Monthly Archives: Oct 2011

Cloth Diapers Microfiber One Size Diapers Pocket Diapers Snap Closure Velcro/Aplix Closure

Bumgenius 4.0 Cloth Diapers in the NEW Colors Mirror, Dazzle & Sassy!

Bumgenius Mirror Dazzle Sassy

When Cottonbabies announced the new Flip Trainers and Freetime AIO cloth diapers, I was excited for the new products, but I was especially excited for the new colors Mirror, Dazzle & Sassy, and the new prints, Albert & Lovelace. Somehow, I was under the impression that the existing Bumgenius (4.0, Elemental, Newborn AIO) and Flip products would be available in the colors/prints after the new products came out. In hindsight, I remember hearing “Fall 2011” as well as “early 2012” thrown around so who knows. I blame pregnancy brain.

Anyhoo, a week or two ago I started hearing things about “new colors shipping soon” so I was thinking that maybe the new products were releasing earlier than expected. Then I got with the program and realized that some retailers were receiving 4.0s and Elementals in the new colors already!! As of the time I’m writing this, Kelly’s Closet (affiliate link) has the new colors in stock, in snap-closure 4.0s!

Bumgenius Mirror Dazzle Sassy Bumgenius Mirror Dazzle Sassy

I knew that having two in diapers (at least for a while) soon would mean that I’d need a few more diapers, if I didn’t want to start having to wash more often (I don’t.) I had wished I could take advantage of the buy 5 get 1 free sale that is ending this week, but since I don’t know if I need pink or blue, I didn’t want to end up with a whole mess of yellow diapers. Well shiver me timbers when I found out the new colors were available and part of the buy 5 get 1 sale!! $14.48 per diaper and new colors? Yes, please!

Bumgenius Mirror Dazzle Sassy Bumgenius Mirror Dazzle Sassy

All 3 are really gorgeous, vivid, bright colors. Mirror (blue-ish), dazzle (orchid purple) and sassy (red-orange.) Dazzle is maybe a little more pink than I expected, and sassy was a bit more orange, but I’d still put either on a boy or a girl.

I didn’t have any of the artist series prints since I wasn’t exactly wild about them, but I did love the solid blue in the retail therapy print. I wondered how close the mirror color was to that blue, so I chose that as my free diaper.

Bumgenius Mirror Retail Therapy Bumgenius Mirror Retail Therapy

I actually like the mirror better than the blue in the retail therapy print. It’s gorgeous. Just a hint of green to the blue and such a beautiful, gender neutral color.

Some people say they think Bumgenius are kind of boring because they don’t have the prints that other brands do, but my hubby and I both think that Bumgenius are some of the cutest diapers we have, despite being so simple. The solid colors contrasting with the white aplix and a hint of the white inner at the waist & legs make them classically cute in my opinion! My favorites are Twilight, Moonbeam & Ribbit, along with Blossom & Zinnia if I had a girl, and now Mirror as well!

I hope Bumgenius continues to come out with more solid colors. On the other hand, maybe not…how many more diapers can I justify buying? Tee-hee!

Looking at the Bumgenius site it appears that the new colors and prints will eventually be available in the newborn AIO diapers as well!

FTC compliance: I purchased the pictured items at normal retail prices. I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own. This post contains a single, labeled affiliate link.




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Baby Products Giveaway Natural Personal Care Products Review Virtual Baby Shower Event

Exederm Ultra Sensitive Skincare for Baby & Eczema Review & Giveaway (CLOSED 10/31)

Exederm 1 products

Exederm makes ultra-sensitive skincare with the mildest ingredients possible (no fragrance, lanolin, parabens, propylene glycol, colors, dyes, sodium laureth sulfate, cocamidopropyl betaine or phthlates), to help the most delicate skin types (including those with eczema or dermatitis.)

Exederm 2 boxExederm 14 all products approved

They have a full line of products for adults in addition to the baby products I reviewed. Exederm received the “seal of acceptance” award from the National Eczema Association, and all 5 baby products received a 5/5 rating from the review panel! The Exederm website has lots of resources and information, including tips and information about irritants.

My son has extremely sensitive skin, and it became pretty apparent this year that he also suffers from eczema. I was lucky enough (sarcasm) to inherit eczema from my Dad. I had it on my arms as a baby, but now I mostly get it on my hands. It is worst in winter (my hands and knuckles crack and bleed) but for some reason it’s not nearly as bad if I am pregnant or newly breastfeeding. My dermatologist told me to stick with incredibly mild skin care products, free of fragrances, dyes or chemicals. To use soap/cleansers only when necessary, don’t use very hot water, and to apply moisturizers while skin is still damp.

Exederm 3 in box

The same “rules” of course apply to caring for my son’s skin, and Exederm fits the bill.

Exederm 4 boo boosExederm 5 eczema
Exederm 6 eczema

My son’s eczema is mostly on his upper arms and lower legs. I had a hard time getting photos of it; it is far worse than it looks in the photos! The biggest problem is that he just won’t leave it alone. From experience, I know it’s terribly itchy, but it can’t heal with him constantly scratching at it.

Exederm 7 baby lotionExederm 8 lotion package
Exederm 9 sealed

The first product we tried is the hydrating baby lotion.

lotion

It doesn’t contain any potentially allergenic ingredients like botanical extracts, nut oils or herbal additives. There is no fragrance, color, dyes, parabens, lanolin, SLS or SLES, propylene glycol, formaldehyde, or phthlates.

Ingredients: Water, petroleum, capric triglyceride, glyceryl stearate, stearic acid, palmitic acid, glycerin, ceteareth-20, sodium benzoate, phenoxyethanol, citric acid

Exederm 10 lotionExederm 11 lotion on hand
Exederm 12 lotion rubbed in

The lotion is lightweight and easily absorbed. My son let me put it on his arms & legs, and didn’t freak out (which says a lot!) My daughter used some too, and she said that it smelled like my yummy homemade bread (LOL.) It is fragrance free, but I suppose it has the slightest scent from the ingredients. A 6 ounce bottle of the lotion retails for $14.99.

Exederm 13 intense moistureExederm 15 package
Exederm 16 sealed

Next up is the intense baby moisturizer.

cream

Just like the lotion, it doesn’t contain fragrance, color, dyes, parabens, lanolin, SLS or SLES, propylene glycol, formaldehyde, or phthlates.

Ingredients: Water, petroleum, capric triglyceride, glyceryl stearate, stearic acid, palmitic acid, glycerin, ceteareth-20, sodium benzoate, phenoxyethanol, citric acid

Exederm 17 very thickExederm 18 like a whipped body butter
Exederm 19 on skin

It has a very thick texture, like a stiff mousse or a whipped body butter. I used it on the driest areas of my son’s skin only, and I only needed the tiniest bit. A 4 ounce jar retails for $14.99.

Exederm 20 shampooExederm 21 package
Exederm 22 sealed

Next we used the non-irritating baby shampoo. My husband said it’s false advertising because all babies are at least a little irritating sometimes, no such thing as a non-irritating baby. Tee-hee!

shampoo

I’m getting repetitive here, but the shampoo does not contain fragrance, color, dyes, parabens, lanolin, SLS or SLES, propylene glycol, formaldehyde, or phthlates.

Ingredients: Purified water, decyl glucoside, glycerin, xanthan gum, disodium cocoamphodiacete, phenoxyethanol, caprylyl glycol, polyquaterium-10, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, EDTA, citric acid

Exederm 23 on handExederm 24 lather

My son had cradle cap for a long time, and still suffers from scaly patches on his scalp now and again. It honestly never occurred to me to use a shampoo designed for children with eczema, but it makes perfect sense. Even if they don’t suffer from dermatitis or the like on their scalp, the shampoo is still going to end up all over their bodies, and in the bath water they’re sitting in. My husband did remark that it wasn’t particularly foamy, but I explained that it doesn’t have any of the nasty chemicals that make shampoos foam! It rinsed out well and left my son’s hair clean. An 8 ounce bottle retails for $12.99.

Exederm 25 washExederm 26 package

The cleansing baby bath is next.

baby bath

Are you one step ahead of me yet? No fragrance, color, dyes, parabens, lanolin, SLS or SLES, propylene glycol, formaldehyde, or phthlates.

Ingredients: Purified water, glycerin, disodium cocoamphodiacete, decyl glucoside, disodium cocoglucoside sulfosuccinate, xanthan gum, phenoxyethanol, caprylyl glycol, tetrasodium EDTA, sodium chloride, citric acid

Exederm 27 on handExederm 28 lather

Just like the shampoo, it doesn’t make loads of suds, but it lathers enough, rinses easily and doesn’t leave residue. An 8 ounce bottle with pump (which I LOVE, it makes it SO much easier to hold a baby and wash at the same time!) retails for $12.99.

Exederm 29 flare creamExederm 30 package
Exederm 31 tubeExederm 32 tube package

The last of the products I tried was the flare control cream. It is America’s only paraben-free hydrocortisone cream, and is the maximum strength available without a prescription. It is also the first and only hydrocortisone product to receive the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance with a perfect 5 out of 5 score.

flare cream

No fragrance, color, dyes, parabens, lanolin, SLS or SLES, propylene glycol, phthlates or formaldehyde.

Ingredients:
Active Ingredient: Hydrocortisone acetate USP 1%
Inactive ingredients: (base) caprylic/capric triglyceride, caprylyl glycol, ceteareth-20, anthemis nobilis, citric acid, glycerin, glyceryl stearate, palmitic acid, petrolatum, phenoxyethanol, stearic acid, purified water

Exederm 33 consistencyExederm 34 on hand

I thought this was quite different than other hydrocortisone creams I’ve used. It wasn’t at all sticky or goopy. My son let me put it on his “boo-boos” before bed, and between the flare cream, lotion and intense moisturizer, it looked noticeably better in the morning. A 2 ounce tube retails for $14.99.

If your child (or you for that matter) has ultra-sensitive skin, eczema or dermatitis, you should definitely try Exederm!!

Buy any 3 products from Exederm.com and receive 20% off with coupon code “save20.” Orders over $50 receive free shipping to the U.S. or Canada too! The children’s products are available at lots of brick & mortar and online retailers while the standard/adult line is only available from Amazon.com or directly from Exederm at this time.

Giveaway: One winner will receive the same package of Exederm Products I reviewed (5 full-size products.) Includes 8 oz. non-irritating baby shampoo (ARV $12.99), 8 oz. cleansing baby bath (ARV $12.99), 6 oz. hydrating baby moisturizer (ARV $14.99), 4 oz. intensive baby moisturizer (ARV $14.99) and 2 oz. flare cream (ARV $14.99.) Combined retail value is $70.95. Entries go in the Rafflecopter form.

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Uncategorized

Please Complete and Share My Cloth Diaper Detergent Survey!

Please click over to my Cloth Diaper Detergent Survey Page and complete the survey!

Even if you haven’t quite figured out what works for you, please complete it based on detergents you’ve already tried. Please complete the survey once per detergent and/or washing machine/water type you’ve used.

I’m hoping to get all data analyzed and compiled so you can easily narrow down what detergents may be most likely to work for you based on your washing situation!

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Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Green Babies Bubble Bath Winner

green babies winner

After a few duplicates were removed, 180 people entered this giveaway. The winning entry is #104, which is Heather.

Congratulations Heather, I’m emailing you now so you can claim your prize!




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Baby Products Giveaway Review Virtual Baby Shower Event

Red Envelope Deluxe Baby Keepsake Kit Review & $100 Gift Certificate Giveaway (CLOSED 10/28)

red envelope
red envelope 1

Red Envelope has all sorts of fantastic gifts for anniversaries, birthdays and of course new baby gifts. I’ve shopped with Red Envelope for several years, and I’ve bought my husband unique gifts (I bought him personalized collar stays for our anniversary this year!) as well as baby gifts. In fact, I not only bought the Deluxe Baby Keepsake Gift for my 6 1/2 year old daughter and 2 year old son, but also for my husband’s brother when their first baby was born!

red envelope 2 boxred envelope 3 securely packaged

I received the Deluxe Baby Keepsake Kit for the new baby, but I’m also picturing my son’s and daughter’s so you can see what they look like completed! The kit comes securely packaged, so you don’t have to worry about the glass breaking in transit.

red envelope 4 framered envelope 5 everything is inside frame

All of the pieces are included inside the frame. The kit comes in different color frames; you can choose from espresso (what I received), mahogany, white or natural.

red envelope 6 back
red envelope 7 beige pink matsred envelope 8 blue green mats

Inside the frame, you’ll find two, two-sided mats, so you can choose from pink, beige, blue or green.

red envelope 9 tools

It comes with everything you need, including a rolling pin, straight edge/ruler, double stick tape, and two packages of modeling clay stuff. It’s soft and spongy, and you can squish it back together and try again if you like. It’s super easy to use, and dries within a day or two.

red envelope 10 dds frame

We bought the kit for our daughter after we had zero luck with the plaster of paris type kits. We even tried waiting until she was asleep, but couldn’t get a good imprint, and just ended up with a huge mess. The Red Envelope kit is simple, quick, and (I think anyway) a beautiful keepsake.

red envelope 11 wallred envelope 12 wall
red envelope 13 wall

I think they look wonderful on our hallway wall, with our other family photos! The deluxe keepsake kit is a little bit pricey at $59.95, but well worth it in my opinion.

You can buy everything from plants, cigar cases, toys and jewelry to home decor and gourmet foods at Red Envelope!

Giveaway: One winner will receive a $100 Red Envelope gift code, to spend on anything they like! Entries go in the Rafflecopter form.

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