Favourites for 2018

sugarpuffish natural and organic favourites for 2018
*picture above & referenced within article includes PR samples/gifts & products bought with my own money*

As Christmas approaches I start to think about winding down for the holidays and what better way to draw a close than to look back on my blog favourites. I have felt that this year my beauty habits have peaked since I’m reaching for the same trusted favourites and I’ve reviewed less this year. This is possibly because my linalool sensitivity has limited choices and there haven’t been as many launches which have drawn my attention. My skincare collection isn’t too bad considering the avoidance of this one ingredient; of course everything remains natural, organic and ethical. I have always avoided certain animal derived ingredients (e.g carmine, silk, shellac, bee venom) but this year I think I made a conscious move towards skincare labelled suitable for Vegans.

Top of my repurchase list
It will come as no surprise to most that I continue to purchase Odylique Gentle Herb Shampoo as I dare not try anything else. I don’t want to upset my delicate scalp. I’ve settled into a routine pairing my shampoo with Madara Colour & Shine Conditioner and have finished off several tubes this year. For makeup Madara Moonflower Tinting Fluid and Everyday Minerals remain my daily go to products. I’ve been pretty fickle with cleansers swapping between handfuls of favourites but my moisturiser choices are firmly stuck on Evolve Daily Renew and Antipodes Rejoice.

Favourite new skincare discoveries for 2018
In March I tested Pure Potions Intensive Hand Cream and it quickly won me over by making light work of my dry skin. This is super rich and hydrating and remains a go to even more during Winter. April saw the arrival of Ere Perez SOS Marmalade Balm and this changed my skin overnight. I had been experiencing dermatitis on my chest for months and nothing seemed to help until I applied the SOS balm, it truly lived up to its name. Myroo is a brand I’ve trusted and discussed for several years and in May it was the Superfood Balm (fragrance free) that stole the show. For me its the formulation of ingredients that provides intrigue with mango, coconut, papaya, avocado, broccoli, cucumber and raspberry. It’s a great all rounder with a soft texture that melts into dry skin patches with ease. In the same month I reviewed Madara Hyaluronic Anti-Pollution CC Cream SPF15 and later went on to repurchase. This CC cream is seriously good and it’s a tough choice between this and my beloved Moonflower Tinting Fluid. In the end I decided that since the CC cream contains SPF it will be my go to in the summer months, that way I get to enjoy both products throughout the year. It’s no secret that the Mallow + White Soothe Cleansing Oil is one of my favourite products so in June I was excited to review the Soothe Balm. For anyone who experiences dry skin and fragrance allergies Soothe Balm is a must in your beauty collection. I think the most exciting launch of the year was Bodhi & Birch’s Superfoods Series and I quickly fell for the Avo Bao Cleansing Balm and Super25 Botanical Serum. I didn’t get around to writing a full review for the Super25 serum but trust me it’s beautiful. I believe both products make a difference to my skin in the long term. From my perspective, to create a range that is free from essential oils but still smells amazing is totally genius. So much love and attention has gone into the range and it really shows in quality and performance.

Favourite new free from/vegan foods for 2018
This year has been the year Vegan food has taken off and I for one love it. The Wicked Kitchen range at Tesco has doubled in size and let’s not forget all the pizzas, so much pizza! Waitrose introduced an own labelled product range which I am totally loving and still working my way through. I have developed a serious Vegan Magnum addiction, almond is the favourite. Fry’s Kitchen has arrived in Sainsbury’s and I love this as it’s more convenient for me. Veganise has become an alarming habit and I always have minimum two jars in the fridge, the supply issues experienced earlier in the year at Sainsbury’s were traumatic times (lol) Livia’s Kitchen Brownie Nugglets and Rhythm 108 Sweet n Salty Almond chocolate bars are the reason why none of my clothes fit.

I truly hope that all this innovation continues but the Free From Community has taken some hits this year. The effects of the Pret case are being felt. I hope that my love of eating out doesn’t take a step backwards in 2019. The the allergy and coeliac community are waiting to see what happens next.

I'm looking forward to what 2019 brings but in the meantime what are your favourites from this year?

Sarah x

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