Category : Natural Personal Care Products

Natural Personal Care Products Review

Natural (er) Kids’ Personal Care Product Reviews – Burt’s Bees, Rainbow, Jason, Kiss My Face, Aubrey Organics

natural children's bath products

Last month, I posted about my shopping trip for natural kid and baby products.  We’ve been using the products for about a month now, and I wanted to share my thoughts.  The reason I say natural (er) in the post title is that that several contain ingredients such as fragrance, alcohol, limonene and essential oils, giving them cosmetic safety database ratings not much different than Johnson’s Buddies products.  I’m pretty OK with the ingredients for now.  Maybe next time I make a purchase, I will look for something even more natural.
 

Jason Kids Only Shampoo & Conditioner

A big reason why I chose the Jason Naturals Kids Only was that they had both a shampoo and conditioner available.  We use conditioner on my daughter’s hair every time we wash it, to make combing easier.  At $7.69 each, they definitely weren’t cheap however, a little goes a long way, and we will probably be using these for a long time!  I do wish the conditioner bottle was a bit bigger; sometimes we use more conditioner than we do shampoo!
 
The shampoo is actually very thick, and comes out more like a glob of hair gel than a liquid shampoo.  It does lather quite easily, and you don’t need to use much.
 

Jason Kids' Shampoo Suds

 
The conditioner is also very thick, but spreads easily.
 
Jason Kids Conditioner is thick spreads easily

They both smell the same: fruity, almost like a ripe banana.  They rinsed out easily and left my daughter’s hair soft and easy to comb.

Burt's bees Baby Bee Bubble Bath

I let my daughter use bubble bath sometimes as a treat.  I tried Method Baby brand bubble bath, and wasn’t impressed with the bubbles (or lack thereof.)  She received Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Bubble Bath as a gift, and we gave it a try.

natural bubble bathBurt's Bees Bubble Bath Suds

Initially, I wasn’t sure that it would really make a lot of bubbles, but I was pleasantly surprised when we tried it in the tub.

IMG_6931

The instructions say to use 3-4 capfuls, but I just gave it a quick squirt, then swished it around with my hand.  I think it would make even more bubbles if you used 3-4 capfuls.  Maybe not huge Mr. Bubble bubbles, but still fun, and it smells wonderful!

Kiss my Face Kids Self Foamnig Hand Wash

My son isn’t quite washing his own hands yet, but I love foaming soaps for the kids.  It’s easy for them to wash their hands, without having trouble rinsing the soap off, or using too much.  The Kiss My Face Kids Foaming Hand Soap is available in a few scents (I bought orange) and I paid $6.69 at my local organic store.  The next week I saw it at my grocery store for a dollar less!

Natural kids foaming hand soap

It’s easy to use, rinses easily, and smells like an orange creamsicle!  The scent isn’t too strong, but it does stick around on your hands for a little while after washing.

Aubrey Organics Natural Baby and Kids Bath Soap

I chose the Aubrey Organics Natural Baby & Kids Bath Soap because I like the way it smells, ok?  I admit it.  It is just heavenly.  Like a clean baby, with a bit of baby powder.  I am totally buying the lotion if it smells anything like the soap!

I really wanted to buy the shampoo as well, but it is not a no-tears formula.  I was told that “no-tears” products have numbing agents in them and should be avoided, but you know what?  I really prefer the no-tears formula.  All I need is to accidentally get a little bit in the kid’s eyes and he’ll never let me wash his hair again!  It’s hard enough as it is! 

Natural baby wash suds

It lathers up well and rinses easily, but I’d love to see a moisturizing formula!  This was the priciest item I bought, at $8.99 for 8 ounces.  One squirt from the pump dispenser will wash my son from head to toe, so it will likely last us quite a while!

Rainbow baby and kids products

I chose Baby Oh Baby Organic Herbal Shampoo from Rainbow Research for my son.  The scent is derived from Lavender, Chamomile, and Orange, but it simply smells clean to me.  My husband said it smells like a cologne I might choose for him, and he’s right.  The scent is soft, but pleasant.  I usually only bathe my kids every other day in the winter (unless they are really dirty) since their skin tends to be dry.  Even when my son is due for another bath, his hair still smells good!

baby oh baby organic herbal shampoo suds

While it is a moisturizing formula, I’d love to see an extra-moisturizing formula offered!  The 8 oz bottle has a pump dispenser (love this!) and I paid $5.39 at my local organic store.

I use a detangler on my daughter’s hair on non-bath days, and to tame her hair/help with combing here and there.  I wasn’t able to find many “natural” options, but I picked up the Rainbow Research Spray De-Tangler for Kids for $4.99.  It contains extracts of Chamomile, Red Clover, Comfrey and Balsam, and while it does a good job of detangling, I really don’t care for the way it smells.  It’s hard to describe, but all I can figure is that I am smelling those extracts (the last ingredient is fragrance, so there must be some fragrance added).  It smells earthy and herbal, not really my preferred hair product scent!  I’d love to see a clean scent offered.

Overall, I’m pretty happy with what we purchased, and I think it’s a good baby step, even if they’re not rated a “0” in the Cosmetic Safety Database!

FTC compliance: All items were purchased at normal retail prices.  I was not compensated for this post, and all opinions are my own.

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Natural Personal Care Products

Baby Steps – Switching the kiddos’ products to “greener” products

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children's natural bath products

I’ve been wanting to switch all of our household and personal care products to more “natural” products, without all the added chemicals.  If I were a millionaire, I would do a massive purge and buy all new stuff to try.  Unfortunately, I’m not a millionaire, and I stretch our budget by shopping CVS (A.K.A. “CVS’ing.”)  Since I started CVS’ing in 2007, I haven’t paid more than a few pennies for toothpaste, shampoo, body wash, shaving cream, soap, face wash etc.  I only have 1 card, stick to all limits, and only use legitimate coupons, but I’m still blessed to be able to donate bags of products to the food bank, while still having a major product stockpile!
 
Unfortunately, all of those products are “mainstream” products full of chemicals.  I’ve been using Method Baby bath stuff on my son, but shamefully, my daughter has been using Johnson’s Buddies and L’Oreal Kids products.  Anyone who has shopped for natural/organic personal care products knows they cost a heck of a lot more than “pennies!”  Note: on Monday, I received my CVS ad for next week in the mail (they mail it to me because my paper doesn’t put it in for some reason.)  Tom’s of Maine Deodorant, Toothpaste & Mouthwash will be on sale for $3.99 with $3.00 ECB, limit of 2.  Pretty sweet!

I finally decided that instead of dipping into my stockpile, I would replace items with a more natural product as we ran out.  I really don’t know how I’ll feel about that when I run out of shampoo though!  In any case, the kids’ bath products were getting low, and I don’t have much trouble handing over the cash for products that are better for them (things for me are a different story!) 

I checked our two local organic markets (think the size of one department in whole foods) and I’ll admit, I let my nose do most of the choosing.  I’m a sucker for a scented product, though I can’t handle very strong scents.  I especially adore a sweet baby smell for baby bath stuff.  I bought 6 products (the Burt’s Bees bubble bath pictured was a gift we haven’t used yet) and spent around $40 plus tax.  Zoinks.  I reminded myself that my kids are worth it, and that replacing the products as they’re used up won’t be so spendy.  I think I’ve used two bottles of body wash and one bottle of shampoo for my son, since he was born 19 months ago.  My daughter may have used two bars of soap, half a bottle of body wash and two bottles of shampoo and conditioner in that same time period.

While I did look at the ingredients lists at the store, I was surprised to pull up the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database and find that the “ratings” on the new products were about the same as the Johnson & Johnson’s products.  I spent some time looking at the ingredients, and I felt OK with my purchases by the time I closed my browser.  While the J&J products are full of difficult to pronounce ingredients, my new stuff’s highest “offending” ingredient was usually fragrance.  Oops.

I know that in a perfect world, I’d be using only products (on the kids and everywhere else) that were rated “0 toxins,” but I have to take baby steps.  I’m just not ready to give up my lather-licious, yummy smelling products just yet.  If I tried, I’m pretty sure I would fail, return to my old products and just be out a lot of money!

So, for now, I am happy with my more “natural” kids’ bath products (which I will be reviewing in the upcoming weeks) and I’m happy to be taking a big donation of mainstream children’s products over to the food bank!  I feel a little funny donating them, like “here, this isn’t good enough for my kids, you take them!”  On the other hand, I think the majority of people are perfectly satisfied with J&J type stuff, and hopefully some kids will be happy to get some fun new bath stuff!

not so natural bath products

Has cloth diapering made you more determined to go “green” in other ways?  What products do you want to switch over?

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Giveaway Natural Personal Care Products Review

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion Review & Giveaway Open to the U.S. and Canada (CLOSED 1/5)

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Skin MD Natural

I had never heard of Skin MD Natural before this review.  I am so glad I know about it now!  It is made in the U.S. in a 100% solar facility, is never tested on animals, and does not contain any animal ingredients, parabens, petrochemicals, dyes or fragrances.

natural lotion

I received a 4 oz. (full size) bottle of the shielding lotion to try.  Initially, $18 seemed a little steep for a 4 oz. bottle, even though they estimate it will last 1-2 months with daily use.  I was wrong again!  The literature suggested a pea size amount for hands, but I needed even less than that.  I’ve been using it for a few weeks, and my bottle still seems full. 
 

skinmd ingredients

 
The ingredients are 93% natural and the lotion hydrates and protects your hands.  The bottle says to apply it every 2-8 hours initially, then every 12-24 hours after your skin’s moisture improves.  I’ve been using it pretty much any time I think about it.  Every time I wash my hands, any time my hands feel a little dry, any time I walk by the bottle…
 

I’ve mentioned before that I suffer from eczema on my hands, which is exacerbated by the constant hand washing that goes hand in hand (har har) with motherhood.
 

lotion texture

Here’s why I really love this lotion: it truly soaks into your skin and does not feel greasy.  I am really weird about that.  I’m not afraid of getting dirty, but I am totally squicked out when I have anything on my hands, and I have to wash them right away.  I have gone so far as to squirt lotion on the backs of my hands and rub them together to avoid getting any on my palms.  With Skin MD, even when I used way too much, my hands just felt soft.  Not the slightest bit sticky or greasy.

It does not have added fragrance, but it has a very light, pleasant smell.  It smells very familiar, but I am terrible at putting my finger on scents.  I am going to guess that I’m smelling the aloe and chamomile!
 

lotion on skin

With other lotions, even if it doesn’t feel terribly gross on  my hands, it feels slimy rinsing off my hands the next time I wash them.  Not so with Skin MD!  Unfortunately, I can’t tell you that Skin MD worked miracles and cured my eczema, but it is noticeably improved.  The skin between my fingers isn’t flaking anymore, and my hands don’t snag on diapers when I stuff them (ick!).
 
skinmd samples skinmd spf ingredients

I also received some samples of the Skin MD lotion with SPF 15.
 

spf texture

 
I was really surprised that it also had a great texture.  Usually if I apply sunscreen, or even a lotion with added sunscreen, I have to wash my hands 3-4 times to get the greasy feeling off.  I was able to put this on the palms of my hands with no such feeling!
 
If you want to try it yourself, you can request a sample by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope!
 
Giveaway: Skin MD is offering a reader her own 4 oz. bottle of Shielding Lotion.  (ARV $18)


Here’s how to enter: All entries go in the form below.  I love comments, but comments don’t count as entries.


Mandatory entries include your name and email address.  You may elect to receive a bonus entry if you are a new or current “liker” of Skin MD Natural on Facebook.  You may receive another bonus entry if you follow Skin MD Natural on Twitter.

I will accept entries until Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 at 9:00 P.M. Eastern. I will select a winner using random.org’s true random number generator and notify him/her by email. Winner has 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is chosen. View my giveaway rules page for complete details. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada.

# of entries received as of January 5th at giveaway close:137

https://spreadsheets.google.com/embeddedform?formkey=dG1YUHp4dkpqRndxXzRBYjJ4ZWlOeFE6MQ

FTC compliance: I received the pictured products at no cost in order to write this review.  I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own.

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Natural Personal Care Products Review

Weleda Children’s Tooth Gel Review

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Weleda Children's Tooth Gel

I was looking for an alternative to the fluoride-free toddler toothpaste my son was using, since it’s rated a “5” on the skin deep cosmetics database.  I checked our local organic store and found Weleda‘s Children’s Tooth Gel.
 
fluoride free infant toothpastenatural infant toothpaste

The tooth gel is fluoride free, as well as free of detergents, artifical fragrances, colors and preservatives.  It’s rated a 3 on the skin deep database with a 72% data gap.  Since the only ingredent that is “yellow” (moderate safety) is limonene, I’m pretty confident that it’s safe for my son to use. 

While I didn’t pay anywhere near the $7.00 MSRP, the $4.59 price tag was still a little gasp inducing for a 1.78 oz. tube!

natural protection for children's baby teeth

The first little squirt out of the tube looked rather off white, but it’s really a pretty bright yellow.  I tasted it, and it has a somewhat strong, natural mint flavor.  I wondered how my son would do, since most toddler products are fruity flavored.  He wasn’t startled by the flavor and seemed to enjoy it.  My almost 6-year old likes it too!  Then again, she’s weird, and has always liked minty “grownup” toothpaste!

Unless I find something with a “lower rating” in the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, I will continue to buy this!

FTC compliance: I paid normal retail price for this product, I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own.

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Giveaway Natural Personal Care Products Review

Tom’s of Maine Wicked Fresh Toothpaste Review & Giveaway (CLOSED 11/22)

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Tom's of Maine

I’ve been a Bzzagent for several years now, and my most recent campaign is for Tom’s of Maine Wicked Fresh Toothpaste.

I try to buy natural products for my kids whenever possible, but there really hasn’t been room in the budget to “green up” my own health & beauty routine.  Tom’s of Maine Wicked Fresh Toothpaste contains fluoride (which I know some people avoid) and also contains sodium lauryl sulfate.  It does not contain alcohol, or any artificial ingredients.  It’s easy to find in “big box” stores nationwide, and it’s available in both Cool Peppermint and Spearmint Ice flavors.

tom's of maine box

Tom’s of Maine is cruelty free, with no animal testing or animal ingredients, no artificial colors, flavors, fragrances or preservatives.  They share every ingredient, it’s purpose and it’s source on their website.  Sustainable practices are a priority for their business, and they maximize the recycled content and recyclability of their packaging.  They dedicate 5% (12 days) of employee time to volunteering, and 10% of their profits go to human and environmental goodness.
 

tom's of maine box 2

 
My daughter, husband and I used the sample size boxes, which were all cool peppermint flavor.
 

tom's of maine wicked fresh

The toothpaste had a natural looking color, slightly gritty texture, and a natural, almost herbal-y (not sure how else to put that!) mint flavor.
 

tom's of maine toothpaste

 
After I brushed, my teeth didn’t have quite the same slick clean feeling that I’m used to, but after I flossed and used my mouthwash, they felt very clean.  I didn’t notice any extended freshening though!  The suggested retail price for a 5.2 ounce tube is $4.19.  I’ve been CVSing (yeah, I used it as a verb) for about three years now, so I haven’t paid any “real” money for toothpaste since before then.  The Tom’s of Maine toothpaste really isn’t much more than other brands, but for someone not used to paying for toothpaste, it’s a lot!!
 
Giveaway: I am sending the full size, 5.2 ounce tube to one of my readers. 
 
Here’s how to enter: All entries go in the form below.  Simply enter your name and email address.  Post will be updated with the # of entries received.  I’d love for you to leave a comment, I’m always interested to hear what products others use.  Keep in mind that comments don’t count as entries.
 
I will accept entries until Monday, November 22nd, 2010 at 9:00 P.M. Eastern.  This is a short one.  I will select a winner using random.org’s true random number generator and notify him/her by email.  Winner has 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is chosen.  View my giveaway rules page for complete details.  This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S.
 
Entries as of November 22nd at giveaway close: 78
 
https://spreadsheets.google.com/embeddedform?formkey=dGY2S3NyQ2dKM0hqdnJmNDB5Qnd6Z1E6MQ

FTC Compliance: I received the above samples at no charge as a Bzzagent.  All opinions are my own.

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