allergy and free from show

14 July 2016

The Allergy & Free From Show 2016 Love Natural, Love You & Just V Shows
Another year has past and I find myself writing my 5th post about these 3 shows - The Allergy & Free From Show, Love Natural, Love You & Just V. I had a few twitter messages asking me for my highlights and for me it's actually the Free From Skincare Awards presentation which takes place on Friday.

Thanks to Alex and Michelle for springing on me the task of collecting a few awards for brands who couldn't make the show. I ended up having my picture taken with the lovely Janey Lee Grace no less than four times! I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate some of my personal favourites on their awards; well done to Balmology, Lyonsleaf, Myroo, Bathing Beauty, Beeutiful and Terri Verdi. If you'd like to see the full list of Gold, Silver and Bronze winners then visit www.skinsmatter.com.

allergy & free from show 2016 milk free, egg free, vegan
Food glorious food is my priority at the shows and there is always so much to see. My allergy dietary needs are milk and egg free plus I am vegetarian. There is a strong gluten free presence each year but I'm seeing a little more attention to other allergies. For instance Wellaby's have launched Simply Bakes which are Vegan (manufacturing warning for may contain trace milk) which I welcome as their other products are not suitable for me. I think my favourite dairy free chocolate find was courtesy of Hephzibah spotting Loving Earth (available at planetorganic.com). Wonderfully creamy and some stand out flavours which I think made them a little different to other brands. I also enjoyed the new Perkier Coconut & Chia Bar and hope to see those on supermarket shelves soon. I'm a creature of habit and once again came home with a box full of Nakd bars and a cool bag of Pudology. I was very excited to be reunited with Ruby's who I discovered back in 2014. I had to indulged in a vegan cinnamon doughnut and pistachio cupcake. 

love natural love you show 2016 sugarpuffish jens green skincare good for me good for you
Similar to past years there is always a small selection of natural skincare brands. This year I found a few new to me brands (Pinwheel Balms, Neek Skin Organics Australia) and some familiar ones (Little Ondine, Green People, Saaf, Hippy Paste, The Green Woman, Living Naturally).

One final shout out to Jen and Hephzibah for keeping me company, we finished off the day with a Wagamamas, always our go to restaurant. I had a great day out and look forward to next year.

Did you attend the shows? Any highlights and product recommendations?

Sarah x

P.S Awards winners Beeutiful and Terri Verdi are attending our event Gorgeously Green so make sure buy a ticket to find out more about them.

17 September 2015

allergies intolerance bad advice gluten free dairy free
This week I read an article on Femme Intemporelle which caused me great concern. I was deeply saddened by the post titled "Living with Food Allergies: How to make it easier on yourself." When I was told over twitter that the article would not be changed and it was written and edited by people with intolerances/allergies, I was left scratching my head. 

19 July 2015

Review Moral Fibre handmade bites 100% natural, gluten & dairy free


Moral Fibre have already got a couple of mentions on the blog as I bought some of their snacks at the Allergy & Free From Show. I had spotted them a while back in a local store but the flavours I wanted to try were out of stock. I was excited to sample at the show and I’ve actually bought more since my visit.

7 July 2015

Sugarpuffish Free From Blogger Visiting The Allergy & Free From Show, London 2015
I guess this is Part two to my weekend, with the Free From Skincare Awards winners announcement being the first installment. Every year the Allergy & Free From Show is top of my agenda. I pretty much empty out my bank account and hit up my favourite brands for show bargains and hopefully discover a few new ones along the way. 

Lets start with old favourites. I stocked up on Pudology's dairy free puds and coconut yoghurt, Nakd Bakewell Tart bars and Ms Cupcakes. Said hello to Cocoa Libre, Amy's Kitchen, Fry's Food, Everything But The Cow, Rebel Kitchen, Smooze, Violife and I caught up with skincare brands Bloom Remedies, Bathing Beauty, Mount Purious, Nom Nom, Saaf, Soothe-Me, Greenfrog, Speiza, Bria and Itha.

I did discover some new to me free from foods which is always exciting and what I enjoy most from the show. I finally managed to get my hands on the legendary Vegan Marshmallows & Round Ups (Wagon Wheels) from Ananda. I enjoyed sampling chocolate Nana Nice Cream, a dairy free frozen desert made from banana, avocados and dates (plus a few other healthy ingredients). Sensitive Souls has an impressive free from list (gluten, nut, dairy, egg, wheat, soya, sulphite & vegan) and when someone can sell me a tasty egg free brownie and vegan rocky road they have a customer for life. I also stocked up on Moral Fibre snack pots which are gluten and dairy free and more importantly delicious. A thank you to Marie of Bloom Remedies for recommending I sample Dee's Wholefoods Vegan sausages, yummy, I need to locate a stockist for those. Coconut chips seem to be the new trend in snacking and I am loving the ones from Inspiral and Coconut Merchant.

Now I am always positive about the show but I do feel there are areas which could be improved upon. Even though you can fill your belly on free samples it is nice to sit down and have a sandwich or meal. Sadly, the cafes at the venue seem to lack the ability to provide a decent feed which is ironic given that this is the Allergy Show. In the end Vegan Sweet Tooth London came to my rescue with a big slice of pizza bread. Browsing through the show booklet I now see "Free From Cafe" on the map.....um! Why did I not know this? Why is that not promoted better? Could it have made a difference in my experience? I shall know for next year.

I guess the other disappoint is seeing brands, which in my opinion are "greenwashed", sneak into the Love Natural Love Organic show. I guess organisers are looking to sell stands so they probably are not as fussy as I am. I do find it frustrating to see Arbonne and Forever Living alongside amazing natural brands that enter the Free From Skincare Awards.

The show is also a great opportunity to catch up with people I've come to know on Twitter or through my blog. I spent my day with Jen (Jen's Green Skincare), Rachael (Myroo) and Hephzibah (Good For Me, Good For You). Thank you to everyone who said hello to me. A big shout out to the amazing Hailey of Allergy Adventures who gives the best free from hugs and high five for her amazing work helping children understand allergies. 

Did you attend the show this year? Did you have fun and find some new brands?

Sarah x

26 March 2015

The Allergy & Free From Show and Love Natural Love Organic 2015

As you know every year I visit the Allergy & Free From Show and its newer sister show Love Natural Love Organic. Once again I've been given the opportunity to offer my readers Free Tickets. You can download tickets from their website - www.allergyshow.co.uk

25 January 2015


FreeFrom Skincare Award Winners 2014 FFSA
You all know I am a supporter of the FreeFrom Skincare Awards and I am always excited to spread the word. If you are a brand with 'free from' products which you think could be a winner, this year entries open up on 2nd February. Details of categories, rules, entry criteria, sponsorship, publicity and previous years’ winners can be located at www.freefromskincareawards.co.uk

The Awards seek out products with strong natural qualities, formulated for skin health, or which are suitable for people with skin or other sensitivities and allergies. They reward beneficial ingredients, the absence of undesirable ingredients, and clear, accurate labelling. This year there are thirteen categories, including a new ‘Fresh and Fragrant’ category for fragrances, personal hygiene and oral care. Returning categories include Family Skincare (sponsored by longstanding supporters NATorigin), Men’s Grooming, Hair Care, Oils and Serums, and the ever-popular Problem Skin.

“We’re particularly excited about the new ‘Fresh and Fragrant’ category, because it means many companies specialising only in perfumes and scents, toothpastes and mouthwashes, and feminine hygiene will be able to enter the Awards for the first time,” says Alex Gazzola, the Awards co-ordinator.

There has been a slight change to the judging format. Beauty Bible testing of all entered products takes place until April. Final judging sessions are in May, with the presentations to the winners taking place at the Love Natural Love Organic Show at Olympia on 3rd July.

I have a cupboard full of brands that should be entering these awards so what are you waiting for?

Sarah x

6 July 2014

The Allergy & Free From Show 2014
I was so wrapped up with skincare that I almost forgot about the food side of the show, that has got to be a first for me. I stocked up on my favourite treats - Nakd, Rebel Kitchen and Ten Acre. I was a little disheartened to not find more 'new to me' treats but that may have been because my attention was distracted. Here is what I did discover -

Rubys of London - a Vegan Patisserie also specialising in wheat, gluten and sugar free. I found this stand late in the day and most of the stock was gone. I bought a Raspberry Coconut cupcake and it was divine (pictured above). If you live in London get yourself down to Greenwich Market.

Nizami Foods - when I was greeted with a warm smile and a plate of delicious samples, I immediately wanted to know some more about this company. Nizami have a range of sauces, chutneys and pickles described as “world cuisine with an Indian twist” I bought three bottles of their Romesco Sauce which is vegetarian, gluten, wheat and dairy free and no artificial ingredients

Freego - an online 'supermarket' for gluten free products but I was informed they offered many products catering for other allergies/intolerances.

Mr Sugarpuffish’s taste buds were tingling for chocolate, every time I turned around he was tucking into samples. I asked him which ones stood out and his vote goes to Pana Chocolate (vegan, gluten, dairy & soy free) and Cocolo (fairtrade & “may contain milk” warning for the dark chocolates).

For me, the Allergy Show will always be a great day out because it fits my lifestyle and ethos. I am always looking forward to the next one as soon as I get home.

Sarah x

12 March 2014

Free From Skincare Awards & The Allergy & Free From Show 2014
Picture taken by me at The Allergy & Free From Show 2013 - click here to view blog post

Lets talk about the Free From Skincare Awards and The Allergy & Free From Show because my inbox is full to the brim with press releases about them. You know I love to brag about being a judge for last year Free From Skincare Awards. I was excited to hear that entries for this years awards have increased. Apparently a record number of products have been submitted, over 260 from 100+ brands. Who said natural and free from skincare was hard to find?

“The quality and breadth of this year’s entries has taken us all by surprise,” says Alex Gazzola, the FreeFrom Skincare Awards Co-ordinator, “and over half the brands are first-time entrants. Both the standard and volume demonstrate just how fast the ‘free from’ and natural skincare sector is growing and improving.”

The presentation of the winners of the Awards, which are sponsored by NATorigin and Spiezia, will take place at the Allergy & Free From Show in Olympia on the afternoon of the 4th July. The Allergy & Free From Show is no longer a standard alone event. It is run alongside V Delicious and this year the new Love Natural, Love Organic show. Basically, everything I blog about in one room - skincare, vegan/vegetarian food, allergies/intolerances and free from food. Now you can understand why I get so excited about it. Everyone makes fun of my old lady trolley that I take with me to the show but it's always full to bursting come the end of the day. Most the time you can get your hands on the items which you have been begging supermarkets and local stores to stock.

If you would like to visit the show in London (4-6 July 2014), FREE tickets can be downloaded via the following link. No catch to this and it's not an affiliated link.

Sarah x

21 January 2014


ilumi Dairy, Gluten & Nut Free Ready Meals

UPDATE - ilumi contacted me via Twitter to say they control for 14 allergens. I pointed out that this information needed to be clearer on the website as they only appear (from my viewpoint) to promote GF, DF & NF

UPDATE 29.01.16 - it has come to light that ilumi will no longer guarantee free from nuts. Please consult with them if you have concerns.

Ilumi are expanding their product range and they contacted me, asking if I would like to try the Lentil Dahl. I ended up receiving several products which included Spicy Butternut Squash Soup, Vegetable & Chickpea Jalfrezi and Spanish Style Rice & Vegetables.

I discovered ilumi at the Allergy & Free From Show 2013. They offer a range of convenience meals guaranteeing to be free of nut, gluten & milk. If you have other allergies, do not dismiss them entirely because you maybe in luck. The search function at the top of the shopping page allows you to filter the range of foods based on what you want to exclude. You can also narrow by vegetarian or vegan.

Reviewing foods is difficult because personal taste is involved, what I like you may dislike and vice versa. Out of the products I received the Butternut Squash Soup was my favourite. Vegan/dairy free soup is very difficult to track down at the supermarket, until Amy's Kitchen arrived I was making my own soup. Nothing wrong with that but sometimes I lack time or space in the freezer and I like to keep tinned soup in the cupboard for rainy days. I shy away from spicy food so I did worry the soup may not be to my liking but I found the chilli content to be mild and palatable. The soup had a nice consistency, not too thin, not too thick. It looked and tasted natural and fresh. 

When it comes to ready meals, I regularly buy Amy's Kitchen products, (Red Thai Curry & Vegetable Korma) from my local shop. I tend to favour curries which are mild, sweet and fruity so I'm not surprised that I found the Vegetable & Chickpea Jalfrezi and Lentil Dahl palatable but not tantalising to my taste buds. I wouldn't be inclined to purchase these for myself.

This is the second time I've tried the Spanish Rice as I was given a sample at the Allergy show. I have to be honest, I am not the biggest fan. I find it too sloppy and would rather it be a little drier and more along the lines of paella or risotto, just a little less sauce. I also find that paprika is the stand out flavour on my taste buds, not a bad thing but seems to overwhelm the other ingredients.


ilumi Dairy, Gluten & Nut Free Ready Meals

I commend ilumi for tackling an area of the free from market which has been lacking for many years. Putting ingredients on the front of the packaging is innovative and I wish more free from companies did this. I can not make up my mind whether I would order from ilumi because I do find the Vegetarian/Vegan range limited. I also have allergies which are outside the top 8 so this limits my choices even more. From where I'm sitting I think ilumi heavily promote towards the gluten free market. I feel Coeliacs are their target audience rather than me, the Vegetarian with every allergy but Gluten. I think if ilumi expanded their veggie soup range I would be more inclined to order because that is where the supermarkets let me down. During the colder weather I feel there is a place for ilumi in my lunchbox when I'm up for braving the scummy microwave at work. I can also see this as a handy option for camping or self catering holidays as the pouches have a long shelf life and do not require refrigeration. 

Prices are reasonable, the products I tasted are between £1.50 to £2.75 each and currently UK delivery is Free. Meals are 100% natural and do not contain any preservatives, additives, fillers, flavourings or sweeteners. Have you tried ilumi? What did you think of the products and range?

Sarah x
Disclaimer - PR Samples, 100% my own opinions, links are not affiliated

9 January 2014

Eating Out with Allergies and Intolerances
You all know that I follow the Free From Food and Free From Skincare Awards. I am certainly very interested in the recent addition of The FreeFrom Eating Out Awards. Back in September I wrote about changes being made to how food allergens are labelled on products. The new requirements come into force this year, in December. Along with how packets are labelled it also effects the information given to us when dining out. The new regulations allow allergen information to be provided orally by wait staff. This concerns me a great deal.
I enjoy eating out but it can be a little daunting when you have allergies/intolerances. There are many restaurants who do a good job at providing information and others that fall short. I stick to the same restaurants where I have gained knowledge of the food on offer or they provide separate detailed allergy menus. For me, Wagamamas is a shining example of how it should be done. Yes, they are not 100% perfect and I've encountered some hiccups but wait staff always seem attentive and assist with difficulties or mistakes. However, I have come to noticed that it does depend on what allergy/intolerances you have or maybe the branch you visit. I remember my Twitter timeline singing the praises of Nandos, Zizzi and Pizza Express but they were Coeliacs. I've had terrible experiences in all of these restaurants and will not go back. I know Italian food traditionally contains egg and dairy but I manage to not starve when I visited Rome. I ate my own body weight in dairy free gelato and no one questioned me when I ordered cheese free pizza. I can order from Papa Johns without a fuss but how come when I'm in Zizzi and Pizza Express wait staff look at me like I just asked them to poop in my shoes.

A recent email grabbed my attention and I wanted to share the findings of a survey conducted by the Freefrom Eating Out Awards team at the Allergy and Free From show in Liverpool in October. According to the survey, only 17% felt that asking their wait-person or the front of house staff about allergens would be a safe and reliable way to go. 54% thought that talking to the chef was the safest option although many of those (45%) also wanted to see a written list of ingredients for each dish, or to be provided with an ‘allergen-free’ menu. I have to agree. Whilst I don't feel the need to speak to a Chef, I do want to see an allergen menu as I would like to take responsibility for ordering and not be reliant on second hand information. Also, if you are in a noisy and busy restaurant, it allows me time to select my meal without a fuss, especially if a number of items on the menu take my fancy.

Other findings from the survey were -

Asked how often they ate out:
19% ate out twice a week and 18% only ate out once a week
25% ate out twice a month and 19% only ate out once a month
(A Survey of eating habits in London conducted for the Zagat Restaurant Guides in September 2013 showed that, in the London area at least, people now eat out, on average, four times a week)

Asked why don’t they eat out more?
67% said there was not enough choice to make it worth their while eating out.
53% said that they did not trust most restaurants to understand their allergies or special dietary needs
44% said it ‘was too much hassle’
16% said that they did not like ‘to feel different’

Asked which were the best and the worst places to eat if you have an allergy or coeliac disease: 
Best were fine dining restaurants and family run restaurants, scoring 3-5/5
Worst were sandwich bars and Indonesian and Indian restaurants, scoring 1-2/5.

Asked what precautions they took to ensure that they get safe food:
53% phoned in advance to discuss their needs
50% asked to speak to the chef on arrival
(32% both phoned in advance and asked to speak to the chef when they arrived.). However, the largest number, 75%, whether or not they had phoned in advance and/or spoken to the chef, just chose to stick to simplest menus anyhow.

Of those who filled in the survey: 46% had coeliac disease, 20% suffered from wheat allergy/intolerance, 14% suffered from dairy/cow's milk allergy/intolerance, 20% suffered from a range of other allergies/intolerances

I would be very interested to hear if you agree or disagree with the findings of this survey. What would your answers have been to the questions? Do you have good or bad experiences when dining out with your allergies/ intolerances? Do you have a favourite restaurant/cafe that caters to your needs?

Sarah x

15 November 2013

Natural Skincare Christmas Gift Guide 2013

This year I've chosen gifts from companies I have featured on the blog and the majority I have reviewed. 

Chilly B soaps always look beautifully presented. There are several fragrance and gift wrapping options, Chocolate Orange is displayed above.

Blue Labelle quickly became a favourite for me this year. I've selected one of the Try Me kits as I think that would make a good gift. Pop it into a small bag with some tissue paper and I'd be happy to find this under the tree.

I really enjoyed the Lavender Bath Creamers from Natural Bubbles so felt they were a nice little stocking filler option. You can buy from I Choose What I Use.

I think any product from Bathing Beauty would make a lovely gift but the Dilly Dilly, Little Bag Of Tranquility is particularly appealing. It contains soap, body oil and bath milk for sensitive skin.

I really enjoyed trying Marble & Milkweed balms and you can pick up a set of products from abeautifulworld.co.uk 

B Skincare have a nice selection of themed gift sets. I picked out the Dog Walking set which contains peppermint foot cream and muscle & joint cream.

I didn't want to forget men when creating this gift guide so I've included a few options. The brands I mention also cater for us ladies. Bloom Remedies has a wide variety of gift ideas and I picked out the Gentleman's Grooming Shower Set. Ville de Fleurs is a quirky brand and The Pampered Kit for Dishy Daddy contains moisturiser, shaving spritz and lip balm. Lastly, I selected Quintessentially English Buff Gentleman's Wash Kit purely on the fabulous packaging but I am sure the products are very nice.

Sarah x

9 June 2013

The Allergy & Free From Show 2013
It's my favourite time of the year, no not summer, I am talking about The Allergy & Free From ShowAs a consumer with allergies it is a great opportunity to discover newly launched products plus stock up on favourites which are not easy for me to get a hold of. This year a section of the show was dedicated to Vegetarian and Vegan produce (Vdelicious). Unfortunately, I noticed once again it attracts some negativity. People think the dividing line should have been clearer or in fact held in a different hall. As a non meat eater with milk and egg allergy, I have an interest in Vegan products. It would seem that many people with more complex allergies obviously find it not a suitable diet option. I think it's impossible to decide what should or should not be present at the show. Those tissues they hand out at the door, I'm allergic to those! I have to say I did find the show dominated by the Gluten Free market. That comes as no surprise to me since there is definitely a trend making it a 'fashionable' diet, but that's a debate for another day. Dairy free seems widely available but as always egg free is harder to find. When it comes to egg free you have to ask the question. I've complain before on my blog how companies do not prominently display they are egg free, ilumi were guilty of this amongst others.

Here's my haul from the show. I was also on the hunt for products for my sister who is Coeliac.     

                                                                                  
Beauty Products
Essential Care Gentle Herb Shampoo*
Fresh Therapies Nail Polish Remover
Bathing Beauty*

Free From Food**
Nakd - Gluten, Wheat & Dairy Free
Clive Pies - I buy the Vegan varieties, they are also Gluten Free
 Freedom Mallows - Vegetarian (Gelatine Free), Dairy Free, Nut Free
Dell'Ugo Fresh Penne Pasta - Gluten free, Egg free, Vegan
Smooze Ice Lollies - Dairy free, Gluten Free
Frank Honest Snacking - Nut Free, Gluten Free & Dairy Free
B Free Wraps - Gluten & Wheat Free, Nut Free, Egg Free, Dairy Free
Venice Bakery Pizza Bases - Gluten Free & Vegan
ilumi - limited Vegetarian choices but Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free

Aside from Bathing Beauty I did not discover any new beauty brands, most of them I am already familiar with. To be honest my main focus for the day was on the food, typical me always thinking about where my next meal is coming from.

Did you visit the show? Anything from my haul catch your attention? Let me know in the comment section below.

Sarah x

*PR Samples
** Please check with companies for specific allergy advice to ensure suitability for your diet.
I am referring to the products I purchased which are pictured above.
                                                

31 January 2013

2013 Free From Skincare Awards
The Free From Skincare Awards 2013 is something which I am keen to support. I did cover the 2012 awards 
as they run alongside The Allergy & Free From Show.

These awards are important to people like me. They bring about awareness that consumers have concerns for the ingredients in their personal care products. It's not just about avoiding the synthetic ingredients, there are major allergens to consider. This year the awards have twelve categories including Babies, Kids, Teens & Mums-to-be, Men’s Grooming, Make up & Nail Care, Problem Skin and an award for Best Free From Skincare brand.

If you make free from products and would like to enter you need to hurry as the deadline is 15th February 2013. The Awards are run in association with The Green Beauty Bible, The Allergy & FreeFrom Show and Janey Lee Grace. For more information visit www.freefromskincareaward.co.uk.

If you are interested in attending The Allergy & Free From Show, it is being held at Olympia, London from 7-9 June 2013. Free tickets are available, no catches or affiliation, this is how I obtain my tickets for the show.

Sarah 

5 August 2012

Remember Free From food was magically appearing in the fridge? Well, my Boyfriend took me to his secret supplier.  Turns out it was an independent health food shop hidden down a side street in a town I visit regularly. Let me tell you this little place is an Aladdin's cave of treats. I spent the whole time says "oh look they have this and I've been looking for that for ages".
Sunday Catch Up - Daymer Bay Ice Tea & Lucy's Biscuits
I brought Sojade Pineapple dairy free yoghurt, Amaizin Organic Paprika Corn Chips, CoYo dairy free pineapple yoghurt, Taifun Rosso Tofu, Lucy's Cinnamon Thin biscuits and Daymer Bay Mango Ice Tea.

I have mixed reviews on these products. Lucy's cinnamon thins were amazing and I have never had free from biscuits which compare so well to the real thing. Big massive thumbs up from me. The Paprika corn chips were nice, it's always good to find flavoured crisps without dairy.  Daymer Bay ice tea was delicious best one I have tasted in a long time. I always think the Americans make ice tea better than us but this was perfect for me. The Sojade yoghurt was not to my liking. Very poor taste, in fact rather strange. I always buy these things and ask myself why do I stray from Alpro, you cannot beat them on taste. 
The big disappointment came from CoYo. I had been searching for this product for months after finding it on Twitter. Dairy free yoghurt is a daily staple. To combine that with my all time favourite food coconut is very exciting in my world.  Imagine my shock when I opened the pot to see small spots of mould on the lid.  I tweeted about this and I received the following email from the Director.

I received your tweet today and I wish you had come to me direct. I am very sorry you have experienced this and if I know where you bought the product, flavour and date on the product I can look into this. We some times have sporadic cases where the product has this issue and this can be down to many things, it is a natural product, we add no preservatives and with the time of year the environment can play a part. The other thing is the chain of refrigeration. We recommend the product be stored below 4 degrees, some shops have open refrigeration units that are running at over 8 degrees, therefore making a perfect temperature for moulds to grow. I am sorry you have experienced this and if you have not tried us before I don’t want you to be left with a bad impression and would like to send you some fresh CO YO to review.

It is a shame that CoYo stockists are the cause of this problem. This product does not come cheap so I was rather annoyed that I had to throw it away. I also decided not to accept further products for review.

Natural Wisdom
Natural Wisdom is back in business so go check out the website . At the moment when you register you will receive £5 off your first order.  Maeve has also set up a reward scheme to use toward future purchases. I ordered the Rosehip & Pomegranate Antioxidant Cream Cleanser in Natural Unscented (there are four fragrance options). The entire range is free from synthetic ingredients and 100% natural.

Sarah x

17 July 2012

Sophyto Tocotrienol Super Skin Concentrate
My goodie bag from The Allergy & Free From Show contained a sample of Sophyto Tocotrienol Super Skin Concentrate. It is a brand I had seen on websites stocking natural products and I follow them on Twitter. Those of you who are Coeliac will be interested to know that Sophyto is the first professional skincare line to be certified gluten free. Products are also organic, cruelty free, vegan and free from synthetic ingredients.

The Tocotrienol Super Skin Concentrate is luxurious oil full of anti-aging goodness. Now I know some people don't like copying and pasting from websites but I be damned if I was going to try and regurgitate this blurb to you.

“Enriched with Tocotrienols (one of Vitamin E’s many components) this Super Skin Concentrate effectively prevents sun damage to the skin by delivering a visibly more radiant, healthier looking complexion. Tocotrienols are about 30-50 times more potent than Tocopherols as antioxidants with demonstrated anti-aging performance and research in the Journal of Nutrition in 2001 showed that Tocotrienols are the kingpins in anti-aging skin care”. 

Sophyto Tocotrienol Super Skin Concentrate
I cannot say whether this will improve wrinkles but I think it does deliver a radiant complexion. Sophyto suggest this product can be used day and night on cleansed skin. I have been using a couple of drops as an overnight treatment when my skin feels dry and in need of a boost. It absorbs into skin easily without heavy greasy residue.

Now this is a quality product so it commands a price tag to match. For those of you that cannot afford this do not let it put you off checking out the rest of the range of cleansers, toner and moisturisers which may be suitable for your price point. There are a handful of UK websites that sell the Sophyto.  

Sarah x

24 June 2012

It has been a bit quiet this week only a few discoveries and no major purchases to report. Silly things have happened this week like the lawn mower broke and I think some bees have moved into the roof.  I rent so I am waiting for my landlord to remedy these problems.

As mentioned before last weekend was a girlie one to help celebrate a friend's birthday.  We all had pamper treatments. I opted for a Aromatherapy Associates Rose Hydrating Foot Treatment. This involved my feet being scrubbed and polished in various rose, geranium and lavender products from the Aromatherapy Associates range.  It was lovely and I highly recommend my feet are as good as new.
Here are some free from foods that I have been happy to discover this weekend. Propercorn gourmet popcorn sweet & salty & fiery worcester sauce & sundried tomato, Provamel Cherry Soya Yoghurts (Provamel is the name used for the Organic range from Alpro), Taifun Japanese Style Tofu Filets, Pipers Crisps in Biggleswade Sweet Chilli, Moo Free mini moos Hunny-Comb bars, Booja Booja Raspberry Chocolate Truffles. Cauldron Moroccan Kievs, Amy's Kitchen Medium Chilli, Tesco Cereal Topper (raisin & cinnamon apple, trail mix, tropical mix, Kara Chocolate Coconut Milk, Humdinger dairy free white chocolate buttons.

Sarah x

22 May 2012

Winners of the Free From Skincare Awards 2012
(not sponsored, from press release)

I mentioned the Free From Skincare Awards in my post about the Allergy & Free From Show. The awards launched this year and are run by Michelle Berriedale-Johnson editor of FoodsMatter.com and Alex Gazzola, deputy editor of SkinsMatter.com and a health writer specialising in allergies. The idea behind the awards is to encourage and reward manufacturers of free from skincare.

Q Silica Remove Make up and Grime Cleansing Gel was announced as the Best Free From Skincare Product 2012.  This is a brand I am not familiar with so I am keen to learn more about this product.  I am delighted to hear that Q Silica is an Australian brand, we all know how much I adore skincare from Down Under.  Q Sillica products are not tested on animals and free from parabens, sulphates, petrochemicals and synthetic additives. 

Category Winners 

Body Care and Hair Care Products
Gold award - Spiezia Calendula Ointment
Silver award - Barefoot SOS Face and Body Rescue Cream & Salcura DermaSpray  
Bronze award - Gentle Green Ecz-tend Soothing Cream, Miessence Organic Foaming Hand Soap & Salcura Zeoderm Skin Repair Moisturiser 

Make up
Gold award - Fresh Therapies Eden Natural Nail Polish Remover 
Silver award - Essential Care Eye/Lip Liner 
Bronze award - Bellapierre Mineral Eye Shadow 

Face care Products  
Gold award - Q Silica Remove Make up and Grime Cleansing Gel
Silver award - Antipodes Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream & Faith in Nature Intensive Moisturising Cream 
Bronze award - Borealis Organic Skincare Calendula Daily Defence Cream, Inlight Ecz Easy Calendula and Plantago Soothing Balm, Salcura Antiac Acne Clearing Spray & Sukin Moisture Restoring Night Cream

I am pleased to see some of my favourite skincare brands winning an award. I have reviewed products from Barefoot SOSSalcura,  Borealis  and  InlightWhen people ask me for product recommendations for eczema I always tell them to start with Barefoot SOS and Salcura. Other brands on the winner list are familiar to me – Antipodes, Faith In Nature, Sukin, Gentle Green, Missence and Spieza.  

Congratulations to all the award winners. I am pleased that Free From Skincare is finally getting the recognition it deserves and I look forward to trying your products for myself.

Sarah x

20 May 2012


The Allergy & Free From Show 2012
Yesterday I caught a train to London and visited the Allergy & Free From show at Olympia. I have visited the show before, a couple of years ago, but was tempted back this year by the list of exhibitors. I was like a kid in a candy store. It is thrilling to have a day out tasting food that you can eat safely (don’t judge me I can’t understand how you all get excited about IMATS). To be in a room full of people who will not give you a strange look when you question the ingredients, is an amazing feeling. If you follow me on Twitter you will have seen my excited tweets about dairy free ice cream and vegan cupcakes.

For those of you not in the know my main food allergies are milk and egg. For me the highlights of the show did involve my taste buds but I also sampled skincare. Let me share with you the products which stood out to me. 

Pudology - dairy, egg and gluten free puddings. I sampled the chocolate and was delighted. You would never guess it was a free from dessert. These desserts are also available in Banoffee and Strawberry.

Ms Cupcake “the naughtiest vegan cakes in town” – I only bought one cupcake (what a fool!), once I saw the flavour pumpkin spice I was sold. I became addicted to everything pumpkin spice from my travels in USA, I really wish we embraced the flavour in the UK. Anyway, this was simply the most amazing egg and dairy free cake I have ever tasted, it seriously silenced me for a good five minutes whilst I savoured every last crumb. I am immediately moving to London and taking up residence in the shop especially now I check out the website and discovered they have over 120 flavours.

Inspiral - from what I can tell this is a vegan cafe in London and they also sell their foods online and in outlets across the UK. I sampled the raw "cheesecakes" which are dairy and egg free (vegan). I was so impressed I bought a slice of banoffee crème tart. 

Delamere Dairy - this is a brand I have associated with goat cheese and milk, something which I cannot tolerate. I was pleasantly surprised to see they have launched soya milk and dairy free chocolate puddings. I did not get a chance to sample but can tell you that Asda stocks their soya products.

Clive Pies - I was so happy to see Clive’s Pies, many moons ago I used to buy them from Asda and then they disappeared. The pies are free from gluten, dairy, egg, soya and vegan. I bought my favourite Vegetable Chilli along with Mint Chickpea which I sampled (sounds weird but very tasty).

Bessant & Drury Dairy Free Frozen Dessert - coconut ice cream deliciousness, I tasted chocolate and lemon, totally scrummy (take note Booja Booja) and an excellent dupe for the real thing. Getting this back home was not possible (gutted) I would have ended up with coconut soup.

I also stocked up on some firm favourites like Alpro, Naked bars, Nature's Path, Doves Farm, Lazy Day Foods and Sakata. I had a lovely chat with Amy’s Kitchen. I love their products but they are hard to track down. A few have crept into Tesco and Sainsburys but only the ones containing cheese (no good for me). 

After all the excitement of Free From Food obviously the beauty blogger in me was keen to sample skincare. Skinsmatter.com launched the Free From Skincare Awards at this year’s show. Alex Gazzola from Skinsmatter.com has given me a bag of samples and press releases for the awards. I am going to do a separate blog post on this.

There were two beauty products I was keen to seek out and meet the ladies behind them. I have been tweeting with them for a few months. I bought Niki’s Organic Lavender & Camomile balm and Eden Fresh Therapies Natural Nail Polish Remover (Gold Award winner). These products impressed me at the show and I think they are worthy of separate blog posts so look out for my full review.

Sarah x

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