Concrete & Wax - The Modular Collection: Tealight Trio in All Sage

It’s nearing to the end of August and we can feel that slight autumnal bite in the air. Shorter days and longer nights are not far away and the candle season is almost upon us. This is why at The Amazing Blog we thought we’d introduce you to one of our first #amazingfinds for the autumn. Meet the contemporary styled and hand-poured candle company Concrete & Wax with their versatile Tealight Trio in All Sage from The Modular Collection which are stackable tea lights where you can build them vertically or burn each one independently. 

They were founded in 2018 by Alex Sommer and Laura Keller (AKA Mr. Concrete and Mrs. Wax) who among many other things, are also expert trend forecasters in the fashion industry. They came up with this conceptual brand, which offers the consumer a variety of design choices with mix and match concrete modular and interchangeable candleholders, together with uniquely fragranced soy wax candles. The holders are available in six plain colours and three unique camouflage designs. They’re cleverly adaptable and fit into almost any interior style whether it’s a minimalist contemporary penthouse or rambling country cottage. At each stage of brand development Concrete & Wax, wanted to make sure that they kept their sourcing of materials and suppliers as sustainable as possible. And as a true testament to artisan craftsmanship, they produce all products in their Suffolk workshop where everything is hand-poured, finished and packaged. They say: “When it comes to the finishing touches, we scour the local market to source as much as we possibly can - our aim is to support local business and to keep our footprint as small as possible.” The general perception of concrete is a rough, heavy industrial material; however, here we see it being used as a smooth material taking on streamline and stylishly statuesque shapes. They produce a selection of reed diffusers, in black bottles with concrete tops that double up as a tealight holder. Also not forgetting the recent addition of coasters in all the different colourways including a new splatter design.

Concrete & Wax very kindly sent us the Tealight Trio in Sage these are three hand-poured sage green concrete tealight holders in varying heights. As mentioned, they can burn independently or be stacked to make one tall tower. Each of these concrete holders has natural cork feet making them appear as if they’re slightly floating, plus the cork offers protection for heat-sensitive or polished surfaces.  We preferred to arrange these all nestling together for an extra twinkly effect. All candles (including tealights) are made of 100% vegan blended soy wax with a choice of fragrance. We’re fans of soy wax as it’s clean-burning and tends to hold scent longer than other varieties of wax due to the slow burn which releases the scented oils gradually.

There are four candle fragrances. The Lime, Basil & Mandarin is a citrusy fragrance that is relaxing and energising all at once. Lime is known to help clear the mind, the basil is thought to boost mood, and the mandarin soothes tensions. Secondly, we have Tobacco & Oak, this is considered as a very earthy aroma with smoky tobacco and dark oak mixed with leather, spice and musk. It’s very masculine, but not overpowering. This autumnal scent makes you want to hunker down and snuggle up in the warmth. The musk here will also help elevate your mood and give a general feeling of wellbeing. Thirdly, Sandalwood & Black Pepper, which according to Concrete & Wax, this scented candle is the most luxurious in the collection. Sandalwood is believed to be beneficial in treating anxiety, fatigue, and insomnia and the warming scent of black pepper will help relieve stress. Last but not least, Amber Noir, is the latest addition to the collection and is warming, intoxicating and mysterious. Tropical and exotic, burning this candle will spirit you off to far and distant climes … Top tip: These tealight candles will also fit into the Slim Holders. We love the pick ‘n ‘mix and the interchangeable aspect, which allows us to swap fragrance, colour or style of container all on a whim to fit our mood!  To see the full range from Concrete & Wax see here starting from £22.

Essench CBD Cosmetics - Intense Hair Serum

Summer means humidity, which is not always compatible with our hair! We start the day with beautifully straight hair, which when we step outside, miraculously transforms into an uncontrollable bundle of frizz! Oh yes, we at The Amazing Blog know this situation only too well and in our search to find new ways of dealing with our hair, we decided to try this Intense Hair Serum from Essench CBD Cosmetics. We prefer hair serums that are oil-based as they stop the frizz and also hydrate the scalp. We’re not fans of silicone-based hair serums as they only coat the hair to enhance shine; whereas oil can actually penetrate the hair fibres and feed the scalp follicles to restore and repair the hair on a long-term basis.

Essench CBD Cosmetics started in 2019 and is a small family-run CBD business. They are an artisan brand that provides top quality natural products that are handcrafted with their own unique formulas including CBD. The company was created by Christina and her fiancé Jenny, who wanted to produce products that make a difference in peoples’ everyday lives.  After having struggled with endometriosis, Christina turned to CBD which has helped to turn her life around. Ever since she made a promise to raise awareness around both CBD and the medical condition of endometriosis. The company sources its CBD in the purest form from Holland and Germany. It is THC-free and extracted by C02 method. They use ‘CBD distillate’ in their oral oils, which is a highly refined cannabis extract often derived from hemp flower and hemp biomass. CBD distillate typically contains around 80% CBD with the balance including minor cannabinoids, terpenes, and other plant oils and extracts. Otherwise, in their skincare, they use ‘CBD isolates’ which contain only CBD in its purest form with no other terrapenes or cannabinoids. Currently, they have 100% biodegradable packaging on their bath bombs and aim to have all their other containers and packages completely green by the end of 2022. They are also actively involved campaigning with Seed The Future that is a pressure group that aims to get the government to tell the truth and abandon the unsubstantiated and unfounded laws and regulations surrounding cannabis. 

We've already featured many different CBD products here, and as regular readers will know, we’re big fans of this natural ingredient. Let’s do a quick recap for those of you new to CBD. Many people think CBD will get you high like cannabis, however, that’s far from the truth. The natural ingredient cannabidiol (CBD) used in products here in the UK, is only allowed to contain a limited amount of up to 0.02% of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). THC is one of many compounds found in the resin secreted by glands of the marijuana plant. Other compounds unique to marijuana, are called cannabinoids, one of these is CBD which is nonpsychoactive and according to studies actually blocks the high associated with THC. CBD works with your endocannabinoid system which is exceptionally effective in dealing with anxiety, depression, pain, inflammation, improving sleep. Not only that but we also like CBD in skincare for its effectiveness in fighting acne and treating eczema and psoriasis.

The product we want to talk to you about today has earned its spot among the finalists in the World CBD 2019 Awards in Barcelona for Innovation  – as Innovative Award Finalist, the Intense Hair Serum- 250mg CBD. The 250mg of CBD  here is isolate (see above paragraph). As discussed, CBD oil has many known benefits like pain and inflammation reduction, and it also encourages a sense of well-being and calmness. But did you know that CBD oil is also beneficial for your scalp and hair? CBD oil is rich in vitamin E and fatty acids that will nourish the scalp and consequently strengthens the hair and encourage growth. Therefore, CBD is ideal for people suffering from hair loss. Inside the cannabidiol, the fatty acids are omega-3, 6, and 9 which will moisturise and feed the scalp. CBD oil contains abundant amounts of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and vitamin E – which is a natural anti-inflammatory, which makes it ideal for common scalp conditions like psoriasis or folliculitis. It also balances your scalp's natural production of sebum, whether it was too much or too little.  CBD works as an adaptogen and is excellent for all hair types as it regulates sebum production. CBD will increase the elasticity, volume and shine of your hair because of the lipids. This Intense Hair Serum also contains jojoba oil which is an excellent remedy for dandruff.  Jojoba is rich in vitamins and minerals that will support the hair, with vitamin C, B and E, copper, and zinc all of which fortify and thickens it. This serum blend also contains castor oil, a remedy long used in traditional medicine which is said to stimulate the scalp, ease dandruff, and leave your hair smooth and shiny. Rich in olive oil it will help to alleviate itchiness or scalp irritation. The Intense Hair Serum smells of rosemary, which is different from other CBD based hair products which usually smell of hemp. The rosemary oil in the blend makes it very appealing as a scent and will also fight hair loss together with the added horsetail oil. They do this by improving the blood circulation in the scalp which in turn improves the condition of the scalp and the individual hair follicles stimulating hair regrowth. Finally, the nettle leaf oil here is loaded with protein, fibre, fats, vitamins A, B, C and K and minerals such as calcium, silica, magnesium and iron. All these work together to shield and protect the hair from free radicals and strengthen the blood vessels, which means that the follicles will receive more nutrients and oxygen, resulting in better hair growth.  I have used the whole 30ml bottle, which lasted for two or three hair massages (I have long wavy hair) and found that it left my hair with no frizz (unusual!) and super-smooth and shiny. For me, it worked as a wonderful hair treatment with the added bonus of rehydrating and calming my slightly itchy scalp.  Essench CBD advises massaging the Serum gently into the scalp and leaving for about 10 minutes then combing through so all hair is coated evenly. Leave it in for a minimum of 1 -2 hours then wash thoroughly. Repeat 2 times per week or as desired. We’d highly recommend this for your fight against frizz, it’s one of our top summer #amazingfinds, to purchase your Intensive Hair Serum 30ml for £20, see here.

Conscious Cosmetics - Lavender & Sage Deodorant & Underarm Care

With these long humid summer days, we struggle to keep smelling fresh. There is nothing worse than being on London public transport and getting a whiff of someone else’s stale body odour! That’s why at The Amazing Blog, we want to talk about a natural skincare and cosmetics brand Conscious Cosmetics that has impressed us with their gloriously fragranced Lavender & Sage Deodorant & Underarm Care.

Founded in 2010 by Malene Rosenberg Hansen in Canada, where she is a product developer and purveyor of natural, organic, cruelty-free and vegan beauty and skincare products.  Her Danish-Canadian company develops natural beauty products that are rooted in the Scandinavian way of life, with particular attention paid to the health and wellbeing aspect.  This holistic, ethical and artisan brand only makes in small batches with the finest and most natural ingredients sourced from all over the world. The primary mission of Marlene is to create products that are both delicious for the skin and good for the environment. Having come from an international background and lived in Europe, West and Central Africa this has helped her connect to nature, where she holds a deeply rooted appreciation for sustainability, simplicity and most importantly, functionality. Her products reflect her philosophy by mindfully selecting fresh botanicals and minerals to use in harmony with the incredible powers of colloidal silver as their natural method of preservation.

We’ve chosen to review the Lavender & Sage Deodorant not only for its natural and organic ingredients but for its heavenly scent!  It instantly soothes, conditions and nourishes the skin. There are far too many chemically made deodorants on the market which are known to not only harm your delicate underarm skin but can cause rashes or worse with ingredients like aluminum. This is a unisex deodorant, which is fresh, pure and alcohol-free and will leave you feeling confident and smelling fragrant. It truly does neutralise any unpleasant odours caused by bacteria and has their hero ingredient of Colloidal Silver Water which is considered to be a natural preservative because it is pure and clean. Let’s talk about the other key ingredients here which include the organic virgin coconut oil that will nourish and condition, leaving underarm skin smooth. It is also known to having a plethora of vitamins, antioxidant and antifungal properties. There is cold-pressed avocado oil, known for its ability to quickly and deeply penetrate the skin with the benefit from the vitamins A, D, and, E as well as potassium and fatty acids. The lecithin acts as a humectant and cold-pressed castor seed oil that has healing properties and has been used as far back as the Egyptians. This stimulates the production of collagen and elastin and is rich in vitamin E, Omega 6, and, 9. One of the other essential elements here is shea butter to protect your skin from environmental damages as it is rich in vitamins A, E and, F. This magical ingredient will also protect from sun damage and contains nutrients necessary for collagen production and is very compatible with keratin which will strengthen and give elasticity. It is also considered as a balancing agent. Furthermore, there is arrowroot powder which will eliminate toxins and help calm and get rid of shaving rashes. Organic beeswax contains vitamin A and provides long-term hydration which will soothing irritated skin, making it ideal for those with sensitive skins. Among other ingredients, there is the powerful and pampering aloe vera gel naturally rich in protein, calcium, magnesium, zinc as well as amino acids and skin rejuvenating enzymes. The two key botanicals here are the lavender and sage essential oils. The first one will add not only smells wonderful but will also calm the skin while the second will act as a toner, effectively tightening pores and firming the skin. Finally, the tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil combine their cleansing and healing powers helping to refresh and deodorise. A top tip that they gave us, is to keep it in the fridge during hot days that way it will last longer!

We’re over the moon with this natural and organic deodorant – there are other natural ones here in the UK but we’ve found them to be too waxy or they leave behind a white residue on clothing– not this one! When I finish this – I want to buy another. Please Conscious Cosmetics, come and sell directly into the UK soon! We can’t wait to try more from this brand. If you can’t wait to try this like us, you can buy it here for $28.00

L'Organiq - Hyaluronic Acid Triple Fruit Serum

As you’ve probably already guessed by now, we’re a little obsessed about our skincare regime.  After years of research on how to ‘feed’ the skin, we know that one of the most essential items is face serum. After all, it’s the first product that we apply day and night after cleansing and toning. They are an important product that put antioxidants directly into the skin, balancing and protecting our complexions. We also find that a serum is most effective when it has hyaluronic acid, (see here ) as this helps hydrate and strengthen the dermis. Today at The Amazing Blog, we’re thrilled to have found a new serum, the vitamin-enriched Hyaluronic Acid Triple Fruit Serum by L’Organiq. We particularly love their empowering motto of: ‘Be kind, be clean be beautiful’.

Emma Chevrel, the founder of L’Organiq, has always loved skincare but she never thought of having a beauty brand of her own. She was in a city career and she describes how her life was great back then. But, as Emma says, “Sometimes it takes a bomb in our lives to wake us up to what we’re really here for. That bomb for me was when, early in 2009, I was diagnosed with Grade 3 Triple Negative Breast Cancer.” Emma experienced skin problems as the treatments were intensive. Her skin became very sensitive and no skincare products could help her, so she decided to create her own with L’Organiq, a brand that puts people and the planet first. The brand started in 2019 in Dorchester, where each one of their products is lovingly crafted to be cruelty-free and has organic ingredients. These are also carefully combined to offer antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing results. L’Organiq offers a wide range of skincare, haircare and grooming products. Emma has also created a ‘return and reward’ scheme in which she encourages customers to return their empty bottles (free of charge) so that they can be recycled or reused. We also like their eco-credentials with a minimal carbon footprint using only UK based suppliers and 90% of the range produced in recyclable glass containers.

The Hyaluronic Acid Triple Fruit Serum is one of the three serums in their range. The first thing we noticed is that it is vegan, fragrance-free, with a clear and slightly gel-like consistency.  It also is oil-free and full of hyaluronic acid (which we love!)  The triple fruit extracts are: Cranberry which acts as an exfoliant and has vitamins like A and C help boost collagen production;, grapefruit which is also full of vitamin C and good for balancing the skin, whereas the raspberry protects from UV damage with antioxidants and ellagic acid keeping skin healthy and rejuvenated. These fruit extracts are the ideal combination for anti-ageing and a vitamin boost. The serum is also packed with vitamin B5 which keeps the skin quenched by absorbing moisture from the air and has anti-inflammatory properties to help heal the skin and leave it soft and hydrated.  Easy to apply, it comes in a 30ml glass bottle with pipette, we found that a little does go a long way. It was good for each of our different skin types; as it absorbed quickly and is nourishing enough to use alone - with the perfect texture and lightness to use in the current heatwave!  You can purchase your Hyaluronic Acid Triple Fruit Serum here for £26.00

Luly Guadiano - Luxury Body Lotion & Sugar Body Polish

Pampering products are the order of the day! Here at The Amazing Blog, as regular readers will know, we like to champion natural indie brands that care about the environment. Today we are featuring the luxurious organic Swiss skincare range Luly Gaudiano with their Luxury Body Lotion 250ml and Luxury Sugar Body Polish 225ml. 

Luly Guadino was founded by Lourdes Gaudiano in 2013, where it all began when she decided to move from Panama to Switzerland, hoping to find a suitable job. However, fate planned it otherwise and the brand began its humble beginnings with natural soaps being sold at local Swiss markets. This swiftly led her onto a natural cosmetics course in France and soon what started as a hobby, turned out to be a pivotal point for her successful career path. Even back in Panama, Lourdes was always concerned about the environment, and when she arrived in Switzerland, she was fascinated by their eco-awareness and advancement in the production of natural and clean cosmetics. This was when she knew she came to the right place to launch her own natural and sustainable skincare range. When Lourdes introduces her brand, she says:  “I speak about my story as a Panamanian building a cosmetic brand in Switzerland.” All products from the Luly Guadino range are ‘sustainable luxury’ made by using only green energy, with non-toxic and natural ingredients, in recyclable packaging. The brand was awarded the most luxurious sustainable skincare brand for 2020 by Lux Life and when Luly Guadiano was exhibiting at the 2018 Indie Beauty London, is when we first spotted this brand!

The first of the two products that we tried was the Luxury Body Lotion with a subtle fragrance combining both floral and citrus, this nourishing body lotion has luxurious and natural ingredients that leave the skin smooth and radiant. Its key ingredients include sweet almond oil known for its excellent hydrating properties for dry skin and cell renewal.  There are highly concentrated fatty acids with the organic shea butter, are ideal for softening the skin and its anti-inflammatory properties help to heal the skin from damage. It also contains sunflower seed oil providing the skin with a plentiful amount of vitamins A, C, and D all of which aid in regeneration. The aloe leaf and rosemary leaf extracts are rich hydrants that help improve skin quality. Finally, the edelweiss extract in the lotion gently fragrances and also provides good antioxidant properties to help keep your skin firm and wrinkle-free. This unique swiss flower will protect the skin from UV rays damages and premature ageing.

Next is the Luxury Sugar Body Polish. This body polish gently exfoliates the skin whilst also enveloping the body in its silky hydrating film. Use it all year round, to keep the skin smooth and radiant. The key ingredients found here include jojoba seed oil which is a good dry skin healer and also balances sebum, its antioxidants properties work as a protector and emollient. This Body Polish also contains coconut oil which is gentle, perfect for healing and works well together with the exfoliant of sugar crystals to remove the dirt and excess of oils. The latter will give you a much smoother, softer, and silkier skin. Last but not least, this golden sugar scrub also includes edelweiss extract to give soft and velvety skin. All products are made in Switzerland and have 100% organic and vegan ingredients. Lourdes Gaudiano advises using Luxury Body Lotion 250ml twice a day to keep skin moisturised and radiant. As for the Luxury Sugar Body Polish 225ml, massage it onto skin with warm water or rub the product in a circular motion and then rinse off. Make sure to use dry and clean hands to scoop out the product and for great results, repeat once or twice a week. To get your Luxury Body Lotion 250ml for CHF34.90 and the Luxury Sugar Body Polish 225ml for CHF49.90 see here. There is an exclusive offer of FREE POSTAGE to the UK if you enter Discount code FREEUK on the checkout for your purchases.