ARK Skincare - Derriere Facial

Although beach season in London is quickly coming to an end, there is still plenty of sun abroad for us to soak up. Here at The Amazing Blog we are seriously looking at all of those resort towns in Bulgaria, Greece, and the south of France to continue to live out our summer dreams. In order to properly enjoy that fun in the sun time, we need to have our beach bodies in tip top shape. Now, thanks to ARK we can start from the bottom up, literally! ARK skincare has a whole Derrière "Facial" that starts with a body brushing to boost circulation and diminish cellulite, followed by cleanser, and an invigorating body scrub. The scrub contains fruit acids and menthol to lift dead skin and unblock pores followed by a steaming and serums to lift, firm, and purify the skin. The last step is an application of nourishing body lotion to leave your bum plump soft and radiant. This innovative treatment will leave you confident and ready to strut down the beach! Perfect to boost your confidence and give you the courage to wear a barely there Brazilian thong bikini on some exotic beach.

Once your bum is in order for the beach, be sure to check out ARK's cleavage treatment and you will be good to go for a wonderful holiday full of envious looks and cocktail filled nights. . The ARK Derriere Facial, £49 for 45 minutes is available from July 1st at the ARK Flagship Salon in Putney. 

L’Artisan Parfumeur - Batucada

Here at The Amazing Blog we love new summer fragrances. So when L'Artisan Parfumeur sent us a sample of their new Batucada fragrance (in gorgeous packaging) we couldn’t wait to try it and get into the Brazilian carnival feel.

Getting its name from an African influenced Brazilian percussive sub style of samba, this fragrance is in perfect tune with Notting Hill Carnival 2014. The strong lime and mint top notes are reminiscent of the tropical, fruity drinks of a warm, sunny climate. The middle notes of ylang ylang subtly give the fragrance a beachy undertone. Finally, the bottom sea salt note, so reminiscent of holidays, purifies the senses with its salty fresh fragrance, as if we were on the famous Ipanema beach. Light fresh fragrances are available in abundance, but the citrus notes in Batucada transport you to the Brazilian beaches, giving this fragrance an edge on the competition.

L’Artisan Parfumeur is one of France’s most iconic fragrance houses and has been creating gorgeous scents to suit the seasons since its formation in 1976. L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Batucada is available here for £85 for 100ml.

Acqua Di Parma – Rosa Nobile

Here at The Amazing Blog, we love Acqua Di Parma and regularly feature them on our blog. We were thrilled when we heard about their new Rosa Nobile fragrance, and it quickly became our favourite summer scent.

Rosa Nobile is the newest fragrance from the Italian house. As the name suggests, the key note is Rose, a special sort of Centifolia Rose at that. It grows and blooms only in Italy, making the fragrance every bit the Italian gem we would expect. The composition of the fragrance means that Rosa Nobile opens with a luminous, juicy, Italian-style signature of bergamot and mandarin, which immediately emphasizes the fruity floral notes. This is then spiced up with a touch of black pepper to capture the attention and imagination of your senses. This mix of citrus, floral and tart notes is enriched with lily of the valley, velvety violet and gentle peony. As the ingredients suggest, this is a floral fragrance lover’s dream. Some floral fragrances can seem weak, however the sheer number of floral notes combined with the dry, sophisticated woodsy notes of cedar and ambergris means that this fragrance lingers for hours. This fragrance is one which all of us here in the office absolutely adore.

The new perfume Rosa Nobile comes in the same, recognizable bottle as the previous Nobile editions, and its pink fluid looks even more vivid in the golden bottle. The fragrance is available in 50ml and 100ml Eau de Parfum, accompanied by perfumed body care products. It can be bought here for £70 (50ml) or £98 (100ml).

Living Nature Foundation

We all know how difficult finding THE perfect foundation can be. With so many different foundations available and so many changes within our skin, it’s always a challenge. However, when Living Nature sent The Amazing Blog a sample of their foundation, we couldn’t wait to see if it was what we were looking for and it didn’t disappoint. Available in 5 shades ranging from ‘pure buff’ to ‘pure sand’, Living Nature has a good spectrum of colours. We tried out the ‘Pure Buff’ shade here at The Amazing Blog and found it to be light and silky with buildable coverage. Unlike most foundations, it was not greasy, glided on easily and blended effortlessly into the skin. The foundation is full of natural oils and minerals, including Manuka Oil, which protects and provides a flawless coverage. Founded in New Zealand, Living Nature focuses on the healing properties of native plants to create gorgeous skin products that look amazing without being harsh on the environment or your skin. It’s so lovely to find a product, which ticks all the boxes whilst maintaining a healthy balance of organic elements.

Living Nature have a whole range of products, available online here and ‘Pure Buff’ is available here for £29.25. Alternatively, visit Living Nature's sole UK distributor Botanical Brands here.

Senspa - Bath Salts

Here at The Amazing Blog, we appreciate the importance of a good long soak in the bath once in a while, with all our lotions and potions! So when Senspa sent us a bag of their 100% natural Himalayan Bath Salts we couldn't wait to turn the taps on.

One of the most important aspects of bath and shower products is the smell. If something dissolves into the water to give off a gorgeous fragrance, it’s immediately 10 times more appealing. So, when we opened the Senspa salts, we were blown away by the intensity of the Lavender, Rose and Cedarwood fragrance and were immediately hooked. This on its own can be intense but pour under hot water and it’s a delight, filling the bathroom with a sweet floral fragrance. Made with 100% Himalayan salts and mined by hand, they are premium grade pure and unrefined and considered to be the purest in the world as they contain upwards of 84 minerals and trace elements. These include calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium which are all released when mixed with warm water. The bath salts can be used in handfuls for daily bathing but if you fancy removing the toxins from your body in one go, the whole bag (500g) can be used for concentrated use. Soaking for 20 minutes is recommended before rinsing any residue off. We highly recommend a soak with Senspa especially after a long and sweaty commuting day. These salts take away any impurities that you may have and leave the skin feeling soft, fresh and infused with rose and lavender.  Best of all, afterwards you'll simply feel like a new woman!

 You can purchase your own Senspa Himalayan Bath Salts here for £5.95.