Antioxidants

Necta & Hive - Red Gum Unpasteurised Honey

How about a bit of Latin to kickstart the brain cells today? Eucalyptus Camaldulensis to be exact, for that is the Red River Gum Tree which gives us - with the help of an amazing colony of hard-working busy bees, the truly delicious Red Gum Unpasteurised Honey from Necta & Hive. In a world where some of our favourite things are being added to, or having bits taken away, it is so refreshing to open a pot of this wonderfully lusciously thick liquid that is unadulteratedly pure. The temptation for us at The Amazing Blog is to simply stick a finger in and devour the whole pot! This is a danger that has to be resisted as this is a honey from the serious shelf in the larder, primarily because it is considered quite rare owing to the unpredictable nature of it’s production. The flowering intensity of the Red River Gum Tree varies, and therefore the amount of pollen the bees can collect from the delicate creamy leaves is changeable from year to year.

However, the resulting nectar is well worth waiting for, as it contains naturally occurring powerful antioxidants, flavonoids, known for their anti-inflammatory health benefits. The numerical TA rating of active honey indicates the strength of the antimicrobial potency of the honey. This 10+ TA Red Gum Unpasteurised Honey has medium antimicrobial activity and healing properties to maintain good health. The fact it also tastes delicious is the molten icing on the cake.

We tried out three recipes using this jar of sweet wonder from the suggestions on Necta & Hives website here - waffles doused in the golden potion with blueberries sprinkled on top clinging to the viscous liquid; and a pear mocktail which of course proved a very popular choice here. Clearly this honey is a versatile addition to any well-stocked cupboard.

Necta & Hive pride themselves, quite rightly on sourcing the very best honeys to bring to the market place, it isn’t simply a matter of tickling the taste buds favourably, but also ensuring the provenance of each product. The purity of their honeys is paramount, with attention paid to the exact location of the apiaries, often in remote and protected places, making sure that they are located away from pests, chemicals and other contaminants. Each batch is regularly tested by an accredited laboratory to measure Total Activity levels (this one has a TA of +10), ensuring the integrity of the honey. For further details of the whole Necta & Hive range, visit here, where there are countless more recipe ideas too. To purchase you own pot of yummy Australian Red Gum Unpasteurised Honey see here it is £30 for a 250g pot, and a little really does goes a long way.

Almond Massage Oil and Bust Gel - GMT Beauty

When we at The Amazing Blog find an effective and inspired product, we look for any excuse to feature them again, so when the opportunity arose to sample GMT Beauty’s Body Concept range we leapt at the chance! Having tried GMT's Natura Concept range previously and having loved it, we decided to try the Almond Massage Oil and the Bust Gel.

The Almond Massage Oil is a high-quality, natural organic oil full of Vitamin E to help nourish skin. Almond oil contains polyunsaturated fatty acids as well as Omega 9 and 6, which are instrumental to the body’s metabolic processes. The added vitamin E in this product acts as a powerful antioxidant which helps to preserve skin’s youthfulness and vitality. You can use this oil to combat cellulite through massage or to simply relax after a stressful day. Due to the neutral aroma and pure ingredients this oil is ideal for any skin type, including sensitive skin. What's more, the product is completely free from parabens, perfume, mineral oil and silicones - all of which are ingredients that could irritate delicate and sensitive skin. 

An important step, but one that seems to be most forgotten, is to incorporate your neck, décolletage and bust into your daily skincare regime, especially if you want to maintain youthful skin. Why keep your face looking youthful and firm but neglect a tell tale area just a little further south? The Bust Gel improves the structure and tone while also helping to tighten and firm the skin. The ingredients consist of a high-quality mixture of natural and organic oils. It contains rutin and escin which helps strengthen capillary walls while nourishing and moisturising skin, contributing to the development of a youthful radiance. The gel is rich in antioxidants, which are 100 times more effective than vitamin C in fighting free radicals. The gel accelerates collagen synthesis, rejuvenating and firming the skin and slowing down the ageing process. The Bust Gel is limited edition so you might want to purchase it before sells out!

Although the company is based in Latvia and prices are given in Euros, you can purchase GMT products in Pounds through PayPal from their website.  The Almond Massage Oil costs roughly £11.00; however it is currently sold out on the website, but it is available from GMT's UK Stockist Vian for £3.95, click here for more informtion. The Bust Gel costs roughly £30.00 from the GMT website, and is once again £3.95 from Vian

 

Vita-Peptide Eye Gel - Environ

We at The Amazing Blog firmly believe in the adage that our eyes are windows to the soul. Our eyes reveal a lot about us and sometimes divulge a little more information than we would like. They show how well we've been sleeping, if we've had a bit too much fun at the weekend and if we're stressed. Therefore, any half decent skin routine should include an eye serum, gel or moisturiser to reverse and correct any of these unwanted and telling signs. Part of the reason our eyes are able to disclose so much, is that the skin surrounding them is so delicate and sensitive and therefore is easily affected by even the smallest of stressors, so it's imperative to protect this skin from premature ageing. We can think of few eye care products that can do more for the skin surrounding your eyes then Environ's superb Vita-Peptide Eye Gel

Vita-Peptide Eye Gel contains a unique formula of powerful vitamins, antioxidants and peptides. Tocopheryl Acetate, which is a form of vitamin E  and a strong antioxidant, enhances your skin's natural sun protectors helping to encourage skin to become stronger and healthier over time. The specially crafted formula contains five amino acids which have the advantage of not irritating skin, as well as rehydrating and plumping skin to give it a more youthful appearance. The plumping effect, along with the low levels of vitamin A help to reduce the visible appearance of fine lines and are effective in preventing their development. Overall, the eye-gel leaves skin looking brighter and healthier, which in turn will leave you looking healthier and brighter!

It’s recommended you apply the eye gel twice a day, morning and evening, on clean skin. Due to high levels of active ingredients, Environ cannot be purchased online without an over-the-phone. You can buy the eye gel for £32.00, by either calling 020 8438 3282 and have your consultation at the same time or alternatively, you can click here to find you nearest stockist.

Spreads - Savvy, Keen Nut Butter, Erbology and Ogilvy's

We are surrounded by so many healthy and so-called ‘delicious’ alternatives to our favourite toast toppers and sandwich fillers. Here at The Amazing Blog, we have compiled our favourite natural spreads that will give our usual peanut butter and chocolate spread a run for their money. Today we are so aware of what we are putting into our body and Savvy Spreads, Keen Nut Butter, Erbology and Ogilvy’s will ensure we remain beautiful from the inside out.

Firstly, we are bringing you a taste of the Mediterranean with Savvy’s Sweet Sesame Spreads in three different flavours, Carob & Honey, Chocolate and their award-winning Date.

Savvy Spreads 2015.jpg

Astoundingly, there are only up to 5 ingredients in each spread, and each is from a totally natural source. The founder of Savvy Spreads uses an ancient Mediterranean preserve recipe and gave it a 21st Century update for all the family to enjoy. We had full confidence that we were spreading pure nutrition on our morning toast and it felt great. Savvy Spreads can be used in sandwich fillers, cake flavouring, crepes and even porridge toppers. All spreads are gluten free and vegan friendly. We loved that it satisfied our sweet tooth without damaging our health. But don't just take our word for it, try out these delicious healthy spreads for yourself here.  

We are particularly excited at the discovery of a mouth-watering and all-natural nut butter. Peanut butter fanatics will love Keen Nut Butter, an indulgent creamy spread free from added sugar, salt and artificial flavouring.

There is a wide range of flavours to choose from, something most nut butter brands are lacking. We had the opportunity to try the Triple Nut flavour and were not disappointed. The divine smell itself left our stomachs rumbling before we’d even tried it, and we loved the rich taste and buttery texture. It melted beautifully on warm toast to provide us with a nutritious and indulgent breakfast or a midday snack. If you’re keen to get your hands on this guilt-free nut butter get your own here for £2.99 per jar. 

If jam is more up your street, we have the perfect organic substitution. Erbology have created a range of delicious Sea Buckthorn jams, of which we had the opportunity to try the apple flavour.

Rather than a simple sugar high, these jams contain a host of vitamins, minerals and Omega 3,6,9 + 7 that is rarely found in such a concentrated form. As avid beauty enthusiasts, we were ecstatic to learn that the antioxidants in the jam promotes healthy skin and hair. Radiant skin and thick shiny locks while satisfying sweet cravings, that’s our kind of spread!  We thought it made a tasty topping to our porridge and a delectable addition to afternoon tea scones, along with a spoonful of clotted cream. If you want to watch your waistline but don’t want to give up your favourite sweet spreads, try out the Sea Buckthorn Apple jam here for £8.90. 

Last, but not least, Ogilvy’s has produced a British honey range with a difference.

The nectar collected to create the honey comes from a wide variety of plants and flowers, which gives each one its own unique taste. We were lucky enough to try the Borage, Heather and Wildflower honeys. We loved the traceability of these spreads; the Borage nectar was collected in Warwickshire, the Heather nectar in the Derbyshire Peak District, while the Wildflower nectar came from gardens and hedgerows in the heart of England. The differing textures, richness and fragrances provided a refreshing variety. The runnier Borage honey was great as a sweetener in porridge or in warm drinks. Whereas the Heather honey was rich and thick which made it an ideal toast topper. Check out the range of Ogilvy’s British honey range here for just £5.59 each.

O'Right - Goji Berry Volumizing Range

You all know how much we love natural beauty products here at The Amazing Blog. We are always on the hunt for new green goodies, so when we discovered O’Right, we could not wait to try it on our lovely locks. With their innovative wine bottle packaging, the Goji Berry Volumizing Range piqued our interest from the outset. We soon discovered that O’Right are more than just a pretty bottle.

One thing that really impressed us about the O’Right products is their unbelievably natural approach. We’re all for organic beauty, and everything, from the ingredients to the soy ink on the refillable bottles, is eco-friendly. This natural approach is more than apparent in the Volumizing Shampoo, Conditioner and Hair Cream, all of which we were lucky enough to sample. Suitable for fine, limp hair, the range of products produced great results, and I was particularly impressed with the conditioner. With its incredible fruity smell and smooth texture, it is rich enough to give my tresses the moisture and nourishment they need, whilst being light enough to leave it soft and bouncy. The powerful antioxidants contained in the Goji Berry reinforce the hair root and structure, giving your flat hairdo a fabulous boost. The overall green nature of the products and the positive impact it had on my thin hair, puts the Goji Berry Volumizing collection at the top of my hair care shopping list.

Grab the O’Right Goji Berry Volumizing Range here. The conditioner is available to buy for £18.95, the shampoo and hair cream for £18.25 and £17.90 respectively.