κέᾰρ (Kear Life) Balms

We love multi-tasking products, particularly as we at The Amazing Blog have learned to our cost, that shopping for all our different skincare products can certainly add up! So when we heard about the new brand called κέᾰρ (Kear Life) with their easy to use/multi-tasking face and body balms – we just couldn’t resist.

Recently launched in the UK, this natural Greek skincare brand is really rather special.  κέᾰρ is the ancient Greek word for ‘heart’ and pronounced ‘care’. All their balms are 100% natural and manufactured in a certified laboratory in Greece. They use only botanically-sourced ingredients that are then processed in a particular way to preserve their healing properties. They have no petroleum compounds, are free from synthetic fragrances, artificial colours, sulphates, parabens and mineral oils.  No products are tested on animals, but unfortunately for our vegan readers, they do include beeswax which is an animal derivative. Natural beeswax is their main product base, they add extra virgin Greek olive oil and then use a blend of powerful herbs.

Let’s start with their Antioxidant Face Balm with its key ingredients of beeswax, Greek olive oil and vitamin E, these antioxidants replenishing lipids and protect against pollution and ageing. Did you know that beeswax is full of vitamin A? It also has over 300 special nutrients many of which have been used since ancient times for healing. The sea buckthorn oil here is packed full of vitamin C and E which helps to boost circulation and stop wrinkles. There’s also propolis (a compound from bees), orange peel oil and Linalool (a colourless liquid with a soft, sweet odour which occurs naturally in many essential oils). It felt very light on the skin and applies easily, we also liked the subtle citrus scent/taste (we used it as a lip balm too!)

Then we have the Plant Heroes Body Balm, again the key ingredients are similar to the Face Balm with Greek virgin olive oil and beeswax. However, this has five active ingredients that include caprylic/capric triglycerides which are naturally derived from coconut oil and glycerine to help moisturise the skin. Camomile and calendula extract which stimulates collagen production with vitamins B and E.  And last but not least, St John’s Wort for antibacterial, antioxidant and antiviral properties to help transform stressed skin with either pigmentation, spots, cracked skin or stretch marks. This Body Balm absorbs quickly into the skin and certainly uplifts the spirits. We particularly liked the chamomile scent which smells incredible!

Something else to mention is that κέᾰρ is a member of The Cosmetics Products Notification Portal (CPNP) which is an online notification system for submitting certain technical compliance-related information about cosmetic products. To buy your 50ml pot of Antioxidant Face Balm for €46 see here or the 50ml pot of Plant Heroes Body Balm for see €43 here. Plus they’ve even created a line of cool motto t-shirts to celebrate the ancient Greek philosophers with messages like ‘Nothing in Excess’ or ‘All in Moderation’. We think what echoes this brand’s ethos the best is ‘Quality over Quantity’ and this Greek beauty brand is now one of our favourite #amazingfinds!

Popcorn Shed

At The Amazing Blog we always have a small selection of snacks at our desks to feast on. We try to be good by consuming only low fat and healthy snacks. Today we want to tell you about our new discovery Popcorn Shed that left our taste buds tingling!

Popcorn Shed was founded by cousins Laura Jane and Sam Feller in 2016, and like every great brand it has a story, Jane’s and Sam’s story starts in a shed! Their popcorn is a home-grown, family-owned business where they’ve created a unique set of flavours, that not usually found in rival popcorn brands. These are gourmet popcorn range that are natural, gluten-free and suitable for vegetarians. Their popcorn is made using an artisan cooking process using a fresh caramel batch in every process, before being scattered in either melted chocolate, nuts or dried fruit all adding a new texture to the popcorn. What piqued our interest is that each of their packets of popcorn have an average of fewer than 140 calories per pack. Don’t worry the popcorn is easily chewable and you won’t have to worry about kernel or sticky caramel getting stuck in your teeth! We’re also fans of the vibrant packaging which make them unmissable.

The first of the seven flavours we tried was the Pop ‘n’ Choc. These are evenly coated with Belgian milk chocolate in a smooth cocoa-caramel base. They are not too sweet and the chocolate is in the right quantity to be enjoyed without being overpowering. Next is Salted Caramel which was our favourite. Coated with sea-salt caramel and Belgium milk chocolate, it has a fabulous crunch and a slight hint of salt, making it very moreish. We then move on to Butterly Nuts, all peanut butter with a blend of salt, caramel and nuts, this hit the spot! The peanut butter is creamy and the nuts offer an irresistible crunch. The Pecan Pie popcorns are partly coated in caramel and real golden pecan nut pieces. They have a smooth nutty, buttery and sugary taste and a sensational crunch that leaves you wanting more.

Probably the most unusual flavour of the collection is the caramel and cheese in Sweet Cheesus. These popcorns are partly coated in caramel and cheddar cheese offering the bursts of sweet and salty together,  this is one for the fans of less sugary snacks.  Then we have the Berry-licious where fruit tart meets dark chocolate – freeze-dried raspberries in the rich chocolate make it almost a dessert in itself. Lastly, Say Cheese! The Cheddar Cheese popcorn flavour is coated with cheese that leaves a tangy tingle on the tongue, melting perfectly to release a creamy milk and cheesy flavour which all cheese fans will adore.

A Popcorn Shed box of 80g is £3.50 and a 16 pack of 24g is £19.98 here. Why not grab a new popcorn flavour and awaken your taste buds.

Malavara - Ultra Luxuriant Hair Elixir

Who else feels like they’re constantly stripping their hair by colouring it, curling it, straightening it or washing it? At the Amazing Blog we’re constantly looking for that ‘Holy Grail’product to reverse all of our hair damage… and we just may have found it!

Malavara Ultra Luxuriant Hair Elixir is a modern take on a 5,000 year old Ayurvedic ritual of hair oiling. By Inspired by India but made in London, the elixir utilises potent Hairy Basil Root which acts as food for hair follicles and promotes growth. With sleek packaging, easy-to-follow directions and all-natural ingredients, Malavara gives hair oiling a modern twist.

A Gold Winner at The Pure Beauty Awards 2018, Malavara’s Ultra Luxuriant Hair Elixir is meant to be applied at least 30 minutes before washing your hair. Although it’s meant as a pre-shampooing treatment, a little goes a long way and we recommend to only use enough to massage through your scalp without friction. Made with Gooseberry, Almond and Bhringraj Oil, the Hair Elixir conditions the scalp while transforming the health of your hair. We love that the Malavara Hair Elixir doesn’t leave a layer of oil on your hair that is hard to remove with just a normal amount of shampoo. The best part? It’s vegan, naturally-derived and sustainably-sourced.

Want to experience the 5,000 year old ritual of hair oiling for yourself? A 30ml bottle of the Malavara Ultra Luxuriant Hair Elixir can be purchased here for £29.

BEYofi Men's Haircare

We return unashamedly this week to the wonderful world of BEYofi - regular readers will know that we have celebrated various products from this extensive range already on The Amazing Blog, but then when you have a whole world of haircare maintenance products to enjoy, due respect and attention should be paid. And where BEyofi is concerned, we are delighted to heap the praise on yet more brilliant products which we are enjoying. As you will see from the above although they generously sent us six great men’s haircare products, and I’ve chosen my two special favourites from this selection to talk about today. 

This is where we focus on the process of shampooing- not just for the hair, but cleverly, BEyofi bring the same diligence in the fundamentals of their production to the body too. They’ve created an effective cleanser which lathers up easily with a delicious fragrance and that is not overpowering, but which rather settles perfectly to our own pheromones. They have concentrated here on the process of stripping away other products, to give a deep clean without denying the hair and body’s natural oils to hydrate and moisturise.

The world of BEyofi have really put the legwork into research and development - each product is clearly defined and manufactured to the highest standards, from the basic ingredients right down to the on-point packaging, which is obviously why this range has a growing legion of international fans.

The two examples we are shining a well-earned spotlight on today, come in a pump bottle of 250ml - the Hair & Body Shampoo retails at £18.45 and the Clarifying Shampoo at £21.95. Both available from here, and the full range of BEYofi products can also be found on Amazon.co.uk  And you will find our further reviews on the brand here for boys and here for girls. It’s also worth checking out the extensive product range that is laid out - there will literally be something for everyone to enjoy whatever your haircare requirements.

West Hampshire School of Art – Adult Classes

We don’t like twiddling our thumbs at weekends or evenings at The Amazing Blog and look for opportunities to educate and inspire us. So when we heard about experimenting with different art forms as a therapy to disconnect, heal our minds and release tension, we couldn’t resist exploring it more with the West Hampshire School of Art classes.

The West Hampshire School of Art is based in Broughton in Hampshire was recently formed in January 2019 by Daisy Rogers. It is a non-profit organisation that is set to offer fine art classes and workshops to those who not only want to improve their artistic skills or experiment with creative practices but also to those who want to make a difference and add their grain of sand to build strong communities. The school drives its profits to community art programmes as well as to fund children’s places for low-income families. Art is a vibrant way to make a change.

This initiative has been well received with classes filling up fast. Why not hone your artistic skills this autumn joining their 6 or 10-week programmes ranging from fine art foundation courses, tutored or untutored life drawing and landscape painting to ceramics and printmaking. All classes are taught by experienced professional artists giving you a solid knowledge of art history and technique. We like to encourage others to try new things too, and taking up an art class at the West Hampshire School of Art as they also offer both part-time and full-time classes, with many options to help adapt to your busy schedule. No excuses now! Another aspect that we like is the fact that classes only allow a small number of students, meaning you can get the most out of the class, i.e. getting a lot of one-to-one tuition. Located in Broughton Down Farm, visit here to find out more about the courses. Why not sign up now and start thinking about what masterpieces you’re going to create. Prices start at £165.00 for 10 week programmes.