Pura Vida Organic: CBD Shampoo and CBD Conditioner & Mask

Last year, at The Amazing Blog we introduced the award-winning organic CBD skincare Pura Vida Organic with their CBD infused grooming products for men here. Today, we want to talk about the Pura Vida Organic's haircare with their CBD Shampoo and Conditioner & Mask, particularly as finding the right type of haircare for our long fine, unruly frizz - has become an on-going mission!

Pura Vida Organic are based in Croatia and were founded in 2015 by Jennifer Deegan. Using only the purest organic ingredients, they focus on CBD skincare with a wide range of anti-ageing serums, moisturisers, balms, elixirs, massage oils, body butter, shaving gels and many more. Deegan recounted her brand story: "All my life I suffered terribly with topical dermatitis (eczema) but when I changed my skincare to hemp and CBD based products – all symptoms disappeared in 3 days. I was amazed and wanted to offer this to everyone who needs it.” Hence, in Pura Vida Organic's the primary ingredient is CBD (THC-free) in broad spectrum or isolate. In 2018, Pura Vida Organic passed the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations enforced by the FDA (CGMP) and the international standard for quality management systems (ISO9001). In 2019, they were the first CBD skincare production facility to obtain the COSMOS Organic and Natural certification, allowing them to have their organic and natural skincare commercialised world-wide. They recent won Best Face CBD Product and Best Body Butter at 2021 The Organic Clean Awards. They have experience in distribution, wholesale and manufacture, but what really sets Pura Vida Organic apart from other CBD brands is their ingredients and ethos. Sustainability is at the heart of the brand, where all plastics are recyclable, boxes are made of 25% grass pulp, recycled paper and cardboard. Even the labels use vegetable dyes and vegan-friendly glue. All products are 90% handmade which offers both the personal touch, and a decrease in energy consumption from mechanical production. 

They kindly sent these two haircare products to try the CBD Shampoo and the CBD Conditioner & Mask. They are both suitable for all hair types, including coloured or chemically treated. What makes this CBD Shampoo special is its calming effect on itchy, irritable, sensitive scalps; and with its mild bio-degradeable plant-based surfactants, its gentle enough to use even on children. This CBD Shampoo cleanses both the hair and scalp and with its 600mg of CBD, it works as an anti-inflammatory helping to dissipate any scalp issues. The antioxidants here balance the sebum levels in the scalp, promotes growth and smooths hair cuticles. The plant-based surfactants are composed of sugar-beets, corn starch and coconut fatty acids; together with the pea proteins these help condition, strengthen, nourish the hair. As someone with fine curly hair that weaves itself into knots, this was joy to use, as it cleansed hair leaving it manageable rather than a tangled mess. When using this Shampoo massage a good amount into the scalp for at least a minute, then rinse and follow with their CBD Conditioner & Mask. 

The CBD Conditioner & Mask works to soften, detangle, smoothen and restore the hair - using the key ingredients of CBD, vitamin B and plant proteins. This product contains 1000mg of CBD, which strengthens the hair and helps calms scalp irritation. The jojoba and sunflower waxes lightly coat the hair strands, without making hair feel heavy, and protect it from heat and sun damage. Vitamin B enhances hair strength and shine; and the plant-derived proteins act as the building blocks for healthy hair, keeping it smooth and frizz-free. For me this CBD Conditioner & Mask was the perfect finishing touch – it complemented the CBD Shampoo and together they worked to improve wet combing, leaving my hair silky, tangle-free, and smelling super-fresh with its subtle apple fragrance. I used the CBD conditioner, from roots to tip leaving on for 3 to 5 minutes, then rinsed and towel dried. As the name suggests, this can also be used as a hair mask, apply a generous amount to wet clean hair and wrap in a warm towel for 20-30 minutes before rinsing and styling. If like us, you suffer from the dreaded frizz, then this haircare will be for you, it took away static and left the hair with a defined curl not a ball of frizz – we’d certainly recommend these as another one of our #amazingfinds. To purchase Pura Vida Organic's CBD Shampoo in 100ml for €15.00 or 200ml for €30.00, see see here. To buy Pura Vida Organic's CBD Conditioner & Mask in 50ml for €22.00 or 100ml for €35.00 see here. We can’t wait to review more from this brand! 

Amai Hana: Silky Skin Serum G1 Bio and Mousse Lift H2 Bio Day Cream

Today at The Amazing Blog,  we’re featuring another award-winning natural skincare brand that has caught our eye. However, this time its with biocosmetic phytotherapy formulas. We’d like to introduce Amai Hana with their Silky Skin Serum G1 Bio and Mousse Lift H2 Bio day cream.

Amai Hana is based in Barcelona and produces 100% natural formulas using aromatherapy and phytotherapy principles. They practice biocosmetic phytotherapy which is a science-based medical practice, with traditional medical herbalism; these use vegetal origin products to help prevent, heal and cure. The brand was launched in 2019 by Susanna Asensio, who has a master's degree in phytotherapy and a degree in chemical sciences, specialising in the formulation and synthesis of organic and pharmaceutical compounds. Amai Hana's philosophy is to promote vegetarianism values, responsibility, sustainability, conscious consumption, respect for oneself, the animal world and the environment - quite a list! Each product is handmade with 100% natural plant actives, cruelty-free and offered at affordable prices. Their products range from serums, balms, massage oils, creams and soaps. They are packaged in pharmaceutical-grade containers and are presented in natural eco-cotton bags.

We were given two product to try from Amai Hana: The Silky Skin Serum G1 Bio  and the Mousse Lift H2 Bio Day Cream. Let’s start with the Silky Skin Serum GI Bio, Amai Hana's best-selling hero product, and a recent Bronze winner at the 2020 Scandinavian Global Makeup Awards. Its recommended for the face, neck and décolletage as an anti-wrinkle, regenerating and firming treatment. The main ingredient here is centella asiatica extract (see photo above) which stimulates collagen production and has madecassoside an active compound potent with antioxidant and a rich source of amino acids. The lavender, rosewood and geranium essential oils work as anti-inflammatory agents to moisturise and regenerate dry, damaged, and inflamed skin. These oils inspire feelings of relaxation, calm and well-being - effectively reducing stress and anxiety. We found it to be an excellent serum for daily use and when applied, we found that a little goes a long way. They recommend using on clean dry skin both morning and night. Amai Hana tells us that with use, softer and more hydrated skin will be evident in 7-19 days. This Silky Skin Serum left our skin feeling smooth, firm, and rejuvenated; and when we inhaled its soothing botanical scent, it had the added benefit of making us feel less stressed! 

Next, we used the Mousse Lift H2 Bio Day Cream, this provides rich nutrition and was recently a Gold winner (in the awards as mentioned above). This Day Cream works as a gentle astringent and antioxidant acting to close large pores and tightens the skin, making it firmer and brighter. The other big plus here, is that it also claims to reduce dark circles around the eye area. The key ingredient is  witch hazel hydrolate for its tightening and lifting effect. Whereas the macadamia oil here regenerates and softens the skin. It also has the essential oils geranium, frankincense, and rosewood; the combination of which, promote cell regeneration, regulates sebum and stimulate the skin’s collagen natural production. The formula is so gentle, that they recommend using this Day Cream to treat acne, rosacea or couperose. Simply use alone or combine it with the Silky Skin Serum to complete your beauty ritual. As we have dry skin, we used these together as they offered extra nourishment, plus firmed and lifted the skin (we notice this around the neck area). To purchase Silky Skin Serum G1 Bio in 30ml for €23.99, see here, or to buy the Mousse Lift H2 Bio Day Cream in 60ml for €27.99, see here.

Deardot Cosmetics: Yuja Cleansing Seal

We keep hearing so much about K beauty and reviewed a few brands in the past, so today at The Amazing Blog we thought we’d take a look at more Korean skincare brands, starting with the awards winning Deardot Cosmetics and their Yuja Cleansing Seal.

Deardot has a strong threefold philosophy which is to keep its ingredients minimal, vegan and eco-friendly. Launching in March 2020, it’s founded by Woorikidsplus, a Korean beauty tech start-up whose aim is to educate the next generation with their Deardot philosophies. The Deardot’s fundamental goal is to provide natural skincare using only minimal ingredients. The brand also focuses very design-led packaging with the rather unusual concept of writing letters to your loved one (or in this case, your precious skin!) That said, Deardot is best known for their commitment to preserving the dangyuja fruit and its seeds (part of the citrus family and a genealogically a variety of pomelo fruit) which is only grown on Jeju Island, a province of South Korea. It is a plant mainly used for tea and was historically used to treat the common cold. What makes Deardot unique is that it exclusively uses an extract from the dangyuja in its products (see above photo). This fruit contains three times more vitamin C than lemon and helps to revitalise and brightening dull skin. All ingredients in their products are natural and are recognised and certified by EWG Green and FDA. They have 11-products in the range from cleansers, lotions and creams, to serums, toners and masks; which are suitable for all skin types.  

The Deardot Yuja Cleansing Seal contains 30 ‘seals’ moulded into small, flat, water-soluble pressed powder rectangles. The reusable cardboard packaging includes many surprises: letters and stickers, along with the paper sachets containing the cleansing seals themselves.  We discovered these recently when they won the gold in the 2020 Global Green Beauty Awards  for Best Ethical Beauty Product & Most Innovative Green Product. They are paraben-free, and has a very slight yuja citrus fruit fragrance. The cleansing seal is used in three easy steps: To activate the pressed powder ‘seal’ in your hand, add a little warm water (no running water) mixing until it forms a white paste. Next, rub the paste gently on the face to remove makeup or daily residue, and finally, rinse the face with clean water.  We used this Yuja Cleansing Seal as part of our night-time routine, which left our skin feeling cleansed and hydrated. The two key ingredients here are shea butter and yuja extract. Shea butter has anti-inflammatory and healing properties where it conditions, tones and soothes the skin. Yuja extract, has many health benefits such as boosting the body’s immune system, reducing inflammation and moisturising the skin. We think the Yuja Cleansing Seals are ideal for on the go or for slipping into your hand luggage, as they take up absolutely no space!  Although they say these seals are suitable for all skin types, we think these will appeal more to the teen generation with their added novelty stickers and design paraphernalia. You can purchase the Yuja Cleansing Seal here which come in either a pack of 14 for $10 or 30 for $18.

Fiini Naturally: Balm To Cleanser - Gentle Oat, Oat & Bilberry Powder Face Mask and Oat Sea Buckthorn Oil Serum

How come so many of us have sensitive skins at the moment? At The Amazing Blog, we've noticed that with this type of skin, there's always something that triggers it - whether it's stress, strong sunlight, city pollution or cold weather. We recently discovered Fiini Naturally, a Finnish organic brand immersed in natural and raw ingredients, who are environment-friendly with products for beauty and home - all are aimed specifically at helping sensitive skins. Let’s tell you more about them…

Fiini Naturally was founded by two longstanding friends Heidi and Essi from northern Finland, who share the same interests and are linked by their appreciation of well-being and nature. Unable to find suitable natural everyday products in their local stores, either for themselves or their pets. This spurred Heidi on to start producing natural formulas for her pets; whereas Essi focused on developing skincare formulas for extra sensitive skins. When the first large-scale trial of their first product the Oat and Honey Cream was successful, this inspired them to explore more regional raw materials and formulas. Eventually, they came up with more product aimed at treating the diverse skin ailments for their friends and family. For the brand, honesty is as important as the ethics. This is why all formulas are kept simple, cruelty-free and with organic ingredients which are mostly INCI certified (marked with an INCI star). Being respectful of the environment, this means no chemical preservatives, additives and all formulas come in large sizes with recyclable packaging. This genuine interest in preserving the environment and responsible business practice has made them a member of the Finnish Eko Entrepreneurs Association, which certifies their environmentally-friendly working methods and processing. They kindly send us three of their products to try, all of which contain their special hero ingredient of Finnish oat oil. 

The first product to talk about is the Balm to Milk Cleanser – Gentle Oat. This is a moisturising and balancing balm and the perfect cleanser for all skin types, it cleanses all impurities, pollution and make-up. In this gentle fragrance-free formula, it’s full of antioxidants, vitamin E, fatty acids, amino acids and beta-glucans. All of which are present in the oat oil to help nourish, protect and relieve the skin and boost its elasticity - while the jojoba oil here works its magic to balance the skin. To use, simply massage gently on dry face, then add water and continue massaging where you will see it transform from the balm consistency to a milky one, and then rinse off. We found it excellent for removing everyday makeup (no eye stinging!) and also for perking up skin first thing in the morning. This 156ml jar of Balm to Milk Cleanser – Gentle Oat was our favourite out of the trio we tried. It’s available here for €38.90.

The Oat & Bilberry Powder Face Mask  is the second product sent. This raw powder face mask was recently a bronze winner at the Global Green Beauty Awards 2020. Again, perfectly suitable for sensitive or atopic skins, it’s more of a treatment where it hydrates and gently cleanses, making the skin feel softer with a more even skin tone. Like the Balm to Milk Cleanser – Gentle Oat, this mask powder contains the same bundle of organic ingredients – the Finnish oat oil moisturises and boosts the circulation and collagen production. This Powder Face Mask is also enriched with ground rice which helps the skin renew its pigment, and the vitamin E here nourishes. The pink clay is here to minimise couperose, and the freeze-dried Finnish bilberries soothe and calm the skin thanks to their anti-inflammatory action. To use, we mixed 2 teaspoons of powder mask with a teaspoon organic yoghurt (or you can use water), plus a few drops of serum to give an extra smooth skin. Mix together until it becomes pasty, then we applied this on to a dry face and let it sit for 10-15 minutes, rinsing off with warm water. We used only once or twice a week, which refreshed and brightened our skin. Again, this comes in a 156ml glass jar and is available for €22.90 here.

And last but not least, the Oat-Sea Buckthorn Oil Serum the third product. In this oil serum, the oat oil once again features helping to moisturise and revitalise. It also stimulates the skin’s metabolism, increasing elasticity, and the production of collagen. This serum contains jojoba and vitamin E, as well as Finnish sea buckthorn oil to ensure maximum cellar renewal. It’s a potent antioxidant that offers a soothing action and reduces inflammation for those with sensitive skins. We enjoyed experimenting with mixing this serum with the Powder Face Mask and also with our regular day and night cream which boosted their antioxidant and vitamin content. This comes in a 30ml tinted glass bottle and is available for purchase at €34.90 here. Initially developed for skins that face harsh everyday conditions, we think Fiini Naturally  will soon become your go-to for all things eco and sensitive skin-friendly orientated. Plus see all their home care products on the website here - we can’t wait to try these next!