Mr Smith's Balancing Shampoo

When The Amazing Blog were asked to come up with Australia’s best exports, shampoo was not our most obvious answer. Heaven knows there are a huge range of Aussie brands on offer here in the UK, from beachwear to popstars; beers to soap operas, and everything in between. However, a haircare company which has proved to be incredibly popular is now happily making waves over here, in the elegant form of Mr Smith - a gender neutral, high performance range of haircare products. We have happily welcomed them to our shores.

Mr Smith’s hair care products are beautifully presented in the most stylistically monochromatic packaging. It is clear where the makers want us to focus our attentions, and that is within the pristine white containers of nourishment, designed for tending to our luscious locks. And it is Mr. Smith’s Balancing Shampoo which immediately caught our attention, as the fragrance created a therapeutic massage of the nostrils - and that was before it had even been applied to the scalp! With rose geranium, patchouli, jasmine and mandarin in the mix, such a result is probably not a surprise. The addition of shea butter, avocado and lime oil makes for a sublime sense of clean too. Mr. Smith have clearly been painstaking in the research and development of this range, and with the shampoo in particular, nourishment and enrichment of the hair follicle is key, and has certainly come through in just one blissful wash!

As with many coveted brands, sourcing gems such as the Mr. Smith Collection may prove a little on the challenging side, but they have just recently launched in the UK, so here’s hoping they get to spread their magic more widely soon. We managed to track down the delights of the Balancing Shampoo here. At £25 for a 300ml bottle, the price reflects the effort that has been lavished not only on the shampoo, but also the entire range. This includes conditioners and styling options; all of which are sulphate and paraben free and PETA certified. What’s not to love?

UPDATE 2023: From our reader's feedback, this product is no longer available in the UK. We suggest trying portals like eBay or Amazon to see if you can purchase it there.

Tiare Botanicals

The question that we keep asking ourselves, is why do people use skincare products loaded with chemicals, when they have the opportunity to price-match with natural and organic ones? Out of habit we at The Amazing Blog always read the ingredient labels to decipher what we’re about to put on (and in) our bodies. That’s why we were thrilled to discovered a new UK based natural skincare brand Tiare Botanicals. Their products are affordable and made up of only fresh, paraben free and natural ingredients; thus making them an easy alternative to the mainstream and chemically enhanced products that you find in the high street.

We had the opportunity to test four of their products. The first was their Honey Body Milk which has a citrus floral blend and is handmade only in small batches, this is what helps with superiority and quality control of products. It’s made with manuka honey, orange, bergamot, and lavender essential oils, glycerine, water, and emulsifying wax. These natural ingredients provide the body milk with plenty of benefits. For example, Manuka honey helps to soften and soothe, also protecting the skin from dehydration; and the avocado oil is full of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins. The moisturising properties also come from the use of jojoba and coconut oils. The Honey Body Milk 100ml can be purchased for £11 here.

If you’re in the mood for a relaxing face mask, they we recommend their Clay Face Mask. We tried the aloe and rose scent, which is made from white kaolin clay, rosa damascena flower, and aloe leaf powder. Don’t panic if you have oily skin because this mask is good for all skin types. Also as one of the mildest clays, white kaolin clay doesn’t remove too much oil to risk sensitivity. Rose powder moisturises the skin, and aloe powder is wonderful for irritated, red skin. You can purchase the Clay Face Mask 60ml, which comes with a wooden spoon for easy application, for £9 here.

We don’t know about you, but lip balm is an essential item always to keep in our bags. Tiare Botanicals has a lovely Natural Cocoa Lip Balm. It contains beeswax, cacao seed butter, shea butter, and infused lavender and apricot oil. The lavender-cocoa scent is an unusual pairing; however, we found it to be calming and soothing. Purchase the Natural Cocoa Lip Balm 5.5ml £2.99 here.

Finally, their Floral Aroma Body Scrub is a gentle exfoliant comprised of coconut palm sugar, brown sugar, chamomile flower, hibiscus flower, rose flower, and vanilla pod. It also contains coconut and jojoba oils, which are rich in vitamin E. Our favourite part of this scrub was the sweet floral scent. Everyone can use this scrub, even those with sensitive skin because it’s made from all natural ingredients. If you’d like to give Tiare Botanicals’ Floral Aroma Body Scrub 200ml a go, you can purchase it for £13 here.

NB: This is a niche and small skincare brand, so don’t be surprised when you click on these links, as they take you to their Etsy shop.

Ashley Juhl - Anti-Ageing Range

We’re always on the lookout for the latest and greatest in woman’s skincare, especially when it comes to anti-ageing techniques. The Amazing Blog came across Ashley Juhl Skincare, a luxury American skincare range formulated by medical aesthetician, Ashley Juhl. Ashley opened her first skincare clinic at 24 years old and has devoted her career to helping people attain beautiful skin. Her dermatologist-formulated and tested skincare range is designed to have clinical results. Each product includes medical and botanical ingredients and is intended to correct, restore, and protect the skin. We we fortunate to have the opportunity to try four of their products.

Firstly, we gave the Ultra Benefits Firming and Brightening Moisturiser a go. This is an antioxidant-full moisturiser that helps to prevent and reduce visible ageing changes. As well as its hydrating and evening skin tone abilities, this moisturiser contains Chromabright, which decreases the appearance of age spots and uneven pigment. It also contains peptides that help to strengthen the skin’s collagen and reduce the appearance of fine lines. The added bonus? It has a lovely floral-scent.

Next, we tried the Advanced Retinol Wrinkle and Skin Tone Corrector. This serum is packed full of retinol, phospholipids, and glycolipids, ingredients which help to firm skin and reduce the look of wrinkles and pores. What makes this serum unique is the use of lipids, which do wonders to decrease dryness and repair the skin’s moisture barrier, preventing dry and irritated skin. This serum also contains advanced retinol, a combination of retinol, bioidentical phospholipids and glycolipids. Hello, younger-looking skin!

Ashley Juhl’s Vita Soothe Protective Replenishing Serum effectively smoothed our skin, giving it the extra plumping that it sometimes needed. This serum contains vitamins E and F which provide the skin with a beautiful glow. It can be used on all skin types, including acne-prone skin. One of its most important ingredients is the lipochroman antioxidant which protects the skin from ageing caused by UV rays, toxins, and pollutants. We loved the silky feel of this serum on our skin.

Lastly, we tried the C-Stem Concentrated Anti-Ageing Serum. The lilac stem cells help to lessen inflammation and give the serum a light floral scent. The vitamin C and marine extracts help to brighten the skin, as well as diminishing deep lines and pores by decreasing the skin’s ageing protein. If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution to slow down ageing, then this is the serum. What caught our attention, is the ability for this product to reactive genes, once again helping with the production of collagen, hyaluronic acid, and elastin.

If these products sound like they could help you, then they can be purchased here. You can also use the code AmazingB15 for 15% off when you purchase a skin system, or 3 or more products. Happy shopping!

LOLA - Ultra Shine Nail Varnish

Nail polish is the quickest (and chicest) way to change up your look from day to night, and from season to season. As we at The Amazing Blog make our way through these colourful autumnal days, we have handpicked a select few nail polish shades from LOLA Make Up by Perse to share with you. This isn’t the first time we have come across this Luxembourg cosmetics brand, we previously tried a range of their face and lip products (see here). We were therefore excited to try their nail polishes, which like their other products, are both professional and cruelty free. With numerous shades and an incredible formula, their nail polishes are affordable, and we found that they delivered a great manicured look.

The go-to classic shades we chose were: Plum Pudding and Nude. Both are from the #10 Free Formula range (a range free from chemicals like Formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, DBP, toulene, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene and TPHP). The Plum Pudding is a stunning medium berry shade that is perfect for a classic pop of colour, especially complementing our autumnal wardrobe. Nude is a light and delicate ballet-slipper pink shade. It leaves a subtle colour on the nails that is incredibly chic and with a couple of coats make a opaque base for the ever-so classic French tip.

We also received the Infinite Nail Gloss; a multipurpose base and top coat that helps to nourish and add a high gloss, ensuring that your LOLA colour will last. We used it on its own for a simple clear glossy look. However, it is specifically formulated to be applied with the LOLA nail polishes to help give a perfect home manicure.

These nail polishes apply with ease and the colours apply as a block and not streaky. We particularly liked that you only need apply one coat of polish (the Nude is an exception) as it gives a higher luminosity and intensity. Due to their special formula, with Gloss Seal’R, a patented technology - LOLA nail polish is an economical choice. The formula gives instant gloss from the moment of application, concealing it and preserving it up to 11 days as a glossy manicure. It also has a permeable film - a formula with a porous film that allows water and air permeability for your nails, engineered for a fluid and high gloss look that lasts. We mustn’t forget to mention that their entire nail polish range is 100% vegan. The LOLA Make Up by Perse #10 Free Formula Polishes in Plum Pudding is available here and the Nude is available here, both for £6.95, while the Infinite Nail Gloss is available here for £7.95.

Friday Favourites: Tanning Products to Protect or Enhance

As winter draws closer, it becomes more and more difficult to maintain a healthy and radiant glow. The cold temperatures strip our skin of natural oils, and the shorter evenings limit our time spent in the sunshine (that’s if we’re lucky enough to get any!) However, there is no need to fret, as The Amazing Blog team has unearthed four new tanning related products: One to protect, one to give a sunless glow, another to enhance your existing tan and finally one to remove it all! All useful products but with very different missions. We particularly like to give ourselves a colour boost at this time of year, despite what the weather outside might suggest. The added bonus (and perhaps the most crucial factor) is that by using these products you gain a radiant glow without exposing the skin to harmful UV rays.

Firstly, it’s easy to forget that our skin is exposed to harmful UVA and UVB rays on a daily basis. We came across HEVL’s SPF50 Face Creme a unique product that fights against both UVA and UVB rays, as well as the lesser-known danger of High Energy Visible Light. The beady eyed amongst you, will recognise that the brand name is a direct abbreviation of High Energy Visible Light (HEVL), and with this, comes a product that has been formulated by experts in the field of sun protection. For those of you who are unsure of what HEVL is, then you’re not alone. HEVL rays are produced in much the same way as UV rays, meaning they are damaging to the skin whether it is sunny or not. The most profound finding of our research, however, is that HEVL rays can cause a similar amount of damage as both UVA and UVB rays combined. I’m sure you can understand why we were eager to try HEVL’s SPF50 Face Creme.

This face cream has a multitude of benefits. It is SPF50, free from MI, SLS, parabens and perfumes, and suitable for even the most sensitive of skin; due to the light and non-greasy formula. We were also thrilled to discover that is has a slight skin-coloured tint, perfect for non-makeup wearing days, yet the formula acts as a smooth base for days when we require a little more coverage. The visible effects are apparent, however, the ingredients are the real talking point. The addition of Liposhield (a newly formulated ingredient that actively fights HEVL light) ensures that you can be safe in the knowledge that your skin is protected all day. Additionally, added prebiotics strengthen the skin, and maintain it’s natural barrier, aiding with the avails of dry winter skin. If you too would like to protect your skin this winter, then you can purchase a 50ml tube here for £19.95. 

Having protected our skin, the next step in our tanning routine is to use a self-tanning product. We were pleased to come across Curasano, a brand that promises to be inclusive of all skin types, providing effective products for an all year round bronze. This is something we admire, and having used their Spraytan Express for a multitude of special events, we can clarify that there was not a ‘carrot-look’ leg in sight! Initially based in Belgium, Curasano has been providing valuable cosmetics and health products since 2008, and are recommended by dermatologists across Europe. 

Curasano’s Spraytan Express is designed to activate the skin’s natural melanin from the inside, leaving you with an even and golden-brown glow. Self-tan lovers may be aware of the biscuit like smell that is often part and parcel of achieving a long-lasting colour; however Curasano defies this unpleasant side effect with the use of natural ingredients. These include ginseng, aloe vera and vitamin E, all of which are moisturising, yet gentle enough for those who have sensitive skin. We were surprised to find that it only comes in one shade, however, with a range of skin tones in the office, we can confirm that nobody was subject to a tangoed embarrassment. The spray is also suitable for the face, and even for those who suffer from psoriasis or acne. To achieve a party worthy glow, we used the Curasano Spraytan Sentz glove, a soft microfibre glove that helped us to cover our bodies evenly (even those hard to reach areas), and a fail-safe application tool for even the novices amongst us. To achieve an envious glow, apply an even layer over the desired areas, and you should be streak free and radiant for no less than 5 to 7 days. You need only use a small amount, and thus there are up to 60 treatments for the face, neck and décolleté, or up to 10 for the full body. 

To purchase a 200ml bottle of the Spraytan Express for £58.25, click here, and click here to purchase the corresponding Spraytan Sentz Glove for £7.41 .

If at home tanning is still a scary prospect, then we may have the product for you. Solglo’s Tanning Mist is designed to add a bit of colour to natural skin, or can be used to extend your existing (professional or DIY) tan by between 5 and 7 days. The brainchild of United Beauty, an international group with an extensive portfolio of cosmetic and retail products, Solglo is award-winning in sunless spray-tanning products. United Beauty is a British manufactured brand, aiming to provide the ideal tanning solution for tanning professionals. 

We tried their Solglo Tanning Mist in Sun Kissed (which is the lightest), a spray tan in a can that helps to keep your tan looking fresh. The ingredients are effective at keeping the skin moisturised, with both vitamin E and aloe vera which help to ensure that your tan doesn’t flake. We were also pleased to find that the mist is non-greasy, leaving your skin feeling soft, without the sticky feeling of other leading brands. The mist is available in two shades, Sun Kissed (a lighter shade) and Sun Drenched (the darker shade), and both are vegan-friendly and cruelty-free. We were also encouraged to find that the brand is nut free. The added bonus for us was the coconut smell, taking away the stereotypically chemical smell of tanning products. Using this product left us feeling as though we’d been transported to a tropical island, a welcome daydream while cooped up in a central London office. To encourage your own exotic transportation, spray evenly across the skin, and enjoy the long-lasting colour. You’ll find that it dries quickly, and thankfully doesn’t transfer onto clothes or bedsheets. To purchase Solglo’s Tanning Mist for £15.58 see here.

Finally, although this blog post suggests we’re all tanning experts…that is very far from the truth. We have witnessed many a ‘do I look orange’ moment in the office, and were therefore thankful to find CrazyAngel’s Strip Tease Tan Eraser. Crazy Angel is a brand that aims to offer personalised self-tanning, straying away from a ‘one colour fits all’ philosophy. The design of the packaging and branding is also unisex, fitting the company’s ethos of focusing on complementing skin tones rather than adhering to stereotypes. This is an outlook that we were impressed by, and one that compelled us to try their Strip Tease Tan Eraser. 

After previously trying Crazy Angel’s Midnight Delight Self-Tan Mousse (see here), we were eager to see how the Strip Tease Tan Eraser faired. We were suitably impressed (and relieved), to find a product that can solve our tanning woes without the use of harsh chemicals. The product is free from the use of alcohol, parabens and mineral oil and the formula itself has a delicate mousse texture, which aims to remove remnants of self-tan in just 5 minutes. Despite being a mousse, we were thankful that it didn’t leave our skin feeling tight; instead it had a silky smooth texture which left our skin feeling nourished (and ready for a new layer of tanning product). We recommend using this product to prep for any self-tan application, as it not only creates an excellent base, but also helps to ensure your bronzed glow lasts as long as possible. The Strip Tease Tan Eraser also has a pleasantly sweet and fruity scent, which draws away from the usually potent chemical smell of similar products. To purchase your own Strip Tease Tan Eraser for £14.99, click here. 

Self-tanning is often seen as a laborious and risky beauty ritual. Today we hope to have provided you with a few new tanning products to help make your routines a little less complicated and streak-free. All perfect for the forthcoming party season!