Friday Favourites - Sun Products with SPF

With yet another unpredictable English summer upon us, here at The Amazing Blog we were anxious to find something to protect our skin from the sun, should it choose to come out! So, we decided to give some of the newest and most exciting products with SPF on the market a test run.

First off was the Green People Sun Lotion. A Beauty Bible award winner for ultimate natural product, Green People never use no harsh chemicals (82% of ingredients are organic) and 10 per cent of profit is donated to the Marine Conservation Society charity, making them an ethical role model.  Although it only has a 25 SPF factor and a medium coverage rating, it is designed to be kind to sensitive skin, so could be perfect for olive skin individuals who still suffer from sensitivity from time to time, like myself. This product is an environmental triumph, as well as being good to skin. At only £18.95 from the Green People website, it’s a reasonable price compared to some alternatives and does a whole lot of good at the same time.

Another unique product we tried was The Sun Mousse. A unique brand, they have products for both adults and children. We sampled the 30 SPF, 6 hour protection, water resistant product and were amazed. I was originally apprehensive about how much to use but the mousse comes out moderately slowly so don’t panic about explosions of fast foaming mousse! It rubs in quickly and feels so light on the skin; the oily thick feel that most creams have is a thing of the past.  So the fact that The Sun Mousse, goes on quickly, easily and without fuss or frills, helps to remove all moaning from small people  desperate to get into the pool or sea. The six hour protection also means children (and adults) can run, jump and play in the sun without worry. If maximum protection is your biggest worry then this mousse is perfect. Easy application, maximum protection. It’s available here, from the Sun Mousse website for £19.99.

For some variation, we also tried the Resultime CC Cream from Collin Paris. CC creams or colour corrector creams are a relatively new concept to the make-up world. They are designed to even out skin pigmentation and leave a flawless finish. Unlike the other products we tried, this CC cream also has anti-aging elements. The vitamin E also helps to improve skin moisture and the SPF 30 rating ensures you’re protected from the sun all day long. The product is light and goes onto the skin beautifully. It comes in two skin shades, natural and golden they blend so well that they are suitable for almost any skin tone. If you’re searching for something lighter than foundation for the summer months this CC cream could be the perfect product. The Resultime CC creams are available here £35.50 each.

We also tried one of the hero products from Murad, Essential C Sun Balm is a stick application sun cream with an SPF of 35. Although this isn’t the maximum protection it still offers adequate cover, as well as hydrating the skin. The roll-on stick nature of the product is definitely its unique selling point. The quality and versatility is demonstrated by its 2013 Shape Sun Award. It makes it super easy to apply, especially to the face, with no worries of using too much or staining clothes like some liquid creams. With extracts of broccoli for UV protection and tangerine butter for moisture as well as being anti-animal testing, Murad’s Essential C Sun Balm ticks all the boxes for the perfect face and neck sun cream. The cream is available here for £19.50.

The final product in our sun feature is the Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral SPF 45. This unique product comes in the form of a brush on sun protector for immediate, any time UVA/UVB sun-protection. This product is so versatile, acting as a bronzer/powder concealer as it creates the illusion of smooth radiant skin, whilst also offering a level of sun cream protection. So, if you still keep up your make-up routine on holiday, this touch up powder is perfect. It also helps prevent sunburn, skin damage, freckling and uneven discoloration, leaving you flawless but protected. The Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral SPF 45 is available through Salon Skincare here in the UK for £17.60

Jessops Academy - Photography Courses

With the summer upon us, it is important to catch all the images of fun we are sure to have. Here at The Amazing Blog we are not the best photographers, unless you count selfies! But we have found the answer, and it comes in the form of Jessops Academy Photography Courses. Jessops has introduced full-day courses on everything from beginner wedding photography to capturing birds of prey.

Whether your aim is to be the most popular photographer of the summer or to just chronicle your day to day activities, Jessops is sure to have something for everyone. The classes are held from 10-4pm and start at £119, or £79 with the purchase of a camera, lens or flashgun. There are classes suited to everyone and if sharing is not your thing, you have the option of one-on-one tutorials starting at £39 per hour. With 6 venues offering the full day courses, you are sure to find one close to home, if that is not the case the one-on-one classes are available at 28 different locations.

Jessops is rolling out the red carpet so that we can learn to take more than just great selfies on our summer nights out. Course bookings can be made online, in-store or by phone 0844 3303319

Opera in the Gardens at Chiswick House

 

Here at The Amazing Blog  we love to find fun things to do with our summer nights! Despite being in the heart of London, we suffer from the typical ‘been there done that’ Londoner mentality. So when we heard about Garden Opera, a chance to try something brand new, we had to investigate.

 Focus Opera was founded in 2009 and aspires to tailor its productions to site specific locations using the physical space to create an arena in which the concept, drama, music and performers come together perfectly. Focus Opera have performed almost everywhere, from country houses to caverns, but this summer they will treat audiences to two evenings of spectacular opera in the beautiful gardens of Chiswick House. A fabulous way to make the most of the sun, the group are performing on Wednesday 2^nd July, with a performance of the French play Barber of Seville, and then on Thursday 3^rd July with the Italian opera Cosi Fan Tutte.

This is the second year the folks from Focus Opera will be serenading audiences at Chiswick House. It also happens to be the 10^th anniversary of Opera in the Gardens at the Chiswick House, making it the perfect summertime celebration. Bring your blanket, chairs, and refreshments for a wonderful, opera filled picnic or come al fresco and purchase beer and wine on location. Both performances start at 7.30pm but guests can set up their chairs and picnics from 6pm, and enjoy a magical evening celebrating summer with friends!

Tickets are priced at £30 for adults, and £15 for children aged 5-15 are available here. 

Taste of London 2014

We here at The Amazing Blog  are always keen to tantalize our taste buds with new and interesting foods and flavours. Lucky for us, Taste Of London is back. We wrote about Taste of London back in 2011  so we were super excited to feature it again. A 5 day exhibition in Regents Park, the event sees restaurants, chefs and food lovers come together to share in culinary delights and an array of other frivolities, and we’ll certainly be joining them.

From the 18^th to the 22^nd of June, Regents Park will play watering hole to everybody who’s anybody in the London food world. A ticket entitles you to a four hour food adventure, where you can sample dishes from 40 of London’s finest restaurants. If tucking into delicious dishes isn’t enough for you, the festival also hosts a range of activities, such as a Sushi Masterclass, wine and cheese pairings, and the chance to taste a variety of beers. Eric Lanyard and Michael Roux Jr are just a couple of the famous faces that will be there to share their love of food with you foodie heaven.

We all have our favourite restaurants, weather it’s the little place round the corner, or the expensive anniversary-only restaurant in the heart of London. However, we also all know how great it is to find something new, exciting and that you really love! Taste of London is a great opportunity to do just that, as well as have a fabulous day out. With tickets costing around £25.80 for standard admission, make sure you book a slot for the biggest food festival of the social season. We feel like we’ve died and gone to food heaven.

Chocolate Ecstasy – Coffee and Chocolate Tour

Here at The Amazing Blog, we have a weakness for chocolate. Our favourite indulgence, there’s never a bar too far away. So when we heard about London’s Chocolate Ecstasy Tour, our mouths were watering at the prospect. We can only imagine that this is the most delicious walking tour in London. We think the idea of strolling around the capital, sipping on coffee, and revelling in chocolate samples galore, is a dream come true.

The founder, Jennifer Earle, has monopolised on a wonderful natural pairing in her chocolate and coffee tours. With walks taking place in Notting Hill, Chelsea and Mayfair, as well as the option to go on evening and full day tours, there’s guaranteed to be a tour to meet your chocolate needs. The walk includes at least 2 coffees and a hot chocolate, as well as all the samples you can eat. As much as it is a tasting tour, it’s also a great chance to explore some interesting historical facts. For example, did you know that chocolate was originally an Aztec drink, whereas coffee was once eaten – mixed with animal fat to make an edible energy ball? Now that their roles are reversed, we can’t imagine tasting these delicious treats any other way.

The tours are priced from £40 to £165, and run on Sundays at 9:45am,  as well as various weekdays and evenings. You can book your place on this delicious walking tour here. Go in search of your favourite chocolate shop with Chocolate Ecstasy Tours, and be sure to check out more beautiful chocolate-y images like these at Kavey Nibbles' site.