Skincare by GENbotanicals

At The Amazing Blog, we know that everyone has different skin needs and no two people have skin exactly alike. As such you could easily spend years building up a collection of products that might be effective for you, or you could try GENbotanicals. After having a consultation with them and discussing what skin issues we wanted to focus on, we were advised to try the Jojoba Rice Essential Cleanser, the Organic White Rose Adapting Toner, Green Tea Azuki Exfoliant and the Wild Japanese Camellia Emollient Face Oil. GENbotanicals is a brand dedicated to providing a botanical and organic customised skincare collection for your needs. As such you can purchase all of the products as is, or have them altered to suit you.

The Jojoba Rice Essential Cleanser is effective for all skin types but particularly those with dry skin. It works as a daily balancing cleanser, that gently cleans and nourishes the skin with its blend of Jojoba, Rice Bran, Meadowfoam and Hibiscus Oils. The natural product is absorbed quickly and effortlessly removes makeup, while encouraging the skin to produce a healthy oil balance. The Wild Japanese Camellia Emollient Face Oil is an effective weekly exfoliator. By blending herbs, grains and tea leaves, the water-activated product can cleanse and remove dirt from the face. The azuki powder cleanses and nourishes skin, leaving it smooth and supple to the touch. The green tea injects a much-needed boost of antioxidants into the skin while the clay detoxifies it.  The exfoliator isn’t abrasive or harsh on skin, making it ideal for those of you who have sensitive or easily irritated complexions. The Organic White Rose Adapting Toner is a refreshing way to hydrate, strengthen and protect skin. The active ingredients help to tone the skin, while the Rose Geranium holds moisture and stimulates blood circulation. This is perfect for anyone looking to reduce pore size. Finally, the Wild Japanese Camellia Emollient Face Oil is a natural and rich moisturiser that protects skin, reaching the deepest levels of the epidermis. This oil is ideally suited for to those with dull and dehydrated skin, helping to restore lost vitality and brightness. 

GEN botanicals are uncompromising in their commitment to promoting natural and organic products, and they follow a strict personal guideline regarding the ingredients that they use. You can purchase the Exfoliant Scrub here for around £36.00, the cleanser here for about £20.00, the oil here for roughly £28.00 and the toner here for around £22.00. Although GEN botanicals are based in New Mexico and their prices are in dollars PayPal.  
 

Passionfruit , Chocolate Orange and Sour Cherry Curds - Thursday Cottage

What we really miss during the Winter months at The Amazing Blog, is the vibrancy of summer tastes, we have always found that just as everything looks brighter in the summer so too are the flavours stronger. While it might be hard to believe it's June by looking out the window, you can certainly tell it is as you stroll through the supermarket aisles. As big fans of summer flavours we couldn’t wait to get our (oven) mitts on Thursday Cottage’s delicious jams, curds and marmalades. We love the twist that they put on traditional flavours to create unique and mouth-wateringly good products. We decided that we had to try their Sour Cherry Curd, Passionfruit Curd and Chocolate Orange Curd to really get us in the summer spirit.

Thursday Cottage takes great care in choosing the best ingredients for their products and combines a variety of traditional and unusual fruits to recreate your favourite summer flavours. It’s, therefore, no real surprise that they’ve won so many awards including the 2010 AND 2012 Great Taste Awards. We loved the Passion Fruit Curd, which had a delectably moreish sweet and tart flavour that was fantastic at jazzing up some plain vanilla ice cream or adding a zing to a Pavlova. In fact, it was this curd that won the much sought after award in 2012.The other two curds we tried are relatively new to Thursday Cottage as they only came out in 2016. The Sour Cherry Curd is bursting with a vibrant taste and sent us back to our childhoods – just as it promised it would. The Chocolate Orange seemed like something entirely different and unusual. With a smooth and creamy texture, the curd had chocolatey overtones with subtle hints of Orange coming through; this flavour is so good it was awarded one gold star at the 2016 Great Taste Awards. We found that the chocolate orange was a great addition to cakes, acting as a moist and flavoursome filling. What’s more, these curds are vegetarian. Thursday Cottage uses pectin instead of gelatin so everyone can enjoy these delicious table favourites.

You can purchase all of these curds here on Thursday Cottage’s website for as little as £2.65. While you’re there, we seriously recommend checking out their other items as well as the recipes they suggest for their products. With this brand by your side, you’ll have the best desserts all summer!

Friday Favourites - Father's Day Gifts

We here at The Amazing Blog think men should be pampered just as much as women are. Dads work hard and are definitely in need of some spoiling. See our top picks to make your dad feel special this Father's Day.

First on our list is the Body Wash and Eau de Toilette by Milano Cento. Inspired by aromatic plants of Italy, the Milano Cento Him range is bound to make your dad feel like a Don. The range is based on the classic sophistication of all things Italian, for a man wanting a somewhat unusual, unique and understated scent. The Him body wash and eau de toilette are formed from the same scent, which opens with zesty notes of lemon, bergamot and petitgrain. The middle notes are herbaceous, of lavender, intense basil, rosemary and sage, followed by base notes of rich, sensual sandalwood, patchouli, spicy cloves, cinnamon and warm amber. You will be left with an overall citrus and woody aroma, which is, in itself, a gift to yourself if you get to smell it on the regular.

Milano Cento does not sell online, but you can find their nationwide stockists here. Purchase the Eau de Toilette for £29.50 for 50ml or £49.50 for 100ml. Purchase the Body Wash for £12.50.

If you thought candles were just for women, then think again. LEGNA London has created candles especially for men, with the philosophy that candles shouldn’t be marketed solely to women. By creating a non-obvious manly product, LEGNA dedicates their candles to anyone of any sex, to couples and to friends. They draw their inspiration from an array of cultures from around the world which celebrate manhood.

Hand poured in the UK, made of biodegradable, natural, blended wax. The ingredients are composed of non-petroleum renewable resources and therefore burn clean. There are three signature scents; Strength, Unity and Wisdom, made from classic masculine ingredients, such as musk, tobacco and leather. Strength gives off a delicate smoky and woody, yet sweet, aroma. Strength was created to celebrate the physical and spiritual strength of men. Unity is composed of comforting spicy ingredients with woody notes, designed to celebrate the brotherhood of man. Wisdom is comprised of musky leather notes, creating a warm and luxurious fragrance for people to relax around and share their experiences.

Having been featured in and receiving raving reviews from The Independent, GQ, Elle Man, Country & Town House, the lucky gentleman is sure to enjoy the aroma of these heady scents.

Purchase the candles separately for £40 each (220g) or together in a gift set for £50 (3x 75g) here.

If your dad boasts a full beard, The Scottish Fine Soaps Company's Face & Beard Care Kit is the ideal gift. Men’s grooming is serious business, and should be an indulgent experience from time to time, or even every day! Blending luxurious ingredients with contemporary Scottish style, The Scottish Fine Soaps Company have created a kit with a face and beard soap, beard oil, aftershave balm and a hardwood beard comb.

This grooming kit is in their Thistle & Black Pepper range. With this kit, you can care for your beard and pamper your skin with the invigorating scent of thistle and black pepper. All products are made and packed in Stirlingshire, Scotland. Scotland has one of the most beautiful natural environments, so it only makes sense to draw inspiration from it. So as to not damage it, The Scottish Fine Soaps Company practices sustainable and environmentally-friendly production. Even more, the products are cruelty-free, paraben-free and use natural ingredients wherever humanly possible.

Purchase the Face & Beard Care Kit here for £19.99.

Bentley released their newest fragrance for men, Bentley Momentum, earlier this year. This bold eau de toilette was made for the discernible man who appreciates beautiful craftsmanship and quality. If your gentleman in mind is a fan of the finer things in life and wants his signature scent to meet the standards of Bentley cars, then you must give Momentum a sniff.

Momentum is a forceful composition that contrasts aromatic freshness with potent woods. The primary notes are a splash of aquatic aromas, closely followed by energising bergamot and cooling violet. Underneath this refreshing concoction is herbaceous and aromatic sage, adding a sensuous warmth and depth. The final notes are striking ambergris and cashmere wood. The dry-down of the scent reveals a deep blend of smooth sandalwood, dusky tonka bean and a lingering trail of sensuous musk and moss. This scent certainly gains momentum, all encapsulated in a sleek, geometric bottle.

Currently, Bentley Momentum eau de toilette can only be purchased exclusively at Harrods in-store, for £59 (50ml).

We clearly think men should smell marvelous, which is why we are continuing our scent search with L:A BRUKET's Perfume Oils. This product is for the man that is partial to aromatherapy. With each spritz you are administering a mind-strengthening aroma. The perfumes are made purely from organic and natural oils. There are three scents to choose from, each with differing properties. Petitgrain, with its bittersweet notes, is calming and relaxing. It is said to improve memory and help you work well under pressure and stress. Perfect for those workaholic dads. Myrrh, paired beautifully with cedarwood, is sweet and woody. This oil will help with concentration and trigger a focusing effect. Lastly, Hinoki is also woody but with fresh notes. Hinoki is known for its mentally-strengething and energising properties. Ideal when paired with an outdoorsy man.

Purchase the L:A BRUKET Perfume Oils from their UK stockist here for £46 each (10ml).

Whether your dad is a beard-guy, a fragrance-connoisseur, or enjoys a scented candle, with these exciting products to choose from there will surely be some lucky dads this Father's Day. They most definitely deserve it so use this opportunity to spoil your dad, but remember that you can treat your dad to these gorgeous gifts any day of the year.

Intense Ultra Restore Facial Oil and Rose Quartz Body Oil - ISUN

With the ever-hectic world consuming us, it is sometimes imperative to sit back and indulge in a moment of mindfulness. Whether you're reading a book, going for a walk or taking the time to enjoy your skincare routine, it is important that we treat ourselves. If like us at The Amazing Blog your me-time is your skincare routine, ISUN, and their organic skincare range is perfect for these moments as it is founded on the concept of mindfulness to give you youthful, balanced and radiant skin.

ISUN's core ethos is to produce a positive healing effect on the body, mind and spirit, leading to a sense of total well-being. Bunnie Gullick, the creator of ISUN, maintains that the only way our skin can emit and hold onto the vitality and radiance of youth, is when it absorbs the nutrition and energy from alive ingredients. As such, ISUN's products only contain alive ingredients, giving you the greatest results. It has been proven that plants contain potent regenerating energies absorbed from the sun, and this energy can then be transferred to the skin. ISUN believe that not only does this process make us more balanced physically, mentally and emotionally, but that it also helps us become more open and loving toward others.

We can most certainly vouch for the natural feel and smell of the Intense Ultra Restore Facial Oil. With 100% active ingredients, consisting of stabilised Vitamin C, CoQ10, antioxidants and rejuvenating fatty acids, your skin will be left intensely moisturised and firmer. The CoQ10 boosts collagen in the skin, making this oil a prime anti-ageing contender. You mustn’t neglect your body in your skincare routine, and with the Rose Quartz Oil your body will receive the beneficial properties of the herb-infused essential oils. The oil will soothe and nourish your skin, promoting cell renewal. Each bottle of body oil contains a small rose quartz crystal which, as ISUN puts it best, is included to ‘subtly vibrate the healing energies of the crystal into the oil’.

You can purchase the face oil here for £110 and the body oil here for £48.

Posh Tart - Filthy Velvet

Here at The Amazing Blog, we love nothing more than lighting some candles and unwinding with a few close friends, so when Filthy Velvet sent us one of their fun candles to try, we couldn't wait to use it.

There is a cheeky element to Filthy Velvet that we love, and while they make fabulous candles with beautiful scents, they don't take themselves too seriously. The candles, or "Scented Scandals" as they call them, are chic and set in a circular metal tin, looking at home on any counter, table or mantelpiece. The fun begins as you watch a shocked friend reading one of Filthy Velvet's unexpected names, such as "Big Pants" or "Busty Blonde" or "Pot Head." The provocative product names are original, odd and hilarious, making a superb gift for your sassiest friend.

We were sent the apple pie candle "Posh Tart" which had a sweet apple aroma, with notes of rich, spicy cinnamon and hints of nutmeg, vanilla and sugar pastry. The scent was noticeable but subtle, so you don't have to worry about it overpowering your home. Filthy Velvet's products are all hand poured in Northern Ireland, and are made from the finest fragrance oils, natural wax and cotton wicks. With a burn life of up to 50 hours, these "filthy little scandals" are sure to leave you smiling for a long time.  

If you want the perfect quirky candle for your home, or a fun gift to give to a loved one, you can purchase a candle from their website here from £10.50.