Earth Mama Angel Baby A Little Something for Mama to Be Review & Giveaway US/Canada (CLOSED 10/12)

Oct 5,2011 / By Maria / 9 Comments

Earth Mama Angel Baby (EMAB) has fabulous, toxin-free products for pregnancy, postpartum, breastfeeding, baby and family as well as gifts. They have a line of baby loss comfort products, as well as the Healing Hearts Baby Loss Comfort website and Healing Hearts Baby Loss Comfort Facebook page.

I have a soft spot for EMAB because more than a year and a half ago, I had only been blogging for around 4 months, and I was just getting up the guts to try and ask for sponsors for the blog. Not only did I get to review the Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm and Happy Mama Body Wash, but Tracey of EMAB actually took the time to talk to me on the phone and direct me to several great resources. Do you believe that a year and a half later, we still haven’t used all of our bottom balm? A little goes such a long way, and cloth was really the rash cure for us!

Anyway, EMAB sent me the “A Little Something for Mama to Be” gift package, as well as the New Mama Bottom Spray.

A Little Something For Mama-To-Be Includes:
Happy Mama Hand to Toe Wash 1.67oz
Happy Mama Spray 1oz
Earth Mama Body Butter 2oz
Natural Stretch Oil 1oz
Organic Morning Wellness Tea (2 bags)

When I received this package, I thought about what an awesome gift this would be for a Mama who just shared the news she was expecting. Especially a Mama who is expecting her second, third (etc.) child and is far to busy with the other kids to pamper herself, and is unlikely to receive gifts this time around!

The Earth Mama Body Butter contains organic ingredients, no artificial fragrances, preservatives or dyes and zero toxins! It is delicately scented, absorbs into skin thoroughly, and is heaven for itchy pregnant skin!

Ingredients: Aloe barbadensis (organic aloe) leaf juice, Olea europaea (organic olive) fruit oil, Helianthus annuus (organic sunflower) seed oil, Kosher vegetable glycerin, Butyrospermum parkii (organic shea) butter, Olivoyl hydrolyzed wheat protein, Cetearyl alcohol, Glyceryl oleate, Glyceryl stearate, Citrus sinensis (organic sweet orange) oil, Aspalathus linearis (organic rooibos) leaf extract, Simmondsia chinensis (organic jojoba) seed oil, Calendula officinalis (organic calendula) flower extract, Borago officinalis (organic borage) seed oil, Rubus idaeus (organic red raspberry) seed oil, Citrus aurantium amara (neroli) oil, Vanilla planifolia (organic vanilla) extract, Xanthan gum

The Happy Mama Hand to Toe Wash contains no petrochemicals, petroleum or petroleum byproducts, 1,4-Dioxane, formaldehyde, or phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate, cocomidopropyl betaine or other synthetic foaming agents or surfactants, no artificial preservatives, parabens, phenoxyethanol, Quaternium-15 etc. and no artificial emulsifiers. It has a natural, citrus-y ginger scent that would help ease the quease, though luckily I was over the morning sickness stage by the time I received this package!

Ingredients: Saponified Cocos nucifera (organic coconut) oil, Saponified Olea europaea (organic olive) oil, Aloe barbadensis (organic aloe) leaf juice, Kosher vegetable glycerin, Butyrospermun parkii (organic shea) butter, Potassium citrate, Zingiber officinalis (ginger) oil, Citrus paradisi (organic grapefruit) peel oil, Citrus aurantifolia (organic lime) oil, Vanilla planifolia (organic vanilla) bean extract, Calendula officinalis (organic calendula) extract.

Happy Mama Spray is an aromatherapy spray that the whole family will love (if you share!) It is made with a safe, proprietary blend that includes lime and ginger pure essential oils.

Ingredients: water, Citrus aurantifolia (organic lime) essential oil, Zingiber officinale (ginger) essential oil, Citrus reticulate (tangerine) essential oil, Citrus sinensis (organic sweet orange) essential oil, Olea europa (organic olive ) oil, Cananga idirata gebyuba (ylang ylang) essential oil and Borago officinalis (borage) flower essence.

The Natural Stretch Oil is vegan, cruelty free and conains no nut oils. Of course, it has zero toxins and no artificial preservatives, fragrance or color. You can use it for itchy pregnant bellies, as a massage oil (or for perineal massage) or even as a bath oil!

Ingredients: Vitis vinifera (grape) seed oil, Simmondsia chinensis (organic jojoba) seed oil, Borago officinalis (organic borage) seed oil, Matricaria recutita (organic chamomile) extract, Calendula officinalis (organic calendula) extract, a proprietary blend of Citrus sinensis (organic orange) essential oil, Citrus aurantium dulsis (neroli) oil.

Lastly, the Organic Morning Wellness Tea is USDA Certified 100% Organic & Certified Kosher, and contains ginger root and spearmint, a hint of Peppermint, Chamomile and Lemon Balm with a little Orange Peel for flavor. It is caffeine free and packaged in biodegradable, easy to brew tea bags with compostable overwrap. Again, I’m over the morning sickness phase, but my BFF recently received some fantastic news and is in dire need of these, so I’ve passed them on to her. 🙂

Ingredients: Zingiber officinale (organic ginger) root, Mentha spicata (organic spearmint) leaf, Matricaria recutita (organic chamomile) flower, Citrus sinensis (organic orange) peel, Melissa officinalis (organic lemon balm) leaf, Mentha piperita (organic peppermint) leaf.

The other item I received was not part of the above package, and that is the New Mama Bottom Spray. It sounds weird to say this, but I’m looking forward to trying this. Ideally sure, the baby would slip right out with nary a scratch or swelling, but let’s be realistic here! Even the easiest births will leave you uncomfortable for a while, and that’s where this soothing perineal mist comes in! With witch hazel, lavender and peppermint oil, it will soothe postpartum discomfort, and the bottle even sprays upside down! As usual, toxin free and nothing artificial! You can even use it for sunburn, puffy eyes, razor burn and more!

Ingredients: water, Hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) leaf extract, Cucumis sativus (cucumber) extract, kosher vegetable glycerin, proprietary blend of Lavendula angustifolia (organic lavender) oil, Mentha piperita (organic peppermint) oil..

You can use all of Earth Mama Angel Baby’s products with no worries about any harm to yourself, your family or your baby from toxins or artificial anything!

Be sure to “like” Earth Mama Angel Baby on Facebook, follow Earth Mama Angel Baby on Twitter and follow the Earth Mama Angel Baby blog!

Giveaway: Earth Mama Angel Baby is offering one of my readers an “A Little Something for Mama to Be” gift pack (ARV $19.95)

Baby Products BPA Free Natural Personal Care Products Review

Jason Kids Only Toothpaste and MAM BPA/Phthlate/PVC Free Toothbrush Review

Sep 29,2011 / By Maria / 5 Comments

When I posted my Weleda Children’s Tooth Gel Review last year, someone mentioned the Jason Kids Only toothpaste. We’ve been using the Jason Kids Only Shampoo/Conditioner and have been happy with it, so I figured the toothpaste was worth a try. I was able to find it at Toys R Us and the 4.2 oz tube retails for under $6.

I’ve been meaning to write about this for literally 6 months, but with a lot of this stuff, I feel like there’s really not much to say unless it’s terrible, or somehow super amazing!

It does not contain: fluoride, sulfate, wheat, gluten, saccharin or artificial colors/flavors. The ingredients are: glycerin, water, silica, xylitol, xanthan gum, panthenol, aloe vera leaf juice, calendula flower extract, calcium carbonate, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, and flavor.

I tasted a little bit of it and it has that typical strawberry-for-kids flavor. It’s easy to squeeze out, but doesn’t come out too fast. We’ve bought this twice, and I will probably continue to buy it as long as we need fluoride-free toothpaste.

I also picked up a MAM toothbrush that’s BPA, Phthlate, lead and PVC free. It is shaped nicely to make it easy for little hands to use and hold, and I really haven’t found many other options for toothbrushes for little ones without all the icky stuff. The only thing that annoys me is that because of the way they are shaped, they won’t stay sitting on the counter bristles up. If you put some toothpaste on it and try to set it down, it rolls on it’s side and you end up with toothpaste all over the counter!

FTC compliance: I purchased the above products myself at normal prices. I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own.

Giveaway Natural Personal Care Products

ReNew Life Young Adult Education Outreach Initiative & Giveaway (CLOSED 9/13)

Sep 6,2011 / By Maria / 16 Comments

I’ve talked about probiotics before, and I’ve actually talked about ReNew Life before too! I first bought probiotic supplements when my husband and daughter were on antibiotics. I had read that probiotics would help counteract the effects of the antibiotics killing the good bacteria in your gut (they worked.) At the time, I actually didn’t realize that they were made by ReNew Life…we were just told by the store clerk that they were “the best.”

I have continued to buy them and they have made a huge difference for me. I have had “tummy troubles” my whole life, and boy, pregnancy sure doesn’t help matters!! I buy my kids the chewable Flora Bears or Buddy Bears and they ask for their “bear” every day! For myself and my husband I typically buy the Ultimate Flora Critical Care 50 billion, but I recently bought the 80 billion because it was on sale at my store!

This is what’s in my fridge right now and yes, I bought them myself, they weren’t given to me and I wasn’t paid to endorse ReNew Life!

My husband went on a business trip, which meant a week of not sleeping on the uncomfortable hotel pillows, along with eating out every day, and the stress of traveling. When he came home, his stomach was “pretty messed up” (in his words!) It didn’t help that he hadn’t been taking probiotics while he was gone either. I bought him a box of the 200 billion Super Critical Probiotics, which is a box of 7 powder packets (kind of like single serve drink mixes.) You mix it with liquid and drink up. My husband said it dissolved better if you put the liquid in your glass first, then added the powder, and it dissolved better in apple juice than orange juice. He tends to be a bit skeptical about, well…everything, but the proof was in the ~~pudding~~ probiotics. The day after he took the first dose he said he felt so much better, and he ended up only using about 3 packets before he felt “back to normal.”

I have spent tons of time and money researching and buying various fiber supplements, and nothing has really worked for me. I was actually surprised at the difference ReNew life has made for me, and I can tell when I’ve forgotten to take my probiotic for a day or two. Even though I’m ~~cheap~~ frugal, especially when it comes to something for me, I will continue to buy them!

The importance of taking a probiotic within 2-3 hours of antibiotics is one of the things that ReNew Life aims to teach young adults through their “How Does Poo move You” outreach initiative. I’m guessing that most teens and young adults think that Fiber Supplements and talk of digestive health are for geriatrics…I know I’ve told my hubby that I feel like an old person with all my issues! ReNew Life is using potty humor to reach out to young adults with their How Does Poo Move You Facebook page and video contest. (Check out the HDPMY YouTube Channel and the winning video.)

I’ve learned through trial and error that daily exercise, along with a high fiber, lower fat/carb/processed food diet helps me maintain a healthy digestive system. ReNew Life know that most young adults don’t pay attention to their digestive health, and don’t know how to counteract or naturally treat digestive health issues and common symptoms. The key objective of the “How Does Poo Move You” campaign is to educate with a goal toward digestive health issue prevention.

This is awesome! I wish I had known what I know now about digestive health, 15+ years ago. The PG/PG-13 “potty humor” angle means they can reach out to teens/young adults and get through to them!

Giveaway: ReNew Life is offering one of my readers a $50 gift certificate to spend on anything from ReNew Life!

The bonus entry is to tell us “How Poo Moves You.” Do you have a silly potty training story? Does your child have a dance that lets you know they have to go? Do you hide in the bathroom and read a book while you go, or are you just happy if you get to go without an audience?

Eco-Friendly/Green Natural Household Products Natural Personal Care Products Retailers Reusable Products Review

Soap Hope – All Natural Soaps, Body Care & More, Plus an Amazing Mission!

Jul 20,2011 / By Maria / 2 Comments

Soap Hope sells not just soap, but makeup, products for face, bath, body, baby, home, and even your pets!

I received my samples in one of their “ugly boxes,” which is scrap cardboard taped together. I love that this “garbage” is getting another life before being recycled!

I received a sampling of some of their great, natural products (yes, including some soap) but it’s not really their products that interested me as much as their mission did. Soap Hope is a for-profit company, with a non-profit mission. Under their “good returns” model, 100% of the profits Soap Hope earns are invested for one year, interest free, into women’s programs to empower women and provide education and financial opportunity. After a year, the money is returned to Soap Hope to start the cycle again.

Check out the Soap Hope deals page for discounts and special offers!

You can also sign up to receive special offers from Soap Hope, follow Soap Hope on Twitter, “like” Soap Hope on Facebook and follow the owner’s blog!

FTC compliance: I received the sample package pictured to assist in my review. I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own.

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Eco-Friendly/Green Natural Personal Care Products Review

Buzz Away Extreme Natural Insect Repellent Review (and my Mommy Fail)

Jul 13,2011 / By Maria / 9 Comments

I have been meaning to buy some natural insect repellent for the kids for like, forever. But I didn’t. I’m not completely sure why. Mostly because it’s expensive, and I was afraid to pay $10+ for something that wouldn’t work. So what finally pushed me over the edge? Feeling like a total loser of a Mommy when my son was eaten to bits. He’s apparently extra tasty (or it might just be that he’s a messy eater and usually covered in food of some sort!)

On Wednesday the 29th, we were outside playing before bedtime. As we were coming inside, we noticed an enormous lump on my son’s temple area, along with a tiny bug bite on the corner of his eye. I was about 2 feet from him when he was bitten because I told him not to rub his eyes when he had sand on his hands! 🙁 I didn’t take a picture because I didn’t think much of it, but this is what he looked like Thursday morning (you can see a little remaining redness on his temple and the other bite near his eye):

It got worse as the day went on, and this is what he looked like by the evening (to add fail to fail, he got another bug bite above his eyebrow in the morning, just before we went to buy the bug spray!):

I actually had two people at swim lessons ask me what happened because he was so swollen! I’m not one to rush off to the doctor, but I did call Thursday afternoon. The nurse told me to expect more swelling, to call if it wasn’t better by Friday, or got better then worse. She also said that I could give him some Benadryl to help with the itching. We had some dye free generic Benadryl from when my daughter had an allergic reaction, so she gave me the dosage and I planned to give it to him before bed in case it made him tired. (It ended up making him crabby, but didn’t make him sleepy, LOL.)

Here was my poor boy before bed:

Well the nurse wasn’t kidding when she said expect it to be worse in the morning! Look at him on Friday morning. 🙁

Thankfully by Friday evening he was just about back to normal:

I chose Buzz Away Extreme because (drumroll please) it was the only bug spray at the organic store! LOL

It really does have natural ingredients. Active ingredients of the Buzz Away Extreme DEET Free Insect repellent are: Castor Oil (8%), Geranium Oil (6%), Soybean Oil (3%), Cedarwood Oil (1.5%), Citronella Oil (1%), Peppermint Oil (0.5%) and Lemongrass Oil (.25%). Inert ingredients (79.75% total) are Purified Water, Palm Oil, Glycerin, Lecithin, Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda), Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (a preservative that is naturally occurring in some foods and chemically produced and added to foods & cosmetics) and wintergreen oil.

It smells like a citronella candle. Not my favorite, but tolerable (except when you apply it, then drive in a car with closed windows, pee-yew!) A little goes a long way (it was $9.99 for a 4 ounce bottle) and it does seem to work. It even kept gnats away. My son has gotten one more bug bite since we bought it, and that’s because I didn’t put it on him (le sigh, when will I stop with the mommy fails?)

If I come across another natural bug spray, I will definitely try it, but for now, this is just fine!

Have you found a great natural bug spray, or do you have a home remedy that works to keep them away?

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Category : Natural Personal Care Products

Earth Mama Angel Baby A Little Something for Mama to Be Review & Giveaway US/Canada (CLOSED 10/12)

Jason Kids Only Toothpaste and MAM BPA/Phthlate/PVC Free Toothbrush Review

ReNew Life Young Adult Education Outreach Initiative & Giveaway (CLOSED 9/13)

Soap Hope – All Natural Soaps, Body Care & More, Plus an Amazing Mission!

Buzz Away Extreme Natural Insect Repellent Review (and my Mommy Fail)

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