Friday Favourites for Effortlessly Perfect Eyes

Eye make-up was, for many of us, the first exploration into the world of beauty. Looking at advertisements and movie stars with the perfect smokey eye, or lashes that fluttered coyly, we realized that we wanted to look like that. Before all the other little tricks such as contouring, highlighters and lip-liners entered our world, it was eye makeup that made a statement and had the power to transform your identity for the day. While our tastes may have grown more subtle, definitely an improvement from the over lined lids of our youth, we still find a well done eye can lift an entire look. Therefore, The Amazing Blog has pooled it's collective knowledge to create a step by step guide for the perfect day to day look with minimal effort. After all, just because you are in a rush doesn't mean you can't look your best!

The first step for perfect eyes is to create a smooth and dark circle free surface to begin working with. To achieve this, we would recommend using Orphica's Pure Advanced Eye Renewal Serum which moderates wrinkle formation, banishes dark circles and puffiness, and nourishes the delicate under-eye area. The skin under your eyes is especially sensitive, which is why it needs special protection from external stressors, such as oxidative stress. Key ingredients such as Abyssinian oil, Vitamins A and E and snail secretion leave skin soft, smooth and soothed.

We are big fans of Orphica, which is why they feature again in the final step of this look. The reason we like this brand so much is that they draw inspiration from nature, incorporating the wonderful properties of plant extracts and the natural processes of the human body to create remarkable and effective products. 

Just apply the serum once daily before applying makeup. Purchase it here for £62.

The second step is a quick way to create long term effects. if you are like us then you have probably longed for longer lashes most of your life. Well, the people at Eye Care Cosmetics have granted us our wish with their Infini-Cils Mascara & Liner. It is an innovative lash growth activator which consists of a unique blend of nutritional ingredients to nourish the hairs. The active ingredient TDC (Tetrasodium Disuccinoyl Cystine) stimulates keratin which is the key composit for stronger, longer lashes. Biotinyl nourishes the lashes, promoting faster growth. Last, but not least, is organic Silicum and Panthenol, which are moisturising and strengthening ingredients. Importantly, the serum is hypo-allergenic and so those of you with sensitive skin and eyes are still able to use this wonder-product. It seems we're not the only ones who think this, as it was 'highly commended' at the 2016 Pure Beauty Awards.

This is an easy way to improve your lashes, you simply apply to makeup free eyes using the dual applicator. A fine liner applies product along the root of lashes and a mascara brush coats the length of the lashes.

Purchase the Infini-Cils Mascara & Liner from this UK stockist here, for £18.

Now you have prepared the skin we are ready to move on to cosmetics. We firmly believe that eye Shadow is the best way to make eyes stand out, look bigger and help enhance your natural eye colour. We would recommend one of Lin & Lo's Mineral Eyeshadow Sets. They come as perfectly matched trios in an array of natural or vibrant colours. We were able to try the Natural trio and the Plum trio, the latter being ideal for green and hazel eyes. We recommend the Sahara trio, with the amber and rust hues to help blue eyes shine. Play up brown eyes with bronze tones to bring out their depth and dimension using the Mordore trio. 

The formula of the shadows are made of pure pigments with a silky touch that are easy to blend and only need only a single layer for maximum impact. Lin & Lo is a brand focused on using natural ingredients in their makeup line. They offer professional-quality makeup that acts as a skin care treatment at the same time, containing vitamins (C and E), antioxidants and natural ingredients such as Jojoba Oil, Roman Chamomile and Shea Butter. This eye shadow will leave your delicate skin left healthy and beautiful. The line consists of anything from foundations to lip pencils. What's more, the products are great for sensitive skin. They are hypoallergenic and free from synthetic preservatives, chemical dyes, artificial fragrances. Lin & Lo want women to feel confident and safe which is an ethos we can get behind.

If you have time, a flick of your favourite eye liner pairs beautifully with all Lin & Lo eye shadow. You can buy the Mineral Eye Shadow Sets here for £35.50 each.

Bookending our routine is Orphica's Up Mascara which gives instantly longer lashes. The ergonomic wand effectively works to separate the lashes and coat each lash evenly, adding the much-desired volume. The mascara was designed to give you that seductive look, and so you are left with natural but fluttery lashes. The formula is top-notch; it is highly-pigmented and pitch-black, it doesn't flake, smudge, clump or weigh down the lashes. the mascara remains in place through out the day and finishes off the look. This mascara is so good, in fact, that we forego the eye lash curlers making it a time-saving and effective product. 

Purchase the mascara here for £30.00, with free delivery on all orders.

With these three products in your makeup bag you are guaranteed to finally have the eyes you dreamed of as a child. All of the products are easy to use and are the perfect accompaniment to the girl on the go. 

Anti-Ageing Supplements - Lumity

At The Amazing Blog, we are firm believers that the prevention of signs of ageing goes beyond miracle creams - although they certainly help. To truly stay looking as youthful as you can it's important to take care of yourself from the inside out. As the people at Lumity put it, the body is an ‘infinitely intelligent network of interdependent processes’, and therefore anti-ageing should be tackled in a multi-faceted approach. We couldn't agree more about these Anti-Ageing Supplements. These supplements are the first food supplement to address all nine causes of ageing  (most skin care and supplements target only 1 or 2 areas).

Lumity was created, after years of research, to create a more target approach to anti-ageing and produce supplements to help you maintain health, energy and radiance as you grow older. The supplements provide nutrition to benefit skin, hair and nails, the brain, bones, joints, muscles and teeth, the immune system and the metabolism. With one tablet in the morning for a ‘rich day’ and one in the evening for a ‘restful night’, you are receiving targeted nutrition that supports the entire body. Noticeable benefits include firmer and more radiant skin, deeper sleep, improved hormonal balance, higher energy levels and immune resilience. The supplement contains a clever and all-natural combination of targeted and high-quality nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and amino acids, all suspended in flaxseed oil. These work to give you health, vitality and beauty, inside and out.

Unsurprisingly we are not the only fans of Lumity, and it has just been named as one of the top 3 anti-ageing supplements by The Times. It has been named as the 'Editors Choice' by The Beauty Shortlist Awards 2017, and if that's not enough of a commendation; then the fact that Harrods have selected it as one of only four wellness brands to go on their dedicated well-being stand in their Beauty Apothecary certainly is.

Purchase a month's supply of Lumity for £90 or subscribe to their newsletter and an automatic monthly supply, then you can get 15% off and free shipping = £76.50 a month here.  You can find your nearest UK stockist here. 

Face Masks by 7th Heaven

7th Heaven is a brand all of us at The Amazing Blog have fond memories of. They were the brand you would buy for sleep overs as a child, then as you got older for nights in with friends and a bottle of wine. They have a wide range of masks available and all of them are fun, affordable and effective. 7th Heaven very kindly sent us a diverse selection of their products to the office and let me tell you, it has been a fun week of selfies and fabulous skin.

What we really love about 7th Heaven is the variety of products they offer. Whatever you are looking for they are bound to have it. They have sheet masks, mud sheet masks, peel off masks, thermal masks, and the classic mud masks. Each mask informs you if it is natural or safely man made (meaning minimal chemicals and all non-harsh.) 7th Heaven has been going strong for over 30 years now, and have always been dedicated to standing against animal testing. They are a founding member of the Cosmetics Industry Coalition of Animal Welfare and are incredibly proud that all their products are cruelty-free.

It was hard to pick a favourite, so instead, we narrowed it down to our top three. From the peel-off masks – which are endlessly fun – we loved the Cucumber Peel Off Mask which deeply cleansed and refreshed the skin. From the traditional mud pack collection, we particularly enjoyed the Avocado Oil Mask which exfoliated our faces as well as moisturised them. We particularly enjoyed the Hot Spring Sauna Masque, which had an unusual warming sensation we could really get behind and would definitely use again. This pack employed volcanic minerals to gently warm and exfoliate the face. Everyone in the office has loved the growth in sheet mask’s popularity, so the combination of the traditional mud pack with this new craze instantly intrigued us and left our skin feeling smoother and more nourished.

You can purchase 7th Heaven products from a variety of places, including Boots for £1 per mask! 

Beauty Kitchen:Seahorse Plankton 5 Minute Miracle Mask & The Beauty Boosting BB Cream

Organic, natural and cruelty-free are the three things we value above all else at The Amazing Blog, not forgetting to add the word 'effective' then they’re our top four. We think that there is nothing as important as treating your skin with carefully chosen and natural products, in particular for those of you with sensitive skin. Beauty Kitchen is a brand who are dedicated to this quad of beliefs. We came across this new brand at the CEW product showcase for their 2017 awards earlier this year. They only make 100% effective, natural and affordable products that are tested on people never animals. We were lucky enough to be sent two products from their Seahorse Plankton Skincare Treasures collection, where a percentage of their profits go to The Sea Horse Trust. The two products were The Beauty Boosting BB Cream and the 5 Minute Miracle Mask.

The Beauty Kitchen Seahorse Plankton 5 Minute Miracle Mask is 100% natural. It contains biologically proven seahorse plankton microalgae for an instant skin detox which will cleanse, stimulate, firm and plump the face, neck and décolletage. This product was a finalist at the CEW Awards 2017 and we know why. The mask left our face looking refreshed and glowing and was the perfect way to aid a chill-out on a rainy Sunday afternoon. To use, just apply a thin layer to the face, neck and décolletage before sitting back and relaxing for 5-15 minutes. Remove with warm water and for further skin stimulation uses a linen face cloth or a Konjac sponge. Applying the Beauty Boosting BB Cream before makeup, led to perfectly even coverage and tone for our foundation. By using it alone it added a slight tint to the face and it effortlessly balanced our complexion. Providing excellent coverage, the BB Cream also compliments all skin tones and types, acting as a base from which to add.

To purchase your next new sustainable beauty products click here. Both the BB Cream and Mask are available for £14.99.

Red Hedy and So Mod Pink by Rodin Olio Lusso

No makeup bag is complete without a perfect red and pink shade (or four!), but it can be a complicated and long process finding the perfect colour to suit your skin tone or even the season. Suddenly, the shades you’ve been using for months and months are too deep and wintery; they clash with your new summer wardrobe and sit heavily on your recently tanned face. All of us at The Amazing Blog have discussed how annoying this realisation can be.  So when Rodin Olio Lusso was brought to our attention, we were immediately entranced by their classic colours. All of their shades have that all important summer pop and brightness without washing you out or turning you into a caricature. 

What we truly love about this brand is the simplicity of it all, they have chosen quality over quantity, and sometimes this very simple truth is too often forgotten in the beauty industry. The desire to create a brand defined by simple beauty stems from their founder Linda Rodin, who was a successful model in the sixties and now in her sixties is the model of spare elegance. Her entire ethos is the simpler, the better, which is entirely evident in her lipstick collection. Only five fabulous shades are available, but all of them are perfect. We tried the Red Hedy and the So Mod Pink in hopes of finding the perfect summer shades. Those hopes were happily met. The Red Hedy, combines old Hollywood glamour with a pop of modernity, to make the perfect blend of nostalgic and contemporary beauty. The lipstick was named after the compelling and painfully beautiful 1930’s and 1940s actress Hedy Lamarr. More than a pretty face, Hedy invented technology that helped defeat the Axis power’s jamming of Allied Radio Communications during WWII. A gorgeous lipstick also named after an amazing woman with brains and beauty is enough to give us a much-needed confidence boost. The So Mod Pink combines the vibrancy of the sixties with the muted statement pieces of the Mod trend. The shade is a muted almost nude rosy pink, that is the perfect shade for those light summer days, where you want your lips to assist with a look rather than be the focus. 

You can purchase Red Hedy here for £28.00 and So Mod Pink here for £28.00. While you’re there, definitely have a look at the other colours and let us know what you think!