Clothes Doctor - The Eco Wash Laundry Set

Sick and tired of shelling out hundreds of pounds on a designer jumper - then you go ruin it in the wash? Frustrated with splurging money on horrifically expensive dry cleaning just so you can wear that cashmere scarf one more time? Here at The Amazing Blog, we’ve been fighting this battle for years. However, fear not our recent discovery serves as the answer to all our prayers. Brace yourself, the information we share next will have you, like us, jumping with joy and smiling from ear to ear. Meet Clothes Doctor who is an online clothing maintenance service providing clothing repairs, alterations and restoration treatments to customers all around the UK. Alongside their valuable services, they also sell fantastic products such as Eco Wash bottles that help you care for your wardrobe from the convenience of your home.

All products contain natural ingredients and are designed and sourced sustainable with longevity in mind, and can also be used time and time again. These eco-friendly clothing products prolong the life of your garments and help reduce fashion pollution and waste. Thus serving as a key part of any and every clothing maintenance routine and further helping you love your clothes for longer, and taking pleasure and pride in your wardrobe. Founder Lulu O’Connor, said “This product range is the natural next step on our mission to reduce waste and help consumers enjoy their clothes for longer.” All products are made in the UK, are vegan, cruelty-free and virtually free from plastic. Expertly fragranced with sandalwood, patchouli, and bergamot, the products are unique and contain a Clothes Doctor proprietary anti-moth formulation that offers clothing protection from moth damage long after washing.

Each of the bottles contains 250 ml of liquid and can be used for up to 14 washes. The brand has carefully devised different formulas for different fabrics and materials. For instance, the Clothes Doctor No. 3 Eco Wash formula caters to cashmere clothing and the Clothes Doctor No. 4 Eco Wash is primarily for silk clothing. If you’re looking for something a little less specific and for all other fabrics, you could opt for the No. 2 Eco Wash which is known as their signature. Once you’ve finished your non-contaminating grade of aluminium bottles, you even have the option of refilling them instead of buying more. How eco is that?!

The Eco Wash Laundry Set includes the No.2, No.3 and No.4 Eco Wash all for an affordable £35.50. What better way to start 2020 with this little investment which could literally save you hundreds of pounds that you may otherwise spend on dry cleaning. You can purchase the set online or even buy individual bottles depending on your specific needs here.

Matis - Réponse Jeunesse MatiSCity Anti-Pollution Hydrating Cream

As we have mentioned in previous posts, the skin is the largest organ of the body, therefore living in a polluted city, we feel a particular need to take care of it! That is why at The Amazing Blog were interested to try the new anti-pollution face cream from one of our favourite salon brands Matis. The Matis Réponse Jeunesse MatiSCity is their latest launch addressing both pollution and hydration. It’s a product bringing together both their scientific finds together with the latest technology for a protective almost shield-like face cream.  The French brand Matis may ring a few bells with regular readers, as we have previously reviewed a few products see here.

Matis is a pedigree French brand, that has been successfully sharing its professional French skincare solutions for more than 80 years. Based in Paris, its team develops tailored-skincare products based on the scientific advances in medicine, molecular and cellular biology in order to address skin solutions. Emphasis is always made on its ingredients, combining specialised actives like hyaluronic acid, peptides and vitamin C; together with naturally-derived ones like aloe vera, tea tree and rose stem cells.

In the range, Reponse Jeunesse, has been specifically formulated for all skin types and as anti-ageing for those who are 25+ years old. The Matis Reponse Jeunesse MatiSCity Anti-Pollution Hydrating Cream is for face and neck it offers the skin a protective barrier against exposure to toxic air particles. This is a gel-like cream that blocks and limits the adhesion of polluted particles; it is enriched with ingredients like cranberry extract which is full of vitamin C and polyphenols and takes on the role of an antioxidant; as well as aquaregul which is a mixture of the potassium salt of L-pyrrolidone carboxylic acid and an aqueous extract of Mexican cactus stems, it has both short and long term moisturiser qualities that stimulates water penetration into the skin cells

We suggest applying MatisCity to your skin on a cleansed skin both mornings and evenings. They also recommend using this in tandem with one of their Reponse Jeunesse Serums for the best results.  Want to give your face more city protection? Then see here to get your 50ml pot of Matis Reponse Jeunesse Matis City anti-pollution hydrating cream for £62.20.

SOiL Organic Aromatherapy

Struggling to find the perfect way to unwind after a stressful day at hard work? Feel like that glass of wine or shall we say bottle just isn’t cutting it? Fear not, here at The Amazing Blog, we’ve got just what you need to help make your days more peaceful and harmonious.  SOiL Organic Aromatherapy is our new best friend and could soon be yours as well!

Born out of a family managed, organic essential oil farming operation in Zululand, South Africa, SOiLhas been expanding and distilling aromatic plants for their precious oils since 2001. As an eco-ethical range certified by ECO-Cert, SOiL was the first company in South Africa to sell a complete range of 100% certified organic essential oils, many of which they grow themselves on their organic farm in Zululand. As an ethical brand that focuses on steering away from petrochemicals, parabens and synthetic fragrances they identify with a strong sense of commitment to the planet and society. SOiL stands apart from other similar brands as they farm, process and market all their own products from start to finish. They ensure no chemicals or fertilisers are used in their farming process hence giving their customers the promise of safe, natural and sustainable products in all regards.    

Their Ultrasonic Aroma Diffuser is one of our favourites. Easy to use, safe and silent enough for you to hear a needle drop. It’s a low energy product that requires water and your favourite essential oil to be added to it. Even though the diffuser itself is sweet and smallish in size, the aroma will surely spread all across the room making you feel as though you’re in a spa. You get a timer on the device so you can manage how long you’d like it on and can also adjust the mist that it releases. With the essential oils of your choice, this diffuser is a winner in our eyes.

SOiL sells its very own collection of essential oils, each of which has unique and distinct properties that result in a number of benefits. The two that we tried out are their blends with Immunity and Energy. The Immunity oil in the diffuser is a great one for the office to help ward off coughs and colds, particularly with ingredients such as lemongrass, tea tree, benzoin resin and thyme help fight bacteria inside your body and further assist in building your immunity, as they say, prevention is better than cure! The Energy essential blend, on the other hand, is metaphorically speaking rather like a quick shot of espresso. Made with clary sage, lime, cypress and black pepper this blend is really a blessing. Perfect to get you ready for the day as well as serve as a pickup and invigorating blend after a long day, the Energy essential oil has also been a great hit in the office.

All their products are available online on their official website. The Ultrasonic Aroma Diffuser is priced at an affordable £39.95 here (although we see today it’s been reduced to £31.96!) and their essential oil blends are sold from £7.92 here.

Shakeup Cosmetics

My turn dear readers to say ‘Happy New Year’! Today I’m kicking-off with one of our #amazingfinds which is a new brand of men’s cosmetics. Apparently us boys have different skin to the girls… (NB: Girls at The Amazing Blog!) that may sound a glib expression, but there is an increasing amount of data to show that our skin is 20 - 25% thicker due to the presence of testosterone, which goes some way to explain why certain products manufactured for women can be ineffective for us. Since we also have slightly larger active sebaceous glands, our pores tend to be larger leading to a higher propensity of acne and pore blockages. Of course, we also put our skin through the dreaded daily slash of a sharp blade which inevitably stresses the epidermis, making it far more sensitive.

Happily, for us twin brothers Shane Carnell-Xu and Jake Xu have come to our rescue - they are the driving force behind Shakeup Cosmetics and are shining the light ahead for us boys to reap the benefits of a skincare range as diverse as that for women, but specifically tailored for our needs. Whilst we all want to look our best, not everyone wants to make it headline news when we walk into a room, which is where Shane and Jake have come to our aid with their Shakeup Cosmetics For Men range. Although born in Beijing, the boys emigrated to the UK in their teens and are proud to have formulated and produced their line here, ensuring the highest standards, as well as rejecting animal testing, and keeping their products totally vegan-friendly.

At the moment, we have the Under Eye Concealer and Moisturiser, called ‘Eye Eye Captain’, the ‘Let’s Face It’ Tinted Moisturiser, and the ‘Lip Life To The Full’ Volumising and Moisturising  Lip Gel, with the first two of that list coming in Light, Medium and Dark shades for the skin palette. Retailing at £20 for the Concealer, £25 for the Moisturiser, and £12 for the Lip Gel, we can get our hands on these goodies from here and that stalwart of the pioneer brands, Harvey Nichols - and when HN starts stocking a range, you know it’s one to watch! This range is certainly one to try, as there is a revolution afoot in the male grooming world, and it is being spearheaded by dynamic teams like Shane and Jake who believe in natural, wholesome skincare, and are bringing it to market for us to enjoy.