Charlie Miller - Haircare

There’s no disputing the fact that going into a salon, will always give us our best hair days at The Amazing Blog, however, we don’t always have the time to sit in the chair and get pampered. So, finding a renowned salon brand of haircare that allowed us to ‘good hair days’ at home has to the answer. We were highly recommended (by those in the know) to try the new Charlie Miller Shampoo and Conditioner and we couldn’t wait!

After working in the hair industry for many decades, the Millers knew exactly what they wanted to achieve with their luxury haircare line. Charlie Miller, the founder of Charlie Miller Hairdressers, started his career over 50 years ago as a hairdresser and followed on by opening a chain of salons. Now, his sons Jason and Joshua Miller have sparked a second-generation evolution to the family haircare business by launching a brand of take-home hair products.

Charlie Miller Haircare was launched at the end of 2018 with hopes of providing the luxury Charlie Miller experience without having to travel into the salon. With 3 shampoos and 2 conditioners, the haircare line has something for every hair type. All of the products are formulated with jasmine extract, organic calendula flower extract and organic sage oil to help lock in moisture, soothe dry scalps and encourage new hair growth. The Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner work best when used in tandem to help hydrate, moisturise and comfort the scalp. The Hydrate Shampoo and conditioner left our hair feeling so healthy and smooth with great texture and shine! This was our favourite in the range.

The Volume Shampoo and Conditioner work together to provide extra body to limp and flat locks. Just massage into scalp, rinse out and blow-dry and style to reveal fullness from root to tip. We loved how much bounce (and no frizz!) we had after testing out the Volume Shampoo and Conditioner. Charlie Miller even has a Silver Shampoo that has hues of blue to help neutralise and remove yellow tones in highlighted or platinum hair.

Did we mention their fragrances? We loved the subtle floral fragrance with hints of lemon, green tea, and jasmine. It’s a light and uplifting scent, perfect for keeping hair fresh all day long. Each of the shampoos and conditioners are sulphate and paraben-free, so you don’t have to worry about harming your precious tresses.

Want to have the Charlie Miller’s hair experience at home? Then see the whole line of Shampoos and Conditioners which can be purchased here. The Shampoos retail for £17.95 per 250 ml and the Conditioners retail for £18.95 per 250ml.

Bjork & Berries - Re-activating Body Serum & Birch Ritual Body Scrub

The Amazing Blog is always looking for brands that offer luxurious natural skincare stemming from mother nature herself. Although we can’t promise a genie in a bottle, we’ll do you one better and give you a little ‘Swedish Secret’ in a bottle. Meet Bjork & Berries who offer just this with their clean, natural and organic products that are 100% cruelty-free, vegan and non-toxic. They are both kind to both the skin and the environment using minimal ingredients that deliver maximum benefits.

Bjork & Berries began as a small project in northern Sweden with the promise of imparting nature’s forgotten wisdom, natural remedies and rituals from the deepest forests of the nation. Their products incorporate luxurious formulas that place equal importance on texture, scent and performance ensuring a client base of life-long customers. They stand apart in the market by implementing their own ‘ecoluxury criteria’ to which all products are benchmarked, thus resulting in each and every one of their items being superior in quality.

The Birch Ritual Body Scrub with Birch Bark is most certainly one of our favourites! The creamy and soft silky formula nourishes and deeply cleanses your body with organic rapeseed oil leaving you feeling smooth, hydrated and toned. Made with nature’s blessings, it uses silica and grape seed extracts that act as the exfoliant as well as the ever-nourishing shea butter that gives the product its creamy texture. A hot shower and the Birch Ritual Body Scrub go together like butter on toast, smoothly and beautifully. For optimum results, perhaps consider incorporating a hydrating body lotion or moisturiser.

Or better yet, the Bjork & Berries Re-activating Body Serum after using the body scrub. This Body Serum will enhance your daily skin routine and give your skin the intense hydration it craves. Packed with omega 3, 6 and 9, as well as the natural anti-oxidant vitamin E, the Re-activating Body Serum is one like no other. Enriched with a magnificent blend of borage seed oil, sunflower seed oil as well as jojoba seed oil, the serum helps revitalise the skin by stimulating cellular regeneration leaving you with a healthy and glowing complexion. Shunning away the horrors of dehydration, this serum is precisely what you need to leave home every day and to feel like a million dollars! 

Priced at £24.99 for the 200ml  Ritual Body Scrub and £42.23  for the 200ml Re-activating Body Serum respectively, you can rest assured that you will receive brilliant, natural and sustainable products that will change your skincare routine for the better. You can purchase directly here .

FineFettle - Beard Conditioners

We’ve all had it - well those of us who’ve enjoyed the furriness of cultivating our beards to their full potential have surely had it. You know, that itchy annoyance which inevitably appears when the hairs get to that particular length and start reminding us that there’s freedom from the daily razor slash. However, all of this does not come without a fair amount of required maintenance to our newly acquired facial bush. Of course at  TheAmazingBlog, our quest is to bring you the answers to these challenges which continue apace, and we have a total winner for you here today from FineFettle - in the form of their deliciously scented Beard Conditioners, which when applied as directed, are perfuming our nostrils with glory. The annoying ‘itch’ has been replaced by a most sensually indulgent boost to the senses… What a result!

FineFettle comes into its own, as of course there’s a great deal of science behind this tin of softness, helping us understand why the hair on our chins are so different to that on our heads, and why it is incredibly important to treat the two accordingly. Stuart Morse, FineFettle’s inventor and chief alchemist told us: “Whereas most balms are based on beeswax or butters such as shea or cocoa which tend to clog your pores, our ingredient lanolin works in harmony with your skin.” Yes, and the wonder element here really is the lanolin, which has been included to work alongside our natural sebum in keeping the moisture within our epidermis, preventing it from drying out. With that water locked in, the resultant beard is, therefore, more intensely hydrated and conditioned. Of course, lanolin alone is not the end of the story, not by a long shot - FineFettle have a long list of goodies in the mix, most notably the meadowfoam oil which brings us almost the whole alphabet of vitamins - A through to E, and long-chain fatty acids. The antioxidant properties from this recipe, give a protective layer whilst also stabilising the ingredients also, and since the lanolin is hypoallergenic, this balm is particularly successful for those with sensitive skin.

There are seven different Beard Conditioners in the range and at £19.99, you get a tin of 50ml. With fun names like Birthday Suit, Pachamama, Vanilla in Sevilla, Baa Humbug, The Wayfinder Odyssey, A Nod to the Earl and Pine & Dandy you simply can’t go wrong purchasing either for yourself or as a gift for a bearded loved one. Confused as to which one to buy? Fear not, they also have a sample pack of the four original scents in a tub of 10ml of each for £15.99. You can purchase all these directly from here or from Amazon.

Friday Favourites - Body & Hand Care

At the Amazing Blog we have to confess to being a little obsessed with body and handcare products, particularly during these cold winter months. We don’t know about you, but our skin tends to be much drier and we find ourselves piling on layers of lotions and body butter. However, as always we’re ever mindful of ingredients and prefer to use more natural products. For today’s #amazingfinds we’re going to highlight some natural/organic body and handcare products, not just for winter, but for the whole year-round.

Avid readers of The Amazing Blog know that we have showcased many of the Lavera products, previously reviewing their products like their Firming Body Milk. Lavera, which means ‘the truth’ in Latin, is an affordable natural skincare range for people of all skin types. Containing 100% natural and organic ingredients, we love how transparent they are with their ingredients. With Lavera, we can rest assured that what we’re putting on our bodies is natural and safe.

That’s why we wanted to try the Lavera Neutral Body Lotion, which is specially formulated for sensitive and easily irritated skin. With organic evening primrose oil, it’s good at soothing itchy or flaky skin. Lavera body care in general consists of a rich emulsion with high lipid content, meaning that they nourish skin for longer than perhaps other body lotions. The organic jojoba oil and shea butter are the perfect combination to help lock in moisture, keeping the skin smooth and supple. We recommend using it daily after showering to experience the enriching benefits of their balanced pH-neutral composition which supports cell renewal. We also mustn’t forget to mention the all-important squalene, fennel, witch hazel and olive oil extracts. To feel the uplifting effects, you can buy the Lavera Neutral Body Lotion 200ml here for £14.95

Next, we have an award-winning beauty brand, Beeutiful. We discovered Beeutiful when they were crowned The Best Bee Beauty Brand at the Beauty Shortlist Awards 2019 as well as winning the Best Body Balm Category with the B-Rose Frankincense & Rose Body Balm. Beeutiful’s skincare is so natural that you could almost eat it! Made from 100% natural ingredients, the product range is created by using UK sourced ingredients and beeswax and honey from Beeutiful’s own hives. To quote Carly, the founder: “Our products are not tested on animals and we only harvest that from the bee that does not harm them; honey, wax and propolis. You will not see Royal jelly or bee venom in any of our products as dead bees are necessary for their obtainment!”

The B-Rose Frankincense & Rose Body Balm comes in a generous size glass pot that is fully recyclable. The luxurious oils feel rich and extremely hydrating on the skin, and we loved using it morning and night. The combination of jojoba, coconut and cocoa butter and beeswax glide onto the skin. The essential oils of frankincense and rose were chosen for their toning, skin-soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. Together they create a ‘beeutiful’ blend and fragrance, particularly with the rose absolute (one of our favourite scents). This Balm not only hydrates but also calms the skin making it an excellent anti-inflammatory for sensitive skins. It’s a hot favourite with our Exec Editor! Apart from producing this glorious body Balm they also donate 10p from every sale to Friends of The Honey Bee. All products are free from parabens, sulphates, preservatives, artificial or synthetic colours or fragrances, phthalates, silicone, GM ingredients and petrochemicals. See here to purchase your B-Rose Frankincense & Rose Balm it is £43 per 200ml or a smaller 120ml size for £28.

Philosophia Botanica is inspired by African beauty secrets. Surrounded by the nature of Cape Town, South Africa, founder Francesca was inspired to create a 100% natural beauty brand while supporting sustainable agricultural practices. Francesca who’s an oriental medicine, acupuncture spa consultant and formulator, took her passion for well-being, herbal remedies and anything natural and Philosophia Botanica was born.

The Philosophia Botanica Baobab Hydrating Body Oil is created with the key ingredient Baobab seed oil. Often referred to as the ‘tree of life’, the baobab tree is grown in Africa and produces a velvety-looking fruit the size of a coconut which is where the baobab seed oil goodness comes from. With a rich and recognisable scent, it packs a healthy punch for the skin with calcium, magnesium and ten times more vitamin C than in oranges! It’s filled with antioxidants, fatty acids & vitamins to replenish the skin all the way down to the cellular level. Baobab seed oil is an excellent choice for lightweight hydration for any skin type. The oil formula absorbs quickly and nicely, removing any signs of dryness and is particularly good for anti-ageing. The other key ingredients here are moringa oil, which is also famous for its anti-ageing properties, it helps to eliminate wrinkles and slow down the ageing process. Plus, the yangu oil which is full of linoleic acid, omega-6, and oleganic acid, omega-9 these essential fatty acids make it perfect for moisturising the body. This ingredient hails from seeds of the cape chestnut tree also found in Africa. Finally, there’s neroli oil, which is obtained from the bitter orange tree, it is steam-distilled from the small white waxy flowers. Apart from its gorgeous aroma, something we were intrigued to discover is that it also possesses actives that have the ability to reduce acute and chronic inflammation too. A little goes a long way and this Hydrating Oil is a great multitasking product and can be used as a massage oil and in the bath too. To experience Africa’s best-kept secret for yourself, the Philosophia Botanica Baobab Hydrating Body Oil can be purchased here £52 for 200ml.

While we’re making sure that our body is moisturised, we mustn’t forget about our hands, too! Born from a passion for nature, natural and organic products, Akamuti’s founder Lindsey was determined to create a range of products that were brimming with goodness and mindfulness. Lindsey aimed to develop products that told a story with their ingredients, and the Cuticle Moon Hand & Nail Butter certainly does just that. They have a zero-waste policy where all of their waste is recycled, whether it be plastic, aluminium, glass, printer toners, cardboard – nothing reaches the landfill. Akamuti also use a mixture of materials for their packaging. The PET containers are fully recyclable, phthalate and BPA free. NB since writing this, they seem to have swapped this container for an aluminum tin.

This hand cream is one of three in their range of handcare. Scented with lime, lemon and a dash of lavender, this Cuticle Moon Hand & Nail Butter smelt so good that we had to stop ourselves from slathering it all over our arms and torso! it smells divine and we recommend spreading a generous amount on your hands and nails, particularly after washing to replenish oils and moisture. This award-winning Cuticle Moon Butter (The Green Parents Natural Beauty Awards Best Buy 2016) is enriched beeswax and honey (from the forests of Zambia and Ethiopia), and organic cocoa butter to combat dryness. The lemon oil is a natural nail treatment to help cleanse, purify and strengthen with its natural antiseptic properties. The organic virgin cocoa butter has nutrients essential for skin repair to feed your dry hungry skin. The Akamuti Cuticle Moon Hand & Nail Butter 50ml can be purchased here for £6.95

Siam Botanicals - Wild Roots of Zingiber

Thankfully in 2019, many beauty brands are now realising the power of harnessing all-natural ingredients. If you can find all-natural skincare products that work way better than anything synthetic, why wouldn’t you use them? At the Amazing Blog, we’ve been stressing the importance of all-natural beauty for years now, with no sign of stopping anytime soon.

We’ve been lucky to find Siam Botanicals, an award-winning and cosmos certified brand whose mission aligns so well with our beliefs. Their inspiration came from a search to find natural products for their own spa in Thailand. When they couldn’t find what they wanted, they went on to create their own. Combining traditional Thai-inspired ingredients and scientific know-how; Siam Botanicals uses the purest ingredients and source responsibly only using local suppliers whenever possible. We love how all of their products are made in small batches ensuring the best quality in every pot, jar or bottle. Living in a big city, we consider having a good cleansing routine to be a vital part of our daily regime. Which is why we wanted to try both the natural Cleansing Balm and Facial Scrub from Siam Botanicals. Their latest range is the Wild Roots of Zingiber  are all formulated with premium organic seed oils and essential oils distilled from the roots of zingiber. These remarkable asian rhizomes including plai, turmeric, ginger and ginger lily have natural skin healing properties that have long been used in effective eastern skincare remedies.  

The first product for us to try was the Lime & Turmeric Cleansing Facial Balm. The balm is formulated with cold-pressed organic seed oils, zingiber roots and boswellia tree resin all of which provide a deep cleanse and hydration. Use a generous amount on your fingertips and massage into the face and neck. Remove with a damp cotton pad and see all of the dirt and makeup come right off! We love how it doesn’t strip the skin of its natural oils and left our face feeling soft and refreshed. Turmeric root is known for its antibacterial properties, calming the skin and preventing blemishes. The turmeric combines beautifully with the uplifting zing of lime to calm the skin.

For an even brighter and healthier complexion, we exfoliated twice a week with the Ginger Lily & Plai Clarifying Facial Scrub. Its fine jojoba wax beads with argan and moringa oils offer the perfect amount of exfoliation without leaving the skin irritated. The essential oils of ginger lily and plai have natural anti-inflammatory properties and our skin looked noticeably brighter after using the scrub. If you’d like to purchase the Lime & Turmeric Cleansing Facial Balm, it can be purchased here and costs £30 for 50ml. or The Ginger Lily & Plai Clarifying Facial Scrub here which can be purchased for £19 for 15ml.