Pevonia - Lumafirm Firm & Glow Body Moisturiser

We here at The Amazing Blog love to treat ourselves to life’s little luxuries. Whether it’s a relaxing bubble bath, or a decadent shopping spree, we believe that everyone deserves a good pampering session every now and then. So when luxury spa brand, Pevonia, sent us their Lumafirm Firm & Glow Body Moisturiser to try, we were more than happy to sit back, relax and indulge.

It is worth noting that The Amazing Blog are no strangers to Pevonia, having tried their Lift & Glow Eye Contour before. Formulated with a range of natural ingredients, including deeply hydrating watermelon and sorghum, the firming fluid was a huge hit here in the office. We were particularly fond of its ability to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles; its the perfect base for using under make-up.  You can read our full review here. Elated by the prospect of testing another Pevonia product, this time we tried out the Firm & Glow Body Moisturiser. A much creamier texture than the Eye Contour, it slides on like silk, and left my skin feeling nourished and soft. Hydrating safflower oil combines with kombucha to rebuild elasticity and bolster a natural glow, whilst lemon peel oil offers a zingy fresh scent, leaving me feeling rejuvenated and awake. As well as this, the sleek, opulent matte packaging makes this product look as luxurious as it feels. The Firm & Glow Body Moisturiser is available to buy here for £65, and our previously featured Lift & Glow Eye Contour can be purchased here for £71.

The Frankincense Store - Perfume Oils

We here at The Amazing Blog are always game to try new and interesting scents. And if they’re moisturising and organic too, then they’re all the better for it! Used for its healing benefits for thousands of years, frankincense helps to combat everything from stress and insomnia to coughs and stomach pains. So when The Frankincense Store sent us a selection of their perfume oils, we readied ourselves to say goodbye to all our ailments, and hello to great smelling, stress-free living.

The Frankincense Store offers beautifully aromatic perfume oils with a roller ball applicator, allowing you to rub the potent fragrance directly onto your skin. As well as the benefit of leaving a powerful scent, the roller format also makes for a really handy travel companion, negating the worry that comes with sprays and aerosols. All of the fragrances have a very distinct scent, and our personal favourite, Almas, evokes memories of hot summer nights, with notes of cedarwood and mandarine making it a wonderful aroma for spring time. Made from 100% natural ingredients, these oils offer a fragrance that lingers all day, and, unlike alcohol based scents, are really moisturising on the skin – perfect for those dry summer evenings.

With an array of different fragrances to choose from, The Frankincense Store products can be purchased online here for prices ranging from £10 to £13.50. Our favourite, Almas, is available for £10.

Nouveau Lashes - Ultrabond Strip Lash Adhesive

If there is one item that beauty industry is not short of, it's strip lashes. There is a plethora of corner lashes, full strips, crazy coloured lashes, lashes with diamante bits on them,  individual lashes and even celebrity branded lashes … in fact, you name it, they have it! Interestingly, despite the array of lashes on the market, by comparison there are very few different formulations of lash adhesives available. Enter Nouveau Lashes’: Ultrabond Strip Lash Adhesive; a latex-free formula with promises of delivering the most incredible bonding strength.

Nouveau Lashes, (The Guild's Best Lash Supplier 2014) developed Ultrabond in conjunction with the world’s leading expert medical grade adhesive formulators.

Nouveau Lashes asked the Aspen Clinical Research to do independent testing on Ultrabond and here is what they said:

• 96% felt the adhesive was not irritating
• 80% felt the lashes stayed in place longer than their usual brand
• 85% reported that the lashes stayed in place during swimming
• 83% reported that the lashes stayed in place during exercise
• 62% reported their lashes did not lift in the corners

So you can see from these results that it really is a revolutionary lash adhesive.  Not only is it latex-free, but heat, humidity and water resistant too. What really makes Ultrabond stand out from its competitors is the latex-free factor. The formula is suitable for those with sensitive skin, which allows individuals to stick the lashes directly onto the skin instead of the natural lashes. This makes it perfect for anyone who has lost their lashes either through having Alopecia or from recovering from Cancer. We say: ' Genius'.

We at The Amazing Blog wanted to see what that ‘incredible bonding strength’ claim was all about; so we all decided to follow Nouveau Lashes’ Ultrabond directions to the letter, and managed to wear our strip lashes for an incredible 48 hours in a row… Gym, swimming, partying, showering - you name it, we did it and it worked! Our lashes stayed in place. Not only that, they popped off with ease by just using a little oily eye make-up remover. So with The Amazing Blog’s test-drive being such a success, we decided to ask 50 beauty bloggers to take the #UltrabondChallenge too. Next weekend on  the May Day bank holiday, we'll be keeping a close eye on Twitter and Instagram to see how everyone gets on...

But if you can't wait til then, Nouveau Lashes Ultrabond Strip Lash Adhesive is available to purchase through the Nouveau Lashes online shop for £12.95 (10 gr).

Therapi - Rose Otto Honey Gel Cleanser

As many of you already know, we at The Amazing Blog have a bit of a penchant for bees. Their vital contribution to nature’s equilibrium and their ability to produce a plethora of natural ingredients make them, in our humble opinion, the most remarkable of insects. One of their coveted creations, honey, has had a big hand in the making of one of our favourite beauty brands, Therapi. We have previously reviewed and loved the range here, but today I want to tell you about their magnificent Honey Gel Cleanser, which I was persuaded to try.

I must explain, I’m not the sort of girl who ‘washes’ her face. Perhaps it’s my loathing of the hard London water or my fear of getting that unpleasant tightening effect. I’m strictly a cream cleanser and toner kinda girl. End of. However after meeting Tanya Hawkes (the founder of Therapi), she very gently coaxed me into trying their Rose Otto Honey Gel Cleanser, promising me that it wouldn’t dry out my skin – and who was I to say no? Therapi pride themselves in their ability to produce quality, organic skincare, and their simple collection of products provides a no-nonsense approach that we at The Amazing Blog are hugely appreciative of. This Rose Otto Honey Gel Cleanser is a fantastic natural way to clear away daily grime. A golden elixir that has plenty of slip when diluted with water, you very gently massage into the skin and then wash away. And Tanya was right that, unlike other gel cleansers that I’ve tried, it truly didn’t leave my skin feeling tight and stretched at all. Its combination of natural and beneficial ingredients (yukka extract for removing impurities, honey to nourish, and rose otto to rejuvenate) left my complexion feeling clean, supple and fresh.

Housed in sophisticated white glass bottle with pump, it was a dream to use and has been part of my morning shower routine. I think it will be a long time until I’m out of the honeymoon phase with the Rose Otto Honey Gel Cleanser. It is available to buy at Being Content, here for £25.

Yin Yang Skincare - Skincare To Go

With summer just around the corner, we’re all readying ourselves for that highly anticipated holiday. So here at The Amazing Blog, we were delighted to discover Yin Yang Skincare, a natural, plant based brand who offer Skincare To Go - the perfect little trio of products for popping in your hand luggage. Consisting of three 10ml tubes that cover all your skincare needs, the set comes handily encased in a clear zip lock bag, so it’s really as easy as throwing it in your bag and heading out the door! Always on the look out for great travel skincare, we were interested to see how these dainty little products fared.

The kit includes a Skin Cleanser, Natural Moisturiser and Gold Defence moisturising lotion. Paraben free, and bursting with natural ingredients, each product has a plethora of benefits. The Skin Cleanser contains a gentle emulsion of Spring Water, Witch Hazel and Coconut Oil, which, when combined with slightly acidic Sweet Orange Oil, works nicely to cleanse and gently exfoliate the skin and left me feeling really fresh faced. The light Natural Moisturiser also contains the brand’s staple ingredients, Coconut Oil and Witch Hazel, as well as Apple Cider Vinegar, which act together to lock in moisture and balance the skin’s pH, without leaving any of that horrid greasy feeling. The standout product for me is the Gold Defence Lotion. Boasting Wheatgerm Oil, rich in Vitamin E, as its main ingredient, I found it to be intensely nourishing and soothing. When paired with a beautiful lavender and orange scent, it makes for a perfect holiday product that's sure to become a fixture in my hand luggage. Suitable for both face and body, Yin Yang Skincare claim that athletes favour this versatile lotion for protecting their skin from the elements. Here at The Amazing Blog, we don’t tend to subject ourselves to many adverse weather conditions, but I’m happy to trust their word!

With a brand ethos that reflects their name, Yin Yang’s mini products definitely do balance and help to perfect the skin. The Skincare To Go set is available to buy from their website, here, for the very reasonable price of £4.50. It’s worth stocking up for your summer holiday, or simply just grabbing a kit in order to trial their full size products.