Soap Folk- Natural Soaps

We like brands with good ethics and philosophies here at The Amazing Blog, especially those that attach great importance to the provenance of the ingredients used in their products. Soap Folk is one of these British brands that make it a priority to create their products with only the purest and finest ingredients. They were kind enough to send us a set of their four artisan soaps which include: Lavender and Oatmilk, Milk and Honey, Peppermint and Rose Geranium. We couldn’t wait to take them home and try them.

These soaps pamper and protect the skin, all being natural, handmade and kind to the body. A few of the common ingredients to each are olive, sweet almond and shea butter which means that they're all intensely nourishing. The Lavender and Oatmilk soap is formulated to calm and ease skin, while the scent helps to relax the mind. The Milk and Honey soap is designed specifically for sensitive skin that needs extra care. Honey and goat milk are added to the formula to provide extra-hydration, soothe and gently cleanse skin.  The Rose Geranium soap has a more floral scent; which is delightful. The essential oils infused in the formula protect and rejuvenate skin. Those of you looking for a refreshing boost, you're going to love the Peppermint soap. Its minty and fresh fragrance awakens your senses and uplifts the spirits. Enriched with peppermint and avocado oil and rosemary extracts this soap leaves skin refreshed and cooled, making it our favourite.

What makes these soaps extra special is their packaging. We love the charming handmade and hand stamped designs on the wrappers, all wonderfully illustrated by Susie Hetherington. We think that this set of four make a fabulous and afforable gift. You can purchase the Soap Folk soaps here for £4.95 each.

Pevonia’s EyeRenew™ Conceal & De-Age Treatment

Here at The Amazing Blog are always on the go and we don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon! Too much screen work and late nights have begun to take a toll on the delicate skin around our eyes and we're showing signs of stress, sleep-deprivation and the dreaded ageing. So you can imagine how happy we were to receive the new EyeRenew™  Conceal & De-Age Treatment from our trusted friends at Pevonia to hopefully come and save our day.

As mentioned, late nights and long days with our eyes glued to our screens have started to have an effect on how we look and feel. We all struggle with dark circles, puffiness, wrinkles and how to conceal and refresh our tired eyes. This is why we loved the EyeRenew™ Conceal & De-Age Treatment;  it's one easy-to-use formula that conceals and de-puffs, thanks to an oil-free mineral tint,  while also smoothing any fine lines or wrinkles. We have found this to be an invaluable repairing eye contour treatment that gives a flawless finish. We also noticed that it has some great light reflective qualities, that helped to give a dewy and rested appearance to the eye area. The slim tube fits into a pocket to take on-the-go and reapply taking you through from day to night.

We've always been fans of Pevonia’s approach to skincare, where science meets nature. So it's good to know contained in this product is a natural blend of enriched plankton extract sourced from Tenerife, marine collagen and hyaluronic acid, all to revive and instantly refresh for a youthful glow. The EyeRenew™ Conceal & De-Age Treatment is free from the ingredients we don’t want near our eyes like mineral oil, lanolin, parabens, alcohol and artificial fragrances and colours. Additionally, Pevonia does not test on animals and each treatment comes in fully recyclable and biodegradable packaging. The EyeRenew™ Conceal & De-Age Treatment is available here for £57 and you'll receive a free gift with every order.

Leaf & Stem Scent-Free Body Collection by Green People

With spring just around the corner and winter finally behind us, it’s time to start indulging our bodies with some natural botanical products. At The Amazing Blog, we are excited to share one of our latest amazing finds from Green People: They have created a Modern Botanical range with five different gift sets. Today we are reviewing the Leaf and Stem Scent-Free Body Collection which includes a Shower Gel and Body Lotion. Green People have over 20 years' experience and are pioneers of the clean beauty movement. They are a natural and organic skincare brand that prides themselves on making high-quality products with the finest ingredients. As always, we at The Amazing Blog like to be first in the line to try out any natural products!

The Leaf and Stem Scent-Free Shower Gel and Body Lotion are both designed to suit sensitive skin and provide the body with the moisture it requires. In addition, both products are scent-free, which we really like, as one of our team members suffers from eczema.  An added bonus to these products is that they both come in 100ml tubes, making them the perfect size to pop into hand luggage. 

The Shower Gel is 83% organic and is made with a unique combination of botanical ingredients. The ingredients involved include aloe vera juice, marshmallow extract, yucca extract, and sea salt. It’s the mix of these ingredients that give the Shower Gel its hydrating, soothing and skin protecting properties. While the Shower Gel gently cleanses the body, the Body Lotion is formulated to provide sensitive and dry skin with extra hydration. The Body Lotion is 91% organic and is enriched with shea butter, sunflower oil, olive oil, perilla oil, jojoba oil as well as rosemary extract, chamomile extract and aloe vera juice. With all of these wonderful ingredients, this Body Lotion intensely moisturises skin and leaves it feeling soft and smooth. 

Both these two products offer the skin an ideal start and end to the day; and there is no better way to welcome in the spring, than pampering our bodies with these natural products. After using these products, our skin was left nourished, rejuvenated and satin smooth. The delicate light formula of the body lotion melted into our skin and was absorbed quickly. Added to all these benefits, the Shower Gel and Body Lotion are also suitable for children which makes them ideal for the family bathroom. We must also mention that all Green People products are vegan, cruelty-free and free from parabens. What we particularly like is that a donation from the sale of each of the Modern Botanicals Gifts goes to Plantlife a British conservation charity that works to save threatened wild flowers, plants and fungi. You can purchase the Leaf and Stem Scent-Free Body Collection here for £18.40.

Vbites Vegan Food and Cookbook

Vegan food has had a bit of a bad reputation in the past. When people think of vegan food, they only think of salads and tasteless fake meats, but bland vegan food is a thing of the past. Due to the bountiful health and environmental benefits of veganism, we here at The Amazing Blog have put a lot of thought into the idea of starting a vegan diet. When we learned the story behind Vbites founder, Heather Mills, we were inspired to try out veganism for ourselves. After enduring a devastating motorcycle accident, Heather discovered that the best way to heal her body was from the inside out. Which meant using a holistic approach rooted in a vegan diet. This story helps to explain why she was determined to create delicious foods that satisfy every craving, while nourishing the body. After learning her story, we were even more thrilled to receive a sampling of the Meat-Free products from this pioneering and award-winning plant-based brand at Vbites.  

Eating less meat or cutting it out completely can be daunting for many individuals, which is why Vbites products are perfect for anyone who needs a little help getting their foot in the door when it comes to becoming a vegan. Vbites offers a wide array of vegan products including meat-free, dairy-free, and fish-free products. To help with meal preparations, we would suggest using The LoveBites recipe book. This cookbook from Vbites comes with each of their Plant-Based Kits, which offers 60 new easy-to-follow recipes to try out and fall in love with. You can whip up delicious alternatives to some of your favourite meals like shepherd’s pie or asparagus quiche that are all completely vegan. From starters to soups, salads and main dishes, these recipes have definitely inspired us to cook more hearty meals that make us feel good from the inside out.

Our personal favourite of the Vbites selection that we tried was the Meat-Free Duck Hoisin (£2.99 for 150g). We added it to a veggie stir-fry and were licking our plates clean. We had some friends over to it try out and they were amazed to learn what they thought was a duck hoisin stir fry was in fact 100% vegan! Coming in a close second was the Meat-Free Lincolnshire Style Sausages (£2.69 for 295g) which we plated up as Bangers 'n Mash for a quick Sunday night supper (with a dollop of baked beans). They truly did taste like savoury sausages and certainly satisfied one very hungry male guest! 

So whether you are already practising a vegan lifestyle or you are considering starting, these Vbites will help you to incorporate some seriously tasty and healthy meals into your diet. You can check out the wide array of Vbites vegan products on their website here. 

Eat and Drink Festival 2018

Self-professed foodie or not, The Eat and Drink Festival has a little something to satisfy every taste bud. We here at The Amazing Blog have to admit that we can never turn down an event that brings together mouth-watering cuisines from around the world all into one place, so when we found out that the festival was returning for its second year at Olympia London; we had to let everyone know.

Now we all love going to the outdoor market to get lunch or a snack on a regular basis, but what makes The Eat and Drink Festival a unique experience that’s worth your while has to be The Foodie Stage; a live cooking demonstration from renowned chefs and food experts. Get ready to up your own skill set as they let you in on their own culinary secrets and their top tips to impress at your next dinner party.

Their Late Night Thursdays boast the country’s top street food vendors and music from up and coming local musicians until 9pm, so you can dance a bit before indulging on more delicious treats. The irresistible aromas from each vendor will make it hard to resist going back for seconds or thirds. Of course every good meal needs a drink to compliment it, so head on over next to The Drinks Station to find your signature cocktail, while you pick up some tips on how to pair a meal with the perfect drink. You can also take home some fresh produce and handmade products at their Artisan Producers’ Market to try your hand at crafting a food masterpiece of your own. 

 The Eat and Drink Festival comes back to London from the 17th of March to the 2nd of April, so don’t miss out! They’re open daily from 10am to 6pm (except on Late Night Thursdays). Tickets are available here starting as little as £14 for adults on weekdays, with free admittance for children 15 and under.