Natural Skincare

By Sarah London- Bath Salts

With the weather getting warmer, taking baths shouldn’t just be reserved for the colder months. Certainly a more cooling soak in the summer months never hurt. There is nothing more we like at The Amazing Blog than to have a relaxing soak after a session in the gym or an evening run. While we all love a good bath bomb or a therapeutic essential oil, some of us with more sensitive skin prefer something a little less harsh for our skin to completely relax. UK based skincare brand BY SARAH LONDON has developed their Bath Salts with completely natural and hypoallergenic ingredients, which is a winner for us! We recently reviewed their Organic Hair Oil here which we loved.

The multi-award winning BY SARAH LONDON was launched in 2017 by two sisters Sarah and Lauren after the latter was suffering from dry, sensitive skin during her recovery from leukaemia. After searching for skincare that was both effective yet non-irritating, Sarah then sought out to start her brand that was transparent, authentic and empowering. The sisters wanted to push this transparency and authenticity by pushing for the use of ethically-sourced, plant-based ingredients  in their products.  To take this one step beyond, BY SARAH LONDON is the only UK skincare brand that lists all ingredients on the front label of all their products including their Bath Salts. While BY SARAH London products are great for people with sensitive skin and eczema, they also recommend their products to people with all skin types especially those who are conscious about what they put on their skin.

Besides having no essential oils or fragrances, BY SARAH LONDON’s Bath Salts contains only three ingredients, making sure that sensitive skin is not irritated.  The hand-blended Himalayan Pink Salts, Dead Sea Salts and French Pink Clay all combine in an eco-friendly glass jar to calm and cleanse the body. To start soaking in the minerals, add a handful of the bath salt to your warm bath and enjoy for a minimum of 15 minutes. A 280-gram jar (£20) of the Bath Salts or a 50-gram pouch (£5) of the Bath Salts are currently available to purchase on the BY SARAH LONDON website here.

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!.

Myrto Natural Cosmetic's Summer Face Oil and Argan Eye Serum

We're almost at the end of February, and if we're honest, our New Years Resolution to make a better effort with skincare has slightly fallen slightly to the wayside. That’s why we have turned to Myrto Natural Cosmetics, and their all-natural, vegan, alcohol-free and perfume-free products. Made by hand in small production, we were quickly encouraged to up our skincare game after discovering their richly laden ingredients. Having tried their Argan Eye Serum and Summer Face Oil - we couldn't wait to share our new found secret for healthier skin on The Amazing Blog.

Founded by Eva Silvana Kruck (who has over 20 years of research and experience in natural cosmetic skincare) and Professor Dr Peter Kruck (the technology driver of the company) - this brand aims to produce premium quality products that are free from preservatives, conventional additives and emulsifiers. In a less technical sense, their products do not contain chemicals and processed ingredients.

Firstly, having noticed ever increasing dark circles (thank you cold weather and deadlines) we were keen to try Myrto's Bio Argan Eye Serum Roll On. Promising to firm the under eye area, with the use of specific ingredients which promote regeneration and hydration, this serum contains organic and hand-pressed Argan oil, to regenerate vitamin C; and hyaluronic acid, added to improve hydration and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. The formula also contains powerhouse ingredients such as pomegranate extract, sea buckthorn fruit oil and rose water - all of which are organic, working simultaneously to hydrate, counteracting pesky dark circles and premature ageing. Packaged in a sleek glass roll-on-bottle, this is best applied twice a day to reap the full benefits. We found the bottle lasted well and were thankful for the floral fragrance. To purchase this little bottle of magic for yourself, click here, where it is available for £24.50.

Secondly, we noticed that many of our go-to facial oils are great at hydrating our skin, but not so great at protecting it. We were therefore pleased to discover the Bio Summer Day Oil , an effective anti-ageing oil that also contains herbal sunscreen. Despite the summer feeling oh so far away, we try our best to protect our skin on a daily basis, so a 2-in-1 face oil and sunscreen which entirely ticks the box. Designed mainly for blemish-prone combination skin, this day oil moisturises without a greasy finish. Bio Summer Day Oil contains powerful ingredients: organic grapeseed oil for strengthening properties, organic seabuckthorn pulp oil to delay UV damage and schizandra berry extract for anti-inflammatory results. However, the star ingredient has to be avellana oil, a natural sunscreen with factor 10 to reduce skin ageing. This oil has helped to not only hydrate our problem skin but also to protect it against daily UV rays. To try this multi-tasking product for yourself, visit the Myrto Natural Cosmetics website here, where it is available for £29.90.

Ecologic Cosmetics

They say prevention is better than cure and this certainly applies when taking care of our complexions. Welcome our latest #amazingfind  Ecologic Cosmetics; founded in Mallorca, it’s a brand that has created natural, organic, sustainable and vegan beauty products for over 25 years. Following the hashtag #ClimateFriendlyCosmetics, their motto is: “Caring for your Beauty, Caring for our world”. This is certainly something we can get behind at The Amazing Blog, and were excited to learn more.

We particularly like about this brand is its credentials with environmentally conscious packaging (100% recycled), plus their simple and straight forward organic ingredients. As explained by founder, Linda Nicolau - a trained skincare professional and therapist:, “What we put on our skin enters our bloodstream, and matters. I cannot emphasise enough that it is never too late to care for your skin with natural, respectful, non-toxic ingredients.” Something we heartily agree with.

We tried Ecologic Cosmetics’ Hydrating Lipsome Serum and Bio Facial Elixir. We were very pleasantly surprised by the effectiveness of the Hydrating Liposome Serum. This 10 day action water-based serum contains vitamins C and E, helping to lock hydration into the skin. The formula also contains marine plants and botanical hyaluronic acids, making it 99% of natural origin, containing 89% eco-certified ingredients. This serum is powerful at cell-repairing and moisturising, leaving the skin both smooth and luminous. It can be applied around the eyes, as well as on your face, neck and décolleté. Simply add a thin layer over the desired areas, after cleansing. It smells light and natural, and the wooden lid of the clear bottle gives it a simple and pure touch. This super hydrating serum also closes open pores, regenerates the skin and diminishes wrinkles and blemishes. What more could we ask for?

We were similarly impressed by the Bio Facial Elixir. Restoring and regenerating, this elixir contains organic botanical oils, including rosehip chia seed and geranium, an excellent combination for anti-ageing. With 99% eco-certified ingredients, this elixir is also suitable for all skin types. The rich and luxurious formula helps your skin to recover and replenish, while the unique blend of essential and organic oils helps to improve elasticity and firmness, The elixir’s lightly sweet scent and silky rich composition immediately relaxes your skin and facial muscles. It regenerates, recovers and replenishes, for progressive and long-lasting effects.

To restore your skin, by giving it a hydrating boost and healthy glow, purchase the Hydrating Lipsome Serum here for £69 (30ml) and the Bio Facial Elixir here for £49 (30ml).

Khadi's Face Masks

The best way to start a relaxing self-care routine is with the perfect face mask. We at The Amazing Blog are always on the quest to find top quality products that work with the skin’s natural balance, so we were excited to discover Khadi, an skincare company with 100% organic and natural products.

Khadi combines Ayurvedic formulations (developed with Ayurvedic doctors), to create a strong unity of body and mind. The concept of the company was formed after one of the co-founders took a trip to India. H had always suffered with a dry and itchy scalp, a problem that was solved by using a Ayurvedic shampoo. So effective at ridding him of dandruff, he brought his findings back from India. He subsequently helped to set up the brand Khadi developing handmade herbal products like Ayurvedic shampoo, handmade soaps and skincare. Although these products are from India they are also German organically certified. All their ingredients are 100% natural made with herbal ingredients which are vegan, free of parabens and artificial ingredients. These products work with the power of India’s nature, using exotic ingredients and age old wisdom.

We tried three of their herbal face masks and were very happy with the results. Starting with our favourite one the Sandalwood, which is suitable for all skin types. We found that when using this, that our pores significantly reduced. Those of us with sensitive skin were also pleased to discover that it was particularly effective at cooling and calming the skin, even protecting against sunburn. It provides a fresh and healthy complexion, moisturising the skin and subsequently smoothing any small imperfections and wrinkles. The Orange mask is slightly sweet-scented - it immediately brightened our mood when applied. Perfect for combination skin, this mask works as a natural cleanser, helping to create a smoother complexion. It can also be used on the body, by stimulating blood circulation, helping to prevent both cellulite and bloating. Finally, the Neem mask is primarily suitable for normal to greasy skin, as it works as a natural antiseptic, preventing infections, removing toxins and restoring a natural and healthy glow. It really detoxifies your skin, freeing it from impurities, as well as refining pores. It also works to fight bacteria, leaving your skin feeling fresh, without a tight sensation.

All three herbal masks use clay as a base, which clarifies and prevents inflammation. No matter which skin-type, you will find the perfect mask to leave you feeling relaxed and fresh. By cleansing, hydrating and supporting regeneration, all three masks promote more harmonious complexion. To use, mix one teaspoon of the powdery mask with water (you can add milk for dry skin, or yoghurt for greasy skin), and apply a thin layer on face and neck (or even the body if you wish). Rinse after 15 to 20 minutes, and you’ll be greeted with a hydrated and fresher skin.

To purchase one (or all) of these face masks for yourself, click here, where you will find each Khadi Herbal Face Mask for £12.90.