Tiare Botanicals

The question that we keep asking ourselves, is why do people use skincare products loaded with chemicals, when they have the opportunity to price-match with natural and organic ones? Out of habit we at The Amazing Blog always read the ingredient labels to decipher what we’re about to put on (and in) our bodies. That’s why we were thrilled to discovered a new UK based natural skincare brand Tiare Botanicals. Their products are affordable and made up of only fresh, paraben free and natural ingredients; thus making them an easy alternative to the mainstream and chemically enhanced products that you find in the high street.

We had the opportunity to test four of their products. The first was their Honey Body Milk which has a citrus floral blend and is handmade only in small batches, this is what helps with superiority and quality control of products. It’s made with manuka honey, orange, bergamot, and lavender essential oils, glycerine, water, and emulsifying wax. These natural ingredients provide the body milk with plenty of benefits. For example, Manuka honey helps to soften and soothe, also protecting the skin from dehydration; and the avocado oil is full of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins. The moisturising properties also come from the use of jojoba and coconut oils. The Honey Body Milk 100ml can be purchased for £11 here.

If you’re in the mood for a relaxing face mask, they we recommend their Clay Face Mask. We tried the aloe and rose scent, which is made from white kaolin clay, rosa damascena flower, and aloe leaf powder. Don’t panic if you have oily skin because this mask is good for all skin types. Also as one of the mildest clays, white kaolin clay doesn’t remove too much oil to risk sensitivity. Rose powder moisturises the skin, and aloe powder is wonderful for irritated, red skin. You can purchase the Clay Face Mask 60ml, which comes with a wooden spoon for easy application, for £9 here.

We don’t know about you, but lip balm is an essential item always to keep in our bags. Tiare Botanicals has a lovely Natural Cocoa Lip Balm. It contains beeswax, cacao seed butter, shea butter, and infused lavender and apricot oil. The lavender-cocoa scent is an unusual pairing; however, we found it to be calming and soothing. Purchase the Natural Cocoa Lip Balm 5.5ml £2.99 here.

Finally, their Floral Aroma Body Scrub is a gentle exfoliant comprised of coconut palm sugar, brown sugar, chamomile flower, hibiscus flower, rose flower, and vanilla pod. It also contains coconut and jojoba oils, which are rich in vitamin E. Our favourite part of this scrub was the sweet floral scent. Everyone can use this scrub, even those with sensitive skin because it’s made from all natural ingredients. If you’d like to give Tiare Botanicals’ Floral Aroma Body Scrub 200ml a go, you can purchase it for £13 here.

NB: This is a niche and small skincare brand, so don’t be surprised when you click on these links, as they take you to their Etsy shop.

Urtekram - Purple Lavender Shampoo and Conditioner

Finding natural shampoos and conditioners that work, don’t leave the hair like the texture of straw, and are colour safe, leaving your hair smelling fresh; are for us at The Amazing Blog rarer than hens teeth! So on great recommendation, we were excited to try Urtekram’s Purple Lavender Shampoo & Conditioner. They boast that their Purple Lavender Conditioner is 45% organic of total, 78% organic of total, minus water and minerals, and 100% natural origin via COSMOS ORGANIC (certified by Ecocert Greenlife). That for us, is always a good start.

The company named is derived from the Danish word “urtekraemmer” advocated for organic foods in Denmark. The passion of the founders sparked the creation of the company, which eventually branched into other beauty sectors, such as bodycare. The organic pioneers, Lisbeth Damsgaard and Ronnie McGrail, began their adventure in the 1990s. Today, Urtekram has earned much success, with products in most supermarkets and health food shops. Each year, the company develops between 80-100 new products, and every part of the process is sustainable, from production, to packaging and ingredient choice. Now that’s the type of brand that we’re happy to get behind!

We tried the Purple Lavender Shampoo and Conditioner which are both certified organic, containing natural ingredients. This range is designed to moisturise the scalp, alleviate itchiness, and revitalise brittle hair strands. The shampoo gives an intoxicating aroma of lavender which helps enhance a tranquil showering experience. The blend of the lactobacillus ferment and willow bark extract creates shine and balance. We gently massaged the shampoo around the entire scalp, using the pads of our fingers to scrub and exfoliate. After a good rinse, we worked in the conditioner, leaving it in the hair for up 2-3 minutes. We’re delighted to report that this organic and natural Purple Lavender combination delivered the results that we were after, soft tangle-free and lightly fragranced locks. Purchase a 250ml bottle of shampoo here for £5.40 and an 180ml bottle of conditioner here for £6.30. You can also purchase the two as a set here, for £14.85

Friday Favourites - Face Oils

Including a face oil in our daily beauty routine has become somewhat of a ritual for us at The Amazing Blog. This week, we’d like to introduce you to four of our favourite luxury face oils that will enchant your senses, revive your skin and keep your complexion feeling supple and hydrated, even as the temperatures drop.

Our first pick is Replenish, a night oil created by the award-winning aromatherapy brand Beatitude. As a brand that we know and love, we have previously written about their Peace Bath Oil. Founded by Rebecca O’Connor, the name of the brand itself represents supreme happiness and blessedness, and according to Rebecca, the brand aims to bring “a sense of happiness, calm and well-being”. We can certainly vouch for this, as the Replenish Oil has become a much-loved part of our wind-down evening routine.

It’s a profoundly nourishing oil that awakens your senses and skin cells, to give your complexion a radiant and healthy glow. With powerful ingredients like rose, neroli and immortelle, it is also anti-ageing, working to combat fine lines and dehydration. Anti-oxidants and vitamins are mixed in a unique formula of rosehip, vitamin E, evening primrose and many more natural plant ingredients. These make our skin feel nourished and rejuvenated, and as the texture is light on the skin, it doesn’t leave the greasy look that most of us fear when considering facial oils. Instead, it absorbs quickly and has become a firm favourite in our nightly beauty routine. It can be used under night cream or stand-alone; apply to the décolleté, neck and face with light upwards massage movements, but be careful to avoid the delicate eye area. Click here to purchase a 30ml bottle of anti-ageing magic for £38.

Up next is a deeply nourishing and natural facial oil, known for its premium anti-ageing properties. Created by experts at Lumity, a brand committed to proving that ageing is more than skin deep, their Natural Anti-Ageing Facial Oil is equally rejuvenating and balancing. The brainchild of Sara Palmer Hussey, Lumity’s products are designed with busy lifestyles in mind, combining vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and amino acids to create simple skincare and supplement products. In fact, we reviewed Lumity’s Anti-Ageing Supplements back in 2017, click here to view the post.

This time, we tried the Facial Oil and were pleased to discover that the formula contains 32 different botanical oils and extracts, including passion flower seed oil, known for stimulating skin cells, and marula oil, known for healing powers. Alongside this, the mixture of argan and jojoba seed oil make this a unique and plant-based blend, full of the nutrients that are welcome as winter approaches. This luxurious oil provides smoother skin, and in just 4 weeks, 73% of users noticed a reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. These are statistics we can back, as members of the Amazing Blog team (not naming any names) have noticed similarly smooth and younger complexions. Lumity's Facial Oil (30ml) is available on their website, standalone for £60 or at a discounted rate of £48 if purchased as part of their monthly subscription.

Our third find this Friday is from Botany Blend; a brand celebrated for combining green beauty and luxury, offering us a range of oils that indulge our minds and bodies. With expertise in aromatherapy products that satisfy your senses, and revitalise the skin, each batch is handmade and all ingredients are sourced sustainably. We love the use of certified organic ingredients and were excited to discover that the products are all made in a small studio on the Devon coast.

We tried the Aceso Oil, which like Botany Blend's other products, is free from essential oils. The formula contains numerous potent antioxidants, alongside Co2 extracted sea buckthorn, rosehip berries, apricot kernel, safflower and Japanese camellia. These are all rich in plant-based fatty acids, helping to nurture even the most sensitive of skin. We found that the oil was easy to apply, and was soothing, yet non-greasy, ideal for use both morning and night. It even acts as a smooth base for makeup, something we would often steer clear of with other oils. If you have sensitive skin or are merely looking for an organic oil that does not contain essential oils, then this will be for you. Purchase your own 30ml bottle of Acesco for £35 here.

Last, but by no means least, we came across Vetivert & Co, a London based brand, founded by Aanu Oduyeni to provide plant-based oils to nourish and repair the skin. Suffering from acne, and dreading scarring, she envisaged a brand that would be free from synthetic fragrances, nut oils and parabens, and suitable for vegans. These goals are something that she has very much achieved, so we were excited to try the Balance Oil.

As with Vetivert & Co's other products, Balance Oil is cruelty-free, and 100% natural, containing a blend of tamanu, seabuckthorn, palmarosa and lavender oils. We found these ingredients not only helped to avoid future breakouts by neutralising and calming the skin, but that they also helped to repair it, aiding with the scarring that many of us are availed with. This oil helps to defy the stereotype that oils will clog pores and worsen acne, as many of us here have been suitably impressed with the long lasting effects. As a lighter oil, this can be used twice daily (morning and evening) and should be gently patted onto damp or dry skin. Combat your acne worries by purchasing a 30ml bottle here for £35.

Face oils often have a reputation of only being necessary for dry or older skin. While there is truth in this statement, we hope to have opened your eyes to the uses of facial oils for all skin types. Whether you have sensitive or acne prone skin, we're sure one of these products will be suitable for you.

Mount Olympus - Lemon Goat's Kefir + Mojito Water Kefir

We’ve found searching for an alternative to traditional cow's milk kefir somewhat difficult, and the ever saturated kefir market is a minefield for both new and old kefir drinkers. Add to that the plethora of other healthy drinks, and you're probably equally as confused as us, at The Amazing Blog. Personally, I’m a goats milk drinker; therefore I was very happy to discover that Mount Olympus, a brand that prides itself on produces a range of different kefirs, also include a goats milk one! They kindly sent us two of their signature products, the Lemon Goat's Kefir and also a Vegan Water Kefir.

Conceived on the slopes of Mount Olympus (hence the name) by Greek founder Kostas Kapelas, whose background is as a holistic health therapist. Kostas' ethos is to work with small-scale and family-based Greek manufacturers, to produce the finest organic, natural and sustainable kefirs. Mount Olympus is against artificial stimulating hormones and antibiotics or any other additives. Additionally, while many kefir products on the market contain non-vegan ingredients, Mount Olympus provides kefir waters for the vegan consumer too, so here there is something for everyone.

If you’re not sure what kefir is, then you're probably not alone. Kefir is formed from lactic acid bacteria and yeast which is fermented (more commonly in milk), to provide a consistency similar to thin yoghurt. Milk based kefir is rich in fatty acids and has lower lactose levels than traditional cow's milk, making it easier to digest for our lactose intolerant friends. Typically, kefir of the dairy variety is made from cow, sheep, and goat's milk. It has been proven that goat's milk is easier to digest, and makes a smoother curd when fermented. So what is the added bonus? Drinking kefir restores microbiomes, which know to help heal troublesome skin conditions, such as eczema, rosacea and psoriasis.

We tried the Lemon Goat's Kefir which is delicious with its zingy flavour with a light citrus twist. We particularly like that the 100% natural ingredients come from local producers and suppliers and that this kefir contains Greek free-roaming goat's milk, kefir cultures, frozen lemon juice, stevia with inulin (a prebiotic). Many argue that this beverage is better for you than yoghurt, as goat's kefir contains live probiotics, billions of active bacteria, and is 100% preservative-free. We recommend keeping it refrigerated, as kefir is best enjoyed when chilled. Ensure that you shake it well before opening, to enjoy the full benefits of this healthy and tasty drink. For stockists of Mount Olympus’ Lemon Goats Kefir 300ml in the UK visit here.

Alternatively, as some members of our team are dairy intolerant, the Mojito Water Kefir 310ml proves to be a great alternative. As Mount Olympus explains, there are two kinds of kefir, water and milk. Water kefir is made from ‘good’ bacteria and as the name suggests, it’s fermented in water. We tried the ‘Mojito’ flavour, made from filtered water, sugar, frozen lemon juice, spearmint, mint & lime aroma, and vegan kefir cultures. It’s a refreshing taste with all the added benefits of 29 strains of live probiotics and billions of active bacteria, all critical for a healthy gut. It is also low in calories, 100% preservative-free, and contains 100% natural ingredients. Other beneficial ingredients include a wide range of organic acids, lactobacillus bacteria, vitamins, enzymes, and antioxidants. The ‘Mojito’ Water Kefir has a natural fizz, making it a fun non alcoholic drink to sip on. As with the Lemon Goat's Kefir, the ‘Mojito’ Water Kefir is best served chilled, for optimum probiotic power. For stockists of Mount Olympus’ ‘Mojito’ Water Kefir 310ml in the UK visit here.

Myroo Skincare - Gentle Cleanser + Cloth

As colder temperatures have set in, our skin at The Amazing Blog is beginning to suffer. As much as the crisp air and colourful leaves are a welcome element of the changing seasons, many of us are subject to heightened dry skin as a result of the colder climate. We were therefore pleased to discover Myroo Skincare, a brand that is formulated for sensitive, allergic and problem skin, and gentle enough to solve October woes for any skin type.

Myroo Skincare, based in Harrogate, Yorkshire, was founded by skincare expert Rachael Dunseath. Using her own experiences of allergies, Dunseath sought to create a range of products that leave you "comfortable in your own skin" and "confident in the ingredients". This ethos is embedded in the 100% plant-based products, which are handmade in small batches to preserve nutrients and guarantee freshness - a commendable philosophy that we were keen to try for ourselves.

We tried their Gentle Cleanser, an organic and vegan cleanser that is free from gluten, nuts and dairy ingredients. We found the nut-free formula particularly interesting, as this includes inedible traces which are often found within other 'nut free' products. The cleanser is also free from all common food allergens, and the use of known synthetic irritants (including parabens), is prohibited. Quite an impressive list of considerations I'm sure you will agree! Equally as impressive, however, are the ingredients themselves, with the use of apricot kernel oil, starflower oil and orange blossom, which are packed with vitamin E and omega 6. These work together to create a silky and luxurious formula that helps to protect and repair the skin's natural barrier, encouraging it to regenerate, for a fresher and softer complexion.

Alongside the plethora of carefully considered ingredients, the cleanser is also cruelty-free, free from animal testing and available in a fragrance-free version. The Fragrance-Free Gentle Cleanser doesn't contain any of the common 26 cosmetic allergens, ensuring that even the most sensitive of skin is left looking refreshed and radiant. To use either product, we recommend utilising the double-sided organic cloth that is included in the packaging. When used alongside the cleanser, we found that our skin was both gently cleansed and exfoliated (without the use of microbeads), which encouraged brighter and fresher skin, as well as acting as an environmentally friendly alternative to other exfoliating products. It also allows the product to become a 2 in 1 solution, something we are always keen to promote! If you're continuously searching to simplify your skincare routines, then this may well be the answer.

To try this star product for yourself, massage 3-4 pumps over the face and neck, and remove with the hot cloth (use warm water for maximum effect). Do this twice a day to reap the full benefits. We found that a little goes a long way, so we recommend being economical with the amount applied. If you're suitably impelled to try Myroo Skincare, then click here to buy your own Gentle Cleanser + Cloth, or here for the Fragrance-Free version, both priced at £27. Happy cleansing!