Morris & Co. - Gardening Gloves Kit

After spending so much time indoors over the winter – we’re happy to be welcoming in the spring here at The Amazing Blog and we have to confess to a small gardening habit. We think that there’s nothing better than reconnecting with the earth and getting ‘down and dirty’ ready to plant our spring vegetables and bulbs.  

In fact, it couldn’t be better timing for us to receive Morris & Co Gardening Gloves Kit sent to us by Heathcote & Ivory from their new range here. Our regular readers may remember that we’re big fans of Heathcote & Ivory products, or if you are new to us, you can find all our posts about them here.

Morris & Co. Gardening Gloves Kit is a perfect gift set for any gardener. It features a pair of lightweight fabric adjustable gloves and Shea Butter Hand Cream. We found the gloves extremely practical for gardening either in or outdoors. They certainly take their gardener’s handcare to the next level, the cream has a dreamy combination for fragrances with honeysuckle, rose and jasmine. All enriched with shea butter, pink clay, vitamin E, jojoba, evening primrose and macadamia oils. This product has a thick and creamy texture and is sure to turn the roughest skin into the soft, smooth and velvety hands. If you or anyone you know would like this Gardening Gloves Kit for only £25.00, see here.

Face Matters Skin Health - Serum, Balm and Cleanser

Living in London, it’s no surprise that we’re constantly around pollutants and toxic chemicals produced by one of the most metropolitan and commercial cities. In an environment such as this, your skin and health can often take a turn for the worse which is why at The Amazing Blog, we would like to reintroduce to you to one of our favourite brands  Face Matters Skin Health.

Founder, Sally Curson spent 30 years working in the beauty industry; as a therapist, within larger brands and also a product formulator. Although content and successful in the same, her life took a turn which resulted in the birth of this fantastic company. It all began when she suffered from rosacea and struggled to find products that helped and so began researching ingredients herself. Her goal is to offer the gentlest formulations that really work and to provide a range of natural/organic products that will be kind to both the skin and the environment.

Now with their NEW eco-friendly packaging (no cardboard or plastic bottles) and rebranding, their focus is on affordable luxury-quality products made from natural ingredients all made using reduced disposable packaging. The provenance of the ingredients contained in their formulations is integral to the whole brand. The products are made from natural and certified organic plant extracts, many of which are fair trade and sourced from small farms and producers. Each ingredient is assessed to ensure that it is totally pure. The artisan manufacturers are inspected annually by the Soil Association, who audit the ingredient trail from the farm to the finished product. Further, natural and organic skincare now has the ability to perform as well as synthetic skincare, whilst having the added benefit of feeding the skin in the best possible way. She kindly sent us three of her amazing products to review Face Off Cleanser, Face Food Serum and All About Face Balm.

The Face Off Cleanser is a super-efficient yet gentle formula ideal for removing makeup and all the everyday deep down dirty stuff. It leaves the skin soft, smooth and ready to glow and is suitable for all skin types including sensitive skin. Made with aloe, rose, lemon, calendula and burdock, the cleanser proves to be essential for healthy skin elasticity, density and radiance.  Face Off Cleanser is 100ml priced at only £25 here the cleanser is surely an investment everyone needs to make.

Up next we tried the Face Food Serum it is a lightweight oil-based serum to deeply feed and nourish the skin and is suitable for all skin types including sensitive skin. It is a super serum with key ingredients of safflower, calendula, lemon and sandalwood. Safflower is packed full of omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids which are the building blocks of healthy cell membranes. These polyunsaturated fats also help produce the skin's natural oil barrier, critical in keeping skin hydrated, plumper, and younger-looking. Calendula is full of vitamin E which is non-greasy and quickly absorbed, keeping the skin healthy and moisturised, whilst soothing it simultaneously. Priced at £35, the serum is money well spent! 30ml priced at an affordable  £35 here.

Lastly, we tried the All About Face Balm which is a hardworking, multi-tasking balm. It can be used to pre-cleanse, cleanse and most importantly to nourish your skin. It leaves skin soft, nourished and ready to glow. It contains key ingredients of unrefined shea butter, jojoba, rose, geranium and clary sage. Jojoba is full of nutrients like vitamin E and B, as well as antioxidants and minerals like chromium, copper, and zinc, which all nourish and protect the skin. Organic, cold-pressed, jojoba oil has one of the highest levels of antioxidants and nutrients. Shea butter nourishes the skin with vitamins A, E and F. Vitamins A and E maintain the skin and keep it clear and healthy. These are particularly helpful for sun-damaged skin and to help prevent premature wrinkles and lines... And soften those pesky ones that are already there! 50g priced at £30 here, we think that this Balm is an absolute essential!

SOS Serum

Alas, skin problems affect everyone at some stage, and at The Amazing Blog we’re definitely not fans of any unexpected inflammation or itchiness. That is why today’s #amazingfinds is a product that has a special formula to cool, heal and repair - meet the all-on-one rescuer, SOS Serum.  

Founder Bruce Green, is a chartered scientist, a chartered chemist, and a fellow of The Royal Society of Chemistry. He is a man with great expertise who understood the need for such a product as one skin issue still dominates – that is sensitivity. After many years of working in the industry, Bruce noted that from children to pensioners, everyone at some stage experiences skin dryness and itchiness. That is why he developed this unique advanced formulation that brings relief to most conditions. It can also be used to help eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, bites, wind-chapped and sun-damaged skin or allergic flare-ups.

The SOS Serum consists of only 12 active ingredients – rich in wasabi and burdock leaf extracts, these plant extracts are known for their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Hyaluronic acid alleviates dry skin and speeds up wound healing, whereas peppermint provides soothing and cooling abilities that freshen and leave that pleasant ‘ice cube’ sensation to the skin. There are also two other products in the SOS range – SOS H2O Day Serum with anti-ageing properties and SOS SPF 50 skin protection. All three products are vegan, cruelty-free, with no parabens, SLS, mineral oil or fragrance and are proudly manufactured here in the UK.

We think the SOS Serum is a must-have it’s so gentle and even suitable for babies over one-month-old. Regular application of a small amount of gel-textured skincare will treat the skin issue swiftly. We found that the recyclable airless pump dispenser is easy to use and perfect in size for keeping in a handbag for regular application. The retail price of the SOS Serum is £15 for 50ml and can be purchased here.

R&R Luxury - Shea Oil Marrakech Nights & Liquid Black Soap

Let us at The Amazing Blog bow down to the wonders of shea butter, and its remarkable natural healing qualities, as developed by the R&R Luxury skincare company based in Ghana and bringing 100% natural African luxury to our skin in their formidable men’s range.

Developed by the founder Valerie Obaze in 2010 as her quest to bring a moisturiser that could be as gentle on a grown-up’s skin as well as that of a newborn baby, we have literally at our fingertips, the pure unadulterated natural benefits of shea butter which is the main constituent in both the face and body oil and their Liquid Black Soap.

The Face & Body Oil is tantalisingly called Marrakech Nights, and the main ingredient, of course, is shea oil which is particularly effective in the treatment of various skin conditions such as scarring, dry and/or ageing skin, as well as sunburn. Because it is so gentle of course, sensitive skin can also be soothed by this balm. Just a few drops are enough to be rubbed between the palms, and then applied directly to the skin when wet, or added to another body cream for an overall application.

R&R’s Liquid Black Soap contains the essential oil of lemongrass which gives it the most wonderfully fresh fragrance, and a burst of aromatherapeutic essence producing a highly effective and thorough cleansing gel. Again, with the benefits of the shea butter, this is particularly good for treating complaints like eczema, psoriasis and acne. Being 100% natural means we also don’t have to worry about parabens, artificial colours or mineral oils.

The unisex range is available from the website here. The Shea Oil - Marrakech Nights at 250ml at £17  and  Liquid Black Soap at 250ml at £12.50. The brand is actively seeking new distributors, so hopefully, availability will increase soon. With that and also the company’s success at 2018 Pure Beauty Awards, it can only be a matter of time before this range racks up yet even more success.

Lightopia Festival 2020

At The Amazing Blog we love to share our #AmazingFinds and today we want to tell you about the breathtaking Lightopia Festival which has just opened. Perhaps you’ve already heard about it? Well, this year be prepared to be blown away by the new additions to this lighting phenomime which showcases at London’s Chiswick House Gardensuntil 1st March.

Lightopia invites us to “step into a world like no other” and explore landscapes of light, lanterns in all shapes and sizes, and massive 3D projections. Prepare to be carried into a virtually magical universe where nature seems to prevail and magnify itself throughout the art of enlightenment.  You follow along the smartly illuminated path, where attention, senses and even emotions are mobilised by the different forms - some of them are interactive - the various designs or colours of the lanterns and the impressive 3D projections which really give life to the show

However, besides visual appeal, Lightopia also has a cultural and spiritual dimension. The Festival is inspired by an ancient Chinese celebration during which people light thousands of lanterns to ward off evil spirits and symbolise a bright future. Just as the traditional Chinese lanterns, Lightopia installations carry a meaning. 

The theme of the Festival this year is Harmony. The artworks symbolically refer to various life and human experiences. The Love Gate, Tree of Life and Happy Valley are among other art installations with evocative names. They make big dreamers feel like they’re on some kind of initiatory voyage where concepts and values such as positive energy, inclusivity or spirituality are poetically illustrated. Yet, you have to wait until nightfall to see the magic happen...

The Lightopia Festival is a unique experience to share with family, friends or alone. This is a chance to have a pleasant walk, create good, shining memories and take some beautiful pictures. 

But don’t take our word for it, go and see for yourself! You can book your ticket on Eventbrite here: prices (without the booking fees) go up to £13 for a child ticket; £20 for the adult fare. We recommend booking your ticket online in advance as the tickets booked or bought on-site are slightly more expensive. You can also find further information on the Lightopia Festival, here.