Baûbo - Infinite Balm

Going from winter to spring can be tough on the skin, from cracked cuticles to chapped lips and at The Amazing Blog we’ve experienced it all! However, we’ve now found the perfect balm to recommend to help our skincare woes. Meet  Baûbo’s Infinite Balm which is ideal for all skin types and can combat dryness, skin irritations, damaged lips and even fragile baby skin - making it a one-stop product for the whole family.

Based in Paris, Baûbo was created in 2015 by Bethsabée Krivoshey and Cécilia Capece. They’re both strong women and proud feminists who have created a very special eco-responsible brand committed to the well-being of women and those around them. Bethsabée is an author and journalist who specialises in sexuality, who was particularly frustrated that there was no organic or natural intimate care on the market to relieve the everyday irritation felt by women after a day in skinny jeans, sexual intercourse or a gym class. Cécilia, an MBA graduate helped Bethsabée embark on a journey of launching this ethical brand and their French entrepreneurship. The brand is named after the Greek mythical story of Baûbo, which reminds us of the positive force of female sexuality, the importance of joy and the healing power of the vulva.

Something we particularly want to applaud Baûbo for is their eco-packaging. Their products are the first 90% recycled glass cosmetic container in the world (75% post-usage and 15% post-production). Plus the production creates 36% less of Co2 emissions than traditional production. Baûbo also takes care to make their cartons with no glues or plastic film in order to make recycling easy. Not only that, they recently announced their partnership with the non-profit organisation Gynecology Without Borders (Gynécologie Sans Frontière) who have been working for dignity and promotion of women's health in the world, as their goals. For every product purchased they donate 2% to fund medics helping support these women.

Baûbo’s Infinite Balm is one of three different healing balms that they produce. The Infinite Balm’s key ingredients are macadamia, castor oil, coconut, avocado, wheat germ, shea butter and vitamin E. The Balm is super slick and hydrating and takes no time at all to absorb flawlessly into the skin, leaving the surface supple and hydrated.  The other specialist balms are The Gorgeous Balm for hydrating and toning for boobs, belly and booty; as well as The Balm for vulva care especially for intimate dryness, menopause and hormonal changes. The great thing that they all have in common, is that the ingredients are 100 percent natural and sourced from organic farms. What’s not to love about Baûbo? If you’re interested in purchasing Baûbo’s Infinite Balm, it can be purchased here for £37.00.

Glowcup - Face and Eye Cream Duo Set

Today at The Amazing Blog we discover a new facial massage treatment that hails all the way from France. Some of you may already be familiar with ‘cupping’ techniques for body treatments which are used to break down cellulite. However, here we are talking about a similar technique but used in a gentler way just on the face, neck and decolletage to help tone and stimulate collagen in the skin. The Glowcup Duo Set is a set of 2 facial cups used in tandem with their natural Face and Eye Creams.

Glowcup, was developed in 2016, is the little sister of the Cellu-Cup, which is known for their ‘cupping’ products are used to helps the lipolysis (degradation of fat cells in the body) and remove the 'orange-peel' effect from the skin. Glowcup has been developed to be used specifically on the face. It was conceived by Cellu-Cup with the help of a doctor with a University Diploma (DU) in Morphological and Anti-Age Medicine.

The duo of Glowcups are made from eco-friendly food grade baby nipple silicon raw material. They are made up of two sizes, a face cup and a smaller special eye contour cup known as the Mini Glow, which is best suited for around the mouth and eyes. To use simply apply their creams to the face, pinch the cup and allow it to form a slight suction to the face contours. From there, move the cup over the face, being careful to keep a vacuum and not to release the suction, thus creating a massaging effect. Glowcup recommends using the cups for five to six minutes, depending on your sensitivity level. The massage stimulates the production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid helping to plump the skin. See their Glowcup User Manual. The blood microcirculation is activated for a more radiant complexion. They tell us that long term use of the Glow Cup can combat sagging skin and the appearance of wrinkles. There are clinical studies conducted by Dermscan laboratory conducted with 22 people (aged 36 - 65) over a period of 28 days. +8% saw more radiance, +5% more skin density, -12% saw less crow’s feet, 82% of users say that they noticed better skin and 77% of women said that the eye contour care with Miniglow drained morning skin oedema.

Let’s talk about their Glowcup Face Cream ‘Good About Myself’, it features more than 54 percent botanical ingredients. It reinforces the smoothing and plumping effect on the skin when used with the Glowcup. Key ingredients are the beech buds, which contain flavonoids which are antioxidants found in nature that help strengthen elasticity and fight against damage to collagen fibres. Other ingredients in the face cream include muscat rose oil a source of vitamin F and essential fatty acids, centella asiatica extract which produces collagen and helps repair the upper layer of the skin. The Glowcup Eye Cream, ‘For Your Beautiful Eyes,’ is lighter and more of a fluid formula, which we think also makes it a great primer to use before makeup. It has natural ingredients such as green algae and acacia gum fight signs of fatigue, dark circles and puffiness.

Both these Glowcups can remove some of the creams during the massage process, so we recommend using a light layer before the massage and following the treatment with more if necessary. If you would like to try the soothing massage of a Glowcup treatment for yourself, you can purchase the Glow Cups kit (of two) here for £18.00. The Glowcup Cream for the Face here for £16.20 and The GlowCup Cream for the Eyes here for £14.40.

The Other Art Fair 2020

The Other Art Fair is making its return to London later this month, with the first of three fairs here in the capital. This is a date always marked in the diary for  The Amazing Blog as we’re always thrilled to check out the new and emerging artists coming out of London’s art scene. The fair is presented by Saatchi Art and will be held at The Old Truman Brewery in Shoreditch from 19-22 March 2020.

The art fair features 129 independent artists whose works were handpicked by a selection committee of art world experts. Mediums such as paintings, photography, drawings and sculptures were judged on ability, potential, and accessibility by the committee, ensuring buyers receive value and quality in their investment pieces.

“Meadow Chaos” - Lee Herring, 2019

One of the artists featured in this year’s fair is Lee Herring. Herring uses a mixture of oils, spray paints, varnishes and acrylics to produce memory-based landscapes captured from travelling by rail up and down the country. Each piece is painted solely from memory to create pieces that are abstract and expressional.  His contemporary landscapes are colourful, textured and full of life. He captures snippets of colour and details as the scene is fleeting while on the rail. He describes his technique as an ‘evolution of a free-flowing, spontaneous process.’

“Single-use planet” Photography by Lexi Lane

Another featured artist is Lexi Laine. Laine is a freediving photographer who likes to create melancholic underwater images. The series of images on display at the fair are from a whimsical project she has been working on for the last year. She has created a visual narrative for the woman in the photos. In some scenes, she is swimming towards the light, suggesting she is travelling from one world to the next. In other images, she’s consumed in darkness as a representation ‘of vulnerability and a reminder of the incredible force of the water,’ said Laine. Laine does not use scuba equipment while photographing her subjects. She says she feels the most alive and in touch with herself as an artist when she is freediving.

The fair also features a various number of art-related programmes. One of those programmes being ‘The Calm Collective,’ an art-making session that brings artists and art lovers together to explore life issues, well-being and mental health through different mediums. Other programmes include a Kids Create art space, a tattoo booth by Sticks Not Stones and DJs from Soho Space playing music in the fair. Tickets for The Other Art Fair can be purchased ahead of time here for Friday-Sunday for £11.00. Tickets will also be sold at the door for £14.00. There are two Other Art Fairs in July and October so keep an eye open here for further details of dates and venues.

The Love Light Life - Wellbeing Candle

We’re all mindful that Mother’s Day will soon be upon us on 22 March, and it’s time to put on our thinking caps and find the ideal gift to express our love and gratitude. Here at The Amazing Blog, we’ve certainly got one good idea for that perfect gift, meet The Love Light Life Wellbeing Candle. This candle has a delicious combination of lavender, ylang-ylang and geranium scents which your Mother is sure to love.

Founded in November 2018 by Nathalie Vanpoperinghe, Love Light Life Candles offer luxury natural candles for your wellness journey. Vanpoperinghe’s background as a business consultant in spas and wellness put her in the prime position to spot a gap in the market. She noticed that most candles in the spas she visited were badly made and inconsistent with how they fragranced the rooms. Hence her mission began…

The Wellbeing Candle is the first candle to launch. It is designed and made in France with ingredients of essential oils, cotton wicks, soy and coconut wax. Unlike other candles, it does not contain paraffin wax and is free from synthetic fragrances and dyes. Something to note is that when synthetic candles are burned, they can release carcinogenic chemicals which can cause headaches and allergies. We were pleased to hear that The Love Light Life’s Wellbeing Candle that was recently shortlisted for the 2020 Gift of the Year Awards in the Home Fragrance category.  

The essential oils in this candle have unique properties that can combat everyday stress, anxiety, and fatigue. Lavender relieves stress, curbs headaches, and can improve short term memory. The ylang-ylang promotes relaxation, kills bacteria in the air and has been linked to alleviating depression, making this scent perfect for an afternoon pick me up. And the geranium improves circulation and concentration as blood flows faster to the brain. Love Light Life told us that they are also in the process of creating three new scented candles and we can’t wait to try them. The Wellbeing Candle offers 50 hours of burn time and can be purchased for £32.00 here. So why not get your Mother a gift she’ll truly love, and be sure to check out Love Light Life candles.

Meet Vincent van Gogh in London - Experience a journey through his life

There is always something new and exciting to do in London, and at The Amazing Blog, we're looking forward to seeing the much talked about Meet Vincent van Gogh, which is an immersive art experience that has just made its debut here in London. The interactive exhibition is open now and will be on display until 21 May on London’s South Bank at 99 Upper Ground, London SE1.

Created by experts from the van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the exhibit will take visitors on an experience where they can get up close and personal with large recreations of some of van Gogh’s most famous works, as his original works are too fragile to travel outside of Amsterdam. Guests are encouraged to touch all the installations to get a feel of Van Gogh’s brush strokes and the details of his artwork. Graphics blend seamlessly with projections with audio and lighting that create a multisensory experience. The exhibit facilitates engagement and interactivity, with video effects and lighting and other multi-sensory effects (such as the smell of hay when entering one of his most famous works). See the video link here.

Often referred to as the 'misunderstood genius,' Meet Vincent van Gogh will educate guests on everything there is to know about the famous painter's life, from his upbringing to his struggles with mental illness and poverty later in his life. The exhibit also features interactive stations and beautiful light projections. Previously on tour in Beijing, Barcelona and Seoul the Meet Vincent van Gogh won a Thea Award from the Themed Entertainment Association for Immersive Touring Exhibit in 2017. It shows how modern tools and techniques can transform the way we view and experience the Post-Impressionism movement.

Tickets to the experience include a free audio guide featuring Van Gogh’s voice as he guides visitors through the inspirations and the despair that influenced his life’s works. Tickets for the experience costs from £16.50 ea. and can be purchased ahead of time here. Be sure to check out this interactive experience before it disappears off to Lisbon later this year! Thank you to Pelham Communications for giving us permission to use these photographs - all images are courtesy of Meet Vincent van Gogh.