Organic Beauty

PHB Ethical Beauty's Gentle Cleanser

Anyone with sensitive, dry or eczema-prone skin will know that finding skincare is somewhat of a challenge. It is particularly difficult to find a gentle and effective cleanser; and as some of us suffer from mild eczema at The Amazing Blog, we thought it was about time to actively search for new and effective products. This is when we returned to one of our trusted favourites: PHB Ethical Beauty, a vegan, ethical and organic brand, bringing gentle skincare to the market, without an ounce of medical looking packaging. Regular readers will recognise this brand, having featured both their Skin Brighten Gel (see here) and 2-in-1 Hand and Body Moisturiser (see here). With raving reviews previously, we were excited to test whether their Gentle Cleanser would live up to expectations.

PHB Ethical Beauty is a family-run company providing a range of natural, handmade and palm oil free products. The brand is similarly alcohol-free, and halal certified - inclusive to all, no matter skin type or religion. One particularly admirable element of the brand is their charitable contribution, with 20% of net profits going directly to charities across the UK and around the world. There is a reason for the name PHB Ethical Beauty, and this brand indeed is one that favours people over profit.

We tried their Gentle Cleanser with Rosehip and Avocado, a cleanser designed for sensitive, overly dry and eczema prone skin. Thanks to the addition of vitamins A and E, this cleanser not only soothes and softens the skin, but equally reduces inflammation and redness. Rosehip is known for its antioxidant properties, which we gather is the critical ingredient for attaining that youthful glow. On the other hand, avocado (the nation's best-loved brunch ingredient) is particularly effective at moisturising the skin, protecting against unnecessary dryness. The real winner here though is the use of organic ingredients, and avoidance of essential oils and fragrance. For anyone with reactive skin, you'll know this is a make or break element of any product, and in fact, we would suggest, products with either are best to be avoided for any skin type. Additionally, the packaging also feels very premium, with a lovely glass bottle and eco-friendly box - not a single cheap plastic bottle in sight! To try this bottle of goodness for yourself, visit the PHB Ethical Beauty website here, where is it available for £17.00.

By Sarah London's Organic Hair Oil

We're sure we're not alone in admitting that we spend our early mornings armed with a hairdryer (and other hot hair styling tools…) Whether we're going for a straight or curly style, we're no strangers to using a little heat to tame our tresses at The Amazing Blog; and while our hair looks well groomed, we do struggle with the inevitability of dry and damaged ends. From this issue emerged a quest to bring the shine back, bringing vegan brand, By Sarah London, into the frame. They introduced their Organic Hair Oil to us, and this has been our newfound way of injecting some much need moisture, and we couldn't wait to share this with you all!

By Sarah London is a natural and organic brand, providing products that demonstrate full transparency concerning ingredient choices. From humble beginnings, this brand emerged when founders Sarah and Lauren took on the challenge of soothing Lauren's skin while recovering from leukaemia. Their plant-based goal has since developed into a full range of hair care, body care and skincare products that promote conscious living and natural wellbeing simultaneously.

We tried their Organic Hair Oil, a 98% organic and 100% natural product, without the use of artificial ingredients, essential oils or fragrance. Instead, this gem of a find contains Argan oil, sea buckthorn oil and Vitamin E, actively working to prevent thinning of your tresses, and preventing the split ends often associated with the use of heat treatment. Having used this for a few weeks, we can confirm our hair looks and feels both stronger and softer, and with a pretty and recyclable glass bottle - it looks great on any dressing table too. The oil is also unscented, and is a nice addition in the market of heavily fragrance hair oils. To use, add 1-2 drops to clean, damp hair before blow-drying - or, we were also pleased to discover, this oil can be used before air drying your hair (with no sticky residue - bonus!)

To bring the shine back to your hair, visit the By Sarah London website here, where you'll find the 20ml bottle available for £21.50, a little goes a long way!.

Mirati Cosmetics Body Lotion

The Amazing Blog loves finding new hero ingredients that are unique and nourishing for the skin, so while researching various ingredients, we came across Ghee! Yes Ghee, and that's where we discovered the Slovenian skincare brand Mirati Cosmetics. The majority of skincare have a cream base, which is essentially made of oil and water. Ghee, or clarified butter, takes this process two steps further – firstly, the butter is produced from cream, then it is clarified, leaving out all the water and milk, purifying the butter and ensuring that only the qualities essential to caring for your skin remain. As the key ingredient in Mirati Cosmetics' skincare, it moisturises, soothes and is rich in antioxidants.

Given the current plummeting temperatures, we decided to try the body lotion.  As well as using certified organic Ghee from India; the body lotion also contains plants grown in the MediterraneanAmericaAustraliaSouth East Asia (i.e. organic aloe vera and honeysuckle). The honeysuckle gives the lotion a beautiful scent that lasts all day, while the aloe vera stimulates blood circulation, tightens and smoothes skin. The body lotion is suitable for all skin types as its gentle but effective formula works to improve skin texture and appearance over time. Just apply the lotion to skin after washing and gently massage it into skin until it’s fully absorbed. The product is dermatologically approved, paraben, phthalates, SLS and Synthetic fragrance-free and is cruelty-free.  Mirati Cosmetics is also committed to giving at least 10 % of their profit to good causes see here. You can purchase The Body Lotion here for £17.99

Victor Rejuvenating Serum - Walker Johnston

Any skincare routine worth its salt will contain at least one product to protect skin against premature ageing. It’s imperative to protect skin from free radicals and UV rays if we want to remain looking youthful and not let our skin betray our years, or worse make us look older than we are. As such, all of us here at The Amazing Blog have a product that we swear by – in fact it has often led to disagreements over which moisturiser, serum or essence is superior, but we can all agree that Victor Rejuvenating Serum can do no wrong for male skin. With no harsh smells, chemicals or animal testing, Walker Johnston has created a male skincare line that matches the standards of women’s products while meeting the specific needs and concerns that male skin has. 

The serum we used is a multi-tasking proprietary complex designed for intense epidermal rejuvenation and reducing visible signs of ageing. By preventing free radical damage, the serum helped guard skin against the development of fine lines, contributed to retaining skin’s firmness and elasticity and left skin looking plumper and feeling firmer.  

Walker Johnston is a British company that makes their products in New Zealand, using the best ingredients that nature of the region offers. With 74% of the serum being made from organic ingredients, including Black Fern ‘Mamaku’ from New Zealand and Hydrolyzed Keratin, the product is full of natural goodies to help skin look and feel its best. 

As Father's day approaches, this serum makes an excellent gift and is one guaranteed to help keep you father's looking his best for as long as possible.  You can purchase the serum here for £44.95

Moist & Clean Foam, Organic Algae Detox Body Mask, and Anti-Eye Bags Gel - GMT

At The Amazing Blog, we know that as we power through our busy and hectic lifestyles time is not always on our side. So any product that combines noticeable effects and garners quick results is more than ok with us. It’s precisely because of these reasons that we love GMT and their Natura Collection. Having tried GMT Beauty before we know that the company is of a professional grade quality with each product being dermatologically tested and containing carefully chosen ingredients. We were lucky enough to be sent a bundle of the products in the collection including the Moist and Clean Foam, the Organic Algae Detox Body Mask the Anti Eye-Bags Gel, and the Triple Action Body Scrub. Made with natural ingredients, each product worked quickly and efficiently.

GMT’s Moist and Clean Foam acts as both a cleanser and moisturizer while maintaining skin health. It removed makeup effectively and left our skin feeling fresh and looking radiant. With a refreshing and citrus scent, this foam was the perfect way to start our day. The product is filled with delightful and natural goodies such as soapbark tree extract, lactic acid, grapefruit oil, hydrolysed wheat protein powder and lemon grass. The carefully selected formula helps to prevent skin from drying out and losing its naturally soft texture. To use, apply to dry skin twice a day, in the morning and evening before rinsing off with warm water.

We began to see and feel the effects of GMT’s Anti Eye-Bags Gel almost immediately. Any darkness and puffiness around our eyes were reduced, and the elasticity of our skin seemed noticeably firmer. This product is full of wonderful natural ingredients that will leave your skin looking brighter and more even. It consists of Lemon grass oil, grapefruit oil, olive oil extract, green tea extract, ginkgo biloba extract, lemon peel and  Ivy peel extract. Our skin looked more youthful than it did before, and this product has fast become a firm favourite of ours as it is so convenient to use. Just massage a small amount under the eyes until absorbed.

The Organic Algae Detox Mask provides cleansing, lipolytic and powerful draining effects. By combining algae, marine salt, and green tea, this brilliant mask can successfully remove cellulite. The ingredients guarantee a detoxification effect that stimulates metabolic processes helping to remove excess fluid while inducing the metabolism of fat.

Last, but by no means least, is the Triple Action Body Scrub. Due to its natural ingredients and perfectly balanced pH, this scrub is able to cleanse, moisturise and boost skin's vibrancy, vigour and health. Apply twice a week on either dry or damp skin or massage in for 2-3 minutes before washing off.

Each product is paraben free, mineral oil free, propylene glycol free, silicone free and are naturally scented; so you know what you’re putting on your skin is safe and natural. If you want to purchase any of these products they are available on the GMTBeauty Website. Unfortunately, the prices are all listed in Euros as the company is based in Latvia, but all products can be purchased through PayPal. The, the foam is available here for about £31.00 and the eye gel available here for around £31.00. The Body Mask can be purchased here for roughly £43.00 and the Triple Action Body Scrub here for £31.00.