New Collagen Supplement Drink by Calla-Coll

At The Amazing Blog we believe in the saying: “When you put good in, you get good out," so when we received the new collagen supplement drink Calla-Coll that contains peptides and hyaluronic acid too, we were interested to put it to the test. Skincare professional, Lynne Baker from Calla Salon, has worked hard for the past five years to create this high-potency drink with the help of a specialist lab in Sweden using bovine collagen. 

As we age, our body naturally slows down its production of collagen. Soon enough we begin to see fine lines on our skin and start to feel achy in our joints and that’s when we know we need to take action. Calla-Coll is expertly formulated using the best ingredients to ensure our nails, skin, hair, joints and our overall body is functioning as it should be. The formula is also enriched with essential vitamins C, B5, B6, B7 and B12 and the key ingredient: Type I and Type II bovine collagen, which is sourced from organic, free-range, grass fed and non-GMO cattle in Brazil. Together, these ingredients rejuvenate your body from the inside; giving you the energy you need to work through your busy day. The liquid formula makes it simple to take before you head out the door in comparison to most powder formulas that are difficult to fully mix.

The sweet berry flavour makes it enjoyable to take a shot on its own, but it can always be added to your favourite fruit smoothie. We added it to our banana and vanilla protein drink in the morning. We think that you need to take this supplement for three months before seeing visible results, we only had twenty days supply, although our executive editor did notice a little more mobility in her joints. This supplement comes in a neat 500ml plastic bottle with a separate small measuring cap. All you need is 25ml a day to help keep your body looking and feeling younger. Calla-Coll is available for purchase here for £45.

The Chicken Shed Chocolate

We all deserve to indulge from time to time and let's be honest, the only way to really treat ourselves is with some delectable choccies; however, we don’t mean ANY old chocolate!  At  The Amazing Blog, we're always on the lookout for something a little bit more luxurious and lucky us The Chicken Shed were kind enough to send us some of their unique handcrafted raw chocolates just in time to satisfy our sweet tooth (NB: Made with organic honey, not refined sugar!) This family company launched in October 2013 and has continuously developed new flavours that we couldn't wait to sink our teeth into. We also mentioned them in our Christmas Wish List a few years back and have been craving to try their latest offerings ever since.

This time they sent us their No. 6 Orange Chocolate and their No. 9 Ginger Chocolate bars. The No. 9 gave a warmth of the ginger blended perfectly with the creaminess of the Criollo chocolate which simply melted in our mouths. The ginger subtly tingles your taste buds in a way that is quite addictive.

Of course, we all know chocolate and orange make the perfect pair, but No. 6 takes on this dynamic duo leaving you craving more. It has double the dose of orange to pack a punch, but the scattering of orange peel across the top made it look like we were biting into a piece of art and a delicious one at that. 

Each chocolate comes sweetly wrapped up in a rustic white, minimalist package. It gives it that lovingly artisan feel that perfectly matches what's on the inside. We would like to quickly mention that just because we like to indulge, doesn’t mean we don’t care what goes into our treats. Sweetened with organic wild forest honey from Zambia, each handcrafted bar only uses the purest organic ingredients without refined sugars, dairy or gluten, so these raw bars will satisfy your cravings without any of the guilt. So go ahead, get yourself have a bar or (like us) two!
The Chicken Shed Chocolate bars are available in 9 mouth-watering flavours, our favourite being ginger of course. You can find them here for £4.50 each. There is a special 10% off until the 30th of April 2018 if you shop on their website using the discount code: AMAZINGPR.

Hawkins & Brimble Limited Edition Gift Set

Grooming is just as important for men, as it is for women and here at The Amazing Blog, we are always thrilled to share our brilliant new finds, as more and more male grooming products pop up. That’s why we wanted to share the Hawkins & Brimble Limited Edition Gift Set with all of you. Every man has their regular grooming routine with shaving or just to keep their facial hair in check.  Hawkins & Brimble makes it so easy with this go-to Gift Set, whether you're just getting into serious grooming or are a seasoned professional - it has something for everyone. This UK based brand was founded in 2016 and specialises in breathing new life into long-lost traditional grooming routines. It's all about inspiring men to embrace their 'grooming game' so that they can look and feel more confident and sophisticated; all with a delicious touch of edgy playfulness. They rather aptly say: 'After all, an investment in your appearance will always pay off'. 

The first essential in the kit is the Pre-Shave Scrub, which buffs away dead skin cells and soothes the skin in preparation for a close shave. As the brand takes a natural approach to grooming, this product thankfully uses walnut shells instead of microbeads (which are now banned in the UK). Combined with sweet almond oil the Pre-Shave Scrub isn't too harsh on the skin and helps to maintain your skin's moisture.

The Gift Set also comes with Hawkins & Brimble's Shaving Cream, which is crucial to getting the smoothest and closest shave possible. We enjoyed the delicate fragrance of Elemi and Ginseng because it rejuvenated our senses and left us feeling refreshed. We felt quite professional applying it with the Shaving Brush that is also included. We found that damping the Shaving Brush with warm water and then lathering on the Shaving Cream with it worked wonders. This way, every facial hair got coated and our skin was perfectly prepared for a close shave.

The Post-Shave Balm is up next with a blend of olive and almond oil and cocoa that ensures the skin is well nourished without any irritation or redness. We've been using it as our daily moisturiser, even if we didn't shave, as it is gentle on the skin and also helps to hydrate it throughout the day.

The Beard Oil is perfect for men sporting the full beard who need to maintain soft and strong facial hair. Formulated with argan oil, olive oil and shea butter it benefits the skin as well as facial hair. The oils work to keep your beloved beard soft, thick and strong while shea butter pampers the skin underneath.

Every product is free from parabens, mineral oils, colourants, and is cruelty-free, so there is no compromise on looking your best! The Hawkins & Brimble Limited Edtion Gift Set is available to purchase here for £49.95.

Bread Angels - Baking Courses

If like us, you cannot get enough of good fresh handmade bread and often thought about making your own, then please read on. In the past few years, we've seen the rise of micro bakeries that sell delicious, artisan bread. We at The Amazing Blog wanted to explore this a little bit further to discover more. There is a network of micro bakers in the UK called the Bread Angels. These are a group of like-minded people who work from their home kitchens (or in one case, a sea container in the garden) in order to produce excellent quality bread that benefits their local communities.

Many of these bakers run Bread Baking Classes too, we think that this is the perfect fun activity for your weekend or a day off.  Classes are small, anywhere from 2-6 people maximum which makes them friendly and informative. The great thing is that you'll leave the course with a new found confidence as a baker along with several warm loaves to take home.

The range of classes that Bread Angels offer is really quite impressive.  There are basic, Italian, flat, sourdough and speciality rye bread making. Not forgetting the buns and sweet bread courses too.  Another interesting course on offer is their micro-bakery course.  This teaches the basic skills required to set up and run a small baking business, including how to bake a huge range of breads.

Feeling ready to hone your baking skills? Then you too can take part in any of the Bread Angel Courses nationwide. Book a spot here and experience the mastery and knowledge that the Bread Angels bring to their classes. Course fees start at £75 and include a light meal, tea and coffee and all ingredients.

Eleni and Chris Bio-Cellulose Age Renewal Face and Eye Mask

As regular readers of The Amazing Blog will know, we're big advocates of Scandinavian skincare. Today we're featuring the latest #amazingfind from one of our favourite the beauty brand Eleni and Chris. They were kind enough to send us their brand new revolutionary Bio-Cellulose Age Renewal Face and Eye Masks to try. Which of course, contain the purest Scandinavian ingredients to help give our skin the extra love and care it deserves. In the past, we've enjoyed using their other masks: Glow, Hydrate and Detox Sincell Face Masks. So it's safe to say we had high expectations for these new Age Renewal Masks. 

The first key skin-loving ingredient found in both the Face and Eye Mask is the Cloudberry extract. This powerhouse ingredient increases cell production by 22% within 24 hours, which in turn encourages the skin to be noticeably smoother, plumping up any wrinkles or fine lines. The Scandinavian Glacier Water used in these masks is carefully sourced from remote mountainous regions for its purity. This ingredient helps to maintain osmotic balance for more refreshed and invigorated skin. The Caviar extract here is essential to improving the elasticity of skin, which significantly helps to reduce the signs of ageing. These luxurious masks are perfect for every skin type; what we particularly like is that they don’t use any perfumes, preservatives or mineral oils which typically irritate the skin. We used these masks 1-2 times a week before bed for around 15-20 minutes, making sure to massage all the pampering liquid ingredients into our skin afterwards. The effect resulted in a firmer (NB: Not tighter!) more moisturised complexion, we really liked the way it made our skin look and feel.

The Bio-Cellulose Age Renewal Face Masks are available here for €19 each, or you can purchase a 6-pack here for €95. The Eye Masks are available here for €8 each or you can purchase a 6-pack here for €44.