BEAUTY SHORTLIST AWARDS

Back in October a friend encouraged me to enter my products in The 2026 Beauty Shortlist Awards. At first I was like no WAY and I let the deadline pass. Then I thought why wouldn’t I at least try? And I wrote to them and they gave me an extension… and all 6 of the products I entered won an award.

Now I know what you’re thinking and I was thinking the same thing. Is this an everybody-wins-a-trophy deal? So I googled and found out that it is not. I also started searching to see if other well-established brands that I admire have entered/won, and they have… so as it turns out, this is a very big honor for me.

What makes this especially meaningful is who The Beauty Shortlist is:

They’re known for being independent, sponsor-free, and ad-free — brands can’t pay to win. Their awards are rooted in real testing and real standards, and they’re widely respected in the natural, organic, and ethical beauty space. And they pay as much attention to established brands as they do indie brands, which is so so cool.

It’s also cool because these awards are out of London, and EU skincare regulations are among the strictest globally, prioritizing safety and transparency by banning over 1,600 chemicals and require rigorous safety assessments.

Because my products are made in small batches, by hand, in my studio — this recognition felt like a huge moment… for the work behind the work: striving for integrity, ingredients with purpose, and formulas that are both effective and grounding to use.

THE AWARDS

The absolute best part of all of this was sharing the news with family and friends who have been so supportive since this all began — by ordering for yourselves, gifting to friends, sending a kind note, and/or showing up at the Open Studios. And you know the scene in Love Actually when Laura Linney spazzes out by the front door right before the HOT PORTUGUESE GUY goes up to her room? That is me right now.