dairy free

13 November 2021

12 Christmas Gift Ideas including sustainable stocking fillers and secret Santa gifts
(Unpaid/previously gifted items included/from Press Release or my own research)

Butterwhips Christmas Gift Set (Purple)
A duo of balms to help you relax and unwind. Warmly Relaxing is aromatic with bergamot and lavender to relax the body and Planted Feet contains peppermint and black spruce to ease tired feet and soften skin.

3 x Caroboo bars packaged in a bright cracker cardboard case. A treat for all but especially those with dietary requirements as these carob bars are gluten free, dairy free and vegan.

A luxury brand with results driven skincare using ethically sourced and organic ingredients. The recyclable Miron glass packaging looks beautiful but also protects the integrity of the ingredients. The range consists of two facial oils, an eye elixir, powder-to-foam cleanser and a facial steam. I personally can recommend the Soothe Facial Elixir as I've tested it for myself, it has been formulated for dry, sensitive and inflamed skin.

A new conditioner bar to complement the fragrance free shampoo bar, The Sensitive One. It can be purchased full size, as part of a gift set (with the shampoo bar) or discovery size (30g - great for a stocking filler). Kind2 bars are vegan, plastic free, palm free, UK made and they plant a tree with every order.

Nourish have launched a beautiful new collection of gift sets. I have choosen to mention The Antioxidant Duo caught. This set contains Antioxidant Multi-Tasking Super Balm a cleanser, mask and intensive moisturiser and Antioxidant Peptide Mist, a make-up primer, hydrating skin protector and night-time soothing skin repair boost. Products are presented in a reusable fair trade organic cotton bag from Freeset.

As a skincare enthusiast with sensitivity to perfumes I'm often told I'm tricky to buy for, well not any more, it seems people forget that Fragrance Free is always an alternative option. This Body Care gift contains Fragrance Free Body Butter and 2 x 65g Oatmeal Handcrafted Soap slices

An adorable stocking filler and plastic free alternative to Kinder Surprise. Each box contains organic chocolate (which is vegan, dairy, nut and gluten free) plus a 3D puzzle and fun facts card to play with, learn with and collect. You can also purchase their chocolate separately if buying for older children and adults. I'm happy to recommend as I had a free sample at a Vegan Fair, the 'milk' chocolate is delicious and creamy.

A range of gift sets are available from Pure Thoughts. I've picked out the Peaceful Moments Gift Box which comprises of a Peace Meditation Candle, Lavender & Lemon Natural Handmade Soap and Lavender & Sweet Orange Mineral Bath Soak. This set offers a calming blend of essential oils to help soothe a tired mind and body.

The range includes Bamboo Cutlery Set, Bamboo Straw Set and Bamboo Toothbrush. The cutlery and straw sets come with cotton carry pouches available in 8 designs. A total of 20p from every purchase is donated to 100 Tons of Plastic, a charity aiming to remove plastic waste from shores and seas while raising awareness about plastic pollution globally. Bamboo products are BPA-Free, sustainable, biodegradable, recyclable and compostable. A perfect gift for anyone interested in living a sustainable lifestyle.

Formulated with gentle hydrosols rather than essential oils which makes Seilich more suitable for sensitive skin. Over 80% of the ingredients are grown in their wildflower meadow in Scotland, in addition to having Wildlife Friendly Certification. Several gift options are available and I've selected the Treatment Set containing three products which work together - a meadow face mask, meadow face oil and a seasonal hydrosol.

A present that fits through the letterbox is ideal for long distance gifting. The Self Care set contains Bath Salts in a kraft pouch enough for 2-3 baths, lip butter, fragrant wax melts, a Pukka tea bag and Green and Black Dark Chocolate

A discovery I made this year was the Bright Spark Enzyme Oil and it made a long lasting impression. It's a lightweight facial serum to help soothe and balance skin. A brilliant element to Wildefruit formulations is they use upcycled ingredients. This oil includes papaya, strawberry and blackcurrant seeds from jam and juice production that would otherwise go to waste.

Sarah x

14 March 2021

Firetree Rich Volcanic Chocolate dairy free, nut free and vegan
(gifted sample)

I grew up without decent chocolate, the free from alternative was carob and for a child it wasn't a pleasurable experience. Now the options for dairy free milk chocolates are plentiful however I often find dark chocolate features the dreaded "may contain milk" label. 

My taste buds have certainly changed over the years as sweet sugary white chocolate no longer appeals and I enjoy a richer cocoa taste. I was intrigued when Firetree approached me. The beautiful packaging is an immediate enticement but it also meets my dairy free and vegan requirements. I also felt the high cocoa percentages would certainly have the potential to challenge my taste buds and take me out of my comfort zone.
Firetree Rich Volcanic Chocolate dairy free, nut free and vegan
Putting allergies to one side, you may wonder what else makes Firetree unique. The cocoa is sourced from single estates on the islands of the southern Pacific and Oceania. This region is surrounded by a circle of 452 volcanos and known as the 'Ring of Fire'. As you may imagine the soil is fertile and mineral rich so the cocoa trees thrive in this environment and from this derives the wonderful name 'Firetree'. With the expertise of local farmers and craftsman, Firetree produces chocolate in a similar way to making fine wines as each estate has their own unique tasting cocoa beans. 

Sustainability - Instead of dealing with our farmers through agents, we go to them directly. By cutting out the middle man, the farmers get more for their hard work and quality. We pay a substantial premium above the market rate, giving our farmers the chance to provide for their families and commit to high agricultural standards that makes for great cocoa. There are a few reasons we like to pay this premium. Firstly because we believe that if you want a great tasting chocolate you have to be prepared to pay extra for top quality. Secondly, it means that the farmers can afford to maintain high ethical and sustainable standards, and still provide for their families. Finally, this allows us to mutually agree the bean quality.

 

Firetree Tasting Bar Gift Box
I received the new Firetree Tasting Bar Gift Box. This stunning package contains seven single estate 25g tasting bars, ranging from 69% to 100% cocoa. This gift set is an experience which needs to be savoured. Even without prompting I was appreciating the all important 'snap' of the bar, placing on the tongue and enjoying the full bodied flavour. As you open the individual sleeve packaging, it mentions the tasting notes of the bar. As I ate my chocolate I tried to appreciate suggested flavours, sometimes you will agree and other times you won't. 

The Tasting Bar set has allowed me to uncover the unique flavours of cocoa beans from Papua New Guniea, Solomon Islands, Madagscar, Vanuatu and Philippines. I've discovered I'm someone who favours 60-70% cocoa. The 80% has taken me out of my comfort zone with surprising results but 100% was a step too far as I can't handle the bitter taste. This is exactly what you'd want to gain from a tasting collection. 

I am happy to recommend Firetree chocolate. I honestly believe this is a chocolate company that stands head and shoulders above others. This is chocolate which I have shared with my husband, who has no dietary needs and he hasn't said "you can tell this is free from". I would happily purchase Firetree and gift to friends and family (spoiler alert to my chocolate lovers you're getting this for your next birthday!).

Sarah x

28 February 2021

Mother's Day Gift Ideas
(includes gifted samples, paid promotion, affiliate link marked *)

For those of you who would like to celebrate Mother's Day (14th March 2021) then I have put together a little gift selection. As lockdown continues I am sure many of you, including myself are going to be reliant on postal deliveries. These gifts would be suitable for all occasions so it may also be worth bookmarking for future celebrations.

ethically handmade scarves which are all one-off, unique, luxury pieces, made with recycled, organic, ethical yarns where possible as well as ensuring a zero waste policy in the production of the scarves and a no plastic post service. The Not Your Mum Not Your Milk scarf is 100% Organic cotton and could easily appeal to vegans wishing to put across their message.

artisan, hand crafted chocolate that is suitable for almost everyone including vegans and multiple allergies. They work hard to ethically source all ingredients and use eco-friendly packaging. For Mother's Day there is the Limited Edition Pinks Gift Box, choose Dark Raspberry or Strawberry Blonde flavours (or one of each), it's gift wrapped and letterbox friendly delivery.

For those that enjoy a glass of wine how about Mother Rock! an organically farmed estate in Swartland South Africa and the wines are bottled without fining or filtering so suitable for vegans. Mother Rock do a lovely Grenache Noir with 96pts from Jamie Goode (London-based wine critic) and a skin-contact “orange wine” Chenin Blanc

I've introduced my family to award winning soaps from Lily & Rabbit and that's why I believe they would make lovely gifts. With so many of us trying to do our bit for the planet, a solid soap bar is ideal plastic free solution. The Bee Naked bar is formulated with local honey from Harrogate bees and organic Irish Oatmeal, it's an all natural exfoliator without fragrance and suitable for sensitive skin types.

The Super Choc Bundle is a great option. 8 bars of yummy, organic chocolate packed up into a letterbox sized box and you can include a personalised gift note. 

I don't hide the fact that I'm a big fan of Odylique skincare and they have lovely gifts set options so I recommend you browse their website. I can also offer a 20% off using the code SUGARPUFFISH (affiliate link/code)

I think Nourish London’s Relaxing Retreat Gift Set or Sleepy Pillow Mist are perfect for Mother's Day or any other occasion you have coming up.  Nourish products are award winning, organic, vegan and cruelty-free.

Melt 
The Melt Starter Kit is a fun activity you can do at home and a fabulously fruity way to make vegan and cruelty free wax melts. Choose from a range of fragrances including Blueberry, Coconut & Lemongrass, Cranberry, and Pomegranate & Hibiscus. Every kit contains a step-by-step guide and enough supplies to fill your home with scent for up to 180 hours. Use code SUGARPUFFISH when checking out before 15th March and get 10% off your order while stocks last.

A range of beautifully wrapped gifts which can be sent directly to loved ones. Silvan Skincare is suitable for Vegans, they offer stylish sustainable and recyclable gift wrapping with hand written notes plus free UK delivery. 

A beautiful collections of gift options choose between a cleansing balm, hand bam, luxury bath oils or candles, I'm sure you will find something to suit your budget to make Mother's Day extra special

Sarah x

1 February 2021

2021 Free From Skincare Awards to open 1st February
(unpaid/press release)

Positivity is what we need for 2021 so let's celebrate the tenth annual Free From Skincare Awards will open to entries on 1st February. I support these awards because a "free from" lifestyle has been part of me since childhood. I need to avoid pesky allergens some of which are present in skincare. I assume many people probably don't look beyond the matter of food allergies and often forget that skincare can be problematic for some people. You may also fall under the "free from" umbrella for lifestyle choices e.g Veganism or Religion.

I recommend following The Free From Awards on social media as that's where you will locate general news, entrant introductions and eventually winner announcements (in June). The Awards pride themselves on their fairness, rigour and transparency, and have been running a #KnowYourAwards campaign on Instagram throughout January to answer in-depth questions about the Awards, offering ‘behind the scenes’ insights into testing protocols, judging, decision-making and much more.

"No brand should be in the dark about our procedures and processes, nor the principles underpinning them. There are many awards out there, and we feel it’s important that skincare brands, especially in these tough times, have full understanding of what ours actually stand for — and what the many benefits of participation will be - Awards’ Director Alex Gazzola"

There are sixteen product categories this year which includes two new categories for deodorants and toners, waters and spritzes.
 
Previous winners of the Best Overall Free From Skincare Product were:

* Uoga Uoga’s Intensive Care Day Cream (2020)
* Weleda’s Skin Food Body Butter (2019)
* Harborist’s Balm-Gel Cleanser (2018)
* Benecos’s Lip Balm (2017)
* Kinvara Skincare’s Absolute Cleansing Oil (2016) 
* Bloom Remedies’ Men’s Daily Moisture Care (2015)
* Tropic Skincare’s Smoothing Cleanser (2014)
* Barefoot Botanicals’ Face and Body Rescue Cream (2013)
* Qsilica’s Remove Make-up and Grime Cleansing Gel (2012)

Brands sold and distributed in the UK, Ireland and Europe are eligible to participate in the Free From Skincare Awards. The key dates you need to note are 

* Entries close 21st March
* Finalists revealed in May
* Winners announced in June

And for information on rules, terms, conditions and how to enter, visit www.freefromskincareawards.co.uk

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