Foamie Men

We offer up to you, our Amazing Blog readers, the incredible Foamie - the latest accessory that simply HAS to be tried. This brand ensures that you are getting absolutely every last drop of indulgence from your daily shower routine. Like the best of us, it has hidden qualities which may not be immediately apparent on first glance - certainly us boys may simply look at this as just another sponge - and that would be a huge mistake, for it is what is on the inside that counts … and how many times have we heard that?

The genius of Foamie lies in the fact that the cleansing cream foam is contained within the sponge itself, and as you apply the water liberally, the deliciously scented magic is released. So no need to take any other paraphernalia under that showerhead - all the prep is done for you. The only necessity is to liberally apply water, and then the Foamie Men begins it’s 4 in 1 lathersome repartee: the sponge exfoliates and massages, whilst the soap nourishes and cleanses. We can also expect an extra dose of manliness into the mix, which can’t be a bad way to start the day … or evening!

Now, here’s the science bit, and yes they have covered every aspect of user-friendliness too … the Foamie chaps are nothing if not consistent - there are no parabens, silicones, sulphates, mineral oils or lily aldehydes to spoil the party. Of course, going the extra mile, this amazing product is 100% vegan and has not been tested on animals. It is suitable for all skin types and pH adjusted to maintain the skin’s protective layer.

And yes of course, the whole caboodle is patented, so let’s just celebrate this German ingenuity and their generosity in sharing it with us, whilst we joyously ablute. So ‘where’s the catch?’ we can hear you cry - well even the price is modestly placed at £7.99, and Foamie is widely available through supermarkets, chemists and of course on the Foamie website.

Friday Favourites: Cookbooks

Cooking is something we're divided on at The Amazing Blog. Half of us are avid chefs, and the rest, well they would prefer never to turn an oven on again. What we do agree on though, is that a good cookbook can ease the battle of turning everyday ingredients into delicious meals, helping even the most unenthusiastic of cooks to rustle up a tasty dish. We have discovered the following cookbooks, each one guaranteed to contain a vast amount of recipes that will make your cooking restaurant worthy in no time!

Firstly, we came across Eating Well Everyday, the brainchild of chef Peter Gordon. Originally from New Zealand, Gordon's extensive knowledge of cooking has stemmed from numerous culinary travels, through which he has gained inspiration to use Asian, Indonesian and Indian flavours. His passions have also led him to receive an ONZM (the equivalent of an OBE), notably awarded as a result of having organised a "Who's Cooking Dinner" event, which raised over £6.3 million for leukaemia research. We are therefore safe in the knowledge that this cookbook has been written by someone who truly knows how to cook (and has a passion for it).

Written for "home cooks everywhere", this book contains 170 recipes, covering everything from breakfast to dinner party meals. Self-proclaimed to contain “tasty and daring, yet simple and straightforward" dishes, this is something we can vouch for. Even the most inexperienced of chefs amongst us were able to follow these recipes with ease (and perhaps even enjoyment). Our favourite dishes? The Chicken and Peanut Coconut Curry (page 166) and Pumpkin, Ginger, Chickpea and Cheese Soup (page 50) - both guaranteed to warm you up on a cold winter's evening. We also love the Peanut, Pecan and Chocolate Cookie recipe for a sweet after-dinner treat. To purchase Eating Well Everyday for £22, then click here.

Secondly, we came across The Lazy Weekend Cookbook, a firm favourite amongst the less enthusiastic cooks of the office. Written by chef Matt Williamson, this book contains over 150 pages of delicious recipes for weekend cooking. Williamson explains that the goal of the book is to provide recipes that can be cooked leisurely, as opposed to the usual mid-week rush to get anything on the table. His advice is to choose a particular few meals to focus on, meaning you can rustle up some exceptional dishes, without spending all weekend in the kitchen.

The book is structured into mealtimes and moments, ranging from breakfasts and brunches, to easy dinner party meals, and bakes. Each meal is designed for 4 people; however, we found it easy to scale this up or down, dependant on the situation. There are too many favourites to share, but the Quick Sesame Flatbreads with Honey Butter (page 29) and Moroccan Spiced Chicken Pie (page 54) are two stand out recipes that we couldn't not mention. We also like the weight and temperature conversions at the back of the book, meaning we have less chance of cremating our newfound recipes! To ramp up your weekend cooking, then you can purchase a copy of Williamson's The Lazy Weekend Cookbook here for £20.

Finally, we discovered MOB Kitchen by Ben Lebus. Known for his online presence, Lebus' YouTube channel has grown a strong following, with an empire of over 250,000 social media followers in just 18 months. His niche? Providing meals for four people that are under £10. More recently, Lebus has extended this knowledge into a cookbook, aiming to encourage people to cook delicious and nutritious meals, that are still affordable. This concept is particularly popular among students and young professionals, proving that delicious meals don't need to cost a small fortune. By creating a cookbook, Lebus' new mission is to educate all ages, whether that be people who choose not to use social media, or those of us who simply like to have a physical copy at hand.

The cookbook is segmented by time and goal, ranging from Brunch MOB to Speedy MOB and Flashy MOB. These contain over ten different recipes, amounting to 140 pages of recipes and visual guidelines. Each page has key symbols, with Spotify Codes on each recipe page, allowing readers to listen to the corresponding playlist/song. This is something we found interesting, tapping into the active social media tie Lebus has. We particularly enjoyed making the Chocolate Chilli Con Carne (page 94), and the Crunchy Vegan Aubergine Katsu (page 122) both of which stopped us from shelling out on unnecessary and expensive takeaways. To purchase your own copy of MOB Kitchen, click here, where you can find ideas to get the mob fed for £14.99.

These cookbooks have certainly helped us to eat better this November, with warming and comforting dishes that are easy to make, and reasonable to rustle up. Try them for yourself or we think these cookbooks would make a great Christmas gift for someone in need of spicing up their mealtimes. Happy cooking!

Nakin - Lip Treatment Balm

As the weather has turned colder, we’ve been suffering from dry and cracked skin at The Amazing Blog. Our lips have particularly taken a hit, and we’ve found ourselves continuously slathering products on, to try and rectify the situation. Having previously tried Nakin’s Natural Anti-Ageing Advanced Cleansing Milk (see here), we were excited to try their Lip Treatment Balm (with fingers and toes crossed that it would solve our dry skin woes!)

Founded by Cris Beetham, Nakin offer a varied array of natural skincare products, designed to “enhance skin and smooth away signs of ageing”. Using only plant-based ingredients, Nakin’s philosophy of natural and ethical living has propelled them to become Pure Beauty Award winners, testimony to their focus on repairing and nourishing, with skin-friendly and cruelty-free ingredients. As many of our go-to lip products contain an array of chemicals, we were more than pleased to discover Nakin’s Natural Lip Treatment Balm.

This 15ml lip balm contains an plethora of powerhouse ingredients, including shea, which works to soothe and soften the skin, and mint, which stimulates circulation. Together, these ingredients plump and smoothe the lips, without the need for lip fillers, or going under the knife. This treatment balm also contains baobab oil, which hydrates the skin, fighting against city pollution and winter sun; while argan kernel oil works alongside the shea, to soothe cracked skin. All in all, these ingredients work to provide the lips with much needed nutrients, and hydration, taking away the dry and tight sensation commonly found at this time of the year.

We apply this Lip Treatment Balm throughout the day, and slather a thicker layer on, before going to bed. Thanks to the light, yet nourishing consistency, this lip balm also works well when applied before lipstick or lip gloss. Try it for yourself for £10 here.  

Benecos - Konjac Sponges

We’re halfway through the week, and back with another Benecos product. Regular readers of The Amazing Blog will remember that we featured their Natural Lip Gloss back in a March, and we were therefore thrilled to try their Konjac Sponges. Created by Silke and Stephan Becker, Benecos was established to provide makeup, skincare and haircare for both men and women, all with the ambition to encourage more environmentally conscious choices.

Their Konjac Sponges are no exception, made with 100% konnyaku root, aiming to encourage people to use natural exfoliants, as opposed to those containing harmful micro beads. These sponges are a gentle exfoliant, and can be used with a mild cleanser or on their own. We tested all three Konjac Sponges, the first being the Bamboo Black Charcoal. After soaking this sponge in water for a couple of minutes (as you must do with all three), we found that this sponge rid our faces of the day’s dirt. Black charcoal is ideal if you’re looking to rid the skin of common impurities, such as excess oil and bacteria. If you have sensitive skin, then the Red Clay Sponge is the best choice for you. While it exfoliates, this sponge is very gentle and calming. Lastly, the Green Tea Sponge is great for combination and dry skin. While balancing your complexion, the Green Tea Sponge also detoxifies, hydrates, and soothes irritation to the skin.

Thanks to these Konjac Sponges, our skin is so much softer - goodbye dry and flaky skin. An added bonus? These sponges last for two months, and are subsequently compostable and biodegradable. Guilt free skincare! To try a sponge for yourself, then click here, where each one can be purchased for £6.95.

Watermans Hair Growth Shampoo and Conditioner

Many of us have the same problem when it comes to haircare - we simply have too much. Endless bottles of cremes, mousses and gels litter our shower racks, and we must confess that some of them have never even been opened. We therefore decided to take decisive action at The Amazing Blog, to find minimal products that encourage your natural hair to shine, without the need to buy the entire haircare aisle. Our solution against hair loss, is the UK based company, Watermans, who have created an award-winning hair growth system pack. This includes their Hair Growth Shampoo and Conditioner, both packed with ingredients that make our scalps tingle, encouraging our hair grow to grown both quicker and stronger. Thank goodness for biotin, caffeine and argan oil!

Founded by husband and wife, Matt and Gail Waterman, the brand aims to provide haircare products that promote faster and thicker hair growth. This is something they have achieved, with sulphate and paraben free products that have grown the brand to become a household name. The Hair Growth Shampoo and Conditioner are full of DHT blocking ingredients (dihydrotestosterone, an androgen hormone responsible for androgenetic alopecia and pattern hair loss), which help to combat hair loss during pregnancy, menopause and in some cases, alopecia. With a unique formula which supplies oxygen to the follicles, this range gives brittle and weak hair new strength, fighting dandruff, flaking skin and itchy scalps.

Focusing on the Grow Me Shampoo, we were pleased to see that it is gender and race neutral, giving everyone the opportunity to presume wonderfully thick and long hair. By stimulating the cell metabolism and providing oxygen, the shampoo helps with undiagnosed scalp problems and hormonal imbalances that can cause hair loss. With the use of biotin, caffeine, argan oil, rosemary oil, you’ll need to leave the product on the scalp for 3-4 minutes to reap the full benefits - giving you plenty of time to sing your heart out. The Cholesterol Conditioner, with caffeine and rosemary extracts, contains a special anti-hair loss formula which boosts our hair, by replenishing and nourishing from roots to tip. To achieve the best results, the products are recommended to be used four times a week for 30-60 days.

We’re already sold, but if you're not sure, then this UK based company is listed by PETA as a business friend, highly against animal testing. If you’re as excited as we are about these products, then you can purchase Watermans' Hair Growth System Pack, containing both the Shampoo and Conditioner (250ml each) for £21.95 here.