Terre De Mars - 004 Resonance Body & Hair Oil

At the Amazing Blog we’re big fans of the humble coffee bean and its versitility - not only can it give a wonderful boost to those of who find the early mornings a bit of a trial, but the health and medicinal benefits of caffeine-based cosmetology is now also sitting centre stage and rightly getting the attention it deserves. Terre De Mars is a company at the forefront of this.

Started by three friends who had memories of their grandmother espousing on the virtues of coffee as more than just a beverage, they started their empire from the humble beginnings of a 100% pure coffee face scrub. Alexandre, Poulad and Salem had such a phenomenal success with their scrub, that they progressed onto a more sure footing with the launch of a full range of coffee-based products, all of which are COSMOS, COSMEBIO, vegan and cruelty-free certified, and gender fluid. They created their formulae which comply completely with ECOCERT Standards, having researched and understood the benefits of using caffeine in a highly concentrated form, and along with the other totally natural ingredients, the results are a perfect fit for skin bio-compatibility and sensorial richness.

Today we’re talking about the Terre De Mars Résonance 004 Resonance Body & Hair Oil which contains antioxidant and nourishing oils to achieve radiance and smoothness. Castor oil regenerates the skin, and that vital caffeine component tones and invigorates the skin tissues, with Argan oil providing much-needed hydration. The complete range is a happy marriage between science and nature, formulated from powerful bioactive and probiotic ingredients, thus providing a powerful cocktail of nutrients. The benefits do not end there, not only is this nurturing balm kind to our skin, but the packaging is all created with recycled material, meaning the environment reaps huge rewards also. By the way, It doesn’t smell of coffee and has only a hint of zesty citrus scent from the bitter orange water.

Available here at €58 for the 100ml bottle, this is clearly unlikely to be an impulse buy, but the benefits of this newfound elixir are there to be experienced, and the results celebrated. We also believe from their retailer’s page here that it is currently available instore at Wolf & Badger or Make Me Feel (in London) for approx. £48.

SOS Serum

Alas, skin problems affect everyone at some stage, and at The Amazing Blog we’re definitely not fans of any unexpected inflammation or itchiness. That is why today’s #amazingfinds is a product that has a special formula to cool, heal and repair - meet the all-on-one rescuer, SOS Serum.  

Founder Bruce Green, is a chartered scientist, a chartered chemist, and a fellow of The Royal Society of Chemistry. He is a man with great expertise who understood the need for such a product as one skin issue still dominates – that is sensitivity. After many years of working in the industry, Bruce noted that from children to pensioners, everyone at some stage experiences skin dryness and itchiness. That is why he developed this unique advanced formulation that brings relief to most conditions. It can also be used to help eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, bites, wind-chapped and sun-damaged skin or allergic flare-ups.

The SOS Serum consists of only 12 active ingredients – rich in wasabi and burdock leaf extracts, these plant extracts are known for their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Hyaluronic acid alleviates dry skin and speeds up wound healing, whereas peppermint provides soothing and cooling abilities that freshen and leave that pleasant ‘ice cube’ sensation to the skin. There are also two other products in the SOS range – SOS H2O Day Serum with anti-ageing properties and SOS SPF 50 skin protection. All three products are vegan, cruelty-free, with no parabens, SLS, mineral oil or fragrance and are proudly manufactured here in the UK.

We think the SOS Serum is a must-have it’s so gentle and even suitable for babies over one-month-old. Regular application of a small amount of gel-textured skincare will treat the skin issue swiftly. We found that the recyclable airless pump dispenser is easy to use and perfect in size for keeping in a handbag for regular application. The retail price of the SOS Serum is £15 for 50ml and can be purchased here.

Ayumi – Turmeric range of Body Care and Shampoo

As you may remember from our Christmas feature, we’ve now been fans of Ayumi skincare products for a while. We previously wrote about their Sandalwood and Ylang Ylang Face and Body Care Range and now can’t wait to share with you their Turmeric Body Care Range.

Ayumi is an Ayurvedic and natural skincare brand that originates from a successful family run business called Fudco, which also happens to be one of the leading brands and suppliers in the ethnic food market. By using natural ingredients with spice infusions and essential oils, Ayumi creates the most magical and extremely effective products. The beauty of the brand comes from the source it was inspired by - the Ayurvedic principals. For those who don’t know, Ayurveda is an ancient Indian philosophy that many scholars believe to be the oldest healing science. Holistic healing is a balance between mind, body and spirit.

Ayumi kindly sent us their range of Turmeric body care and shampoo to review. Each product was excellent to use and their fragrance felt like a warm hug on a cold night. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric has long been known as an extremely useful and effective ingredient for skincare problems. In fact, turmeric is often used to aid skin issues such as dark spots, acne or even Melanoma. The products from the range we were sent were Turmeric and Shea Butter Body Lotion, Turmeric and Argan Oil Body Wash, a Turmeric and Bergamot Body Scrub and lastly, Hibiscus & Turmeric Shampoo.

Let’s begin with the Body Lotion; made with turmeric, shea butter, papaya extract, argan and mandarin oil. This Body Lotion is a blessing for anyone who struggles with dry skin, as it is perfect for everyday protection and nourishment. Next up, we have the Body Wash also made with turmeric, argan and mandarin oil and papaya extract. It’s got a luxurious texture with an enchanting citrus finish. The wash left our skin deeply cleansed, refreshed and revitalised. The Body Scrub is a deep cleaning and exfoliating product for combination and blemished skin. It uses ground olive and crushed pumice stones to gently buff away dead skin cells and impurities leaving your skin feeling soft, smooth and radiant. Last but most certainly not the least, we have the Shampoo for cleansing, stimulating and restoring your hair’s natural shine and health. The powerful natural ingredients will give fine and dull hair a new lease of life. The brightening properties of turmeric and the regenerative properties of papaya, and amla for promoting hair growth, will nourish your hair leaving it thicker, brighter and holistically healthier. With its glorious ingredients and luxurious set of products, Ayumi has outdone itself with its Turmeric range. You can find the products online on their official website. All the products are priced at an affordable £6.99 here.

Elm Rd - Amira Studio Reed Diffuser

This week’s post comes to you hotfoot from the striking opulence and intricate palatial architecture of the Middle East, and the arid desert landscapes … at The Amazing Blog are immersing ourselves in the sultry, smoky enclaves of heat, perhaps with some billowing linen providing a breath of air in the background, amidst all the grandeur, both faded and vibrant, but always intoxicating. Are we going overboard with the visuals here, or are we simply buying into the founding ethos behind Elm Rd.’s   fragrance range of candles and reed diffusers wholeheartedly? 

Elm Road is a company with their manufacturing base in Kent, and is the brainchild of Miguel Ángel, who had been living the corporate life of imbalance whilst working as a shoe designer when he had a moment of clarity in a San Franciscan park. Exhausted from the rigours of his busy schedule, the aromas of the eucalyptus, pine and cypress trees enveloped him and transported him to another time and place - one where memories and reminiscences helped to restore and heal, ultimately enabling him to make the huge decision to overhaul his life completely. Happily for Miguel - and indeed for us all - this turning point marked the beginning of Elm Rd, and his new venture of creating extraordinarily effective triggers to help us all slowdown and indulge a slower pace for however long we can all allow ourselves to escape.

We are focusing on Elm Rd.’s Amira Studio Reed Diffuser here, but there are a whole host of similarly indulgent concoctions to check out too. Amira Studio though is a heady blend of pure essential oils of mandarin, oud and geranium, conjuring up the ambiance of Arabian Night-like tales of romance and intrigue; combining the sumptuous aromas of frankincense with citrus and floral undertones. Whilst this fragrance has a strength to it from those base notes, it is not overpowering, but the ensuing subtle botanical aroma is just enough to sustain our journey of recollection back.

This stylish Amira Studio reed diffuser comes in 100ml, which is priced at £38 from here. All the ingredients are plant-based, paraben-free, and vegan-friendly with an eco-friendly diffuser base. The 100ml option should last between 3 and 4 months depending on the season and of course room temperature. Go on spoil yourself and be transported to more exotic climes with this intoxicating aroma.

Dermasynergy Professional Skincare - Synergy Balm

With the seasonal changes, our skin can be dry or even flaky, that’s why we at The Amazing Blog like to keep an emergency multi-balm always to hand, especially for these chilly months! So we were very happy to discover Derma Synergy Professional Skincare who has their Synergy Balm a professional healing balm that has a multitude of uses.

Ideal for dry and sensitive skin, it’s 100% natural, this Balm targets tired prematurely ageing skin in need of repair, restoration and rehydration.  One of its key ingredients is blackcurrant seed extract, a powerful natural antioxidant tool that regenerates damaged skin cells. A little-known fact for you, in the Second World War, parents would make their children drink blackcurrant juice due to its high concentration in vitamin C and its ability to prevent scurvy. The other ingredients also serve useful purpose including vitamin E contributing to neutralising free radicals (which lead to premature skin ageing) and marula extract which works on increasing skin hydration and elasticity.  The frankincense oil stimulates the growth of new cells and can reduce inflammation and acne scarring. We also like that this Balm has mango butter which is a natural vitamin A source and is effective in treating trickier skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

It’s a waxy consistency that warms up in the fingertips making application easy, leaving no excess; we’ve been using it on lips and hands (nails in particular). It comes in two sizes and we were lucky enough to receive both. The 15ml tin is £9.99 here which fits neatly in a pocket or handbag, making it great for hydration on the go. The 100ml tin is £35 here which we’ve also been using it intermittently a night balm, as well as a skin neutraliser to let our skin ‘rest’ from using other products as it’s brilliant for skin repair.