Friday Favourites - Nail Polishes

Here at The Amazing Blog, we take great pleasure in testing out new nail colours. The change of seasons means we can say goodbye to our dark fall and winter hues, and hello to pretty brights and pastels for the spring and summer.

First up, we’re loving the Spring/Summer 2015 nail colour collection from CHEEKY Cosmetics. Inspired by three luxurious holiday destinations – Ibiza, Miami and St. Tropez – the collection has some fantastic shades designed with the culture of these destinations in mind. So if your wallet won’t allow you to schedule an exotic holiday this summer, you’ll still be able to bring a taste of the ocean and nightlife right to your fingertips.

The Ibiza polishes are inspired by the island’s dance scene and come in four metallic colours ranging from gold to blue. The Miami colours are bold and vibrant to show off the fun and energetic culture of the city, so a few statement blues and a fuchsia pink are included in the mix. Finally, the St. Tropez collection is classic and posh for ladies who want a touch of French sophistication, with three nudes and two red-toned hues. One of our favourites is Make It Rain from the Ibiza Collection. A beautiful lilac metallic, it's the perfect summer shade - subtle enough for daytime wear, but exotic enough to catch a few eyes on a summer night out.

Shop here to get the new colours for £7 each.

Although we love a good nail colour, removing it can sometimes be a hassle and can do damage to your nails than good. Little Ondine is a nail polish brand that is revolutionising nail colour. Their varnishes are chemical free, odour free and are made only of natural ingredients. Composed of 80% water, 15% resine and 5% pigment, the polishes allow you to peel off your colour in one go without any hassle or chemical removers. The brand is perfect for those of us who like to change our nails as often as our outfits.

Since the formula is water-based, it dries quickly, making it perfect for on-the-go! With over 80 colours to choose from, there is certainly a polish to suit everyone’s taste. You can find them here, with prices ranging from £7-£9 each or £12 for a fun twin pack.

Speaking of innovative formulas, Micro Cell has come up with a great formula for nail colour. The Micro Cell 2000 Colour Repair collection is a range of quick-drying varnishes that offer brilliant colour pay-off while working to strengthen your nails. The collection fortifies nails, protects them against drying out and encourages natural growth. Besides these benefits, the shades have excellent coverage and prevent premature flaking. It's comforting to know that your nails are feeling good whilst your manicure is lasting.

You can purchase your own Micro Cell 2000 Colour Repair nail varnishes here for £14.95 each and see their strengthening results in 2 – 3 weeks.

For a more sophisticated nail colour, reach for the elegant T. LeClerc nail enamel bottles. The colours are hypoallergenic and are free from a huge variety of chemicals.

We tried three different polishes – a bright pink, a bold red and a luxurious purple – and we love how long the colours last, despite the daily toll our we take on our nails. They dry quickly and have a lovely flat brush for a smooth application. To top it off, the finish is classic, ultra-shiny and opaque. Safe to say, our nails looked as chic and sophisticated as the packaging.

Check out the full range of T. LeClerc nail polishes here, which cost £12 each.

Another wonderful range of polishes with a shade for any occasion is Nella Milano. The brand's packaging and feel reflect perfectly the Italian roots of muse, Nella, and are perfect for anyone looking for an elegant, sophisticated manicure (and who isn't?).

Of the shades we tried, our favourite was Mulberry Wood. A deep berry colour which wouldn't be out of place in an Autumn/Winter collection, this colour oozes glamour, looking both rich on darker skin tones, and striking on paler tones. Of course, if darker hues aren't to your taste, the brand has over 80 other vivid shades to choose from, all of which apply beautifully and have great staying power. All 3-free formulas, the colours are great for showcasing your inner fashionista. We'll certainly be taking a page out of Nella's book this summer and using our nails as the ultimate fashion accessory.

To spice up your wardrobe, you can shop the stunning collection on the brand's website for £8.95 each.

Oxylent Multivitamin Supplement Drink

At The Amazing Blog we try to remain as healthy as possible ignoring temptations, minus the odd weekend binge of course. However when we received Oxylent Vitamin Supplement drink we realised how simple it was to obtain the vitamins and minerals we need without having to ingest multiple gigantic pills.

There are numerous benefits to drinking Oxylent rather than ingesting pills, first and foremost is the taste, frankly all the flavours are delicious, and the best we have ever tasted. Statistics also prove that taking a liquid supplement drink actually absorbs into your body more so than taking them in tablet form. Oxylent is an Award winning supplement drink, a 5-in-1 formula which contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, Amino Acids and Electrolytes. Electrolytes control the balance of fluid in the body therefore preventing dehydration and maintaining PH levels. Amino Acids transport nutrients and oxygen throughout the body and improve the functioning of your body’s immune system. All this in a little sachet which you consume daily or twice a day if you’re exercising, shake pour into your beverage.  

Also did I mention the beverage is energising, does not contain any sugar, 100% GMO free, zero Calories, Gluten Free, Dairy Free and does not contain any preservatives…..

Everybody needs to have this delicious effervescent beverage in their lives, it tastes good and is extremely beneficial to your health. You can purchase Oxylent in some health food stores including Whole Foods but also here online for £27.70….. What are you waiting for?

NAÏF – Baby Travel Kit

With the arrival of the Royal Baby a couple of weeks ago, it seems like the whole world (us included) has gone a bit baby mad! With an influx of baby friendly products sure to arrive on the UK market hoping to help Kate with her second babe, we here at The Amazing Blog have been on the look out for the crème de la crème of baby skincare. Dutch brand, NAÏF, offer a wonderful range of natural toddler treats fit for a king (or future queen). Their Baby Travel Kit offers miniatures of their most loved products, perfect for looking after your own little prince or princess.

Packaged in a sweet and environmentally friendly paper zip-up bag, the Baby Travel Kit comes with everything you need to comfort your little one whilst out and about. Adorned with cute little doodles, the kit consists of four travel sized baby products; Diaper Cream, Cleansing Wash Gel, Nurturing Cream and Softening Body Lotion, as well as a handy dummy cloth. With all of the products containing Natural Cottonseed Oil, as well as being hypo-allergenic and free from parabens, they’re perfect for nourishing your baby’s skin. Of course we couldn’t resist trying the products on our adult skin too. Our favourite is the Nurturing Cream. Packed with soothing Sweet Almond Oil and conditioning Avocado Oil, it really did make our skin feel baby soft, and left us wondering why we hadn’t tried out baby products on our own skin before.

Help your little cherub to feel like royalty with the NAÏF Baby Travel Kit. Pop over to their website and pick it up for £12.

Hammam Ritual - Luxury Black Soap with Argan Oil

Here at The Amazing Blog, we love learning about international beauty secrets to allow us become more diverse while simultaneously helping our beauty routine. Our latest cultural beauty discovery is the Moroccan black soap from Hammam Ritual. The products and company are based in France, but the products they make are inspired by Moroccan culture and tradition.

Historically, a hammam ritual is a weekly practice where Moroccan people go to a community bathing area in order to cleanse themselves and catch up on local gossip. Black soap in particular was a product commonly used during these ancient cleansing rituals, and its benefits are still praised today. It can be used as a scrub or a cream, and it works to exfoliate, hydrate and soften the skin with ease.

The soap is 100% natural and plant-based, made up of water and crushed black olives and occasionally enhanced with eucalyptus. It works even on sensitive skin, while it eliminates toxins and impurities.

At the office, we tried the Hammam Ritual Black Soap enriched with Argan Oil, which you can purchase here for €19 (it's coming directly from the European website in France, but we hope it will be available in pounds soon). We loved the light scent and ultra-moisturising power of the soap, which left our skin super soft and smooth. 

Mokhado Oils - Starter Pack

Our team here at The Amazing Blog is passionate about healthy eating and cooking our own meals. We recently found out about Mokhado cooking oils from South Africa, and suddenly our cooking experience has transformed for the better.

The range of oils includes three different varieties – Apricot, Avocado and Macadamia – which each contain their own unique flavour and taste. All three oils are cold-pressed, extra virgin, pure, heart-healthy and suitable for vegans. With monounsaturated fats and natural vitamins, they provide your body with healthy fats and antioxidants. The bottles are even coloured-coded and feature a simple and beautiful design.

The founder of the oils, Chrisjan Van den Berg, is proud to showcase the oils his family has known and loved for years. All of the ingredients used to make the oils are never wasted either, since the remaining pits are used as animal feed or compost.

We loved adding the oils to vegetable stir-fry and when baking meat and fish. The macadamia oil, in particular, tasted wonderful when added to something as simple as plain rice. It was so easy to enjoy the oils when we remembered how healthy they are, in addition to their flavourful taste. If you're feeling a little more adventurous, then Mokhado have a range of delicious recipe ideas to choose from, including a fantastic guacamole.

To try the full range of Mokhado oils, head here and get your own set of three for £20. You can also purchase individual bottles of whichever oil you choose for £6.99 each.