Style Me in Seconds

Rachel Mann Photography

A special event is popping up next week at Old Street Underground Station! This is something that all of us here at The Amazing Blog and any fashionista will be sure to attend. From April 4th to the 10th you can get a personal styling makeover by professional stylists who have dressed Victoria Beckham, Emilie Sande and Professor Green.

Rachel Mann Photography

The Style Me in Seconds pop up event is offering free styling sessions to demonstrate the uniqueness and versatility of charity shop clothing. For those of us who don’t often have the patience to rummage through rails of clothing at charity shops, this event is a great way to see the endless creative possibilities of charity shop fashion. While it might be easier to buy off the peg than to rifle through the rails, charity shops can be a treasure trove of unique and vintage pieces that can set your wardrobe apart from the rest. Professional stylists can help you experiment with new looks or add a unique twist to your existing outfits.

Rachel Mann Photography

To get a taste of what charity shops have to offer, check out the Style Me in Seconds website for more information.

Chocolate Beauty for Easter

With Easter just around the corner, a few of us at The Amazing Blog are starting to crave those Easter chocolates and sweets, and we figured you might be feeling the same way. However, none of us can afford to eat all of that excess sugar, so instead we’ve prepared a few alternatives: chocolate inspired beauty products! All of these products either have cocoa infused in them or smell deliciously of chocolate, but have none of the calories so feel free to indulge. 

Christopher Courtney offers a luxurious Anti-Oxidant Chocolate Spa Body Scrub that you can use for a decadent pampering session at home. This exfoliator is rich in anti-aging properties and multi-vitamins to rejuvenate and revive dull skin. Key ingredients include: Cocoa Extract, Mango Powder, Pineapple Powder, Honey, Aloe, Apricot Kernel Oil, Dead Sea Salt, Calendula Oil, Marshmallow Extract, Nettle Extract, Rooibos Extract, Sweet Orange Essential Oil, and Mandarin Essential Oil. Your skin will be left feeling buttery soft and smelling like cocoa.

Pick up a jar of this luxurious scrub for yourself or as a gift to friends or family here for £31.

Everyone knows about the cult favorite Chocolate Bar Eye Shadow Palette by Too Faced, but have you seen the newest member of the collection? Introducing the Chocolate Bon Bons Eye Shadow Collection, a palette filled with 16 matte and shimmer eye shadow shades in the shape of little hearts. So cute we could just eat it! Each shadow is infused with anti-oxidant rich cocoa powder, so it smells absolutely divine too. The palette gives you 11 neutral shades plus 5 pops of color so you have plenty of room to experiment with loads of different looks. If you’re not that adventurous or just not sure where to begin, Too Faced also includes three looks in their signature Glamour Guide to help you get started.

These Chocolate Bon Bons are guaranteed to last you much longer than a few pieces of chocolate. Get it here for £37.

We know everyone goes crazy over Lush‘s holiday themed products, and we love them too so we definitely recommend picking up a few new bath bombs—but what we’d really like to focus on is the Cupcake Fresh Face Mask that’s available all-year round (you’ll be glad about this). It features Rhassoul mud, a highly absorbent ingredient that works with cocoa powder to draw out dirt and impurities—leaving you with a deeply cleansed face. Fresh mint stimulates and tones the skin whilst linseed and cocoa butter do the moisturising work for you. Only 10-15 minutes are needed for you to see a significant improvements in the texture of your skin!

This vegan friendly and cruelty-free product is available for £6.75 here.

We all hate the toxic smell of nail polish remover, so why not swap out yours with one that’ll satisfy your sweet tooth? Ciate’s new Choc Pot Dark Chocolate Nail Polish Remover is a nourishing and gentle formula that will quickly remove your existing nail polish so you can switch up your mani in a matter of moments. The non-drying acetone-free formulation is enriched with intensely hydrating Marula Oil, Vitamins B5 and E to condition and care for nails while leaving behind a deliciously chocolately aroma!

Get rid of that nasty smelling polish remover and get a chocolate scented one here for £6.

Friday Favourites - Tanning Feature

Warmer seasons are slowly starting to creep up on us, which only means one thing: serious tanning prep! Here at The Amazing Blog, we are big fans of fake tanning and believe that everyone should be a little bit bronzed. So, we have come up with a few products to get you looking tip top in time for the summer.

It’s essential to prep your skin before applying your tanning lotion, and Kissed by Mii has got you covered. By using Seriously Smoothing Exfoliator and Moisturiser, you will be prepped and ready for a streak free and even glow. Prepare your skin by first using the exfoliator. Getting rid of dead skin helps create a smooth and flawless tan while also removing any tan left over from a previous time.

After using the exfoliator, the Seriously Smoothing Moisturiser will hydrate and prime your skin for a longer lasting glow. Paying particular attention to moisturise dry areas such as elbows and knees will help you avoid uneven spots.

Your skin is now ready to receive the Effortlessly Easy Tanning Mousse - Delicately Light. This blend of red seaweed, green algae and coral seaweed, will be perfect for the first-timers. With a light and airy texture, easy to apply and very fast to dry, the mousse will give you the perfect flawless tan in 6-8 hours. We particularly love its fresh marine scent which remind us our long walk along the seafront.

To get ready for the maximum glow, check out the Seriously Smoothing Exfoliator here for £12.95, the Seriously Smoothing Moisturiser here for £13.95 and the Effortlessly Easy Tanning Mousse - Delicately Light here for £23.95.

Benefit has just created a great range to give you that enviable summer glow, and we were excited when they sent us the newest members of their bronzing line, Hoola Zero Tanlines and Dew The Hoola, launching tomorrow (March 12th)! The Hoola Zero Tanlines will give you bronzed skin for up to 12 hours, streak free! Apply all over the body for instant colour with the hands free sponge applicator. It gives you an even tan while avoiding orange hands. We also adore the subtle beachy fragrance that lightly sticks on the skin.

Once we have tanned our bodies, we can use Dew The Hoola liquid bronzer for a lightweight, natural, and shimmerless glow on the face. The liquid bronzer is perfect for year-round because of its soft-matte finish and seamless blending ability. You’ll look and smell like you’ve just returned from paradise.

 ‘Hoola your way to a beachin bod!’ Get Hoola Zero Tanlines here for only £19.50, and Dew The Hoola here for £22.50!

There is nothing worse than waking up in the morning after carefully applying your tan to find that most of it has come off on your bedsheets. With Bronzie to save the day, that can now be a thing of the past. The onesie is designed to keep and protect your fake tan; you can say goodbye to streaky legs and a stained bedsheet.

Here is how the Bronzie system works: the fabric is made from a lightweight versatile material which has been specially designed to glide over just-tanned skin. It features underarm mesh knit panels to ensure that your skin can breathe. There is a velour hood for added comfort as well as an asymmetrical zip to allow you to ease your body in and out, so you have minimal contact post tan. The Bronzie is designed to be worn everywhere: the salon, the shops, around the home, and to bed—making it the ultimate lounge wear.

Available in Gold label or Classic; look gorgeous and have a streak free tan by getting your Bronzie here for £34.99.

Healthy Drinks – Friday Favourites

Here at The Amazing Blog, we love to stay healthy and fit... but sometimes it can be a bit of a challenge. One of the biggest health tips is to drink a lot of water; however, it can be so boring to drink the same thing every day! That is why we have formed a list of drinks that are good for your diet while leaving your taste buds craving more:

Our office fridge has recently welcomed a new natural ingredient: birch sap! It has been brought to us by Buddha Water, a refreshing drink that contains organic birch sap tapped from the forests of Finland.  This special ingredient is traditionally known for its detoxifying and cleansing properties.

So it’s time to forget about miraculous creams, pills, and expensive treatments. A can of Buddha Water give you everything you need to feel healthy and look great. The drink claims to work against cellulite, encourage weight loss, and lower cholesterol. It comes in a variety of flavours that are so subtle and delicious that we couldn’t really choose our favourite. It’s also perfect for office environments because birch sap promotes relaxation.

It’s time to embrace a healthier lifestyle! Try out one of the six flavours, you won’t regret it. Buddha Water is available in cases of 24 cans here for £32.99.

In April 2015, Mighty Bee, a brand known for certified organic products, launched a new line of coconut waters. Now we can easily absorb all of the health benefits that coconut naturally contains. Mighty Bee sources their green Nam Ham coconuts from Ratchaburi, Thailand, where they’re expertly picked at their peak ripeness to capture the natural aroma and sweetness.

The coconut waters are packed with complex B-vitamins, essential minerals, and amino acids that are retained by going from tree to bottle in 24 hours. The drinks are also never heat processed, and come either cold pressure processed (Raw) or completely untouched (Virgin) varieties.
 

Because the raw version is so fresh, it is sold fresh frozen and must be defrosted to enjoy. The Raw coconut water can be stored for up to 45 days thanks to the revolutionary processing method. To purchase, check out your local organic food store or shop here for Mighty Bee coconut water.

Next up we have Ojamin Herb & Fruit, a natural lifestyle and wellbeing tonic made from 15 different herbs and fruit that will help you feel and live better. The herbs are sourced specifically from pristine forests and are free from fertilisers, pesticides, and GMOs. Only the purest of spring water is used to make a drink that helps fight off diabetes, manage blood sugars, boost immunity, cleanse your body, and revitalise your skin.

To receive all of the benefits, all you have to do is mix one teaspoon of Ojamin with water, soup, juice or tea 2-4 times per day. Whilst being suitable for vegans, it is also gluten free, cholesterol free, sugar free, salt free, fat free, dairy free and aspartame free. Ojamin is the perfect way to start your morning with a boost.

After a week of trying Ojamin, we feel more energised and lifted. We cannot recommend it enough if you’re feeling fatigued throughout the day.

Take the next step towards a healthier lifestyle with Ojamin here for £34.99, and get ready to feel and live better.

TreeVitalise Organic Birch Water is 100% natural and that is exactly what we like to hear. All of the nutrients are naturally brewed within a tree and tapped into a bottle of TreeVitalise without any added sweetener.

Sourced from the Carpathian Mountains, known to be ecologically clean and natural, the organic birch water is made by tapping into birch trees that have absorbed the nutrients from the spring thaw. Only a small amount of the water is tapped, so the trees stay entirely unharmed! Birch water will help strengthen the immune system whilst purifying your body and assisting with weight loss. While the original flavour has the silky taste of the spring forest, TreeVitalise also produce versions that are infused with organic Lemon or Mint. We personally love the lemon flavour because of its zingy taste.

For a refreshing and healthy drink full of benefits, grab your TreeVitalise Birch water here for £2.75 a bottle.

Friday Favourites - Nails for Spring

At The Amazing Blog, we can never have enough nail polishes to share in the office! Whether it’s to coordinate with our latest outfits or to pack into our travel bags for a holidays, we cannot resist adding yet another polish to our collection. So today we thought we would share some of our favourite colours and brands for this season.

Starting with Only Fingers and Toes ‘Understated Chic’ Trilogy Set. When these arrived,  we instantly fell in love with the elegantly embossed recyclable packaging that sets off the nail polishes, giving a very luxurious feel. Inside there are three gorgeous shades that are on-trend but also versatile enough to be worn all year round. The polishes are all DBP, Toluene, formaldehyde and formaldehyde resin, camphor and ophthalmic acid free;  and what we particularly like is the Only Fingers and Toes supports charity ventures like Dollis Hill Dolls Nail Bar (London) Polished Girlz (US) and Shine Nail Bar (Leeds).

‘Sweet like Candy’ a pale pink shade which made the nails look glossy, perfect for daytime wear. ‘Manganese’ a khaki colour, perfect for the up and coming military trend. Our favourite of the collection was ‘Ciao’ is a pastel purple shade gorgeous for the upcoming spring season. If you want to have gorgeous and chic nails grab your Trilogy Set here for £42.

One nail polish brand you cannot go wrong with the fashion-led FNUG and we were so excited to get our hands on these.  FNUG uses the holographic nail lacquer to get your nails looking sparkly as ever. Starting off with a Aqua fix base coat, apply one layer and let it dry to enhance the holographic effect. We were sent 'Fnuglista', a pink shade that sparkles, great for a girly night out and for our futuristic fashionistas, 'Futurista' a blue sparkly shade, whilst moving ours fingers it gave a prism effect of light reflecting peacock shades. Both delicious shades for that Balmain style. Get all 'Psychedelic' with their silver holographic nail polish, giving the wearer a playful and ice cool style. These cool and vibrant trio of nail polishes are great for creating a dramatic effect. We rocked the 'Futurista' blue polish - our favourite, which worked well with both denim and our little black dresses.  

If the holographic nails aren’t your thing, then FNUG also has a coral ‘A Lister' and deep purple ‘After Party’ in regular nail polish, letting you create a more subtle look for the upcoming spring season. Get the nail polishes individually here for £12.00 each.

We couldn’t contain our excitement when Kiss sent us some of their 'Everlasting Range' which included an LED Gel Lamp, French Manicure Everlasting Gel; plus three great shades of gel polish.  'Sweet', a sea green colour which is lovely for the spring months ahead, 'Smoky', a dark grey shade which complements your smokey eye look for nights on the town and 'Lush', a bright shade of pink which is bursting full of vibrant colour.

The 'French Manicure Everlasting Gel Polish' includes french wraps, brush-on gel glue, colour gel 'Petal', base gel, top gel, gel cleanser, lint-free wipes, a buff block, manicure stick , a mini file and an instruction sheet to help you along the way. This kit provides you with everything you need for a really professional looking French Manicure.

Accompanying both kits, is the LED Gel Lamp to cure the gel evenly for chip free nails with a high gloss effect. Only 30 second drying time so perfect for when we are in a rush. When we tested out the 'Everlasting Gel Polish' we were pleasantly surprised by the simplicity of the application.  For everlasting and beautiful nails get your kit here ranging from £14.99 to £38.99.

Deborah Lippman is a celebrity and fashion manicurist who has designed opulent nail polishes for top celebs like Lady GaGa, Scarlett Johansson, Kim Kardashian and Gwyneth Paltrow, Just to name a few, and we were pleased to find out that Deborah has now graced us with her new limited edition spring collection of 8ml mini bottles, ‘Sweets for My Sweets’ which include six pastel shades from soft yellow to baby pink and we just couldn't wait to give them all a try.

Our favourite nail polish was ‘Sugar Sugar’ a pastel baby pink, an effortlessly chic shade which matches any outfit of your choice. The formula of the polish allows you to apply thinly onto your nail for a long lasting colour effect topped with a high gloss finish, completely gloop free. Like the above two brands FNUG and Only Fingers and Toes, Deborah Lippman is a 'five free' polish and is also not tested on animals.

Presented in a colourful gift box, these sets of polishes will make the perfect treat for you or your nail enthuastic pals. Add a splash of pastel to your hands with Deborah Lippman’s must-have shades for the spring here for only £27.