Kats Kalma Massage Bar and Facial Mist

If you have been outside in the last month or so, then you will know it’s pretty chilly out there, not forgetting to mention the constant drizzle and gale winds! This makes us just want to cocoon up inside with a hot relaxing bath and a good book. The Kats Kalma natural collection of soaps and bath goodies are just perfect for this time of the year.  After all we deserve to be able to sit back and enjoy some ‘me time’ particularly as it's now Christmas Eve. We at The Amazing Blog have selected two products from this range to help you de-stress and then freshen up so you’re ready for tomorrow’s antics. These are the De-Stressing Massage Bar, and the Manuka Honey Facial Mist. Kats Kalma work on a continuous basis. Forever testing and mixing new scents and ingredients as it is their passion to deliver products that we will love. They are all suitable for even the most sensitive skin, which is a unique quality in itself. The De Stressing Massage Bar comprises of pure Geranium and Lavender essential oils, all for calm, relax and balance you. It honestly smells like the countryside, almost as if you’ve fallen into a field of lavender. It’s lovely! As with any massage bar, I did worry that it would be sticky and leave a residue on my skin; however, it blended instantly in a moisturising fashion with absolutely no sticky residue.  The bar is 70gms £6. There are also other bars in this range which target problems other than stress such as Mayfruit Massage bar for toning, the Sunshine Massage bar for a bit of a lift!

Facial mists are the perfect addition to your day. Whether you’re prone to hot flushes, blemishes or dirty pores, the effects of this mist will do you good. If there’s one thing that we all know that is good for us its Manuka Honey. Manuka Honey has many therapeutic benefits which is why it works so well as the main ingredient of this facial mist. This water is high in amino acids and works with a calming and toning effect as well as antibacterial. I like to use it in the evening before going to bed as it keeps me feeling refreshed whilst I sleep. It’s a very clean natural product so you don’t feel like there are any chemicals working their way into your pores. The big thick glass bottle is very comfortable to hold and looks much more elegant than plastic bottles do. This is £10 and is only one of a collection of mists they have.

You can find all the products in their range on the website here. So do please have a look at the other wonderful and natural offerings that they also have.

TanOrganic Self Tanning

Winter's here and at The Amazing Blog we feel like a bit of tanning is the perfect treat to cheer us up and the TanOrganic range is ideal. It’s the first eco-certified self tanning brand made from 95% certified organic ingredients. The TanOrganic range includes the Tanning Oil, TanOrganic Original, Oil Arganic and the Tan Erase.

This TanOrganic Tanning Oil works just as well as other self tans but without the chemicals. The natural and organic formula contains no synthetic ingredients, parabens, colours or fragrances. So this tanning brand is great for mature or sensitive skin as there are no harmful chemicals. It is an excellent facial and body tan with ultra moisturising ingredients which include a unique blend of plant oils such as Borage seed oil, Argan oil and Orange peel oil. The well-known ‘fake tan’ smell is not an issue as it smells amazing, we think a bit like a chocolate orange! Also not forgetting to mention that this Tanning Oil was voted the best Facial Tan in 2013 by RSVP Magazine.

The tanning range also has the TanOrganic Original which is their other tanning product. This tans main ingredient is Aloe Vera which makes it super moisturising and easy to apply; and when it’s used frequently you can be sure that your skin will never dry out, making it a great product for winter time. What I particularly like about this product is that it delivers a great colour with a gradual fade which never leaves you patchy or blotchy, perhaps due to its 84% Aloe Vera based hydrating formula. If like me, you have more sensitive skin then either of these tanning oils are a good alternative to some other high street mousse tanning products. To me they offer two products in one - a nourishing body oil and a gentle tanning formula - what more could you ask for?

The TanOrganic Oil Arganic  is multi use Dry Oil is a completely natural moisturising oil just right for using alongside the tan to help it wear evenly and prolong the glow of the tan. The oil can help with scars and stretch marks too. It has a wonderful citrus aroma, which is far more appealing than usual natural oil fragrances. A little goes a long way and with the 100ml bottle you can make sure it lasts for the whole summer. I particularly like how it quickly absorbs and leaves the skin feeling soft. Once it has been absorbed, the fragrance is gentle and not overpowering which is always important to me as some products give me an awful headache after use because they include too many chemical ingredients. TanOrganic suggest some beauty secrets on the back of the bottle like mixing with foundation to glide smoothly on skin, pouring into your bath or ruffling into your hair for a beach-swept look.

The TanOrganic Tan Eraser is for those who forget about the importance of a good tan remover, which happens to all of us once in a while...  The exfoliating mitt is quick and easy to use for pre and post tanning and it can be used both dry and wet. The coarse texture of the mitt is not too harsh for the skin so it will comfortably give you good exfoliation. You can find all the products on the website here. The Tanning Oil is priced at £24,99, the TanOrganic Original is £19.95, and the Oil Arganic is £24.99.

De La Baie Skincare

De La Baie skincare uses arctic berries and natural extracts to create a powerful youth prolonging collection of beauty products. The Amazing Blog girls often favour natural products as the chemical additions to many high street brands don’t seem as inviting. We have been experimenting with a selection of products, including a Lavender Foot Scrub, Body Cream, Foot Balm, Alpine Body Scrub, Intensive Face Cream and Sea Buckthorn Face Wash.

Two of my favourite products from the collection are the Lavender Foot Scrub and the Super Performance Foot Balm. I recently moved from Somerset to London so have been getting used to the different water. I find the water is much harsher on my skin in London, which means it has been quite dry in places and particularly on the heel of my feet. These two De La Baie feet products compliment one another to ensure that you both remove the dry skin with the scrub, but also massage and moisturise the new skin to prevent damage coming back. You can probably imagine how wonderful the lavender scrub smells, it’s literally entirely lavender scent wise, and there is no lingering smell of extra ingredients. The thick foot balm doesn’t smell as attractive but the texture and effect makes the clay-like smell insignificant. It soothes the skin and works overnight to keep moisture levels high. Both these are £17 and found here.

For the face, De La Baie has a plentiful selection of face washes, serums and creams. To begin your skincare routine, there are different face wash options, one I like is the Rose Gel Face Wash, as anything rose always smells great. This gel makes me crave Turkish delight as it smells very similar. It has a great scent and may be more favourable than the Sea Buckthorn & Oat face wash in the collection. Texture wise, it’s a bit sticky but you wash it off anyway so that’s not a problem. Follow this wash with either the Revitalising Face Serum or the Intensive Face Cream to hydrate and help any skin imperfections. The scent of both are not particularly inviting but this is because the ingredients included are entirely focused on skin correction and presenting as many benefits as possible, rather than adding fruity ingredients with no purpose other than smelling good. They both blend into the skin well. The cream is rich and effective, combating insecurities. I use the serum on parts of my face prone to blemishes, and it helps to calm it down and even out the skin tone. The prices vary and can be browsed here.

Their body products include the Alpine Body Scrub and Rich Replenishing Body Cream. I really like the alpine scrub as the texture is incredibly coarse so it works like sand paper and really gets rid of any dry skin. It has more of a refreshing smell and makes me think of being by the sea. It is almost like rubbing salt into your skin, whilst being sat by the sea, and we all know how great we feel after we’ve been in the sea and the water has completely cleansed our skin. The Body Cream has a daffodil fragrance to it, as is in between concentrations, not too thick but not too damp either! Waking up after using this in the evening left my skin feeling very soft and smelling lovely, however it took a bit of time in the evening to soak in so I was lying without moving for a while.

Overall, the variety of products means that there is something for everyone. A lot of the smells are quite unique and interesting so might be suited to more adventurous skincare users. You can view the range here.

B2 Pro Oil and Pro Serum

There is a lot of buzz in the beauty industry at the moment around honey. Its moisturising qualities make it the ideal ingredient in these colder months with harsher effects taking their toll on our skin. The Amazing Blog has found a honey filled serum and oil to help protect against these problems, and also act to reduce signs of aging. The B2 Skincare Pro Oil and Pro Serum are just two of a gorgeous collection.

B2 is an apiary skincare brand which uses the latest research to harness Mother Nature with therapeutic treatments based in Buddhistic rituals and beliefs. The brand is formed by industry professionals and is free from toxins and all the other bad things you find in products all the time. Co Founder Deborah Scott studied bee colonies at university which developed her understanding of bee nature and how they have flower preferences, which led her to create B2. The Pro Serum is for all skintypes and helps to induce a healthier looking finish in your skin. The smell definitely reminds you it’s a honey based product, but there’s also a refreshing citrusy scent which lingers. I expected it to be sticky (naïve honey stereotype), but the serum is very light and is absorbed almost instantly. The brand is really unique and they have some very exciting products in their range, you won’t find anything quite like it anywhere else.

The Pro Oil smells even better and is a joy to apply as it’s so easy. The oil is a bit misleading as when first applying it feels like it will sit on your skin leaving an unwanted shine. This isn’t the case however, and it blends into the skin very quickly, leaving it soft and hydrated. If you suffer from dry skin then this is would be a good little addition to your skincare routine. The oil is full of vitamins to help smooth out the skin and has antioxidants to help protect against environmental aggressors. Just what we need this winter, and knowing England, probably what we will need in the summer too..

The Oil is priced at £18.50 and can be found here and the serum is also £18.50 here.

Friday Favourites- Skincare

During December, the cold weather tends to bring lots of unwanted insecurities like dry and chapped skin or blemishes. The Amazing Blog has been testing some products to help better the condition of our skin a little. We looked at Anne De Jeunesse, Senzimi, Pure Chimp, Amie and Spa Fabulous.

If you’re a loyal follower of this blog then you will probably know that we like to products with ‘multifunctional’ claims to see if there really is anything that can do everything. The Anne De Jeunesse Multifunction Facial Cream claims to reverse the signs of aging with 11 exclusive properties. At £26 it would be a miracle if we could turn back our image clock and look a bit younger. The smell and texture of the cream are definitely great features of this cream. It glides onto the skin lightly and with ease and doesn’t leave an unwanted layer sitting there. You can feel that it really is a good product for sensitive skin, there are no rough qualities to cause irritation and the application is very moisturising and gentle . I did find it very calming for the areas I usually suffer from blemishes so would recommend it for that. You can find the cream on gorgeous shop, or their website here.

Everyone loves a cleanser as it’s an essential part of our cleaning routine on a daily basis. There are however, plenty of them out there which can make it hard to tell which really the best is for you. Senzimi have the Sensitive Cleanser for irritated, dry skin. It’s made with natural ingredients tailored to tackle problems which arise when you’re more reactive to products. The smell is not too dissimilar to clay, which to me is a good thing because clay has a good reputation in the beauty industry. The compact formula makes it look more like a moisturiser as it’s thick and builds a layer that sits on your skin. Although this may not sound like what you want from a cleanser, it does work the same way and leaves you with hydrated skin throughout the day, even after applying your make-up. It’s £13.99 and can be found here.

 

Pure Chimp Natural Super Cream is the number one cream in world containing hemp seed wax and blends omega 3 & 6 to nourish and repair your skin. A team member at The Amazing Blog applied the cream to some dry skin she had on her hand as soon as it arrived in the office, after using it a couple of times saw the patch disappear. It may not work as well for everyone but it was a definite success this time. Being able to use a product on all parts of your body including your face is always an attractive selling point for creams, and often means it’s good with sensitive skin. The smell is natural and not overpowering, and the ingredients leave a subtle shine, which shows us that it’s working on those dry patches. It is £10 for a 60ml pot and £15 for a 120ml pot, and you can get it from here.

Keeping moisturised is very important throughout the year, but especially so in these icier months as we become a bit chapped in places. The Amie Mattifying Moisturiser is oil free which means no extra build up if you have already oily skin. You only need a small amount as it's quite hydrating, this also means the bottle will last you a good amount of time. This moisturiser also helps make-up sit better throughout the day which is a pleasant little bonus. The Amie Purifying Facial Wash has a creamy consistency and is soap free. We hear a lot about soap being quite irritable for your skin so if you’re worried about that then this facial wash is worth trying out. I found my skin cleared up quite well after using the wash, I would also recommend it for teenagers if you are suffering from outbreaks and want something gentle to calm it down. The Moisturiser is £5.95 and the Facial Wash is £4.95 and found on their website.

The Spa Fabulous Little Pot of Heaven name gives it a lot to live up to. This is a gorgeous smelling blend of organic ingredients which has natural sunscreen protectors against UV rays. It’s good for keeping in your bag for moisturising emergencies. I sometimes get dry skin patches on my forehead so carry this around to make them vanish as soon as I notice them. The cream was a recent runner up in the Beauty Shortlist Awards and received a special mention. Its benefits include Q10 to combat wrinkles, Pure Rose to moisturise, Rosehip Oil to heal imperfections, and Liquorice to balance pigmentation. There are also many other ingredients in the formula to help target specific skin issues. You can buy a 50ml pot for £55.00 here.