Pure Glow Nourishing Cleansing Balm and Metamorphosis Revitalising Beauty Oil by Nyasa

By now faithful readers, I am sure you are aware of how much we, at The Amazing Blog, favour holistic beauty. We all firmly believe that everything is intricately connected – if you drink plenty of water, eat healthy food, get enough vitamins and exercise regularly you’ll have much better skin than someone who doesn’t. As such discovering the brand Nyasa was a life changing one; in fact, we don’t know why we didn’t know about them sooner! Nyasa also believes in a holistic approach to beauty, after discovering that skincare, nutrition, health and energy are all interconnected. They too believe that our attitude and everyday routines combine to determine the quality of our lives. As such, Nyasa believe that our daily routines – including our skin care regimens – have the power to restore, refuel and recharge us. We were lucky enough to be sent two of their products from the capsule collection; the Pure Glow Nourishing Cleansing Balm and the Metamorphosis Revitalising Beauty Oil.  

The Cleansing Balm is the ultimate multi-tasking cleanser; it melts softly into the skin while purifying and protecting your complexion, as well as drawing out daily impurities. The balm contains resurrection plant, pomegranate enzymes, sweet almond oil and a selection of essential oils. These ingredients help the product to support cellular vitality and draw out a beautiful natural glow from within the skin. All of which leads to a more radiant, a fresher and a more luminous complexion. Just massage gently into wet or dry skin, and use a hot wet face cloth to wipe away. For a deeper clean, leave on for 5-10 minutes before wiping away. The Beauty Oil helps to revitalise skin by nourishing it and boosting elasticity, reducing the appearance of fine lines, and reversing skin damage. This is made possible by the combination of anti-glycation properties. Apply 2-3 drops to fingertips and massage into the face, neck and décolletage. It absorbs effortlessly and works hard to support cellular renewal for a dewy, firm and plumper complexion. 

The ethos of the brand means that the products are cruelty-free and none of them is tested on animals, and the beautiful packaging is made of entirely recycled materials. You can purchase the cleanser here for £50.00 and the oil here for £95.00
 

Cricket Flour Protein and Energy Bars by Jimini's

We try our hardest to be sustainable at The Amazing Blog, both as a collective and as individuals. As hard as we try, it can seem like a daunting issue with many problems and fewer solutions, so when someone told us about Jimini’s we were intrigued and keen to try their alternative and delicious protein and energy bars.

Jimini’s hope that simply by introducing a new sustainable and healthy source of nutrients they will be able to change the world. What is this new source I hear you asking? Well, it’s very straightforward, insects. Now we know what you are thinking! For years we have been conditioned into believing that eating bugs is gross. In fact, if you bought a delicious snack and found a bug in it you probably throw it out or even threaten to sue somebody, so why would you buy energy bars made of the stuff? Well Jimini’s use cricket flour, dried fruits and almonds in their bars. You cannot taste the insects whatsoever, just as you would be unable to taste the flour in any other energy bar, cake or piece of bread – it’s entirely flavourless. Unlike regular flour though, cricket flour is rich in protein, fibre and iron. In fact, there is there is twice the amount of iron in crickets as there is in spinach! Wouldn’t Pop Eye have been very different if they had known that then? What’s more 100g of crickets contains 63g of protein, while beef only contains 55g and chicken only 25g!! Crickets also require less space water to look after, which is a huge sustainability issue at the moment. Cows require about 10 hectares of land and 22000 L/kg of water while crickets need 1 hectare and less than 10 L/kg of water. Crickets also produce 99% fewer greenhouse gasses than cows do. 

2 billion people around the world eat insects, so really it is just our western sensibilities getting in the way of our ability to see past their exterior and ignore the wonderful and amazing benefits that they offer. The flour itself is entirely flavourless, full of fantastic benefits and the bars themselves are delicious. We purchased a variety pack; the pack included all four flavours; Banana and Dark Chocolate, Dark Chocolate and Fig, Apricot, Goji and Chia and lastly Apple and Cinnamon.  If you do manage to pick a favourite, which is tough as they are all delicious, then you are able to purchase only that flavour. Pick up a variety box of these wonderful and sustainable energy bars here for £6.81.

Excellent Exfoliators - Friday Favourites

Exfoliation is a necessity in any facial skincare routine, but with so many options to choose from it can be slightly daunting. We at The Amazing Blog are here to share some of our favourite methods. No doubt you'll be left with a glowing, baby-soft, smooth face; the perfect canvas for makeup to glide over.

We started off with the first of our handy helpers, The Konjac Facial Puff Sponge. Made with 100% natural products this palm-sized sponge is the answer to all of your exfoliation prayers. The Konjac Sponge Co. graciously sent us two of their signature sponges: the Bamboo Charcoal Konjac Facial Puff Sponge and the Chamomile Konjac Facial Puff Sponge. Each with specific healing properties, both of these sponges will balance your skin’s pH levels while gently exfoliating and deeply cleansing your skin. They stimulate blood circulation and cell turnover, so you'll be left with supple and vibrant skin. The best part is it is safe to use on your eye area and is entirely suitable for sensitive skin.

The Bamboo Charcoal Sponge is specifically designed for oily and spot prone skin. The activated charcoal in this sponge works to eliminate excess oils, clear blackheads and kill acne-causing bacteria. This sponge even removes water-based make-up. The Chamomile Sponge is ideal for those with hypersensitive skin. The Chamomile is hypoallergenic and calms the skin while purifying, soothing, and plumping the skin.  All of their sponges are vegan, animal cruelty-free and made with 100% natural materials.

These sponges are the original Konjac Sponges and are multi award winning. Purchase The Konjac Bamboo Charcoal Facial Puff Sponge here for £8.99 and the Konjac Camomile Facial Puff Sponge here for £8.99.  

Our next little wonder product is the Exfolia Microexfoliation Beauty Cloth. This cloth is safe to use for all ages and on all skin types and will, in a few minutes,  leave your skin feeling smoother and looking radiant. Made without any chemicals or additives, the hypoallergenic cloth removes the dead skin cells from the skin’s surface. This allows following serums and moisturisers to soak deeper into the skin and work more efficiently. 

This cloth is very soft to the touch and is gentle enough to use on baby skin. The Exfolia Beauty Cloth aids in repairing sun damage through skin regeneration and increases the elasticity of the skin for younger looking and healthier skin. This beauty cloth is washable and reusable and can be used 60-80 times before it needs to be replaced. To use just run under warm water and use with your facial cleanser for softer, cleaner and more radiant looking skin. It is our ideal product for a quick face wash in the morning.

Purchase your own Exfolia Microexfoliation Beauty Cloth here for £10.35. 

Next up, we have one of our favourite exfoliation cleansers, Caudalie Deep Cleansing Exfoliator. This creamy cleanser is perfect for all skin types but works particularly well for oily and combination skin. This cleanser is formulated with 97% all natural products and is filled with micro-grains, derived from corn, to gently scrub away dead skin cells without being too abrasive or irritating. Infused with grapefruit, mint and sweet orange to give the skin a burst of freshness and clarity while exfoliating, you will feel rejuvenated and refreshed.

Caudalie recommends only using this cleanser 1-2 times a week for a truly deep clean. When using the product, wet your face and neck with water before gently working the cleanser into your skin. As it scrubs away the skin’s impurities, the fresh scent of citrus and mint awaken your senses, transporting you to your own little spa in the comfort of your home.

Purchase the Caudalie Deep Cleansing Exfoliator here for £20.00. 

Our final exfoliator is a chemical exfoliant, but don't let the word 'chemical' scare you. Chemical exfoliants are a staple in any skincare guru's stash, and we never skip this in our routine. Murad's AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser contains Salicylic, Lactic and Glycolic acids which work to dissolve dead skin cells that are just sitting on the skin's surface. The result is skin clarity, brightness and improved cell turnover, unveiling a radiant complexion. This cleanser also incorporates physical exfoliants, and the Jojoba Beads gently polish, exfoliate and nourish the skin. A weekly beauty rendezvous with Murad’s exfoliating cleanser will result in unblemished smooth skin, making common issues like pores and uneven skin tone history. Murad is a pioneer in chemical exfoliants and was actually the first brand to use Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) in topical skincare, and this little gem is still one of the best.

Purchase Murad’s award winning exfoliating cleanser is here for £34 with free UK delivery.

We hope we've inspired you to get on the exfoliating bandwagon, or perhaps inspired you exfoliating experts for your next venture. If you haven't been able to tell, we are very into exfoliating and this concoction of methods keeps our complexions smooth and radiant.

Skincare and Eyelid Correction Tape By WONDERSTRIPES

WONDERSTRIPES want to empower their customers and help them defy the laws of nature with their carefully curated anti-ageing secrets. We here at The Amazing Blog wanted in on these beauty secrets and we are here to let you in on them. Here's our tip: Target the entire face with the Hyaluron Moisturizing Booster Mask, the Instant Glow Hydrogel Eye Pads and the Facial Tonic & Stripes.

For an instant lifting effect and overall moisturising treatment, apply the Hyaluron Moisturizing Booster Mask on clean skin for 20 minutes. This mask is made of collagen and bio-cellulose, a natural fibre obtained during the fermentation of coconut water, which give you immediately revitalised and smoother skin. Hyaluron and aloe vera work wonders to deeply hydrate the skin, and are beneficial for all skin types. The under-eye area needs special attention, as it is particularly delicate and prone to wrinkles, which is where the Instant Glow Hydrogel Eye Pads come in. They deeply hydrate the under-eye area, reducing wrinkles, dark circles and puffiness for smoother skin, in only 15 minutes! The concoction of cornflower extract, D-Panthenol and hamamelis tighten and moisturise the skin, giving an instantly youthful appearance.

WONDERSTRIPES' wonder-product, however, is their WONDERSTRIPES, a beauty tape for upper eyelid correction. A favourite amongst celebrities, this current ‘wonder-weapon’ can trick Mother Nature to give you an instant eye lift and make you look younger in mere seconds. They last the whole day, are comfortable and light to wear with three sizes to choose from, and are easy to use. WONDERSTRIPES recommends using the Facial Tonic, only sold in a kit with the tape, prior to applying the tape, to clean and hydrate the skin and to make sure no greasy areas are left to loosen the gentle but firm adhesive.

All products are created under thorough dermatological testing, so it is scientific skincare you can trust, but is importantly cruelty-free. Purchase the Hyaluron Moisturizing Booster Mask for £52 for 5 here, the Instant Glow Hydrogel Eye Pads for £22 for a pack of 5 here, and the set of Facial Tonic & Stripes for £33 here.

Hair and Body Care By Oway

Oway, short for The Organic Way, is an Italian brand that focuses on the beauty of nature, maintaining an ethical and sustainable approach. This ethos is something we here at The Amazing Blog strongly support; ‘Perhaps we cannot change the world but we can certainly improve it!’. We were lucky enough to try out the Frequent Use Hair & Scalp Bath, the Moisturising Hair Mask, the Glossy Nectar and the Fabulous Body Oil.

Oway takes their biodynamic approach seriously. All of their products come in 100% recyclable glass bottles or aluminium tubes, and they never use toxic substances in the harvesting of their products. Oway only uses fairtrade purchase and they are supporting over 800 local communities. This brand is not only kind to the environment, but it’s kind to skin too. The natural botanical ingredients render the use of artificial perfumes unnecessary.

The products do not contain harmful or useless ‘filler’ products, such as parabens, artificial colourants and synthetic fragrance. Quite the contrary. In fact, the Frequent Use Hair & Scalp Bath contains three simple ingredients; lemon, aniseed and white tea. They work together to detoxify the scalp and hair, leaving it clean yet moisturised. If you have very dry and damaged hair, follow this with the Moisturising Hair Mask for intense hydration and repair. Basil, iris, teak and mahogany protect and add moisture and shine to the hair. The Glossy Nectar, a rebuilding oil for your hair, nourishes and strengthens your hair with marrubium, black quinoa, amla and marula, whilst boosting natural defences against UV radiation and heat sources. The Fabulous Body Oil boasts ingredients such as biodynamic blood orange, organic tamanu, vitamin C and patauá. The star ingredient is Inca inchi oil which has a high content of unsaturated acids and vitamins, repairing and improving the elasticity of the skin.

Purchase the Frequent Use Hair & Scalp Bath here for £5-£55, the Moisturising Hair Mask here for £9.50-£45, the Glossy Nectar here for £13-£18 and the Fabulous Body Oil here for £14-£39.