L'Artisan Perfumer - Rose Privee

We here at The Amazing Blog love a good scent. Our friends at L’Artisan Parfumeur have recently launched a new perfume to feed our fragrance addiction that is simply irresistible. The floral Rose Privée incorporates the rare May Rose for a wonderful smell.

The May Rose is fragile, precious and highly prized. It can only be picked when in bloom during the month of May. With this fragrance, L’Artisan Parfumeur is one of the few brands to blend this flower into their product.

Though May Rose is the star of this fragrance, hints of carnation, magnolia, lilac, basil and violet leaves are also present. This is the perfect scent for spring. It is presented in a luxurious package that we love!

The scent was created by Master perfumer, Bertrand Duchaufour, and  his apprentice, Stéphanie Bakouche. L’Artisan Parfumeur values the tradition of French craftsmanship and this scent was inspired by the South of France.

You can buy Rose Privee L'Artisan Parfumeur here for £77.00

English Rose Cosmetics

English Rose Cosmetics is committed to working with suppliers that do not test on animals and use naturally effective ingredients for only the best skincare. We here at The Amazing Blog had the chance to try four of their products.

The “Fair of Face” Gentle Foaming Face Wash gets its name from the Mondays Child Poem. This facial cleanser contains Chilean soap tree bark to regulate oil, shine and acne. Barley Protein moisturises and conditions dry skin, while glycerine locks in moisture. This cleanser is best applied in the shower and leaves our faces feeling brilliant. It can be purchased from the English Rose Beauty Shop for £15.

After cleansing, it is important to use a moisturiser. The Daily Defence Moisturiser is the perfect product to use. Betaine tightens the skin and prevents harmful substances like allergens and pollutants from getting into the skin. With added vitamin C and vitamin E, the skin will be bright and protected from UV rays. It can be purchased from the English Rose Beauty Shop for £14.

Cleansing and moisturising are very important, but we can’t neglect our eyes! Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed Under Eye Cream gives our eyes that extra lift when we need it. Organic silicon makes the connective tissues stronger and more flexible while Vitamin B3 increases blood flow to the tissue to get rid of those dark circles. It can be purchased from the English Rose Beauty Shop for £15.

The Nighty Night Cream is perfect to use on your face, neck and chest after a long day of hard work. Besides feeling amazing on the skin, the pelevita algae helps lighten age spots and inhibit new ones from forming. Our skin feels moisturised and oil free the morning after using this cream. It can be purchased from the English Rose Beauty Shop for £18.

Cheeky Cow Cheese

Here at The Amazing Blog, we love decadent cheeses with our crackers and wine. Our latest search for a yummy new cheese to try lead us to Cheeky Cow cheeses, which are lactose free, have 50% less fat and 30% less salt than regular cheeses and contain only 80 calories per 30 gram serving.

This new cheese is made by Cricketer Farms, a Somerset-based dairy farm with a motivated team of 30 dairy farmers across West Country. They are one of the first dairy companies in the country to sign up for the Voluntary Dairy Code of Practice back in 2012, showing their commitment to quality first-hand. Their cheeses are said to be the healthiest alternative to full-fat cheddar cheeses currently on the market, with high levels of protein and calcium.

At the office, we loved the Cheeky Cow cheeses and their great taste. The individually wrapped cheese packets were an easy way to enjoy a healthy on-the-go snack, while the larger block of cheese could be grated over pasta dishes or cut up to share with friends. The cheese has a sharp cheddar taste that complemented crackers and grapes perfectly.

To support local farmers while enjoying delicious British cheese, head to their online shop here to pick up your own packs of Cheeky Cow cheese.

Friday Favourites - Healthy Living Cookbooks

Here at The Amazing Blog, we do our best to live the healthiest lifestyles possible. Since a large part of doing so involves our eating habits, it’s important to fuel your body with nutritious foods. We have chosen our favourite healthy eating cookbooks from Ryland Peters & Small so you can join us on the journey of healthy eating.

When you eat fermented foods, you help to increase the health of your digestive and immune systems. With the help of the Fermented Foods for Vitality and Health cookbook by Dunja Gulin, you can learn how to incorporate more of these types of foods into your daily diet to benefit your body from the inside out. These types of food contain healthy probiotics, boost your energy and improve the natural radiance of your complexion. You most likely have enjoyed a few fermented foods in your lifetime, such as pickled cucumbers or sauerkraut. The book is divided into various sections so you can make foods according to the meal you’re preparing, such as breakfast, lunch and dinner, side salads and snacks, breads, sweets and drinks. Each recipe includes beautiful food photographs taken by Toby Scott, all of the proper ingredients and a small introduction of the recipe with its health benefits included. Our favourite recipes from the book are the Beet and Quinoa bowl, Vegan Greek Salad with Tofu Feta and the Probiotic Pumpkin Popsicles. Pick up your own copy here for £14.99.

Models and celebrities alike have been seen professing their love for kale and healthy eating on social media recently, so it’s no surprise that green drinks have been all the rage as part of this movement. With so many different bases to choose from – spinach, kale, basil, parsley and mint to name a few – there are endless possibilities for juice and smoothie creations. To get us started on our own green drinks, we got the Green Drinks recipe book by Nicola Graimes for inspiration and ideas for our juicing adventures. The book features smoothies, juices, shakes and lemonades including the benefits of greens, plus additional fruits and vegetables for extra flavour and taste. The beginning section even includes information about green superfood powders which can be added to smoothies and juices for added nutrients, including spirulina, chlorella and wheatgrass. The rest of the book is divided into sections of smoothie and juice recipes based on your health concerns or needs, such as detoxifiers, weight loss aiders, energisers and beauty boosters. A few of our favourite drink recipes from the book were the Super Green Detox, Mint Lemonade, Skin Detox, Green Goddess and Basil Limeade. We’ve never been so happy to have our greens! Pick up the book here for £9.99.

Paleo is the newest fad in healthful dieting, and a great way to get started is with Plant-Based Paleo by Jenna Zoe. She is the founder of Foods to Love, an online health food supplier specializing in products free from wheat, gluten, refined sugar, dairy and eggs. She believes that fresh plant foods – fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds – are the optimal health foods. This book is a must-read for those who want to understand the paleo approach to living and eating healthy. The book is full of great recipes featuring vibrant and colourful photos by Clare Winfield. The beginning of the book features an incredibly helpful list of essential ingredients, including chia seeds, spirulina, and coconut oil. The book features recipes for every meal, and with so many pages of recipes, you won’t know where to start. We loved trying the Green-A-Colada recipe, since it was healthy and yummy. Check out the book for yourself here and get it for £14.99.

We all love our sweet treats, but many people have been concerned about the health hazards of white sugar. Thankfully, there are many natural alternatives to sugar that are much better for our bodies. Sugar-Free Snacks & Treats by Ryland Peters & Small is full of recipes you can enjoy without worrying about the negative health effects associated with white sugar. The natural alternatives to sugar the book recommends include agave syrup, xylitol, coconut palm sugar, dark chocolate, brown rice syrup and honey. Even though alternative sweeteners have been criticized for not being as healthy as they claim, when eaten in moderation they are far better for your health than traditional sugar. It’s important to remember that a treat is a treat! The book offers loads of recipes, including everything from salsa to mini doughnuts. Everyone is sure to find something delightful to suit their taste. We can’t wait to try these sweet and savoury recipes! Pick up your own copy here for £14.99.

Dash Skincare

Here at The Amazing Blog, natural skincare is one of our passions. When we use natural skincare products, we don’t need as much makeup during the day, since our skin is clear and radiant on its own. We recently discovered Dash Skincare, a local business started by two friends, and we just can’t get enough.

The ladies started their company when they realised just how many unpronounceable ingredients were in their expensive skincare products. They craved something natural with higher concentrations of active ingredients, and soon after they began creating their own products. There is a range of products for sensitive skin as well, yet all of the products are made without synthetic fragrances.

At the office, we received the 1A moisturiser and the Rebalancing oil, both of which calmed our skin and made it look radiant. We later found out that the 1A moisturiser was the first product the girls made for the company, and it’s still such a wonderful product. The Rebalancing oil was also a hit, since many of our team members have oily skin types and the oil helped to clarify and renew. When we applied both products, our skin felt smooth and non-irritated.

You can get the 1A moisturiser here for £12 and the Rebalancing oil here for £11.