The Caribbean Collection by All That Jazz

Here at The Amazing Blog, our current 'go-to' brand for all things nail care is All That Jazz. We're also happy to report that the only independent and international beauty awards, The Beauty Shortlist certainly seems to agree with us too. In March this year,  they awarded All That Jazz the much sought after title of ‘Best Nail Brand 2018’. Recently we have written about some of our favourite products from the brand like their Cuticle Oil, Cuticle Balm & Bee Bar Lotion here; as well as their Hand and Foot Scrub, Effervescent Soak and Hand and Foot Cream here. However, we were thrilled to be able to try out their latest Spring/Summer range, a set of four coloured professional nail lacquers from the Caribbean Collection. We're happy to say that they absolutely lived up to the other high quality products, that we already know and love from All That Jazz.

With our much anticipated summer just around the corner (ahem, well the clocks did go forward!) We wanted to give our nails a pop of colour to remind us that summer warmth is coming soon. The colours in the Caribbean Collection allow you to take your nails on their own mini tropical break with these four vibrantly coloured lacquers. The ‘Don’t be a Jerky’ shade is a blazing orange that gives nails a fiery passion. The ‘Caribbean Queen’ shade is a rich magenta that will make you feel like royalty. The ‘Patty Cake' shade is a lovely turquoise that reminds us of the ocean. And finally, the ‘Jamaican Me Crazy’ shade is a sparkling pink/orange colour that is sure to turn heads.

These lacquers offer full coverage with only two coats. When applied to the nail, they are quick drying and leave a smooth glossy finish. What sets this brand apart is that as these nail lacquers are specifically formulated for nail technicians and professionals, with top quality formulas which last. We  were so happy to find that it stayed on for over 7 days without chipping! We just can't wait to use these hard-wearing lacquers to flaunt our colourful toes and walk barefoot on a sandy beach. However, before application, we highly recommend using their Base Line (base coat) to aid and protect the natural nail from peeling and discolouration. And to finish by using the fast drying Top Note (top coat) which will give the final touches to your super shiny and long-lasting mani-pedi.  

Whether you are actually heading to the tropics on holiday or like us can only day dream… You can purchase the Caribbean Collection here for £29.98.  

Winky Lux Mini Lip Pill Kit

We here at The Amazing Blog don’t know why, but we adore something much more when it’s mini. So if you’re anything like us, you’ll absolutely love the Mini Lip Pill Kit from Winky Lux. This New York City-based brand is all about creating luxurious, on-trend makeup at an affordable price, so we can all feel like the 'Queens' that we are; their motto which we can surely get behind. 

Winky Lux has put together their best-selling Demi-Matte Lip Velours, so with 5 shades, you are bound to find your signature shade. From the essential nude shades and a classic red to the more adventurous bright and dark purple shades, this kit gives you a perfect matte colour for any and every occasion. The mini size also makes these lipsticks easy to travel with or it can make the perfect gift for any makeup lover in your life.

The shades come in Meow, Pippy, City, Royal, and Heart and are incredibly creamy and long-lasting. Of course, we love that they are cruelty, paraben, and gluten-free. Our favourite shade that we often sport has to be Meow because it suits so many skin tones and is really the perfect everyday shade. Though we do love to rock the shade City, a beautiful dark purple, on those nights out when we want a pop of something just a little bit different and totally glamorous.

The Mini Lip Pill Kit from Winky Lux is available here for £11.39, but we’re sure you’ll be going back for a full size of at least one shade soon after. Winky Lux is also available from Asos, Feelunique and Harvey Nichols.

Ancienne Ambiance Colonia VIII

Everyone needs a signature scent— period. Finding a personal fragrance that can transition from day to night or season to season can be quite a mission, but we at The Amazing Blog think we have got you covered. And as much as we love discovering new brands to fall in love with, there are some things, like a signature scent, that have us reaching back to brands we already know and trust. We keep returning to Ancienne Ambiance because we adore how luxurious their products are, like the Goddess Argan Hand and Body Wash and Beauty Oil. They are an artisan brand inspired by the ancient world and winner of the Beauty Shortlist Awards 2017, and we know that the unisex sweet fig blend of the Colonia VIII Perfume EDP will hit every note on your must-have list. 

The fig tree has a long, sacred past. With roots in Greek and Roman mythology to a symbol of enlightenment in Buddhism, this little fruit has made its mark on history. Ancienne Ambiance specialises in crafting niche fragrances inspired by the ancient cultures that started it all. The Colonia VIII scent honours the art of perfumery, as each perfume is bottled with the finest ingredients in limited quantities in France, all in a stunning 100ml glass column bottle that is sure to make you feel as lavish as Cleopatra. The fragrance has its base notes rooted in the warmth of sandalwood, its heart notes rounded in coconut, and the top notes have light, natural green notes that will follow you around throughout your busy day. Everyone will stop you just to ask what you're wearing: trust us, we know from experience. 

Want to make sure your scent lasts all day? Apply it to your pulse points or the inner wrist and elbow, behind your ears and knees, and at the base of the neck. Mist it on your clothes and hair as well and avoid rubbing the scent into your skin, as it makes the fragrance fade faster.
You can purchase the Colonia VIII Perfume here for £60.

AQ Skin Solutions

Here at The Amazing Blog, we know how over time our skin can suffer, so we are always looking for new products that help bring back that youthful glow. So when we received the  Eye Serum and Active Serum from the award-winning Californian skincare brand AQ Skin Solutions, we couldn’t wait to try them out. AQ Skin Solutions was created by Dr Ahmed Al-Qahtani who formulated this range by using cutting-edge technology (detailed here). He was inspired to start AQ Skin Solutions from conducting extensive work in medical applications of Growth Factors (GF) for healing wounded tissue and creating artificial skin grafts.

We first tried out the Eye Serum, the benefits of this product include smoothing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, brighten the appearance of dark circles and reduce signs of puffiness around the eye area. What we particularly like about this moisturising formula, is that it feels gentle on the skin, they say that it also won't irritate even the most sensitive eyes. The concentrated GF technology blend stimulates collagen production for increased firmness, while several smoothing peptides help tighten and lift the skin. Through activation of the skin’s own damage repair processes, fine lines and wrinkles are smoothed. It increases micro-circulation and lightens the under-eye area and helps to clear up eye bags and dark circles. The product is non-greasy, which means it won't clog the pores. We also like the handy 15ml bottle and the sleek packaging.

We were also lucky enough to receive the Active Serum. The serum also contains stem-cell derived growth factors to renew and accelerate skin cell regeneration. This helps erase the signs of ageing and environmental damage for a firmer, smoother complexion. Daily use of the serum helps minimise the look of fine lines and wrinkles. We used it not only on our face but also on the neck and decolletage areas too. The GF technology contained in both of these products is also being used successfully for encouraging healthy hair growth, reducing the appearance of scars and shortening the healing time of burn wounds. They say about using this serum: "Optimal improvement to your skin is generally not reached until six weeks of daily use." We only managed three weeks, but were pleased with the results.

We're happy to say, that by using both these products our skin felt softer, eyes looked brighter and it helped to give us back a more glowing complexion. All AQ Skin Solutions products are paraben, sulfate and phthalate free as well as cruelty free. You can purchase the Eye Serum here for £99 and the Active Serum here for £157.

Soley 'birta Lift & Glow Serum'

Overlooking serums in your beauty regime should be a thing of the past. If you keep up with us here at The Amazing Blog, you might remember we previously shared an amazing face mask from Soley Organics in our Friday Favourites, so we are thrilled to tell you about their birta Lift & Glow Serum. We also love a good story and Soley Organics has a wonderful history behind its creation. It was founded by the Icelandic actress Sóley Elíasdóttir, who was inspired by her great-great-grandmother's work as a healer. She then knew she wanted to take her family history and create skincare products that focus on using ingredients found in nature to heal the skin as her ancestors used to. 

This is why Soley uses Icelandic sourced ingredients in all of their skincare because they are known to work wonders on the skin. This serum contains Arctic sea buckthorn oil, which has been used for centuries for its medicinal and topical benefits. It is a miracle worker on the skin because it deeply nourishes every skin cell to prevent ageing and helps heal skin damage. It is also infused with Icelandic birch and yarrow, which have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties to heal the skin as well as give it a beautiful radiant glow. We also really enjoy the subtle earthy and sweet citrus aromas this emits as we massage it into our skin.

The berta Lift & Glow Serum has the best results if used both morning and night or it can simply be added into your daily lotion to pack in as much moisture and vitamins at once. You can purchase this serum here for £54.