ISUN - The Gentleman's Moisturiser

How about blowing those Moody Monday Blues away with some unapologetic and deeply intense luxury? Yep, we’d thought you’d say that - we could feel the vibes coming through the electronic waves between you and us here at The Amazing Blog Towers - so brace yourselves, we have a complete corker for you in ISUN’s The Gentleman's Moisturiser: Light Facial Oil.

It’s quite a compact gem of a bottle at 30ml, but rest assured, shoe-horned in are a plethora of antioxidants and vitamins just primed to dive deeply into the epidermis and work their incredible magic on us. With each formulation, we are promised high performance, satisfying results and an overall sense of harmony and wellbeing. Not only are we enjoying an increased level of hydration, but we are also healing the skin from within, and in turn revitalising body, mind and spirit; what better way to begin a new week?

The background to ISUN’s philosophy and mission plays a part here, as they are justifiably proud of the sustainability of all their products, and the future opportunities which can come from protecting not just the viability of their skincare, but also their workforce, communities, and the very landscape where the ingredients are sourced and nurtured. Align that with their organically certified credentials, and we have ourselves an intensely luxuriant facial oil, which comes at the cost of £65 for 30ml. ISUN supply many spas and salons with their products, but we can get our hands on our own piece of moisturising heaven through the company’s own website here.

Somnex - The Sleep Event, 12th-14th October 2018

There really is nothing better than feeling well-rested. However, while discussing the topic, we at The Amazing Blog found it quite unsettling to find out that the sleep we actually deserve isn’t what we get. And we’re not the only ones, a total of ‘30% of the UK population suffer from poor sleep most nights,’ according to Sleep Advisor, Lisa Artis from The Sleep Council. So, what can we do to get our desired rest?

Luckily for us, this autumn, the world’s first dedicated sleep show SOMNEX launches at the Old Truman Brewery in London. Bringing the sleep industry and sleep deprived population together for a three day event, from the 12th (for corporate and press attendees only) until the 14th of October 2018 (all welcome on the 13th and 14th). It features expert advice, new products that improve our sleep, and interactive experiences that enhance our daily encounters with our beds. There are also different workshops dedicated to help even the most troubled sleepers, with meditation classes, yoga and napping to name but a few.

With the help of professional sleep experts, families and individuals will get guidance through different sleep stages, offering information about the importance of sleep for everyone. Furthermore, the links between sleep and performance on the field, or in the workplace, are drawn in order to underline how it influences our daily lives.

This all sounds really fascinating and who doesn’t want to get in-depth information about how to get the ultimate sleep? The real highlight of the show for us, is the knowledge about how to reduce snoring! These are just a few of the reasons everybody should wander through the gates of pillow heaven to experience the ultimate 3-day relaxation paradise.

In addition to wonderful cures for a relentlessly snoring partner; they also offer pre-bookable one-to-one sessions in order to discuss sleeping issues further. For the beauty sleep seekers, the event offers mindfulness, a beauty bar, skincare solutions and professional massages. With over 100 different companies that all tackle the same issue: giving people the sleep they deserve, the range of products and tips they offer are endless. If you’re interested in spending a once-in-a-lifetime experience surrounded by well rested people, head to the SOMNEX website to get further information about workshops and schedules. You can hold your golden ticket for a reasonable price of only £15, making it a dreamlike investment.

Balm Micro from DELAB CARE Laboratories

It’s time to throw out the cosmetic products and welcome micropigmentation – also known as semi permanent make-up. Although it’s not for everyone, it’s a great way to save you precious time in the mornings; in my case no eyeliner, brow pencil or lipliner. I’m a big fan having had my brows, lips and eyeliner all expertly tattooed over the past 10 years years. Recently I had a top-up with the UK’s leading micropigmentation practitioner and trainer with Tarryn Vice at Finishing Touches Group. Tarryn recommended using Balm Micro to help speed up the healing. Balm Micro although a professional product, it is also great for the consumer too because these products specifically target and protect the lips, brows and skin. I initially used several of these products as an after treatment and loved their regenerative and protective properties. I’ve been recommending this brand to everyone on the team at The Amazing Blog. I am still eulogising over the Sun SPF 50+ for lips which is a lifesaver (especially for holidays) and the Cleansing Foam which is one of the best soap-free cleansers I’ve ever used!

Balm Micro’s parent company, Delab Care, has served a niche community for over 80 years, with its skincare products dedicated to healing tattooed body art. Balm Micro carries range of skincare products for the face, which are specifically aimed at healing post-micropigmentation procedures. This is why they hold a unique position in the professional beauty sector. Their goal for expansion was not to distribute more micropigmentation products but to help educate and spread knowledge. The company is committed to formulating reliable products, by building relationships with reputable professionals such as dermatologists, pharmacists and micropigmentation professionals. This ethos carries through to all their products, providing protection and care to the lips, eyebrows and skin.

As we embrace our effortlessly full and prominent brows, it’s imperative to keep them looking fresh and fierce. Reap the benefits of your micropigmentation with the Balm Micro Eyebrow. Preserve your treatment by applying a thin layer every day, or as much as needed. It has a high concentration of dexpanthenol 5% which when absorbed, converts into vitamin B5 this in turn helps to ensure skin is kept supple. This product promotes skin regeneration, and moisturises and maintains vivid colours. Please note to properly wash the area before application, then apply half an hour before sun exposure. This multi-purpose balm is suitable for everyone who has very dry and peeling skin that has been sensitised by cold weather. Purchase 10ml tube here for £16.00.

This Balm Micro Cleansing Foam is soap-free (Syndet), pH 5.5 designed for washing sensitive skin after a micropigmentation procedure or laser treatments, particularly where the use of soap is not permitted. However, we have been using this as part of a daily cleansing routine and were impressed with its healing and calming properties that include aloe vera, glycerin, calendula and panthenol. We used it around the eye area with no stinging and best of all it leaves the skin squeaky clean and hydrated. Purchase here 50ml for £7

Balm Micro Lips is perfect for the imminent frosty weather, it will help to protect against chapping. It promotes skin regeneration and moisturises flaky or chapped lips. It contains shea butter and pure extracts of aloe vera, rosehip oil. The magic behind this product is dragon’s blood – yes, dragon’s blood. The organic-derived ingredient stimulates collagen production and is a disinfectant, antioxidant and skin regenerator. Purchase the 10ml tube here for £16.00.

Whether we are in the sweltering heat of summer or bearing the blizzards of winter, your skincare regimen should incorporate SPF. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again, it keeps your skin healthy and vibrant! The Balm Micro SPF Sun 50+ protects from the harmful sun’s rays and keeps skin glowing after your procedure. It contains high levels of Panthenol and Sepitonic M3 (copper/zinc/magnesium complex) these three active minerals are known for aiding epidermal recovery and this cocktail of minerals has a restorative action on the skin fighting against free radicals. The product is designed to moisturise and maintain colour by preventing them from ‘rusting’ under UVA and UVB rays. Purchase the 10 ml tube here for £18.00.

All of Balm Micro’s products have natural ingredients, they’re tested and developed under the supervision of dermatologists and specialists in micropigmentation, 100% vegan and are not tested on animals. What’s not to like?

Hydranure - Dry Skin Cream

Unfortunately, The Amazing Blog team are no strangers to dry skin and eczema, and it seems to us to be a bit of a modern-day epidemic. So you can imagine how glad we were to learn about this new product Hydranure, which is specifically designed to help heal skin issues ranging from acne to dryness, infant eczema, and psoriasis.

Scottish founders, Paul and Laura McGregor, welcomed their first baby who arrived with dry, rough, red skin. The couple grew frantic as they tirelessly searched for products that would calm their child’s incessant itching. The doctor’s prescribed short-term fixes that temporarily would relieve irritated skin. However, after finding a cream in America, the couple thought they had solved the problem. That was, however, until their son grew out of it. Then, when they welcomed their second child who also had eczema, that’s when their third child was born, their company Hydranure. In their hunt for help creating their formulation, they found a botanicals expert in south of Aberdeen, who helped them design their unique emollient and dry skin healer Hydranure. It contains only natural ingredients aloe vera, calendula, grapeseed, shea butter, sesame seed, vitamin E, all preserved in an olive oil derivative.  Finally, they had found a solution not only for their child but a product to help other children and adults who were tormenting with eczema and dry skin problems. In fact, after conducting a brief survey amongst Hydranure users, 94% of respondents saw skin improvement – some within 24 hours. Obviously, hearing this we were eager to try.

It is great to find a product that avoids using any harsh chemicals which are far too often found in commercial dry skin emollients; it also derives its ingredients from botanicals and the product is preserved naturally. The Hydranure Dry Skin Cream, a 2018 Beauty Shortlist Mama & Baby Awards Winner, was formulated with the intent to help those dealing with dry skin, including infant eczema, eczema psoriasis and rosacea. It cools the skin, reduces redness and itchiness, repairs the top layer of skin and builds a protective layer. And, if you think this is too good to be true – 96% of 141 respondents are said to have had softer skin after using it. We found it to be very gentle, it absorbed quickly, was fragrance-free and it provided excellent skin nourishment. It is also not tested on animals. If you’d like to try Hydranure Dry Skin Cream 100ml, it can be purchased here for £14.99. Hydranure offers free delivery within the UK.

Fierce Botanics - Apothecary Tonic No. 1

How wonderful is it to find new ways to turn classic drinks into something unique? The Amazing Blog found just the tonic to give our favourite drinks, gin & tonic and rum & soda, a new kick. Fierce Botanics being the flavoursome brainchild of A.S Apothecary.

Amanda Saurin is the founder of A.S. Apothecary, a traditional apothecary with over thirty years of experience in the UK and the Levant. She leads a team of ten women and a couple of chaps, who produce a small-batch natural skincare brand that uses ingredients local to the UK. Together, they decided to branch out from the world of botanical skincare, to tonic, with the launch of Fierce Botanics. Their goal is to be transparent, honest, respectful, and environmentally-conscious. They also thrive on collaborations with other green brands, traditional crafters and drinks makers, who share their passion. All of which is highly commendable!

We had the chance to taste Fierce Botanics’ Apothecary Tonic No. 1. This botanical hit immediately had us hooked, with its best quality organic ingredients (like their skincare) used in small batches and ‘done by hand’. Sipping this tonic was a delight! It was a surprise to enjoy such an unusual tonic, with complex flowers and herbs, combined with a subtle citrus tang of bright and bitter notes. Cleverly it allows for a light balance, as none of the ingredients overpower, and it’s easily quaffable with the lightly aerated bubbles. It is a luxurious tonic made from fir and spruce trees, citrus peel, juniper, East Sussex roses, organic cane sugar, and cinchona bark from Ecuador.  What we particularly like is that instead of using a nasty preservative, Fierce Botanics have opted for just a touch of citric acid. It took Fierce Botanics two years of experimenting to perfect this tonic, and we can see why!

Fierce Botanics recommends that their Apothecary Tonic No. 1 be enjoyed as a mixer with spirits such as rum, gin or vodka. Although actually, we have to confess we liked it best by itself, so we could savour the flavours of this sophisticated alcohol-free bevvy. You can purchase the Apothecary Tonic No. 1 250ml here for £3.50 per bottle.