lifestyle

Ina Crystals - Bath Crystals

Now that we’re winding down from Christmas and New Year, and the hectic months are behind us, it’s time to finally take a breath and relax. We here at The Amazing Blog love nothing more than a pampering evening in, soaking in a nice hot bath with a few candles burning and a good book in our hands. Mercifully, we’ve found the perfect aid to a stress free evening in Ina White Gold Detox Bath Crystals.

The indulgent grains are a perfect combination of carefully mined white gold crystal salts, and the essential oils of Basil, Fennel and Juniper which help to detoxify, cleanse and heal the body, exactly what we need after a season of over indulgence and partying! Not only this, but the pure salts can also be used for aches and pains, and even to treat mild cases of eczema and psoriasis, so you don’t have to reserve them for your major post-Christmas detox. The brand do recommend that you use the entire 1kg container in a single bath, which may seem a little pricey for one soak, but we must admit, it was totally worth it for a one off treat. When we emerged, we really felt like we were walking on air, and drifted off to bed without a care in the world.

We can't think of a better way to soak your troubles away. Immerse yourself in a little bit of heaven, and buy the Crystals here for £46.50.

Libby Chan Concentrate

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Here at The Amazing Blog we are in love with the green revolution. Whether it’s the products we use to meet our beauty needs or the goods we use to keep our homes clean, we try and make sure all ingredients are completely natural and safe. Now that we’ve got our hands on the Libby Chan concentrate, we are confident that this product will help our lives stay green and clean.

Libby Chan concentrate is made from all-natural ingredients and fermented from food. Yes, we did say fermented! The ingredients are non-GMO, fair trade, and include live yogurt cultures and yeast in the list. Unlike antibacterial products that completely strip a surface making it prone to germs and filth, this product is filled with “good bacteria” keeping all unwanted forms of bacteria at bay.  Instead of a harsh, insufficient clean, Libby Chan concentrate gently cleans with “good bacteria,” leaving your home spick and span.

Libby Chan concentrate left the office with a pleasant earthy scent, reminding us of freshly baked bread. No matter what the circumstances may be, this cleaning product is sure to take the "think green" movement to a whole new level.

On the Libby Chan website there is a wonderful list of local retailers that supply the brand- check here  to see if your area is on the list or buy online here  for prices ranging from £8.99 to £12.79.

Friday Favourites- Holiday Reads

All we want to do in this cold weather is snuggle up on the sofa in our pyjamas with a mug of tea and a great book. The Amazing Blog understands that there comes a time when a novel seems a bit too heavy for unwinding, so we have selected three very different easy reads to browse when you’re taking some time off. These are How to Draw Like a Fashion Designer, Peruvian Kitchen, and The Book. draw like designer

There’s no denying that at some stage in our lives, we have all had career ambitions which were a little far fetched. When I was growing up it was either a princess or fashion designer… By about 8 I realised the former dream was a little unrealistic so I began to focus on fashion. I would draw stick women and drown them in horrible floods of colour, clothes that nobody would ever wear, but it was fun. The How to Draw like a Fashion Designer book written by Celia Joicey and Dennis Nothdruft would have been perfect for that phase of my life and would have helped make my stick people look less like…sticks. It’s a beautiful book filled with vibrant colours and step by step guides. Valentino and Zadra Rhodes are just two of the many designers who have contributed to the book, adding their own individual personality. There are interviews, drawing guides, intricate images and much more to set you on your path to become the next big name in fashion. I think this book is wonderful for a light read when you have five minutes to yourself. Its only £12.95, and definitely a book which will look lovely on a shelf or table in the lounge for everyone to enjoy. You can purchase the book here.

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From one of our favourite ‘F’s, fashion, to another, which is food! The Ceviche Peruvian Kitchen by Martin Morales is filled with over 100 recipes and photos of the most celebrated Peruvian food. Restaurateur and cook, Martin Morales opened his restaurant Ceviche in 2012 and has since had huge success. This book shows you how to makes hundreds of dishes including the famous Ceviche. He traveled the country in search of the best flavours and recipes to share with his readers, and we agree he’s done just that. They are simple yet delicious and unusual, and we are interested by every one. The dishes are fusions of cultural essences from Africa, Spain, Italy, China and Japan. If you haven’t tried Peruvian food before then you need to, it’s definitely not one to disappoint as there are so many different spices and textures to choose from. We trust everything about these recipes as Martin Morales has been cooking since the mere age of 11!  His passion for food is displayed throughout the book and seen in the beautiful photographs which compliment each recipe. The book is published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson and you can purchase it on Amazon here.

The Book

There is a particular genre of book that appears to be trending and increasing in popularity. These are self help books, ways to better your life and achieve greater happiness. If you visit book stores or use the internet you will probably be exposed to a large amount of these book titles, but The Amazing Blog can make it a little easier for you to choose. We have just read Linde’s life manual which goes by the name, The Book. It opens your eyes to different ways to maintain perfect health, wealth, happiness and longevity. It’s a guide to changing the way you perceive things to ultimately give you a happier and more positive outlook on life. As you journey through the chapters you learn how to understand how your body and mind function, and how to deal with them depending on your surroundings and environment. This book is full of optimism and is definitely one that I will keep referring back to as the years go on. It’s a bit like a support mechanism to guide you in the direction which will make you happiest. The hardback version is £30 and presented beautifully, it’ll be something to stay with you for years so definitely worth every penny. You can buy a kindle edition, or if you want, a hardback copy from here

Friday Favourites: Health Supplements

We all know the importance of looking after our bodies with regular exercise and a healthy balanced diet, but there are additional ways of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and ensuring your body is in tip top condition. Here at The Amazing Blog, we have been trying out a range of health drinks and supplements to improve your health, and we wanted to share with you our favourites.instant_performance Sigma Foods has created a small collection of instant powders with health benefits that you can add to any drink and even your food to boost your overall wellbeing. There are four varieties on offer: Chaga, Reishi, Cordyseps and Lion’s Mane, each offering distinct health benefits. Chaga can be taken to boost your immune system by fighting pathogens, and it is a very strong antioxidant. Reishi can reduce your stress levels, improve your night’s sleep and increase blood circulation. Codyseps is used to increase energy levels and speed up recovery after exercise and can boost your sexual performance! Lastly, Lion’s Mane is used to protect the nervous system, improve cognitive ability and improve your memory. The powders are made from medicinal mushrooms, herbs to improve digestion and absorption of essentials nutrients. They are vegan friendly as well as being gluten and lactose free. While the powders don’t taste great mixed with just water, they are just as effective mixed into a smoothie or even cake! You can find plenty of recipes on the Sigma Foods website. The Instant Beverage sachets are available from Inspiral to buy singularly at £1.35 or in a box of 20 from £16.95. coconut

When trying to gain muscle, protein shakes can be a good supplement to aiding muscle growth and repair. Purition have a 100% natural whey protein supplement shake to use in conjunction with your training. The shakes are filled with essential nutrients and proteins as well as being full of natural fibre to increase your metabolism and improve digestive function. They are also gluten free, with no added sugar and absolutely nothing artificial added in. The shake is idea to use pre or post workout or as a meal replacement. We love the wonderful instruction illustration on the packaging which gives the option to make the mixture into a smoothie with added berries and banana, which we think looks amazing! The Body Pro shake is available in three flavours Chocolate, Pistachio and Coconut, and can be bought from the Purition website for £19.95 for 500g.

single-and-reverse-bottle newWith our hectic modern lifestyles it can often be hard for us to ensure we are always getting enough of the nutrients that our body needs. Ovivio Wellness is a liquid based supplement drink that made using the leaves of the Olive tree, which is well known for its health benefits. The Olive leaf is rich in antioxidants that are vital in dealing with pollutants, additives from poor diet, excess sun, smoking and alcohol as well as reducing signs of aging. It has also been proven to be antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal so can actually work with your immune system to keep you healthy and ailment free. This wonderful supplement can improve blood circulation, decrease blood sugar levels and reduce tiredness. The drink doesn’t taste that great, but it can be mixed into fruit juices, smoothies and tea to make it more palatable. You can purchase Ovivio Wellness from Holland & Barrett or the Ovivio Wellness website where you can buy a two week supply for £28.

banner pack 04-OUTLINEDTo ensure we get all the essential nutrients to help our bodies to function correctly, Revive Active have created supplement sachets that contain over 26 active ingredients that work in synergy to effectively and efficiently boost your body’s key functions. Revive Active is caffeine and sugar free, but provides an energy boost to keep you going throughout the day. It looks after your heart and cardiovascular system and boasts anti-aging benefits for not just your skin, but hair and nails too. The supplement helps to promote an improved immune system as well as boosting focus and cognition. Our Executive Editor, Edwina, has been taking these supplements religiously and have since found that they have increased her metabolism and energy levels resulting in weight loss as well as feeling healthier. We can’t argue with that! To discover all of the wonderful health benefits of Revive Active, visit their website where there is a wealth of information as well as scientific evidence of the positive effects of this supplement. The Revive Active sachets are available from the website where you can buy a months supply for £59.85.

Box and bottle portrait 9703You may remember being force fed cod liver oil as a child to provide you with essential Omega 3. We remember well the awful fishy taste and, even worse, when it repeats on you. However, Omega 3 is such an important supplement to take as our body does not make EPA and DHA fatty acids which our essential for our bodies. So if you do not eat enough oily fish, taking a fish oil supplement such as Bare Biology Lion Heart is one way to ensure you get all the nutrients you need. Fish oil that tastes fishy is actually rancid, so unlike the fish oil of our youth, Bare Biology Lion Heart has a pleasant lemony taste. One 5ml spoonful of this oil is contains the same amount of Omega 3 as ten 1000mg fish oil capsules, so what you are taking is much purer and thus you get more for your money. I’m surprised at how much I liked this oil compared to other varieties that I have tried and would definitely continue taking it. The Bare Biology Lion Heart Omega 3 Fish Oil can be purchased from their website for £47.50 for 150ml.

Aspire on IceFor many of us weight loss is part of our healthy lifestyle concerns, so when we find out about supplements that can aid us in our plight to lose weight and get fit, we just have to try them out. Aspire Drinks are carbonated cranberry flavour drinks that are sugar free, fat free, and even calorie free. They work to increase your metabolism so you burn off extra calories. Aspire have recently launched their Two Week Little Black Dress Challenge, inspiring us to get in shape for the upcoming Christmas party season. Just two weeks of drinking Aspire can lead to weight loss between 2 and 10lbs. We think that these drinks are the perfect way to rehydrate after a workout, as they taste delicious and are very refreshing. You can get your hands on these wonderful Aspire drinks from Tesco for just £1 each.

Time Out Top 100 Cheap Eats in London

Blog image As many of our readers from London might know, London is an expensive city to live in. Those of us who live in this amazing city, face the struggle of having big living expenses… the most outstanding one? Rent. Nevertheless, London is renowned for its wide restaurant and gastronomy offering; so bearing in mind our budgets and our love for going out for either breakfast, lunch or dinner, Time Out have given us a wonderful solution in the form of a book. Time Out Top 100 Cheap Eats in London has become a book that  The Amazing Blog always take a look at for recommendations whenever we want to treat ourselves to an affordable, yet high-quality meal.

The fantastic thing about Top 100 Cheap Eats is that the restaurants are organised by area; so if you want to have lunch with friends in South London, the suggestions are easy to find. In this book you can find the best places to get burgers, burritos, pie and mash… it even introduces you to the most popular food markets of the city; including my personal favourite, Borough Market.

Whenever me and my friends plan on going out for a meal I take this gem of a book with me just because I know that I can genuinely rely on it for a good and affordable meal. Each restaurant included in the book has been handpicked on the basis of quality for money, and has been tried and tested by the Time Out’s review team themselves.

Covering everywhere in the city, Time Out offers this essential guide to the Londoner who wants to go out without breaking the bank… because we all know that is quite easily achievable in the Brit capital.

If you'd like to expand your tastebuds on a strict budget, you will find the Time Out Top 100 Cheap Eats in London available from Amazon for £4.99.