Yves Rocher – Youthful Glow Foundation

Honestly, if I do not have the perfect foundation I refuse to apply a base at all!  I personally dislike wearing a heavy foundation that makes my skin feel thick and clogged.   When Yves Rocher launched their Youthful Glow Foundation, they kindly allowed us girls at The Amazing Blog to give it a try.  This one-of-a-kind company cares not only for skin but for the environment as well, from the agriculture of their natural botanical ingredients to the packaging of their cosmetics.

With smoothing pearls wrapped in rose extract, the foundation is both hydrating and soothing for the skin.  Because of these calming ingredients, Yves Rocher Youthful Glow Foundation has left our faces glowing with a ‘flat satin finish’ after application.  I have especially noticed that unlike many cream foundations I have tried, the Youthful Glow Foundation does not gather in the creases or lines of my skin, making it an option for women with wrinkles as well.  Providing skin with a smooth and blended finish, the foundation stays perfectly in place providing optimal coverage throughout the day. As the foundation has a cream base, a small dot of the Youthful Glow Foundation truly goes a long way when applied to the skin.

With availability in ten shades, Yves Rocher guarantees a palette of Youthful Glow Foundation for all normal to dry skin tones.  With very fair skin myself, I was very excited to discover the youthful Glow Foundation is offered for my skin tone in Beige Very Fair.  All shades of The Yves Rocher Youthful Glow Foundation can be found here for £27, but are currently on sale for £13.50.

Carib Gourmet – Coco Gourmand

In need of an exotic sweet treat following lunch or dinner?  As you know we love our sweets here but sometimes due to the ingredients we know some of our readers cannot share in our delight. We here at The Amazing Blog  have uncovered delicious treats using exclusively the sweetness of coconut milk, making some of these treats gluten free and suitable for vegans. Using coconut as an alternative to sugar, Carib Gourment shows their sweet-side with their Coco-Gourmand line of sweets for all to enjoy!

 As a Caribbean based fine foods specialist, Carib Gourmet offer an array of foods from chilli sauces to confectionary desserts fit for food connoisseurs. As dessert lovers ourselves, we were eagerly excited to try the Carib Gourmet Coco Gourmand selection including Coconut Fudge, Coconut Brittle and Coconut Drops.  When we received this sweet assortment of Coco Gourmand desserts, I immediately indulged in a piece of Coconut Fudge. Coco Gourmand combines the softness of fudge with the flaky texture of coconut to create an exceptional delicacy. Their Coconut Fudge is lighter and slimmer than most fudge bars, avoiding that dreaded heavy feeling of sugar in your stomach or overconsumption in my case.  We definitely recommend these treats not only as a pick-me-up but also as a gift, a party dessert and even to share at work! The Coconut Fudge is only £3.50 and can be found here  while the other treats can be found here.

Also if you’re interested in learning authentic Caribbean cooking style or you want to create these delicious Coco-gourmand delicacies yourself, Carib Gourment has cookery classes just for you! Caribbean cooking representative, Vanessa Bolosier teaches techniques to mastering Caribbean cuisines and desserts. This course, designed for beginners, offers attendees personalized hands-on learning while indulging in scrumptious treats. This allows you to be able to cook up a batch of these amazing treats for your family and friends.  Sign up for a Caribbean cooking experience from  and feel free to send some our way once you’ve become a master Caribbean chef!

Friday Favourites - Hair Products

We here at The AmazingBlog love trying out new hair cuts, colours, and styles. However, all that styling can take a toll on our hair’s health. We have here some of our favourite products which protect and strengthen locks so your hair is always ready to try out the latest trend!

yarok

Healthy hair starts from the scalp. YarokFeed Your Youth Hair and Scalp Serum is a great way to keep your hair beautiful and strong. This serum has a powerful combination of essential oils, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to promote hair health from scalp to roots. We found that a little goes a long way, so just three drops of product worked into my scalp was the perfect amount. Leave in for about 10 minutes before shampooing and conditioning.  At The Amazing Blog we love green companies, so we are proud that three percent of Yarok’s annual profits are donated to the Pachamama Alliance to help protect over 10 million acres of rainforests. You can purchase YarokFeed Your Youth Hair and Scalp Serum here for $22

ruby red

Ruby Red’s Hair Oil Treatment is another perfect solution for damaged hair. Olive, Sweet Almond, Jojoba, and Coconut oils help replenish nutrients and vitamins to dry, dull hair. If frizziness is an issue for you, we found this oil calmed mine down whilst also helping my split ends. Apply it from the roots through to the ends of your hair and leave it for around 30 minutes so it can work thoroughly through the hair. The oil felt amazing in my hands as it’s so soft and glides easily, I was almost tempted to use it as a body oil also!  Something that makes this oil quite special is that Ruby Red carefully hand-blends their products for maximum therapeutic benefit to maximise your pampering experience. The oil is £25.00 for 100ml and can be found here. It’s a really lovely product and is ideal for showing your hair some love.

wow

Love how your hair looks after it is coloured, but hate having to deal with roots or regrowth? Never worry about hair colour that doesn’t match again with Root Cover Up by WOW! This unique powder compound covers up grey roots and regrowth without making hair appear dull. The formula is water-resistant, so the powder will hold even while you swim or sweat, but easily washes out with shampoo. The powder has a variety of colour pigments and reflective particles to help blend in with different hair colours. WOW Root Cover Up is available in Platinum, Blonde, Light Brown, Medium Brown, Dark Brown, and Black. We tried the Medium Brown  shade and found it blended nicely with hair colour without feeling too heavy or dry. Simply apply the powder to dry and styled hair, starting at the scalp and working your way outward. After applying to your scalp, use on your temples or any other patches of grey hair. I love how bright and vibrant my hair colour looked after applying just a little powder! You can buy Root Cover Up by WOW for £28.50here.

air

Even more frustrating than knotty hair is a hairbrush that pulls and rips at your strands. Air Motion is a revolutionary hair brush that gentlydetangles and smoothes hair. Air Motion has three bristle lengths that help hair strands glide through the brush instead of getting tangled in the bristles. The head of the brush uses AirShock absorption technology to provide an air cushioned, sensitive hair brushing experience. We loved using this brush, because it felt like a head massage as the bristles ran through our hair. Invented and designed in the UK, this hair brush detangles knots and reduces frizz while treating your scalp to a relaxing experience. Air Motion is available here for £11.95.

curl

We love the look of soft curls, but we never have enough patience or time to curl my hair. That all changed with the Curl Secretby BaByliss which is quick and easy to use - I have shoulder length hair and can curl my whole head in about 10 minutes. The Curl Secret is unlike any other curler, because you do not have to wrap individual pieces around a rod. Instead, the Curl Secret draws sections of hair into a ceramiccurl chamber where it is gently heated to create a curl. Release the clamp and voila, a perfectcurl! We were pleasantly surprised to see that curls lasted throughout the day. You can experiment with two heat settings and three timer settings to change up your look. Check out the video below to see a demonstration of how it works. You can purchase the BaByliss CurlSecretherefor £119.99.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FJOsTg6D_w

Mary Kay – Botanical Effects

Many facial regimes are made for specific skin types, often causing difficulties when attempting to uncover skincare for sensitive, dry or oily skin.  In our search for a multi-skin cleanser, we here at The Amazing Blog have discovered the Botanical Effects line from Mary Kay.  This skincare line breaks the stigma with hypoallergenic ingredients exclusively customisable by skin type.  This matchless formulation of Botanical Effects offers ideal benefits for various skin types.

Wanting to provide skin with ‘feel good’ softness, Botanical Effects by Mary Kay contains a four-step regime including the Cleanse, Hydrate, Freshen and Mask.  Every item in the Botanical Effects line by Mary Kay consists of the rather unusual ingredients which is what interested us the most. They are namely Silymarin (commonly known as Milk Thistle) and Luo Han Guo.  The Silymarin ingredient soothes skin while defending it against environmental damage while Luo Han Guo promotes healthy skin with its enduring antioxidants.  Combining these ingredients, the Botanical Effects range revitalises skin, leaving the body feeling nourished.

To solve a dry skin dilemma, Mary Kay suggests using Cleanse both in the morning and evening.  This hydrating cleanser nourishes skin while removing makeup and other pore-clogging items with Flaxseed and Sea Kelp extracts.  Applying the Hydrate formula after cleansing the face leaves skin calmed, supple yet durable.  For an additional botanical boost, apply the Freshen body spray for radiating skin, as well as the Botanical Effects facial Mask to remove additional impurities and replenish hydration.  It is unnecessary to do all of these steps devotedly, as Botanical Effects focuses on how the skin feels after each step.  Mary Kay suggests you ‘add the steps that make you happy.’ However, to clear oily skin and pores, the Botanical Effects process remains the same, but the benefits are altered, combining Kanuka Tree and Guava extracts to improve oily skin.  Again, they suggest using the Cleanse in both the morning and evening to control oil; this removes excess oil from the face but does not leave the skin feeling ultra dry.  Applying the Hydrate then offers moisture to the skin while still balancing facial oils.  Spraying Freshen onto the skin continues to remove oil but also decreases the appearance of pores.  The Mask, the final step in the Botanical Effects process, assists in refining and cleansing pores.  Apply the regime until skin feels satisfied, as Mary Kay finds it unnecessary to apply these products consistently.  The entire Botanical Effects  range can be found here for only £60.  Each piece of the line can also be purchased separately online from Mary Kay.

Kneads Must - The Kneader

We at The Amazing Blog are strong believers in the importance of taking time to pamper yourself. What better way to treat yourself and loved ones than with The Kneader massage tool. I willingly admit that I do not have the best posture, so I carry a lot of tension in my shoulders and neck. We had fun testing this product out in the office, and my shoulders and neck were certainly thankful!

The Kneader was designed by professional massage therapist, Una Tucker. She could not find any massage tools to recommend to her clients to use between sessions, so she created her own! The Kneader is easy to use and comfortable to hold. I have smaller hands, so I like to use the holes to get a better grip. However, you can also grasp the outside of the tool if you have larger hands. The upper arch is thicker and great for stroking movements or slow rubs. The curved sides are good for deeper movements in smaller areas. The lower arch is more defined and works really well around the shoulder blade area. When practicing Kneader techniques on eachother in the office, we did discover one must be certain to not apply too much pressure!  I am personally no massage pro, so I found the instructional DVD and booklet especially helpful.

The Kneader is unique because you can use it over clothes. This is a great solution for those longing for a massage but feel uncomfortable with bare skin. This Mother’s Day give the gift of a good rub! Mums everywhere will love taking some time to relax with the Kneader massage tool. You can purchase The Kneader here for £20.00. Through the month of March, enjoy 20% off in honour of Mother’s Day.