9 January 2018

Veganuary - Natural Skincare suitable for Vegans
Since everyone's thoughts are on Veganuary, I thought it might be helpful to highlight natural skincare which is suitable for Vegans. A Vegan product eliminates all animal derived ingredients such as carmine, lanolin, honey, beeswax, keratin, silk, bee venom etc. When shopping for skincare it is worth keeping in mind that a Cruelty Free label does not always make it a Vegan friendly one. Always read labels and research brands online to ensure successful shopping. If you would like more information on certifications such as bunny logos then hop across to this article - how to read skincare labels.

Just to give you a heads up the following list includes 100% Vegan brands and those that have Vegan suitable options within their ranges. You can purchase directly or through stockists such as Love Lula, Big Green Smile, Naturisimo and Content Beauty.

Akin - It has been a while since I gave them a mention but they were one of the first Green Beauty brands I discovered. Akin is a Vegan brand but their rosehip oil is award winning with a loyal fan base.

BYBI Beauty - I'm hearing a lot of great things about this Vegan brand. The product range currently includes multipurpose balm, serum, toner and facial polish.

Evolve Organic Beauty - I know I give them a million mentions but I love Evolve products and they are ALL vegan. My personal favourites would be the Daily Renew Facial Cream, Miracle Facial Oil and Daily Defence Moisture Mist

Inika - If you are looking for Vegan makeup then Inika is worth considering and if you want a personal recommendation, I like their lip tints.

Living Naturally - A Vegan brand with a wide product line ranging from soapnuts for laundry to skincare.

Madara - Majority of their products are suitable for Vegans, there are a few that include lanolin, honey and beeswax (more info on their FAQ page). My favourites (which are vegan) include the Protecting Hand Cream, Moonflower Rose Beige Tinting Fluid and Colour & Shine Conditioner.

Magical Tree - A small brand which makes mainly body butters and scrubs, with the exception of the lip balm all other products are suitable for Vegans.

Mallow + White - As far as I'm aware it's only the Blossom Balm and Lip Balm which contain beeswax but the rest of their products are vegan friendly. I'm a big fan of the Soothe Cleansing Oil.

Myroo - A vegan brand which also happens to be one of my favourites for being allergy friendly (14 food allergen free & fragrance free also available). I recommend their cleanser and lip balm. UPDATE 2022 - MYROO ARE NO LONGER TRADING

Odylique - Another one of my all time favourite brands who have vegan friendly products, you all know I love my Gentle Herb Shampoo, Creamy Coconut Cleanser and Superfruit Concentrate.

Organii - A vegan brand offering affordable products suitable for the whole family. I recently reviewed their Intensive Face & Body Oil products which may be suitable for those prone to eczema.

Pink & Green - I first introduced P&G to readers back in 2015 and recommend their Unfragrance One Balm, they are a Vegan brand.

Rawgaia I'm not able to give a personal recommendation as they still remain on my "Must Try" list, I simply haven't got around to it yet. What I can tell you is Rawgaia is a Vegan brand and I've seen positive reviews about them.

Soapy Skin - I know Soapy Skin through the Free From Skincare Awards, they produce handmade natural soap and oils for dry skin. Some of their products contain goat milk and honey but they do have vegan friendly options as well.

Siskyn - A Vegan brand, I haven't stopped talking about the Camellia & Safflower Hot Cloth Cleansing Oil since I discovered it at judging for Free From Skincare Awards.

This list is based from own knowledge and of course it only gives a small example of the products available to vegan consumers. Do you have a favourite vegan natural skincare brand or a vegan friendly product recommendation

Sarah x

Further reading from Sugarpuffish archives: 
List of Natural & Organic Skincare Brands with Vegan Products (2015)
Why I choose not to use Lanolin
Carmine Free Makeup
My personal thoughts on animal derived ingredients in natural skincare
Bees - Venom, Honey, Beeswax etc in Skincare


1 January 2018

Top Green Beauty Natural Skincare for 2017
Happy New Year Everyone! 

When I started thinking about this article I realised that 2017 has been a slower year on my blog. Life had its ups and downs so naturally blogging took a back seat. May 2018 will be my 7th blog birthday and I hope to reach it because as many of you know blogging is a labour of love with little reward. The blogging community has changed a great deal, one thing I notice most is the decline in comments so if you left me one this year I really do appreciate them.

As you know food is a huge part of my waking thoughts, probably because my allergies have limited me for so long, I get overly excited when new free from products launch. I think 2017 has been a huge year for Vegans. So many amazing brands have become accessible and restaurants have taken noticed. We had an amazing trip to Berlin which aside from its historical and cultural importance has the most amazing options for Vegans. If you're interested in what I eat then I mainly share on Instagram but if you'd like to see more food on my blog then please let me know.

Moving on lets look back at some of my beauty reviews and take a minute to talk about my favourite discoveries in 2017. In April I wrote about Odylique 3 in 1 Maca Mask and it's been a favourite ever since along with the Coconut Candy Scrub, if you like enjoy using treatments I would certainly recommend them. In June Evolve won me over once again with their Daily Defence Moisture Mist. I finally found a linalool free toner which doesn't leave my skin feeling desperate for moisture. I'm also back using the Evolve Daily Renew face cream on a regular basis, it's wonderful in colder weather, very hydrating. Many of you will know that I don't often write about makeup however this year I've been trying a number of products from Ere Perez. I never really caught on to the RMS Beauty trend, they simply didn't wow me like everyone else but in my opinion the Ere Perez Carrot Colour Pots are much better. 

You'll have notice over time that my reviews have leaned towards fragrance free skincare and the two cleansers that impressed me this year are Siskyn Camellia & Safflower Hot Cloth Cleansing Oil and Harbour Elements The Truly Gentle Cleansing Balm. Of course they are different in their formulations but both have delicate skins in mind and I welcome a fragrance free formulation. Lyonsleaf launched some new products and the Marshmallow Soften & Rejuvenate Facial Oil (Unscented) quickly won me over. There was also Ihana Skincare Beri-Activ Cleansing Cream which I tried in August and I think it's a brand I'd like to explore more of in the future. I also loved discovering Trilogy Pure Plant Body Oil, another fragrance free find which has been helping my dry skin through the colder weather. 

I look forward to seeing what 2018 brings in terms of Green Beauty. I predict we might see some big changes. Back in September Pukka announced its sale to Unilever causing worries that the independent ethical brand would lose its values. We've finished the year with news that Unilever acquired Schmidt's Naturals and Trilogy announced a proposed sale to Chinese private equity firm Citic Capital China Partners. Also John Masters Organics have been changing up their product formulations and that's making some of us a little unhappy for a variety of reasons.

What have been your favourites from 2017? Do you have any Green Beauty predictions for 2018?

Sarah x

27 December 2017

Rossi Uvema Avocado & Green Tea Face Cleansing Lotion and Ere Perez Carrot Colour Pot in Harmony
(Gifted) 

In November I kept my choices from Love Lula simple and picked cleanser and makeup. Keep reading to find out what I thought of these natural skincare products.

Rossi Uvema Avocado & Green Tea Face Cleansing Lotion
Cream cleansers are my go to in the mornings and many of you know that my long time favourite has been Odylique Creamy Coconut cleanser. At the start of the year I tried the Rossi Uvema Rice Bran & Borage Seed Face Cleansing Oil and the Avocado & Green Tea Face Cleansing Lotion is another alternative in their fragrance free options. With a simple but effective formulation of avocado oil, plum kernel and green tea extract its ideal for sensitive skin. Whilst there are no added essential oils the plum kernel gives a familiar natural scent similar to marzipan which was something I liked about the cleansing oil. This cleansing lotion has a perfect consistency, similar to a luxurious moisturiser which makes it easy and pleasant to massage across the face. I apply to dry skin and remove with a damp flannel.

I like the glass bottle with a pump dispenser which you can twist close. The only minor criticism is when I had almost reached the bottom the pump stopped working. I simply stood the bottle upside down to drain the lotion to the top and then removed the pump when needed. Tapping the open bottle into the palm of my hand released more cleanser so nothing was wasted. I'm very loyal to Odylique so I'm not sure Rossi Avocado & Green Tea Face Cleansing Lotion would ever be a replacement but it certainly a worthy competitor which I am more than happy to recommend.
Ere Perez carrot colour pot harmony and holy
Ere Perez Carrot Colour Pot
I've quickly become a fan of Ere Perez products so their Carrot Colour Pots were calling me. I chose the colour Harmony which is described as a dusty pink. Unlike RMS, the Ere Perez Carrot Pots don't contain coconut oil and they are suitable for Vegans. Harmony is a lovely colour which on my cheeks gives me a subtle natural flush but on my lips its edging towards a nude. I find the balm easy to wear and work with, it has a matte finish which I like. I'm super fussy with lip products but find this one comfortable and not drying. I've gone on to also pick up another pot in Holy. I've decided that Harmony is my perfect blush and Holy suits me better on the lips. What I like about the Carrot Colour Pots is the versatility to be about to play around with application because you can either apply with fingers or a brush.
Ere Perez carrot colour pot harmony and holy swatches
If you missed my last article for Love Lula then follow this link - a year of reviews for Love Lula.

Sarah x

19 December 2017

Review Trilogy Pure Plant Body Oil
(Gifted PR samples)

I'd picked three products from Love Lula in October but issues with labelling left me with only one I could safely use. I knew Trilogy would be a winner because it's a brand I trust. Their Very Gentle cream is one of my top favourite moisturisers.

12 December 2017

Swap clairns glossier palmers the body shop for green beauty alternatives
Its been a few months since I wrote one of these posts. I watch a fair amount of Favourites on YouTube and that often gets me thinking about greener alternatives. I certainly don't want to make anyone feel guilty if they use "mainstream" products but I hope this helps for those who do want to change their skincare routine.

5 December 2017

I've been part of the Love Lula Accredited Blogger Program for a year and thought I might look at my favourite products that I've found through the site. I chose to work with Love Lula because I shopped with them long before I started blogging and outside of the program I continue to buy products.

27 November 2017

Review Organii Intensive Organic Soothing Cream & Face and Body Oil
If you’re not familiar with Organii they are an affordable organic vegan brand with top to toe products suitable for all the family. They recently launched Organii Intensive Organic Soothing Cream and Organii Intensive Organic Face and Body Oil, both are intended for very dry and sensitive skin and may be suitable for those prone to eczema, psoriasis or rosacea.

I've an interesting fact for you if you are a natural skincare nerd like me. If you know Gentle Green Soothing Cream then I can tell you that they have partnered with Organii so it's the same formulation just under a different name. I was already familiar with the popularity of Gentle Green through judging on the Free From Skincare Awards, in 2013 they won Gold in the Problem Skin category. Sadly, I’m not going to be able to review the Intensive Organic Soothing Cream as it does list linalool in the ingredients so I’ve pass it on to a friend who has psoriasis. I’m intrigued to see how they get on with it and initially they have been positive about the product. 

The Intensive Organic Face and Body Oil is free from essential oils which means I don't have to concern myself with those allergens. The blend of ingredients is sunflower, rosehip, nettle leaf, chickweed and ribwort plantain leaf, the latter is one I’m not familiar with. Rosehip is an ingredient that I find works well for my skin and one that I always look for in skincare. This Organii oil has a rich orange colour and easily sinks into my dry skin. It's a good all rounder which you can use across the whole body. I think affordability of products when it comes to eczema is very important as it can be a demanding skin condition so my only criticism with this body oil would be the price point. 

As I mentioned at the start, Organii is worth considering for the entire family and so I am more than happy to recommend them to readers. Have you used any Organii products? Do you have a favourite?

Sarah x

Disclaimer: PR samples

21 November 2017

Top 3 products on a Green Blogger Christmas Wish List
Have you ever wondered what products are on a Blogger Christmas Wish List? I decided to investigate this and asked some of my favourite Green Bloggers to tell me their Top 3 Wish List items whether that is green beauty and/or eco-friendly products.

Ailish - The Glow Getter
The things on my Wishlist this Christmas include the Tata Harper Organic Skincare range because it's a luxury range that I have always wanted to try! It looks, smells and seems to perform amazingly well so I would absolutely love to try it out! The next thing on my Wishlist is the new RMS Beauty Lipsticks, they look dreamy, I've tested a few and the colours are beautiful and they are totally natural, which is just incredible! The last thing on my Wishlist is a Casper mattress. Sleep is super important when getting the glow and this mattress has been designed with ultimate comfort in mind and based on lots and lots of research. That is the type of bed that I want to sleep in!

Amber - This Natural Bee
On my Christmas Wish List I’ve got some People Tree Striped PJ’s – I have another pair of their pyjamas with a pink cloud print and they’re so comfy. I also have my eye on the Nude & Noir Palette which looks so pretty, with a highlighter, eyeshadow & lip colour & bronzer. My final wishlist item is a candle from Petits Rituels – they’re my favourite natural candle range as the scents are just so lovely – my favourite scent is Minty BonBon!

Katie - Katie Vibes
Vegan-friendly Christmas gift sets can be hard to come by but I really love the look of the Evolve Beauty Hydrate and Glow Bag. I'm a huge fan of the hyaluronic serum that is included - and the brand in general - and in this set you get a full size plus a 30ml pot of their bestselling Radiant Glow Mask. I haven't got round to trying the mask of yet but I really want to (it smells like chocolate - very Christmassy indeed). Second on my list is the Pepper & Mayne High Waist Compression Legging in Japanese Denim. I've been really into my fitness lately and now that I'm going to the gym 3-4 times a week, I'm feeling the need to expand my activewear wardrobe and I'm specifically on the look out for more high quality fitness leggings that are completely opaque. Pepper & Mayne don't use 100% natural/organic fibres but their activewear is produced by Eco-Label approved factories in Portugal and has a fully traceable supply chain. I'll be honest and say they're a little out of my price range at the moment, so hopefully Santa will treat me? Last on my wish list is the Vedani Botanicals Daily Rituals Face Care Set. If you read my blog, you'll no doubt have heard me bang on about Vedani and the beautiful products that Mercedes's creates. I've recently exhausted my entire Vedani collection and my face is crying out for its old friend. I love Vedani because the products are simple but effective, and make use of some really stunning botanical ingredients. It also doesn't help that the product packaging is truly stunning... they'd look great under the tree!

Lynda - Wonderlusting
The Kjaer Weis Collector's kit - I'm a longtime user and lover of Kjaer Weis re-fillable makeup and use something from the range every day. The new palette is the perfect kit to fit my bits in to. The only thing that would make it more perfect if it was filled with more makeup! Lola Apothecary's Delicate Romance Bath & Body Collection - I am a complete roseaholic and this set looks like a rose dream. It contains rose petal filled bath and body oils that make my heart leap. And there's the 'Queen of Roses' rose petal covered chocolate to nibble on too. Stelton To Go Click Cup - I've been on the hunt for a sleek looking, reusuable coffee cup and Stelton are ticking all my boxes. The To Go Click cup comes in a range of sophisticated colours, and has a state of the art 'smart click' mechanism that allows you to drink from the full 360 degrees. Ideal for someone as clumsy as me and meaning there'll be no spills in my handbag. 

Mavs - Naturally Diddy
Axiology Lipstick: I'm obsessed with lipsticks especially in weird and wonderful colours and the shades Phenomenon and Enlighten (annoyingly seem only to be available in USA) both look sensational. They are pricier than I would allow myself on a regular basis but as a chrimbo gift they'd be perfect. If i couldn't have oe of the crazy colours then any other will do! Au Naturale su/Stain Lip Stain (in any of the colours, they all look gorgeous): Since matte hippies and stains launched on the market I've been addicted and these seem to have the cleanest formula of all of those I've come across. Hetty + Sam Agave Geometry Vegan Leather Purse: I'd have everything from Hetty + Sam if i could, but this purse is my fave. I love how all their products are vegan and created ethically while still being bang on trend and super stylish, their prints/designs are awesome.

Thank you to these lovely ladies for taking part in this post, I don't know about you but I've now added some products to my own Christmas list! Is there anything you have your eye on?

Sarah x

Disclaimer - article contains some affiliate links

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