Beauty Kitchen: Abyssinian Oil Facial Moisture Cream

A good skincare routine is essential for clear, and healthy skin. Here at The Amazing Blog, we believe that finding a trustworthy moisturiser is the first essential step. When we received the Abyssinian Oil Facial Moisture Cream from Beauty Kitchen, we were delighted to find a natural solution to all of our dehydrated skin needs. Beauty Kitchen is a brand we already know and trust, having previously shared our love for their Seahorse Plankton Skincare Treasures collection. What makes this brand special to us is that they use only pure essential oils, naturally derived ingredients and a 'precycle' packaging system.

Jo-Anne Chidley founded Beauty Kitchen in Glasgow, and at the heart of her mission was a strong desire to create natural products that worked well, without breaking the bank. Perhaps most importantly, she also believes in the importance of crafting products that are never tested on animals and finding ingredients that are sustainably sourced. 

Let's look at the ingredients for the Abyssinian Oil Facial Moisturiser. We have the star of the show: Abyssinian Oil. This best-kept beauty secret is lightweight and will never leave unwanted grease lingering on your skin. Rather, this powerhouse ingredient provides quick lipid hydration that never clogs your pores. For those of you with sensitive skin, it is also fragrance-free. We simply apply a pea size amount (a little goes a long way) after a thorough cleansing and find that it’s absorbed incredibly fast, leaving our skin feeling super soft and supple. Our skin honestly ate this stuff right up and it quickly became a staple in our everyday routine. These skin-loving ingredients are 100% natural, meaning they are gentle enough for those of us who struggle with skin problems, such as acne, rosacea and eczema. The Abyssinian Oil Facial Moisture Cream from Beauty Kitchen is available to purchase here for £19.99 for 60ml.

Snowcrystal’s Blusher & Bronzer Duo

In an increasingly environmentally-conscious world, we are even more aware of the effects our make up products may have. We at The Amazing Blog were interested to learn about the brand Snowcrystal, a Swedish premium and award-winning cosmetics company, that offers customers a sustainable approach to make up. Plus they have developed a unique colour-coded cosmetics Custom Colour System™; this line is aimed at the 40+ age group, with its intuitive colour technology based on the key undertones of the skin in cool, warm and neutral.

Instead of throwing an empty palette away, Snowcrystal’s palettes are reusable. Thanks to their refillable duos and palettes, your cosmetic collection won’t continue to grow, taking up unnecessary space with nearly empty items. Simply hop online and choose which product you would like to refill your palette with. All of the textures, ingredients, and colours are guaranteed to be of the highest quality.

This Blusher & Bronzer Duo comes in three shades: cool, warm and neutral. How this works is to do with a higher percentage of cool or warm pigments. So the pink-base pigments will be in the cold (C = cool) category and warm yellow-based products in the (W = warm) line. Colours that have equal amounts of cold and warm pigmentation are found in the Neutral (N = neutral)  The Blusher & Bronzer Duo that we were sent are in the C1 Blush 'Graupel' and C1 Bronzer 'Flurry' (C = cool). We loved the micro-fine texture of the pressed powders which enabled us to create both a very natural daytime look and even more of a glow for the evening. The compact is portable, comes with a mirror and is handbag friendly. It’s also important to note that the product is cruelty-free. SnowCrystal’s Blusher & Bronzer Duo in the three available colours can be purchased for £39.60 here. We have our eye on their soft blended Foundation Duo to try next!

Danai’s Beauty Box Company’s Bath, Body & Massage Oil

The best thing to do after a long and sweaty day at work, besides eating, of course, is taking a bath. If baths don’t work for you, massages are another fantastic tension reliever. It's all about finding something to help loosen shoulder tension and aid relaxation. The Amazing Blog has found a perfect all-in-one product, the Bath, Body, and Massage Oil by Danai’s Beauty Box Company.

Danai’s Beauty Box Company, a British brand with a focus on skincare, hair, body, and make-up was founded over three years ago by cousins, Mary and Bola, in London. In her youth, Mary dealt with eczema flare-ups, so she experimented with natural ingredients, resulting in the formation of the scrumptiously scented range of products. Danai’s Beauty Box Company is proud to offer organic, vegan, and cruelty-free products — yes, please! We love their mission statement: 'Use nature to heal the skin'.

The Bath, Body & Massage Oil: Chamomile Neroli scent is a soothing and tranquil blend of chamomile and neroli, with vitamin-rich sweet almond, green tea, and extra virgin oils. The list continues, with lavender oil, fir needle oil and rosemary extract. Every waft of this cocktail has you noticing the complex multitude of scents. One moment you smell the subtleness sweetness of chamomile, and the next you notice the earthy green tea oil. However, something to note is that the fragrance is not at all overpowering. Danai’s Beauty Box Company has found a unique and clever balance in this formula. A special plus to this oil is its ability to be used on normal to dry and damaged skin with a softening effect. Those of you with sensitive or dry skin, we recommend applying this as a body oil before bed, or a few drops in the bath. We found it very relaxing and hydrating. Purchase Danai's Beauty Box Company's Bath, Body & Massage Oil: Chamomile Neroli scent here for £12.00. This is one of the three different oil combinations in the range - with Grapefruit & Lime and Magnolia & Rose too.

Haircare products by Routes Hair Extensions

Those who have hair extensions will know that their hair goes through an incredible amount of wear and tear, from hot straighteners, curling irons, and harsh hairspray. Let's not forget about sweat, spilt drinks, and pulled hair. While out on the town, I think it's fair to say that we’ve all been in the way of a spilt drink at least once!

We at The Amazing Blog are happy to report that we’ve found reliable premium hair products by Routes Hair Extensions, to protect and clean our natural hair and extensions. As one of the leading brands in the UK and USA, Routes Hair Extensions have extensive knowledge of the top professional human hair from around the globe. The hair has been sourced ethically, ensuring the hair has been fairly paid for, measured by length, weight and quality. Their products are guaranteed to be vegan-friendly and cruelty-free. For Routes Hair Extensions, it is essential that there is no illegal and unfair practice and that synthetics are not used. All of their extensions are 100% human Remy hair (cuticle correct). They source luxurious Indian Remy hair and use bonds from Italian keratin, to ensure they last.

Routes Hair Extensions very kindly sent us their collection of haircare products to try. Natural hair has a direct source of nutrients and moisture, whereas hair extensions don’t. Therefore, it's crucial to use the correct products to protect the extensions from everyday damage. Their Shampoo and Conditioner were easy to use, and both have a glorious delicate rose/floral fragrance. We would highly recommend these to everyone (hair extensions or not), as with regular use we certainly noticed their cuticle smoothing properties.  The Protein Therapy is a daily hair treatment which replenishes moisture and shine. There is a significant amount of B5, which moisturises and protects the hair surface, alongside wheat germ (vitamin E, zinc, magnesium, essential fatty acids, thiamine) and wheat proteins which repair the hair and prevent static. Together, all these ingredients create a protective spray which is suitable for all hair types. Our favourite product has to be the Extension Boost. This a wonderful treat for both extension and natural hair, particularly if you have fine hair that tangles easily. Routes recommend this non-greasy formula, to be used bi-weekly; perfect to help you achieve an easy comb through, with a soft and sleek texture and an added bonus of colour enhancement. Et voila! Purchase Routes Hair Extensions' products here: Shampoo 250ml can be purchased for £12.00; Conditioner 250ml for £12.00; Protein Therapy 250ml  for £12.00; Extension Boost 100ml tub for £12.00. 

Hoogly Tea

Perhaps it is the expansive range of delicious concoctions from Hoogly that initially drew us in at The Amazing Blog. Alternatively, perhaps it was their very name which demands attention. Whichever it may be, attention should definitely be made to this fantastic range of delectable and 100% natural ingredient teas.

The name of the brand Hoogly is the correct pronunciation of the Danish term ‘hyggelig’ which is the adjective of the Danish concept of ‘hygge’. Hygge is “an experience; a year-round feeling of warmth, wellbeing and cosiness”, and so they tell us, is the reason why the Danes are such a happy nation. When you think about it, it does all fit, but that is quite a claim when referring to a humble cup of tea. Are we being a touch British about it all? They are blended and packed in the South East of England, and more importantly for us, they are ethically sourced and fairly traded.

There’s only one way to find out, so we chose to try the variety of loose teas. These compromise of Around the Fire Black (Oolong) Tea, Classic Green Tea, Sparkling White Tea and  Chill Out Mint Herbal Infusion Tea. They are all at opposite ends of the warmth spectrum if you will; and both ends, we can report, gave us warm and fuzzy smiles, leaving us very happy. The lesson here is certainly that if you need a major pep-you-up, then try some ‘hygge’ in a cup - it’s enormously satisfying.

You can order your own dose of the Danish lifestyle from the Hoogly website here, with a choice of both loose leaves and bags, at £5.50 each for a 50g pack or £19.50 for a 200g tub. From the extraordinary range of 18 infusions available - we will definitely be whiling away some more hours honing our ‘happy’, and finding our zen!