professional skincare

2020 Mama & Baby Awards are now OPEN

Calling clean, green parent and baby brands! The 7th annual Beauty Shortlist Mama & Baby awards are now open for entries. But hurry – the final deadline is May 8.

The hotly anticipated Beauty Shortlist Mama & Baby awards are back to celebrate outstanding ethical products for parents, babies, toddlers and beyond. 

Right now parents are more plugged in than ever to global health concerns. So there’s never been a better time to shine a spotlight on cherishable essentials that beautifully nurture, pamper and protect our families.

“There’s huge demand among parents for products that meet high ethical standards with an ingredients list that’s as pure and natural as possible,” says awards founder Fiona Klonarides.

“However, well-meaning mums and dads can find it tough to navigate the category. We need to direct consumers away from the big non-natural ranges cluttering the shelves of high street chemists and towards the gentle, ethical, clean natural brands – big and small.

“We’re not looking at a brand’s advertising budget. We’re finding out if their products perform for the most discerning audience possible: parents and their kids.”

Brands can enter now here .

Find out who’s won on Friday 12 June

These awards provide The Beauty Shortlist's definitive run-down of top-ranked natural, organic and earth-friendly baby products, plus beauty and wellness for mums and parents.

Experts, consumers and editors trust the awards to highlight excellence and ethics through a proudly independent judging process. 

For 2020, the global panel includes: 

– UK Katie Hill, co-founder of green living magazine My Green Pod (distributed quarterly with The Guardian to six million eco conscious consumers). 

– USA Makeup artist (Marie ClaireCosmopolitanTeen Vogue) and wellness coach Denise del Russo. 

– AUSTRALIA Holly Spierings, creative director of award-winning make-up brand Eye of Horus. 

Looking for recommendations right away?

Here are three of our previous winners… 

1. Madara Organic Baby & Kids Cocoa and Plum Creamy Oil
Judges loved how the extra-creamy consistency makes massages feel soothing and special for everyone. Meanwhile the rich cocoa butter smoothes away dryness and nourishes soft and delicate skin.

2. Balmonds’ Skin Salvation
Natural balms are a positive boon for parents protecting against nappy rash. The beeswax base seals away the skin’s moisture while protecting against irritating dampness – making it a must for the baby bag.

3. Bloom and Blossom Matilda’s Miracle Detangler
A natural product that takes the fight out of bed-time or pre-school hair-brushing is a big win for parents. Judges admired the calming lavender scent and how it worked across all different types of hair (however tangled).

About the awards
Originally launched seven years ago by beauty writer and respected natural living expert Fiona Klonarides, the awards are a 100% independent guide to parent and baby products.

Each year they’re judged by a panel of unbiased industry experts with no sponsorship or advertising to sway their decisions. This unique, transparent approach with an intrinsic focus on “natural, eco and ethical” attracts entries from across the world – creating a uniquely level playing field for both big and small brands.

PHYT’S – Gommage Contact+ Gentle Face Scrub and Elixir Hydratant 24H

Today at The Amazing Blogwe’re reviewing a French salon brand new to the UK, offering the consumer organic skincare and cosmetics, as well as salon based treatments. We are talking about PHYT’S who have over 48 years of experience in the professional skincare sector.

PHYT’S was founded by Jean-Paul Llopart a biologist and naturopath and Rosanne Verlé a beautician. Since 1972, PHYT’S has used only 100% natural and organic ingredients, most of which are sustainably sourced locally in France. With products such as the Crème Absolue, the Masque Gommage Contact+ and the Sérum C17 Purifiant gaining cult status in France; and their five award wins in the global 2020 Beauty Shortlist Awards including Solaire Fluide Protecteur High Protection SPF50 and Men’s Oxygenating Cleansing Gel, they’ve certainly piqued our interest!

PHYT’S has grown from their specialised treatments for the face, body, and hair; to makeup, dietary supplements and even baby products. With all this expertise, Phyts has fast become a global company with distributors in over forty countries. With its unique approach to cosmetics, in 2009 PHYT’S became the first fully-organic certified makeup line. The company’s organic focused methodology and ingredients have certainly made it into the distinguished brand that it is today. The two products that we’re reviewing today are the Gommage Contact+ Gentle Face Scrub and the Elixir Hydratant 24H water infusion.

Let’s start with the Gommage Contact+ Gentle Face Scrub this product has a warming scent of ylang-ylang and cloves, it’s ideal for all skin types, especially those who tend to react or a sensitive complexion. This effective yet gentle product helps to eliminate dead skin cells and removes impurities. To use first cleanse the skin then lightly apply the product to face and neck. Leave it on for at least 2 - 5 minutes, then delicately massage the area so that the scrub starts to roll or peel. Rinse the skin, pat dry and follow with a nourishing serum and moisturiser. The scrub’s ingredients have anti-ageing, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties; these include ylang-ylang which balances oil production and cloves, which help to reduce fine lines and maintain moisture. Priced at £24.99 for a 40ml tube from here

Next, we used the Elixir Hydratant 24H, which is perfect for any dry or dehydrated skin types, it offers an all-day-long added water infusion as it moisturises and holds hydration in the skin. PHYT’S tests showed that by using this Elixir Hydratant the skin hydration increases by 88% even six hours after application. It’s an intense lightweight serum that plumps and revitalises the complexion. The product is easy to apply, simply put a few drops onto clean skin morning or evening which can then be followed by other products in the range. We loved the pale lavender colour, the light floral scent and the hyaluronic acid. The actives are extracted from wood, aloe vera and hazelnut oil, all of which help to keep the moisture locked in. We can happily report back that we found these both to be impressive ‘must-have’ products, and we’d certainly buy more. Priced at £55.99 for a 30ml bottle here. These products can be used together or alone. The Gommage Contact+ and Elixir Hydratant 24H are both available from Beauty Fresh here.