Some eco-baby care favorites!

Some people have asked me lately about the products we use on Munchkin. I definitely try to research and find products that are as safe and natural as possible. Since she also has very dry skin and eczema, we also consider that when making our decisions.

Some of our favorites:

Aubrey Organics Natural Baby and Kids Soap - we bought this on a whim when we ran out of our regular shampoo. At first, I was a little taken back by the scent, which is a light herbal tone. Now, though, I love it and can't get enough whiffs of Munchkin's freshly shampooed hair. We use it all over her body and it leaves her skin clean and fairly hydrated.

Weleda Calendula Baby Cream - this stuff is so thick and creamy, like an ointment, and it does wonders for dry, itchy skin. Plus, I love, love, love the Calendula scent! We use several Weleda products in our household, but this is one of my absolute favorites.

Alba's Un-Petroleum Jelly - Everyone knows that a tube of petroleum jelly is considered a staple for new babies. But what about eco-conscious moms who want something that isn't petroleum based? Enter Alba's Un-Petroleum Jelly, made from "pure plant oils and all natural waxes". The result? A nice way to grease up anything without relying on petroleum!

Badger SPF 30 Sunblock - Badger is another brand that we really like in our household, and their sunscreen is no disappointment. It is mineral-based and 100% natural, without the nasty chemicals that you might find in some other sunscreens. It offers protection from both UVA and UVB. Like many natural sunscreens, it does go on thick and leaves a white finish, but Munchkin never seems to mind. We've used it swimming, boating, and hiking and she's never shown any signs of sun exposure.

So what products do you love in your household? I would love to hear about them!

Quick Green Tips!

Just some random things I've learned recently and thought I should share!

- Organic produce codes - you know how all produce has a 4-digit price look-up (PLU) code that you can use to ring up the price at the register? Well, if you've noticed, some produce has a 5-digit code. What does that extra digit in front mean? Well, if it is a 9, it means that it is organic! So a regular banana has the code 4011...and 94011 is an organic banana! A great way to sort through bins of produce what your store has confusing signs. But watch out - an 8 in front means that the produce is genetically modified...

- Free scrubbies - A great way to re-use AND save money! We all have those nasty messes that require a little extra elbow grease, right? And we probably all have bought our share of scrubby disposable sponges at the store to tackle them. But, if you look around your kitchen produce you can probably find something that you bought in a nylon mesh bag (onions, lemons, potatoes, you get the idea). Instead of throwing out the mesh, wash it with a little soap and water, cut it into an appropriate sized length, and then tuck your dish cloth or microfiber cleaning cloth inside so that the mesh is a pocket around it. Now go to town! You have a gentle, FREE scrubby cloth that creates great lather and will cut through tons of ick. And when you're done, just remove the cloth, rinse the mesh with some soapy water, and hang out to dry. So easy!

- Frugal hand soap - Thanks to a great green friend Misty for this idea! There are many foaming hand soap products that you can buy at the store. Unfortunately, they are expensive to refill and often loaded with toxic checmicals. Misty told me about how she bought the Method foaming hand soap bottles on sale, and then when they were empty, she just refilled them with a mixture of Dr. Bronner's lavender castile soap and water! A great way to save money, use an all-natural product, and help keep germs at bay!

A great contest!

If I haven't said it before, I love love love etsy. Great products, great people. I may never be the crafty mama I wish I was, but I can live vicariously through everyone else's storefronts.

So of course I was excited when Dee at "Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House" posted her new giveaway for a trio of products from Farmstead Organics. I am drooling over all of the fabulous products that Farmstead Organics offers. Bath products, baby products, yum. And what better way to try them than winning a set for free?

Check out the giveaway for more details!