plant based

20 November 2023

Budget Conscious Ethical Christmas Gift Ideas for Under £12
Please note - Prices & product info correct at time of publication/Not Sponsored/No affiliate links

Shopping List of Gift Ideas for a smaller budget

Bare Kind Bamboo Socks - 10% of profits on every pair are donated to one of 25+ global animal saving charities (£9.95)

Battle Green Lip Balm & Soap Slice Letterbox Gift (£10.95)

Chalke Valley Soaps Love, Peace & Joy Botanical Soap Gift Box (£12.50)

Chococo 5% from every sale of vegan Oat M!lk Turtles is donated to Ocean Giants Programme and Tuandua the Vegan Orangutan supports SOS (Sumatran Orangutan Society) to plant trees in Sumatra

Pure Thoughts Soy Wax Melts Festive Spice/Bergamot & Lemon/Lavender & Rose (£10)

Sow Many Seeds Wildflower Seed Reindeer Poo (£5.50) 

The Little Peace Company Bath Salts 75g sachet (£5.90) and Room & Pillow Mists (£12) various scent options are available in both products

The Silicone Straw Co Single Reusable Straw & Tin (£6.95)

Vent for Change recycled notebooks and sustainable stationery 

15 January 2022

Review Pamoja Reset Cleansing Balm Essential Oil Free
(I purchased this product)

Pamoja has featured on my blog a couple of times. Firstly, with an interview with the founder, Sarah and then I reviewed the Restore Multi Purpose Beauty Oil. Now I'm here to offer my thoughts on the Pamoja Reset Cleansing Balm Essential Oil Free which had been on my shopping list for some time.

Cleansing balms have always been an easy choice for me. Over the years I found that reducing the amount of water used when washing my face seems to help with dryness. Splashing my face to rinse off products always leaves me with an ugly tight sensation and I feel desperate for moisturiser. 

So what tempted me to Pamoja Reset Cleansing Balm? well for starters the ingredients sound wonderful......

"Murumuru and Mango butter nourish the skin. Moringa, Sacha Inchi, and Safflower Oils gently cleanse while helping to support and protect the skin barrier. Organic Calendula CO2 soothes, and antioxidant Organic Carrot CO2 helps protect skin from environmental stress." - (extract from Pamoja website)

Pamoja Reset Cleansing Balm has a luxurious, silky, buttery feel and something which immediately stands out to me above others. It's a gorgeous texture which fills me with joy. I can't get over how smooth and soft this cleansing balm feels. When you're prone to eczema as I am, often skin feels delicate and tender so it becomes important to take care. In my opinion, this balm is perfect on sensitive skin because you don't have to drag it across your face. It melts almost immediately into a beautiful oil. Pamoja cleansing balm feels like a real treat. A product that you can't wait to use at the end of the day because cleansing doesn't feel like a chore. 

I chose to buy the essential oil free version of Pamoja Reset Cleansing Balm due to my allergies. If you prefer fragrance then the scented version will give you the aroma of Rosemary, Geranium Bourbon, Chamomile and Lavender essential oils. I'm sure I've said it before but I love that Pamoja offers the choice. The core ingredients in both remain the same so the overall performance shouldn't be any different.

I'm sure you can tell that Pamoja Reset Cleansing Balm has been a big hit. This review has been written after I have finished up my jar so it's my experience down to the last drop. I'm more than happy to recommend and would encourage you to visit the Pamoja skincare website to explore their products.

Sarah x


12 July 2021

Winners announced in 2021 Free From Skincare Awards
My first big adventure this year was a joyful trip to London to once again participate in judging for the Free From Skincare Awards. Last Wednesday the winners were announced and it's a fantastic and well deserving group of brands across all categories.

Irish handmade skincare brand Holos Skincare has scoped the winning Best Free From Skincare Product for This is More Get Better Butter. “Scoring an average of 9.6 out of 10 with our product testers, Get Better Butter deserved the overall title this year,” said Awards director, Alex Gazzola. “The wonderful texture was admired by all, and the results reported were exceptional.”

Free from artificial fragrances, colours, animal-sourced ingredients, palm-oil derivatives and food allergens, Holos’s Get Better Butter was up against other successful category winners, including first-time participants Scence, Grace & Blumë and Made on the Chalk, and Award regulars Hairy Jayne, Weleda and Fiini Naturally.

The Best Free From Brand Award was shared between Lyonsleaf, winners of almost 30 medals in the history of the Awards, and Australian brand Eco by Sonya, who received a Gold and two Silvers with their three entries this year.

As a judge and blogger there are of course entrants to the awards that I cross paths with. Some of them I have suggested give consideration to participating each year. I don't always get to judge the categories they enter so when I see them scoop awards it's a lovely feeling. Congratulations to Minimalist Skincare, Wildefruit, Ermana, Lucky Cloud Skincare, Bowe Organics, BAO Skincare and Lily & Rabbit.

In honour of Plastic Free July, I would encourage you to explore the winners list because many of the brands have minimalistic and eco-friendly packaging. If like me you have an interest in Vegan skincare then several Vegan trademark holders are also on the winners list - Hairy Jayne, HAERScence Skincare, Queenie Organics, Crystal Spring, Bowe Organics, BAO Skincare, Little Soap Co, Beauty Kitchen and Rhug Wild Beauty.

A list of all Gold, Silver and Bronze winners can be found at freefromskincareawards.co.uk

Sarah x

11 August 2020

Ocean Saver All Purpose Floor Cleaner Eco Drop Rhubarb Coral
(I paid for this product, price correct at time of publication)

I've remained loyal to the same household cleaning products for years. I've been using a combination of Bio-D, Tincture LondonGreenscents and I have a favourite product from each brand. During lockdown and with the loss of my job I was seeking accessible and budget friendly options. I thought that might be mission impossible but I'm pleased to say I found Ocean Saver.

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