Body, Face & Foot Balms by Okko

It is no secret that here at The Amazing Blog we value good skin care products above all else after all beauty trends come and go, but our skin is here for life, so it’s imperative that if we always want to look our best that we take care of it. As such we are always searching for new and exciting products that to help care for our skin and manage any conditions it may have. So we were thrilled when Okko Skin Care sent us some samples of their 100% natural and environment-friendly balms. 

Okko’s balms are deeply moisturising sticks containing organic rosehip oil, organic jojoba oil, aloe butter and organic chia seed oil just to name a few.  Okko produces two distinct body balms, two unique face balms, and one original foot balm. The body balms are suitable for all skin types, and both left our skin feeling nourished and moisturised. We particularly loved the Organic Borage and Rosehip Body Balm Stick, as the borage oil helps to enhance skin’s elasticity. The two face balms were light and gentle. The Organic Chia Seed and Rosehip Balm was great on dry skin, as chia seed and rosehip are deeply nourishing. The clary sage and rose geranium, in the Organic Clary Sage and Rose Geranium Balm, left our skin feeling velvety soft. 

We think that the Organic calendula and Eucalyptus Foot Balm is a must have this summer. As we approach summer so do we approach sandal season. The foot balm is an excellent way to calm and smooth feet. The organic calendula oil aids to smooth skin and helps with tissue regeneration, therefore healing and smoothing rough or broken skin on feet. Using has removed any fears we may have had about getting our feet out this summer!

You can purchase all of the Okko products on their website here, and prices range from £18.00 - £22.00. However, if you want to test them out first before buying full-size balm you can! Okko have Try me versions of all their products for £2.50
 

Coco Hydro Sport - Coco Hydro

At The Amazing Blog, we believe it is important to live a healthy and well-balanced life. You can have and do anything you want as long as it is in moderation. So it can be a real disappointment after a long and arduous gym session to glance at the back of your sports drink and realise that what you’re putting into your body to help you, has just nullified most of what you’ve done! Luckily for us though one of our favourite brands Coco Hydro has released a new Sports version of their popular powders.

Available in three flavours, Original, Pineapple and Lemon and Lime, Coco Hydro Sport offers a fantastic alternative to other sports drinks currently available. Acting as a high-performance coconut water-based hydrator this superb product has a higher electrolyte content than regular Coco Hydro, as well as added mineralized sea salts to help support extreme workouts and sports. Equally, the natural chelated organic ionic trace minerals have a 98% faster absorption rate.

Containing only seven ingredients there is nothing to worry about when drinking this product. You no longer have to settle for  over-dyed, sugar filled and over packaged sports drinks. As Coco Hydro point out, by replacing just two bottled drinks with this, you will save on average 104 plastic bottles a year! So if you’re concerned with the waste that other sports drinks cause then, you can sleep a little easier knowing the Coco Hydro Sport helps you help the world. It couldn’t be simpler to use Coco Hydro Sport, simply blend in water to taste or mix it in with a recovery drink or smoothie for increased efficiency in helping to heal those hard working muscles.

You can purchase Coco Hydro Sport here from £18.30, or you can purchase the Original Coco Hydro Sachet's on Planet Organic's website, buy one get one free, for £1.59.

Friday Feature: London Marathon Inspired Fitness

If you are anything like us at The Amazing Blog, then the fact that the London Marathon is this Sunday has inspired you to up your fitness game! While it is too late to actually take part and run in this year’s marathon there are still tonnes of cool and exciting ways to get fit this April. We’ve put together a list of great classes that will have you beach body ready for those summer plans, or have you fulfilling any resolutions you made at the beginning of the year that may have slipped your mind! The key to fitness success is to enjoy what you’re doing and we are sure that one of the classes below will inspire you to get active, and more importantly, stay active.

First on our list is 1Rebel, which you may recognise from your favourite fitness social media accounts or shows such as Made in Chelsea.

We recommend their ‘reshape’ classes which are 45 minutes of mental and physical intensity. It is an intensive group experience that is designed to condition and re-sculpt selected muscle groups. Their website says that ‘their patented 1R workout platform will help mould your body and break your barriers.’ This is an understatement, within a few sessions those wobbly arms and jiggly thighs will be gone. You are given your own workstation with dumbbells, resistance bands and a treadmill. You spend four minutes doing squats, chest presses, frog jumps and more before jumping on the treadmill for another four minutes to do interval sprints. With each set, the intensity increases, and with each the session, the effects are more and more noticeable.

What we really love about these classes is that while you work harder than you ever have before they’ll make the experience as easy as possible. There is no contract to sign and you simply go online and pay as you go. 1Rebel will provide you with towels, water and even makeup remover meaning that all you need to bring is yourself and a change of clothes. With a beautiful décor, you’ll feel like a celeb going to this gym. The changing rooms are fitted with copper lockers that look like something out of a sci-fi film, the benches are heated, and the vanity area is a dream with hair dryers, GHD straighteners and endless beauty products. Once you’ve worked out and done yourself up again, you can head to their bar upstairs called Roots and Bulbs for a delicious and nutritious juice or smoothie, or a free glass of prosecco on Fridays. It’s wonderful to feel so pampered after you’ve worked so hard and is a real incentive to keep going back.

Book your first class here and thank us later!

If you are looking for something a little different and quirky then Flying Fantastic’s Hoop Class is the fitness session for you! Classes take place on the Aerial Hoop, which is a circular steel ring, providing the perfect structure for your acrobatic moves. Flying Fantastic believes in inclusivity so whatever your ability or experience – from novice to Olympic gymnast – they will be able to cater to you and help you get the best from your experience. Each class has a ratio of 2 people per hoop and there are only ever 7 people per instructor so you know you’ll be getting the best out of this class.

The classes will have you progressively working on your core muscles and balance by focusing on developing your strength, stamina and flexibility. Core muscles are essential for executing the moves with confidence, so it helps if you have good core stability beforehand, but if not don’t worry as these will develop! The Hoop classes are an amazing way to hone your upper body muscle groups, so as well as a better range of motion and flexibility, you’ll have Michelle Obama arms in no time.

This is a perfect class for those who don’t take exercise too seriously, or are looking for a way to jazz up their fitness routine, all the while still working hard to develop your bodies.  
You can get involved here with an introductory offer of 3 classes for just £45

For all the swim buffs reading then do we have the perfect class for you!! Virgin Active has created an amazingly intensive, hour-long, swim session called hydro. The fast moving class combines full body training with expert coaching. Due to the weightless nature of the pool based exercise, this a brilliant way to push your body without straining your joints making this ideal for those with either joint problems or recovering from an injury.

This class is not for the faint-hearted, though, burning 400-600 calories a session, you have to be able to swim a minimum of 100m to join in. The Hydro class will push you both physically and mentally! Whether you are looking to train for an event or just on the hunt for a great and challenging workout, you’ll tone up, build strength and endurance, and improve your technique. Coaches will help you tackle a variety of exciting speed and distance challenges while using a variety of different strokes. 53 Virgin Active clubs run Hydro - so no excuses! 

1Rebel Reshape class, Flying Fantastic Hoop Class or a Hydro swimming session - which one will you choose?

Body and Facial Oil - Holos Skincare

When we find a product at The Amazing Blog, that not only works but are also handmade, ethically-produced and mindful of the environment, it is quick to become a favourite of ours. As such, after trying their Body Oil and Facial Oil, the Irish brand Holos has become a staple among us here at the office and is now a valued step in our beauty regimes.

Holos describes their rich and nourishing Body Oil as the basis of their 'Love Your Skin' range. It is a blend of essential oils of Rose, Palmarosa, Benzoin and Frankincense in Sweet Almond oil. This oil is suitable for all skin types but especially benefits dry and mature skin as the hydrating properties of these oils help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. The special blen of essential oils means that the product is ble to achieve a lot of results; the palmarosa oil encourages cell regeneration, the rose and benzoin oil reduce inflammation of the skin, and the rose also helps fix broken capillaries. 

Their Facial Oil is Holos’ best -selling product, and we can see why. It contains the same oils as the Body Oil (Rose, Palmarosa, Benzoin and Frankincense) but this time combined with Argan oil to give you a premium anti-ageing oil. It works brilliantly at the plumping skin, which helps smooth out wrinkles and restores a glow of youthfulness to ageing skin. Equally, the unique blend of essential oils helps to reduce any redness of inflammation. We love that the oil has multiple uses; it can be applied with a moisturiser or on its own, and it works a replacement eye cream marvellously. What's more, four drops are enough to use on both the face and neck.

So give your skin some love with this amazing all natural, gluten free, vegan and paraben free brand, Holos. You can purchase the Body Oil here for £15.99 and the Facial Oil here for £22.99

Anti-Age Concept Chocolate Mask - GMT Beauty

At The Amazing Blog, we know how important it is to include your body in your daily skin care routine, and while most people follow a  routine,  we understand that it can be easy to forget to take the same care over the rest of your body. GMT Beauty kindly sent us one of their body masks, and we think it is a great product for any of you who forget to look after the skin on the rest of your body, or for anyone looking to try something new. 

We tried the brand's Anti-Age Concept Chocolate Mask, which is an amazing mask that has been specifically designed to be used on the body. GMT Beauty products contain carefully selected ingredients along with patented active substances to produce brilliant results. In this case, the mask contains a blend of ingredients designed to rejuvenate and repair damaged skin that has lost its elasticity and radiance. Cocoa enriches the skin with Vitamin A and E and a multitude of antioxidants, protecting the skin from environmental stressors.

The mask also contains oats, which work to soften and heal damaged skin, and algae, which moisturises and protects it. This impressive mixture of ingredients really works together to reinvigorate dull and unhappy skin. We loved the scent of the product which had a strong chocolate aroma.

To use the product, the mask should be mixed with warm water and applied to th any problematic areas of the body you want to address. Leave the product on for 15-20 minutes and simply rinse it off with water (we found using the shower was easiest). The mask is suitable for all skin types, particularly sensitive skin as GMT Beauty ensures that there are no allergens in any of their products.

To give some love to your entire body, try GMT Beauty's Chocolate Mask here on Amazon for £14.00 - or you can purchase it from their website for €16.25.