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Black Sheep Dispensaries: CBD Full Spectrum Supplements

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Have you felt a bit ‘wobbly’ recently? In these uncertain times, we at The Amazing Blog have been searching out natural products to help steady our nerves, take the edge off and generally give us some uninterrupted sleep. As regular readers will know, we’re big fans of CBD (see here) not only for its calming effects but also for its anti-inflammatory and skin-boosting qualities. As we approach Christmas (and the anticipation of a further lockdown in the New Year), we’re just so pleased to introduce you to  Black Sheep Dispensaries and their supplements, which we have to hand!


Black Sheep Dispensaries was founded in 2015 with a vision to provide honest, affordable, organic, natural cannabis products for the consumer. Kimberley Brown and her co-founder have a wealth of knowledge on the cannabis plant which includes a Bachelor of Science Degree whereby a study was made into the link between cannabis and mental health as well as two diplomas in Medical Cannabis. In 2017 Black Sheep Dispensaries officially launched with their product range and over the past few years have developed new products, clothes and accessories. Through personal experience, cannabinoids have been used to treat anxiety which was a contributing driving force to create a company based on a product which had a positive impact upon their life. As the company has developed connections have been made throughout the sporting industry which includes boxing, mixed martial arts, football, basketball, snowboarding, motor cross as well as actors and the general public across a wide span of age groups. The customer base and connections made have further driven Black Sheep Dispensaries to become pioneers within the industry by continuing to grow, develop and provide for every different type of consumer. They are continually completing research and development with a vision to be pioneers within the cannabis industry by bringing new and exciting products to market.  Products currently include edibles, vapes, wax crumbles and balms all of which are made with organic hemp.  Black Sheep Dispensaries uses the whole plant with full spectrum cannabis sativa plant, where it’s extracted using a supercritical CO2 extraction. This gives their products the cannabinoids, terpenoids, flavonoids, Omega-3,6, fatty acids, and amino acids; all of which encourage the entourage effect.

They very kindly sent us three of the products to tryThe 1 ml Whole Plant Cannabis Sativa Extract Syringe 1000mg was a first for us, as we’ve never tried a cannabis sativa extract in a syringe before. Having both CBD and CBDA it offers even more health benefits than your regular CBD. For those new to CBDA (cannabidiolic acid), it’s a raw form or predecessor to CBD. It has been used in many medical trials as an anti-inflammatory, anti-depression and anti-nausea for cancer patients and also deemed effective in medical trials for seizure treatment (see here). Whereas, the CBD present, offers all-round pain relief, anti-anxiety and improved sleep. Recently we learnt that it has antidiabetic and enhanced bone healing properties too! With full-spectrum CBD, terpenoids, flavonoids, omega 3-6-9 fatty acids, and amino acids; this Extract offers you all the goodness that you could want from a CBD supplement. We think this is a great way to take CBD. For novices, we should say that this Extract does have a bit of a ‘kick’ but not in an unpleasant way. It’s quick and easy to take, we put a tiny rice-sized amount onto our finger and then massage into your mouth. This is extremely good value at a mere £10 for 1ml here as with this Extract Syringe, a little goes a long way!  

 We also received the 1000mg CBD & CBDA Oral Dropper in 10ml  which comes as an oil in a black bottle with dropper.  Again, this is made up full-spectrum CBD plant extract together with the CBDA (as discussed above) and diluted with organic hemp seed oil.  It has the strength of 14% which is erring on the low side, so good for the initiating any CBD newbies. The percentages of CBD tend to start around 10% and up to 50% for the most potent. They recommend no more than the maximum dose of 200mg so you might want to go here to see the calculator when taking. See here to purchase the Oral Drops at £35. 

Finally, we have the third product which is their 100mg Full Spectrum CBD Capsules. For those of you wanting to try CBD but not keen on the hempy taste, these will be for you. They have 14mg of CBD per capsule, with a breakdown of 11.7% CBD and 2.5% CBDA with the same 14% of CBD + CBDA as the Oral Dropper. However, here the capsules are combined with organic MCT (coconut oil) in a vegan capsule. To purchase  30 capsules for £35 see here . We agree with Kimberley Brown, the co-founder who said: “We believe cannabinoids play an important role within the body and by introducing daily cannabinoids to your everyday diet and routine you not only treat existing ailments but prevent others from arising.” As they say, prevention is better than cure!

 

 

By Achilles - Blue Jasmine Facial Serum

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Everyone tells us that they have had at some point, either an overly dry or oily complexion. Today at The Amazing Blog we are sharing another of our #Amazingfinds, with a serum made with potent natural and organic ingredients that are specifically designed to relieve and treat all types of skin issues – we think that this Blue Jasmine Facial Serum By Achilles is a bit of a miracle-worker.

The founder of By Achilles is Michelle Zenia Achilles, a certified holistic aesthetician, with expertise in aromatherapy and skincare formulation.  Her interested in beauty started early on, as she formulated her very first skincare elixir while still in school, and this Facial Sunshine Elixir is still sold today. Since then, she has developed a whole skincare collection, with beauty tools, pure oils, and teas. Her recipes are inspired by the treasures that nature has to offer and information about skincare formulations that she has gathered throughout the years. All formulas are handcrafted from her atelier in Copenhagen, with organic, wild-grown, and sustainably sourced ingredients, and lots of positive energy! Because Michelle believes her formulas should only bring good to both the soul and skin, all of her products are created without additives, preservatives, or colourants. A good example is this Blue Jasmine Facial Oil that we’re reviewing today, where the only preservatives used here are willow bark and rosemary oil extract. The beautiful cerulean colour makes the formula unique together with its floral, yet calming, fragrance. If you are wondering where this deep cerulean blue comes from, keep reading on…

If you’re a fan of super-potent formulas that target atopic skin, then you won’t be disappointed with this Blue Jasmine Facial Oil 100% vegan cocktail. Packed with antioxidants, nutrients, and rebalancing ingredients that do an excellent job at locking in moisture and protecting the epidermis while renewing the cell structure by unclogging the pores and stimulating the collagen production at the same time. This oil is a must-have for anyone facing skin disorders whether it be acne, imperfection-prone combination skin, an uber-sensitive skin suffering from eczema, or mature skin in need of a regeneration boost. Today we’re going into a little more detail than usual with this product.

Its all-natural composition is without chemicals and silicones, makes it the perfect formula for any skin that needs rebalancing. The primary carrier oil here is jojoba, which is probably the best natural-based hydration source that exists for oily and acne-prone skins, because of its composition which is close to our skin’s own sebum. The formula also contains multiple other non-comedogenic vegetal oils, like olive squalene – which is the plant version of human skin’s lipid. The other extracted oils from watermelon seeds, shea, kukui, evening primrose, and palmarosa, are all very light, with similar moisturising properties as jojoba. This makes the serum extra-light in texture and super easy for the skin to absorb. Extremely high in oleic and linoleic fatty acidswhich also resemble human sebum, as they trick the skin into thinking that it has produced enough sebum while giving it just the right amount of nutrients to hydrate the epidermis and protect it. These fatty acids and olive squalene which is also a good source of antioxidants, as the molecules act as protection against free radicals that damage the epidermis and make the skin more prone to age faster, leaving scars, dark spots, and fine lines. The palmitoleic and stearic acid from the apricot kernel, andiroba, shea butter, and evening primrose help detoxify the pores and clear the complexion. Not forgetting the super-antioxidant actives like phenols and phytosterols that are found in red berries like the açai berry and pomegranate, and grapeseed, all known for their cell exfoliation and renewal boost. These ingredients not only protect from skin radicals, but they also target the scar tissues to ensure that the scars are correctly formed for healing.

The Blue Jasmine Face Serum has been formulated with essential oil extracts from extra potent plants renowned and used for thousands of years by ancient civilisations for their medicinal and analgesic properties. These include lavender, jasmine, blue tansy, rosemary, geranium, and calendula, which all contain significant doses of powerful antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal properties; making them the perfect ingredients to free your skin from acne, eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. These essential oils are also the perfect ally for atopic skins, as they have the anti-inflammatory action needed to carry out by the other ingredients mentioned earlier (jojoba, shea, palmarosa). The watermelon and evening primrose oil with terpenes like limonene, camphor, a-bisabolol, and chamazulene act on our cannabinoid receptors to help soothe inflammation. You might have noticed the name ‘blue tansy’ (pictured above). This tiny rare flower is indeed the one that provides this beautiful and compelling colour to the formula, along with chamomile, which it is related to. This deep blue colour, which is not originally found in the flower, is obtained during the extraction process when the chamazulene and guaiazulene are released. These are actually exceptionally potent compounds used for treating all sorts of skin issues and redness due to their highly anti-inflammatory action. These essential oils are also a signature of the brand, where their knowledge of medicinal plants and aromatherapy come into play.  

Although on paper, it says it’s the perfect care for combination and imperfection-prone skins with the fatty acids, purifying actives and healing compounds that all balance each other. This also creates the ideal balance of hydration, cell regeneration, and antioxidation, restoring for both oily and dry skin to obtain a ‘normal’ epidermis, while treating and preventing inflammations acne and ageing. This all-encompassing serum, we tried alone and under our regular moisturiser, it is easy to use and gave an excellent hydration boost to the skin – we found it calmed, did its work and left our skin blooming! To purchase the 30ml bottle, see here for £49.93.

 

Essential Drops Bathroom Aromatics - Pomegranate & Lychee

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Do you need to take your bathroom fragrance from drab to fab? Finding a natural scent to put down the loo is something of a rarity. In our search in the office bathroom looking for a product to cover up the delicate issue of ‘nasty smells’ at best, all we could find was some rather unpleasant cheap air freshener that filled the place with fumes, that when you accidentally breathed them in, they almost made us choke! At The Amazing Blog we were thrilled to be given a natural aromatic deodoriser that delivers botanical freshness and neutralised unwanted pongs - leaving the bathroom smelling sweet. We often talk about essential oils; however, this one from Essential Drops Bathroom Aromatics is specifically designed for one purpose – the loo!

Essential Drops Bathroom Aromatics is a British brand that is formulated by Bruce Green who is also known for his skincare brand SOS Serum Skincare which we have reviewed here. Green specialises in skincare and is a chartered scientist, a chartered chemist, and a fellow of The Royal Society of Chemistry. He is a man with great expertise and has contributed to the formulations of many cosmetic brands in the UK & North America, and he also sits on several EU advisory committees. This brand is his first foray into the world of bathroom fragrance. These Essential Drops are excellent for eliminating unwanted and unpleasant smells, helping to maintain a fresh sweet fragranced bathroom by only using natural essential oils. This means that there are no artificial ingredients, they’re cruelty-free, vegan and locally produced. By sourcing their ingredients from reputable local suppliers, they can deliver high-quality products every time. We also like that their glass bottles are recyclable. They currently have a range of three different scent combinations: Grapefruit & Kumquat, Ginger & Black Pepper and Pomegranate & Lychee (which we are featuring today). 

The Pomegranate & Lychee comes in a frosted recyclable 50 ml glass bottle with a pipette top. Each bottle can last around 50-100 uses depending on the frequency and amount you useYou can either drop one full pipette or 3-4 drops directly from the bottle into the bowl before or after flushing. If you want to make your bathroom smell more like an at-home spa, you could use the Essential Drops in both your loo and hand basin, bringing an uplifting fragrance to the entire room. These drops create an almost like a film-like surface (which flushes away) allowing the water to trap the unpleasant odours whilst releasing the good ones! We love that there are only three ingredients here in total, with the essential fruit oils of pomegranate and lychee in a grapeseed oil base. To get rid of those lingering bathroom whiffs and start your lockdown spa day at home, purchase your Essential Drops Bathroom Aromatics in Pomegranate & Lychee here for £18.00 or £50 for the full collection of all three here.

 

Byre Bodycare: Skimmed, Semi-Skimmed & Full Cream Body Washes

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It’s nearly the end of summer… and now the time for us at The Amazing Blog to look for pampering body products in preparation to help protect and hydrate our skin. We were curious to try a set of natural, milk-based body washes from Byre Bodycare. These are not only gentle on the body but also good for the environment with their recyclable bottles and tops.

The CEO Alicia Chivers and MD Quentin Higham of Byre Bodycare believe in supporting British farming as a vital industry, especially at this time of Covid19 and Brexit. After all, farm produce is at the heart of most of the food that we find on our table, which is why this brand values every single component from dairy farming, in particular, the whey. This is considered to be a waste product in the dairy industry with an annual waste of 870,000 tonnes as a by-product of milk and cheese production. Byre has taken this byproduct of whey to use as a key ingredient in their trio of luxury Byre Body Washes, which also contains 96% of naturally derived ingredients. We were impressed to learn that Byrne Bodycare supports the  Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution by donating a percentage from their annual sales to help supports farming families in adversity, which is why we’re delighted to talk about their natural range of bodycare today. 

There are currently three Body Washes in the range – just like milk they come in Skimmed, Semi-Skimmed and Full Cream. They are natural and all free from parabens, silicones, synthetic colours and mineral oils. They are very sensibly priced at a very reasonable £5 each.  Let’s start with the Byre Body Wash Skimmed, they say this is light, airy and creamy, and we couldn’t agree more. With its fruity fragrance, the sweet whey protein powder here contains collagen and amino acids which help maintain the skin’s elasticity and firmness. It is an antioxidant protecting against free radicals and helping to delay the signs of ageing. Whey protein also slows down the degeneration of muscles and also considered as a deep cleanser. It holds antibacterial properties that help in fighting acne and will restore the pH balance. This body wash is enriched with aloe vera known for being an excellent moisturiser and a fast wound healer. Also rich in vitamin A and C and these help to hydrate dry skin. The blend also includes poppy seed oil, a deep moisturiser that also reduces any inflammation. This natural body wash will condition and nurture the skin, leaving it feeling velvety and smooth. The second product in this range is the Byre Body Wash Semi-Skimmed which is smooth and whipped, slightly creamier than the Skimmed, with what we think is a meadowsweet/ floral fragrance. Alongside the whey powder, it contains aloe vera and vitamin E which will protect you from UV sun damage, calm and hydrate the skin. The poppy seed oil is beneficial for people suffering from skin ailments such as inflammation, eczema, prickly skin. Whereas vitamin C will even out skin tone and get rid of dark spots. This Semi-Skimmed Body Wash will stimulate your skin’s healing process keeping it smooth and rid it of rashes thanks to the richness of vitamin B5 and B6.  Just like they say, we are saving the best for last. The third product in this range won a silver medal in the 2020 Global Makeup Awards with their Byre Body Wash Full Cream. This is a rich, thick and creamy body wash and smells divine with its buttery vanilla fragrance. The key ingredients here are the nourishing sweet whey powder, aloe vera and poppy seed oil and oatmeal extract. The latter has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that will help treat dry skin and get rid of dead skin cells. It contains a natural component called saponins which makes the oatmeal a deep cleanser. Some customers have testified to it being a great product to use if you have skin conditions such as eczema or atopic dermatitis. We were impressed with how hydrating these all are and will certainly be buying more! You can find the trio of Byre Body Washes here for £5 each for 250ml  

Vedic Essentials: GoodNight Food Supplement

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Here is a question for you; how are you sleeping at the moment? With the global pandemic 2020 has been a year of uncertainly and we’re all feeling very sleep-challenged! Because we value our beauty sleep, here at The Amazing Blog, we’ve been searching for calm amongst the chaos and trying out a new remedy, meet Vedic Essential with their GoodNight Food Supplement.

Vedic Essentials is a new brand established in 2019 here in the UK, with their main focus around the ancient practice of Ayurvedic medicine, which has been used for over 3000 years in IndiaVedic Essentials continue this Ayurvedic legacy but with a bit of a twist, as they infuse it with modern science too. They believe that ‘without health, nothing else matters’ and instead of letting someone else take control of your well-being, it metaphorically speaking puts you behind the wheel with their supplements. They specialise in producing high-quality supplements and remedies, and unlike modern medicine, they focus on the body’s power to heal itself using natural ingredients and herbs. In the practice of this Ayurveda, there is order and disorder in nature and the body. Therefore, good health is considered as order, and a disease is a disorder. Thus, to help maintain this balance in the body, Ayurveda focuses on the mind, body and consciousness to get them to work in harmony to maintain a balance. 

We were excited to receive their GoodNight Food Supplement that we are going to be talking about today, which we subsequently learned have been flying off the shelves! These capsules have a blend of six key natural ingredients. First, we have chamomile known for its ability to reduce anxiety and stress, therefore promoting better sleep. Chamomile has long been recognised for its calming properties. Then there is soothing blend in the ashwagandha one of the most important herbs in Ayurveda, apart from helping the body manage stress and anxiety, it is probably best known for fighting insomnia and stimulating the brain against depression. The reishi mushroom here is to boost the immune function and help with fatigue. Schisandra berry is proven to reduce cortisol levels in the body (the stress hormone) and is effective in controlling changes in serotonin and adrenaline providing you with a goodnight's sleep. The fifth element in this blend is the Maca which will improve your mental well-being and mood, and finally, there is Hops extract, which promotes a better sleep cycle. Besides these six key ingredients, this GoodNight supplement is rich in 5-HTP derived from griffonia, which has been proven to increase the feel-good hormone serotonin and is a naturally occurring amino acid that induces a calming effect on the brain. There’s magnesium, known for its ability to relax the mind and contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Last but not least, it contains vitamin B6, which helps in maintaining a positive and relaxed mood

We took one capsule in between supper and bedtime, the effect was gradual where it took about three or four days to kick in and have an optimum effect, quietening the mind and offering a better quality of sleep. We’d recommend these as an excellent aid to help the body and mind regulate and rebalancing itself, this GoodNight Food Supplement is suitable for vegans are gluten-free and non-GMO, and you can find them here for £17.99.