Scence Natural Skincare - Natural & Nourishing Body Moisturiser Balm

At The Amazing Blog we’ve certainly tried our fair share of beauty and skincare products (in fact, it’s near 4k featured product post!) Week after week we find ourselves still impressed by the new products that arrive for us to try. Most of the time we are just amazed by how cutting-edge and innovative the products really are. However, today we’d like to go back to basics with an organic, eco-friendly packaged and simple to use brand Scence Natural Skincare Products.  For those of you less familiar with the brand, we recently featured their natural deodorants here.

Handcrafted in Cornwall, Scence offers products for people who care about what they put on their skin, and how they impact in the world around them. The founder, Krista Taylor, knew she wasn’t alone in her feelings towards the single-use plastic conflict and created her range of vegan-friendly, all-natural products in fully compostable and recyclable packaging. Sence was born.

We put the Scence Natural & Nourishing Body Moisturiser Balms to the test. Made with coconut oil and mango butter, the moisturiser balm comes in 8 different fragrances, we tried 5 of these each is curated using different natural essential oils. The first two that we had to try were Clary Sage and Earth Spice. They both had quite earthy scents that we felt were perfect for the nights as they draw in and as we gravitate towards the winter equinox.  The stand-out amongst the balms was the Summer Citrus scent with hints of orange and bergamot - this was our hot favourite. Best of all none of these scent combinations are overpowering, instead, they are subtle and light. We love the stick format of this body balm, it simply glide it over your skin after showering and it melts right in. It also creates a soft barrier to the skin without feeling greasy or thick. For those who have sensitive skin, why not try the body balm which is Jojoba Balm and unscented. And finally the After Sun Balm which makes the perfect addition to your travel bag, this has the lavender, peppermint and roman chamomile essentials oils, this healing combination also smells divine.

The fully compostable and recyclable packaging beautifully complements the all-natural ingredients. It’s important to care just as much about what goes into the ingredients as what the product is packaged in, and we love that Scence noticed that. If you would like to purchase a Natural & Nourishing Moisturiser Balm from Scence, they are available here for £12.

CluedUpp

 Do you love a good murder mystery novel or movie? At The Amazing Blog we often place ourselves into the story and try to solve it. Now, we can put our mystery solving skills to the test with CluedUpp, a city-wide crime-solving adventure game.

CluedUpp is a new type of gaming experience that allows you to walk around your city with a group of friends and solve murder mysteries! It’s basically a giant, outdoor version of the game Cluedo but with a fun new twist. They have games all over the UK, but one will be happening in Westminster on November 2nd 2019. You don’t want to miss out; over 100 detective teams are expected to take part.

Set in 1960s London, you and your fellow team of detectives will be solving the double murder of the notorious “Kray Brothers”. Download the CluedUpp app & follow the clues around the city to collect information and interview witnesses! Will you be able to solve the case in time?  CluedUpp’s founder, Tref Griffiths said “We’ve held events in London several times before and always have a fantastic turnout. We can’t wait to see if our detectives are up to the challenge of solving our hardest case yet!”

Taking place entirely via CluedUpp’s award-winning phone app, the game will see teams of up to 6 players competing to unveil the mysterious murderer. The game is fully self-guided, you can start the case anytime you want between 10:00 and 13:00 on November 2nd, but you must be able to finish by 17:00. Make sure to grab five of your best mates dressed in fancy 1960s dress! There are prizes awarded to the fastest team, best dressed team, the best team name & many more.

Grab your magnifying glass and start cracking the case! An Earlybird Ticket can be bought for £36 per team of up to 6 adults (little detectives and dogs play for free!) And can be purchased here. If you miss Earlybird prices, don’t worry! Standard Team Tickets can be purchased for £46 per team of 6. If you can’t make it on the 2nd, check out the schedule here to take part in other days .

Lozano Skincare – SkinTea Active Renewal Masque

I think we can all agree that finding your idea skincare can be a bit of a challenge. At The Amazing Blog we’re always looking for newly launched brands and today we’d like to introduce you to Lozano, who have launched their first product SkinTea Active Renewal Masque which is not meant to replace your other products, but to properly prepare your skin to help boost them.

Lozano Skincare launched last year by Matthew Kelly, whose aim is to produce a range of scientifically researched, naturally derived and cruelty-free products that work. Matthew explained, “Most skincare regimens seek to cleanse, tone, and moisturise. It can be difficult to find just the right combination of products to achieve those goals, and awfully easy to overuse one or more of them. We’ve solved that problem with a masque that raises the skin’s overall baseline health, allowing users to get better results from skincare routines they’ve grown comfortable with.”

Their hero product is SkinTea Active Renewal Masque, which is packed with antioxidants from white tea, hydrating agents from hyaluronic acid; collagen stimulants from glycolic acid; and exfoliating and cell turnover properties from the lactic acid. One of the things we liked the most about this product is the multiple benefits of the ingredients. White tea aka Camellia Sinensis, is a plant rich in antioxidants, in fact, it is more effective than vitamin C in preventing ageing due to its properties which encourage collagen growth and anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial qualities making it ideal for acne prone skins too. Secondly, 3% hyaluronic acid allows your skin to hold water which means it keeps it hydrated and reduces wrinkles. This component is naturally found in your body, so your skin will identify it and enhance its effects such as skin healing and repair, elasticity, and cell division. Thirdly, the 3% glycolic acid encourages collagen production and cell renewal. It also cleanses and exfoliates your skin by removing dead skin cells, blackheads and dirt that are blocking pores. All this means that the effects of the rest of your products in your skincare routine, will be more effective as they’ll be able to penetrate the skin more efficiently. Lastly, the SkinTea Active Renewal Masque contains 1% lactic acid, this ingredient acts as an exfoliant, solving any uneven skin tone issues while hydrating it, removing pollutants, balancing your pH and giving you a healthy glow.

It’s unusual to find a product that is fits in perfectly with your other skincare products – a bonus find in our view, and one that won’t be gathering dust in our beauty drawer. To use this Masque start by cleansing your face, to make sure it is free from pollutants. Then apply 3-5 pumps of SkinTea Active Renewal Masque onto your damp face, throat and décolletage. Apply it gently and evenly, do not rub it in! Wait up to 15 minutes then splash warm water using a cloth to remove it, then gently pat dry your skin. They recommend you repeat this process up to 3 times a week – we each used it twice. Our skin felt soft and what was interesting that despite all our differing skin types we all got good results. This is a great product to use taking skin from the summer and preparing it for autumn, particularly if like us your skincare routine changes with the seasons. Get your natural radiance boost with Lozano’s SkinTea Active Renewal Masque with their 50ml bottle here for £32.00 and use the code AMAZINGPR15 to get 15% off your first purchase.

Kayaking on the Thames

Feel like a bit of adventure?  Then read on…We at The Amazing Blog are always open to new thrills. I wonder, have you ever thought of viewing London by night on the water? However, all from a very different perspective. Enter Kayaking London who give you the opportunity to bob along the Thames, tripping the lights fantastic, in a way that only London can offer. Kayaking London have bases in Chelsea and Ladbroke Groove with excellent facilities and equipment. In both centres they have hot showers, changing rooms and lockers to keep for your valuables (you’ll need a small padlock).  Kayaking London is an activity that allows you to kayak along the river Thames while sight- seeing in London.

The tour we’re going to talk about is their Big Ben by Night. These run from now in September to April. London is equally beautiful at night as it is by day and is more beautiful as the sunset reflects on The River Thames. The trip is 2 1/2 hours long, where you glide along on the river, you’ll be able to see the Houses of Parliament and central London in all their lit-up splendour before heading back to base in Chelsea on a new tide. As the trip is run on highly stable boats, no experience in kayaking is required.

The coaches are highly trained and qualified by British Canoe Union, fully CRB checked and have years of experience. They will prep, equip and help you master the basics of boat controlling before you begin your tour. They have a range of kayaks, spacious and stable doubles, or fast sleek singles – something to suit everyone. Quickly added you have to be over 18 years old to partake in this activity. Big Ben by Night tickets are £42. purchase your ticket here Fall in love with London all over again, as you experience night-time kayaking on the longest river in England.

Cally King London- Fragrances

For some young girls trying to navigate their way around the world of fragrance, can be really quite daunting. We at The Amazing Blog have heard this from various younger sisters, nieces and friends. So, where do they begin?  Step forward Cally King a welcome newcomer to the beauty world, who has created an original concept with a range of fragrances mainly aimed at the teen market.

Cally King London was created by Kate Wright, whose inspiration came from wanting to give her teenage daughters a bearing in the over-populated and confusing world of perfume. Kate herself, recalls falling in love with different fragrances as a young girl. For her, it all started when seated in her grandmother’s bedroom watching her daily ritual of spritzing her favourite scent. She said “bottle after tantalising bottle was unstoppered for me to try, Guerlain, Chanel, Dior and I was quickly hooked. But confused!” Years later, curious to see how her own daughter would navigate her way in this world, Kate took her to a perfumery. They started trying all the different fragrances until they both became dizzy with choice and couldn’t tell one from the other. Kate added, “I realised we needed to get back to basics – to try some scents out at home, to find out what we really like. Which is how Cally King was born.”

Cally King is not only perfect for teenage girls, but for anyone who wants to experiment with fragrance. They have a handy selection on four scents which can used by mixing and matching at home. A perfect way to discover what kind of scents suit you, by smelling them individually or layering in any combination you choose. It also gives young perfume aficionado the chance to experiment on their own, without feeling pressurised by pushy sales assistants. The choice of these four eau de toilette fragrances helps to demystify perfume by offering four distinct aspects of the fragrance wheel - fresh, floral, exotic and woody. Their Gift Set presentation box containing all four is stylish, girly and elegantly designed and comes with an explanatory notebook and sample strips.

The first scent in the Gift Set that we tried was Aspen, which is a woody scent reminiscent of a forest after a heavy down pour. It smells of a combination of sandalwood/cedarwood and has a delicious chocolate and earthy finish to complete it. The second is Honor (named after Kate’s daughter), which has a fresh smell identifying to us as mainly citrus. Awakening the senses, it also has a hint of mint and fresh green leaves which adds another dimension to this zesty scent. On the other hand, Maya is a stronger more exotic and sophisticated fragrance with a moreish fruitiness of ripe apricots and spice. The final quartet in the Gift Set is Grace which is floral, feminine and light. Grace reminds us of English flower garden in full bloom, it’s the perfect fragrance to brighten up even the dullest days. Our favourite? Layering Aspen and Grace, to strengthen the floral top notes and tone down the woody base notes, it’s a great combination do try it.

To purchase Aspen, Honor, Maya and Grace see here. All fragrances are eau de toilette, 10ml and individually priced at £9.95. These scents are also available in roller balls at the same price. Cally King also offers a Gift Set here with the full quartet of scents at £30.