PH7 Skincare Collection

As the autumnal equinox approaches, we at The Amazing Blog are starting to think about implementing a new season skincare regimen. We wanted to find a simple trio that would take us through the forthcoming transitory months with ease, and the natural skincare from pH 7’s Skincare Collection: Natural.Clean.Skin offered us just that. Our morning routine has now started with their thoughtfully formulated skincare products, their signature: Foaming Cleanser, Toner and Moisturiser. pH 7 Natural.Clean.Skin is formulated by US toxicologist Dr. Erika Weaver, PhD, who is committed to designing natural and toxin-free skin care products. During her schooling, Weaver learned about the effects of chemicals and the impact it has on our lifestyle and the environment, and wanted to make a change... 

Our favourite of the trio is their Foaming Cleanser. It nourishes and restores all skin types, it made our skin feel 'squeaky clean' without leaving a hint of tightness. Key ingredients are rose water, witch hazel, honeysuckle, apricot kernel, rosehip, frankincense and sandalwood oils. So easy to apply, simply splash warm water onto the face, then pump 2-3 pumps and massage it in using circular motions. After rinsing thoroughly, and patting dry with a linen face cloth - you'll feel fresh awakened! Next, we used their Toner as a refreshing elixir to hydrate the skin. Key ingredients here include kombucha tea, aloe vera gel, vitamins E and C. Before applying, shake the bottle well and blot it onto a cotton ball. Remember to store this product at room temperature. As you let the skin absorb the toner, apply a small amount of Moisturizer,  which has some of our favourite ingredients such as coconut, sandalwood, frankincense and almond oils, all of which offer a great way to maintain hydration and protection.  You can buy each of the these separately, the Foaming Cleanser here for $14, or the Toner here for $10 and the Moisturizer here for $14. However, this trio can also be bought together here for $36.00.

April Aromatics – Rose L'Orange

It’s always exciting to search for that special fragrance, that you can claim as your very own. Here at The Amazing Blog one of us has found their ideal feminine summer fragrance, Rose L’Orange, the perfect combination for our balmy summer and from one of our favourite fragrance houses. We are excited to be reviewing once again, April Aromatics. April Aromatics is a fabulous organic perfume brand, which we discovered for a past Friday Favourites, see here. The creator, Tanja Bochnig’s mission is as follows: “To create perfumes that not only smell good but make you feel good, from the inside out.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!

April Aromatics takes a holistic approach to their fragrances and instil the scents with essences, together with semiprecious stones, which help to give the wearer both harmony and vibrancy. This mind body and soul approach is what makes their scents particularly special and unique. We also like that wherever possible, the ingredients are pure and natural, no animal ingredients are used (except beeswax), and the Eau de Parfums contain essences based on a blend of grape spirit.

Out of the fifteen Eau de Parfums, we asked to try the soft sweet and flowery scent, Rose L’Orange. Once applied, the fragrance mixes with the warmth of the skin and exudes a delicious fresh floral and fruity sophistication. Beautifully blended, both the rose and citrus are in tandem, gently lingering in perfect harmony, not overpowering each other. The undernote of vanilla tames the sweet mixture of rose otto, centifolia, neroli, and mandarin, making it easy to wear from day to night. It is equally suited to wear during our crazily humid 30-degree British summer, as it is soothing, refreshing and grounding. Rose L’Orange contains 100% natural and source-able extracts, together with organic alcohol. The bottle is in a simple cylinder shape, dressed up by the silver lettering on the label. With a turn of the container, the semiprecious stones of clear crystal and Herkimer quartz (a powerful five hundred-million-year-old amplifier of spiritual energy) gently rattle against the glass, evoking not just the sense of smell, but the hearing as well. There is definitely something very moreish about this fragrance.You can purchase April Aromatics’ Rose L’Orange 30ml here for €169.00.

Friday Favourites: Organic Tanning Products

As our regular readers will know at The Amazing Blog, we're big fans of natural and organic products, and today we are talking about sun care. We've included a couple of new brands that have just launched in the UK, as well as a favourite, trusted British brand. These will all help you to enhance your colour and protect your skin naturally. So be sure to take note, and make your friends envious of your effortless glow and sun-kissed complexion. 

There are few things in life that can make us feel better than sporting a healthy and glowing tan. It gives us newfound confidence and a revitalisation. And what could be better than if it can all be done in a safe and controlled manner? We turn first to Rosenserien, an award-winning brand, to help us achieve a safe natural tan. This isn’t the first time we’ve reviewed Rosenserien, and certainly won't be the last. We have rather a soft spot for this established Swedish organic skincare company. Rosenserien only ever uses natural ingredients, of which over 75% are actually organic. The formula in the Self Tan consists of mainly sugar beet extract for long-lasting results and natural colour. NB: It’s recommended to exfoliate and moisturise the skin before using the self-tanner in order to get an even colour. Depending on your preference, apply up to two layers of the lotion for a deeper tan. Within 4-10 hours of application, your skin will be the perfect shade of tan for 3-5 days. We tried this on the face and loved it, very good results with no blotchiness. The product comes in a 100ml tube and can be purchased here for £22.00.

Sun protection should always be an essential part of your daily routine. Although you may not always be lying out on a beach, your skin still comes into daily contact with the damaging UVA/UVB rays even during your daily commute. A fabulous addition to our sun care collection is Eco Cosmetics' Sun Milk with SPF50. The lotion is moisturising, and allows for full coverage – it must be said that a little does go a long way with this product. It is comprised of certified natural ingredients most of which are sourced from organic farming in Germany. This German sun care line is water resistant, vegan, cruelty-free and coral reef friendly. Due to the formulated titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, the sunscreen protects instantly. Supplemental benefits of the product include improved hydration levels, elasticity and suppleness. If you still want a tan naturally and soak up the sun without harming your skin, then we recommend this 75ml product found here for £22.95.

Our third choice this summer is The Organic Pharmacy’s Self-Tan product.  Margo Marrone, a leading pharmacist and homoeopath, founded the company in 2002 and has been working ever since to improve skincare through the combination of nature and science. Each product is formulated naturally without toxins and is created to meet the highest standards. Similar to Rosenserien’s product, The Organic Pharmacy’s self-tan derives from sugar beet. The British made lotion is light and soft, and best for sensitive skin. First, exfoliate your body before slathering on the lotion. While applying, make sure to cover every crevice and to wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. We preferred using this on our bodies rather than our the faces - it was lighter and more absorbent. Your tan will develop after three hours when you will notice a uniformed tan, free of streaks. Enjoy your natural glow by purchasing the 100ml bottle here for £38.00. As they say, don't forget to: 'Slip, slap, slop', and we've certainly you covered for the Bank Holiday weekend, enjoy the sunshine.

Bare Faced Skin – Face Revival Cream

We know from experience how sensitive skin can be, especially on the face. This is why we were happy to discover Bare Faced Skin, a high-performance, luxury skincare brand, with a range made from organic botanical ingredients. Bare Faced Skin was created by Helen Taylor, who has sensitive skin and has suffered from eczema herself. Helen's brand statement is: "The range was designed to create skin you'll be confident in; skin you want to be seen.” At The Amazing Blog we're all about finding and inspiring self-confidence. Having a clear complexion is a magnificent start and a boost for anyone. What we love is that Bare Faced Skin do not test on animals, and that the products have no hidden ingredients. It seems we're not the only ones impressed by the brand, as Bare Faced Skin were nominated in both the Face Care (Take Off) and Bodycare (Leave On) categories at the 2018 Free From Skincare Awards. To see a full breakdown of their ingredients, click here.

We’ve found that their Balance Shea & Thistle Face Revival Cream is excellent for normal to combination skin due to the hyaluronic acid and lupine peptides it contains. Together, they help to protect, while leaving you with a bright complexion. This winner of a 2018 Beauty Shortlist Award for Editor’s Choice contains shea butter, thistle seed oil, lavender oil, blood orange peel oil, rosehip oil, sweet almond oil, pomegranate seed oil, black seed oil, and sea buckthorn. This combination results in a sweet floral fragrance, highlighted by the lavender and blood orange oils. Palmarosa essential oil is also added to balance the T-Zone. The Face Revival Cream is light on the skin and absorbs quickly to work its hydrating magic. You can purchase Bare Faced Skin’s Balance Shea & Thistle Face Revival Cream 50ml for £48.00 here.

We also had the opportunity to try Bare Faced Skin’s 15ml travel sized creams. This is a premium brand, so it’s nice to be able to try their face and body lotions in their affordable travel sizes. The big plus is that they can fit into any plastic carry-on bag. The Hydrate Sea & Macadamia Face Revival Cream is lightweight and lovely for skin that is lacking moisture and nourishment. The list of ingredients is as follows: shea butter, white poppy oil, rosehip fruit oil, black seed oil, blood orange peel oil, mandarin oil, and sea buckthorn oil.

Fantastic for refining and mattifying the complexion, the Mattify Sea & White Poppy Face Revival Cream moisturises and nourishes the skin. This face cream contains thistle, shea butter, white poppy seed oil, grapefruit peel oil, cardamom seed oil, sweet almond oil, and sea buckthorn fruit extract. The Lift Pumpkin & Borage Body Lotion contains borage oil to protect the skin from external elements, while the pumpkin seed oil soothes. It's excellent for tired-looking skin. This body lotion also contains sweet almond oil, shea butter, sea buckthorn fruit extract, thistle seed oil, and pomegranate seed oil. Enticed by the lovely ingredients? Each of these lovely travel sized creams can be purchased for £14.50 here.

Ludlow Food Centre Blood Orange & Gin Marmalade

If the caffeine hit of an espresso doesn’t quite hit the spot, then perhaps a layer of Ludlow’s Blood Orange & Gin Marmalade spread over a chunky slice of granary toast may do the trick! This delicious pairing is sure to become a staple ingredient to The Amazing Blog’s breakfast table, giving us the juicy sweetness of blood oranges, alongside the tangy decadence of an innocent morning tot of gin! 

This Award winning Blood Orange & Gin Marmalade was created by Darren Marsh and Tess Slater, a pair who have been perfecting marmalades, pickles, jams and preserves together since 2008. The team at The Ludlow Food Centre are justly proud of their new product, which won the top slot in the Best Sweet Preserve/Sauce Category at The Great British Food Awards. These awards celebrate the very best in British Farm Produce and are judged by a panel of celebrity and culinary head honchos with a particular focus on the provenance of each individual ingredient. The Ludlow Food Centre squeeze the blood oranges and grapefruit by hand and produce the marmalade only when the fruit is in season. Chase GB Gin, sourced from a local supplier, is added, and the marmalade is produced in small batches of approximately 30 jars. The marmalade works well in sponge puddings, and also works well to form a syrup for cocktails – Marmalade Martini’s anyone?
 
At £3.99 a jar, this isn’t the least expensive pot on the market, but it is certainly one of the tastiest, and can be ordered from Ludlow Food Centre’s Online Shop. They offer a delivery service Monday through Thursday, or of course, you can collect from their store. All details can be found on their website here.