you the wonderful BioVedic Skincare Range by Fushi, which is a natural and organic skin food.

Fushi meaning ‘eternal life’ in Japanese, was created through the heritage of Ayurvedic recipes. Ria Pattni the co-founder explained: “In Ayurveda, nothing is more powerful than botanicals when used in their purest form, which is why I love oils and herbs for their natural protective properties and their active ingredients for natural skin rejuvenation.” The formulations have been passed down through the generations to the now founders by their grandparents. The production of the products still remains the same which is by hand blending the oils and herbs creating organic, ethical, and pure skincare remedies. In alignment with their products is their ethos: Transparency, honesty and caring for the planet; these are the core values of the brand. Fushi also supports Fair Trade, ensuring the wellbeing of all workers and suppliers, as well as being a member of the Ethical Company Organisation and the Good Shopping Guide. We particularly like that they act responsibly reducing their impact on the people and planet by staying as green as possible.

The BioVedic Skincare Range is comprised of 3 products. The first of which is the BioVedic Enzyme Face Wash. This wash is mainly composed by vanshlochan herbs which deeply cleanse the skin and Rice Bran oils – packed with vitamin E - to moisturise the skin, giving it a long-lasting glow and helping blood circulation. The second is the BioVedic Radiance Face Oil which is a combination of 5 nutrient packed oils: raspberry seed (rich in vitamin A, E, and fatty acids), kalahari melon seed, rice bran, and moringa as key ingredients. This facial oil is light and fast-absorbing, It will act as a protective barrier against harmful chemicals throughout the day as well as working in tandem with the instant hydration cream to give your skin a radiant look. Lastly, the BioVedic Radiance Face Cream made from manjistha and saffron infused in kalahari melon seed oil (rich in omega), boosts your complexion, hydrates and repairs any imperfections. We applied it immediately after the Radiance Face Oil and loved how it nourished and protected the skin. Our favourite was the Radiance Face Oil using it either alone at night to feed our complexion, or by adding a few drops mixed in with the Face Cream, if our skin was feeling a little dry thus adding extra nourishment. All three skincare products should ideally to used together as part of your daily skincare routine to achieve ultimate results. Get the Fushi BioVedic Skincare Range here, the BioVedic Enzyme Face Wash  for £15.00, the BioVedic Radiance Face Cream for £20.00, and the BioVedic Radiance Face Oil for £22.00. Oh and if you have overdone it with the sun today, this skincare range will certainly help to repair the damage!

Acti-Labs - Vendome Eye Shadow Palette

We love to make new discoveries here at TheAmazingBlog particularly when they offer us an affordable price-point and great value for money. The British beauty brand Acti-Labs pride themselves in doing just this. They carefully select their high concentrate of botanical ingredients from the south of France, where they  create their state of the art and performance-led products. None of their products are tested on animals and their factory in France has even received a Government Environment Award for low carbon footprint. In having their own laboratory, it means that they can offer exceptional value products at laboratory direct prices.

We particularly like the Acti-Lab’s core philosophy of  ‘using science to get the best out of nature’ and ‘medically inspired products for home use’.  Although this brand is probably best known for their skincare, we decided to venture into exploring some of their makeup.  They very kindly sent us their Vendome Shimmer Palette that comprises of twelve shimmering and neutral shades of eye shadow. This glamorous Vendome Shimmer Palette is very easy to use to mix and match. What we liked best, is that like other Acti-Labs’ products, this palette is infused with completely natural ingredients like vitamin E, kaolin and jojoba. Not only do the shades apply smoothly, the added vitamin E  helps to protect and nourishes the skin. Also included in the palette are a mirror and a two-sided brush, which is perfect for application and blending.  

While everyone has different steps in their makeup routine, we recommend applying your primer first before applying your eye shadow to achieve a longer-lasting effect. After choosing your colours, Acti-Labs recommends starting with the lightest colour working up to the stronger shades, blending until you achieve your given look. To get this elegant and versatile Vendome Shimmer Palette buy here,  it’s a steal at only £15! We can’t wait to try more…

ARK Skincare - Hydration Injection Masque

Skin can be so temperamental; one day we are flawless and radiant, and the next, we break out with blemishes or dry patches. This is incredibly frustrating, but here at The Amazing Blog, we have found the perfect mid-week pick-me-up to treat all of these concerns. Ark have created a Hydration Injection Masque to rejuvenate and nourish skin of all ages.

Part of the new Skin Perfector range, this is an intense and effective treatment mask. The active botanicals work in just about every way you could wish for, and the blend of various vitamins will leave you with plump and even skin. Dry skin will no longer be a problem either, as the use of hyaluronic acid practically drenches your complexion and protects it from further water loss. The divine scent is created with Sugar Beet and Abyssinian Oil, which also give the mask a luxurious rich gel texture. Unlike other skincare products we have tried, it has been specially formulated for all age groups. Whether you're a teenager suffering from blemishes, or a little older and concerned about wrinkles, this is the mask for you! We loved that Ark provided instructions for each separate age group - under twenties only had to keep the mask on for around 5 minutes, but those who are concerned with wrinkles can leave it on overnight for a super intensive treatment. We found that only a thin layer was needed and it still left our skin glowing with healthy radiance. It really was a perfect pick-me-up for stressed skin, and so luxurious and effective.

If you want to perfect your skin in these dreary January days, get your own Ark Hydration Masque here for £35.

Benefit Air Patrol

There is nothing worse than blending your way to the perfect smoky eye, for it to fade throughout the day. Here at the Amazing Blog, we swear by eyelid primers to keep those shadows in place, but there are so many to choose from. Behold, the innovative Benefit Air Patrol BB Cream Eyelid Primer. In case that was too much to absorb in one go, that’s a creamy eyelid primer with the added benefits from a BB Cream. We could barely contain our excitement to give it a try.

Eyelids are the most delicate areas of our face, and often the last place we protect. Benefit are changing that with the EnviroDefend complex within the Air Patrol primer, it guards against the harmful external forces we come across in day to day life. We were also happy to discover that it contained SPF 20, it’s so important to protect our skin from sun damage, even on our lids! The primer is super creamy and glides easily onto the skin, the soft Cushion Calm tip keeps pressure light on the delicate eye area. Benefit really did think of everything. We loved the chic, grey tube with Benefit-style detailing, their packaging is always bright and beautiful.

We found the Air Patrol very hydrating and it kept our shadow locked on for the whole day, our blending skills finally didn’t go to waste. We would recommend setting the primer with a translucent or neutral powder before going in with your eyeshadow to avoid any tackiness. For those days where we prefer a ‘no make-up’ look, simply use Air Patrol alone over the lids and wait for the colour corrective magic. The peach undertones reduced the appearance of our dark circles, while also combatting redness on the lids. Get your hands on the protective and long lasting Air Patrol primer here for £21.50.