Friday Favourites - Nut Butters Feature

We here at The Amazing Blog love when we come across a healthy snack we don’t feel guilty indulging in. This is why we decided to look for some delicious and health nut butters to make your meals and snacks fabulous and guilt free.

Soil Association approved, the Primrose's Kitchen Almond and Chia Spread is a delicious butter alternative to the tasty peanut butter we all know and love. It’s still just as nutty but it’s actually better for you! You can spread it on bread, add it to dress or use it in baking. The key ingredient, almonds, is our nut of choice because they alkalise the body and make the perfect high protein snack when combined with Chia Seeds. Not only is this spread organic, but it is also gluten, wheat and sugar free.

Mix it up a little bit and purchase Primrose's Kitchen Almond and Chia Spread here. 

Instead of a spread, we decided to try Meridian nut butter bars. They come in two flavours, Almond and Peanut, and let me tell you, they are literally crammed full of nuts.   
Each delicious nut bar is 55% nuts, providing an excellent source of nutrients and energy.
These bars prove to be a satisfyingly tasty choice for people on-the-go because they are high energy snacks and super healthy. Each bar contains 8 and 7f of protein respectively – significantly more than mainstream cereal and nut bars. All Meridian nut butter bars are suitable for vegans and are gluten, dairy, soy and wheat free. They would make a healthy addition to any lunchbox so purchase these Meridian bars and other butters here.

Get your taste of Moroccan sunshine in a jar. The Berber tribes’ answer to nut butter, Alassala’s Amlou Paste is a traditional Moroccan food that can be used as a spread or a dip for bread or crackers. Winner of a Gold Star at the Great Taste Awards 2013, Alassala Amlou Paste sets itself apart by being pure and natural with no added honey or sugars. Made with only 72% ground, semi roasted almonds and 28% Organic Argan Oil, the paste is perfect for both sweet and savoury dishes. It is a great source of Vitamin E and essential fatty acids, as well as having anti-inflammatory properties and the ability to lower cholesterol. Its distinct almond flavour makes a delicious, healthy addition to any recipe. Moroccan’s thought it to be the ideal enhancement to any romance, and it has certainly made its way into our hearts and our kitchens.

If you’re looking to add an exotic twist to your nutty snacks, Alassala Amlou Paste is available in two sizes: 226 grams RRP £14.99 and 113 grams RRP £7.99. Alassala also has a selection of recipes available here. The Amlou Paste is currently stocked at The Hale Clinic’s Nutri Centre online, and at other independent Health Stores and Speciality Food Stores. You can also buy Alassala’s products online.

This all-new brand of natural nut butters is changing the game when it comes to providing customers delicious and nutritious products. Pip & Nut have recently launched their line with three yummy, irresistible flavours: Peanut Butter, Almond Butter and Coconut Almond Butter. Each one is free of palm oil, refined sugar, preservatives, additives and emulsifiers. Their motto is, “if it’s not natural and a squirrel wouldn’t eat it, then we don’t use it.” The brand has already been mentioned in an article from The Grocer about healthy January comfort foods available at Selfridges. The founder was mentioned in an article by The Guardian about sacrifices start-ups need to make when they launch. Talk about go-getters!

You can find these tasty nut butters on display at your nearest Selfridges, until the Pip & Nut website is fully up and running. The containers are £5 each, and since each jar is loaded with health benefits and great taste, they are worth every pound.

Gold Collagen - Forte

Here at The Amazing Blog we are no stranger to Gold Collagen and their anti-ageing products. We previously wrote a post about their Pure Gold formula, but we were excited to try their newest product. Gold Collagen generously sent us a month’s trial of their Gold Collagen Forte and we are pleased to say that it is very effective.

Thanks to this company, we have said goodbye to our average anti-ageing pills and moisturisers and hello to liquid supplements. Gold Collagen offers 3 different products that fight anti-ageing: Pure, Active, and Forte. Each product activates the cells in the body that produce collagen, which is essential to tackle all signs of anti-ageing.

When we discovered that Gold Collagen had so many products to choose from, we assumed that each would have its own individual taste or flavour. Gold Collagen Forte tasted the same as the other liquid supplements we have tried, however this products has the unique ability to provide the extra vitamins needed for 40+ women with more advanced signs of ageing. Thanks to the extra doses of vitamin B, though it tastes the same, it is much more effective. We will continue to use liquid anti-ageing supplements around the office because we truly enjoy products that work from the inside out. Purchase any Gold Collagen product on their website and learn more about the unique aspects of Gold Collagen Forte here.

Martha Hill Skincare

Does your skin get easily irritated? Here at The Amazing Blog we understand that some products just aren’t suitable for sensitive skin whether we love them or not. Martha Hill understands too, which is why she created a skincare set specifically for sensitive skin.

The Soothing Skin Wash is a gentle, non-drying face wash formulated to leave easily irritated skin thoroughly cleansed, refreshed and soothed. With ingredients such as Oat and Gotu Kola Extracts, Meadowsweet and Tarvin, you won’t have to worry about irritation, tightness or discomfort. The ingredients will stimulate the skin’s natural anti-bacterial defenses, reduce pores, protect the skin and provide anti-ageing treatment.

The Soothing Skin Tonic will tone, refine and gently balance while providing a soothing hydration and boost in your skin’s resilience. Containing the same ingredients as the Soothing Skin Wash, as well as Aloe Vera and Witch Hazel, the tonic helps soothe and moisturise skin while also reducing irritation and preventing breakouts.

The Soothing Skin Relief addresses all the problems associated with easily irritated skin and skin prone to allergic reaction, roseacea and dermatitis. Sodium Hyaluronate has incredible moisturizing benefits and maintains day long hydration. The Sodium Hyaluronate, along with Shea Butter and Sweet Almond Oil, will also get rid of dry, flaky patches, prevent spots and pimples and provide another layer of anti-ageing treatment.

If you’ve been searching long and hard for the perfect product for your sensitive skin, stop your search and buy this skincare set here.

Friday Favourites - Hand Cream Feature

Working in an office, the team here at The Amazing Blog often struggle with dry hands. Air conditioning and constantly juggling papers parches our mitts to no end, so we’re always keeping an eye out for nourishing and soothing hand care products. Being the beauty junkies that we are, there are a number of hand creams that pass through the office, but we’ve decided to pick out a few of our favourites to share with you.

The most notable thing about Odylique’s new Lemon Butter Hand Smoothie is its sweet and distinctive smell. Needless to say, if you aren’t a lemon lover, this probably isn’t the lotion for you. However, if you are a common user of zingy scents, the lemon and vanilla fusion will keep your senses indulging in lemony bliss. Don’t worry, the smell of the product is strong, but it is effective as well. The combination of cocoa and coconut butter, along with virgin avocado oil, is sure to fully moisturise your hands and keep them from cracking. It is also 100% natural and 93% organic. This product is available online for £12.99.

We usually moisturise our hands with a cream rather than a balm. However, when we heard about the drive behind the company Kahina Giving Beauty, we decided to try their Fez Hand And Body Balm. The founder Katharine L’Heureux uses Organic Argan Oil to protect, nourish and enhance the quality of skin in each product her company produces. Kahina donates a percentage of its profits to support programs that improve the lives of Berber women who extract the Argan Oil used in the products. If that wasn’t enough, she personally ventures to Morocco to pick up the oil to ensure that the women who are extracting it are being treated as they should. To read more about her story and the drive behind this charitable company, visit their website. You can pick up the hand balm for £35 here.

We have featured Touche By Flavien on our blog before, but that’s because we just can’t get enough of the products! Luckily, along with its other great skincare products, the company provides a hand cream as well. The Rosa Rubiginosa & Prickly Pear Regeneration Hand Cream is full of skin conditioning botanics which are sure to help tackle the pesky signs of ageing on your beloved hands. The Rosa Rubiginosa scent is unique in a sense that is has traditionally been referred to as “the fountain of youth.” In our opinion, this fact speaks for itself in the wondrous results it provides. Purchase the product for £38 here.

Here in the office, we find British heritage a fascinating subject, and admire the work of organisations like the National Trust, who work to preserve our national treasures. We were delighted when we discovered that Tisserand Aromatherapy had collaborated with the company, bringing a range of bath oils and lotions carefully created with the National Trust’s ethical and environmental ethos in mind. Their Rose Garden Hand & Body Lotion combines a beautiful blend of Rose Essential Oil and Sandalwood, which evokes scenes from our favourite Jane Austen novels. The floral cream also contains Shea Butter and Jojoba Oil, ideal for nourishing skin, and is perfect for preserving our delicate hands. You can pick up the Hand & Body Lotion here for £8.

101 Naked Confessions of a Gay Hairdresser

Here at The Amazing Blog, we have a plethora of wonderful friends from all walks of the beauty industry. One hairdresser who is particularly close to our heart is Hair Organics’ own Terry Wilson, one of the very few talented top stylists and hair colourists that I trust to tame my tresses to perfection. Of course, when we got wind of his new book, we were absolutely thrilled for him, and couldn’t wait to lift the lid on all the juicy gossip that only someone like Terry can give.

101 Naked Confessions of a Gay Hairdresser is a compendium of hilarious anecdotes, entertaining stories and, of course, a hair tip or two. With an impressive 30 years of industry experience under his belt, Terry has worked with everyone, from suburban housewives, celebrities and models, to Her Majesty The Queen, and as a result, he’s managed to compile a tome full of scandals, gossip and invaluable advice that’s sure to keep you intrigued. Although we were enthralled and read from cover to cover, we love that the book is packed with mini chapters, so you don’t have to read it front to back; you can just flick through for a bit of what you fancy. It’s the recipe for a perfect book in our humble opinion.

We love his selection of hot tips about things that you wouldn’t normally think about such as using an all-natural bristle brush which will give you much more shine, or the fact that we are programmed to ‘scrub’ our scalps, whereas we actually need to treat it with the utmost respect and be extremely gentle and ‘condition’ it! My favourite tip is to dissolve some vitamin C in a jug of water rinsing over the hair in order to neutralise and get that post-swim chorine smell out. As a hairdresser, Terry is particularly empathetic with his customers and is a wise and worldly guru on all things hair. As a person, it is safe to say that he can truly brighten the moment and make you smile no matter how your day has been. Bravo for producing this book and we love you Terry! 101 Naked Confessions of A Gay Hairdresser is available for purchase for £9.97 online here.