ethical

10 November 2022

Christmas Gift Ideas inspired by Winners of the Free From Gift Awards 2022
Long time readers will no doubt be familiar with
Free From Skincare Awards but did you know about their 'spin off' The Free From Gift Awards? I'm unlikely to put together a personalised gift guide this year so I'm going to point you in the direction of the winners from these awards.

You may be interested to know that Winners and Medallists in The Free From Gift Awards are brands who manufacture products that are ‘free from’ some of the allergens, chemicals, additives and fragrances associated with skin sensitivities, allergies, and ethical, environmental and health concerns.

Congratulations go to Rhug Wild Beauty who took the Overall Champion prize for their Hand Wash & Hand Lotion Duo in Gift Box.

“A beautifully elegant duo in a chic box,” said the judges. “Gorgeous products, both of which include wild foraged ingredients from the Rhug Estate. A gift set which anyone would enjoy and would feel very spoiled and delighted to receive.”

Many of the medallists are brands I have supported over the years but it's always great to discover new ones. Let me recommend checking out the following -

Blue Labelle, Moroccan Spa Set
Made By Coopers, 'Sleepy Head' Sleep Kit
Silvan Skincare, Hands and Feet Gift Set
BEAM natural body care, Six half sized luxury soap gift set
Eco By Sonya Driver, Hydration Skin System
Green People, Be Kind
Bowe Organics, Get Glowing Face Mask
Sknfed, Rose Trio Gift Set
Lyonsleaf, Natural Skincare Solutions 04 & Hot Cloth Cleansing Revitalising Kit
Obvs Skincare, Well-Being Gift Set

There are more Gold, Silver and Bronze winners (in all categories) to discover so head over to freefromskincareawards.co.uk

Sarah x

12 March 2020

Mothers Day Ethical Gift Guide 2020 Mothering Sunday
(this selection of products have been chosen by me, this is not sponsored/paid by brands featured)

When you are buying gifts for a loved one it's always nice to choose something unique and ethical. I enjoy supporting independent brands and introducing them to others. Each brand mentioned below has a wide selection of gift ideas so this is only a small selection I chose based on my own personal tastes. The products featured are suitable for any occasion not just Mother's Day so bookmark this post for any other special events you have coming up.

Bloom Remedies - set of trial sized Serenity favourites to instil moments of quiet calm into your day, and to help soothe your senses into slumber at night contains mini sleep mist, body oil and pulse point roll-on

Enjoy! - lots of chocolate options available, the box pictured above contains 8 delicious vegan caramel chocolates in three flavours - Salted Caramels, Vanilla Caramels and Orange Caramels - dairy free, soya free, gluten free, organic, raw cacao

Fushia collection of Fresh-Pressed® beauty oils that are 100% pure, cold pressed and unrefined, beautifully packaged in an organic cotton Fair Trade pouch

Laura Spring - Milkky print make up pouch, practical for all your essentials, Laura is committed to supporting ethical methods of production and works closely with all her suppliers

Odylique - Revitalise & Cleanse gift set allows you to chose one of Odylique's organic cleansers and a sample of our 3-in-1 Maca Mask

Pamoja Skincare - a new beauty brand offering fragrance free versions of their products which makes them ideal for people with sensitive skin and allergies to essential oils, also Vegan and free from Palm Oil

Pure Thoughts - in the Soap Lovers Kit you can select fours natural soap bars  to personalised the gift to your favourite aromas and the soap is presented in a reusable cotton bag

Thought Clothing - Hattie bamboo printed slipper socks, made from bamboo, organic cotton with a fluffy recycled polyester lining

Unnaaty - this site offers a curated mix of lifestyle and home decor products that pass at least one core value test of them being environmental friendly, contributing to your wellness or supporting vulnerable makers from the U.K. The Bamboo & Olive Blossom reed diffuser pictured above is available through this website

Sarah x

7 February 2020

2020 Free From Skincare Awards opens 3rd February
(photo from 2019 FFSA judging panel)

Time has flown by and here I am announcing that the ninth annual Free From Skincare Awards are NOW open for entrants. I think I say this every year but I love these awards as they celebrate the best cosmetic products which happen to also be free from some of the allergens and other ingredients many consumers now wish to or need to avoid. *jumps up and down, waves hands* People like me are their intended target audience. My long list of allergies (to include Linalool and Methylisothiazolinone) and throw in living with Atopic eczema, Seborrhoeic Dermatitis and Urticaria are what lead me to explore the world of natural and organic skincare. I had a period in my life where I felt I was reacting to every mainstream brand and sometimes prescription creams.

1 October 2019

Being Organic Vegan Clothing
I want to buy ethical clothing but often I feel excluded for having a larger body as eco-friendly brands often do not cater for people bigger than a UK size 16 (I'm 18/20). On the odd occasion a garment is suitable then I have to be mindful of my budget. Eco-friendly and sustainable clothing comes at a premium and of course I understand why that is but I wish it would change as it often what holds me back. I do my part where I can and try to avoid fast fashions stores and I'm wearing my clothes to the point they become threadbare and holey.

Back in March, I saw this Being milk carton t-shirt on Instagram and promptly purchased it. I've loved wearing it and often get comments on the design. Let me tell you a little bit about Being clothing. Their t- shirts  are 100% cotton, PETA Approved and climate neutral (produced using solar and wind power). The designs are hand drawn and screen printed with inks that are vegan and accredited by the Soil Association. They are backed by the Fair Wear Foundation, which ensures workers are paid a fair wage.

The quality of my t-shirt is really lovely, nice and soft and a good weight to the cotton. It has washed and worn well over the months, with no sign of fading, shrinking or deterioration in the print. I'm very happy that my £18 has been well spent. Choosing a size was a little tricky but I ended up measuring a pre-owned t-shirt for comparison and opted for a large. It's a nice fit, a little snug and if I ordered again and wanted a looser fit I'd try the extra large.

I'm honestly very happy with my purchase and thought it was about time to share it with you. As I said I'd like to start expanding my wardrobe beyond ethical t-shirts but for now it's a great starting point.

Sarah x



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